Sherman`s Antitrust Essays - Competition Law,

Sherman`s Antitrust Whilst approaching the Twenty-first Century, America has taken significant strides in the advancement of high technology. With the unveiling of this new frontier comes continued innovation and government regulation. One aspect of the government in particular, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890, has impeded the progress of exploration into this new field; for the effectiveness of government is a nefarious hindrance to the efficiency of technology. Thus comes the age old question of who governs and to what ends. As a solution government should adopt a more Adam Smith approach to the regulation of high technology; the Sherman Anti-Trust Act should be amended by the legislature to allow more leeway for the technological and dynamic computer industry. The result of such an amendment, especially in a world economy such as ours, would allow American computer companies to thrive and compete with foreign companies as well as lead the way into the technological future of the Twenty-first Century. In the age of reform as a result of public sentiment, Congress passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890, named for Senator John Sherman. The one hundred and eight year old Sherman Act forbids monopolizing a market or engaging in any "restraint of trade." Today "unlawful restraints" fall under three categories: 1) having too large a market share; 2) tying the sale of one product to another; 3) predatory pricing. For the past century the federal government has been pursuing a populist attack on big businesses--RCA, U.S. Steel, IBM, AT&T, Brown Shoe, A&P, etc. Most of the companies were ahead of their time and their competitors allowing them to become a successful, albeit big, businesses; however, due to government intervention and anti-trust investigation on the basis of the outdated Sherman Act, many of these cutting edge businesses were hindered in their progress for success. The market became a better trustbuster than the Department of Justice, maybe even better than big-stick, trust-busting Teddy Roosevelt. In 1969 the International Business Machines Corp. dominated the market with a 65% share of the computer industry. As a result of this success, the U.S. government sued IBM for having too large a market share and demanded the company be dismantled. As the "effectiveness" of government and the Sherman Anti-Trust Act were played out in the courts the advancement of technology increased significantly with new companies sprouting up (i.e. Intel, Microsoft). After the battle between IBM and the Justice Department was dropped in 1982, 13 years later, the fiercely dynamic computer industry had already checked the growth of IBM and the once monolithic enterprise was now headed into troubled waters. Another prime example is General Motors, who although were never investigated by the government for anti-trust, always had the fear of encountering the trust problem if they were too successful. Consequently automobile technology and manufacturing in America remained dormant while the Japanese in the 1980s rocked the American market. The current mammoth corporation under the Justice Department anti-trust microscope is Microsoft. This software oriented company stands accused of tying the sale of one product to the sale of another (Microsoft operating system and Internet Explorer) and predatory pricing. The following table illustrates the historic timeline of Microsoft verses the United States government. August 1993 The Justice Department begins investigating Microsoft's business practices. October 1994 Microsoft announces plans to buy Intuit, developer of Quicken, the leading personal finance program. When the Justice Department sues to block the acquisition, Microsoft calls off the deal. June 1995 Court upholds the Justice Department/Microsoft consent decree. Microsoft agrees not to tie the licensing of Windows to the licensing of other applications, but retains the right to develop "integrated products." September 1996 The Justice Department begins investigating Microsoft's bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows 95. April 1997 Justice Department investigates Micorsoft's plan to buy WebTV Networks; later allows deal to go forward. August 1997 Justice Department reviews Microsoft's investment in Apple Computer. October 1997 Department charges that by requiring computer vendors to load Internet Explorer on all systems, Micosoft is in violation of the 1995 consent decree. December 1997 U.S. District Court Judge Thomas P. Jackson orders that the "tying" of IE 4.0 to Windows be temporarily halted. Microsoft appeals. On December 11, 1997, Judge Jackson's ruling against Microsoft could forever alter the technological landscape. If the United States government were to succeed in its efforts it would establish a risky precedent: governmental meddling in software development. In his testimony to Congress, Mr. Gates asked members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, "Will the United States continue its breathtaking technological advances? I believe the answer is yes--if innovation is not restricted

Essay Sample on Art The Conceptual Art Revolution

Essay Sample on Art The Conceptual Art Revolution Art has always been arises out of previous art, pertinacious survival, and development of traditions. The succession of step from Impressionism, through Cubism, Matisse and Mondrian, up to Abstract Expressionism could be seen as a development of the means and possibilities of painting itself. The Minimal and Conceptual art from the 1970s through to the 1990s. Over these years art become a big revolution. Conceptual art forms differed from the general background and practices in at least three different areas of art-making activity which were painting, sculpture, and photography. Conceptual art broke with traditional notions and uses various ways and forms, it was no longer necessary for paintings to be primarily coloured, flat, or for sculptures to be upright or have volume. Its could be words, light, people, air, sound, refuse, multi-media installations and much else besides. In works that were generally receptive to mass-media, then, was not merely a set of art objects for visual delectation and assessment, but also like accumulating ideas that backwash in the larger context of our culture. During that period conceptual art emphasized ideas more. And it seemed more historical and critical approached. Conceptual art forms around cultural, political, and social content. Conceptual artists were reacting against the visuality of the conventional art object in a different way. Their works show the rejection of visuality. The concept and idea are behind the purely visual style which is more important. During sixties, artists tend to be reductive and austere in their way of presentation. For example, Robert Barrys work projected the slides with typed words or short sentences. Lawrence Weiner painted short statement directly on the wall. In the works, the visual elements of an artwork art challenged, and obviously the text expands, and the contextual element becomes a focal point. The subject of the work becomes reflection on the conventions and it seems self-questioning about how it displayed and communicated. Somehow, conceptual art expanded criticizes the materiality of the art object. And increased emphasis on the thoughts, which broadest possibilities of public. Its often use a context to display. During the mid to late 1960, There were several conceptual artists like Lawrence Weiner, Joseph Kosuth, Robert Barry, in their works they were making of art in the very different way like they use form of written or printed texts, this kind of art grasp the special function of texts in the context of visual art. These contextual factors related to the cultural forms of language, and also use critical and theoretical writing directly. But the most notably work is made by Marcel Duchamp. In other words, all art after Duchamp is conceptual because art only exists conceptually. Duchamps work is characterized a wide variety of media and explored of the boundaries of previous art. In his work the ideas instead of the objects; its a revolution of notion that effect remarkably the later generations. His notorious work Fountain was a manufactured urinal which is readymade. He is played with the relationship with the idea, object and vision. The reception of the Fountain into the museum made people think that the object is not matter, the thought matter. He is created the new thought of the non-object. The process to making art and the thought which is the artist try to emphasis not the object. The way he is display art-the readymade compare to the varieties visual art that come before which were anti-aesthetics and also very new for the audience. It was exaggerated the impact of these ideas on the community of later artists. Some conceptual artists believed art exists in the artists mind and ideas not just in the object itself. Therefore produce objects and develop it that becomes pure ideas. Lawrence Weiner was translate the intellectual content with non-object, began to work in purely art context. He was trying to find out the relations between materials and ideas. He always uses words and phrases adhered to gallery walls and taking the forms of a short printed statement to represent an expansion of the notion of sculptural materials, and equivalent to the more technical proposition. His statements are distinguished by studied neutrality, produced by their linguistic form. During the 1970s and 80s, his works rapidly became more self conscious and graphically stylized. His work evolved from paper to the wall, from the particular space like a gallery to more public location. Hes even painted a statement or the context about social political and culture of the city on the walls of the streets. His install ation work incorporated the public into the work. For example, Joseph Kosuth was alone considered space, and thus by implication, materiality to be kind of irrelevant to his work. In fact, he attempts to put the concept behind his art work to the widest audience. And his ideas and art become more public. He used a stylistic or object based concern to influence his art. Kosuth was insistent that the object is irrelevant to art. He had practiced based on the idea. He had progressed from reality to idea, from image to abstraction. It becomes an idea and then an idea which obviously becomes infinitely circle. His famous works: art as idea as idea also is his art practice and creative process. Apparently he emphasized more about the concept in the art work then either reality or image. But the object always persists. In his work he uses different versions into the same physical object and emphasizing the conceptual relationships and disparities between it. Its redefinition the visual image. Eventually, materiality is unavoidable. Kosuths philosophical conception lagged behind Weiners notion of language as sculptural material. Weiner was keeping the conceptual aesthetics that struggling for direction. And in the same time his translation of intellectual content with non-object, began to work in purely art context. Hes trying to find out the relations between materials. He always uses words and phrases adhered to gallery walls. He was taking the forms of a short printed statement to represent an expansion of the notion of sculptural materials, and equivalent to the more technical proposition. His statements are distinguished by studied neutrality, produced by their linguistic form. During the 1970s and 80s, his works rapidly became more self conscious and graphically stylized. His work evolved from paper to the wall, from the particular space like a gallery to more public location. Hes even painted a statement or the context about social political and culture of the city on the walls of the streets. His installation work incorporated the public into the work. Barry was concerned with visibility. And his work was invisible, yet emphatically material. He used invisible materials to draw attention to the method and style in which the matter has been redefined by different ways. So he has broken the traditional assumption of visibility.

Abortion and Writing Professor Hyde

Technical and Business WritingProfessor Hyde The Advantages of Abortion? For many years, abortions have been performed and so has the controversy over abortion. Today, I have decided to write about the advantages of having an abortion. Some may argue that there are no advantages to having an abortion, but that’s what makes this topic such a debatable one. Abortions have been performed since the 1800’s. Not until the infamous decision of Roe v. Wade that abortions became legal medical procedures. It was also the year the United States Supreme Court recognized abortions as part of women’s civil rights. To the average person whether male or female, abortion should be against the law, but I beg to differ. Abortion gives couples the option to choose not to bring babies with severe and life-threatening medical conditions to full term. Aborted fetuses contribute to medical science through stem cell research that cure diseases and re-grow lost or damaged limbs. It’s almost like donating organs of the decease to someone alive in dire need. In cases of rape or incest, forcing a woman who was made pregnant by the violent act would cause further psychological harm to the victim. No child should be born into this world unwanted. Statistics show that unwanted children are raised in a home with no love or supervision. They become adults who commit crime and are sentenced to prison. Another reason women have abortions is they don’t have the financial resources needed to support a child. The majority of the population has Medicaid as health insurance coverage so termination of pregnancy can be free or low cost. If they decide to keep the baby and raise it, the cost to taxpayers could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. I chose to title my paper â€Å"The Advantages of Abortions† because your life doesn’t have to stop because you chose to end your pregnancy. Women shouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed because they chose a different decision than most. An unplanned pregnancy may be a burden now, but years from now it may become a miracle or joy because you had a chance to grow and mature as a person. Before you can raise a child you need to finish raising yourself first.

Biochem Lit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biochem Lit - Essay Example It was ascertained in this course of study that ChiB, a gene coding for endo Chitinase B, is in part responsible for induction of autolysis by flbA gene. Also though ChiB was found to be necessary for ∆flbA induced autolysis its overexpression did not accelerate or enhance hyphal disintegration thus suggesting that ChiB is necessary but not sufficient for autolysis in submerge-cultured A.nidulans. Alamar Blue reduction test which corresponds to the activity of the living cell mitochondria was employed to assess the dispensability of ChiB gene in autolysis. By AB reduction it was seen that both Wild Type strain and ChiB deletion ∆ChiB mutant showed the same death pattern from day 1 to day 8. Thus though ChiB was required for autolysis it was not totally essential. To study the proteins involved in autolysis, the proteins upregulated in ∆flbA and ∆flbA∆ChiB were studied and five proteins were found to be upregulated. These were identified as chitinase (Chi B), dipeptidyl peptidase V (DppV), O-glycosyl compound hydrolase, -N-acetylhexosaminidase (NagA), and myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase (InoB) on SDS PAGE after Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy. Off these 5 proteing NagA was speculated to be associated with cell death. This was because ∆NagA mutant showed a significantly higher percentage reduction in Alamar Blue as compared to other proteins on day 2 of incubation indicating more viable cells. The absence of InoB or AN2395.2 (a probable hydrolase) was seen to cause accelerated cell death and disorganization of mycelial pellets suggesting that these proteins might be needed for the controlled progression of cell death. FlbA gene negatively controls G protein mediated proliferation signaling likely by acting as GTPase activating protein for FadAGÃŽ ±. It was also concluded in other studies that FadA and SfaD signaling negatively regulate the cell wall chitin content and cell wall structure in A.nidulans. FadA was also found to mediate

Separation of Powers between the Three Branches of Government Essay

Separation of Powers between the Three Branches of Government - Essay Example It was, however, Charles Louis de Montesquieu who clearly defined the three branches of government and laid down the basics of the concept of separation of powers. Some countries being underpinned by the concept of separation of powers, like the United States, have written constitutions that clearly laid out and allocated the various powers and functions of the government to the different branches (Barnett pp. 105-106). This is not so in the United Kingdom. The UK Constitution does not consist of a single, written document but rather of various uncodified laws scattered in several documents like statutes, court decisions and treaties and unwritten ones like customs and conventions. A strict separation of powers normally divides separate powers and functions and allows them to the three branches government: the executive; Parliament, and; the judiciary. In the UK, the components of the three branches of governments usually share powers held by other branches in a mixed government fash ion. Eric Barendt, however, author of the book Separation of Powers does not believe that the UK necessarily has a weaker constitution because of this disparity. He believes that â€Å"the separation of powers should not be explained in terms of a strict distribution of functions between the three branches of government, but in terms of a network of rules and principles which ensure that power is not concentrated in the hands of one branch.† The UK government, like other democratic governments, has three major institutions, all exercising various functions and powers and sometimes sharing the powers of the other branches: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. The executive department is made up the Crown and the central government, the latter of which is composed of the Prime Minister and his/her Cabinet Ministers. The central government is accountable to Parliament, which can choose to dissolve it and force a new election of a new set of officials if it believes that circumstances warrant it.  

Analyze Donne’s Duplicity as a Lover in His Poems Essay Example for Free

Analyze Donne’s Duplicity as a Lover in His Poems Essay John Donne is not only the greatest love poet of his time, but also surpasses the limitation of times. Donne’s greatness as a love-poet arises from the fact that his poetry covers a wider range of emotions. He was the first English poet to challenge and break the supremacy of Petrarchan tradition. Though at times he adopts the Petrarchan devices, yet his imagery and rhythm, texture and color of his love poetry is different. There are three distinct strains of his love poetry – Cynical, Platonic and Conjugal love. The Sun Rising is one of Donne’s popular and widely read love poems. It is love poem of an unusual kind. In this poem the poet lover reprimands the Sun and calls it names for disturbing love making. Here as a lover Donne exaggerates his love and his beloved so much that it overlaps the Petrarchan love poetry also. He addresses the Sun as â€Å"busy old fool†. He calls it unruly because, by peeping in to the bedroom through windows and curtains it disturbs the lovers. The poet-lover tells the Sun that lovers’ seasons do not run to its motions. He advises the Sun to go and do such routine and dull jobs like chiding late-schoolboys and apprentices, waking up court-huntsmen and peasants. Love knows no season, no climates. It is not affected by time. The poet’s wit is so clear when he tells the Sun that he has no reason to think that his beams are â€Å"so reverend and strong†. The poet lover could eclipse and could the beams of the Sun with a wink. He does not do so because he does not wish to â€Å"loose her right so long.† He says Thy beams so reverend and strong Why shouldst thou think? I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink. But that I would not lose her sight so long. The poet-lover knows that the Sun would go to the other half of the world and come to that place at this time tomorrow. The poet-lover asks the Sun to go round the world, see all Kings, come back tomorrow and say if â€Å"both the India’s of spice and mine† . He says to leave them alone and to let them love. Again, he says, his beloved is represents the whole world, East Indies and the West indies because of her sweet fragrance and her glitter. Here Donne uses highly hyperbolical words for her beloved. He says again that his beloved is all the states and he is the prince of this state, nothing else matter to him, and nothing else exist for him, except he and his beloved. She is all the state, and all princes I Nothing else is. Furthermore, compared to their love all â€Å"honour’s mimick†, all wealth alchemy.† In the latter imagery there is an allusion to the medieval belief in the powers of magic etc. In this particular poem Donne’s praise for his beloved reaches at the height that is incomparable to nothing. However, we find the opposite side of the coin in the poem namely ‘Go and Catch a Falling Star’. Here we find Donne’s duplicity as a lover. In ‘The Sun Rising’ we find Donne passionate and sensuous as a lover, but in Go and Catch a Falling Star he is very much cynical as a lover. He does not believe in true love. We find Donne’s misogynistic attitude here. The poem starts by challenging to catch a falling star. The falling star can signify something bright and beautiful that has come to an end and how difficult it is hold on to this goodness for ever. It also suggests trying and making a wish and seeing if it comes true. In fact it is as difficult to catch a falling star as it is to get with child a mandrake root which shows the stark contrast of getting a child which is something innocent and joyous to a mandrake root which is used in witchcraft to wish death on someone. Again the contrast of living and the positive is contrasted with death and negativity. Donne here presents many impossible tasks and says to find a true woman is as impossible as the tasks are. He says it is impossible to remember the past years, to listen the mermaid song, and to find the person who clove the Devil’s foot. According to Donne, it is impossible to find; a loyal and chaste woman. The poet, through irony and exaggeration suggests the impossibility of the undertaking to discover a true and fair woman. According to him And swear No where Lives a woman true, and fair. He believes fair women will have lovers and therefore it is not possible for them to be faithful to any of them. If anyone ever found then Though she were true when you met her, And last till you write your letter, Yet she Will be False, ere I come, to two, or three. To him to find a true and fair woman is not a herculean task rather it is impossible. Here we find the duplicity of Donne. He is here misogynist and believes true love cannot be found because of women’s fickleness. Women are inconsistent and for that reason true love cannot be found, as a woman use to love so many suitors. He criticizes the women race and spares no words to ridicule them. Here his misogynistic attitude shows that he has very little respect for love. In ‘The Sun Rising’ we find him as a pure lover, who believes in solely love. He praises his beloved and the placed her with the Olympian goddesses. He same Donne in ‘Go and Catch a Falling Star’ shows abominable attitude towards love and towards women race. He skeptically believes that women are neither deities nor fully honest; they possess all the human shortcomings. Thus Donne’s attitude towards women is materialistic, pessimistic, and occasionally misogynistic. This contradictory attitude as a lover makes him unique. Donne’s love poems are rich with various mood and attitudes. Two opposite sides as a lover is found in this both poems. In one poem he exaggerates his beloved and worshipped her, on the other poem he says women race is perverted race. Two contradictory ideas are given by the same poet. One poem is full of passion and the other is full of abhorrence.

Abortion :: essays research papers fc

In Roe et al. v. Wade District Attorney of Dallas County (1973), one of the most controversial cases in recent history, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all state laws that limit a woman's right to an abortion during the first three months of pregnancy. Justices Rehnquist and White dissented.Mr. Justice Blackmun delivered the opinion of the Court....This Texas federal appeal and its Georgia companion, Doe v. Bolton, post, p. 179, present constitutional challenges to state criminal abortion legislation. The Texas statutes under attack here are typical of those that have been in effect in many States for approximately a century. The Georgia statutes, in contrast, have a modern cast and are a legislative product that, to an extent at least, obviously reflects the influences of recent attitudinal change, of advancing medical knowledge and techniques, and of new thinking about an old issue.We forthwith acknowledge our awareness of the sensitive and emotional nature of the abortion controversy, of the vigourous opposing views, even among physicians, and of the deep and seemingly absolute convictions that the subject inspires. One's philosophy, one's experiences, one's exposure to the raw edges of human existence, one's religious training, one's attitudes toward life and family and their values, and the moral standards one establishes and seeks to observe, are all likely to influence and to color one's thinking and conclusions about abortion....The Texas statutes that concern us here are Arts. 1191-1194 and 1196 of the State's Penal Code. These make it a crime to "procure an abortion," as therein define d, or to attempt one, except with respect to "an abortion procured or attempted by medical advice for the purpose of saving the life of the mother." Similar statutes are in existence in a majority of the States.Texas first enacted a criminal abortion statute in 1854. Texas Laws 1854, c. 49, Sec. 1, set forth in 3 H. Gammel, Laws of Texas 1502 (1898). This was soon modified into language that has remained substantially unchanged to the present time....Jane Roe, a single woman who was residing in Dallas County, Texas, instituted this federal action in March 1970 against the District Attorney of the county. She sought a declaratory judgment that the Texas criminal abortion statutes were unconstitutional on their face, and an injunction restraining the defendant from enforcing the statutes.Roe alleged that she was unmarried and pregnant; that she wished to terminate her pregnancy

Nucor Steel Case Study Essay

Percentage use of Production Capacity Nucor steel has the largest production capacity capability in North America. However, they have some deficiencies in this area in that in 2010 they utilized just 70 percent of capacity, though it increased in 2011 it was still just 74 percent. Gaining greater production efficiency will reduce costs and in turn increase the profitability of the company. Issue #2 Rising Scrap Metal Prices Nucor maintains its competitive advantage through its low cost production, and their use of electric arc furnaces and recycled scrap metals to produce steel. Prices for scrap steel was not higher than $137 until 2004, and reached a peak of $438 in 2008 before the economic recession hit. In 2009 and 2010 prices were $303 and $351 respectively, and then in 2011 hit an all-time high of $439. With their per unit cost structure relying heavily on these scrap steel prices, their ability to achieve greater profitability is reduced. Nucor needs to find a way to off-set these rising prices in order to maintain its low cost strategy. Issue #3 International Competition and Foreign Subsidies US producers of steel and steel products have fallen victim to aggressively competitive pricing from international firms. In 1999 the US government determined that six countries were indeed dumping stainless steel into the US market. Half of those countries governments were facilitating this process by providing unfair subsidies to offset the firm’s losses from selling at below market prices. In 2001, the Bush administration installed a 30 percent tariff on those countries found guilty of illegal dumping. This same issue is still prevalent today as China has been accused of doing the same thing. They have significantly lower prices than American firms due to the fact that China has been devaluing their currency in order to make exports unfairly cheaper. The US government must intervene and install another tariff on Chinese steel products in order to protect its domestic producers from unfair foreign competition. Recommendation Nucor Corporation should install an aggressive international expansion strategy to achieve several goals. It should be aimed at regaining its premier profitability that it had in 2007 and 2008 mainly by reducing costs. It should strive for gaining an increased market share in developing international markets that were not as effected by the recession in regions of Asia and the Middle East. With that increased demand for steel and steel products, Nucor should not acquire additional capacity, instead they should make more efficient use of its current capacity with the goal of reaching 90 percent usage of capacity. In an effort to reduce costs, Nucor should increase its efforts of reverse-integration in order to provide itself with cheaper raw materials and lower it’s per unit production costs. International market expansion, increased raw material production, and increasing plant capacity efficiency should be the main focus moving forward as Nucor attempts to create a more cost efficient production process, increase revenues, grow its profitability, and continue to provide its stockholders with quarterly dividends and increased yearly dividends as it has for the past 40 years. Appendix A: Dominant Economic Characteristics Market Size and Growth Rate How large is the industry and how fast is it growing? The worldwide industry of crude steel production reached all-time highs with total production equaling 1,559 million tons in 2010 and 1,680 million tons in 2011. Worldwide production capacity was approximately 2,090 million tons in 2011, which resulted in a utilization rate of 80 percent in 2011. The worldwide production of crude steel has grown consistently since 2000 despite two significant periods of economic downturn and decreased demand. According to the World Steel Association, the crude steel production growth rates were 6.2 percent from 2000-2005, 4.4 percent from 2005-2010, and 4.4 percent from 2010-2011. Scope of Competitive Rivalry Is the geographic region over which most companies compete local, regional,  national, multinational, or global? A combination of both national and global Primary National Competitors US Steel ArcelorMittal USA Top Worldwide Competitors ArcelorMittal Worldwide (Luxembourg) Baosteel (China) POSCO (South Korea) Nippon Steel (Japan) JFE (Japan) Jiangsu Shagang (China) Tata Steel (India) Ansteel (China) Gerdau (Brazil) Severstal (Russia) Wuhan (China) ThyssenKrupp (Germany) Evraz (Russia) Is having a presence in foreign markets becoming more important to a company’s long-term competitive success? Yes, especially in times of domestic economic downturn. In the recession of 2009-2011, steel demand in developed countries such as the US and Japan was greatly diminished. However, demand for steel in developing regions such as India, China and the Middle East was exceeding local producer’s capacities. Thus, there is significant opportunity to expand internationally and better utilize current production capacities. Specifically for Nucor, in 2007 they decided that international growth was a necessity, and their strategy hinged on two elements: Opening foreign sales offices: 60 percent of Nucor’s current steel plants were located on deep water access areas which allowed for easy access to international shipping areas without a significant increase in cost. Joint Ventures: Nucor began developing partnerships with reputable and successful foreign firms in an attempt to greater utilize their mutual competencies as well as allow Nucor to establish itself in international markets. Product Innovation Is the industry categorized by rapid product innovation and short product life cycles? Not for the steel industry Innovation is important but with the typical size of projects, it is in no way rapid The steel industry is categorized by long product life cycles, only methods of manufacturing have been changed in the lengthy history of the industry How important is R&D and product innovation? R&D and innovation are extremely important Most major advancements in the past 60 years have resulted in industry breakthroughs that have cut costs and environmental impact dramatically Are there any opportunities to overtake key rivals by being first-to-market with next generation products? Yes, any new technology that will reduce costs and/or increase productivity will almost certainly add to a company’s competitive advantage Being first-to-market with new innovative production methods will absolutely provide an opportunity to overtake rivals This is evident in Nucor’s rise to being one of the top steel producers in North America, their use of electric arc furnaces, thin slab casting process, and strip casting technology gave them a significant boost when attempting to catch US Steel and the US’s largest steel producer Economies of Scale Is the industry characterized by economies of scale in purchasing, manufacturing, advertising, shipping, or other activities? Yes, especially in manufacturing as a company can reduce its per unit fixed costs with greater production capacity Do companies with large†scale operations have an important cost advantage over small†scale firms Yes, smaller firms are few and far between and during the 2000’s many were bought by larger firms in an attempt to increase their total plant capacity, gain market share, and gain a stronger position in specific geographic areas Learning/Experience Curve Effects Are certain industry activities characterized by strong learning and experience effects (â€Å"learning by doing†) such that unit costs decline as a company’s experience in performing the activity builds? Yes, as the firm’s plants operate, their line workers become more and more capable of executing the job, fixing potential problems, and generating ideas to improve  production As the workers become more knowledgeable and experienced, they become more efficient and productive which in turn lowers labor costs and increases total product available for sale and revenues Do any companies have significant cost advantages because of their learning/experience in performing particular activities? Nucor has an advantage in this particular area because of their egalitarian company culture where managers and hourly employees discuss potential improvements and changes on a regular basis They are also very decentralized and are open to new ideas, Nucor truly believes that t heir best source of knowledge for potential improvements in manufacturing is from the employees that are on the front line of the manufacturing process Appendix B: PESTEL Analysis Political Factors The main political factor that is affecting the steel industry pertains to the US market and foreign competition Nucor and many other American steel companies have appealed to the US government that they have been facing unfair competition from foreign firms, they believed that several foreign steel producers were practicing illegal dumping of steel and steel products into the US market In March of 1999, the US Department of Commerce concluded that steel companies in six countries had illegally dumped stainless steel in the US: Canada South Korea Taiwan Italy Belgium South Africa The governments in Belgium, Italy, and South Africa further facilitated this practice by providing subsidies that would cover revenue losses for firms selling steel at below market prices This is still an issue today as US steel producers are facing similar competition from China, where most steel companies are government owned and operated, China has also devalued its own currency in order to provide significantly lower prices Economic Conditions The steel industry is relatively affected by economic conditions Since prices and percentage use of capacity are determined by market supply and demand forces, when the economy is healthy, then demand is strong and steel companies can be profitable. On the other hand, when the economy enters a recession, then demand is reduced greatly and most firms cannot be profitable This is evident with the economic downturns that occurred in the early 2000’s as well as in 2009-2011 when most firms saw revenues and profits decrease dramatically Nucor saw sales drop from 25,187,000 tons in 2008 to 17,576,000 tons in 2009; and accordingly saw net profits drop from $1.8 billion in 2008 to a loss of $293 million in 2009 Sociocultural Forces There is a limited effect of sociocultural forces with respect to the steel industry There will be minor influence based on the growth rate of the population, as with a faster growing population, the need for schools, hospitals, roads, and other public buildings will increase which will in turn increase demand for steel and steel products Technological Factors The technological advances in the steel industry have been revolutionary over the years and have provided other industries with valuable information on how to improve their own production facilities and capabilities However, in recent years it hasn’t provided for the emergence of many new industries stemming from those innovations, nor has it provided significant value to society Environmental Forces Rising fuel prices are hurting steel companies bottom line in that they cannot generate the same amount of power as they could in previous years without increasing expenditures and raising their per unit costs each quarter Plant emission requirements are strictly enforced by the EPA and the US government In the past 50 years, the steel production industry has made great strides in becoming more environmentally conscious and efficient Nucor has developed new techniques and technologies that allow for a more environmentally responsible production process Especially their steel production efforts in Brazil where they use a eucalyptus farm for the fuel in their blast furnace rather than coal, and the eucalyptus farm absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than the plant emits and completely  neutralizes the effect of global warming Legal and Regulatory Factors Labor laws greatly affect the steel industry, Nucor has few issues with these as they compensate their employees well over federal requirements and industry averages Safety regulations are also a major factor as compliance with OSHA and other safety organizations in a requirement Appendix C: Five Forces Analysis Threat of New Entrants Weak The costs associated with entering the steel industry are excessive and the threat of a company doing so is very limited Competition from Substitutes Weak Companies in industries that require steel and steel products, can only use steel and steel products, as other metals don’t possess the same metallurgical qualities like strength and durability required There is some potential that other metals like aluminum, titanium, tungsten and many others could pose a threat, but the majority of Nucor’s customers need steel Buyer Power Moderate Customers have the availability to shop different companies as price is the main determining factor in the industry Since prices and competitive advantage is mainly determined by cost and market supply and demand forces, then customers have a moderate ability to leverage another company’s, or even another country’s, price against a particular supplier Supplier Power Moderate In previous years, Nucor had been at the mercy of rising raw materials prices But in recent years they have begun an aggressive backward-integration strategy to begin producing 6 million to 7 million tons of steel for use in its steel product manufacturing plants Their move to provide their own raw materials has greatly reduced their reliance on raw steel suppliers in the midst of ever-increasing prices Rivalry Strong Domestic competition from US Steel and ArcelorMittal USA is extremely fierce Foreign competition from both European and Asian firms is incredibly stout as well Since advantage is determined mostly by low costs and low prices, competition is a constant price war Appendix D: Drivers of Change in the Industry Innovation of new production techniques Production efficiency Efficiency of capacity usage Ability to reduce costs and therefore lower prices Globalization New marketing strategies Resiliency to changing economic and market conditions Diffusion of technological know-how across companies and countries Consolidation of companies Regulatory influences and government policy changes Appendix E: Current Strategy In 2000, Nucor began a five-part growth strategy that involved: New acquisitions New plant construction Continued plant upgrades and cost reduction efforts International growth through joint ventures Greater control over raw materials Their overall strategy includes all of the above as well as being a low-cost producer and low-price market leader in the steel industry Appendix F: Competitor Analysis Competitor Analysis Framework Current Strategy US Steel Positioned as the long-time industry leader Its competitive advantage, if any is based in brand strength ArcelorMittal USA Positioned alongside US Steel and Nucor in production capacity and serves many of the same industries Competitive Advantage lies in its sales volume and earnings Objectives US Steel Due to significant losses both domestically and in Serbia, strategic financial changes should be expected ArcelorMittal USA Currently experiencing profitable operations, only minor changes should take place in the future Capabilities US Steel Strengths: Brand awareness Years of experience Weaknesses: Unionized workforce Net losses in recent years ArcelorMittal USA Strengths: International subsidiary of ArcelorMittal, thus have knowledge beyond US market Production capacity, sales revenues, and profits Weaknesses: Lack of brand awareness Assumptions US Steel As the old guard, have operated in the red in several years, and assume that they aren’t going anywhere and that the market will turn in their favor ArcelorMittal USA With their overwhelming knowledge from international operations, and being a subsidiary of the largest single steel producer in the world, they assume that their market share and drive for low costs will eventually prevail Strategic Group Map The above chart displays the market positioning of the main three competitors in the US steel production industry. The size of each circle is determined by the volume of steel products shipped. All statistical data used is from 2011. Volume of steel products shipped is very comparable, and the total  number of production plants in the US is also very similar between the three. The largest disparity is on the net profit axis where ArcelorMittal USA led with $2.3 billion in profit, Nucor earned $778 million, and US Steel shows losses of $53 million. Weighted Competitor Strength Analysis and Key Success Factors This chart details the strengths and weaknesses of each of the major three companies in the US steel market based on four key success factors Appendix G: SWOT Analysis Appendix H: Financial Analysis Net Profit Margin Net profit margin shows the percentage of after-tax profit of sales, the chart above shows the true effects of the economic recession that hit in the fourth quarter of 2008, and the slow recovery of the market since then. The market is expected to gain strength in 2012 and Nucor and its stockholders are hoping that forecast is true as they strive to reach their peak performance levels that they obtained in 2007-2008. Return on Invested Capital Return on invested capital is a measure of the return that shareholders are earning on long-term invested monetary capital. This particular measure shows how the economic recession effected Nucor’s shareholders and their overall return on invested capital. 2011 provided a significant rebound in ROIC and Nucor will need to continue to trend this measure upward to meet investor expectations. Internal Cash Flow Internal cash flow is a rough estimate of how much cash a company’s business is producing and would have for potential dividend payments or capital expenditures. The internal cash flow measure is yet another representation of how much the global recession of 2009 and 2010 effected Nucor and its ability to continue its operations as it had in previous years. Despite the drastic reduction in its internal cash flow, Nucor still managed to pay its  shareholders a dividend as it had for 156 consecutive quarters while also increasing the dividend payment paid to stockholders every year since 1973.

Grand Targhee Ski Resort Essay

What is service culture? â€Å"Service Culture† is â€Å"a shared purpose where everyone is focused on creating value for others inside and outside the organization.† (Ihara, 2011). In this paper, we will discuss how the management of Grand Targhee created a service culture, how fun relates to establishing a service culture and which product Grand Targhee is successful and why. According to the Case Study, you can see that the management of Grand Targhee created service culture based on customer satisfaction. Their target market is aimed to people prefer more individual and personality services. To rely on 4P of Marketing (Product, Price, Place and Promotion), they made themselves became unique. Product, they know their liabilities and their disadvantages therefore they tried to differentiate themselves. Their disadvantages are firstly, they have 3,000 acres but they only got 4 full-sized lifts, which is half if compared to Jackson Hole’s. Secondly, their locatio n does not allow them to have the development of real estate around their area to attract customer. However, they created their service culture based on their disadvantages. They have their unique riding program which brought the turnover from $8,000 to $15,000 in three months of seasons. Their services made their customers enjoyed the time they spent in the ski private lessons to have fun and make they feel more confidence about themselves. They help their customers excess what their want which are goods or services that are not necessary but that customer’s desire or wish for. (Monroe County Women’s Disability Network). They make sure their customers are satisfied with the services they provided. It’s obviously that they success with their pricing which worth their services. That’s why 100% their customers come back for seconds. In addition, their promotion campaigns are really good. They sponsored for schools ski programs in local. Their successes with their Kid Programs lead their attractive to more customers for their private lessons services. The W ord of Mouth (passing information from one person to another person) is a really powerful tool to advertise their services without any expenses for media. If the Kids from schools sponsored joined the Ski lessons and interesting to continue those lessons, they would let their parents know, and their parents would tell their friends too. The factor â€Å"fun† relates to establishing a service culture through their programs to their staff morale. They are successful with their Kids programs. It’s obvious that their programs must be really fun so it could attract children and kept them running smoothly. Besides it, the fun factor also involved in their staff morale. They make the job of every single one in the business felt comfortable and enjoy their job. They did not make the pressure on every department; instead, they graded and motivate their staff by performance and payment. That is the reason why they can push the rating of ski patrol from 44% in five years ago to 88% in last year. The product Grand Targhee focused on to create interaction between the guests and employees is their private Ski lessons. This service is successful because they create the connection and commitment between their staff-customers and themselves. They paid their instructors rely on customer satisfaction and returning business, that will be the large encourage to their staff do their jobs at their best. They motivated their staff, from the parking lot attendants to ski patrol, make them feel they are a part of the establishment. Targhee now can control their services quality at the highest level. Their staff will try as much as they can to excess customers satisfaction. You can see that they are also successful with their effective marketing plan which is when management is communicating effectively with guests, employees, and community leaders. (Brown, 2007). They made their staff did as they expected. They made customers kept coming back for them. The ski schools from other resorts run as loss leader but not for Targhee. They are more concentrate into their private lessons programs with the good leadership therefore their ski school brought 4.5% of revenue and their net earnings is 30.1%, double to national average. To sum up, Targhee created a service culture very unique. They rely on their customers satisfaction. They make the differentiation between them and others places whom has greater advantages to them. They has an effective marketing plan based their Product, Place, Pricing and Promotion. They know how to develop their potential and turn their disadvantages into their opportunities. References: Brown, D. R. (2007). The restaurant manager’s handbook. Ocala: Atlantic Publishing. Ihara, A. (2011, 06 26). Up Your Service. Retrieved 02 04, 2013, from Up Your Service: http://www.upyourservice.com/blog/service-culture/service-culture-what-does-i

The American situation comedy Essay Example

The American situation comedy Essay Example The American situation comedy Essay The American situation comedy Essay The American situation comedy, Leave It to Beaver, is a display of gender and the family dynamic that swept the nation after World War II and the Great Depression. Nuclear families were small; most households consisted of two adults, male and female, and no more than three children. Sitcoms presented wild antics by children and wives that disturbed a quiet family life headed by an indomitable father. Gender roles in sitcoms such as Leave It to Beaver were clearly defined and the family dynamic was traditional; the father worked, the mother stayed home, and the children were content and happy.Contrary to popular belief by the following generations, the quiet and simple American dream lived by sitcoms families never existed outside of the television studio. Television emerged in the 1950s as a dominating force. Watching television in ones own home seemed much easier than going to the movie theater. While most of society was at home watching television, movie ticket sales dropped dramatically. This was the birth of the sitcom.People wanted to see lighthearted entertainment on television after the tumult of World War II and the Great Depression; this gave way to television families and their zany world. The 1950s is usually regarded as quiet and happy, and Leave It to Beaver reflected back to America this calming sense of happy normalcy. As depicted in Leave It to Beaver, Ward Cleaver worked a nine-to-five job and saw his family at night and on weekends. Fathers were the disciplinarians and controlled all financial matters in the household.Fathers also offered sage advice to his children. June Cleaver, on the other hand, was a housewife and mother. Mothers, like the children, received a weekly allowance from their husbands and they made sure the house was clean, meals were prepared, and children were happy and content. Wally and Theodore Beaver Cleaver were well-adjusted children with relatively happy and content lives. Sitcom families set a national standard for families everywhere. However, a sitcom life was often plagued with troubles for the families who tried to achieve the perfect life.The rise of middle class required the breadwinner, usually the father, to be away on business for extended periods of time while the mother suffered troubles of her own. While June Cleaver mopped the floor wearing pearls and pumps, real women suffered not being able to sign a legally-binding contract or have a credit card in their own name. After World War II, millions of soldiers were discharged from the military. House developer William J. Levitt touted the houses he built in 1950. They were identical box-like houses.The soldiers and their families then moved from the city to these suburbs. The neighborhoods where Levitt built his houses were orderly and identical. There were to be no fences built, laundry could only be hung on rotary racks and only during the weekdays, and lawns were to be mowed once a week. Leave It to Beaver was set in this middle-class suburbia. Their home, like other homes on the Cleavers block, were comfortable, but modest. Television portrayed suburbia, filled with only young, white couples, most with well-adjusted children, as the perfect place to live.Television, however, did not mention the culture and diversity that was missing. Everything was white-washed; the houses all had the same layout and everyone had the same goals and economic status. These suburban neighborhoods was the perfect setting for non-dysfunctional, happy families where the mother could lead a quiet life cooking and cleaning during the day, the father could have a warm place to come home to after a hard day at work, and the children could safely ride their bikes up and down the block with their friends.

Moments of Truth in customer service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Moments of Truth in customer service - Essay Example Without customers, there is no business to speak of. Carlzon’s impressive marketing approach effectively brought out the company out of the red, from an $8 million loss in 1981 to a staggering $71 million profit in less than a year. More than taking risks in terms of grand expenditure for such a move, what really worked in this strategy was adopting a change internally instead of externally putting up a more sophisticated faà §ade.Carlzon realized the need to shift from an inward, production-oriented airline to a more customer-driven and service oriented company. People need more humanized service instead of a more technologically advanced aircraft to ride on. Carlton’s team closed gaps in customer service that caused the company to lose revenue from the customer’s defection to other airlines or from simply losing the trust and confidence of their customers. Gronroos (2001) identified common gaps between customer expectations and the perceptions of the actual se rvice delivery as management perception gap; translation gap in quality specs; service delivery gap, gaps in â€Å"promises† made in marketing; and overall gap between perceived service and expected service.In each gap, customer satisfaction hangs on a thread and if not filled immediately, the company stands to lose the customer who has the power to spread the word of his or her dissatisfaction to others who could be prospective customers.Moments of truth usually occur within encounters between customers and company staff. Thus, each member of the company should be thoroughly trained in the provision of quality customer service. Empowering the staff with the trust that they can use their better judgment in satisfying customers, they must be authorized with decision-making powers under various moment of truth situations with customers. Having knowledgeable, courteous and happy staff brings about happy and satisfied customers. These customers know that they are in good hands an d with efficient staff who are able to provide them with their needs, it is likely that their satisfaction will bring in more business. To take the advise of Nilsson, the person responsible for the resurrection of Scandic Hotels, decision-making power should be shared with sales and service-front-line workers â€Å"right at the customer level† (Goodman, 2000). Nilsson recommends a decentralized management

Managing Financial Resources and Decisions Essay - 1

Managing Financial Resources and Decisions - Essay Example Managers believe that finance promotes a better understanding among departments and assist them to achieve corporate strategy (Shim & Siegel, 2008, p.5-7). There are different tools through which the management analyses the efficiency of their financial management strategy. Few of the commonly used tools are ratio analysis, budget forecasting and analysing, net future cash flow though NPV. Management also uses certain specific tools to determine the profitability and the rate of return through tools like IRR, ROI and profitability index. Any problem existing in the financial policy followed by the company can lead to a major problem in future. Therefore the financial department should analyse the efficiency of these policies on a periodic basis and should update them to cope up with changing market scenario. British Airways is a full service providing global airline that offers low fare routes throughout the year. The airline has an extensive network almost all over the world and connects all the vital destinations. The huge fleet size, large number of international flights and dense networking makes British Airways the largest airline in UK. At present the company has it’s headquarter at London Gatwick Airport as well as London Heathrow Airport. The airline service provided by the company connects more than 150 destinations through 248 aircrafts. However increased competition in airline industry, fluctuation in crude oil prices and collapse of the world economy has lead to the lowering of its passenger base. This downfall is also affecting the revenue as well as market image of the company. To have a better understanding of the efficiency with which BA manages its finance, an in-depth analysis of the company’s financials was done. On basis of this analysis certain vital f actors related to the company are discussed below. After analysing the annual cash flow statement of the