During The 1980s, Japan Had One Of The Most Profitable And Efficient

During the 1980's, Japan had one of the most profitable and efficient economies in the world. But a recent recession has forced Japan to make changes and pushed them back, out of the realm of being an economic superpower. This leaves just one question; when analyzing Japan's strengths and weakness, is it likely for them to return to the economic status they enjoyed during the 1980's? The answer is no. Because of Japanese false illusions, increasing national debt and deflation, combined with other factors, it is unlikely that Japan will be able to make a full recovery. When analyzing something as complex as a country suffering from a national recession, it is important to note their various strengths. During the 1980's, Japan exploded onto the global economic scene. The Japanese established themselves among the ranks of the United States and various European powers. One of the greatest strengths enjoyed by Japan is the absence of any military institution. After World War II, the United States, in congruence with the other allied powers, declared that Japan was no longer to have a national military. Just think about that, military expenses account for a great portion of any countries national budget. Japan, now without military, had large amounts of money freed up by this policy (Nishiyama, 2). They no longer had to endure the expenses of maintaining any standing military, nor did they have to invest money in keeping pace with military technological advancements. Instead, Japan was promised military assistance by the United States, if any situation were to arise. With more money available to the Japanese government, they were able to distribute more to other sectors of the country. This was an extreme boost for the economic situation of Japan and their citizens (Nishiyama, 2). But as time moved on, the United States slowly moved to lessen it's role in the protection of Japan. They allowed Japan to form what is called Self Defense Forces, and gradually began to transfer the responsibility of national security back to the Japanese (Alexander, 3). The concept of Self Defense Forces is pretty evident. It means that Japan is know capable of defending themselves against attack, but cannot make an attack of their own. This has placed a burden on Japan, one that they have not had since the conclusion of World War II. This can be compared to an individual that has worked for the last 50 or so years for the same wages, and then suddenly he is informed of a large expense that he would have to endure, using only his previous wages. This is what Japan had to deal with, and is still trying to deal with today. Probably the most important strength of the Japanese economy is their relation both economically and politically with the United States. The United States, for one thing, has been one of the most prominent importers of Japanese products (Motohiro, 1). The United States rely on a number of Japanese goods, ranging from automobiles to electronics. Japan, being the small country that it is, needs to export a majority of its domestically produced goods. The United States satisfies this need through their dependence on Japanese goods and by imposing minimal tariffs and taxes on Japanese products (Motohiro, 1). The United States has been a stable and reliable market for Japanese goods. Before Japan feel into deep recession in the early 1990's, Japan was often relied upon to keep the global economy intact (Yomiuri Shimbun, 1). But in recent years, Japan has not been able to contribute at the same levels as it had in prior years. Presently, the United States has shouldered the weight of the global economy, providing relief to Japan during their own personal downward turn (Yomiuri Shimbun, 1). What is meant by relief is the United States contributing more to the Global economy, so that Japan doesn't have to maintain its previous contributions. The United States realized that if Japan had continued its immense role in the global economy, it would have eventually meant the overall demise of Japan's national economy (Yomiuri Shimbun, 1). With the United States taking on this extra burden, they are allowing Japan to attempt to rebuild their own economic system, without any

Immagration and pollution essays

Immagration and pollution essays The Effects of Population Growths on the Environment With world population skyrocketing, where is man-kind headed? The current world population is over six billion with the United States population alone numbering over 264 million. Studies on population growths project that by the year 2050 A.D., the U.S. will need to find room for more than 520 million people, almost doubling the current population. How will the environment and the human race itself be affected by this (Jackson 27)? First, we as inhabitants, need to know what we are doing to this place we call home, Earth. The consequences to the United States wild lands and all their resources would be overwhelming if the population saw those kinds of staggering numbers. A striking illustration is the national park system: since 1940, the U.S. population has doubled, but park visitation has increased sixteen times. A population increase that measured only half as great as the last fifty years would devastate these areas, diminishing the quality of visitors experience and reducing resources to unsustainable levels (Jackson 30). Recently it was found that MTBE (a gasoline additive that makes engines cleaner-burning, but may also cause cancer in humans) could be leaking into as many as 9,000 community water wells in 31 states from underground storage tanks. This chemical was first added to gas over 20 years ago to enhance octane and later in much larger amounts to help cut down on air pollution. Lately though, the foul-tasting and smelling oxygenate has been found in ground water all over the United States. John Zogorski, a scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey said, Very large amounts of MTBE have been used in gasoline during the past 20 years and perhaps 250,000 gallons leaking from underground storage tanks have contained MTBE (Times 1). The drinking water isnt all man has to worry about; what about the water that falls from the sky in...

GRAMMAR PROJECT 3 - designing a variety of materials that focus Research Paper - 2

GRAMMAR PROJECT 3 - designing a variety of materials that focus learners' attention on and practice a specific grammar point. (passive voice) - Research Paper Example When it is our turn to communicate, the search for the right words to express our meaning can be intensely frustrating. Grammar of a language can be defined as a model, a systematic description of those linguistic abilities of the native speaker of a language, which enables him to speak and understand his language fluently. The linguistic abilities are the competence of the speaker which subsumes semantic, syntactic and phonological abilities. Language is studied as an internalized system that is the product of human mind. The ultimate goal is to exercise the nature of the internalized linguistic system which enables humans to speak and understand the native language. Grammatical terms are meant to simplify communication among specialists, to classify words and group of words in ways that make understanding grammar easier. Central to the study of grammar is grammar point, which is a term that refers to the pivotal elements of grammar. This includes Nouns, Articles, Quantifiers, Relative, clauses, Gerunds and Infinitives Passive (Azar, 2005; pp 78). The point of focus is passive voice, which is charac terized by the structure of sentence with respect to subject, object and verb relationship. Passive voice finds a lot of applications in the current communication context, hence the need for mastery. This material presents a design for of materials that focus learners attention on passive voice. In this project, sixteen students between ages 9 and 11 will be taught. The language level is intermediate since they have passed the beginners level of introduction to English vocabulary. For these children, learning English grammar will involve constructing sentences from active to passive voice. The terms involved in passivization will not only help them understand how English works but also explain the details of English grammar considering the various constituents or elements that makes up sentences in English. The prerequisite of this lesson is mastery

Microbiology Bioremediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Microbiology Bioremediation - Essay Example [1] There are a number of cost/efficiency advantages to bioremediation, which can be employed in areas that are inaccessible without excavation. [1] Like hydrocarbon spills or oil spills (specifically, petrol spills) or certain chlorinated solvents may contaminate groundwater, and introducing the appropriate electron acceptor or electron donor amendment, as appropriate, may significantly reduce contaminant concentrations after a lag time allowing for acclimation. [1] An oil spill is the unintentional release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment as a result of human activity. [2] After a spill, hydrocarbons are subjected to physicochemical processes such as evaporation or photochemical oxidation which produce changes in oil composition. But the most important process acting on the spilled oil is biodegradation. [3] There are several ways to clean-up an oil spill in the given scenario and in situ treatment. Microbial Biodegradation through Methanogenesis, using the glycolysis pathway is one way. Bioremediation and Biotransformation methods endeavor to harness the astonishing, naturally occurring, microbial catabolic diversity to degrade, transform or accumulate a huge range of compounds including hydrocarbons such as oil. [1] Bacteria are minute unicellular microorganism, the smallest one having all the necessary protoplasmic equipment for growth and self-multiplication at the expense of available food stuff (Smith,1980) such as hydrocarbon fuel. Every bacterium is covered with a cell membrane known as the plasma membrane which separates it from the cytoplasm of the bacterial cell. Composed of phospholipids and proteins, the plasma membrane is the site of important enzyme systems, including the respiratory enzyme systems or cytochrome enzymes (Smith,1980). In regulating the passage of food materials, like oil, and metabolic by-products between the interior of the cell (where metabolic activities are carried on) and the

Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream Speech Essay

Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream Speech - Essay Example It was a primordial cry of pain, a primitive urge to be released from bondage - which materialized in the moving words and sonorous sentences that found utterance in a relatively unknown pastor more than forty years ago, on 28th August 1963, at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC: This is not a cleverly crafted political speech, but in many ways the unrestrained outpouring of the "hope that springs eternal in human breast." It does not have a subtlety in it that needs to be analyzed by the scholars, but it has a sublimity that can be felt by every person who has a longing heart. No true poem, or any profound work of art can be subject to analysis as such; Martin Luther King's electrifying speech falls into their category. It was an expression of creativity, pure and simple; in fact, more specifiacally, it is an outcome of a very intriguing concept that King alludes to in his speech: creative suffering. Suffering transfixes the human mind. We must have all experienced it. A sharp thorn pierces our foot, and at that very instant, the whole structure of our mind, indeed our very notion of ourselves, evaporates into thin air even if only for a split second. That space of emptiness can at times be very conducive to creative perception. It is a space that can also come into existence inside a human being by virtue of sheer empathy; a feeling for the suffering of our fellow people. This is the space from which Jesus acted and spoke, this is the space within the soul that compelled Martin Luther King too to embark on a mission to liberate the black people. Though no one generally associates creativity with Jesus Christ, his life was indeed an expression of a deep creative force. So was the life of Martin Luther King. Jesus' life was a representation and response to the suffering of humankind. Martin Luther King's life was too, in its own way. I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest - quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. From the anguish and agony of the human soul is born the wellspring of creativity that seeks to take life to a new level of freedom and fulfillment.

The functional conflicts in an Organisation

The functional conflicts in an Organisation The term conflict has grown to become a very imperative word in Organisations and in everyday human life. Thomas (1976) proclaimed that conflict has become a popular management topic. This statement is further strengthened with the amount of research carried out on the subject matter as well as books, articles and journals published on conflict. Conflict refers to events ranging from inner turmoil produced by competing needs or desires to open violence between entire societies (Greenberg Baron 1995). Conflict is that process that begins when one party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect something the first party cares about (Buchanan Huczynski 2007). Conflict in the organisation is defined as the overt struggle between 2 or more people or groups in an organisation. It is usually centered on a state or condition that favours an individual over the other or a group over the other (Hatch 1997). Oceanic Bank Intl (OBI) stands out amongst our banks in Nigeria because of its excellent service delivery culture and that, has earned the bank a top 5 overall ranking in the Nigerian Banking industry. Conflict between Marketing and Operations Service departments is a common phenomenon in the Nigerian banking industry. This analysis will look at the view of various theorists on conflict and relate the Functional Theory to the OBI experience. In describing the OBI experience, we will analyse the HAND of management and demonstrate how functional conflict in OBI resulted in creative problem solving following proper management and increased innovation to seek solution to problems. Furthermore, the analysis actually will show that conflict in the organisation is positive and can be used to improve on service delivery, relationship management and ultimately organisational goals (Feldman Arnold 1983). Conclusively, emphasis on implementation and monitoring of Functional conflict will be suggested. CONFLICT Views and Theories Theorists all over, have different views on conflict. There is a school of thought that views it as Dysfunctional; saying that it is negative in the Organisation and a sign of incomplete social structure. They propose that taskforces, committees and liaison roles are ways to manage and respond to conflict in the organization (Hatch 1997). Another group of theorist view conflict as neutral, saying that it is negative to organizational goals but it is however inevitable and that it is a part of the organization. Pondy (1967), says that conflict as neutral may be regarded as negative and dysfunctional but as a neutral condition, its unavoidable and should be accepted. A more recent set of theorists view conflict as Functional and that it supports organisational goals and objectives. This view was promoted by the realisation that conflict can stimulate innovation and adaptability in the Organization. This view of conflict challenged the assumption that organisations are or should be co-operative systems (Hatch 1997). This theory of Functional conflict can be traced to Chester Barnard. Merits and Demerit Conflict in the Organization could degenerate and affect how the conflicting groups or individuals relate, perceive and behave towards each other. It can induce a win-lose orientation (Filley 1997; Mac Callun et all 1985). This Win-Lose orientation can de-motivate employees and of course affect performance. Rifts between employees or departments within an organisation if not promptly or properly managed could also lead to loss of quality employees. The negative effects may translate to poor performance of the organization. Though conflict has several demerits including de-motivation and employee turnover, if properly managed, can help create arousal among employees, energize and mobilize them to become more aware of their job functions and expectations from management. It can also help increase and develop innovative solution. Hall (1971) suggests that when properly managed, conflict may not only increase the innovation to seek solution to problems, it can often result in more creative solutions to problem solving. It is in such situations that conflict will be viewed as Functional. The growing complexity in Organisations has provided increased empirical support for a positive relationship between conflict and group performance (Bourgeois 1980), organisational learning (Fiol 1994) and high quality decision making in the Organization (Schwenk and Valacich 1994). The competitive orientation that comes with Functional conflict can institute an employee audit system, increase in productivity and quality of output and customer satisfaction as can be seen in my experience working with OBI in Lagos, Nigeria. THE OCEANIC BANK INTL (OBI) EXPERIENCE. Service Quality Gaps OBI is one of top 5 banks in Nigeria with a strong brand name that is based on its excellent service delivery culture and prompt response to customer request. Over the years, the very factors that built the strong brand name were on the decline. Service and Operations department with the back-end responsibility of delivering prompt service and delighting the customer and Marketing department with the responsibility of managing the relationship between customers and the bank as well as responding to customer requests promptly, both lost focus and developing a nonchalant attitude towards their job functions. They believed that the strong brand name of the Organisation would continually attract the customers irrespective of the quality of service and the sort of relationship that existed between the organisation and the customers. There were numerous complaints from customers bordering on basic service issues and relationship gaps; the prompt cheque confirmation process had been ignored, and relationship officers had become too lazy to upload customers confirmation online for cash officers to view bank-wide, a requisite for cheque payment. This resulted in customers having to waiting up to 30 minutes or more to get their third party cheques paid, even when the account holder had called in advance to confirm such cheques to the relationship officers. There were also cases in which the relationship officers had uploaded the customers cheque confirmation online as is required but rather than the service officer check the online mandate, but decided to call the relationship officer who could not be reached because he was in a meeting; this again resulted in delayed payment to the customer. A third scenario also experienced were customers inability to operate their accounts because they had not been issued cheque b ooks 4 weeks after account opening and fulfillment of all requirements. The service and relationship issues were countless and the result, dissatisfied customers. Resultant Conflict While relationship officers took the flak for the lapses of the operations department for failure to provide back-end support, the cash officers also took the flak for the laxity of relationship officers. This resulted in rifts between both departments; an illustration of (Buchanan Huczynski 2007) definition of conflict in (1) above. Effect on Corporate Performance Organizational goals were not being met, the profit had significantly declined following a decline in business volume as frustrated customers had moved to competition. The HAND of Management Following the stimulation of conflict and its resultant dwindling financial results, management came up with several policies to realign the focus of employees toward excellent customer service and dependable relationship management. The polices included improving the service time allocated to a transaction; completion of service excellence forms by customers after each transaction in the banking hall; daily relationship reports used to track marketing staff and their relationship with customers. The most significant and most effective strategy was the use of employees to appraise employees in their various units as well as outside their units. Employees were made to escalate to the highest level, service and relationship gaps noticed in the course of service to the customer. If an employee had to deliver quality service to a customer, and encountered challenges due to the negligence or irresponsibility of another employee, irrespective of the department of the employee involved, the erring employee was instantly reported to the task force and immediate action was taken against that employee. This policy was very effectively managed, monitored and the integrity of this reports and escalations were very well verified. The policy was priority to management and this was emphasised when an executive director was drafted to head the task force. He got a day-by-day heads up on the activities of the taskforce and he reported directly and made recommendations as regards disciplinary measures to the CEO. The effect and indeed benefits of this stimulated Functional conflict led to an astronomical increase in the volume of business; the feedback from customers on relationship management was indeed very satisfying and the profit margin grew immensely. The organization began to achieve its general goals once again, and management was happy with the positive results CONCLUSION. This review tried to capture how existing conflict can become Functional forcing organisations to innovatively seek solutions to problems leading to a boost in performance through improved customer service, profit and achievement of organizational goals using Oceanic Bank Intl Plc as reference. It also showed that Functional conflict required proper and effective implementation and monitoring to achieve desired result. The use of a taskforce, intra and inter-departmental appraisals and customer feedback mechanism worked well for OBI. Though conflict may exist with negative effects as opined by Hatch (1997) and Pondy (1967), management can make it favourable by initiating competition. Service level agreements should be agreed between departments with KPIs to which rewards and penalties are attached. SLAs should also cover escalations and to what levels. Beyond reports from customers, intra and inter-departmental appraisals and mystery shoppers can also be introduced as part of the feedback mechanism.

Technology And Your Right To Privacy :: essays research papers

Technology and the invasion of privacy and its effects onthe criminal justice system over the last 100 years Will searching the internet for more than 5 hours on this topic I found a quote that is very appropriate it says; Subtler and more far-reaching means of invading privacy have become available to the government. Discovery and invention have made it possible for the government, by means far more effective than stretching upon the rack, to obtain disclosure in court of what is whispered in the closet. US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandies, 1928 If Justice Brandeis could see the advances in technology, he would realize just how prophetic his statement is. He would also be appalled by the new surveillance technologies that go far beyond his wildest dreams. Now that the cold war is over, bureaucracy has little do but track us from the cradle to the grave, from your bank accounts to the bedroom. Several of the technologies created by the defense dept. have begun to creep into law enforcement, various civilian agencies and private companies. The laws on the books are old in comparison and unable to protect us from violation of our rights. I the old west there was no system to keep track of criminals. If someone was wanted he picture was posted with a reward. If convicted he was sentenced to what the judge felt was appropriate. In the early 60's surveillance and tracking was a slow tidious process of manual and/or clerical work. To trace a person's activities you had to physically follow them, or search through volumes of card files. It was necessary to contact every one your suspect came in contact with. to learn his habits. Electronic surveillance was on a one to one basis if your dept was lucky enough to have it. As an example, it took 500,000 east German secret informers and 10,000 transcribers just to listen in on it's citizens conversations. Computers capable of storing large amounts of data have revolutionized the world of surveillance. The law enforcement benefits are enormous, and government bureaucracies have been able to expand their reach and efficiency. Will technology was expanding private business was also researching it's uses. Huge companies offering credit cards, telephone service, banking and many other consumer services began to use computers with massive storage capacity. In this day and age information on every person in the developed world is computerized and stored in several if not hundreds of computers. Your information is collected, analyzed and disseminated to..... With computer net works, the net and links, it is possible now to track everyone with a single identification number, your social security number. With your specific identifier everything about you can be instantly available. Because medical, dental, financial and general information is stored in the data