Education Is More Important Today World Than Ever Before

Part 1- Introduction and Description of Program Education is more important in today’s world than ever before. In September of 2010, a new program was implemented across Ontario to give students a stronger start in school and life. This program is called Full day kindergarten, it was designed to help support early learning as well as contribute to Ontario’s long-term economic competitive advantaged. (edu.gov.com) George Vanier Catholic School has run this program since its implementation in 2010. Their full day kindergarten program is different from a regular full day since they are Catholic oriented. George Vanier mission is â€Å"Teach me Knowledge, Goodness, and Discipline.† The mission of program is to provide a variety of learning opportunities and experiences that are based on assessment information and the strengths, needs, and interests of the children. (J.R, 2014) It’s the collaboration between the catholic community of educational professionals, children and parents. (M.V, 2014) We work in partnership with the Parish and home to help our students develop into lifelong learners, who will be confident, interdependent members of the community, who will contribute to society by faith and serving God. Together, we are dedicated to helping children reach their potential and to respect diversity. (GeorgeVanier, 2014) Goals of the Catholic program are to strengthen faith by to teaching one of the 10 virtues each month. Full day learning is taught through inquiry, real lifeShow MoreRelatedThe Modern World1742 Words   |  7 Pagesthis life that everyone thirsts to grasp, and yet refuses to see how important it is? This element continues to be simply, knowledge. As an impressive human species we believe knowledge is the key to life. This is why throughout history so many have attempted to eradicate this fortunate part of our life. The Babylonians sabotaged the library of Assurbanipal in Nineveh, which was the first and finest known library of the ancient world, and it held the Epic of Gilgamesh as well as countless alternativeRead MoreImpact Of Globalization On The World1262 Words   |  6 PagesThe impact that globalization provided to the world was a positive effect that expanded the influences from one country to another. Globalization is the process of international integration arising from th e interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture. Similarities on how national markets established themselves in other countries which increases not only international trade but also cultural exchange. This increases cultural trade because it gives countries the abilityRead MoreDr. Finely s Views On Educational Globalization1495 Words   |  6 Pagesconducted with Dr. David Finely. 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In order to deal with these changes, Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) will increasingly become more important in the changing landscape of education in Singapore. Globalization is both a cultural and economic phenomenon that has been defined as â€Å"a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by internationalRead More My Philosophy of Education Essay851 Words   |  4 PagesMy Philosophy of Education The obstacle of finding a career is something we are all faced with at one time or another. Fortunately for me, I found this decision to be a very easy one, because I have a love for teaching. The decision of my career was clear. I was going to become a teacher. The nature of students, or at least most students, is to learn and master problem-solving abilities in order to be a successful adult. I believe the student’s nature is ever changing, therefore, in thatRead MoreAmerican Public Education Essays1553 Words   |  7 PagesPublic Education Today, education enables us to enlarge our knowledge and open doors for opportunities to the path of having a good future. In the five readings, each written by a different author, there was a lesson learned and something to take away from each one. Reading through the passages by Mann, Moore, Malcolm X, Gatto, Rose, and Anyon, each author contributed his or her point of view on general public education. This topic can be very argumentative depending on the quality of education people

Research Analysis Deaf Students Visual Learners Essay

Research Analysis #2 1. How did you select this research study? What search terms did you use? What database did you use? What was your rationale for selecting this particular study to analyze over the others in the search results? What is the full reference in APA format? While attending the International Congress of Education for the Deaf (ICED), I learned a plethora of knowledge related to deaf learners. One presenter, Marc Marshark spoke about his study and I wanted more information than he could provide. Therefore, I search for his study. In the UNF One Search Database, I clicked peer reviewed and typed in â€Å"Are deaf students visual learners?† His study was the first to appear. The reference to his article is: Marshark, M., Morrison, C., Lukomski J., Borgna, G., Cpnvertino, C. (2013). Are deaf students visual learners? Learning Individual Differences, 25 156-162. 2. What is the back ground of the study? Deaf students have been known to be visual learners due to the loss of one sense; hearing, and using more of the other senses, such as sight. â€Å"There does not appear to be a peer-reviewed research literature indicating that deaf students are more likely than hearing students to be visual learners† (Marschark, Lukomski, Borgna, Convertino p 156). 3. What is the research question? There are two research questions for this study: (1) at a general level, â€Å"To what extent to which deaf students can be considered visual learner in any sense beyond or differentShow MoreRelatedReading Achievement And Difficulties Of Students Essay1289 Words   |  6 Pagesand difficulties of students who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh) are discussed. 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Significant Business Function-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Discusss about the Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing Business Functions. Answer: Introduction Outsourcing has become a significant business function both in the private and public sector and is a major component in business strategy (Gunasekaran et al., 2015). The increasing competition among companies both in the local and international market has sobered up managers to emphasize on attaining competitive advantage to as to survive in the market. With the current trend, the satisfaction of the needs of the customers and winning their trust is becoming more difficult; however, it can be gained through offering products and services of value. The performance of the business can be achieved by use of the traditional methods in addition to outsourcing the business functions. The objective of outsourcing is to increase flexibility and adaptability of the company to the new market situations by focusing on the goal of the firm, delegating some functions, transactions to other businesses. However, outsourcing also comes with limitations in cases where the outsourced company is less productive than the outsourcing company. Project Objective The aim of this study is to determine why most organizations outsource some of their business functions. Furthermore, this study examines the reasons for the decision of outsourcing with the aim of developing an in-depth understanding of the objective. Project Scope Outsourcing is extensive and involves all the business functions; but because of the constraints of time and money, it was impossible to address all the functions in this research. Therefore, based on the above reasons the researcher considered the following significant business functions: Information technology Accounting services Human resource Sales and marketing The data gathered is from twenty-nine organizations. 1Literature Review The concept of outsourcing Mella and Pellicelli (2012) define outsourcing as delegating work previously done within the company to be done by an outside organization. To differentiate between insourcing and out-tasking, Mella and Pellicelli describe insourcing as moving the outsourced function from the supplier to be entirely managed by the staff which mostly results in competition with outside suppliers. While out-tasking occurs when the task is done outside the firm, but full control of the operations are retained by the company; that is the specific details of how the work is to be carried out. Alebrand, (2013) further gives the difference between offshoring and outsourcing: when an outsourced task is done locally viz in the same country, then it is termed as onshore outsourcing. Whereas an outsourced work executed in other countries but within similar time zones is referred to as nearshore outsourcing. If the outsourced work is done in countries with time zones that are far apart, then it is termed as offshore outsourcing. Outsourcing is a process of decision making. The important decision is to outsource given tasks or not. The decision to outsource is become much complicated in modern organizations because of their integrated applications with each other. For instance, IT applications cut across all the operations of different departments thus making it difficult to outsource only one application. Furthermore, in the case of poor performance out of outsourcing, and then the whole company is affected. Therefore, the criteria used to examine the decision of outsourcing has to be multidimensional and imperceptible (Mella and Pellicelli, 2012). Types of services outsourced This part considers the commonly outsourced services. Schniederjans, M., Schniederjans, A and Schniederjans, D. (2015.) outlines services that are mostly outsourced: Information technology services, Human resource services, administrative and sales and marketing functions. Outsourcing the Accounting Function Maelah et al., (2012) asserts that the accounting services are the most outsourced however they are limited to specific jobs in the function. According to Raudla and Tammel (2015) Some of the services within the accounting function that can be outsourced include virtual payroll, the collection of receivable accounts, management of cash by banks, the filing of tax returns, preparation and reporting of financial statements, auditing, printing of cheques, the collection of money receipts etc. Raudla and Tammel (2015) highlight the benefits and drawbacks that can be achieved from outsourcing services in the accounting function. According to their study, the outstanding purpose of outsourcing the function of collections is because supplier can follow-up on the clients who are tardy in payments that would help the staff because of unique skills that are required in persuading organizations to pay for accruing invoices and product collections. The fundamental motives for internal auditing o utsourcing include: A blend of skills, Employee value: the performance value of the supplied auditing staff is usually above bar attributes the benefits of outsourcing to The experience of diverse practices: Because auditors often audit many different organizations then the knowledge base is built up and thus able to carry out the auditing task efficiently. Furthermore, Raudla and Tammel retaliates that outsourcing go accounting function results in Flexible costs: the business can only incur costs for the audit work done and thus can easily save on cost by shifting from the fixed costs for internal staff to external staff. Similar conclusions are shared by Butlernand Callahan (2014) regarding to the benefits of Outsourcing payroll services, which include Avoiding the last-minute rush of payments of payroll tax, Evade the payment of software updates, Escape the printing of pay checks, To counter check for any double locations in check delivery and To ease clerical work for the accoun ting staff to focus on other weightier matters. Siew-Chen and Seow-Voon (2016) in their study found out that outsourcing can be risky, for instance, Collection companies can sever the customer relationship with the business by the manner in which they collect the debts from the adamant business. This may further terminate any future business deals with the firm. According to Sulaiman Ainin et al. (2012 ) outsourcing is usually costly because the supplier is paid a percentage of the collected bill. Hay et al. (2016) emphasizes that internal auditing is Costly because the external auditing company costs more than the internal auditors because the ultimate cost is reflected in the overheads and profit margin of the business. Also Hay (2017) found out that The issue with delegating the auditing function to the external auditing firm may take advantage of the opportunity and develop their managers (because they gain a broad knowledge base about the services of the company) thus depriving the organization of the chance to train managers for the enterprise in the future. Outsourcing Computer Services. Computer services are the most outsourced services in history. Gorla and Somers (2014) records that some suppliers further outsource their internal services to other providers. The functional computer services that are usually outsourced include the department of data management, where the supplier hands over the entire main frame of the application to a facility that is integrated to work for many firms. All the software applications of the business are operated from this location. Another outsourced area is the communication and networks, help desk, upkeep of desktop computers, etc. Outsourcing of information system/technology is the allocation of IT function that used to be an internal task to a third-party. The IT outsourcing services are software development, maintenance of hardware, and web hosting (Lewis, 2015). The call for web hosting and data storage services have recently increased. Organizations receive this functionality by the application service providers where the management can store and retrieve their information through the public networks. Chang and Gurbaxani (2012) in their research highlight that Outsourcing IS function Cuts the expenses for acquisition of desktops more so in companies facing financial crisis. In different studies Gorla and Somers (2014); Chang and Gurbaxani (2012) found out that the purchase of any required computers needed for the data center and its maintenance is taken care by the supplier. Outsourcing leads to Cost reduction by shifting the entire data center, management of calls and networks and the control of the customer care desk to the supplier. By changing computing costs from static to variable helps in the reduction of costs such as installation and salary paid to the staff during installation and maintenance Lewis (2015). Furthermore, the company enjoys services from experienced workers which it may not possess. The knowledge base of the employees of the supplier has diverse experiences from working with different companies On the contrary, Datta and Mahapatra (2014) argue that the risks associated with outsourcing IT function may prohibit its outsourcing. For instance, Datta and Mahapatra stresses that the firm has to incur training costs on how to communicate with the customer care desk from the supplier. Also, the services of the help desk define the reputation of the business to a larger extent. Therefore if the service provider blunders in addressing issues relating to staff then this may affect the general functionality of the business. Lewis (2015) argues that In some cases, the supplier may not ardently track open problem and outsourcing the development function is risky because the performing programmers can quickly leave the firm for fear of shifting to the provider which may be known for mishandling of its employees. Outsourcing Human Resource Function. The human resource function provides mostly clerical services which can readily be delegated to experienced and technologically equipped supplier. Some of the services offered by the human resource department include: health, life and employee insurance. Other non-clerical tasks which are more sensitive include outplacement, recruitment, training and transfers (Kock, et al., 2012) Butler and Callahan (2014) explores on the impacts of outsourcing HR function and suggests that the technical and emotional act of addressing laid-off employees can quickly and more efficiently be handled by the supplier because this is part of their full-time job meaning they have expertise to handle such matters which cannot be found within the organization. Additionally, psychological counselling can be extended to employees in case of need. Butler and Callahan reiterate that Outsourcing the aspect of life insurance enables the company to avoid the threat of enormous losses that result under self-insurance. According to Mahmud et al. (2012) when the Health insurance is handled by an in-house staff it costs the organization additional fixed costs as opposed to outsourcing. Similarly, Kock, et al., 2012) highlights that Outsourcing recruitment is advantageous to the company because the expenses incurred are taken care of by the supplier until the firm gets the qualified candidate. O n the hand, an internal recruiting official comes with fixed costs which must be incurred whether or not the company gets the potential candidate. The firm is likely to get the best candidate for the job because the supplier will be actively determined to get one in order to be paid. Otherwise, the company has not motivation (Butler and Callahan, 2014). However, some scholars argue care should be taken when outsourcing some HR functions. According to Butler and Callahan (2014) outsourcing leads to the needs of the firm being addressed by the supplier for a limited period of time. Butler and Callahan (2014) reasons that it is often the case that providers do not want to incur costs approach colleges to recruit employees who are later grilled on the company functions by an insider and is then presented as a potential employee. Glaister (2014) concurs with Butler and Callahan (2014 that Outsourcing to those suppliers that sometimes further outsource to third party suppliers may become hectic to the staff who have to trace the locations of the suppliers Outsourcing the Function of Sales and Marketing The areas of public relations, promotion, supply and external sales have been in practise for a long time. Raassens et al. (2012) and Shacheendran, (2013) suggests that outsourcing marketing is of benefit because the organization can easily save on costs by substituting the internal fixed cost with the supplier cost which is variable. The provider is accessible to a diversity of talents which can creatively design the advertising strategy of the company thus leading to active promotion which otherwise would not be possible if the in-house staff were left to undertake (Raassens et al., 2012). The fixed cost of public relation according to Sheikh and Rana (2014) can be reduced since the supplier will only charge based on the time spent at work. Also, the suppler is more likely to have a wider media contact than the employee. According to Glaister (2014) the initiation, establishment and maintenance of call centre can efficiently be run by the supplier than the company due to extensive expertise. Also, the additional costs incurred in the setting up of a call centre such as furniture, buildings etc. are forgone. Outsourcing also Minimizes computer security risk because the call centre staffs are less likely required to access the organization data base to respond to queries. Outsourcing the sales function implies that the company will no longer incur base salary to the external sales person who are mostly paid on commission. This reduces the company expenses. A study conducted by Gichuru, (2012) revealed that an external sales officer is of advantage to the company in areas of low volume sales or distant regions in which case it would be costly for the firm to cater for a full-time worker. Similarly, Sheikh and Rana (2014) in his survey records that the benefit of an external sales person is that he/she can be of great use in countries which one must communicate in the local dialect and knowledgeable about the culture In a survey conducted by Raassens et al. (2012) show that in some situations outsourcing the sales and marketing function can be costly because the commission rewarded to the sales people is exorbitant compared to that of an internal sales staff. Osmond et al. (2000) found out that the cost of outsourcing call centre is much higher because the cost per call of the external company must be reflected in the profit margin and principal costs of all the call centres. Outsourcing puts the repute of the business at stake because of the autonomy of the calls made by the callers of the supplier which sometimes may put off customers (Willcocks, and Cullen, 2013). Ignorance of the industry of the company and its product line may be exposed by the provider in case of any publicity, according to Al-Mutairi, and Al-Hammad (n.d). Additionally, the supplier advertising cost is usually much higher than that of the internal employee. Conclusion Outsourcing is an excellent practice by the management. Despite some management fears or awareness on the quality control, there exist significant ideological reasons such as increase of Return of Investments and access to a pool of expertize that should make the senior management to reconsider outsourcing certain business functions (Freytag et al., 2012). The advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing of different business functions vary, and therefore the management should advisedly consider the type of services to outsource depending on the kind of business, type of market, the companys budget, etc. Reference Butler, M.G. and Callahan, C.M., 2014. Human resource outsourcing: Market and operating performance effects of administrative HR functions.Journal of Business Research,67(2), pp.218-224. Retrieved from: https://www.irantahgig.ir/wp-content/uploads/10330.pdf Gichuru, M., 2012. Critical success factors in business process outsourcing of logistics companies in Kenya.Unpublished MBA Project). University of Nairobi. Sourcing of Information Systems. Perspectives and Practices. Chichester, UK. Glaister, A.J., 2014. HR outsourcing: the impact on HR role, competency development and relationships.Human resource management journal,24(2), pp.211-226. Hay, D., 2017. Opportunities for auditing research: Back to our interdisciplinary roots.Meditari Accountancy Research, (just-accepted), pp.00-00. Hay, D., Stewart, J. and Botica Redmayne, N., 2016. The Role of Auditing in Corporate Governance in Australia and New Zealand: A Research Synthesis. Mahmud, K., Billah, M.M. and Chowdhury, S.M.R., 2012. Human resource outsourcing: A study on telecommunication sector in Bangladesh.International Journal of Business and Management,7(10), p.74. retrieved from:https://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijbm/article/download/14847/11398 Roberts, J.G., Henderson, J.G., Olive, L.A. and Obaka, D., 2013. A Review of Outsourcing of Services in Health Care Organizations.Journal of Outsourcing and Organizational Information Management,2013, p.1. Sheikh, Z. and Rana, S., 2014. The Role of Logistics Service Providers in Supply Chain Performance Management: A comprehensive Literature Review.International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences,4(5), p.608. Siew-Chen, S. and Seow-Voon, Y., 2016. Exploring Human Resource Outsourcing Trends in Malaysia.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,224, pp.491-498. Retrieved from:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042816305092 Sulaiman Ainin, S.B., Faziharudean, T.M. and Salleh, N.A.M., 2012. Impact of Business Process Outsourcing Practices on Financial Performance.Asian Journal of Information Technology,11(2), pp.56-64. Retrieved from:https://repository.um.edu.my/24957/1/AJIT_2012.pdf Willcocks, L. and Cullen, S., 2013.Intelligent IT outsourcing.London: Routledge. Al-Mutairi, A.O. and Al-Hammad, A., Advantages and Disadvantages of Maintenance Outsourcing in Manufacturing Companies: With Special References to Jubail Industrial CityKSA.European Journal of Business and Management,7(20). Shacheendran, V., 2013. Providing KPO ServicesBusiness Dynamics and Challenges.Journal of Contemporary Research in Management,1(1). Alebrand, W.W., 2013. Offshoring statt Outsourcing.Controlling Management Review,57(8), pp.86-92. Butler, M.G. and Callahan, C.M., 2014. Human resource outsourcing: Market and operating performance effects of administrative HR functions.Journal of Business Research,67(2), pp.218-224. Retrieved from: https://www.irantahgig.ir/wp-content/uploads/10330.pdf Chang, Y.B. and Gurbaxani, V., 2012. Information technology outsourcing, knowledge transfer, and firm productivity: An empirical analysis.MIS quarterly,36(4). Freytag, P.V., Clarke, A.H. and Evald, M.R., 2012. Reconsidering outsourcing solutions.European Management Journal,30(2), pp.99-110. Gorla, N. and Somers, T.M., 2014. The impact of IT outsourcing on information systems success.Information Management,51(3), pp.320-335. Gunasekaran, A., Irani, Z., Choy, K.L., Filippi, L. and Papadopoulos, T., 2015. Performance measures and metrics in outsourcing decisions: A review for research and applications.International Journal of Production Economics,161, pp.153-166. Kock, H., Wallo, A., Nilsson, B. and Hglund, C., 2012. Outsourcing HR services: the role of human resource intermediaries.European Journal of Training and Development,36(8), pp.772-790. Retrieved from:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Henrik_Kock/publication/298914996_Setting_the_stage_fo_innovation_TowardS_a_conceptual_model_of_the_HRinnovation_link/links/58ac19e892851cf0e3cccc7f/Setting-the-stage-for-innovation-TowardS-a-conceptual-model-of-the-HR-innovation-link.pdf Lewis, J.B., 2015.Identifying Key Determinants of Service Provider Effectiveness and the Impact it has on Outsourced Security Success(Doctoral dissertation, Nova Southeastern University). Maelah, R., Aman, A., Amirruddin, R., Sofiah, Auzair, M. and Hamzah, N., 2012. Accounting outsourcing practices in Malaysia.Journal of Asia Business Studies,6(1), pp.60-78. Mella, P. and Pellicelli, M., 2012. The Strategies of Outsourcing and Offshoring.American International Journal of Contemporary Research (ISSN: 2162-139X), pp.116-127. Raassens, N., Wuyts, S. and Geyskens, I., 2012. The market valuation of outsourcing new product development.Journal of Marketing Research,49(5), pp.682-695. Raudla, R. and Tammel, K., 2015. Creating shared service centres for public sector accounting.Accounting, Auditing Accountability Journal,28(2), pp.158-179. Samantra, C., Datta, S. and Mahapatra, S.S., 2014. Risk assessment in IT outsourcing using fuzzy decision-making approach: An Indian perspective.Expert Systems with Applications,41(8), pp.4010-4022. Retrieved from:https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a33c/9df111002da07271d7401cab4e38c3d56521.pdf Schniederjans, M.J., Schniederjans, A.M. and Schniederjans, D.G., 2015.Outsourcing and insourcing in an international context. New York: Routledge.pp. 21-23.

What the Rising Student to Counselor Ratio Means for Education

Regardless of time and location, students are always looking for general guidance and academic help. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) suggests that schools should have a student to counselor ratio of 250:1 in order to maximize effectiveness and get students the help that they need. However, in 2014, only 3 states were under the recommended student to counselor ratio. The rest struggled to maintain a ratio under approximately double the suggested size. Overall, the United States ratio continues to trend upwards; in 2012, the national average was around 460:1. In 2014, the ratio rose to 491:1. So what, exactly, is causing this problem? One study from UMass suggests that it might be a problem of underfunding. With public schools having trouble keeping programs available due to a lack of funding, it inevitably gets harder for students to continue to pursue those areas of study at school. This underfunding is also directly impacting counselors, as available jobs are cut, and current counselors are forced to take on an even larger load of students. Whatever the reason may be, it’s important that counselors continue to be an influence in high schools across the nation. School counselors play a huge role in a student’s life, and it’s crucial that students have personal interactions with them. Just how much of a problem is the rising student to counselor ratio? As the number increases, more students are losing access to the professionals that can help with the larger educational decisions, like where to apply to college, what classes to take, and what course of study to pursue. Is this question one that should be addressed on a state and federal level? Can education technology companies provide support and find ways to work with counselors in a new way?

Free Essays on Living Together

Should We Live Together? A careful review of the available social science evidence suggests that living together is not a good way to prepare for marriage or to avoid divorce. What's more, it shows that the rise in cohabitation is not a positive family trend. Cohabiting unions tend to weaken the institution of marriage and pose clear and present dangers for women and children. Living together before marriage is one of America's most significant and unexpected family trends. By simple definition, living together or unmarried cohabitation is the status of couples who are sexual partners, not married to each other, and sharing a household. By 1997, the total number of unmarried couples in America topped 4 million, up from less than half a million in 1960. It is estimated that about a quarter of unmarried women between the ages of 25 and 39 are currently living with a partner and about half have lived at some time with an unmarried partner (the data are typically reported for women but not for men). Over half of all first marriages are now preceded by cohabitation, compared to virtually none earlier in the century. Unlike divorce or unwed childbearing, the trend toward cohabitation has inspired virtually no public comment or criticism. It is hard to believe that across America, only thirty years ago, living together for unmarried, heterosexual couples was against the law. And it was considered immoral living in sin or at the very least highly improper. Women who provided sexual and housekeeping services to a man without the benefits of marriage were regarded as fools at best and morally loose at worst. A double standard existed, but cohabiting men were certainly not regarded with approbation. Today, the old view of cohabitation seems yet another example of the repressive Victorian norms. The new view is that cohabitation represents a more progressive approach to intimate relationships. How much healthier women are... Free Essays on Living Together Free Essays on Living Together Should We Live Together? A careful review of the available social science evidence suggests that living together is not a good way to prepare for marriage or to avoid divorce. What's more, it shows that the rise in cohabitation is not a positive family trend. Cohabiting unions tend to weaken the institution of marriage and pose clear and present dangers for women and children. Living together before marriage is one of America's most significant and unexpected family trends. By simple definition, living together or unmarried cohabitation is the status of couples who are sexual partners, not married to each other, and sharing a household. By 1997, the total number of unmarried couples in America topped 4 million, up from less than half a million in 1960. It is estimated that about a quarter of unmarried women between the ages of 25 and 39 are currently living with a partner and about half have lived at some time with an unmarried partner (the data are typically reported for women but not for men). Over half of all first marriages are now preceded by cohabitation, compared to virtually none earlier in the century. Unlike divorce or unwed childbearing, the trend toward cohabitation has inspired virtually no public comment or criticism. It is hard to believe that across America, only thirty years ago, living together for unmarried, heterosexual couples was against the law. And it was considered immoral living in sin or at the very least highly improper. Women who provided sexual and housekeeping services to a man without the benefits of marriage were regarded as fools at best and morally loose at worst. A double standard existed, but cohabiting men were certainly not regarded with approbation. Today, the old view of cohabitation seems yet another example of the repressive Victorian norms. The new view is that cohabitation represents a more progressive approach to intimate relationships. How much healthier women are...

Absolutism vs Democracy essays

Absolutism vs Democracy essays The way a household runs is a lot like how a government does, it has social, economic, religious, military and political issues, the way they choose to run it effects the people under it greatly. Families and government must both ask themselves in what way should they respond to these issues. One choice appearing on the far right of the political spectrum is called absolutism. This system has one supreme leader who is absolute and answers to no one. Absolutism can lead to a nationalistic society, which tends to have a more unified and patriotic population. This nationalism leads to a country more willing to defend itself in a patriotic manner. This society also possesses great ability to stabilize its economy if ever in need. Dictatorships can many times lead ultra-nationalism, which comprises peoples rights and freedoms by controlling peoples lives. Along with the patriotism can come its extreme forms of elitism and racism. On the opposite side of the spectrum comes a different syst em called individualism. It involves Individualism protects minority and their rights. Individualism tries to protect minority rights thought protecting their culture. An example of this is the Official Languages Act of 1969. This act declared that both French and English would be the official languages of Canada. Canada was protecting the French culture by protecting the purity of their language. If Quebec were to separate the opposite if this would most likely happen. French would become the main language and the English language would be ignored. Quebec tried to do this once before. In 1977 the provincial government of Quebec attempted to pass Bill 101. What Bill 101 would basically do is make French the official language of Quebec. English language would be lost as an official language. In an effort to protect the English minority in Quebec the federal government took Quebecs provincial government to court and won, eliminating ...

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Service Marketing - Research Paper Example Marketing challenges are a common issue for all service companies. The major focus of these companies is to highlight intangible or tangible element present within the service aspect. In this research study five different companies will be included belonging to different service sectors. The various service sectors chosen for this study are financial services, telecommunication services, airlines, hospitality and health care services. Financial services are usually provided by finance industry and are regarded as economic services. There is wide range of firms belonging to this industry like banks, insurance companies, real estate funds, credit unions, investment funds, accountancy companies, etc. Air transport services are another well-known service for travelling freight and passengers. Telecommunication service is all about enhancing transfer capabilities of user information through telecommunication systems. On the other hand, health care services are highly responsible for provi ding appropriate health care facilities to patients. Hospitality services are inclined towards providing guests accommodation facilities, travel, food, other amenities, etc. Etisalat is the brand name for Emirates Telecommunications Corporation. The company belongs to the telecommunication industry and was founded in 1976. Etisalat is a well-known telecommunication service provider based in UAE. In current scenario the company operates across 15 countries encompassing Asia, Africa and Middle East. The company is ranked as 12th largest operator of mobile network across the globe. Total customer base of the firm is about 150 million. Services being offered by the company are mobile and fixed line telephony, digital television and internet services. It can be stated that fixed line telephony and digital television is a form of tangible substance being offered by Etisalat. The company has even entered into approximately 150 roaming agreements, expanding across 186

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The Concept of Leadership in the media - Essay Example Through research conducted at Fortune 500 companies, the issue of corporate social responsibility has been made significant. The research was conducted in relation to leadership issues and stated that companies more involved in corporate social responsibility were most likely to be morally irresponsible. As a way of supporting his argument, the article author gives examples of Enron and BP. Enron was involved in an accounting fraud scandal that cost its shareholders $ 11 billion while BP, which had held a safety record missed safety signs resulting in11 deaths. It is important for companies to maintain ethics and corporate social responsibility (Ormiston, 2013). Australian statistics from their national bureau of statistics show Women have accessed greater educational opportunities and employment opportunities. However in the property sector has not fully utilized the potentiality of the female gender workforce. Although there are few women employed in the industry, the Ernest and Young report also supports the evident view of gender inequality in that sector. The report further states that women are better financial performers compared to their male counterparts. The presence of male domination in a traditionally male industry points out the organizational setup is still in the developmental stages of achieving gender equality (Heaton, 2015). Intel Chief Executive is seen as visionary through investing in the improvement of its workplace diversity. Gender-related issues are still considered as contemporary issues in the present day organization as most companies have stuck to the traditional male domination. However, Intel’s Chief Executive has set a pioneering step in altering the workplace demographics by investing in the acquisition of female gender workforce. The three-year investment plan is set to change the

Global Strategy and Local Needs in the Luxury Car Market Essay Example for Free

Global Strategy and Local Needs in the Luxury Car Market Essay 1 Introduction Since the 1980’s researchers have been trying to understand what globalization is and how competitive advantage can be gained out of it. This study will look at this movement with a critical eye and reflect whether or not it is sometimes better to give local needs priority in management decisions. The purpose of this study is to analyse whether the â€Å"Global strategy, but local needs† assumption leads to success. The objective is to provide scientific evidence for this strategy, analyse different organizations’ strategies and provide a possible recommendation for the best practice. Globalization is a driver of luxury 1 but it is not the best solution to apply this approach in all strategic decisions. This paper will not only look at this strategic approach in general, but will try to focus in specific on the luxury car market. The luxury segment is a fascinating subject for scientific research, because it still provides possibilities for relatively fundamental research within its niche. 2 Although there is considerable literature about specific brands, there is a lack of systematic and scholarly work that analyses the luxury car phenomenon itself. 3 The importance of this segment has also been emphasized in Sergio Marchionne’s recent speech to the shareholders (appendix 7. 2). The CEO of the Fiat S. p. a and of the Chrysler Group LLC underlined that his strategy for the future of the Group is located in the premium4 car production. 5 The motivation of this paper therefore is to analyse the challenge Maserati will have to address and to arrive to some practicable conclusions. 1 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 12. 2 Cf. Heine 2012, p. 6. 3 Cf. Berger 2001, p. 160. 4. Expression intentionally quoted to illustrate a later explained statement 5 Cf. Fiat S. p. a. 2012b. Definition and terminology 1. 1 2 Methodology The findings of this project are derived from primary, secondary and tertiary sources of information. The tertiary source was mainly the catalogue of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek in Frankfurt. Another important part of the data collection contributed the Internet. Most data has been found with the search engine google. com and scholar. google. com and the homepages of the relative brands mentioned in the project. The biggest part of the project’s information was taken out of secondary sources such as textbooks, newspapers and specific literature. Finally, the annual reports of 2011 of selected brands have been consulted. 2 Definition and terminology 2. 1 Strategy â€Å"†¦ Strategy in corporate practice is an integrated concept with the objective of ensuring long-term survival in active interaction with the competition †¦Ã¢â‚¬ 6 In today’s everyday changing business environment all companies are forced to reassess their strategies, their structures and their processes regularly. But the answers to every strategic and organizational challenge is varying among industries. 7 Therefore first a summary of different general strategic alternatives will be presented. Afterwards a detailed analysis of the characteristic strategy in the luxury car market will be developed. 2. 2 Global or Local Strategy In this chapter both terms global and local strategy should be defined. Moreover the strategic challenge of a business to decide between both strategies should be analysed. 6 Cf. Kotler/Berger/Bickhoff 2010, p. 12. 7 Cf. Bartlett/ Ghoshal 1990, p. 17. Definition and terminology 3 Businesses have been international since ancient times and at its beginnings international business had simply the form of exporting and importing. Any business that carries out some of its activities across national boundaries can be defined as an international business. 8 In the 70s and 80s keywords as standardization, rationalization and centralization marked the new tendency towards globalization. 9 Globalization is a term that emerged in the 1980s/90s10 and that has become a buzzword in the 1990s. 11 Originally globalization was only an economic phenomenon that described the integration and merger of national economies, and the development of communication and production of knowledge, transportation and migration. 12 Today the extent to which the organization’s activities are spread across geographical regions has become a major consideration in the implementation of an organizations strategy. 13 A global strategy is the tendency of a company to a consistent strategy and adaptation to local circumstances become redundant. Global organizations gain competitive advantage overcoming national and continental boundaries. Therefore it was a widely held belief that there was the risk that the globalization would overrun all regional and national differences. 14 Though today we have evidence that there is no â€Å"global village† and that regional and national differences cannot be so easily neglected. On the contrary the majority of the apparently global organizations use local differences to gain competitive advantage. 15 Therefore numerous literature and research on the counter-rotating trend to globalization, the so-called localization, can be found. Localization in general means the adaptation to or consideration of local market conditions. Most of the research concluded that the two apparently contrary concepts do not mutually exclude but depend on one another: â€Å"Globalization can mean the reinforcement of 8 Cf. Campbell/Stonehouse/Houston 2002, p. 255. 9 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 36. 10 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 9. 11 Cf. Rohm 2010, p. 4. 12 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 9. 13 Cf. Campbell/Stonehouse/Houston 2002, p. 254. 14 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 10 15 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 58. 4 Definition and terminology or go together with localism as in ‘Think globally, act locally’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  16 . Numerous literatures even deduce a new concept called â€Å"Glocalization. † Glocal strategies are strategies that provide evidence to global and local players, to respond advantageous and purposeful to globalization. They should assist global players to localize their activities where worthwhile and show ways and means to local players to make use of the global area respectively in both cases without abandoning their global or local character. 17 2. 3 Bartlett’s and Ghoshal’s model According to Bartlett and Ghoshal there are three traditional strategic directions a company can follow. Tab. 1: The three strategic directions 18 Multinational Global International Strong local presence Cost reduction through Usage of knowledge and through respect of national centralized but worldwide competences of the HQ needs oriented activities through worldwide diffusion and adaptation 2. 4 The multinational organization The multinational organization according to Bartlett and Ghoshal is the archetype of the organization. At the beginning of the 1900th century this was the most diffused organizational model. As shown in figure 1 in the multinational organizational model the HQ is at the centre with many decentralized, interdependent and autonomous branches surrounding it. The specific needs of the local markets are encouraged and therefore they are able to react to local needs. Historically this organizational model was the one of many European companies that expanded into foreign countries. Several of these companies originally where family owned companies. Processes were based on personal relationship and 16 Cf. Pieterse 1995, p. 49 zitiert nach Lohmeier 2008,p. 53. 17 Cf. Lohmeier 2008, p. 64. 18 Cf. Bartlett/ Ghoshal 1990, p. 32. 5 Definition and terminology informal contacts rather than formal structures and systems. Therefore only elementary financial control was necessary. 19 Branch Decentralized federation: Many key assets, responsibilities and decisions are decentralized Branch Branch HQ Branch Personal control: Informal HQ – subsidiary relationship, simple financial control Branch Multinational mentality: Management considers overseas operations as portfolio of interdependant business. Branch Figure 1: Multinational organization 20 2. 4. 1 The international organization This organizational model has similarities to the multinational organization. However as shown in figure 2 the branches are more dependent on the transfer of information and knowledge from the HQ. The objective of this kind of organization is to transfer knowledge and competences in aspects such as technology or marketing to underdeveloped foreign branches. The national branches can adapt products or strategies, while the HQ determines innovation and processes. In comparison to the multinational organization model there is more systematization and control. According to Bartlett and Ghoshal the international organization model had its breakthrough in the post-war period. The international organizational model is the model for the typical American Management culture of empowerment and delegation. 19 Cf. Bartlett/Ghosal 1990, p. 73. 20 Cf. Bartlett/Ghosal 1990, p. 74. 6 Definition and terminology Branch Branch Coordinated federation: Many assets, resources, responsibilities and decisions are decentralized but controlled by HQ Branch Branch HQ International mentality: Management considers overseas operations as appendix to a central domestic corporation Branch Administrative control: formal management planningand control systems allow higher HQ-subsidiary linkage. Branch Figure 2: International organization 21 2. 4. 2 The global organization Global companies develop their products and strategies considering only one equal worldwide market. Product development, production and marketing strategies remain centralized. 22 As shown in figure 3 the most important characteristics of the classical global organization have HQs that are a centralized hub that severely controls the branches and a management-mentality that views the world as one economic entity. The main feature is the centralization of assets, resources and competences. The function of branches is reduced to sales and services. In some cases financial competitive advantage is gained outsourcing the production sites abroad. Compared to the multinational and international organizations the branches in global organizations have less power to develop or modify new products and strategies. Managers in global organization, especially those located in HQ, often are more concentrated on the global market and consider the market to be equal worldwide. They have no comprehension of the local needs because there is no exchange of information between HQ and the national branches. 23 21 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p 77. 22 Cf. Bartlett/Ghosal 1990, p. 31. 23 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 75 f. 7 Definition and terminology Internationalization pioneers like Henry Ford build up their production plant according to this model and the Japanese started their offensive in the 70s and 80s with this model. 24 Normally global organizations first where very successful in their home market and used this success then to expand internationally. 25 Branch Branch Centralized hub: Most of the strategic assets, resources, responsibilities and decisions centralized Branch HQ. Branch Operational control: Tight control of decisions, resources and information through HQ Branch Global mentality: Management considers overseas operations as channels for the supply to a unified global market Branch Figure 3: Global organization 26 2. 4. 3 The transnational strategy Bartlett and Ghoshal claim that the traditional directions do note lead to adequate results anymore. Global and international organizations look out for a centralized answer to a worldwide market opportunity. Multinational companies search local solutions. Therefore Bartlett and Ghoshal developed the assumption for a new approach to solve the challenge of increased competitive and changing environment: The transnational strategy. 27 Companies nowadays can only survive in the competitive environment if they succeed in developing simultaneously worldwide competitiveness, multinational 24 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 75. 25 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 31. 26 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 77. 27 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 33 and p. 90. Definition and terminology 8 flexibility and global learning capabilities. These are the main elements of the transnational model. 28. The transnational model is a symbiosis or rather compromise of the other three traditional strategic directions. It combines both kind of competitive advantages: Because the affiliations are seen as strategic partners they can better respond to local needs and global synergies can be positive side effects. In the transnational model local markets are respected, and the proximity to the market is mainly an instrument to react more flexibly on a global scale. 29 The distinction between multinational and transnational companies is the amount to which the HQs are directly involved in the management of the branches. While a transnational company often has a strategic centre that manages to a high degree all the global operations a multinational company does not coordinate directly its foreign activities but rather considers the branches as interdependent business. The transnational organization acknowledges that there are certain resources and competences such as finance or research and development that are better centralized in the HQ while other resources are more advantageous to be decentralized in the markets to spread the competences on a global level. 30 2. 5 The Luxury Concept and Definition. The concept of luxury is known since ancient times. Lucullus, a roman senator who was famous in the ancient Rome for his marvellous evening events and his love for beauty, delicacies and sensorial pleasures, can be considered inventor of the luxury concept. 31 Chevalier and Mazzalovo provide a definition as follows: A luxury brand is selective and exclusive and provides an additional creative and emotional value for the consumer. It is a brand that is giving the desirable attribute of being scarce, sophisticated and in good taste. It also has a slightly understated and aristocratic attribute. 32 28 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 33. 29 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 84 30 Cf. Bartlett/Ghoshal 1990, p. 84. 31 Cf. Heine 2012, p. 2. 32 Cf. Chevalier/Mazzalovo 2008, p. viii Definition and terminology 9 According to Kapferer and Bastien a luxury brand can be defined by six criteria:33 †¢ An extremely hedonistic experience or product †¢ The price is exceedingly higher compared to the functional value †¢ Tied to a tradition, exclusive expertise and culture ascribed to the brand †¢ Accessible only through controlled and restrained distribution †¢ Obtainable with tailored supplementary services. †¢ Indicating a social representation, making the holder or beneficiary feel special and privileged 2. 6 Luxury versus premium car market The concept of luxury is represented in numerous sectors of activities 34. In this study we will look into more details of the specifics of the automobiles luxury sector. According to Chevalier and Mazzalovo luxury automobiles are â€Å"those cars that consumer perceive as being very special and different from the others. †35 It is necessary to differentiate between the concept of luxury and the concept of premium. The term luxury vehicle suggests a vehicle with a higher quality equipment, better performance, particularly precise construction, comfort, higher design, technologically innovative, and features that transfer an image, brand, status or prestige. Often the image is strongly related to the country of origin of the product. Premium products are upper-range branded products with an increased price without the emotional characteristics like hedonism or myth. „Upper premium brands remain comparative, whereas luxury is superlative. â€Å"36 Suitable examples for this difference can be found in the car industry. While an Audi A6 or A8 are super-premium cars because of the excellent usage value they provide, an Aston Martin or a Lamborghini are luxury cars because of their rarity and the prestige of the name. 37 33 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 47. 34 Sectors of activities of luxury: Ready-to-wear cloth, jewelry and watches, perfumes and cosmetics, fashion accessories, wines and spirits, automobiles, hotels, tourism and private banking. 35 Cf. Chevalier/Mazzalovo 2008, p. x. 36 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 43f. ; Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 53. 37 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 53. 10 Strategic examples One historic management error that underlines the difference between luxury and premium is the Jaguar case. When Ford acquired Jaguar in 1989 they invested a lot in technology and training of the Jaguar employees. Thanks to common platforms with Ford they tried to sell small Jaguars. But this strategy seriously damaged the image of Jaguar and loosing the feeling of exclusivity they lost the luxury status. 38 3 Strategic examples In this chapter the before described theoretic information should be put together into a strategic framework. The strategic examples that will be considered are the most successful competitors of Maserati in terms unit sales: Porsche, Audi, Mercedes and BMW (figure 4). The first step was to obtain an overview of the structure of these companies and to identify their dependencies among each other and with other organizations (appendix 7. 3). The second step was to identify certain characteristics of these organizations and to put them into a framework developed to identify their degree of globalization or localization (appendix 7. 4). Based on this information a picture of their strategic directions has been deduced (appendix 7. 5). Bentley 2,57% Audi 6,56% Maserati 1,81% Jaguar 3,06% Maserati Market 2012 Aston Martin 1,74% Ferrari 1,26% Lexus 0,09% Porsche 48,43% BMW 12,23% Mercedes-Benz 22,25% Figure 4 The Maserati market in Germany in 2012 (market shares) 38 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 51. 39 Management Services Helwig Smitt GmbH, Hofgeismar. 39 Strategic examples 3. 1 11 Daimler AG Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz invented the automobile in 1886. 40 Today the Daimler Group integrates different car manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach. Cooperating with various organizations worldwide it has converted from a mainly domestically oriented exporting company to a globally operating one. The company is now well established not only in Europe but also in Brazil and Argentina and has established joint ventures also in China. 41 However for the Daimler Group â€Å"the cultural inertia has been difficult to overcome, and global pretensions and traditional German attachments form a contradictory and unstable mix. †42 Therefore it is difficult to classify the group to Bartlett and Ghoshals model. The Daimler AG is rather a combination between the multinational and the global organization. Mercedes-Benz being historically strongly connected to its German roots has a centralized HQ, but at the same time its business units have been made self-responsible profit centres and procurement of materials is globally coordinated for each group of materials. Furthermore this has been intensified through local settlement of direct production, more consultancies and engineering in the branches, and also some development tasks located outside Germany. 43. Daimler is relocating its production sites into emerging markets, as for example the recently opened site in Hungary. This trend can be underlined by its decreasing production figures in Europe. They are currently reducing their production in Sindelfingen. 44 3. 2 BMW AG The BMW group may be the most German focused of the three companies. It is globalized in its objectives rather than in its activities. 45 Approximately 60% of the production of BMW is still located in Germany (figure 5). However BMW is one of 40 Cf. Daimler AG 2012, p. 4. 41 Cf. Lane 2001, p. 84. 42 Cf. Lane 2001, p. 85 43 Cf. Lane 2011, p. 84f. 44 Cf. Berens 2012, p. 17 45 Cf. Lane 2011, p. 86. 12 Strategic examples the most respected brands in the world. The explanations for BMW’s success are a strong brand character, a stable, family shareholding and a very German business philosophy. 46 It can be deduced that having local roots increases the perceived value of BMW. Producing nearly all its automobiles in Germany customers perceive BMW as an authentic product of German culture. BMW follows the same strategy of keeping the Mini production in England. 47 South Africa, 3,06% China, 5,65% Austria, 5,91% CKD, 2,16% UK, 11,23% US, 15,88% Germany, 56,11% Figure 5: Vehicle production of the BMW Group in the world in 2011 48 Therefore BMW can be classified an international organization according to Bartlett and Ghoshal’s model. BMW’s key competences are centralized but many other competences are decentralized. Thus BMW efficaciously implements the strategy of local assembling and local purchasing in countries with high customs duties on imports such as Russia, Thailand or India. However, under the terms of the distinction between luxury and premium products, the cars assembled in Thailand would not longer be defined as luxury products. They do serve to initiate customers into the brand, who then should develop the desire to purchase a ‘real’ BMW ‘made in Germany’. 49 BMW’s Management Meeting Place is a good example for the acquisition of knowledge in the HQ and then transferring it to the branches. First this discussion platform has been started in Germany and then it was transferred to locations abroad. The fact that this strategy works, and that behind BMW probably stands a 46 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 67. 47 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 78. 48 Cf. BMW AG 2012, p. 28. 49 Cf. Kapferer/Bastien 2012, p. 78. 13 Strategic examples strong team is underlined by the fact that BMW has been rewarded being â€Å"The World’s Most Attractive Employer† by a study conduced lately. In fact the employee attrition ratio at BMW has decreased continuously in the last 3 years (figure 6). 5,85 percentage of workforce 6,00 4,59 5,00 4,00 2,74 2,66 2,16 3,00 2,00 1,00 0,00 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011. Figure 6: Employee attrition ratio at BMW AG 3. 3 50 Volkswagen AG The Volkswagen Group maybe is the most advanced example of a conglomerate of successful car manufacturers. Among all the subsidiary brands the most significant ones are Volkswagen AG, Audi AG and Porsche AG, but there are also Bentley, Lamborghini, Seat and Skoda (appendix 7. 3). In fact Porsche owns 32,5% of the Volkswagen Group shares. Succeeding in managing a portfolio of so dissimilar organizations under one umbrella certainly makes the Volkswagen Group to a transnational organization according to Bartlett and Ghoshal. The cooperation in-between the brands of the Volkswagen Group are very well developed. One successful example of this approach is the common hybrid drive used in the Porsche Panamera, Cayenne and VW Touareg 51 . In addition the Volkswagen group has only little external cooperation mainly in the area of researching. The key competences remain inside the group. Becoming an integrated automotive industry is part of the group’s â€Å"Strategy 2018†. However, every single brand has its specific targets. Volkswagen’s target is to 50 Cf. BMW AG 2012, p. 39. 51 Cf. Porsche AG 2012, p. 67. The Maserati case 14 become the global market leader by 201852. This underlines the global factor. On the other side Porsche’s target is to become â€Å"the leader of exclusive sports cars manufacturers†53. Audi finally has the target to become the â€Å"premium brand that delights customers worldwide† 54 . Therefore the group’s values and capabilities remain inside the group and with a broad portfolio of interdependent and specialized brands completely different target groups can be addressed. The Volkswagen Group leads the global tendencies of the considered companies. But the core strategic functions (e. g. RD and design) remain mainly German. However the Volkswagen Group also recognizes the importance of knowing the local sources and therefore has implemented the C3-Sourcing program. Becoming technical, organizational and social laboratories foreign branches contribute to the integration of the whole group’s worldwide activities. Hence some Audi models that have the same platform as Volkswagen models are now produced in Volkswagen factories in China. This local adaptation is the key of success for Audi’s sales in China, where the top members of the communist party cannot own a car unless it is made in China, but at the same time it forces the brand to give up their luxury strategy and replace it with a premium one. 4 The Maserati case 4. 1 Introduction to Maserati The Italian sports cars producer with the trident on the logo has been founded as Societa Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati on December 1st 1914 in Bologna. Maserati was originally founded as a family business, but in 1937 it was sold to the Orsi family. In 1968 it was sold to Citroen and finally became part of the Fiat Group in 1993. 55 Thanks to his big sister Ferrari, Maserati has been reconstructed and from 2006 stands alone now in the structure of the Fiat S. p. a. (see figure 7). Today Maserati’s headquarter is based in Modena and it has two production sites in the north of Italy. Furthermore Maserati is divided in regions (Europe, Asia Pacific, 52 Cf. Volkswagen AG 2012, p. 233. 53 Cf. Porsche AG 2012, p. 14. 54 Cf. Audi AG 2012, p . 131. 55 Cf. Wikipedia 2012a. 15 The Maserati case. America and Middle East) with national branches in each separate country (e. g. France, Germany, United Kingdom). Maserati is currently becoming more and more significant for the rest of the Fiat Group. The first strategic milestone of the so-called â€Å"2010-2014 plan† was the integration of the Chrysler Group in June 2011. Figure 8 shows the increase of 30% of the workforce through this merger, mainly in North America. * including 58,5% Chrysler Group LLC Maserati (100%) Fiat Group Automobiles* (100%) AUTOMOBILES Fiat S. p. a. Ferrari (90%) Fiat Powertrain (100%) Magneti Marelli (100%). COMPONENTS PRODUCTION SYSTEMS Teksid (84,8%) Comau (100%) Figure 7: Structure of the Fiat S. p. a. Workforce 80 62,583 63,214 60 40 2011 2010 60,336 44,668 24,616 23,596 20 56 39,498 5,579 0 5,838 Italy Europe (excl. Italy) NAFTA Mercosur 4,894 other regions Figure 8: Increase of the workforce in the Fiat Group through the integration of Chrysler in 2011 56 Cf. Fiat S. p. a. 2011, p. 11. 57 Cf. Fiat S. p. a. 2012c, p. 30. 57 The Maserati case 16 The second milestone was the plan presented in February 2011 in which â‚ ¬ 500 million were invested for the relaunch a production site58. In this new pIant two new models will be produced: The new Maserati Quattroporte by the end of 2012 and the Maserati Ghibli in the second half of the year 2013. 59 Thereby Maserati plans to increase its sales: While in 2011 Maserati sold 6,159 vehicles worldwide, in 2013 20,000 units are planed and by 2015 a growth up until to 50,000 vehicles per year is projected. 60 The Maserati S. p. a. can be classified as a global organization. They concentrate their decision and strategy making in the HQ in Italy and product development, production and marketing strategies remain centralized. The function of the branches is reduced to the implementation and realization of sales, services and marketing activities. The reason is linked to the strong connection with the domestic country and the patriarchal organizational culture that has developed over the years. One cultural example for this approach is that usually in the branches employees refer to the HQ as â€Å"the factory†. And while until today Maserati’s production sites are located just in the domestic market, by the use of a common platform and production site with the Jeep Grand Cherokee in the United States for the new SUV model, Maserati will enter also in the global environment. 4. 2 Maserati’s strength 4. 2. 1 The cooperation with the Fiat Group Being part of the Fiat Group is strength and weakness at the same time for Maserati. Through the cooperation with the other brands of the group, Maserati can benefit from economies of scale and scope. E. g. particular engines for Maserati are developed and produced in the production site of Ferrari. Another example is the collaboration with Jeep that will allow the new Maserati Levante to share the expertise of Jeep in building SUVs. 61 Moreover the fact that the production of this new Model will be relocated to the United States will finally transform Maserati from a purely domestic manufacturer to a global player. 58 Officine Automobilitische Grugliasco. 59 Cf. Fiat S. p. a. 2012c, p. 34. 60 Cf. Wehner 2012. 61 Cf. Baedecker 2012. The Maserati case 17 4. 2. 2 The luxury image Maserati as a brand itself and the Maserati products are stereotypes of luxury. Maserati is like none of its competitors a unique iconic and superlative brand that stands for an extravagant Italian lifestyle and sportiness. It profits from its long-time racing experience and expertise in building extremely performing engines. Additionally some parts are tailor made and its products are positioned in an upmarket pricing class that does not correlate with the functional value they provide. Moreover until today the units sold are rather restricted and therefore it is still a rarity to see a Maserati on the road. Thus possessing a Maserati is to a high degree socially representative and makes the owner feel special and privileged. Maserati is a myth and continuous to benefit from this legend. 4. 2. 3 Driving performance Another very strong characteristic of Maserati is its driving performance. Driving a Maserati is an overwhelming driving experience from the very first moment you switch on the engine. The expertise in building extremely performing engines is definitely a strength that should not be underestimated. „Hearing a Maseratis V-8 engine scream on the way to its 7200-rpm redline is an experience gear heads will cherish. â€Å"62 4. 2. 4 The people that work for Maserati The people that work for Maserati are fundamental assets. A mixture of experienced and long-established employees on the one side and on the other side young, motivated and talented staff are the most important ingredient for the team that is able to face the current challenges. Maserati’s employees identify with the brand to a high level and therefore live for the brand. E. g. in the HQs in Modena are hanging poster with the slogan â€Å"I am Maserati†. 62 Cf. Floraday 2011. The Maserati case 4. 3 18 Maserati’s weaknesses 4. 3. 1 The image of the Fiat Group As mentioned above, being connected to mass-market brands like Fiat and Chrylser could affect Maserati’s luxury status. This is primarily related to the image of Fiat’s quality standards. The fact that some components are commonly introduced in both, Maserati and Fiat, could severely damage Maserati’s reputation. 4. 3. 2 Progress and technology Except for its engines, Maserati is not using the most advanced technology in his cars until now. Competition from other car manufacturers is very strong in this context (e. g. Porsche or BMW). Therefore this is a threat especially in those markets where technology and innovation are very important factors in the consumer buying behaviour process (e. g. Russia or Germany). Moreover while other manufacturers have already developed new propulsive forces e. g. the new Daimler electric fleet63, Maserati continued only the evolution of traditional fuel and diesel engines. As the petrol price rises also this threat is increasing. And depending on the trend of the environmental regulations in Europe and in the rest of the world, this lack of development could become an increasing challenge for the next future of Maserati. 4. 3. 3 Dealer network Another threat is the necessity to improve and expand the dealer network. There is a clear need to increase the distribution capillarity by appointing additional dealers. Moreover, there is also a need to transform the existing dealers bringing them to focus their activities and organizations on the brand. Dedicated sales, after-sales and marketing forces will be key to this transformation. E. g. most of the Maserati dealers sell also Ferraris and should adapt their staff with personnel dedicated exclusively towards Maserati. 63 Cf. Daimler AG 2012, p. 41. The Maserati case 4. 4 19 Maserati’s opportunities 4. 4. 1 Industrial opportunities With its current models range (Quattroporte, Gran Cabrio and Gran Turismo) Maserati is represented in the core segments.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy E :: essays research papers

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "Mending Wall" An Analysis of Two Robert Frost Works. James Allen once said, 'You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.'; After reading the two Robert Frost poems, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and Mending Wall, one can not help to wonder what kinds of thoughts inspired these two poems. It becomes clear that the underlying theme in both of these poems is simply freedom of thought. These free thoughts give a person the capability to live how he chooses. In the first poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Frost vividly describes a freedom that many of us take for granted. He tells how he has decided to take the time to stop what he is doing and admire the snow as it falls in the woods and on a frozen lake. The man who owns these woods lives in the town and is ignorant of the beauty that they contain. He has not taken the time to notice how beautiful they are as the snow comes down. The owner of the woods, we'll call him Bob, lives in the town and is busy living his life in the town. Bob will not notice because he takes for granted the fact that he is able to go look at the woods much like the author. 'Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village, though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.'; The persona is saying that he knows who owns the woods, but he won't see him looking at the woods because he lives in the town. The author knows that Bob will not visit because he only owns the woods, he lives in the town and does not appreciate the beauty they possess or he would be there visiting them himself. The author is appreciating life and the freedom that he has while observing his own winter or the last stanza of his life as he watches the woods as they fill will snow. It is clear that the author (the persona of the poem) has chosen a life different from that of Bob. Bob has chosen the city life of materialistic things while the author has decided to take in the beauty of the world.

Nickel and Dimed: on (Not) Getting by in America

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America In the thought provoking novel, Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich explores the life of low-wage workers in America’s society. While speaking with an editor one day, the question of poverty and how American’s survive off six and seven dollars an hour played in Ms. Ehrenreich’s mind. So as a journalist, Ehrenreich goes undercover working several minimum wage jobs and tries to survive off the earnings. Seeing and living the lives of these poverty-stricken workers, Ehrenreich learns that hard work doesn't always lead to success and advancement in today's society. This novel takes you on a journey, revealing the insights of how people strive to survive in America’s society working minimum wage jobs that do not suffice adequate funds to cover their needs and expenses. Ehrenreich begins her research in Key West, Florida. Her first task was to find a place to live. She opts out of her decision to leave in a convenient and affordable apartment for a five hundred dollar a month efficiency that is about forty-five minutes away from the employment opportunities Key West has to offer. Her next task was job searching. Ehrenreich applied for numerous jobs, and learns about the low-wage job application process. These job applications usually just involved several multiple-choice questions and a urine test. After not hear back from any of the jobs, Ehrenreich applies for a waitressing position at the diner â€Å"Hearthside,† (which is not the actual name as well as the names of associates she comes in contact with). Ehrenreich is offered the position of a waitress and is hired at Hearthside and works the night shift working from 2:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night for $2. 43 an hour, plus tips. If a person strives to make means off six and seven dollars an hour, surely $2. 43 is not sufficed, especially when customers do not like tip the waitress. During her time at Hearthside, Ehrenreich comes to despise management. She finds that while she must constantly find busy work to do, anything at all but being still, while her superiors are able to sit for hours. Management lacks the compassion for their employees and for their customers. They have only one concern in mind and that is make sure the restaurant makes money. I’ve personally experienced this on my job. Sometimes there is absolutely nothing else to do at work. Why? There is one simple answer; everything has already taken care of and much more. But, management will hassle you to keep busy even when there is nothing else to do. Once Ehrenreich gets a feel for the job, she begins interacting with her co-workers and learns of their poverty lifestyle. Her observation also revealed that most of the workers were minorities. Ehrenreich then begins to compiles a survey on the workers living arrangements: Gail, whom she becomes close to, shares a room with a roommate for $250 a week. Ehrenreich p. 24) Now if you access the situation and do a few calculations you can realize that Gail is strictly living paycheck to paycheck. Claude, a cook, lives in a two room apartment with his girlfriend and two other people. Others are paying to stay in hotels each night, some pay $170 dollars a week for a one person trailer, and others are living out their cars. Ehrenreich soon realizes that unless she wan ts to live out of her car she needs to find another job. She picks up a second waitressing job at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich comes to find out that Jerry’s is a ruin. The kitchens are a mess, the bathrooms are never adequately equipped, and there is no break room because breaks are hardly allowed. Ehrenreich is unable to juggle working at both the Hearthside and Jerry’s, so she leaves Hearthside so she can earn more money at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich is able to find a small trailer in a trailer park and moves closer to Key West. After a month of waitressing, Ehrenreich gets a housekeeping position in a hotel which pays $6. 10 an hour. Unfortunately Ehrenreich only lasts on the job for one day. After having a miserable days work at Jerry’s, Ehrenreich quits the job by simply walking out. Ehrenreich turns her trailer over to Gail and says goodbye to Key West. After departing Key West, Ehrenreich travels to two other states, Maine and Minnesota, in hope of finding better jobs as well as better pay. In the final chapter, Ehrenreich evaluates her observations and provides an overall study of her project and draws together her conclusions. She believes she has done a good job living under these certain circumstance. These observations open ones eye to how many people in the United States, not just the World, who are leaving in such poor conditions. An abundance of individuals do not realize the poverty that’s occurring at home (U. S. ). We usually think of third world countries (i. e. Africa). Volunteering my time at the community market has helped me realize how many people need assistance and who are leaving in conditions that are considered to most people as degrading. I know how hard it is to live of the earnings I make. My earnings approximate around nine dollars an hour and even with these ages it is hard to survive. You have startup costs, deposits, power bills, water bills, food, telephone bills, car notes, etc†¦ the list goes on and on. It is difficult to even live off of halfway decent wages yet alone minimum wages of six dollars an hour. Gas prices nowadays, are about two-thirds of the wage amount. I feel honored and privileged to be able to volunteer my time to such activ ities and organizations as the community market and the community garden. It gives me assurance that I can help make a difference in my community and society. I hope that more people would become aware of these activities and help contribute their time to help cease starvation and poverty in the world. Ehrenreich does an excellent job of revealing the inadequate wage conditions of society. Her plan was to reveal and understand the everyday life of low-income people, how they survive on a daily basis and find out what wage workers really go through. Most people don’t know what is next for them or what the next day has in store for them. But the final conclusion is that low-wage lifestyle is unfair and impractical. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Imagination and research are the two important tools for a successful writing assignment. Research can be academic as well as practical. If the author/authoress is willing to live through the life of the subject matter of the book, and possesses the writing skill, chances are that it becomes a great book. The ‘suffering’ of women in any segment of the society is always something special—discrimination on the basis of gender (sex) as they call it! The modern materialistic civilization, the industrial and internet revolutions have thrown up innovative subjects for a writer. Some comforts and luxuries apart, the total effect of this civilization on the inner world of an individual is devastating. The standard of living has improved at the cost of standard of life. In the present book, Barbara lives through several self-created miserable and tricky situations, just to know what does it to mean to live under such trials and tribulations! It was not necessary for her to put her personal comforts at stake. She is highly qualified and the adage, ‘curry for the night is worry for the morning, and tomorrow’s bread is not assured from today’s labor,’ is not applicable to her. Like a true seeker, she decided to get at the truth of the issue, by experiencing it. So, this is the book written by an ex-waitress in Florida, cleaning woman and a nursing home assistant in Maine, the one possessing the   Wal-Mart experience, the humiliation of the urine test and what not! Barbara’s jobs hunt†¦.Getting Ready: So, her experiments with the truth of job-hunting and eventually getting it begin. What happened after a series of rejections, which had nothing to do with her merit for the post applied for as such is a revelation! She writes, â€Å"My next stop is Winn-Dixie, the supermarket, which turns out to have a particularly onerous application process, featuring a twenty minute â€Å"interview† by computer since, apparently, no human on the premises is deemed capable of representing the corporate point     of view. †¦.the interview is multiple choices. Do I have anything, such as child care problems, that might make it hard for me to get to work on time? Do I think safety on the job is the responsibility of management? Then popping up cunningly out of the blue: How many dollars’ worth of stolen goods have I purchased in the last year? Would I turn in a fellow employee if I caught him stealing? Finally, â€Å"Are you an honest person?†(p.13, 14) Ehrenreich has absolute command over the scenes and situations she creates for her and her writing style takes you to the spot of confrontation. The description is so realistic.   You feel, as if you are part of the drama. The story is interesting from the beginning to the end, without intermission. One feels sorry about the working conditions and the environment, and the humiliation that one suffers at the foul-mouthed, arrogant bosses. When one thinks that a worker has to spend his entire service life in such uncertain, difficult conditions—it is mind-boggling! And the fact remains that millions are undergoing such onerous ordeal. Suffering has become the badge affixed on them! The book contains 6 crisp chapters, Introduction: Getting Ready, Serving in Florida, Scrubbing in Maine, Selling in Minnesota, Evaluation and A Reader’s Guide: In the final evaluation, she experiences the academician in her come to give opinion and judgment. She brings the issues like class conflict and power dynamics. She has come out with some startling revelations. According to her no job is truly â€Å"unskilled† Some of the jobs she did had tremendous physical demands, and could damage to health if performed continuously. Her heroic performances had no corresponding rewards, which mean exploitation of labor is the common practice. She writes, â€Å" then trick lies in figuring out how to budget your energy so there’ll be some left over for the next day†(p. 195).She also comes to the conclusion that multiple jobs is the actual necessity as one can no survive   with the returns of one job. She has no hesitation in saying that the labor class of the lower rungs, whether men or women, are constantly suspected for one reason or the other. The employment tests and questionnaires contained strange enquiries. Her behavior was monitored in Wal-Mart under repressive surveillance by the designated staff both men and women and they were looking for theft, drug abuse, sloth and the like in her. She describes the different hurdles she had to cross to make both the ends meet, and issues related to luxury were out of question. She found out by experience how, necessity is the mother of invention. There are two options to meet the situation. Either cut down your expenditure, or spend more and also increase your income. When increment was not possible due to so many constraints, some came out with innovative ideas. She saw some co-workers sleeping in cars, to avoid huge rents, and some report for duty, ignoring their suffering due to back pain, arthritis, etc. She studies both the stands: The labor force which believes that the Management is the permanent enemy and the Unions should be at permanent war with it! And the Management that thinks innovatively to subvert the well-meaning labor laws passed for the welfare of the workers. She cites an example, when minimum wages were increased, management increased her workload, though it cut her working hours—the net result was that her paycheck showed the same figure. She made sincere efforts to live on the wages she got—without using her skills as PhD, lecturer or as an author. She makes the observation of an economist and socialist when she says, â€Å"Something is wrong, very wrong, when a single person in good health, a person who in addition possesses a working car, can barely support herself by the sweat of her brow. You don't need a degree in economics to see that wages are too low and rents too high.† (p. 199). She marvels at the strange working of American democracy. She clearly sees the dictatorship in the workplaces as for workers. Working poor have no other alternative but to submit to the systematic disempowerment on one pretext or other by the Management. â€Å"Someday †¦ they are bound to tire of getting so little in return and to demand to be paid what they're worth. There'll be a lot of anger when that day comes, and strikes and disruption† (p. 221). Conclusion: As for the evaluation part of her book, her observations demand attention. As earlier said, what she has written is the experienced research. Her findings are lessons for the economist, the sociologist, the politician, the management and for the union leaders. Solutions to various problems can be worked out. What is required is an attitude of sacrifice and compassion for the sake of the welfare of the needy. That is achievable by the genuine change in the thought process of concerned individuals. When the thought process changes, the action process will also change, hopefully for the better! .             Nickel and Dimed: on (Not) Getting by in America Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America In the thought provoking novel, Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich explores the life of low-wage workers in America’s society. While speaking with an editor one day, the question of poverty and how American’s survive off six and seven dollars an hour played in Ms. Ehrenreich’s mind. So as a journalist, Ehrenreich goes undercover working several minimum wage jobs and tries to survive off the earnings. Seeing and living the lives of these poverty-stricken workers, Ehrenreich learns that hard work doesn't always lead to success and advancement in today's society. This novel takes you on a journey, revealing the insights of how people strive to survive in America’s society working minimum wage jobs that do not suffice adequate funds to cover their needs and expenses. Ehrenreich begins her research in Key West, Florida. Her first task was to find a place to live. She opts out of her decision to leave in a convenient and affordable apartment for a five hundred dollar a month efficiency that is about forty-five minutes away from the employment opportunities Key West has to offer. Her next task was job searching. Ehrenreich applied for numerous jobs, and learns about the low-wage job application process. These job applications usually just involved several multiple-choice questions and a urine test. After not hear back from any of the jobs, Ehrenreich applies for a waitressing position at the diner â€Å"Hearthside,† (which is not the actual name as well as the names of associates she comes in contact with). Ehrenreich is offered the position of a waitress and is hired at Hearthside and works the night shift working from 2:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night for $2. 43 an hour, plus tips. If a person strives to make means off six and seven dollars an hour, surely $2. 43 is not sufficed, especially when customers do not like tip the waitress. During her time at Hearthside, Ehrenreich comes to despise management. She finds that while she must constantly find busy work to do, anything at all but being still, while her superiors are able to sit for hours. Management lacks the compassion for their employees and for their customers. They have only one concern in mind and that is make sure the restaurant makes money. I’ve personally experienced this on my job. Sometimes there is absolutely nothing else to do at work. Why? There is one simple answer; everything has already taken care of and much more. But, management will hassle you to keep busy even when there is nothing else to do. Once Ehrenreich gets a feel for the job, she begins interacting with her co-workers and learns of their poverty lifestyle. Her observation also revealed that most of the workers were minorities. Ehrenreich then begins to compiles a survey on the workers living arrangements: Gail, whom she becomes close to, shares a room with a roommate for $250 a week. Ehrenreich p. 24) Now if you access the situation and do a few calculations you can realize that Gail is strictly living paycheck to paycheck. Claude, a cook, lives in a two room apartment with his girlfriend and two other people. Others are paying to stay in hotels each night, some pay $170 dollars a week for a one person trailer, and others are living out their cars. Ehrenreich soon realizes that unless she wan ts to live out of her car she needs to find another job. She picks up a second waitressing job at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich comes to find out that Jerry’s is a ruin. The kitchens are a mess, the bathrooms are never adequately equipped, and there is no break room because breaks are hardly allowed. Ehrenreich is unable to juggle working at both the Hearthside and Jerry’s, so she leaves Hearthside so she can earn more money at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich is able to find a small trailer in a trailer park and moves closer to Key West. After a month of waitressing, Ehrenreich gets a housekeeping position in a hotel which pays $6. 10 an hour. Unfortunately Ehrenreich only lasts on the job for one day. After having a miserable days work at Jerry’s, Ehrenreich quits the job by simply walking out. Ehrenreich turns her trailer over to Gail and says goodbye to Key West. After departing Key West, Ehrenreich travels to two other states, Maine and Minnesota, in hope of finding better jobs as well as better pay. In the final chapter, Ehrenreich evaluates her observations and provides an overall study of her project and draws together her conclusions. She believes she has done a good job living under these certain circumstance. These observations open ones eye to how many people in the United States, not just the World, who are leaving in such poor conditions. An abundance of individuals do not realize the poverty that’s occurring at home (U. S. ). We usually think of third world countries (i. e. Africa). Volunteering my time at the community market has helped me realize how many people need assistance and who are leaving in conditions that are considered to most people as degrading. I know how hard it is to live of the earnings I make. My earnings approximate around nine dollars an hour and even with these ages it is hard to survive. You have startup costs, deposits, power bills, water bills, food, telephone bills, car notes, etc†¦ the list goes on and on. It is difficult to even live off of halfway decent wages yet alone minimum wages of six dollars an hour. Gas prices nowadays, are about two-thirds of the wage amount. I feel honored and privileged to be able to volunteer my time to such activ ities and organizations as the community market and the community garden. It gives me assurance that I can help make a difference in my community and society. I hope that more people would become aware of these activities and help contribute their time to help cease starvation and poverty in the world. Ehrenreich does an excellent job of revealing the inadequate wage conditions of society. Her plan was to reveal and understand the everyday life of low-income people, how they survive on a daily basis and find out what wage workers really go through. Most people don’t know what is next for them or what the next day has in store for them. But the final conclusion is that low-wage lifestyle is unfair and impractical. Nickel and Dimed: on (Not) Getting by in America Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America In the thought provoking novel, Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich explores the life of low-wage workers in America’s society. While speaking with an editor one day, the question of poverty and how American’s survive off six and seven dollars an hour played in Ms. Ehrenreich’s mind. So as a journalist, Ehrenreich goes undercover working several minimum wage jobs and tries to survive off the earnings. Seeing and living the lives of these poverty-stricken workers, Ehrenreich learns that hard work doesn't always lead to success and advancement in today's society. This novel takes you on a journey, revealing the insights of how people strive to survive in America’s society working minimum wage jobs that do not suffice adequate funds to cover their needs and expenses. Ehrenreich begins her research in Key West, Florida. Her first task was to find a place to live. She opts out of her decision to leave in a convenient and affordable apartment for a five hundred dollar a month efficiency that is about forty-five minutes away from the employment opportunities Key West has to offer. Her next task was job searching. Ehrenreich applied for numerous jobs, and learns about the low-wage job application process. These job applications usually just involved several multiple-choice questions and a urine test. After not hear back from any of the jobs, Ehrenreich applies for a waitressing position at the diner â€Å"Hearthside,† (which is not the actual name as well as the names of associates she comes in contact with). Ehrenreich is offered the position of a waitress and is hired at Hearthside and works the night shift working from 2:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night for $2. 43 an hour, plus tips. If a person strives to make means off six and seven dollars an hour, surely $2. 43 is not sufficed, especially when customers do not like tip the waitress. During her time at Hearthside, Ehrenreich comes to despise management. She finds that while she must constantly find busy work to do, anything at all but being still, while her superiors are able to sit for hours. Management lacks the compassion for their employees and for their customers. They have only one concern in mind and that is make sure the restaurant makes money. I’ve personally experienced this on my job. Sometimes there is absolutely nothing else to do at work. Why? There is one simple answer; everything has already taken care of and much more. But, management will hassle you to keep busy even when there is nothing else to do. Once Ehrenreich gets a feel for the job, she begins interacting with her co-workers and learns of their poverty lifestyle. Her observation also revealed that most of the workers were minorities. Ehrenreich then begins to compiles a survey on the workers living arrangements: Gail, whom she becomes close to, shares a room with a roommate for $250 a week. Ehrenreich p. 24) Now if you access the situation and do a few calculations you can realize that Gail is strictly living paycheck to paycheck. Claude, a cook, lives in a two room apartment with his girlfriend and two other people. Others are paying to stay in hotels each night, some pay $170 dollars a week for a one person trailer, and others are living out their cars. Ehrenreich soon realizes that unless she wan ts to live out of her car she needs to find another job. She picks up a second waitressing job at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich comes to find out that Jerry’s is a ruin. The kitchens are a mess, the bathrooms are never adequately equipped, and there is no break room because breaks are hardly allowed. Ehrenreich is unable to juggle working at both the Hearthside and Jerry’s, so she leaves Hearthside so she can earn more money at Jerry’s. Ehrenreich is able to find a small trailer in a trailer park and moves closer to Key West. After a month of waitressing, Ehrenreich gets a housekeeping position in a hotel which pays $6. 10 an hour. Unfortunately Ehrenreich only lasts on the job for one day. After having a miserable days work at Jerry’s, Ehrenreich quits the job by simply walking out. Ehrenreich turns her trailer over to Gail and says goodbye to Key West. After departing Key West, Ehrenreich travels to two other states, Maine and Minnesota, in hope of finding better jobs as well as better pay. In the final chapter, Ehrenreich evaluates her observations and provides an overall study of her project and draws together her conclusions. She believes she has done a good job living under these certain circumstance. These observations open ones eye to how many people in the United States, not just the World, who are leaving in such poor conditions. An abundance of individuals do not realize the poverty that’s occurring at home (U. S. ). We usually think of third world countries (i. e. Africa). Volunteering my time at the community market has helped me realize how many people need assistance and who are leaving in conditions that are considered to most people as degrading. I know how hard it is to live of the earnings I make. My earnings approximate around nine dollars an hour and even with these ages it is hard to survive. You have startup costs, deposits, power bills, water bills, food, telephone bills, car notes, etc†¦ the list goes on and on. It is difficult to even live off of halfway decent wages yet alone minimum wages of six dollars an hour. Gas prices nowadays, are about two-thirds of the wage amount. I feel honored and privileged to be able to volunteer my time to such activ ities and organizations as the community market and the community garden. It gives me assurance that I can help make a difference in my community and society. I hope that more people would become aware of these activities and help contribute their time to help cease starvation and poverty in the world. Ehrenreich does an excellent job of revealing the inadequate wage conditions of society. Her plan was to reveal and understand the everyday life of low-income people, how they survive on a daily basis and find out what wage workers really go through. Most people don’t know what is next for them or what the next day has in store for them. But the final conclusion is that low-wage lifestyle is unfair and impractical.