An Inconvenient Truth Summary 3 – Essay – Deng1993

Director Davis Guggenheim eloquently weaves the science of  global warming  with Mr. Gore's personal history and lifelong commitment to reversing the effects of global climate change. A longtime advocate for the environment, Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a thoughtful and compelling way. â€Å"Al Gore strips his presentations of politics, laying out the facts for the audience to draw their own conclusions in a charming, funny and engaging style, and by the end has everyone on the edge of their seats, gripped by his haunting message,† said Guggenheim.An Inconvenient Truth is not a story of despair but rather a rallying cry to protect the one earth we all share. â€Å"It is now clear that we face a deepening global climate crisis that requires us to act boldly, quickly, and wisely,† said Gore. Written by  Plantation Productions e host, was the vice president of the USA in the Clinton administration. He has been interested in climate change is sues since grade school and has continued to take  interest  in this subject as a politician. In this documentary, he highlights some very important points regarding global warming in his discussion.We will take a look at some of these. Some very important effects include illustrations of the impact ofglobal warming. He does this by first pointing out the relationship between the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and the corresponding temperature over a 650,000 years period. For example, he indicated some pictures of the ice melted in big Mountain in Africa called Kilimanjaro. He also talked about the increase of the ocean Temperature that guided to many Hurricanes and Tornadoes. To clarify, Florida in US got a very bad hurricane in September 2004 and that called Ivan.Then he focused on the Sea levels which are rising because of the amount of ice melting in the Arctic Sea and ice shelves by 1. 5 million km2 during the last forty years. For instance, Ice caps melts as the the te mperature of water raise and these can destroyed the ice species. Finally, He also mentioned that many people have died in different parts of the world because of high temperatures and heat waves. For example, the temperature in India raised and about 1400 people died in 2003.The extinction rate of many species is increasing and more than 30 diseases have appeared To sum up, Al Gore says that although the situation regarding global warming appears dire, he does speak fervently looking forward to the future with hope. His presentation concludes with parting nuggets of practical advice as to how man can play a role in curbing climate change. Posted by  J Al Gore, the one who was going to be the next president of the United States of America has dedicated his life to let the people around the world to be aware of the problem which threat life on the earth.In the next lines I’m going to outline a brief summary about his movie â€Å"An inconvenient truth†. Global warmingà ‚  is the catastrophe which threats life on earth. Al Gore explained how the atmosphere works; sun ray comes from the sun everyday then some of the rays stay inside the earth with the help of ozone layer to keep it warm. The crazy increase of carbon dioxide ratio has made the layer thicker so more rays are trapped more than we normally need. As a result, a lot of temperature changing can be seen around the world such as heat wave.Another problem the global warming is causing is that the ice is melting which is a very serious danger. The level of the sea, constructions and the weather itself all can be affected if the ice or permafrost starts to melt down because of the increasing of heat. At the end of his discussion, Al Gore confirmed that most of the scientists around the world agree that we are the main reason for the global warming. What will the future generation think of their parents if this problem gets more and more serious? Posted by  Khalid

Avianca Flight 52 a Case Study on Human Error - 804 Words

Relevant facts/ Background Avianca Flight 52 touched the ground for a final time on January 25 1990, 16 miles from JFK airport in Cove Neck, Long Island, N.Y., completely out of fuel. The Boeing 707-321B was carrying 158 people coming from Medellin, Columbia, in which 85 people survived. The crash of Avianca Flight 52 was the largest rescue operation in New York prior to 9/11. There was a severe blizzard on the north-east coast of the U.S. causing bad weather with a low pressure system and wind shear. JFK airport authorities had been told to keep a higher landing rate than safe at 33 planes attempting to land per hour, on one runway - the typical rate being 52 in good weather, with all runways open. The airport was experiencing a rate†¦show more content†¦If one lesson would be learned from this it would be that had the crew received effective and efficient CRM training on time, they could have saved 73 people from an almost completely preventable death by human error. References AskCaptainLim.com {comments}. Aviation, Air Crash. Avianca flight 52: why the pilots failed to use proper phraseology. (Last updated October 19, 2008). Retrieved from: http://www.askcaptainlim.com/-air-crash-aviation-34/830-avianca-flight-52-why-the-pilots-failed-to-use-the-proper-phraseology.html Cushman Jr., John H. New York Times, Archives, Collections, Fuel. Avianca flight 52: the delays that ended in disaster. (February 5, 1990). Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/05/nyregion/avianca-flight-52-the-delays-that-ended-in-disaster.html?pagewanted=allamp;src=pm National Geographic, Cineflix Productions. Air Crash Investigation series, Episode S02E05 - Missing Over New York. Retrieved from http://natgeotv.com/ca/air-crash-investigation/videos/deadly-delay Wikipedia.org, Avianca Flight 52. (Last updated March 22, 2013). Retrieved from:

The Factors That Play Into Endangered Species - 2685 Words

The factors that play into Endangered Species Can you imagine a world without birds chirping in the early morning or the crickets singing in the silent night or even the plants blooming in the spring? Now, more than ever, a lot of species are being exposed to endangerment. Right about now, scientists emphasize â€Å"forty-one thousand, four hundred and fifteen species are on the IUCN Red list (ARkive.org). The Red list is the world’s inventory of the global status of biological species sixteen thousand, three hundred and six of species are threatened with extinction(iucnredlist.org). A species goes extinct if it is not able to adapt to changes in its environment, or compete well with other organisms. Over the history of the earth over 99% of all the species that have ever lived have gone extinct (paleo.gly). There are many factors that are involved in the endangerment and extinction of species. This includes natural disasters, pollution, overhunting, fur trapping, and many m ore. One of these factors is part of the natural process, but man made causes have sped up this process. What is extinction exactly? Extinction is the end of an organism or normally a species. The moment of extinction is considered to be the death of the last of the species, although the ability to breed may have been lost before this point (wikipedia.org). At that point they are at risk of extinction which is called endangerment. Endangerment species are those considered to be at risk of extinction,Show MoreRelatedAnimals Back Into The Wild1671 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract The release of animals back into the wild plays a substantial role in the welfare of them and in the conservation of endangered species. Despite the importance in the welfare and conservation, another reason to release wild animals is the scientific purpose considerations, such as monitoring diseases, and environmental problems. The factors that should be considered in a releasing process are divided in six areas: the ability of the animals to acquire and process food, ability to avoidRead MoreThe Conservation Status Of Endangered Species1594 Words   |  7 Pagesstudying endangered species, scientists do not simply expect at the species that are most probable to become extinct, but also threatened species that could become threatened in the future as well as critical habitats, which is critical to the survival of both exposed and threatened species in all. Bocking (2009) mentions that, regulatory agencies frame their objectives in terms defined by science, with contaminants measur ed in the parts per billion, and the status of endangered species evaluatedRead MoreWhat Causes Mammals To Be Extinct?1098 Words   |  4 Pagesmammals are killed due to natural causes and human activity. They can be affected by climate change, deforestation, hunting, and littering. Usually leaving them endangered and in most cases extinct. In the world, there are many factors that cause mammals to become extinct. Climate change is a common factor in what causes mammals to become endangered and later extinct. Climate change mostly caused extinction for two out of every three large mammals in the world. Some mammals that went into extinction becauseRead MoreThe Convention On International Trade Of Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora ( Cites )1161 Words   |  5 PagesTrade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was put in place on July 1, 1975 to address the need to protect species on a global level by controlling international trade. The aim of CITES is to protect species that are considered endangered (Couzens, 2013). CITES uses three Appendices to evaluate which level the endangered species should be put in. Appendix I includes species that are threatened by extinction due to trading (Couzens, 2013). It bans any trading of these species relatedRead MoreEffects Of Deforestation On The Environment1389 Words   |  6 Pagesthe environment for example global warming. The act of deforestation for new land is harmful towards the environment and should be stopped. Many forests are being destroyed and leaving many animals and other species without a home to survive which plays a factor on the rise of endangered species. Without Forests the environment can cause effects that we wouldn’t know, imagine if all the forests on earth were gone, life on earth would most likely not last. According to a study by NASA’s Earth ObservatoryRead MoreDo Zoos Serve The Same Purpose As The Dhs Today s Society?1361 Words   |  6 Pagesmany children in our society are neglected, many animals lay near the brink of extinction due to neglect from humans. The debate rages over whether or not endangered animals should be placed in a system that may prolong their lives. Do zoos serve the same purpose as the DHS in today’s society? Being placed in a zoo can dramatically help endangered animals receive the care that they need which may not be accessible in the wild. In William Dudley’s Animal Rights, author John Ironmonger was quoted asRead MoreThe Human Impact On Biodiversity1650 Words   |  7 Pages2,000 species that are either endangered or threatened in the United States and in foreign countries in the year 2016 according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The biodiversity all across the world is decreasing at a tremendous rate. Because of this, the protection of endangered species is a very important focus. In 1973 the Endangered Species Act was put into effect. Under this Act, all threatened and endangered species are protected. The biodiversity refers to the variety of species in aRead MorePersuasive Essay On Panda1189 Words   |  5 Pagesthey might not be any panda’s left in the wild ? This could actually happen. In fact, it will most likely happen if we don’t do anything ab out this. They are about 41,415 species and about 16,306 are endangered. Thats about 40 % ! Thats just a little less than half the species and panda’s are one of the most endangered species. In fact 10 years later there might be very few animals left. But why are the panda’s dying ? Who’s fault is it ? Us. People. Panda’s are almost extinct because of what weRead MoreAn argumentative essay on why we should conserve our environment and what good it could bring us1481 Words   |  6 Pagesnatural environment. In plants and animals case, it means, To keep in existence, to retain and to keep safe from harm or loss.1 Thousands of plant and animal species are being terminated every year due to many factors such as: removal of habitat, food reduction, human threats etc. From the 1700s to the year 2000, the number of species that have become extinct each year has soared from only 1 to 50,000. For example, the Mauritius dodo was extinct by 1690, Stellars sea cow by 1768 and the GreatRead MoreA Study On Chinook Salmon1508 Words   |  7 PagesChinook salmon (known by its scientific name as Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is the largest species out of the Pacific salmon genus, with an individual chinook measured over 120 pounds (fishwatch.gov, 2014). Often known by the name as â€Å"king salmon†, it is one of the most expensive salmons as this species of the Pacific salmon is not abundant in North America. This salmon is originated in rivers ranging from Central California to northwest Alaska, but can also be found outside the United States such

Analysis Of The Poem La Belle Dame Sans Merci

â€Å"Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all.† Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1849. Three poems that I have studied that powerfully explore this idea are ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’ by John Keats (1819), ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning (1842) and ‘Remember’ by Christina Rossetti (1849). Keats writes about idealised, courtly love and loss through rejection. Browning addresses obsessive and sinister love which is lost through destruction, and Rossetti expresses real love which is lost through bereavement. These poems have contrasting forms, contributing in various ways to the themes of love and loss. ‘La Belle Dame’ is a ballad – a narrative poem of folk origin, meant to be sung – selected by the poet to enhance the idealism of love, elevating the dream-like quality of the language. This form was atypical of the time in which it was written. Keats adopted this form to separate it from his time and place to a time of pure and courtly love. ‘My Last Duchess’ is a dramatic monologue; the speaker reveals his own character more than the subject. As the poem develops, we learn in stages the true nature of the obsessive and jealous love which leads to the implied murder of the Duchess. The Duke’s speech exposes his pompous, obnoxious character and psychopathy. Browning may have been inspired by the dramatic monologue style of poetry written by the metaphysical poets of the 16th Century, similar to Andrew Marvell’s ‘To His Coy Mistress’. The poem also resonatesShow MoreRelatedA Poem from the Romantic Period, La Belle Dame sans Merci by John Keats711 Words   |  3 Pagescouldn’t use math or science to understand human nature. In my opinion the Romantic Movement was a direct reaction to the 18th century Enlightenment The poem â€Å"La Belle Dame sans Merci† written by John Keats is an excellent example of the work of literature from the Romantic Period. This time in literature began in 1798 with the publishing of a book of poems named â€Å"Lyrical Ballads.† This Classic piece of literature was written by the fathers of Romantic literature, William Wordsworth and Samuel ColeridgeRead MoreComparative Analysis of La Belle Dame Sans Merci and The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock2063 Words   |  9 Pages4/30/2013 Comparative Analysis of â€Å"La Belle Dame Sans Merci† and â€Å"The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock† It comes as no surprise that love poems are not a rare commodity. Whether they’re about a lovesick man pining for his soul mate or a general reflection about how one perceives love, these poems offer an analysis of one of the most innate desires of our human nature. Despite inevitable differences in writing style and point of view, there can be times where love poems employ similar strategiesRead MoreJohn Keats : The Five Senses, Reality Departures, And Nature1628 Words   |  7 Pagesnaturally as Leaves to a tree it had better not come at all† (biography). John Keats was an English-born poet who was known for his sonnets, romances, and epics. He was a well-known romantic poet who was criticized because of his style of poetry. In his poems, Keats uses frequent themes such as death, the five senses, reality departures, and nature. As a romantic poet, John Keats uses imagery and emotion based themes as way to display his beliefs in his poetry. Born in London, England on October 31,Read MoreLa Belle Dam Sans Merci Essay1162 Words   |  5 PagesThe poem La Belle Dame Sans Merci by John Keats is a ballad that expresses all of Keats philosophies of happiness and the ideal world while, at the same time, being an enchanting love story on a simpler level. The poem contains his pleasure thermometer which leads to Keats idea of happiness. The poem also contains Keats vision of an ideal world where nothing ends or dies. The poem begins with a narrator questioning a Knight at arms. The Knight is seen wandering around lifelessly and listlesslyRead MoreAn Unknown Girl Analysis1379 Words   |  6 Pages↠ A Passage To Africa. (Narrative Article, Literary  Analysis.) Poetry Analysis: An Unknown Girl- Moniza  Alvi. 28May In the evening bazaar Studded with neon An unknown girl Is hennaing my hand She squeezes a wet brown line Form a nozzle She is icing my hand, Which she steadies with her On her satin peach knee. In the evening bazaar For a few rupees An unknown girl is hennaing my hand As a little air catches My shadow stitched kameez A peacock spreads its lines Across my palm. Read MoreLa Belle Dame Sans Merci Explanation2214 Words   |  9 Pages`La Belle Dame sans Merci or The Beautiful Lady without Pity is the title of an early fifteenth-century French poem by Alain Chartier which belongs to the tradition of courtly love. Keats appropriates this phrase for a ballad which has been generally read as the story of a seductive and treacherous woman who tempts men away from the real world and then leaves them, their dreams unfulfilled and their lives blighted. For all the beguiling simplicity of the surfaces of this literary ballad, it isRead MoreLa Belle Dame Sans Merci Explanation2230 Words   |  9 Pages`La Belle Dame sans Merci or The Beautiful Lady without Pity is the title of an early fifteenth-century French poem by Alain Chartier which belongs to the tradition of courtly love. Keats appropriates this phrase for a ballad which has been generally read as the story of a seductive and treacherous woman who tempts men away from the real world and then leaves them, their dreams unfulfilled and their lives blighted. For all the beguiling simplicity of the surfaces of this literary ballad, it isRead MorePoetry Analysis : Extended Response1593 Words   |  7 PagesPoetry Analysis – Extended Response Worthwhile poetry does make the audience think, it impacts the ways individuals think and how they interpret the hidden messages and morals taught throughout them. Poetry is a point of interest for many people as it informs. This essay aims to explore and discuss two of the following poems that make the audience think about poetry. The essay will also compare and contrast the subject matter, themes, rhyme, forms and the poetic devices and features. These poems toRead MoreFemale And Female Gender Roles3513 Words   |  15 Pages Through the Bloody Chamber, Carter portrays how women are separating these two aspects of sexual intercourse. The protagonist is seen to transgress as she begins to enjoy intercourse instead of viewing it as purely functional. Angela Topping’s analysis of Carter’s work supports the idea of transgression through sexual awakening, as she points out the juxtaposition of the red and white in the girl’s engagement ring. The contrast between the two colours within the Fire Opal become: ‘clearer and more

Mgt 510 Free Essays

People Management, the Mantra for Success: The Case of Singhania and Partner Jameelah Richardson Dr. Finn MGT 510 September 10, 2012 In this paper we will discuss the case of Singhania and Partner. We would examine the case of Singhania and Partners and evaluate the organization’s strategy. We will write a custom essay sample on Mgt 510 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Next we would evaluate each of the five IHRM practices with respect to recruitment and selection, training for cross-cultural adaptation, management development, evaluation, and compensation. Later we will discuss which of the five practices can be approved. Afterwards, we would make recommendations to management to successfully improve the current IHRM strategy. Finally, we would explain how the recommended changes impact the organization in the industry. Examine the Case of Singhania and Partners and Evaluate the Organization’s Strategy Singhania amp; Partners is known as a full service national law firm. This firm is known for being successful with international corporate and commercial, litigation, and arbitration and intellectual property in law. The company was founded by Ravi Singhania and Manju Mohorta. Ravi Singhania was the founder and managing partner while Mohorta was the Chief Executive. Both Ravi and Manu were concerned about the HR practices currently used by the firm and if the company faces human resource risks. It seemed that the firm is facing a high attrition rate in the Indian legal services industry and this is causing an alarming problem. There has been a shift between legal firms and partners. It seems the entry of foreign law firms into India could create more competition between law firms. They should focus more on gaining trust of their employees. Gaining the respect of your employees will create positive work environments and relationships within the firm. It would also deflate stress and uncertainty while being in that work environment. Evaluate Each of the Five IHRM Practices with Respect to Recruitment and Selection, Training for Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Management Development, Evaluation, and Compensation Recruitment of staff should be sought after a complete analysis of the job to be done. An analytical study would focus on the tasks that need to be performed to determine valuable factors. A written job description would be beneficial so the employer would know what physical and mental characteristics one should possess and what qualities and attitudes are desirable. The  Recruitment and Selection Process  is one of the basic HR Processes. Recruitment and Selection is very sensitive as many managers have a need to hire a new employee and this process is always under a strict monitoring from their side. The  Recruitment and Selection Process  must be simple and must be robust enough to operate excellently in the moment of the insufficient number of candidates on the job market and the process must be also able to process a large number of candidates within given time limit (Richards, 2008). Cross-cultural training encompasses a combination of translation, instructional design and cultural adaptation, each of which is required to convey new concepts to a target audience in another country. Simply translating training material will not work, as it fails to take into account the cultural factors that influence the trainees’ perceptions (Smith, 2004). With Management development, you must look at the strategy of the organization and address that there are well trained managers in play to ensure the organization is on the right path of completing their goals. Basically an evaluation / appraisal scheme is a formalization of what is done in a more casual manner anyway (e. g. if there is a vacancy, discussion about internal moves and internal attempts to put square pegs into ‘squarer holes’ are both the results of casual evaluation). Most managers approve merit payment and that too calls for evaluation, made a standard routine task, it aids the development of talent, warns the inefficient or uncaring and can be an effective form of motivation (Richards, 2008). Compensation Strategy  is one of the most important strategies in the HRM function as it influences the costs of the organization and potential bad decision can lead to very serious damages to the organization (Richards, 2008). Discuss which of the Five Practices can be improved In my opinion, both recruitment and selection and compensation could be improved. Today, a lot of people are chosen for a job on how they look or because they know someone which isn’t fair to the person who actually has the experience to complete the job. Even if you don’t have that much experience for the job but your educational background introduces you to what the job entails you should still be giving a chance to perform at your best. Most college students are not giving a chance to start a job in their major because you’re expected to have 5 to 7 years’ experience early on but how do you obtain that if you’re learning the basics of what is expected in that particular field? I feel if you were introduce to what the field entails then you should be given a chance to perform the task either way you will be trained to do that job right? Compensation is the most important factor in HR yet employees work hard and get compensated less. It seems that organizations put so many stipulations into play to get compensated that once you receive it you’re like I did all of this for that what was the point? If you expect your employees to perform at their best level and keep that same drive every month, compensation should be both a reachable and achievable goal so in the end everybody wins the employer, employee, and the organization as a whole. Make Recommendations to Management to Successfully Improve the Current IHRM Strategy International Human Resource Management Strategy (IHRM) is the recruitment, selection, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation, and labor relations (Cullen, 2011). Management needs to be cautious of who they’re choosing to complete the task at hand. Education and experience should play in major part in the recruitment and selection process. With college students, they are aware of what the job is and what it entails but in order for the individual to complete the job the way you want it you must train them. Afterwards, then evaluate them on their performance to determine if they’re a right fit for the organization. Compensation must improve and employees should be acknowledge for the hard work that is put in day in and day out. If employees feel their being treated with the upmost respect, receiving job recognition and compensation for what they’re doing production would be meeting or exceeding the organization’s expectation and everyone wins. Explain how the Recommended Changes Impact the Organization in the Industry Managers can build trust by demonstrating that they are guided by ethical standards and beliefs and then by exhibiting behaviors that are consistent with those standards and beliefs. A variety of conditions and factors can enhance employee trust. Four of the most important are credibility, integrity, reliability, and commitment (Smith, 2004). In conclusion, employee trust is generally something that is earned over time. Building trust can be difficult but it is much easier to lost it through inconsistent behavior and lack of commitment. By enhancing employee trust Singhania ;amp; Partners will become the most consistent firm. References Cullen, John B. ;amp; Parboteeah, Praveen (2011) Multinational Management Richards, Sam (2008) HRM Advice Smith, Jeanine (2006) V ;amp; L International How to cite Mgt 510, Papers

Clayton Industries free essay sample

Declining sales, a global recession, stiff competition from Asian manufacturers, inflated operational costs, and decreasing demand for the product are all reasons why Clayton SpA is forced to reevaluate the Brescia Italy plant and make a sound business decision as to its fate. After discussions and meetings with other plant management and personnel, three options were proposed: invest additional monies into the Italian division and revive operations, target production towards absorption chillers rather than the compression chillers, or wait about six months and observe the activity of the economy before making any type of financial decision. Targeting production towards absorption chillers is the best option for Clayton in order to regain its position financially and its competitive position in the market. INTRODUCTION Clayton Industries, a business based on sales of window mounted air conditioning units sold in residential and small commercial units, was formed in 1938 in Milwaukee, WI. In the 1980s, the company decided to expand into commercial operations in North America and saw an opportunity for growth in the European market. It achieved this growth through the acquisition of four other companies, including Corliss a company that manufactured HVAC units and AeroPuro an Italian manufacturer of compression chillers. Clayton did an organization restructure in order to accommodate the global expansion and developed a new entity, Clayton Europe, to handle the European acquisitions. These acquisitions enabled Clayton to be a dominant force in that market until the global recession in 2009 at which point Claytons international divisions saw a decline in sales. Clayton SpA, the Italian division of Clayton Industries, was the most negatively impacted, suffering a 19% decline in sales and experiencing revenue losses of $1 million per month (Bartlett Barlow,2010,p. 3). Internal mismanagement, an exaggerated workforce, and the view of air conditioning units as an unnecessary American luxury by European citizens all contributed to the rapid decline in sales and loss of revenue. Facing competition from Asian manufacturers that were making the same product more efficient and less expensive also proved to be an obstacle for Clayton SpA. This contributed to the need to offer a better product at a cheaper price for Clayton SpA to remain competitive and profitable in this market. In reaction to all of these issues being faced by Clayton, all country management was asked to participate in a 10/10/10 plan which entailed cutting days receivables and days in inventory by 10 days each and reduce the labor force by 10%. The Top Four in Four initiative was also presented to country management in which they were asked to develop a plan where the product for which their division was responsible for selling would be in the top four of the European market share in four years. In this report are the options being considered and plans presented in order for Clayton SpA division to rally back from the losses it has suffered financially. INTERNAL/EXTERNAL ANALYSIS SWOT ANALYSIS †¢ One strength is that the Clayton European division is now being led by more effective and goal-oriented management. The fact that they were also hired from other more successful sectors of the company enables this division to be led by individuals who already know the business and the company and draw from prior plans in order to make this division more successful. Another strength is that the initial plan put into action by Simonne Buis a few months prior to cut costs immediately freed up some monies needed for immediate restructuring and rebuilding. The ability of management to take ideas from more successful divisions of the company (i. e. Spain) can make the Italian division more profitable in the future. †¢ One potential weakness is that the financial obstacles faced by Clayton SpA due to internal mismanagement and exaggerated labor costs were there for quite some time, therefore the company must come up with a lot of money up front in order to attempt to restructure and rebuild. Another weakness is that the company is expected to jump back up into the top 4 in the next 4 years yet it is currently 5th on the list with only 7% of the market share. This goal will prove extremely difficult with current conditions. †¢ One opportunity for Clayton is that they can develop a more efficient product in order to become more competitive in the market now and in future. Another opportunity is that effectively cutting costs now can enable the company to run more efficiently in the future because it will show that the company can indeed increase profits with reduced operating expenses and liabilities, therefore offering higher shareholder equity in the end. Higher shareholder equity means the increased probability of more investors in the end. †¢ On e threat to Clayton are Asian firms, or possibly any other company that tries to operate in this market, operating more efficiently and offering a better product to consumers. Another threat is the rising costs of materials, as seen with the increase in the price of steel. PEST ANALYSIS Analysis of this firm using PEST, I have determined that the political aspect has played a major role in the business decision making in Clayton SpA. It was due to the major impact that the union had in Italy that caused the high labor costs in that division. The political relationships held by prior management seemed to influence some of the poor decision making on the part of management. The economic factor is that the global recession and slow economy in 2009 is when Clayton began to suffer huge financial losses. Clayton SpA suffered a $15 million dollar loss of stockholders equity in 2009. As seen in Exhibit 2 Clayton Industries income statement, revenues were down 19% and net loss was 12%. The social factors affecting Clayton are that for one, Europeans did not view air conditioning in their homes as a necessity. They saw it as a luxury. Additionally, Europeans were buying from local firms because they were more familiar and better priced. Technological factors affected Clayton in that the compression chillers marketed and sold by Clayton were too expensive as well as lacking in operational efficiency. The Barcelona plant manufactured specialized absorption chillers which proved to be far more profitable than the compression chillers were. The compression chillers lacked several new features that other competitors were using, therefore causing Clayton to fall behind in the market. They were operating 15% less efficiently (Bartlett Barlow,2010, p. 6). Absorption technology is a new trend that has become increasingly popular due to its use of water rather than the harmful chemicals used in compression chillers. Based on Clayton Industries’ forecast sales in exhibit 5, it is predicted that Clayton Italy will experience a growth in sales of between 5 6 % annually if the economic conditions improve. These percentages are relatively small in comparison to the huge losses suffered in 2009, therefore a more aggressive approach should be taken in order to meet the goal of being in the top four by 2013. OPTIONS There are a few possible options for Clayton to successfully attain its goals of rebounding financially and becoming one of the top four competitors in the market. One option is to regain profitability in the Italian division by increasing efficiency at the plant site, revitalization of the current product line of compression chillers through further product development, and a development of a sales and marketing plan so as to expand and increase their market share. The costs of this option are around $5 million, most of which will be spent within the first year of implementation. The pros of this plan are that revitalizing the compression chiller product line may prove profitable since the compression chillers still make up 85% of the market. Another pro is that through development of the sales and marketing team, innovative ideas by new management or a new sales and marketing team can be tested in this time of crisis. A third pro of this option is that increased efficiency at the current plant will keep the company from having to do a full restructure, therefore saving the company money in the long run. Clayton can build upon what they already have rather than tear it down and rebuild it. The cons of this option are that the companys current financial position is poor therefore coming up with the $5 million needed for start-up could prove difficult at this time. There is also a chance that the investment of the $5 million does not yield the profitable results that the company desires, therefore putting the organization in a worse position financially. Using $5 million of the companys funds will also create a diminished cash flow, possibly affecting other divisions in a negative way. Another option is to build upon the already successful market in Spain. This would enable Clayton to also partake in the new technological advancement of the absorption chiller that has given the Barcelona plant its increased profitability. Market growth of the absorption chillers is increasing and this would give Clayton an opportunity to step into a new market and work towards achieving its goal of once again being a top competitor in the market. The costs of this plan would be approximately $15 million over a period of five years. The large part of this investment would come within two to three years of plan implementation. The plan would also involve a lot of restructuring of the organization and removal of old equipment and processes. The pros of this plan are the opportunity to gain entry into a new market that appears to already be profitable for a division of Clayton. In recent years, there has been an increased demand for products that more environmentally friendly so selling the absorption chillers would satisfy that demand and increase profit. Another pro to this plan is that Spain already has licensed technology to support the production of the absorption chillers and they are already familiar with the product. Cons to this option are that it might be risky to phase out the compression chillers, which comprise of 85% of the market to invest in the absorption chillers, which are still only 15% of the market. Investing these funds not expanding or building a new office in Spain would still mean that the office in Italy would still be left in a bad position financially. Having to close the Italy office would also cause an uproar with the union officials that initially showed concern that this would occur. Another downside to this plan is the large investment amount needed to get it up and running with no guarantee that it will prove profitable in the end. If a $15 million dollar investment is made and the absorption chillers do not prove profitable, the company will have lost that investment and the loss of the Italy division. A third option is to wait until the economy becomes more stable, at least six months, before making any type of financial decision or commitment to an alternative plan. If slow economic growth and global recession continue, using millions of company funds to restructure could put the organization in a worst position in the end. The pros of this plan are thought it does allow management and the financial department a little more time before making a decision. This would allow for more research and review of economic conditions and industry trends, therefore enabling a more sensible decision. This will also still allow for the other two options to remain on the table whereas if one of the other two plans are implemented, funds will be depleted and another option will prove difficult of not impossible to attempt. The downsides to this option are that not taking any action for six months may put the company in a worse position financially. If the divisions that are lacking continue to operate in a deficit, it will put the company as a whole in turmoil. If the company is currently experiencing a loss of $1 million a month, six more months of operating in that manner would be a total loss of $6 million more.

Plato And Forms Essays - Platonism, Form Of The Good,

Plato And Forms Platos Forms The influence that Plato, the Greek philosopher born in 427 BC in Athens, has had throughout the history of philosophy has been monumental. Among other things, Plato is known for his exploration of the fundamental problems of natural science, political theory, metaphysics, theology and theory of knowledge; many of his ideas becoming permanent elements in Western thought. The basis of Platos philosophy is his theory of Ideas, or doctrine of Forms. While the notion of Forms is essential to Platos philosophy, over years of philosophical study, it has been difficult to understand what these Forms are supposed to be, and the purpose of their existence. When examining Platos forms and evaluating the theory, some conclusions have proved to be unclear and unanswered. However, the doctrine of Forms is essential to Platos philosophy. Plato came to his view of the Forms based on two premises: first, that knowledge cannot come through the senses; and second, we do nevertheless manage to know thi ngs in mathematics, for instance. Plato believed in two worlds; the empirical realm of concrete, familiar objects known through sensory experience, and the rational realm of perfect and eternal Forms. According to Plato, the empirical realm is not real, as sensory objects are not completely real. Beliefs derived from experience of such objects are therefore vague and unreliable, whereas principles of mathematics and philosophy, discovered by inner, rationalistic meditation on the Forms, constitute the only real knowledge. Such familiar, concrete things as trees, human bodies and animals, which can be known through the senses, are merely shadowy, imperfect copies of their Forms. For every sense object in the empirical world, there is a corresponding perfect Form. These Forms are nonphysical, permanent, eternal, and invisible. How then, you may ask, can one ever know of the Forms if they cannot be known by sense perception? Plato answers this question by stating that the Forms are kn own in thought. They are the objects of thought, therefore, whenever you are thinking, you are thinking of Forms. An important point to note about the Forms is the idea of permanence. The Forms are forever unchanging. An important standard of Platos theory of knowledge was that all genuine objects of knowledge be described without contradiction. Therefore, because all objects perceived by sense undergo change, an assertion can be made that such objects at one time will not be true at a later time. Because what is fully real must, for Plato, be fixed, permanent, and unchanging, he identified the real with the ideal realm of being as opposed to the empirical world of becoming. This all leads to Platos inevitable rejection of empiricism. The true definition of empiricism is, the view that holds sense perception to be the sole source of human knowledge (Jones, 369). It is obvious that this view is highly contradictive with Platos theory of Forms. He thought that propositions derived fro m sensory experience have, at most, a degree of probability; they are not certain. Pure knowledge may only be derived from certain, permanent facts. The argument is really that not only do the things we perceive change, but so do the circumstances in which we perceive them. Take this example, for instance. If I were to hold a cup of hot coffee in my left hand and a cold beer in my right, and then place both hands into a tub of lukewarm water, that same tub of water would feel cold to the left hand, and warm to the right hand. Moreover, things must often seem different to me than they do to anyone else, for the circumstances of others are rarely the same as mine. We are also liable to experience illusions, states of dreaming and hallucination, and our initial judgments are also often influenced by our expectations and biases. As a result of these circumstances, Plato supposes that we can never gain knowledge through our senses. Empiricism is rejected in Platos philosophy, contradicti ng with his theory of Forms to a large degree. Plato conceived the Forms as arranged hierarchically. A dividing line splits the rational realm into C and D. The division of C represents the lower Forms, and D represents the higher Forms,