Control Chart

Tables of Constants for Control charts Table 8A – Variable Data ref : AIAG manual for SPC X bar and R Charts Chart for Averages Control Limits Factor Subgroup size (n) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 15 25 A2 1. 880 1. 023 0. 729 0. 577 0. 483 0. 419 0. 373 0. 337 0. 308 0. 223 0. 153 Chart for Averages Chart for Standard Deviation (s) Chart for Ranges (R) Divisors Divisors to to Control Estimate Factors for Control estimate Factors for Control Limits Factor Limits Limits ?x ?x d2 1. 128 1. 693 2. 059 2. 326 2. 534 2. 704 2. 847 2. 970 3. 078 3. 472 3. 931 D3 0. 076 0. 136 0. 184 0. 23 0. 347 0. 459 Centerline X bar and R Charts CL X = X CLR = R X bar and s Charts X bar and s charts CLX = X CL s = s Institute of Quality and Reliability www. world-class-quality. com D4 3. 267 2. 574 2. 282 2. 114 2. 004 1. 924 1. 864 1. 816 1. 777 1. 653 1. 541 A3 2. 659 1. 954 1. 628 1. 427 1. 287 1. 182 1. 099 1. 032 0. 975 0. 789 0. 606 c4 0. 7979 0. 8862 0. 9213 0. 9400 0. 9515 0. 9594 0. 9650 0. 9693 0 . 9727 0. 9823 0. 9896 B3 0. 030 0. 118 0. 185 0. 239 0. 284 0. 428 0. 565 Control Limits UCLX = X + A2 R LCL UCLR = D4 R LCL R = D3 R UCLX = X + A3 S LCL X = X ?A3 S UCL s = B4 s LCL s = B 3 s Control Chart Factors X = X ? A2 R B4 3. 267 2. 568 2. 266 2. 089 1. 970 1. 882 1. 815 1. 761 1. 716 1. 572 1. 435 ?x R d2 s c4 Page 1 of 3 Tables of Constants for Control charts Table 8B Variable Data ref : AIAG manual for SPC Median Charts Chart for Medians Charts for Individuals Chart for Individuals Chart for Ranges (R) Control Divisors to Limits Estimate Factors for Control Factor Limits ?x Subgroup size 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ~ A2 1. 880 1. 187 0. 796 0. 691 0. 548 0. 508 0. 433 0. 412 0. 362 d2 1. 128 1. 693 2. 059 2. 326 2. 534 2. 704 . 847 2. 970 3. 078 D3 0. 076 0. 136 0. 184 0. 223 D4 3. 267 2. 574 2. 282 2. 114 2. 004 1. 924 1. 864 1. 816 1. 777 Centerline CL Median Charts ~ X ~ =X CLR = R Charts for Individuals CL X =X CLR = R Institute of Quality and Reliability www. world-class-qua lity. com Control Limits Factor E2 2. 660 1. 772 1. 457 1. 290 1. 184 1. 109 1. 054 1. 010 0. 975 Chart for Moving Range (R) Divisors to Estimate Factors for Control ?x Limits d2 1. 128 1. 693 2. 059 2. 326 2. 534 2. 704 2. 847 2. 970 3. 078 D3 0. 076 0. 136 0. 184 0. 223 D4 3. 267 2. 574 2. 282 2. 114 2. 004 1. 924 . 864 1. 816 1. 777 Control Limits UCL ~ X ~ ~ = X + A2 R UCLR = D4 R UCL X = X + E 2 R UCLR = D4 R Control Chart Factors LCL ~ X ~ = X ? A2 R LCL R = D3 R LCL X = X ? E 2 R LCL R = D3 R Page 2 of 3 Tables of Formulas for Control charts Table 8 C Attribute Data ref : AIAG manual for SPC Centerline Control Limits Samples not necessarily of constant size UCL p chart for CL p = p proportions of units in a category pi = p+3 c chart for number of incidences in one or more categories ni LCL p i = p ? 3 p (1 ? p ) ni If the Sample size is constant (n) UCL p = p + 3 np chart for umber / rate of units in a category p (1 ? p ) p (1 ? p ) n LCL p = p ? 3 p (1 ? p ) n CL = np np UCL np = np + 3 np(1 ? p) LCLnp = np ? 3 np(1 ? p) CL c = c UCLc = c + 3 c LCLc = c ? 3 c Samples not necessarily of constant size CLu = u u chart for number of incidences per unit in one or more categories UCLu = u + 3 LCLu = u ? 3 u ni UCL u = u ? 3 u n UCL u = u ? 3 u n using average sample size UCL u = u + 3 u n If the sample size is constant (n) UCL u = u + 3 Institute of Quality and Reliability www. world-class-quality. com u ni u n Control Chart Factors Page 3 of 3

American International Competitiveness

Since the beginning of the 1970s, the United States has experienced a virtual trade revolution. Trade has increased much faster than the economy as a whole. Both imports and exports expanded during the past 15 years. In the late 1970s, imports started outstripping exports by historically large margins. A merchandise trade deficit has been present every year since 1976. Moreover, this deficit has increased dramatically in the 1980s. What economic changes underlie the shift in U. S. competitiveness evidenced by the recent trade deficits?While economists who have addressed this question have employed different approaches, most have examined changes in macroeconomic variables to see if they generated the economic pressures that led to the recent trade deficits. Economists who have employed this approach have generally concluded that macroeconomic changes probably are the cause of the recent deficits. Although macroeconomic theory suggests that trade deficits may be associated with a wide variety of factors, two events in the late 1970s and early 1980s have received particular attention: the rise in U. S.aggregate demand relative to foreign aggregate demand and the increase in U. S. interest rates relative to foreign interest rates. Both may have been spurred by the U. S. government's budget deficit. The excess of spending over income provided a powerful expansionary fiscal policy while higher interest rates had to be used to attract foreign and domestic investors to finance the growth in debt. A relative increase in aggregate demand, whatever its source, is expected to lead to a trade deficit because a country's demand for imports is positively associated with the level of its aggregate demand.In this instance, the theory predicts that U. S. demand for imports will rise relative to foreign demand for U. S. exports as U. S. aggregate demand grows relative to foreign aggregate demand. A relative increase in U. S. interest rates can also lead to trade deficits by incr easing foreign demand for U. S. financial assets. The link between financial flows that respond to interest rate changes and trade deficits is evident in standard balance of payments accounting relationships.The accounting relationships used in defining trade deficits require that a nation's current account (comprised of the merchandise trade balance, the balance of trade on services, and net unilateral transfers) equals in size, but with opposite sign, the capital account. In other words, if there are capital inflows, then there must be a trade deficit. Given this accounting relationship, the inflow of foreign capital that is attracted by relatively high U. S. interest rates must lead to a trade deficit to satisfy the fundamental accounting identities that underlie balance of payments accounting (McCulloch, 1978).While explanations of recent trade deficits that are based on fundamental macroeconomic relationships are attractive to economists, many commentators have advanced alterna tive explanations that are rooted in microeconomic relationships. These commentators believe that the microeconomic characteristics have changed in ways that explain the relatively sudden substantial increases in imports and net imports. In addition, public opinion, for one reason or another, has not fully accepted the power of the macroeconomic explanations for the trade deficits.We shall therefore investigate these explanations that have been offered by various sources. The logical connections between these microeconomic changes and trade deficits have not been clearly drawn. In particular, supporters of these microeconomic-based hypotheses have ignored the fact that (absent macroeconomic adjustments) changes in the exchange rate could compensate for shifts in microeconomic relationships, leaving trade flows in balance (Tarr, 1985). While the link between alleged microeconomic changes and trade deficits is unclear, empirical analysis of the microeconomic explanations can still be very useful.Specifically, if we find that the alleged microeconomic changes in the structure of trade have not occurred, then we will be in a position to reject the microeconomic explanations directly. For advocates of the microeconomic explanations, this approach may be more convincing than one that evaluates the microeconomic explanations indirectly through the use of general equilibrium or macroeconomic models. The microeconomic explanations have focused on identifying three types of microeconomic changes. First, there may be technological changes that alter trade flows.For example, changes in an industry's technology may alter factor intensities so that particular inputs are less important to successful international competition. Second, policy changes may alter trade flows through their effect on the openness of U. S. or other economies or through their effect on the relative cost structure of U. S. manufacturers. Changes in tariff, quotas, or government subsidies clearly can h ave this effect, but other government policies may also be important. Third, the availability of needed inputs may change so that the competitive position of U.S. firms is altered. For example, when abundant mineral resources continue to be key for production, the U. S. position will change as the United States exhausts its relative supply of these needed resources. According to some commentators, any or all of these types of microeconomic changes might lead to growth in the manufacturing trade deficit. As a result, they have received substantial public attention. If changes in microeconomic factors are the source of recent trade deficits, we should observe a recent and major shift in the pattern of U. S.trade, since some industries will be more sensitive to changes in particular microeconomic factors than other industries or experience bigger changes in these factors. For instance, if relative U. S. wage rates have become more important in international competition, we should obser ve a particularly large rise in net imports in industries that employ relatively large amounts of high-cost labor or have experienced particularly large increases in labor costs. In contrast, if macroeconomic variables underlie the recent deficits, this type of structural shift in trade flows is less likely to be present (Drucker, 1985).As a result, we can reject many of the microeconomic explanations of recent trade deficits that have been advanced if we observe that economic relationships that traditionally have advantaged some industries over others in international trade have been stable and that key industry characteristics, such as labor intensity, have also been stable. In the case of U. S. wage rates, if the relationship between wage rates and imports has not changed over time, and U. S. wage rates relative to those in other countries have not changed significantly, then wage rates are unlikely to have contributed to the increased trade deficit.Of course, if we do find that the alleged microeconomic changes have occurred, the growth in the trade deficit can not be attributed to them unless logical causal relationships can be identified that are consistent with international trade accounting identities. Factors associated with U. S. competitiveness in trade appear to have been relatively stable throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. Manufacturing operations located in the States retain their traditional competitive advantage in production that requires sophisticated know-how and continue to experience a competitive disadvantage in production that uses unskilled labour intensively.Moreover, it appears that, to the extent change has occurred, these relationships have strengthened over time (Marston 1986). Yet, as others have pointed out, the competitive performance of many U. S. industries appears to have declined (Landau and Rosenberg, 1986). Can these two observations be consistent? The competitive performance of U. S. industries can decline because of c hanges that do not affect the relationships between trade flows and the industry characteristics. First, the characteristics of particular industries, such as their factor intensities, may have changed so that net imports increased.The higher unionization is associated with more imports, thus if unionization increased and this relationship remained stable, then unionization could be one cause of increased imports. Shifts in the relative competitiveness of an individual industry may reflect adjustments in the characteristics of the industry, within the context of stable comparative advantage relationships. For example, if strong R&D efforts are associated with strong exports, but industries reduce their R&D expenditures, export performance would be expected to decline even though the relationship between exports and R&D was stable.Put slightly differently, when relative factor abundancies are stable, changes in industrial input requirements will be reflected in shifts in the trade ba lance of particular U. S. industries. The rankings of industries with respect to their trade flows have been quite stable. While there have been some shifts in position during the last decade, statistical tests indicate that the shifting has not been substantial. The rank order of manufacturing industries by the level of net imports in 1975 is highly correlated with the rank order that existed in 1984.Industry characteristics available in time series have also been quite stable. The values for industry characteristics in 1975 are highly correlated with their values in 1981. Moreover, the changes in mean values for these variables are relatively small, especially for the variables that are most directly related to the seven proposed explanations of the trade deficits that we analyze. The variables available in time series include the primary variables used in traditional trade models. Simple macroeconomic relationships suggest that the rise in the trade deficit is likely to be associ ated with changes in macroeconomic variables.If this is true, then one would expect that many industries experienced a rise in their trade deficits (Benvignati, 1985). Consistent with this prediction, nearly all U. S. industries experienced declining international competitiveness to some degree between 1981 and 1984. In addition to this general confirmation of the macroeconomic explanations for trade deficits, there is direct support for the view that recent inflows of foreign capital, attracted by relatively high U. S. interest rates, and increases in U. S.aggregate demand relative to foreign aggregate demand are responsible for recent trade deficits. Specifically, exchange rates rose during the period studied and this led to an increase in net imports, as the macroeconomic theory of international financial flows predicts. Also there appears to be a positive association between recent increases in relative U. S. aggregate demand and net imports, as the aggregate demand theory sugge sts. According to the macroeconomic theory of international financial flows, higher U. S. interest rates will attract foreign capital. Since U. S.financial assets are denominated in dollars, this will lead to an increase in the demand for dollars. Because increases in the value of the dollar make U. S. goods more expensive relative to foreign goods, there will be a reduction in the international competitiveness of U. S. manufacturers. This decrease in competitiveness is expected to be reflected in higher net imports, causing the trade deficit to equal the surplus on the capital account. There is empirical support for this argument. U. S. industries appear to have been under severe competitive pressure because of the relatively high value of the dollar.For example, in the automobile industry, it has been argued that about $700 of the roughly $2,000 cost disadvantage of U. S. automobile manufacturers in 1983 was due to the unusually high exchange rate (Detroit Battle, 1983). Similarly , in steel, machine tools, textiles, and many other industries, analysts have pointed to exchange rates as an important source of the U. S. competitive disadvantage. As a result, it is not too surprising that the increase in the value of the dollar between 1980 and 1985 was associated with a decline in the U. S. trade balance.While the adverse effect of the increased value of the dollar on the competitive position of U. S. industries seems to have been quite widespread, the effect has been larger in some industries than others. In particular, it appears likely that the effect will be largest for products where the demand for U. S. exports and imports was quite elastic, since these products are most sensitive to changes in relative prices. For example, estimates of price elasticities by Baldwin (1976) indicate that these elasticities are particularly large (between 3. 20 and 4.4) in the case of metal working machinery and office/computing machines. According to macroeconomic theory, imports are likely to vary positively with the level of aggregate demand, other things being equal. Specifically, as U. S. incomes rise, the U. S. demand for imports is likely to rise. Moreover, if U. S. incomes rise relative to foreign incomes, the U. S. demand for imports should rise relative to the foreign demand for U. S. exports. As a result, macroeconomic theory predicts that, during these periods, U. S. demand for imports will rise relative to foreign demand for U. S.exports and growing trade deficits are more likely. At the end of 1982, the U. S. balance of payments deficit appears to have been reduced by aggregate demand effects, since the U. S. demand was falling relative to foreign demand. However, in 1983 and 1984 the U. S. economy grew relative to the economies of its trading partners (Economic Report of the President 1986). The relatively strong U. S. recovery and the general worldwide recession were associated with a sharp rise in the U. S. trade deficit (Economic Rep ort of the President 1985). There is no conflict between the observation that U.S. trade deficits have risen and the finding that U. S. comparative advantage relationships have been relatively stable over the last decade. Evidently, there have been shifts in macroeconomic variables that have increased the level of imports in most industries, without shifting trade patterns across industries significantly. While other types of changes, such as shifts in omitted microeconomic variables or changes in the magnitudes of included variables, would also make the two observations consistent, these alternative explanations are not nearly as important.Moreover, simple macroeconomic theories and available empirical evidence suggest strongly that macroeconomic forces underlie the growth of recent trade deficits. Changes in most microeconomic variables have either been gradual or narrowly focused. As a result, they are unlikely to generate the large trade deficits that are observed. Only the chan ges in international capital flows (with associated changes in exchange rates) and, for part of the period, changes in the relative levels of aggregate demand, have been large enough and sharp enough to explain the sudden rise in net imports. The growth of direct foreign investment by U.S. firms during the last decade reflects, in part, the exploitation of their advanced technological and organizational know-how. This stability in the fundamental comparative advantage relationships is inconsistent with widely held views linking microeconomic changes to the growth in the trade deficit during the 1980s. Macroeconomic models provide explanations that are much more consistent with empirical observations. We conclude, as have macroeconomists, that changes in macroeconomic factors, rather than any of the many microeconomic explanations that have been advanced, underlie recent U.S. trade deficits. The comparative advantage structure that determines a country's trade patterns changes only s lowly. For the United States, comparative advantage forces have meant, and still mean, that the country is a net importer of commodities that are efficiently produced with relatively large amounts of unskilled labour and a net exporter of commodities that require the relatively intensive use of skilled labour. These basic relationships have not changed significantly during the 1970s or early 1980s.Similarly, the United States continues to be disadvantaged in industries that are energy-intensive, use depleting natural resources, or are heavily unionized. Higher minimum efficient scale requirements and higher R&D intensity continue to be associated with both higher imports and higher exports. Only weak relationships exist between capital intensity or industry concentration and the strength of the U. S. trade position. The relationships between industry characteristics and trade flows are evident despite the presence of tariff and nontariff barriers and other government trade policies. Moreover, the effects of trade policies appear to be weak relative to the economic forces that result from differences in comparative advantage. Nonetheless, trade policies do have identifiable effects. As one would expect, U. S. tariff and nontariff barriers are associated with lower net import levels. However, the statistical findings for foreign trade barriers are less clear. We attribute this to the fact that U. S. exporters face different trade barriers in different countries. It may be the case that strong U. S.exports continue in many countries although these exports face substantial barriers in other countries. In addition, foreign trade barriers and industrial targeting efforts may arise as a reaction to U. S. export successes, yet not be strong enough to make a substantial reduction in U. S. exports in foreign markets generally. Analyses of U. S. imports and exports test the competitiveness of the States as a geographical unit. However, these analyses do not capture fully the competitiveness of U. S. -controlled firms, since many U. S.firms are multinationals. To measure the competitiveness of U. S. -controlled firms, output manufactured abroad using U. S. know-how must be considered (Marston, 1986). Similarly, U. S. output must be adjusted for output produced by foreign-controlled multinationals in the United States. To a large extent, the additional perspective offered by the analysis of the adjusted trade flow data simply confirms the findings based on the unadjusted data. The United States remains relatively strong in the same industries where it was strong in the previous decade.However, when the trade flow data are adjusted to reflect the presence of multinational corporations, some structural changes in trade patterns become evident. Basically, these changes evidence a strengthening of the relationships that have traditionally shaped U. S. trade flows. Apparently U. S. firms have increasingly exploited their more mobile competitive strengths b y investing abroad. There is some evidence that this effort has been undertaken to overcome historical comparative disadvantages associated with producing in the States.Most notably, there is some evidence that this foreign investment is increasingly prominent in industries that are heavily unionized. Together, the analyses of adjusted and unadjusted trade flow data indicate that U. S. firms are not losing their relative competitive strengths. The adjusted data suggest that some changes are occurring in international direct investment, but these changes have not been echoed in changes in the composition of U. S. net imports. The gradual nature of any changes that are occurring highlights the basic stability of the structure of U. S. trade flows.The structural stability that we observe is consistent with the view that shifts in microeconomic relationships are not an important source of recent trade deficits. Absent evidence of changes, there is no reason to believe that these potenti al microeconomic issues contend with macroeconomic factors as the real explanations for the large observed increases in the U. S. trade deficit. Turning to the first two microeconomic explanations (high labor cost explanation and union work rule explanation), traditional relationships between labor market variables and trade patterns still hold.The United States continues to be at a comparative disadvantage in labor-intensive industries. To the extent there has been change, it has been gradual and statistically insignificant. Moreover, the United States appears to be doing well, and has slightly improved its performance, in high-wage industries. Evidently, the advantage continues in industries where human capital is important. While union activities have affected the structure of U. S. manufacturing industries, this impact has been different from that suggested in the second explanation.No change in the relationship between unionization and U. S. trade flows has taken place. However , various studies do suggest that multinational corporations in unionized industries have shifted larger and larger shares of their output overseas. Apparently, this direct investment has added to U. S. -controlled output, rather than entirely substituting for exports from unionized industries located in the States. The third and fourth explanations (foreign government trade practices explanation and OPEC cartel explanation) involve actions taken by foreign governments.Foreign governments do not appear to have uniformly targeted â€Å"U. S. industries†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat is, industries where the United States has had a competitive advantage. While foreign government interventions are evident, these efforts vary from country to country and do not appear to have a significant effect on overall U. S. trade patterns. This does not mean that particular foreign tariffs, nontariff barriers, or targeting subsidies could not disrupt natural trade flows. However, it does mean that currently t hese effects are limited among our major trading partners (Maskus 1981).Actions by foreign governments that may have supported OPEC's efforts to raise energy prices did not significantly alter the structure of U. S. manufacturing trade, as the fourth proposition contends. The increases in world energy prices during the 1970s were dramatic and clearly had a significant effect on the overall balance of payments. However, only when trade flows are adjusted to recognize the presence of multinationals is there a significant change in the comparative advantage structure across manufacturing industries. Turning to the fifth microeconomic explanation (declining R&D explanation), U. S.firms have not lost their comparative advantage in R&D-intensive products. While U. S. imports of high-technology products have increased over time, so have exports. Moreover, the overall structural relationships that determine U. S. comparative advantages with respect to R&D do not appear to have changed signi ficantly. To the extent change is evident; it appears that the growth of U. S. multinational firms has allowed them to exploit their comparative advantages in high technology through their foreign affiliates. The remaining explanations (inadequate investment explanation and antitrust explanation) involve policies of the U.S. government. According to these two explanations, high taxes on capital formation and overly aggressive antitrust enforcement efforts have undermined the competitiveness of U. S. firms. The notion that relatively high taxes on capital, and resulting lower U. S. investment rates, have led to a growing U. S. disadvantage in capital-intensive industries is not confirmed by the statistical tests. While some earlier studies using 1958 to 1976 data found that the United States had a growing comparative disadvantage in capital-intensive industries, this trend did not continue in the late 1970s and early 1980s (Maskus 1981).The United States was a strong exporter in indu stries where economies of scale (MES) are important. Moreover, we did not find substantial advantages of concentration beyond the levels associated with these plant- level scale economies. There also was no sign of significant changes in the comparative advantage relationships with respect to scalerelated or concentration-related variables. Conclusion Given the stability of U. S. comparative advantage relationships over time, why has the U. S. trade deficit increased by so much?For some industries, the rise in net imports may simply reflect the fact that the characteristics of the industry have changed, so U. S. firms no longer have a comparative advantage. In particular, when the know-how needed to produce a commodity becomes standardized and cheap labour becomes a relatively more important input, we should expect that U. S. manufacturers will lose share to foreign manufacturers. As is suggested by simple macroeconomic models, much of the rise in net imports appears to be attributa ble to macroeconomic forces that have more than offset the advantages that U.S. firms have traditionally had in some industries. In fact, most industries have experienced increased levels of imports, suggesting that economy-wide changes underlie the problem. Examination of macroeconomic variables that could produce this type of shift in trade flows confirms that the rise in interest rates with the associated increase in the value of the dollar and, during some recent periods, the relatively rapid growth of U. S. aggregate demand appear to have stimulated net imports generally.Generally, there has been relatively little shifting in either comparative advantage relationships or in industry characteristics that affect imports and exports. Indeed, the growth in direct foreign investment, which appears to support the most dramatic changes that have occurred, has been associated with the exploitation of traditional U. S. advantages. Moreover, the shift in the overall position of the Unite d States relative to its trading partners has been fairly general, which is consistent with the argument that individual microeconomic explanations are unlikely to explain much of the recent rise in U.S. trade deficits. Given this finding, it is probable that the U. S. recent loss in competitive position is largely attributable to macroeconomic forces. In particular, it appears likely that changes in relative interest rates and levels of aggregate demand best explain most of the recent increases in the U. S. trade deficit. Both of these may be related to large increases in the government's budget deficit. The rise in trade deficits during the 1970s and 1980s led to substantial concern about the competitiveness of U. S. firms.Many of the microeconomic explanations that have been advanced to explain the recent deficits do not appear to be supported by available empirical evidence. Because these microeconomic explanations do not explain the recent trade deficits, policy prescriptions b ased on shifting microeconomic variables are a poor bet to change trade flows fundamentally. In particular, wage restrictions, trade restrictions, subsidization programs, and policies that promote market concentration are unlikely to alter the trade deficit substantially. Indeed, efforts to implement these policies are likely to hurt U. S.competitiveness, as interest groups attach riders to legislation that promotes their special interests at the expense of the broader economy. Focusing the public debate on microeconomic factors rather than macroeconomic factors seems to be, at best, ill-advised. It tends to distract the public from the real, difficult issues of government deficits, international investment, and economic growth. More likely, it provides a convenient cloak in which to wrap the costly protections so fervently sought by special interest groups that ultimately increase costs, retard productivity growth, and harm consumers.Since the strategic use of trade policies can di sadvantage one country at the expense of another, it is better to view findings as indicating that care must be taken in responding to recent trade deficits. Specifically, policy makers must be careful that they are not so caught up in the dramatic deficits that they accede to special interest groups that have inappropriately linked their troubles to those of the economy as a whole (Krugman, 1986). History provides very little reason to believe that such objectivity is possible in trade policy. Failure to exercise caution has its risks.Not only can the improper protectionist policies cause sizeable immediate losses, but they may also lead to longer term losses as well. For example, it may be short-sighted to impose import restraints on products that are key inputs into subsequent production activities, since this can have adverse effects on domestic producers that use these inputs. Indeed, protectionist policies of this type may have long-run adverse effects on the protected industr y, since potential customers may choose to locate abroad and, as a result, not be well-positioned to purchase the input from U. S.suppliers even after protection is no longer necessary. In addition, poorly designed protectionist efforts can trigger trade wars, as foreign governments retaliate to unjustifiable U. S. trade restraints. Indeed, the threat of spiraling beggar-thy-neighbor policies continues to be a key reason for supporting free trade, even in a world that offers strategic opportunities. Reference: â€Å"Detroit Battle: The Cost Gap,† New York Times, May 28, 1983, pp. 35, 37. Baldwin R. , U. S. Tariff Policy: Formation and Effects,† study prepared for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U. S.Department of Labor, June 1976. Benvignati A. , â€Å"The Commodity Composition of U. S. Intra-firm Exports,† FTC, unpublished, 1985. Drucker P. , â€Å"Where Union Flexibility's Now a Must,† Wall Street Journal, September 23, 1985, p. 30. Economic R eport of the President, U. S. Council of Economic Advisers. Washington, D. C. : U. S. Government Printing Office, annual editions from 1972 to 1987. Landau R. , and N. Rosenberg (eds. ), The Positive Sum Strategy, Washington, D. C. : National Academy Press, 1986. Landau R. , and N. Rosenberg (eds. ), The Positive Sum Strategy, Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1986. Marston R. , â€Å"Assessing Japanese Competitiveness,† NBER Reporter, Winter 1986/ 1987, pp. 12-16. Maskus K. , The Changing Structure of Comparative Advantage in American Manufacturing, Ann Arbor, Mich. : UMI Research Press, 1981. McCulloch R. , â€Å"Research and Development as a Determinant of U. S. International Competitiveness,† Harvard Economic Research Discussion Paper 609, March 1978. Tarr D. , â€Å"Trade Deficits, Trade Policy and the Value of the Dollar,† paper for conference, Trade Policy: Free or Fair? , November 19, 1985.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Essay

Early on in a poet’s career development, influences lead him down the path to be an inspiring poet. One’s family, friends, foreign places they visited, and even other famous poets and authors, often help shape a poet’s professional writing style. In Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s case, all of these motivators helped him become interested in writing. At night his mother would read him poems and stories that inspired him even more to write poetry. Henry was raised in a rural area with much open countryside. Henry’s friends pressured him to write one of his most famous poems â€Å"Evangeline†. As a child, Longfellow was very fascinated when he would travel to different places around the world and hear foreigners speak different languages and tell stories in their native tongue. The Author that really influenced him was Washington Irving. Henry said every good poet would have in his possession and use as a tool Irving’s first book. Henry Wad sworth Longfellow can thank his family and peers for helping him develop into one of the most admired poets. â€Å"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland Maine on February 27, 1807†(Beck 1). Henry was the second son of eight children in his family. His father, Stephen Longfellow, was a prominent lawyer and later a member of Congress. Henry’s mother, Zilpah Wadsworth, was the daughter of a Revolutionary war hero who was Henry’s grandfather that lived in Gorham. Henry lives with his grandfather during school and summer vacation. As Henry grew older, he married a woman named Mary Storer Potter a former classmate at Bowdoin College. In Henry’s second trip to Europe, his life was shaken when his wife Mary died. When this happened Henry spent a whole year in Germany and Switzerland morning his wife’s death. The whole year Henry spent in Germany and Switzerland he didn’t write any poetry at all. After he came back to the United States from Germany and Switzerland, he met a woman named Frances Appleton. Henry proposed to her, however, Frances refused his proposal. â€Å"Frances finally accepted his proposal the following spring ushering in the happiest 18 years of Longfellow’s life†(Beck 1). This marriage with Frances gave Henry new confidence that he never had. In 1861, when the Civil War had just begun, Frances was sealing an envelope when her dress caught on fire. â€Å"Despite her husband desperate attempts to save Frances she died the next day†(Beck 1). After this happened, Longfellow lost the confidence he had gained and again didn’t publish any poetry for the next two years. After all these tragic years Longfellow went through, his health started to fail and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow died March 24, 1882 at the age of 75. He was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Even though Longfellow has died, his legacy still liv es on. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow found inspiration for his poems in the forest, in the sea, and all over Portland, Maine. Henry didn’t just get inspiration for his poems from the environment, he also found inspiration through people he meet and admired. Henry spent school and summer vacations in Gorham, at his grandfather’s house. These times spent with his grandfather were among his most joyous and influential times in his life. His grandfather would tell him stories about the war, Indian fights, legends of that time, and how life was when he was a boy. One of Henry’s poems that were inspired by his grandfather was his first poem called â€Å"The Battle of Lovell’s Pond†. This poem was based on a story about the war that his grandfather told him. Henry’s grandfather was not the only family member that influenced him. At night before Henry would go to sleep his mother would read aloud to him, his brothers, and his sisters. She would read from The High Romance of Ossian, the legendary Gallic hero. This is not the only book that Henry’s mother read to him she also read Washington Irving’s Sketch Book. Henry said that every aspiring poet would have Irving’s first book. Family was not the only people that influenced Longfellow, his friends also influenced him. His friends pressured Henry to write one of his most famous poems â€Å"Evangeline†. Nathaniel Hawthorne influenced Henry’s writing style and some of the content in this poem. Many people have different inspirations in their life and in Henry’s case it was mostly family and friends that helped shape his writing style and subjects. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow made his poetry unique by vividly describing the typical American life by using words and phrases in a musical language that was easy to read and understand. He would frequently write about all the war stories and legends of the time that his grandfather told him as a child. When writing, Henry would use all different types of writing styles. His favorite style was free verse because he was able to tell stories with ease and he was able to describe his poetry in a way a reader could understand and relate to their own life. This is evident in his poem â€Å"The Village Blacksmith† when he writes, â€Å"And children coming home from school Look in at the open door; They love to see the flaming forge, And hear the bellows roar†(Henry 20). When Henry would write in free verse he wasn’t writing a poem based on a story he was writing a poem about his life and how he felt. He would look around at the nature anything around him and write about what he felt inside. Henry was a great writer and was very unique in his own way and that is how he became so famous around the world. Overall it is easy to see that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a very famous and well-loved poet. Longfellow’s life was blessed with happiness and troubled by tragedy. Many times he stopped writing due to depressions however, he managed to return and continue to produce many famous poems. He had many influences and his own unique way of writing his poems using everyday happenings that Americans could relate to easily. His family and his friends influenced him with all the stories that they told him and the many famous literary works that were shared with him. Although Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was influenced by many famous poets and writers he is by far the only American writer of the 19th century to truly capture the culture of the time through his literary works.

Eco Fashion, fashionable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Eco Fashion, fashionable - Essay Example The essay "Eco Fashion, fashionable?" discusses whether eco fashion is fashionable. It is proved that, in general, these brands follow similar marketing practices, a fact that increases the need for differentiation within eco fashion. The promotion of eco fashion has been related to certain problems: a) the awareness of people in regard to the principles and rules of eco fashion is limited ; in fact, there are just few people who are able to distinguish the eco friendly clothes, compared to conventional clothes ; b) a high percentage of clothes that are presented to the public as eco friendly does not fully meet the relevant requirements and c) the cost of eco friendly clothes and accessories can vary ; there are eco friendly clothes and accessories that are rather cheap and others the cost of which can be quite high, depending on the material used . The promotion of eco fashion worldwide is based on specific practices. In the study of Gogerly (2013) reference is made to one of these practices: the label greenwashing is often put on clothes in order to give the impression that the particular product is eco friendly . Most often, the credibility of such label can be doubted due to the following reasons: a) there are firms that put such labels on their products/ clothes and accessories even if the materials of these products are not eco friendly ; b) there are many items/ clothes that are characterized as eco-friendly because certain of their materials are eco-friendly ; the non-eco friendly materials.

How to prepare yourself for the examination Assignment

How to prepare yourself for the examination - Assignment Example 3-3:30 P.M. Be fresh Be fresh Be fresh Be fresh Be fresh Be fresh Be fresh 3:30 to 6:00 P.M. Human systems Human systems Human systems Human systems Human systems Human systems Human systems 6-8 P.M. Snacks/ Roam out Snacks/ Roam out Snacks/ Roam out Snacks/ Roam out Snacks/ Roam out Snacks/ Roam out Snacks/ Roam out 8-10 P.M. Physical science Physical science Physical science Physical science Physical science Physical science Physical science 10-11:30 P.M. Maths Maths Maths Maths Maths Maths Maths 11:30 -1 A.M. Dinner & others Dinner & others Dinner & others Dinner & others Dinner & others Dinner & others Dinner & others Rest of time Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Sleep Amount of time for revision You certainly need not to be worried about the revision. The time schedule in the above table itself will give you the excellent record. But, finish all your exercise within two months time. Using old papers That's really an excellent idea. It will give you clear picture of examination. But use these papers during your revision process. When you are revising all your exercises be ready with the old papers and find out where you are getting the difficulty to answer the question. If needed, go through those sections again and again carefully. Have a good look at all these papers and find out which sections are regularly asked. Emphasize those sections more during your revision phase. Checking time to answer the question This is of course a stupid question to answer, because it depends on various factors. Some of those may be your grasping power, ability to answer the question quickly and correctly, picking which question to answer first and the most important is your knowledge. If you know everything, I am quiet sure you will be answering all questions before time.... How to prepare yourself for the examination? Before you start the below discussed strategy make sure that you are concentrate enough to carry on your scheduled task properly, make excellent study environment in your room, try to stick with table and chair and have a table lamp (If you can manage) for good concentration to your studies. That's really an excellent idea. It will give you clear picture of examination. But use these papers during your revision process. When you are revising all your exercises be ready with the old papers and find out where you are getting the difficulty to answer the question. If needed, go through those sections again and again carefully. Have a good look at all these papers and find out which sections are regularly asked. Emphasize those sections more during your revision phase. This is of course a stupid question to answer, because it depends on various factors. Some of those may be your grasping power, ability to answer the question quickly and correctly, picking which question to answer first and the most important is your knowledge. If you know everything, I am quiet sure you will be answering all questions before time. So never be worried about this phase. But for your own satisfaction you must check it at least once. Just lock your room, be with a watch, got to chair and start answering the questions. Now the wisest point is in picking the paper. Answer those papers which you have not tried during you revision.

Baby Boomer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Baby Boomer - Essay Example During the 1960s and 1970s, those in leadership were mainly the GI and silent generation. These generations derive their ideologies and values from the events of 1930s and 1940s, which are the Second World War and the great depression (Chapman 212). These were hard times and they are the events that shaped the ideologies of the GI and the silent generation. During these times, people normally obeyed commands and were not supposed to question. The young had no say in the society. They learned how to compromise, work hard, persevere, and sacrifice for the country. However, they were slow in bringing in changes in the society as they were conservative. The baby boomers are those born during the post war period this is a group that was influenced by the era of grand visions. This was a time when people were fighting for freedom, there was concerted effort to take man to the moon, and politicians were trying to put forward their ideologies. This generation was associated with sex, drugs, and rock and roll music. Since they were born in relatively calm period, they also attained good education. What then brought about great generational gap or ideological crisis in the 1960s and 1970s? As it can be seen, this is the period when the baby boomers were in higher education institutions while the GI and the Silent generation were in leadership. My interviewee Mr. Tayung Wong came from Taiwan to come and pursue his undergraduate degree in America. This is a clear indication of how education was being valued in America. When Mr. Wong arrived in America there were several civil rights activities taking place as he says that he watched several civil rights activities on the television. This civil rights were mainly being influenced and led by scholars in America who wanted social transformation. They were mainly the baby boomers. When Mr. Wong arrived from Asia to America he found that there were a lot of racial discrimination towards African Americans and other races by the whites. In fact he says that some form of discrimination was perpetuated against him. The GI and the silent generation had passed through the great depression and the Second World War. These were hard times. During this time there was great racial discrimination. One such example was the discrimination of the Jews by Germans leading to their extermination by Adolf Hitler. They had witnessed the worst form of discrimination in the world. The discrimination that was being witnessed in America, to them, was not something of great concern. They did not address this issue as a priority. On the other hand, the baby boomers that were born in an era of grand vision saw this as a matter of urgency that needed to be addressed by the leadership. They had the education and they could advocate their visions freely. Mr. Wong confesses that he found the American teenagers bolder in expressing their views. Mr. Wong says that he supported the movements of Dr. Martin Luther King junior that advocated for the rights of black Americans and citizens of color and he also says that he supported other African American activists. This shows that there were a lot movements advocating for equality of all residents of America. The rallies of these activists were mainly attended by the young as we see Mr. Wong, by then a university student. These are the baby boomers that were born in the era of freedom and they felt agitated when their rights were infringed. The GI and

Description of the current brand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Description of the current brand - Assignment Example Second, its iconic Cadillac caters for the high-end market (General Motors 1). Thirdly, Chevrolet, GMC and Opel cater for the middle class market segment (General Motors 1). The multiple brands enable the organization to increase its product offering, a key source of competitive advantage in the motor industry. In addition, it enables it to compete in different parts of the world due to differences in consumer needs. In addition, the organization has sub-brands. For example, the organization has separated Cadillac from the other operations due to its huge potential and its ability to operate as a standalone unit (The Daily Herald). The essence of having a sub brand is that it enables the organization to focus on a niche market that it would otherwise have been unable to. Furthermore, its Chevy brand is doing well in the American market. As a result, it has the ability to operate as a sub brand. In conclusion, the motor vehicle industry is a heavily segmented market. Consumers have different utility needs and different levels of purchasing power. Consequently, manufacturers such as General Motors have embraced a product differentiation strategy that enables them to have multiple brands to satisfy the different market needs. In addition, it has sub-brands to cater for niche market

PESTLE Analysis Ford Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PESTLE Analysis Ford - Lab Report Example The major product segment of the company includes cars, trucks and utility vehicles (Ford, 2013b). Ford cars are perceived as affordable as well as luxury cars in the market. The large product portfolio, including products such as Sedans, Hatchbacks and SUVs, cater to large group of customers. The company has differentiated itself from other automobile companies though its vision and understanding of the impact of culture on the automobile industry in future. In the present report, the current strategies and tactics implemented by the company are discussed and analyzed. A macro environmental analysis has been done to find out the present socio-cultural and environmental factors affecting United Kingdom and how the organization needs to make strategies in order to cope up with these situations. Methods and Reasons The company embraces all the traditional objectives which were given by its founder. However, looking at the current environment and continuously changing business and polit ical culture, the brand has also established many strategies to compliment with the change. Ford is the current leader in innovative cars (Ford, 2013c). Features concerned with safety, advanced technology and effort for energy and efficacy are important factors which influence the strategies of the company. Employees in the organization work together as a team and as a global and lean enterprise for leadership in automobile (Mistry, 2005). The company operates by aggressively structuring with the objective of profitable operations. The current demand for automotives is very volatile and the mix of models has to be constantly changed to meet the demands of the customers. The organization focuses on accelerating developments of those products and services which are valued by their customers. To remain profitable and well as growing, the company always makes sure that financial planning is appropriate and the balance sheet is continuously improving. The brand operates on the goals of p roviding profitable growth. The brand has its presence in over 30 countries and the company has taken all measures in providing exact requirements of the different market. Looking at the different market preferences, the company has specialized in providing personalized designs and models suiting the geographic and demographic profiles of the markets where the organization is operating. PESTLE Analysis Political Continuous growth in campaigning and elections has widened the political environment in the United Kingdom. Presence of small clusters of specialty groups makes it extremely difficult for a large organization to concentrate on one political group. Factors such as exchange rates, oil prices and free trade flows have a direct impact on the functioning of automobile sector. In the present political scenario, volatility in oil prices due to various political unrest in Arab as well as major oil producing countries, have resulted in revamping of the strategies and budgeting by maj or automobile companies. Foreign regulations and laws and foreign ownership regulations may also impact the overall revenue generation of the company in the countries where it is operating. Economic Like the rest of the automobile companies, Ford motor has also suffered huge losses due to the current recession and volatile economic and business environment. The recession that occurred in 2008 was followed by downfall of the banking industry. However, Ford has been able to stay afloat and keep a profitable business during

The influences of innovation in Apple's Company Case Study

The influences of innovation in Apple's Company - Case Study Example An organisation may go for innovation in any area which it finds most appropriate for the moment. These areas include process innovation, value innovation, innovation in organizational structure and product innovation. Likewise, the influence or motivation behind innovative thinking might be value driven, product driven, consumer driven, competition driven and the like. In this context, the present study aims to explore the key drivers or influences that made Apple Inc, the leader of information and communication technology with constant innovative ideas and developments. It is always fascinating for a researcher to go in depth in the area of his/her research. Here, also the researcher seeks to explore why Apple Inc has been introducing innovations in its business operations. Thus, the basic purpose of the present study is to identify and assess what factors influence Apple Inc to become innovative and leader in the industry. Specifically, the research objectives can be detailed as below: The study is basically a descriptive one as it seeks to identify the factors that contribute to the introduction of innovation in the firm. The factors that are taken care of in the study are product, process, and management structure. In addition the influences of innovations studies are consumers and competition, price, and market leadership and growth. It takes a survey approach in which data are collected from a selected group of respondents and the same is used to arrive at logical conclusions to the study. 3.2 Population and Sample This survey research is conducted among the key personnel (those at the helm of the firm responsible to take strategic decisions). All the key personnel across different department, therefore, constitute the population of the study. However, it is impossible to interview all the executives at the top management to gather data for the study and therefore, a convenient sampling procedure is applied to select a limited number of respondents to avoid the excess resources, time and efforts to carry out the research. The sample key personnel (executives) are conveniently selected by the researcher; who he thinks are most appropriate for interview and data collection. 3.3 Data Collection and Instruments The data are collected through special interviews conducted among the key personnel of the firm. A carefully drafted interview schedule is prepared to collect data on the important aspects of the study. All efforts were made to avoid irrelevant and illogical questions that consume precious time of the very distinguished and busy executives. The questions were prepared in such a way that incorporates all the following important variables of the study and find answers to all research questions. The questions are prepared using Five point Likert's scale as most of the questions are of qualitative in nature. Scaling and measurement is found to be appropriate for the study as it allows the

Hypothetical situations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hypothetical situations - Assignment Example Personal honesty is a moral standard that should guide committed and devoted engineers. With personal honesty, civil engineers will construct bridges not with the greed of making money but with the honesty of using appropriate proportionality of the required material that will enhance reputation of the engineers, longevity of the structure and safety of the users. Secondly, engineers distinctively should practice with the mindful care of the environment. Since their area of practice and exploration is the natural environment, therefore it would make more sense if they cared for it more as a form of long-term investment. If their exploration is guided by short time gains and personal interest, then the environment is at risk of being over-exploited. This will leave the future generation with serious risks (Aristotle & Reeve, 2014). It is, therefore, arguable that the two virtues have a bearing on a wider scope of significance and inside them, there is a host virtue that will be put into practice such as avoiding bribery, ensuring public safety, fairness and conflict of interest. Q2. In the present time of arrogance, people who have humility and full of virtues are considered as weak and timid. One of my acquaintances who had excelled in his A-level examinations had full-blown arrogance as the happiest of all the candidates who sat for those final examinations. At the same time, a classmate that did averagely on the exam was happy that he had gone through the system, which he out rightly considered as not strategic for him. He had great ideas of entrepreneurship that made him get the breakthrough. With humility and his humble stature, he employed a number of the poor and paid them honestly. In the fullness of time, the brightest student of our time went through the system with every holiday working as the part-timer on the business empire that the failure had developed. On reflection,

Specific retailer Essay Example for Free

Specific retailer Essay A consumer profile report for a specific retailer or brand discussing how the brand/ retailer utilises fashion promotion methods and principles to influence their target consumer. The report should be 2500 words, (excluding tables, reference page and appendices). The report layout should be professionally presented with numbered headings and subheadings, page numbers and should include relevant headers and footers. The report should be written in the third person with no spelling or grammatical errors including no abbreviations, using the Harvard referencing system. Assessment Objectives/Rationale: Within the fashion retail industry, fashion brands and retailers must research, identify and understand their target consumer. This assessment task focuses upon: Consumer Segmentation Analysing the different variables and characteristics that make up the different consumers within the fashion retail industry today. In order for a company to be successful in todays competitive environment. Assessment Criteria 1 2 The exploration of the variables and characteristics in relation to the consumer for a specific brand/retailer. Analysis of how the brand/retailer selected utilises fashion romotion methods and principles to influence their target consumer Each section is worth 25% The Profile Report Chapter 1 Introduction (10% of the word count). Introduce the topic of consumer segmentation and why it is important to profile target consumers within the fashion industry. Why it is important to profile target consumers? Chapter 2 The Consumer. Discuss the characteristics that are utilised to profile target consumers. Within this chapter, you will need to support your comments with appropriate resources (relate to lecture notes weeks ) what are these characteristics? How would you divide this chapter? Chapter 3 The Retailer or Brand. Discussion of the Retailer/ brand. Relate to the marketing mix discussions within class (lecture and seminars week 12 and 13). What would be included within this chapter? Chapter 4 Fashion Promotional Methods. Discuss what the brand uses and how do these techniques influence the target consumer? Relate to week 13 lecture notes. What methods would be discussed within this chapter? Chapter 5 -Summary In the conclusion you are summarising your main chapters i. e. the findings and analysis. This should be done using the main themes of the report, giving general conclusions. The last sentences should sum up the aim of the assessment. There should be NO new information in this section. It is approximately 10% of the total word count. Assessment Criteria 3 Evidence of secondary research/sources and logical interpretation of primary research where applicable, in relation to the brand/retailer, target consumer and fashion promotion methods and principles. 25% of the overall mark Using Secondary Resources NRS Grade Acorn -CACI Classification National Statistics What primary resources can you use? Assessment Criteria 4 Presentation, Structure and Layout Each section is worth 25%

Skills required by a project manager Essay Example for Free

Skills required by a project manager Essay The project manager is normally given the authority and the sole responsibility of ensuring that the direction with which a specific project is followed. He works absolutely under the guideline and the goal of the designated project or the whole organization. One of the major responsibilities is to ensure that the end items of the project are met i.e. when, by whom, what, costs, resources, discipline etc within the firm. (Cable and Adams, 1989) Although the project manager usually reports to the general manager of the company, he or she has the authority of defining the organizational structure and ensures that there is effective management of all the sectors in the production units. Since the project manager controls the effectiveness of the tasks being undertaken, in most cases, he or she is able to assign and monitor the budgets within their jurisdiction. The project manager also communicates all matters concerning the company to the general manager or the president for clarification on any matter that is pending. The project manager also communicates with the customers directly especially when dealing with formal projects. In order to therefore perform the above tasks, a project manager should be able to possess excellent skills and qualifications. One of the skills that is necessary is the ability to communicate effectively both with the management and the customers thus requiring good communication skills. The project manager should also be able to organize issues and monitor their implementation especially by junior officers. (Adams, 1990) In cases when the project manager is required to appoint an assistant project manager, the project manager must be able to be fair and treat other people equally regardless of their age, gender, race or disability. Since project manager is able to plan and execute a project successfully, he or she must be able to possess a wide combination of skills both gained in an academic standpoint and in an experimental view point. The character of the person should also be absolutely dynamic in that the project manager must be able to have problem solving abilities. The factor of being hardworking, honest and dedicated cannot also be overlooked. With such qualities, the project manager will therefore be able to ask penetrating questions, resolve interpersonal conflicts and identify unspecified assumptions. A project manager is expected to have high degree of interdependence geared towards accomplishment of tasks available. He or she is expected to stand apart from the junior employees by virtue of position held and help those under them in elucidation of matters relating to the jobs and also advocating for employees’ rights where there is prejudice. (Adams, 1990) The overall responsibilities for the project manager would be; risk analysis, time estimating, quality control, benefit realization, resource planning, and customer liaison. Managing risks and issues, planning and defining scope of the project, documentation, activity sequencing, team leadership, budget development, developing schedules, tactical influencing and creating charts and schedules (Cable and Adams, 1989) High level posting Since the company needs to have a project manager from the production department, the following are the requirements for this position. The person should have at least ten years experience in the position of project management in a busy manufacturing company. He or she must be a great team player who is ready to work with other people in the company. The person should also have a proven track record of hard work especially with the support of relevant academic background. Reference Adams, J. (1990):   Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Manager, Project Management Institute Cable, D., and Adams, J. (1989): Organizing for Project Management, Upper Darby, PA: Project Management Institute, Dinsmore Paul C., (1990):   Human Factors in Project Management.   New York: AMACOM,

Should Turkey be allowed to join the European Union?

Should Turkey be allowed to join the European Union? Executive Summary The membership of Turkey is one of the most controversial external relations issues of the European Union (EU).   Turkey is an important trading partner for the EU and provides many economic advantages to the union.   Additionally, it has a strategic location, allowing it to play an important regional and foreign policy role.   However, there are issues related to Turkey’s accession, such as large migration flows to more economically developed EU-15 countries as well as a substandard human rights situation within the country (Gerhards and Hans, 2011: 751).   Overall, this policy note recommends that Turkey should be allowed to join the EU on the basis of EU economic development and foreign policy advantages.   Despite the issues related to accession of Turkey into the EU, this paper argues that EU-membership will work as a catalyst for Turkish institutional reforms. Introduction Turkish entry into the European Union is a highly contentious issue.   Turkey has progressed on the way to EU membership in spite of persistent and increasing divergence of membership preferences (Schimmelfennig, 2009: 413-415).   Turkey, with its large, dynamic economy, is an important trading partner for the EU, it also has a strategic location, including on energy security, and plays an important regional role. Equally, the EU remains an important anchor for Turkey’s economic and political reform (Progress Report, 2013: 1).   This paper will first provide an analysis and outline of the different factors relating to the accession of Turkey into the EU.   It will explore economic factors, cultural factors and political factors.   Finally, this paper will recommend that Turkey should be allowed to join the EU due to its positive affect on EU economic development, as well as the fact that Turkey has made good progress in meeting a lot of the Accession criteria set out in the Copenhagen agreement.   This paper will also make recommendations on what Turkey must do in order to fully meet EU standards for accession. Context Turkey first became affiliated with the EU in 1963 after signing an associate membership agreement with the then European Community.   The decisions to give Turkey a membership perspective and to open accession negotiations have been highly controversial among member state governments and have tended to produce long and conflictive negotiations as well as uneasy compromises (Schimmelfennig, 2009: 414).   A major breakthrough came at the Helsinki meeting of the European Council in 1999, when Turkey attained status as a candidate for membership. It now has a so-called Accession Partnership with the EU, which means that the EU is working together with Turkey to enable it to adopt the acquis communautaire, which is the legal framework of the EU (Togan, 2004: 1013). The Copenhagen Criteria cover a state’s ability to take on the acquis communautaire, the economic criteria for a functional market economy, and above all, ‘stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities’ (Schimmelfennig, 2009: 420).   Overall, Turkey has made significant efforts to fulfil requested accession criteria through socio-economic and cultural convergence with EU Member States. Analysis Economic Factors Many studies have shown that economic factors play a significant role in shaping attitudes towards different aspects of European integration. Turkey’s progress on meeting the requirements of the Copenhagen Criteria is confirmed by socioeconomic indicators that describe the level of modernization of the country (Alber, 2007).   Turkey is the 17th largest economy globally, and the most current EU progress report states that Turkey has sufficient macroeconomic stability and the medium-term capability for integration into the single European market (Gerhards and Hans, 2011: 744).   Turkey is a large and fast expanding market, it is the largest market in the Middle East, Balkans and Caucasus. According to the World Bank, Turkish GDP is as large as 80 per cent of Russian GDP (Togan, 2004: 1043).   Turkey, located at the crossroads between Europe, Eurasia and the Middle East, has the potential to act as a major link between these markets.   With harmonization of commercial legislation, EU companies will be able to use Turkey as a joint investment and export base for the Middle East and Eurasia.   Moreover, Istanbul is emerging as transnational corporations’ headquarters for operations in the Caucasus and Central Asia. The EU will derive potential gains from increased trade in the region (Togan, 2004: 1043-1044). Overall, the Progress Report on Turkey’s EU Accession (2013: 4) states that Turkey is a functioning market economy, and should therefore be able to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union in the medium term.   Additionally, with Turkish accession current members will derive welfare gains from standard comparative advantage sources and also from growth effects of integration. This report argues that accession of Turkey to the EU will bring economic benefits for Turkey as well as to the EU itself.   The largest economic gains can be obtained through reforms of national institutions in Turkey that improve the functioning of the public sector and provide transparency to investors and traders (Lejour and Mooij, 2005: 117).   Integration will remove the distortions in the price system, boosting the allocative efï ¬ ciency in the economy, which in turn will make the country a better place to invest.   Furthermore, with accession Turkey will be eligible for EU structural funds. The increase in infrastructural investments will contribute to economic growth in Turkey. In addition, Turkey will reap beneï ¬ ts from monetary integration, and ï ¬ nally, Turkey will beneï ¬ t from migration of Turkish labour to the EU (Togan, 2004: 1042). The key theoretical constructs investigated to explain opposition to Turkey’s EU membership are related to rational economic self-interest and group-level interests and concerns (McClaren, 2007: 251).   Turkey is relatively poor and agricultural, it can therefore be argued that Turkish membership is likely to increase the divergence of living standards in the EU, create a high potential for labour migration and instigate demand for high net payments from the structural and agricultural funds.   Welfare gains that will be derived by Turkey from integration will have a price. The price will be the adjustment costs associated with the attainment of macroeconomic stability, adoption of CAP, liberalization of services and network industries, and complying with EU environmental directives (Togan, 2004: 1042). Migration/Cultural Factors In addition to direct fiscal implications, EU member states are subject to another possible economic consequence of Turkish accession, immigration.   Hostility to Turkey’s candidacy can be explained by the threatening context of Turkish migration (McClaren, 2007: 251).   It can be argued that migration flows could have negative economic consequences, such as increased competition in particular segments of the labour market.   In particular, countries in the more economically developed EU-15 are likely to be affected to the highest degree (Gerhards and Hans, 2011: 751), moreover it will likely take decades before Turkey attains an income level comparable to these countries.   This will continue to be a strong incentive for migration from Turkey to other EU countries, EU-15 countries fear that the immigrants will ‘depress wages, boost unemployment and cause social friction and political upheavals’ (Togan, 2004: 1031-1032). However, one assumption in the analysis of Turkish migration is that all labour is homogenous.   In reality labour is highly differentiated according to many factors, which results in the effects of migration for income distribution and social welfare becoming less clear-cut.   The empirical research on the economic effects of immigration indicates fairly small and on the whole positive effects.   ‘Employment opportunities are not affected much, the wage of low skilled labour is depressed somewhat but that of skilled labour is raised, and the net present value of public transfers is positive’ (Togan, 2004: 1043).   Therefore, this paper argues that with appropriate measures, immigration is not necessarily a negative consequence of Turkey’s accession into the EU. It is not just the threat to resources presented by Turks that affects feelings about the Turkish candidacy, threats to culture and way of life are likely to be particularly strong in the Turkish case (Ivarsflaten, 2005).   In addition to the possible problem of being perceived as traditional or backward, Turkey faces the potential difficulty of being predominantly Muslim (McClaren, 2007: 258).   The recent drawbacks in the negotiations of the EU with Croatia, Serbia, and Turkey have been caused by issues of national identity related to legacies of ethnic conflict that are likely to create high political costs to the target governments. As a result, whereas consistency has remained high, effectiveness is reduced (Schimmelfennig, 2004: 918).   Nevertheless, sociostructural differences between Turkey and the EU Member States have been shrinking.   The percentage of the Turkish population working in agriculture has sunk, education levels have risen and the overall standard of living has increased (Gerhards and Hans, 2011: 744). The commission critiques Turkey on its human rights situation, on its limited freedom of speech and on its lack of gender equality.   However, according to the Freedom House Index, Turkey has improved consistently in its level of democratization, political freedom and civil liberties over recent years (Gerhards and Hans, 2011: 744).   Overall, these improvements represent measurable developments regarding Turkey’s convergence with the EU and its fulfilment of EU accession criteria.   Additionally, Freedom in the Press has improved, however, it still has a long way to go in order to reach the levels of freedom held by EU-15 countries.   Key provisions of the Turkish legal framework and their interpretation by members of the judiciary continue to hamper freedom of expression, including freedom of the media (Progress Report, 2013: 2). Foreign Policy The commission emphasized Turkey’s increasingly important foreign policy significance for Europe, for example its intermediary role between Syria and Israel, its diplomatic approaches with Armenia, and above all, its role in the military conflict between Russia and Georgia (Schmid, 2008).   Turkey has continued to play an important role in its wider neighbourhood, for example expanding its activities as a non-traditional donor in the Horn of Africa, supporting democratic transition in North Africa, and enhancing cooperation with and between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It has played a particularly important role on Syria, supporting the development of a more unified opposition and providing vital humanitarian assistance to large numbers of Syrians fleeing their country (Progress Report, 2013: 3).   This suggests Turkey is meeting criteria of the Copenhagen Agreement such as the rule of law and the respect for and protection of minorities.   According to the Commission (2008b), expansion in general and Turkish membership specifically would strengthen the EU’s foreign policy weight in the world.   Furthermore, Turkey’s geographic location makes it well-suited as a transit country for oil and natural gas and it could therefore play a strategic role in securing the EU’s energy supply (Gerhards and Hans, 2011: 744).   Turkish membership could help to secure stability and security in the Balkans and Caucasus. The EU could then increase its energy security and also decrease its defence expenditures (Togan, 2004: 1043-1044).   This paper argues that this is indication that Turkey should be allowed to join the EU. Recommendations In order to maintain its impact on political reform under the conditions of political unrest, the EU will need to reassure applicant governments of the credibility of its commitment to enlargement and move negotiations with Turkey closer to the endgame.   Creating uncertainty about admission even after full compliance destroys this credibility and will reduce the effectiveness of conditionality even further (schimmelfennig, 2008: 933).   Overall, this policy note recommends that Turkey should be allowed to join the EU on the basis of EU economic development and foreign policy advantages provided it agrees to make continued efforts in the realm of human rights.   The issues with regards to human rights in Turkey underline the importance for the EU to enhance its engagement with Turkey.   This paper recommends that the overall legal framework and practice on the intervention of law enforcement officers should be brought in line with European standards to guarantee under all circumstances the right to freedom of assembly.   Additionally, an ECHR-compatible legal framework has yet to be established on matters of faith and conscientious objection.   Substantial efforts are needed to effectively guarantee the rights of women, children and LGBT individuals (Progress Report, 2013: 2).   These shortcomings need to be addressed in order for Turkey to be a successful member of the EU. In regards to immigration associated with the accession of Turkey to the EU, this paper recommends that government leaders will need to adopt measures to allay fears among EU citizens, perhaps including provision for a waiting period on the free movement of labour provision (McClaren, 2007: 274, Gerhards and Hans, 2011: 763). In conclusion, this report argues that EU-membership will work as a catalyst for Turkish institutional reforms.   Turkey has made progress towards meeting a good amount of the accession criteria, and by becoming a member of the EU, Turkey has to conform to all EU legislation and enforcement by the European Court of Justice.   Furthemore, via the method of open coordination, Turkey will regularly be assessed by the European Commission and other member countries on its economic policies.   EU membership can thus trigger institutional reform in Turkey and reduce widespread corruption (Lejour and de Mooij, 2005: 101).   Bibliography Alber, J. (2007) ‘Where Turkey Stands in Europa and why it Should Be Admitted to the EU’. Discussion Paper SP I 2007-205, Social Science Research Center. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/6628025.pdf Accessed 11 Nov 2016. Commission of the European Communities (2008b) ‘Enlargement strategy and main challenges 2008–2009. Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament’. COM. Pp. 1-66. http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/press_corner/keydocuments/reports_nov_2008/strategy_paper_incl_country_conclu_en.pdf Accessed 7 Nov 2016. European Commission working document (2013) – ‘Turkey 2013 Progress Report’. http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/724824/mod_resource/content/1/European%20Commission%20working%20document%20-%20progress%20on%20Turkeys%20EU%20accession%202013.pdf Accessed 2 Nov 2016. Gerhards, J. and Hans, S. (2011) ‘Why not Turkey? Attitudes towards Turkish Membership in the EU among Citizens in 27 European Countries.’ Journal of Common Market Studies. Vol. 49 (4), pp. 741–766. http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/724823/mod_resource/content/1/j.14685965.2010.02155.x.pdf   Accessed 5 Nov 2016. Ivarsflaten, E. (2005) ‘Threatened by Diversity: Why Restrictive Asylum and Immigration Policies Appeal to Western Europeans’. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties. Vol.15(1), pp. 21–45. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13689880500064577 Accessed 8 Nov 2016. Lejour, A. M. and de Mooij, R. A. (2005) ‘Turkish Delight: Does Turkey’s Accession to the EU Bring Economic Benefits?’ Kyklos. Vol. 58 (1), pp. 87-120. http://0-onlinelibrary.wiley.com.lib.exeter.ac.uk/doi/10.1111/j.0023-5962.2005.00279.x/epdf Accessed 6 Nov 2016. McClaren, L.M. (2007) ‘Explaining opposition to Turkish membership of the EU.’ European Union Politics. Vol. 8 (2), pp. 251-278. http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/724821/mod_resource/content/1/European%20Union%20Politics-2007-McLaren-251-78.pdf Accessed 1 Nov 2016. Schimmelfennig, F. (2008) ‘EU political accession conditionality after the 2004 enlargement: consistency and effectiveness’. Journal of European Public Policy. Vol. 15 (6), pp. 918-937. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13501760802196861 Accessed 8 Nov 2016. Schimmelfennig, F. (2009)’Entrapped again: The way to EU membership negotiations with Turkey’, International Politics. Vol. 46 (4), pp. 413-431. http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/724822/mod_resource/content/1/ip20095a.pdf Accessed 3 Nov 2016. Schmid, F. (2008) ‘Strategiepapier zur EU-Erweiterung. Brà ¼ssel lobpreist die Tà ¼rkei’. Financial Times Deutschland, 28 October. Togan, S. (2004) ‘Turkey: Toward EU Accession’, The World Economy. Vol. 27 (7),   pp. 1013–1045. http://0onlinelibrary.wiley.com.lib.exeter.ac.uk/doi/10.1111/j.03785920.2004.00641.x/abstract;jsessionid=915358403C934900F4FE9BD17D95BEE2.f02t04 Accessed 12 Nov 2016

Essays --

The slave narratives are a significant form of literature that stem from the experience of enslaved Africans in the United States. Male and female slave narrators wrote for the same purpose: to show that they deserved to live as free people in a free society. Frederick Douglass’ Narrative in the Life of Frederick Douglass: an American Slave stresses the importance of literacy and manhood to the slave male, Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave on the other hand, opens a window to the life of a slave woman and we get to see that her motivation lies mainly with ensuring the wellbeing of her family. Both narratives give details of their experiences as slaves but express different turning points in their struggle for freedom. Two different scenes from their texts illustrate how far apart they are in terms of gender and tonality and yet so similar in their escape from slavery. In Fredrick Douglass’ Narrative, Frederick describes one of the major turning points in his life, which is his fight against Covey. In chapter ten of the Narrative, Douglass describes a scene when he returns to Covey’s on a Sunday morning with a root in hand. Covey speaks kindly to Douglass and Douglass begins to think that the root’s magical powers have worked. But on the following morning, Covey finds Douglass in the stable and tries to tie his legs but Douglass suddenly decides to fight back. He grabs Covey by the throat in order to keep Covey from whipping him. Covey is frightened and shocked and calls for other slaves to grab a hold of Douglass but they are unable to since Douglass unshakable. Douglass explains to Covey that he will not stand being treated like an animal any longer and the two men fight for two hours. Covey brags afterward that he... ... dresses and prepares to help fight the fire because she is would have been expected to do so as a slave. Both authors feel unaccustomed to their liberation but nevertheless they welcome a free life with open arms. Both Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs endure great difficulties at major turning points of their lives. Douglass chooses to physically stand up to his slave master while Harriet escapes her master’s plantation to save her children. The turning points in their Narratives portray the similarities of the fight for freedom but they differ in the actions they take in their given situation. Thes4 turning points help define the kind of tone each author sets for their reader. Although, both autobiographies are written to show the battle between freedom and slavery, the authors produce different works, which embody the different gender role played by each.

Ty Cobb Essay -- essays research papers

Ty Cobb "Baseball," Ty Cobb liked to say, "is something like a war...Baseball is a red- blooded sport for red-blooded men. It's not pink tea, and mollycoddles had better stay out of it. It's...a struggle for supremacy, a survival of the fittest" (Ward and Burns 64). Although Ty Cobb was possibly the greatest player in baseball history, many people would consider him its worst person. Tyrus Raymond Cobb was born December 18, 1886 in The Narrows, Georgia. His parents named him after the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre, which stubbornly refused to surrender to Alexander the Great. From the very beginning, he took after the city and became one of baseball's most stubborn and hated men. The Georgia Peach, so-called, was a creature of extremes. Ty Cobb is, by bald statistics, measurably the greatest hitter ever; he was, by the reckoning of virtually everyone who met him, personally the most despicable human being ever to grace the National Pastime (Deford 56). Cobb's playing career, with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Athletics, was arguably the best anyone ever had. He won twelve batting titles in thirteen years, including a record nine in a row. He also holds the records for the most runs scored with 2,245 and the highest lifetime batting average at .367, a number nearly unreachable even in just one season by today's standards. Other records he set that have since been broken: 3,034 games played, 4,191 hits, 892 stolen bases, 392 outfield assists, 1,136 extra base hits, and 1,961 runs batted in. He also struck out just 357 times in 11,429 times at bat, a phenomenal achievement. After his career ended, in 1936, he was the leading vote-getter of the first class of the Baseball Hall of Fame, beating even Babe Ruth. However, Cobb's career was marred with controversy and scandals. He was hated by nearly every player in the league, including his own teammates. When he was first called up to play with Detroit, he was extremely unpopular with his teammates. They locked him out of the bathroom, tore the crown out of his straw hat and sawed in half the bat that had been especially fashioned for him by his hometown coffin maker. He did not take any of it with good humor and could not bear to be the target of the mildest joke. He fought back with his fists, refused to speak to his tormentors, developed ulcers, took to sleeping with a revolver... ... Ty burned his fan mail for heat" (Kramer 31). As with all bad boys, there was a good side to Ty Cobb, although few ever saw it. Despite his inability to spend money on himself, he did give a lot to others. He gave money to needy retired ballplayers, helped build a new hospital in Royston, and started a fund for poor college students (Kramer 44). While giving money, Cobb still felt unliked and remained virtually alone for the rest of his life. What money he did spend on himself was almost exclusively towards the use of alcohol, which he became heavily dependent on. He said he would have given up his money if only he could change the way players felt about him. He knew nobody forgot how nasty he always could be in his playing days (Kramer 45). Cobb died of cancer July 17, 1961, a sad and lonely man. Only 400 people, most of them little-leaguers who only knew him as a name from baseball's past, showed up at his funeral. Just three ballplayers from his era bothered to attend. Near the end of his life, Cobb commented to a caller that if he had his life to live over again, "I would have done things a little different...I would have had more friends" (Ward and Burns, 65).

Aggression and Violence in a Mental Health Units Essay -- Nursing Rese

Assaults in the healthcare setting are recognized as a growing problem. In considering the violence and aggression in mental health units, the larger issue of violence and aggression in mainstream culture must not be ignored. It has been observed that physical attack in a mental health unit setting appear to be happening more frequently while the attacks include patient-to patient and patient-to-staff aggressive behavior. Most commonly, reporting of aggressive behavior toward healthcare staff is noted; however, it cannot be completely explained by patient characteristics or staff member behaviors (Foster, Bowers, & Nijman, 2006). To improve patient control of aggression and violence, an organization must better define the management and reporting of this behavior, identify appropriate management programs and training, and evaluate the frequency and precipitants. The impact of aggression and violence in mental health units is substantial. Effects that have been documented include physical injury, emotional and psychological harm, compromised patient care, and financial expense to the organization. In a review of literature, physical injury to inpatient mental health staff is high and poses a strong threat to staff and other patients (Foster, Bowers, & Nijman, 2006). Although the rates of victimization that occur between patients are low, it is an increasing concern. In these acts of aggression, both verbal and physical violence can occur. Aggression Management To manage the aggression both for patient and staff victims, Eileen Morrison and Colleen Love (2003) evaluated four aggression management programs using predetermined criteria for their effectiveness in training behavioral health staff. Morrison and Love’... ... in psychiatric inpatient units. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 34, 967-974. Bowers, L., Allan, T., Simpson, A., Nijman, H., & Warren, J. (2007). Adverse Incidents, Patient Flow and Nursing Workforce Variables on Acute Psychiatric Wards: The Tompkins Acute Ward Study. International Journal of Social Psychiatry 53(75), 75-84. Foster, C., Bowers, L., & Nijman, H. (2007). Aggressive behavior on acute psychiatric wards: prevalence, severity, and management. Journal of Advanced Nursing 58(2), 140-149. Ilkiw-Lavalle, O., & Grenyer, B. (2003). Differences between Patient and Staff Perceptions of Aggression in Mental Health Units. Psychiatric Services 54(3), 389-393. Morrison, E., & Love, C. (2003). An Evaluation of Four Programs for the Management of Aggression in Psychiatric Settings. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing 37(4), 146-155.

Personal Worldview Essay

Agave may be one of the most popular natural sweeteners today, but its rise in popularity in the U. S. didn’t begin until around 2003. Now it’s commonly used as an alternative to sugar, honey, or maple syrup for cooking, baking, and sweetening everything from coffee to oatmeal. Agave nectar (or syrup) is produced from the agave plant – the same plant used to make tequila. It tastes similar to honey with a hint of molasses and is manufactured by extracting the juice from the plant’s core, which is then filtered, heated or treated with enzymes and concentrated until it becomes a syrupy liquid.Proponents of this natural sweetener claim that it’s a healthy alternative to sugar, honey, and other sweeteners because of its low glycemic index. It’s advertised as ideal for people who are watching their weight or folks with diabetes who are working to lower their blood sugar levels. But before you add agave nectar to your grocery list, here’s wh at the heck you need to know. Agave nectar contains up to 90 percent fructose. That’s significantly more than table sugar, which is 50 percent fructose (and 50 percent glucose) once it’s broken down by your body.A gave’s high fructose content gives it advantages and disadvantages. The good part first: Because fructose has a low glycemic index, agave doesn’t cause your blood sugars to spike as rapidly after eating it, which means it can temper the sugar rush that occurs after eating something sweet. And even though agave and white sugar contain approximately the same number of calories, agave is markedly sweeter. That means you can get away with using less to flavor your coffee, morning oatmeal, or baked goods and potentially save yourself a few calories. Now for the bad part.The high fructose content in agave can have some undesirable health effects. Studies have shown that large amounts of fructose can increase blood-triglyceride levels, and high triglyc erides are a known risk factor for heart disease. In addition, some people have trouble absorbing fructose, so eating it can cause bloating, gas and abdominal discomfort. Agave can be especially problematic for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The Verdict: Should You Switch to Agave? As with so many issues in nutrition, the health-related pros and cons of agave aren’t clear-cut.My feeling is, if you’re only using a few teaspoons of sweetener a day, the differences are negligible and you can choose whichever one you prefer. In other words, limiting the total amount of sweetener you’re using will have a much bigger impact on your health than altering the type of sugar you use. With that in mind, don’t use agave as an excuse to pump more sweet stuff into your diet just because it has a lower glycemic index. Most of us consume far more sugar in all forms than we should. And if agave is your sweetener of choice, just remember to keep your intake to no more than one tablespoon (that’s three teaspoons) TOTAL per day.

Meeting Conflicts and Interventions

Meeting Conflict and Intervention We spend a lot of our working lives in meetings; some are fruitful and some, less so. Meetings are often called to discuss a project or an idea so it is almost inevitable that conflict will arise; there is certainly a strong potential as it is unlikely that everyone will be in agreement. Let us first define what is conflict: Conflict refers to some form of friction, disagreement, or discord arising within a group when the beliefs or actions of one of more members of the group are either resisted by or unacceptable to one or more members of another group.Conflicts in meetings. Many of us have experienced tension and conflict in meetings. This can be exciting, energizing and helpful, but it can also hurt the team's progress, morale and be very disruptive. Remember, conflicts are disagreements. If the person who is disagreeing with you is raising valid questions, it may benefit the group to address the issues they are presenting. In fact, by listening t o them, you may gain valuable insight into what is and what is not working within your organization.However, if the person continues past the point of disagreement to the point of disruptiveness, specific steps should be taken. If you're in charge of a meeting and onflict occurs, what is your role? How do you restore peace? How can you assure that these conflicts dont harm your work? While you can't always prevent conflict in meetings, there are things you can do to deal with disagreements from damaging your team's wider goals. Dealing with Conflict. Conflict resolution is a way to diplomatically settle disputes by finding the root of an issue and creating a solution that all parties can agree upon.This can be a complicated process, especially if the conflict is personal (three main areas where conflicts occur: in interpersonal one-on-one relationships; in meetings; nd in negotiations), however it is important to recognize and address issues that arise. Identifying and Mitigating Co nflict. When conflict arises the first step is to identify the cause and ensure that it does not adversely disrupt other scheduled activities. Below is guidelines to help your meetings stay on track when conflict occurs. . Allow the opposing party to state their issue – Find some â€Å"grain of truth† in the other person's position that you can build upon. 2. Identify the problem to the best of your ability – Identify areas of agreement in the two positions. 3. Check with veryone in attendance for opinions/suggestions – See if someone else in the meeting has a response or recommendation. 4. Present any ideas or comments you may have, but do not make demands – Present your view, but do not force agreement.At this point it is possible that the conflict has been quickly resolved and the meeting can that progress is not being made it may be time to table (defer the subject to later in the meeting to handle) the discussion or schedule a special meeting to discuss the conflict. When tabling an issue until the next meeting remember to; a. Ensure the meeting minutes include all arguments b. Make resolving the conflict the first topic for the next meeting c. Avoid tabling an issue if you feel it will be tabled at the next meeting When scheduling a special meeting: i.Hold the meeting at a neutral location/ground, such as a conference/war room. it. Plan multiple meetings for more complicated issues iii. Keep regular business and conflict resolution separate And to conclude, always remember that the goal is to reach a compromise that all parties can live with. Online References: www. cs. ucla. edu/†klinger/articles/conflicts. html some portion are adapted from The University of Michigan Managing Conflict online handout