Go Ahead, Use facebook case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Go Ahead, Use facebook - Case Study Example Technology is contrary to the human nature leading to the erosion of the human self hence making people to behave out of self hence they behave selfishly and stupidly. People behave like machines, impatient and full of hubris due to influence of technology. In addition, technology is moving so fast that it may lead to self-destruction and failing to control itself (Sarah). This is the adoption of a trend, which has a leadership of native-technology work force having collaborative tools for self-provisions. It is characterised by human networks plus sources of information that does not require the central IT hub. The culture make the generation and the workforce to be comfortable with what they use at home like the social networking software hence they are actually unable to utilize the main frame technology applications in the work place. Though the use of IT is a vital component of running today’s industry, it important and necessary to carry out regulation at the work place to ensure that the employees are productive and do not major on issues which do not add value to their works. Therefore, there is a need for regulation for the use of IT in the industry to ensure that workers do not waste time .However; this will have an implication in the workers feeling within the organization. The company can allow the employees to use technologies such as webcam video conferencing, Skype, twitter, and iPods provided they use them in a way protected by the company firewalls to expose the company to external hackers. Equally, there is the need of educating the work force not to use the programs for unofficial duties during the working

An Undisputed Social Issue in The Philippines Essay Example for Free

An Undisputed Social Issue in The Philippines Essay Poverty is a state of being poor, indigence, lack of material things and finances. Poverty puts people into the lowest level in a society. Poor people, most of the time, are neglected by the government, shunned by the society and not given enough opportunities to prosper. They live in a filthy environment, living among a community of criminals. We can enumerate countless of unpleasant words to define the effect of poverty, and there are countless of reasons and causes for these. Poverty remains the central development issue in the Philippines and, despite the ambitious development goals laid out by the government, the country has not been able to sustain the economic growth required to reduce poverty to acceptable levels. Why Poverty Remains a Social Issue in the Philippines First, there is a fundamental disconnect between Filipino elites and the poor. The political leadership in the Philippines has always been drawn from those elites, and those politicians have traditionally played the role of patrons and benefactors, relying on the pork barrel and personal/family funds (often acquired through corruption) to essentially buy votes. â€Å"The core principle of democracy that representatives should be drawn from those they represent and advocate for the true interests of their constituents has not been operative† (Abueva, 1964). Philippine Presidents in particular have been drawn from the ranks of the wealthy and privileged. How can they relate to what it means to be poor or hungry? Even if their hearts in the right place (which is not all that common), well-photographed visits to squatter settlements are not the answer. Second, the Philippines system is exceedingly politicized. President Arroyo herself is already focused on the 2004 presidential elections. In a sense, you cant blame GMA. Her predecessor, Erap, had a built-in constituency among the masa. But President Arroyo must create such a base, given that she is the daughter of a previous President and has virtually nothing in common with the poor people of her country. Look more:  problems of scarcity essay She has worked hard to develop support among the common folk, dressed in jeans with regularity, and sung on stage with popular recording artists. She has also latched onto fighting poverty as a key policy emphasis. In her State-of-the-Nation (SONA) address on July 22nd, she emphasized the so-called rolling stores trucks loaded with subsidized rice, rice, sugar, and canned meat that ply the streets of Manila as a sterling example of her administrations anti-poverty programs. The only problem was that her remarks had knowledgeable economists practically rolling in the aisles, given that few poor people ever get access to the trucks and only 5% of the nations poor live in Metro Manila. But real poverty alleviation programs where they are most needed say in rural Mindanao would lack the publicity opportunities of the rolling stores on Manila streets. Additionally, several other studies list down the primary causes of poverty in the Philippines in terms of economic state: 1. The basic economic problem in the Philippines is inefficient and very low incomes. 2. The finances of the Government had become steadily worse and were not critical, The Treasury had a large and mounting deficit with taxes covering little more than 60% of the expenditures. 3. The country had an excessive volume of imports. In the meantime, the volume of exports was less than before the war an d could be expected to grow only gradually. 4. There had been inequalities in the level of income of people. While the standard of living of a great segment of the population remained below that of the pre-war level, the profits of businessmen and large landowners had risen considerably. Under the circumstances, the continued rise in the prices of commodities tended to transfer real income from the poor to the wealthy and; 5. The inefficiency and corruption in the government led the people to lose their faith and confidence in the ability of the government â€Å"to protect the interest of all the people. † The result was demoralization of the people. According to history, â€Å"the destruction of the national economy as a result of the war posed serious problems of subsistence and of peace and order† (Agoncillo, 1990). In such circumstances the leaders if the nation could only rely on the United States for financial and other material aid. The hundreds of millions of dollars given t the Philippines by the United States in the form of cash and surplus properties were used to rehabilitate agriculture, commerce, trade and industry. Some of it, however, went to the pockets of dishonest officials. There were marked increases in the gross national output and income, but the cost of living, as a whole, continues to soar or, at least, to remain static on the basis of the immediate post-liberation years. At the same time, labor grew and continues to grow, demanding increases in wages and better living conditions. The total picture of the national economy has improved, but the improvements are not sufficient to bring down cost of living, which has remained one of the highest in the world. Agricultural production – The destruction caused by the last war told heavily on the productive capacity of the people and their standard of living (Agoncillo, 1990). With financial help from the United States, however, the government, in the first ten years of the Republic, had succeeded in at least partially solving the minor economic problems. Thus, for instance, crop production from 1946 and 1956 increased from 3, 507, 200 metric tons to almost double the amount of 6, 274, 900 metric tons. This increased production was the upshot of the expanded area planted to food crops and the application of improved means of increasing the yield per hectare, such as the use of fertilizer, irrigation, the use of better seeds, and the effective use of chemicals against plant pests and diseases. Production of export crops also increased tremendously from 315, 000 metric tons in 1956, with copra and sugar leading all export crops. Other exports like abaca, tobacco and their by-products have not so far completely recovered from the effects of the last war (Martin, 1999). However, some are blamed upon the things done by irresponsible individuals from high to low profile individuals such as population growth – some Filipinos believe that it is natural for every married woman to bear a child in their wombs because they are with their husbands (Friedman et al. , 1977). And this are very wrong beliefs since if you will be reasonable enough, you will realize that having a child is always together with great responsibility that has no end. And that you will realize that having more and more children will cause great scarcity in your family such as you would not be able to send your children to school and you would not be able to provide enough foods so that you children will be healthy and do good in school. Population growth is also the reason for a number of malnourish children in the Philippines. Unemployment is also a very common cause of poverty in the Philippines since there are several Filipinos who are unemployed plus the fact that there are many companies that are affected of the global economic crisis. And the least thing that you can do about unemployment is to find a best way on generating money like you can accept laundry services, plumbing services, or electrical repair services if you are skilled enough to do the job. Then, you could start a certain profitable business like food house or a small store that does not require you much capital so that you will not find it hard to save enough money from the services that you are offering. Governance concern is still deemed as one of the main reasons of poverty in the Philippines because of the activities of the corrupt government officials. They are using the money of the people to achieve the power and authority that they wanted to have and once they have it they will automatically take advantage of their power to the point that they will neglect the yoke of the people and set aside their promises when they are just campaigning and try to convince the people to vote for them. Agricultural problems also pose as the natural cause of the poverty in the Philippines because of the wrong activities of people. They ruin the treasure of the nature for their own sake without any idea that the nature they are destroying is the main source of almost all the products that exist in this world. Some of the examples of destroying the nature are the irresponsible disposal of wastes and trash, dynamite fishing, illegal logging and more. Another cause is said to be disability – this is also one of the possible causes of poverty in the Philippines since more and more people nowadays become disabled because of several illnesses and diseases that arise like AH1N1 virus, SARS, dengue, and more. Disability may be also caused by uncontrolled population growth, for instance, you have ten kids in the house, and can you imagine attending to their needs everyday? Well, definitely not so the tendency is that they are prone to accidents that will cause them to be disabled since they are at very young age that are typically playful. Starvation has also been one of the primary effects of poverty in the Philippines. Eating is necessary for us to survive. As humans we need to eat three times a day or more. Unfortunately, not all of us can afford this kind of living. Many people, children and families in this world, suffer from hunger due to lack of finances for their everyday needs. Based on the record of UNICEF, more than half of the children all over the world are malnourished. Most of them came from countries that are less abundant. Apparently, research shows that education has also been a problem in the Philippines. It is not prioritized by the government because only the privileged can have access to basic education in the sense that most of the children in the Philippines could not afford the needs of a student such as food, clothing, school materials and even fares used for transportation. There are also schools which offer free education like the government schools and private schools which accept scholarships, but still, lack in financial support is their main dilemma. These are just some of the reasons why most of the students from different levels take education for granted. Instead of going to school, they spent their time working in order to help their families make a living. The masses have multiplied extremely. Increase in opportunities for employment has not yet overcome the rapid increase in population, resulting in the multiplication of the number of jobless proletariat. When one considers that a large number of school children become â€Å"school orphans† that is, they leave school before or after finishing Grade IV, and that they eventually become peasants or laborers, one ceases to wonder why the base of the triangular structure of society has widened considerably. The strong contrast between the upper classes and the lower classes is that the former are earning more and more and the latter less and less. In other words, the distribution of wealth is one-sided as to make society top heavy. In the countrys present situation, the economy of the Philippines is struggling. The government has a huge debt from the World Bank and those money which the government borrowed where not used in projects which could alleviate poverty but were where lost to corruption. Thats why many Filipinos blame the government for the slow progression of our country. The Philippines was even given a tag as one of the most corrupt countries in Asia. Many people also blame the government because regardless of scarcity that all of us are experiencing, the government still manages to increase the prices of the merchandise in the markets. Conclusion True anti-poverty programs take a long time to bear fruit, and the politically-driven nature of Philippine government sector programs almost ensures that the emphasis will continue to be on quick fixes or interventions that provide high visibility and political payoffs (Warner Harris). This is unfortunate given the seriousness of the situation and the implications for the country if concerted action is not taken. Poverty and malnutrition are already at alarming levels in this country, and the countrys too-rapid population growth is magnifying the strain on limited budgetary resources. The rapidly growing population is jeopardizing the quality of basic social services, contributing to the ongoing decline in quality of basic education, and limiting access to health care (especially primary health care, reproductive health/family planning, immunization, and feeding programs). Achieving any significant reduction in poverty will require rapid economic growth, growth of a magnitude not seen in recent years. Further, addressing issues of inequality will require significant investments in human capital, especially in improving the quantity and quality of primary education. The result of such unbalanced development of society is discontent and grave social problems such as poverty. The extreme poverty has given rise to starvation in some communities an to criminality, The unequal distribution of material possessions, in which the rich wlallow in wealth and the poor in filth is one of the reasons for the rise in criminality. Poverty has alos given rise to a new class known as squatters. References Abueva, J. V. Bridging the Gap Between the Elite and the People in the Philippines, Philippine Journal of Public Administration, October 1964, pp. 325-347; Agoncillo, T. V. (1990). History of the Filipino People Eighth Edition. (pp. 503-512. ) Quezon City: Garotech Publishing. Faith, R. (1996). Poverty, A History Of. Journal of Rural Studies, 12(2), 212-214. Friedmann, B. , Coy R. , Wilson, L. (1977). Emergences: Gender struggles for livelihood in Latin America. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center Publications, University of California. Martin, A. A. (1999) Philippine Land Reform: Perpetuating US Colonial Policy. Philippine Studies, Volume 47, Second Quarter 1999; Warner, J. , Harris, R. (n. d. ). Problems with poverty in third world countries. In M. B. Duran (Ed. ), Poverty and identity: studies in self and culture (pp. 39-58). Amsterdam: Daryl Benjamins Publishing Company.

Economy and political factors in Mexico

Economy and political factors in Mexico Mexico located in the southern portion o f North America, covers a period of more than two millennia. It covers area of 1,972,550 sq. km. (761,600 sq. mi.). Its estimated population is 112,468,855. Its language is Spanish and ethnic languages.   According to some estimates, the population of the area around Mexico City is nearly 22 million, which would make it the largest concentration of population in the Western Hemisphere. Its capital is Mexico City(Distrito Federal). Mexico is known for its fashion, socializing, sports and recreation, eating and recipies. PESTLE ANALYSIS FOR MEXICO: The PESTLE Analysis report provides a holistic view of the country from historical, current and future perspectives. Insightful analysis on critical current and future issues are presented through detailed SCPT (strengths, challenges, prospects and threats/risks) analysis for each of the PESTLE segments. In addition, the PESTLE segments are supplemented with relevant quantitative data to support trend analysis.   POLITICAL FACTORS: Political section provides understanding about the political system and key figures relevant to business in the country and governance indicators. Here The government as referring to the federal government. It is the federal government that passes and enforces legislation concerning the entire country. Actions by the federal government affect a large number of firms and are consistent across state boundaries. Environmental analysis, however, should not overlook actions by both state and local governments. Regulations concerning many business practices differ between states. Tax rates vary widely. Laws regarding unionization (e.g., right-to-work states) and treatment of homosexual workers differ between states. Local governments have the potential to affect business practices significantly. Some local governments may be willing to provide incentives to attract business to the area. Some may build industrial parks, service roads, and provide low-interest bonds to encourage a desirable business to move into the community. President Calderons National Action Party currently is the largest party in the Senate but lost its majority in the Chamber of Deputies in the July 2009 elections. The next national elections-for the president, all 128 seats in the Senate, and all 500 seats in the Chamber of Deputies-will take place in July 2012. In 2010, elections were held in 14 of Mexicos 31 states.   Poverty in Mexico is caused by individual, geographic and political factors. Main cause of poverty is due to political economy of the country. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank-prescribed structural adjustment policies have been applied in Mexico because the government doesnt carry out enough policies to encourage successful development. They cannot, for these international institutions lend money to Mexico on the condition that the nation open up its economy and cut social expenditures to repay the loans. The IMF and World Bank programs are supposed to reduce poverty, but actually they are increasing it. Therefore, Mexico needs a new political economy designed by Mexican economists and politicians, people who are committed to Mexico and to the future of its society.WTO Membership of trading partners increases the political costs of supplying administered protection. ECONOMIC FACTORS: GDP (official exchange rate): $1 trillion (2010 est.); $876 billion (2009); $1.088 trillion (2008). Per capita GDP (PPP method): $13,542 (2009 est.); $14,534 (2008). Annual real GDP growth: 4.5% (2010 est.); -6.5% (2009); 1.3% (2008); 3.3% (2007); 5.1% (2006); 3.2% (2005). Inflation rate: 4.6% (2010 est.); 3.57% (2009); 6.5% (2008); 3.8% (2007); 3.4% (2006); 3.3% (2005). Natural resources: Petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber. Agriculture (4% of GDP):  Productscorn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes, beef, poultry, dairy products, wood products. Industry (31% of GDP):  Typesfood and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables. Services (64% of GDP):  Typescommerce and tourism, financial services, transportation and communications. Trade (goods):  Exports  (2009)$230 billion f.o.b.  Imports  (2009)$234 billion f.o.b.  Exports to U.S.  (2009)$185 billion (80% of total).  Imports from U.S.  (2009)$112 billion (48% of total).  Major marketsU.S., EU (5% of total), Canada (3.6% of total). Economic section deals with the economic story of a country that provides a balanced assessment of significant macro-economic issues. Economic factors refer to the character and direction of the economic system within which the firm operates. Economic factors include the balance of payments, the state of the business cycle, the distribution of income within the population, and governmental monetary and fiscal policies. The impact of economic factors may also differ between industries. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico for 2009 was $14.4 billion, down 51% from the previous year.  The Mexican Government estimate of FDI for 2010 is $15 billion to $20 billion. Mexico is classified by the World Bank as an upper-middle-income country. Poverty is widespread around 44% of the population lives below the poverty line and high rates of economic growth are needed to create legitimate economic opportunities for new entrants to the work force. The Mexican economy in 2009 experienced its deepest recession since the 1930s. Gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 6.5%, driven by weaker exports to the United States; lower remittances and investment from abroad; a decline in oil revenues; and the impact of H1N1 influenza on tourism. Mexico is a major recipient of remittances, sent mostly from Mexicans in the United States. Remittances average around U.S. $21 billion per year, and are the countrys second-largest source of foreign currency, after oil. Most remittances are used for immediate consumptionfood, housing, health care, educationbut some collective remittances, sent from a U.S. community of migrants to their community of origin, are used for shared projects and infrastructure improvements. Mexico has grown with an annual average rate of 4%, even with the changes from an inward-looking developing economic strategy towards a more open economy with a far-reaching trade liberalization program. Mexico is the United States second-largest export market and third-largest trading partner. Top U.S. exports to Mexico include electronic equipment, motor vehicle parts, and chemicals. Trade matters are generally settled through direct negotiations between the two countries or addressed via World Trade Organization (WTO) or North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) formal dispute settlement procedures. The most significant areas of friction involve agricultural products as well as cross-border trucking. Mexico is an active and constructive member of the World Trade Organization, the G-20, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Mexican Government and many businesses support a Free Trade Area of the Americas. SOCIAL FACTORS: Social section enables understanding of customer demographics through income distribution, rural-urban segmentation and centres of affluence, healthcare and educational scenario. Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world and the second most-populous country in Latin America after Portuguese-speaking Brazil. About 76% of the people live in urban areas. Many Mexicans emigrate from rural areas that lack job opportunitiessuch as the underdeveloped southern states and the crowded central plateauto the industrialized urban centers and the developing areas along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to some estimates, the population of the area around Mexico City is nearly 22 million, which would make it the largest concentration of population in the Western Hemisphere. Cities bordering on the United Statessuch as Tijuana and Ciudad Juarezand cities in the interiorsuch as Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Pueblahave undergone sharp rises in population in recent years. The sociocultural dimensions of the environment consist of customs, lifestyles, and values that characterize the society in which the firm operates. Socio-cultural components of the environment influence the ability of the firm to obtain resources, make its goods and services, and function within the society. Sociocultural factors include anything within the context of society that has the potential to affect an organization. Population demographics, rising educational levels, norms and values, and attitudes toward social responsibility are examples of sociocultural variables. Mexico has made great strides in improving access to education and literacy rates over the past few decades. According to a 2006 World Bank report, enrollment at the primary level is nearly universal, and more children are completing primary education. The average number of years of schooling for the population 15 years old and over was around 8 years during the 2004-2005 school year, a marked improvement on a decade earlierwhen it was 6.8 yearsbut low compared with other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS: Technological section provides strategic information on technology and telecom, technological laws and policies, technological gaps, patents and opportunity sectors in the country. Cooperation between the United States and Mexico along the 2,000-mile common border includes state and local problem-solving mechanisms; transportation planning; and institutions to address resource, environment, and health issues. Technology can change the lifestyle and buying patterns of consumers. Recent developments in the field of microcomputers have dramatically expanded the potential customer base and created innumerable opportunities for businesses to engage in business via Internet. Whereas computers were traditionally used only by large organizations to handle data processing needs, personal computers are commonly used by smaller firms and individuals for uses not even imagined fifteen years ago. Similarly, new developments in technology led to a reduction in prices for computers and expanded the potential market. Lower prices allow computers to be marketed to the general public rather than to business, scientific, and professional users-the initial market. Technology also changes production processes. The introduction of products based on new technology often requires new production techniques. New production technology may alter production processes. There is little doubt that technology represents both potential threats and potential opportunities for established products. Products with relatively complex or new technology are often introduced while the technology is being refined, making it hard for firms to assess their market potential. When ballpoint pens were first introduced, they leaked, skipped, and left large blotches of ink on the writing surface. Fountain pen manufacturers believed that the new technology was not a threat to existing products and did not attempt to produce ball-point pens until substantial market share had been lost. Another technology, the electric razor, has yet to totally replace the blade for shaving purposes. Perhaps the difference is that the manufacturers of blades have innovated by adding new features to retain customers. Manufacturers of fountain pens did not attempt to innovate until the ballpoint pen was well established. It is quite difficult to predict the impact of a new technology on an existing product. Still, the need to monitor the environment for new technological developments is obvious. Attention must also be given to developments in industries that are not direct competitors, since new technology developed in one industry may impact companies and organizations in others. LEGAL FACTORS: Legal section provides information about the legal structure, corporate laws, laws to start a new business and the tax regime. Legal dimension of the general environment also affects business activity. The philosophy of the political parties in power influences business practices. The legal environment serves to define what organizations can and cannot do at a particular point in time. The legal environment facing organizations is becoming more complex and affecting businesses more directly. It has become increasingly difficult for businesses to take action without encountering a law, regulation, or legal problem. A very brief listing of significant laws that affect business would include legislation in the areas of consumerism, employee relations, the environment, and competitive practices. Many of the laws also have an associated regulatory agency. Powerful U.S. regulatory agencies include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The 1917 constitution provides for a federal republic with powers separated into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The president is elected by universal adult suffrage for a 6-year term and may not hold office a second time. There is no vice president; in the event of the removal or death of the president, a provisional president is elected by the Congress. The Congress is comprised of a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies. Consecutive re-election are prohibited in this economy. Senators are elected to 6-year terms, and deputies serve 3-year terms. The Senates 128 seats are filled by a mixture of direct-election and proportional representation. Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. Estimates of the cost of compliance vary widely, but could well exceed $100 billion annually. Many of these costs are passed to consumers. However, costs of legal expenses and settlements may not be incurred for years and are not likely to be paid by consumers of the product or owners of the company when the violation occurred. Still, potential legal action often results in higher prices for consumers and a more conservative attitude by business executives. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Environmental section provides information on the countrys performance on environmental indicators and policies.  Mexico have a history of cooperation on environmental and natural resource issues, particularly in the border area, where there are serious environmental problems caused by rapid population growth, urbanization, and industrialization. There have been several studies of the relationships between environmental factors, particularly air pollution, and attacks of asthma. Most of these studies have ignored the potential confounding effects of aeroallergens such as pollens and fungal spores. We report a statistical analysis of the relationships between emergency admissions for asthma to a hospital in Mexico City and daily average airborne concentrations of pollen, fungal spores, air pollutants (O3, NO2, SO2, and particulates) and weather factors. Asthma admissions had a seasonal pattern with more during the wet season (May-October) than the dry season (November-April). There were few statistical associations between asthma admissions and air pollutants for the three age groups studied (children under 15 years, adults, and seniors [adults over 59 years]) in either season. Grass pollen was associated with child and adult admissions for both the wet and dry seasons, and fungal spores were associated with child admissions d uring both the wet and dry seasons. The analysis was done with environmental data averaged over the day of admission and the 2 previous days. Our results suggest that aeroallergens may be statistically associated more strongly with asthma hospital admissions than air pollutants and may act as confounding factors in epidemiologic studies. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR MEXICO USING PORTAR DIAMOND: Factor conditions  are human resources, physical resources, knowledge resources, capital resources and infrastructure. Specialized resources are often specific for an industry and important for its competitiveness. Mexico generates significant revenue from the production of beef, poultry, pork, and dairy products. Although private investment in natural gas transportation, distribution, and storage is permitted, Pemex remains in sole control of natural gas exploration and production. Despite substantial reserves, Mexico is a net natural gas importer. Demand conditions  in the home market can help companies create a competitive advantage, when sophisticated home market buyers pressure firms to innovate faster and to create more advanced products that those of competitors. Technology can change the lifestyle and buying patterns of consumers. Many new developments in technology led to a reduction in prices for computers and expanded the potential market. Lower prices allow computers to be marketed to the general public rather than to business, scientific, and professional users-the initial market. Related and supporting industries  can produce inputs which are important for innovation and internationalization. One of the most recent joint efforts by governments to influence business practices was NAFTA. The agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico was intended to facilitate free trade between the three countries. Firm strategy, structure and rivalry  constitute the fourth determinant of competitiveness. The way in which companies are created, set goals and are managed is important for success. U.S.A. Vs Mexico greatest rivalry in sports. The numerous joint ventures between U.S. and Japanese automobile manufacturers could have been termed anticompetitive by a less pro-business administration. Changing relationships between the United States and other countries may alter the ability of firms to enter foreign markets. The United States establishment of trade relations with China in the 1970s created opportunities for many firms to begin marketing their products in China. The rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power in Iran altered the lives of many Iranian citizens. Wine, vodka, music, and other forms of entertainment were prohibited. Black markets provided certain restricted items. Other products, such as wine, began to be produced at home. Anti-American sentiments throughout the country showed the hostility of many citizens. Non-American firms thus had an opportunity to capitalize on the anti-American sentiments and to provide goods and services formerly provided by U.S. firms. Government  can influence each of the above four determinants of competitiveness. Regulations concerning many business practices differ between states. Tax rates vary widely. Laws regarding unionization (e.g., right-to-work states) and treatment of homosexual workers differ between states. Local governments have the potential to affect business practices significantly. Some local governments may be willing to provide incentives to attract business to the area. Some may build industrial parks, service roads, and provide low-interest bonds to encourage a desirable business to move into the community.

friendship in a separate peace by John Knowles :: essays papers

friendship in a separate peace by John Knowles Finding out who someone really is can be a very difficult thing to do. Knowing who some one is inside and out takes time and dedication. I learned that there are a few key factors when getting to know who some one really is. Character determination of a friend can be based on three things, honesty, trust, conflicts, and how they are resolved . The book a separate peace by John Knowles deals with all of these issues in the case of friendship. You can use these three factors to see how good of a friend a person can be, and determine there true character. All through the fifteen years I’ve lived this life there has always been one redundant term told over and over. Honesty is key, and if your talking about a friendship that ‘s true. If you don’t have honesty you don’t have anything to base your relationship on. Being honest to a good friend should be subconscious, and if it’s not then I wouldn’t consider them a good friend. You shouldn’t have to struggle with a friend to be honest. In a Separate peace Finny is always honest and speaks his mind. Gene on the other hand comes across honest, but you can never really tell. He should not have told Finny that he jostled the limb on purpose if he wasn’t even sure himself. In the movie Dead Poet Society each and every group member was honest to each other, and that’s why they were the best of friends. Also, they learned to think honestly by themselves from their teacher through ways of poetry. Much like how Finny learned hones ty through sportsmanship. Without knowing if Gene is honest or not, Finny and the members of the Dead Poet Society would have made much better friends. These friends where honest, and therefore could trust each other. Trust each other to resolve conflicts and become stronger friends. Conflicts are another way to determine someones true character. When a conflict occurs you can see what they do and how they react to the situation. Like when someone is cornered, and in danger of losing their life. Those animal instincts are a great way to see who some one really is. In a separate peace Gene deals with his conflicts by not talking about them and pushing his feeling down till they are gone.

Literature Poem Analysis Essay

From the way the speaker laments about his brother, we can clearly tell how the both of them have totally contrasting attitudes towards life. Moreover, as flying paper planes were one pastime that both brothers used to share in their childhood, the speaker talks about their paper planes metaphorically, letting us in on the way they each view the world. Being the older brother, the speaker was a doom and gloom pessimist who viewed the world in dismal light. He was constantly harping on how â€Å"there was always homework and a thousand other things† that he could not devote his time to other more meaningful areas, such as spending quality time with his younger brother. He was also too caught up in the fast pace of work, that he forgot to take time and enjoy himself, or to carry himself with some humour and gaiety. As we see from the poem, he remembered his brother for â€Å"dancing to your bubbling laughter’s pace†, something which was not embodied in the speaker himself. The speaker was also rather obdurate on the ways of the world. Living a very mundane routine throughout his lifetime, he has developed rigid ideals and lives in accordance to them. For instance, his pragmatic nature has shaped him into being diligent and discipline, challenging each obstacle that came in his way. However, this monotonous task has made him spiritless, for his thinks his life as unexciting. This can be seen from the degradory ways he describes earth as â€Å"dull† and homework as â€Å"earthbound†.

Lathe Characteristics Essay

The Lathe is the father of all machines tools and is recorded in the early history of many races. As interchangeable manufacturing and mass production principles were developed, it became necessary to create machine tools capable of producing parts in large quantities. This report aims to consider five different â€Å"Types of Lathe† in relation to their manufacturing application, as well as, comparative of important aspects for manufacturing and mass production. It will concentrate on the traditional centre lathe and its development into: production lathes. Definitions, graphs and figures are also included in this report. 1.1.1. – According to the instructions given by Michael Thomas (Module Leader), for â€Å"Manufacturing and Basic Materials† at University of Glamorgan School of Technology, this report has been required and set up as a part of the final assessment. 1.1.2. – The proposal of this report considering five different â€Å"Types of Lathe† in relation to their manufacturing application. 1.1.3. – This report has been assessed and written by Victor Martinez-Perez â€Å"First Year Student of BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering at the University of Glamorgan-Pontypridd, Wales 1.2. -PROCEDURES Research for this report was conducted in two ways: 1.2.1. Research from lecture notes and reference books. 1.2.2. Research on the Internet. 1.3. – TOPICS COVERED This report it will concentrate on the traditional centre lathe and its development into: production lathes, in relation to their manufacturing application. 2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND Man has always tried to find ways of making manual tasks easier and businessman methods to reduce manpower, speed production and lower operating costs. The Lathe is the father of all machines tools and is recorded in the early history of many races, when, equipped with a fixed tool-rest, it was used for woodturning. For its development to the form in which it is known it today, Henry Maudsley (1797) developed the slide rest lathe, allowing people to turn large pieces of metal very quickly and with exact precision. To many people it was regarded as the most important development in the production of machine tools [1]. As interchangeable manufacturing and mass-production principles were developed, it became necessary to create machine tools capable of producing parts in large quantities. Today an Engine Lathe can be defined as a power-driven, general-purpose machine tool used for producing cylindrical work-pieces. As the piece of metal to machine is rotated in the lathe, a single point cutting tool is advanced radially into the workpiece at a specified depth and moved longitudinally along the axis of the workpiece removing metal in the form of chips. By using attachments and accessories other operations may be performed [4]. Lathes are used to produce circular, conical, flat or  sphericall components. [13] Common external lathe processes: facing, straight turning, taper turning, threading. Common internal lathe processes: drilling, boring, internal straight and taper turning, countersinking, counter boring, reaming, tapping and threading The progress in the design of the basic engine lathe and its related machines has been responsible for the development and production of thousands of products we use every day. 3. TYPES OF LATHES, COMPONENTS AND OPERATORS 3.1. CENTRE LATHE The engine lathe is generally used for machining individual parts to the required specifications. Some of the common operations performed on a lathe are: facing, taper turning, parallel turning, thread cutting, knurling, boring, drilling, and reaming. [4] An engine lathe is shown diagrammatically in (Figure-1): it consists of a horizontal bed supporting the headstock, the tailstock and the carriage. All machine tools must have a means of supporting or holding the workpiece. The tailstock can be clamped at various positions along the bed to accommodate workpieces of various lengths. Short workpieces need only be gripped by the chuck. Figure-1 The basic lathe requires a skilled operator and the quality of work produced will depend on his/her care and attention. For production work it is desirable to eliminate the possibility of variation and error, and to this end mechanical stops are often fitted to the carriage to allow accurate return to position and also to disengage power feeds when the required cut  is completed. [4] The capstan lathes are ideal for manufacture of simple and complex turned parts, both from bar and blanks. The blanks can be preturned, forged or cast. 3.2. PRODUCTION LATHES Production Lathes are generally used when a large number of duplicate parts must be produced. Capstan and Turret Lathes, Single-Spindle Automatic Lathes, and the CNC Lathe are the common machines in this group. 3.2.1.Capstan and Turret Lathes Capstan and Turret Lathes are essentially similar in their general arrangement and operation. They differ in many ways from the centre lathes. They are more rigidly constructed, more powerful and have shorter and more rigid beds. There is no compound slide and the tool post is usually a four-way turret mounted directly on the front of the cross slide. The rear of the cross-slide also carries a simple tool post for the parting off tool when working from the bar. An indexing turret replaces the tailstock and it is this turret that carries the majority of the tooling. The tooling is pre-set and the turret can be indexed, or rotated to bring each tool into position, as it is required. 3.2.1.1. The Capstan Lathe is the smaller and most frequently used for bar work fitted with a collet chuck. Its turret is carried on a separate sub-bed that can be clamped at any point along the main bed. The clamping is more rigid and permanent as the sub-bed is only set infrequently. The turret turns automatically from station to station. The turret slide is fitted with adjustable stops, which limit its motion towards the headstock. The operator does not have to carry out any measuring processes but merely feeds the tool into the work until the stop prevents further movement. The tool is then withdrawn manually and the net tool is used. The stop is automatically changed as each new tool is indexed into position. 3.2.1.2. The Turret Lathe is larger and heavier and is used for machining large castings. It is the next development in the provision of a production machine for use by an unskilled operator. The turret lathe is usually fitted with pneumatically or manually operated chucks or special turning fixture to hold the workpiece. The main difference with the capstan lathe is that the turret is mounted on a carriage that slides directly on the main bed of the machine. Indexing is not automatic but is performed manually after unlocking the turret. In this the cross slide is simplified, and provided with a single inverted tool post at the rear and a square indexing turret carrying up to four tools is fitted at the front. A numbered drum of stops is provided for longitudinal and transverse motions. All that is required of the operator is that he/she indexes turret and drum, and moves the carriage to the preset stop. On some turret lathes, as many as 20 different tools can be mounted on a ram or saddle-type turret, and each tool may be rotated into position quickly and accurately. Once the tools have been set, each part is quickly and accurately produced. [8] 3.2.2. CNC Lathe. A computer numerical control (CNC) (figure 2) machine is one of the latest modifications of the basic engine lathe and it is a NC machine with the added feature of an on board computer. Figure 2.- CNC Lathe This lathe controlled by numerical tape is used primarily for tuning operations and can economically and automatically produce shafts of almost any shape. This lathe can outperform most types of lathes and provides savings in tooling, set-up and cycle time. By the term numerical control, we mean that a machine tool can be operated automatically by means of a medium (a paper tape). The tool will do only what it is told to do by the tape that is fed into the machine. But the term computer numerical control (CNC) refers to a computer that is joined to an N/C machine. This makes the machine more versatile because now we can store  information in a memory bank, with retains what is on the N/C tape and repeats it without the tape having to be rewound each time. You can also program a job manually, stop by step, directly on the machine; this is called manual data input. In both cases you can now make a new tape or change what is in the memory bank by making a new tape. This costs more, but the operator now has greater flexibility in producing the part. For example if a tool gets dull you can manually change the feed of the speed of the cutter to maintain a smooth cut. The cutter can therefore cut up to 10 more parts before an operator has to change the tool. This increases the number of parts per tool and reduces the downtime of a machine, which is very profitable. If a company needs to add or delete sections of a part for revisions or updating can do it by pressing two to four buttons. In a CNC lathe the drives of the hand wheels of the conventional lathe have been substituted to allow their control of slide positions by the computer. This opens up the possibility of generating unlimited variety of profiles using continuous positions control of the slides. [3] This can then be extended by the installation of tool turrets under computer control, and a computer controlled turret on longitudinal and transverse slide ways replacing the tailstock. Since provision has no longer to be made for a human operator, the machine can be made more compact and complex. The bed can be redesigned and placed at a slope to allow improved flow of coolant. Driven spindles may be incorporated into the tool turrets, enabling milling and drilling operations to be carried out, and allowing complex parts to be produced complete in one operation. 3.2.3. Single-Spindle Automatic Lathe. This lathe differs from the capstan in that the turret revolves about a horizontal pivot instead of about a vertical axis. It will also possess several radial tool slides used for forming and parting tools. This lathe is particularly popular as a first operation machine fed with bar stock, using a magazine type bar feeder. Produce in small (figures 6 and 7)  and medium quantities. It is designed to turn small parts normally used in cameras, electronic gadgets, spray guns, hydraulic & pneumatic and fittings, cable glands, etc, made out of aluminium, brass or mild steel. These can also produce automobile-related parts, like pistons, rings, valve guides, shafts, ejector pins, etc. Some work examples are shown below. The control of the machining cycle no longer rests with the operator, but is controlled by the machine itself usually by cam-actuated motions. 4. WORK HOLDING AND TOOL SYSTEMS 4.1. WORK HOLDING The chuck is the most common method of work holding. (Figure-8). The chuck has either three or four jaws and is mounted on the end of the main spindle. A three-jaw chuck is used for gripping cylindrical workpieces when the operation to be performed is such, that the machined surface is concentric with the work surfaces. The jaws have a series of teeth that mesh with spiral grooves on a circular plate within the chuck. This plate can be rotated by the key inserted in the square socket, resulting in simultaneous radial motion of the jaws. Since the jaws maintain an equal distance from the chuck axis, cylindrical workpieces are automatically centred when gripped. With the four-jaw chuck, each jaw can be adjusted independently by rotating the radially mounted threads screws. Although accurate mounting of a workpiece can be quite time consuming, a four-jaw chuck is often necessary for non-cylindrical workpieces. For very complicated shapes a circular faceplate can be used. The faceplate has radial slots that provide a means of bolting the workpiece to the faceplate. For small lathes for work on material provided in bar form, collets are often used. These collets are effectively split sleeves that fit snugly over the  workpiece and have a taper on their outer surface. Drawing the collet into a matching tapered hole in the end of the spindle has the effect of squeezing the collet and gripping the workpiece. For accurate turning operation or in cases where the work surface is not exactly cylindrical, the workpiece can be turned between centres. (Figure-9). Initially the workpiece has a conical centre hole drilled at each en to provide location for the lathe centres. Before supporting the workpiece between the centres (one in the headstock and one in the tailstock), a dog (a clamping device) is secured at the headstock end. The dog is arranged so that the tip is inserted in a slot in the drive plate mounted on the main spindle, ensuring that the workpiece will rotate with the spindle. [11] In the collet chuck, there is a spring collet split at its front end. The work is first clamped by making the collet close upon the workpiece by means of a nut. Face plates are used for irregular shapes. A faceplate has radially place slots, which allow the workpiece to be clamped to it by means of bolts Although similar forms of work holding are used as for traditional machines they are automated and may have locating systems incorporated into them. Automation of chuck closure can be achieved by mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic actuation. 4.2. TOOL HOLDING It is often the case that the most difficult stage in manufacturing a product is working out how to hold a billet of material while it is machined. The tool must not foul the working holding system. The work holding system must not get in the way of the machining operations. [6] Lathe cutting tools are generally held by two methods:  · In tool holders, which provide rigidity when holding the cutting tool.  · In tool posts: which provide a means of holding either a toolholder or a cutting tool Standard The toolpost usually supplied with a centre lathe is the standard or round type (Figure-10). This toolpost, which fits into the T-slot of the compounds rest, provides a means of holding and adjusting a toolholder or a cutting tool. A concave ring and wedge provide a means of adjusting the cutting tool height. Turret type or four-way toolpost Turret type or four way tool post (Figure-11) are designed to hold four cutting tools, which can be easily indexed for use as requires, Several operations, such as tuning, grooving, threading, and parting may be performed on a workpiece by loosening the locking handle and rotating the holder until the desired tool bit is in the cutting position. This reduces the set-up time for various too/bits, and thus increasing production. Quick-change tool holder These are made in different styles to accommodate different types of cutting tools. Each holder is dovetailed (Figure-12) and fits on a dovetailed toolpost, which is mounted on the compound rest. The tool is held in position by a set of screws. After a tool becomes dull, the holder and the tool may be replaced with another preset unit. This is useful where many parts of one size are being machined since the cutting point on the toolbit, having been preset in the tool room, is in exactly the same position as the tool it replaces. Each toolholder fits onto the dovetail on the toolpost and is locked in position by means of a clamp. A knurled nut on each holder provides vertical adjustment. The main difference between traditional tool holding and CNC tool holding is the use of presetting. This can be achieved in a number of ways such as tooling held in locatable tool holder, Block tooling and changeable tool/tip elements. Tool presetting systems use special presetting fixtures of possible co-ordinate measuring systems. Once the tool has been mounted into the turret proving systems can be used to account for small inaccuracies in setting in addition to tool wear. 5. THE SETTING UP AND/OR PROGRAMMING OF THE LATHE The best lathe in the world is going to function poorly unless it’s correctly set up in the first instance. Even a new lathe will not cut parallel unless it’s levelled properly, and the surface finish that can be achieved will be much improved by reducing vibrations transmitted to the work and tool from the motor and lathe gearing. As well if the lathe has been installed for some considerable time it’s worth going through the test procedures to check its alignment. None of the procedures involved are particularly complex, and it doesn’t require expensive tools to get a good end result The process of setting the lathe up is a logical one, and the first step is to check that the foundation is as level as you can possibly get it. Secondly correct twist in the bed is a simple matter of adjusting the jacking screws on the raising blocks, or by placing shims beneath the feet of the lathe – such adjustments being carried out at the tailstock end. Setting Up cutting tool The cutting tool must be set up at he correct height. If it is set too high then the tool will rub against the workpiece, generating heat and a poor surface finish and blunting the cutting tool edge. If the cutting tool is set too low then the workpiece will be pulled over the top of the cutting  tool and will damage the cutting tool or pull the workpiece from the chunk. The severity of the problem will be determined by the forces involved, which are related to the height above or below the workpiece centre and the materials, feed rate, cutting speed and depth of cut that are involved. The cutting tool must also be held tightly in the tool-post, using all available clamping screws. The cutting tool should not extend further than is necessary from the tool-post, as this increases the risk of vibration, resulting in damage to the cuttings tool and poor surface finish and tolerance. CAD/CAM links The wide use of CAD systems has led to major developments in the generation of CNC programs. The computer â€Å"knows† de geometry that the designer has defined. It stores the values of the equations of the lines and circles, etc in its memory. This means that the geometry can be transferred to the CAM program which adjusts the sizes produced by the designer to produce a new set of geometry to define the cuter path needed to make the part. Someone thus has to define which cutter; feed rate and spindle speed will be used. These are technology decisions usually made by the manufacturing engineer how has to take into consideration the strength of the workpiece material, the clamping and the amount of material to be removed. It is now a usual practice to download the geometry specified by the designer and then to process this into a machining program. This can save considerable amount of time and also prevents errors that the programmer can make when doing calculations and retype the dimensions into the computer. It does also place the responsibility for the product shape upon the designer. The drawing must be free of errors, as it will be followed faithfully by the CAM system. Unfortunately the machine tool builders have not agreed a universal standard for the machine language. This forces companies to use post processors to translate from the ISO CL file CAM output, into the particular machine tool language. Similarly CAD systems have their own individual formats and the International Graphic Exchange Standard has been established to enable companies to exchange CAD information across different systems. A widespread of this is used by Auto CAD, DXF format and most CAM systems will accept a DXF or IGES files as an input. [10] Editing facilities enhances the utilisation of the machine considerable as programmes may be copied to enable several parts to be made from one piece of material and kits of parts may be made at one setting on the machine. 6. THE MEASURING GAUGING SYSTEM Thanks to the advances in technology, machines have been developed which are capable of producing workpieces to extremely fine tolerances. As a result, measuring tools and equipment had to be upgraded to measure the closer tolerances accurately. The need for accurate measurement was necessary because of interchangeable manufacture, where parts produced in one part may be assembled with parts from another plant or even another country. [12] Using a centre a thorough the inspection is a must although accuracy of the workpiece required would determine the type of measuring tools which should be used. [4] A hook rule is very convenient for measuring the size of a workpiece. Inside callipers will be used to measure the diameter of holes or the width of key ways and slots and then will be transferred to a micrometer. A micrometer may be used to measure the shaft of the work in a machine. Vernier callipers are used to measure with precision. Plug gauges are also used to measured holes. Dial indicators are used to check the alignment of machine tools, fixtures and work pieces prior to machining 7. ECONOMIC ASPECTS In any engineering operation, the economics of cost of operation plays a vital role in determining the rate or speed of operation. If we cut the unwanted material at a very slow speed, the completion time of the operation would increase. And with it the cost of labour, the cost of machine operation, and the overhead costs and make the operation costlier. If the same operation were done at very high speed, the wear of cutting tool would be accelerated. The operator will have to change the tool more often and, consequently will have to regrind the tool and reset it on the machine more frequently. Thus will increase the tool cost, the tool resetting cost and machine down-time. The effect of speed on various costs is illustrated in (Figure-13), which shows that only at some particular speed the operation is most economical. [9] The approach to automation depends heavily on the volume of production. Usually three categories are used in describing the volume of production: mass production involving more than 1 million components per year, large-batch production and small batch-production less than a few hundred in each production run. A numerically controlled machine where the operator is replaced by feedback control equipment, containing the various instructions are generally economical for the machining of those medium components that are required in small batches and that do not need a wide variety of machining operations using different tool systems and different positions of the workpiece. Complex components are expensive because they have considerable material value and generally require a large amount of machining. For this components the most economical is to choose a machine where in a variety of machining functions are integrated. For instance the ASS. Mr. After Debarr [12] compared manufacturing costs for various systems quantitatively. This comparison is presented in (Figure-14) and shows how  the choice of systems depends to a large extent on batch size. It is clear that manual systems are only justified for the smallest batches and that numerical control is likely to be economic for a wide range of small and medium batch production. Accuracy and surface finish must to be taken into consideration as well when costs are concerned and is therefore necessary to take into account the function intended for the machined surface. The specification of too-close tolerances or too-smooth surfaces is of the major ways a designer can add unnecessary costs. As a guide to de difficulty of machining to within required tolerances it can be stated as:  · Tolerances from 0.127 to 0.25 mm are readily obtained.  · Tolerances from 0.025 to 0.05 mm are slightly more difficult to obtain and will increase production costs.  · Tolerances 0.0127 mm or greater require good equipment and skilled operators and will add significantly to production costs. Even when the surface can be finished on the one machine, a smoother surface requirement will mean increased costs. The typical surface roughness obtained in turning is between 6.3 to 2.5 à ¬m. The machining time and hence the machining cost is inversely proportional to the square root of the surface finish. (Figure-15), shows the relationship between production cost and surface finish for a typical turning operation. 8. REFERENCES [1]Titlt Hammer – Steel City Founders http://tilthammer.com/bio/maud.htm [2] http://www.the-land-rover.com/WeldShop/MasterMachinist/Ch7.htm [3] J. V. Valentino and Joseph Goldenberg. Introduction to Computer Numerical Control (CNC). Third Edition. Pearson Education. [4] James Anderson and Earl E. Tatro. Shop Theory. Sixth edition. McGraw-Hill 1974 [5] http://www.welsoft.co.uk/machmill/hs410.htm [6] H Burghardt, A Axelrod & J Anderson, Machine Tool Operation, Part 1, ED McGraw Hill Book Company, 5th Edition [7] G. Sekhon & B Juneja, Fundamentals Of Metal Cutting and Machine Tools, Ed John Wiley & Sons, Chichester 1987 [8] Krar, Oswald & St. Amand Machine Tool Operations, McGraw Hill, Inc. 1985 [9] A J Lissaman & S J Martin Principles of Engineering Manufacture, Ed Arnold, London 1996 [10] R Rapello, Essentials of Numerical Control, Ed Prentice Hall, New Jersey 1986 [11] G Boothroyd, Fundamentals of Metal Machining and Machine Tools, International Edition Ed. McGraw Hill Company, Singapore 1987 [12] R L Timings, Manufacturing Technology, Level 2, 2nd Edition. Ed Logman Technician Series, London 1984