Planning for the Chevy Volt Essay Example for Free

Planning for the Chevy Volt Essay Question 1 The nature of strategic decision making at a large complex organization like GM appears to be done without having a thorough plan outlay to the planning groups or the business development unit within the company. There were several areas that put the company into the situation of making inappropriate strategic decision. The project was initially proposed by top two managements. Due to lack of thorough analysis and plan, they could not convince other managers in order to pursue this Chevy Volt project. This implied the missing link of strategic leadership that should have been a transformational force. In addition, the shareholder’s wealth creation had not been properly addressed and the well-defined business plan had not been emphasized and communicated when decisions were made. This implied that the management’s responsibility and expertise were all taken for granted that put the company in the threshold of a gamble betting on the success of this project. The accountability of management was disappeared. Question 2 The external environment trends that favor this project were the rising oil price, economic slowdown that made people to be more cautious about spending, the falling costs of manufacturing lithium ion batteries that help make the car price become more affordable, and global warming concern together with going-green concept. The Chevy Volt project could help promote the CSR of GM, which is favorable to the image and brand. These trends had signified that the external environment had been changed. As a green concept car, the Chevy Volt makes a point as far as cost saving for users goes in context of rising oil prices. However, what is crucial also can be exemplified in context of sustainable development process that the Chevy Volt can impact. Limiting carbon gas emission in the backdrop of global warming and greenhouse effect can significantly present a wider socio-economic relevancy and impact. Question 3 Cost is the most critical hurdle in pursuing with Chevy Volt. The cost factor is unfavorable given that GM had already invested substantial capital for the development of lithium ion batteries. The relevant cause for that could be observed from top management who were skeptical of Chevy Volt project. When the EV1 hybrid model, a green concept electric car running on conventional fuel cell, was introduced by the company way back in the 1990s and did not succeed, such model was a crucial loss in term of resource and brand image. In addition, the missing link among the strategy planning, formulation and lifecycles were also another internal obstacle unfavorable for pursuing the Chevy Volt project. Question 4.a The strategic plans are based on how well the company analyzes the existing market situation, competitors and the market trend. The external environment analysis such as the macro and micro-economic factors should also be emphasized and properly addressed. The economic theory of demand and supply should also be brought in contention when making the decision and planning the strategy. The plan should be flexible enough to reflect the dynamic business environment when the revision and amendment to the strategic plan are necessary for business to gain competitive advantages over the competitors in a timely manner. Question 4.b The Chevy Volt project strategic plan was based on assuming that oil prices would continue in rising trends which could then be able to market the company’s electric car model and generate profitability. Thus, falling oil prices could negatively affect the potential success of Chevy Volt. Question 4.c When supply is relatively limited, while the demand can increase once the global economy recovers, it would be difficult for oil prices to remain low in the future. Rising oil prices demonstrates the typical economic basis of the law of demand, in which the price depends on the market equilibrium for a product. In addition, there are no substitute product as far as fuel goes. There is still no other alternative energy or technology that can match or surpass the oil in all aspects. Question 5: What will it take for the Chevy Volt to be a successful car? For the success of the Chevy Volt project, effective marketing strategy has to be formulated. Marketing aspects should capitalize on the internal and external forces that influence the products within the industry and against its rival for the competitive factors. As the Chevy Volt is a high-tech car, the external analysis from operational and business perspective should focus on the competitive structure of the industry and factors; such as, innovations, socio-economic and environmental impact that defines value added product and the opportunistic cost that comes with it. Thus, innovation in the development process of the car should be fostered as one factor to benchmark against competitors in the industry, which is critical for success for a profitable outcome and goals achievements. Part of it also should focus on the strategic marketing aspects that give the car and its salient feature to reach the people through advertisement and awareness created in that regard are interrelated and need to be present for the Chevy Volt to be a successful car. Last but not least is the price and related costs of Chevy Volt. The price must be affordable for target group of GM’s customers in order to boost the demand and achieve cost advantage over competitors in term of economies of scale, and the related maintenance cost and useful life of lithium ion battery must be reasonable enough to be able to convince target consumers to purchase the car. It is also suggested that the strategic plan has taken into account of effect of the capitalization on the capability and expertise the company has; effective strategic management of operational process and procedures; top management involvement, responsibility and accountability; collaborative approaches to leadership; cultural and structural upgrade of the corporate echelon and strategic management panel and process; careful analysis of the opportunities and threat; and the facilitation of a dynamic leadership culture. Question 5: How risky is this venture for GM? Launching this project is very risky for GM as it involved significant resources, time and capital investment. Given that GM has already exposed to potential bankruptcy, the success of Chevy Volt will be one of the critical factors affecting the possibility of GM to diminish the bankruptcy risk and boost the future cash flows. Question 5: What are the costs of failure? The cost of failure as far as Chevy Volt car concerns is huge and tremendous. Less involvement from the managers also brought to fore the cost and its effect to directly hit the company that brought it to the stage of total shutdown of its operations. Since the company has already been in the situation of potential bankruptcy, the Chevy Volt project that failed to impact the company strategic goals and its achievements posed the total effect of bankruptcy of GM and huge economic consequences as an aftermath, because the company is already on the process of huge public debt facilitated by the government to save itself from bankruptcy. Question 5: What are the costs of not pursuing the project? There are substantial costs and adverse impacts as far as Chevy Volt project concerns when it is not pursued at all. Example costs are the huge opportunistic cost lost in between; operational and business capability that went for a toss; marketing research that has not been capitalized effectively and efficiently for result outcome; change factor and organizational learning experience; cost factors in term of direct financial investments to investors, and stakeholders; resource accumulation; brand image and identity; corporation competencies that have not been capitalized; sustainable development plans; CSR; exposure to bankruptcy risk; and economic consequences.

Code Of Hummurabi :: Hummurabi Code of Law

History is the past, which for the most part can not be scientificately proven. The real; goal of History is to rediscover past. A dramatic error happens when past is rediscovered from our own bias that is from the way we see it. Even certain artifacts and works pf literature that we have left from earlier civilizations can be interpreted in several different ways, or misinterpreted to a certain extend or entirely. Usually interpretation or even misinterpretation is affected bu the concept of ethnocentrism, where different communities have an already set up establishment of certain norms based on their own believes, traditions, social, legislative, and personal values and ethics from which they judge other foreign communities. When considering other societies, it is usually a difficult task to view â€Å"other world† without any observer prejudices. Each world, our and their can evoke its own realities that are more or less comparable from one period to another, or from one cu lture to another. One of the obvious misinterpretations, discussed in this paper, took place considering historical document written by king of Mesopotamia. Our textbook, Arts and Culture,(p 98) presents Hammurabi’s Code as a â€Å"Law Code† of king Hammurabi. It was, in turn something quite different from a Code of Laws existing in our judicial and legislative structure of government and society. Hammurabi’s Code- â€Å"A law Code† or a set of royal decisions As written in Mesopotamia: The Mighty Kings, (p26), the code consists if 282 laws that are branched at the beginning and end by a prologue and epilogue. The â€Å"Code† touches almost every aspect of everyday life in Babylonya. As the prologue states, the laws were supposedly written â€Å"to promote the welfare of the people,†¦to cause just to prevail in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil, that the strong might not oppress the weak† ( The Human Record, p 12). Furthermor e, just like a real Law Code, each â€Å"law† is written in the form of conditional sentence: in which the phrase is introduced by a certain condition, â€Å"if† and the consequence follows â€Å"then†. Another fact makes Hammurabi’s â€Å"Code† so similar to the U.S. Constitutional Law Code is that it follows specific order, consisting of separate â€Å"chapters† associated with similar issues. For instance;† The Administration of Justice† â€Å"chapter† is followed by â€Å"Felons and Victums†, which is in turn followed by â€Å"chapter† that talks about â€Å"Property† issues.

Personal Identity and Mind Essay

From the Latin word â€Å"duo†, or two, dualism seeks to explain the relationship between the mind and body. Put simply, it purports that mind and body are categorically distinct and separate from each other and, thus, can not be reduced to each other in any way. In order to understand this theory better, we take into account all the external stimuli received by our sensory organs that bring about changes in our mental state. As a result, our body starts to feel sensation/s. Note that whenever our bodies feel sensation, be it pleasant or unpleasant, it drives it to move or act in a certain way. For instance, we crave for fried chicken and suddenly smell the aroma of fried chicken wafting through the air, and hear the cracklings of chicken being fried. Suppose, this dish is served to you, your body then starts to move towards the dish and start eating. It appears therefore, that there is interaction between mind and body in such a way that physical events cause mental events and mental events cause physical events. In the case of Captain Picard, regardless of the fact that his body and brains were just â€Å"exact replicas† of his previous self, his mind and body are still considered as two distinct and separate entities. His body or physical state will function in a way that may interact with hid mind but will still remain its distinction as separate entities. This is the contention of property dualism, which claims that although there may not be a distinction in substance, mental and physical properties are still categorically distinct, and not reducible to each other. Captain Picard’s mind state will change upon receiving external stimuli and from there, his body will start to feel sensation that will goad it to act in a certain way. Yet, both are separate entities. According to mind-brain identity theory, Picard’s mental states are each identical to his brain states. What does this mean? How would the identity theorist respond to the argument you provided for dualism? In contrast to dualism, the mind-brain identity theory asserts that mental states are identical with brain states. The theory further asserts that for every mental state, there is a brain-state with which it is identical. For instance, â€Å"every pain event is identical with the C-fibers firing. † (â€Å"Mind-brain Identity Theory†) The same article attempts to explain this theory further by providing details about the physiological functions of the brain and relating it to the said theory, thus: The main support for mind-brain identity theory is the phenomenon of localization. Mental events appear to be associated with specific parts of the brain. Mental activity appears to be localized in identifiable areas of the brain. This is shown by the fact that inhibiting brain activity inhibits mental activity. Those who suffer localized brain damage also have such localized damage to the mind. The most natural explanation of this localization is that the mind is the brain. Captain Picard’s mind and brain, according to the mind-brain identity theorists, are one and the same thing. Any damage to his brain, therefore, produces damage to the mind also. Works Cited â€Å"Mind-brain Identity Theory†. Philosophy of Mind. Info. 2005. 22 June 2009 â€Å" Mind Body Dualism Theory†. Wikipedia. 2009. 20 June 2009

How does globalization affect the environment Free Essay Example, 1500 words

Greenhouse gasses cause global warming by accumulating in the atmosphere where they destroy the ozone layer, thereby resulting in average increases in daily temperatures. Greenhouse emissions come from many sources, such as transportation, industrial production, and deforestation. Although these three sources of greenhouse emissions exist independent of globalization, there increase since 1970s has largely been linked to globalization, notes Ghemawat (par. 11). Globalization Increases Carbon Dioxide from Transportation Transport is an important facilitator of globalization. The increase in international trade due to globalization has resulted in an increase in transport. However, the various modes of transport used to facilitate trade between countries contribute significantly to the increase in the amount of carbon emissions in the environment. Study shows that the amount of carbon emission from roads has increased significantly since 1970 (Huwart and Verdier par. 4). Globalization has also resulted in increased transnational road transport, which is contributing significantly to the increase in the amount of carbon emissions to the environment. Nevertheless, air transport is the major transport mode that has characterized globalization in the past decade. Studies show that emissions from air transport has been increasing every year since 1990 due to increases in air transport facilitated by globalization. We will write a custom essay sample on How does globalization affect the environment or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now For instance, a report shows that greenhouse emissions from the aviation industry increased by 86% between 1990 and 2004 (McAusland 11). Today, an aviation industry alone is responsible for between 4-9% of greenhouse emissions being released into the atmosphere. Additionally, the world has also witnessed an increase in cargo transport between countries via the sea due to globalization. Accordingly, an increase in sea transport has increased the amount of greenhouse emissions from the industry. Current estimate indicates that sea transport consumes about 4% of fossil fuels consumed every year. The carbon emissions from the ships end up in the environment, where it causes havoc. Globalization Increases Carbon Emissions from Industrial Activity and Consumption The world has been witnessing an increase in international trade and investment in the past decades. Such increases have also facilitated an increase in industrial activities in various countries across the globe (Charles par. 4). However, the increases in industries are causing a major problem to the environment by increasing the amount of carbon into the atmosphere.

The Epidemic Of Hiv And Aids - 1535 Words

The first determinant of health related to African American female population in the 19132 zip code pertains to policies. Polices for this population include providing access to health care, HIV testing and syringe services programs. The Office of HIV Planning in Philadelphia focuses on the needs of the population, conducts community outreaches and educational sessions. As previously stated, 32 state Medicaid programs reimburse for routine HIV screening of adults aged 15-65 years, regardless of risk. This policy allows for individuals to more likely participate in this screening process. HIV testing can be done through health care professionals offices or clinics. Other programs such as AIDS Fund and AVERTing HIV and AIDS provide information on locations on where testing can be done. AVERTing HIV and AIDS also provides information on Needle and Syringe Programs that are available in the community. Next, a major factor that targets African American females who are at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS includes societal norms, culture and values. Unfortunately, a stigma associated with HIV includes being viewed as participating in a shameful manner. Being HIV positive is also associated with the belief of bad behaviors and poor decision-making. Also being labeled as an individual who engages in a lot of sexual activity and drug abuse. In addition, women hold a lower status in society than men. Men are more likely to have views of being above their partner or women inShow MoreRelatedThe Epidemic Of Hiv / Aids1306 Words   |  6 PagesOne of the most known and feared viruses in the world today is HIV/AIDS. To fully understand on why HIV/AIDS is so deadly, we need to first understand and breakdown on what this virus exactly is. HIV is an acronym that stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Human means that only humans can be infected by this virus. Immunodeficiency means that this virus attacks and weakens your immune system to the point where your immune system can no longer protect your body. Virus means that it can onlyRead MoreThe Hiv / Aids Epidemic1650 Words   |  7 PagesThe HIV/AIDS epidemic poses a major concern for global health. There are approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide (WHO, 2017). Due to the increased phenomenon of global migration and movement we see a proportion of individuals who are HIV positive migrating. In Canada alone, over 300,000 new immigrants were welcomed into the country in 2016 (CIC; Globe And Mail, 2016). As a result we can infer that certain proportion out of all immigration applicants into Canada were HIV positiveRead MoreThe Hiv / Aids Epidemic1848 Words   |  8 Pagesreduce its high rates of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the face of low socioeconomic development and declining Gross National Income (GNI) per capita because its existing NGO-based system for HIV/AIDS prevention was scaled up through international technical and financial assistance. The two leading NGOs in this effort, Haitian Gro up for the Study of Kaposi’s Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections (GHESKIO) and Partners in Health (PIH), were created at the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, butRead MoreThe Hiv / Aids Epidemic1072 Words   |  5 Pagesagainst HIV/AIDS (Country and Lending Groups, n.d.). They have one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS in the world at 19.1%, and the incidence of new cases is increasing steadily (Milan, 2014; CIA, n.d.). To combat this growing problem President Jacob Zuma launched the largest HIV Counseling and Testing campaign in the world in April 2010 (â€Å"Global AIDS†, 2012). In the same year, the country also achieved a significant reduction in the price of antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) (â€Å"Global AIDS†, 2012)Read MoreThe Hiv / Aids Epidemic2082 Words   |  9 Pages The United States has been fixated on its mission to abolish the sex industry since the start of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. George W. Bush and Congr ess created the United States Leadership against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 with the intention of funding beneficial programs furthering the research and accessibility of HIV/AIDS treatment. (Middleberg, 2006). The beneficiaries of this funding must show their opposition towards prostitution and sex trafficking in orderRead MoreThe Hiv / Aids Epidemic3453 Words   |  14 PagesGlobally, there is good news. In 2011 the World Health Organization (WHO) claimed that the HIV/AIDs epidemic was declining in their â€Å"Global HIV/AIDS Response† progress report (Progress Report 2011). Each continent and region, however, showed different changes in their rates of HIV/AIDS (Progress Report 2011). In North America, and specifically in the United States, the incidence of HIV has been constant for the past several years (Progress Report 2011). Despite the stability of this disease,Read MoreThe Epidemic Of Hiv / Aids2413 Words   |  10 Pagesworld issues. In 198 0, news papers, highlighted the onset of an epidemic, one that would create fear, isolation, bias and discrimination. The HIV virus took the public by disbelief, one of the main tribulations with HIV disease was that there was no concrete evidence that determined its transmission. Many Semantic variations such as gay mans disease created biases and discrimination toward this population (CITE). The onset of HIV/AIDS virus also created a devastating impact on healthcare professionalsRead MoreHiv / Aids Epidemic : A Huge Epidemic1314 Words   |  6 PagesHIV/Aids Epidemic HIV/AIDs is a huge epidemic still plaguing society today. The lack of knowledge and technical advances has caused an increasing number of cases. It has made its way around the world since the 1940s, causing countries to join together in the fight against AIDs. With all the campaigning that has been done the numbers of cases continue to rise. Countries have separated the disease into three patterns to make it easier to distinguish the effects that AIDs has on different regions ofRead MoreShould The Hiv / Aids Epidemic?918 Words   |  4 PagesShould the HIV/AIDs epidemic in Africa be described as a feminist issue? With higher transmission rates concentrated among African women, and the vast majority of new mother-child transmissions occurring within African countries, HIV seemingly fits into the scope of feminist concerns. As described in Oppong and Kalipeni’s contribution to Kalipeni, et.al.’s HIV AIDS in African: Beyond Epidemiology, the consistent classifying of th e HIV/AIDS epidemic as being the direct result of distinct AfricanRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Hiv / Aids Essay1607 Words   |  7 Pagessyndrome (AIDS). Another two years would pass before scientists were able to isolate the retrovirus that causes AIDS, which in 1984 was termed human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV). Although a successful discovery, in the absence of a proven treatment, HIV and AIDS had free rein in which to leave in its wake a global path of fear, illness, and death. To understand the totality of HIV/AIDS, consider the following. Since the onset of the pandemic more than 70 million people have been infected with HIV, 35

Plagiarism The Illegal Recycling of Information Essay

Plagiarism: The Illegal Recycling of Information Plagiarism is defined as using others people’s ideas, writings, and quotes without giving credit to the author by citing the material in the paper. Plagiarism can come from copying many things including charts, graphs, text, and music. Even paraphrasing an author’s work without citing it can be considered plagiarism. Plagiarism certainly has been around long before the first research project was assigned. One of the most famous scientists Gregor Mendel had his work plagiarized by another scientist Hugo de Vries in the 19th century.[1] Mendel had come up with breakthroughs in genetics, but no one realized what he had accomplished. Later in the early 1900’s, de Vries†¦show more content†¦Students now have the ability to cut and paste sections of an article, or they can purchase a term paper on-line. He also believes that they plagiarize because they â€Å"are faced with too many choices, so they put off low priorities.†[4] If a student has a lot of things to do, they will not spend much time on the things that have a low priority or things that are considered boring. He also points out that a big reason for plagiarism is that â€Å"many students have poor time management and planning skills.†[5] If the student waits until the last minute to write a paper, they may not have enough time to completely research topic. Other students plagiarize because they â€Å"fear that their writing ability is inadequate.†[6] If the student does not believe that they have the ability to do good work, they may think that the only chance to get a good grade is to cheat. Students can find area to plagiarize in many different places. If they get really lazy, whole research and term papers can be found for a fee or for free on the Internet. Term papers can also be found at local sources such as fraternity files.[7] Students that want to make their papers longer might not cite less than the total quote that they used or they might fake a citation.[8] Both ofShow MoreRelatedPlagiarism : Should Colleges Allow Self Plagiarism?1564 Words   |  7 PagesAllow Self-Plagiarism? Plagiarism, the act of using another’s words or ideas without giving due credit, is a cultural taboo. Yet, given the ease with which it can be done in our electronic world, it is more widespread than ever. In response to the deluge of plagiarism in colleges, professors have expanded its definition and made it more restrictive. Not only do they consider using the unedited work of another to be plagiarism, many consider reusing one’s own work, or â€Å"self-plagiarism,† as severe

Renaissance Armor Essay Example For Students

Renaissance Armor Essay ArmorThrough the arms of the knight we can actually touch something of the knights who strove during the Middle Ages, men whose lives were shaped and who shaped the ideas of chivalry. I believe that armor is, at base, an important, romantic medieval craft. Like all crafts, it takes technical skill and artistic merit to create a quality piece. Other re-enactment societies provide a rich market for fledgling armoires to earn their wings; without these markets, most craftsmen would never progress beyond the occasional hobbyist level. But there is a demand, both by collectors and experienced re-enactors, for arms, armor and accouterment that transcends sporting equipment and approaches something we might call authentic. To create a piece of armor that strikes the balance between form and function and stay within medieval design elements is difficult. The vast majority of armor now made by reproduction armoires is, unfortunately, sporting equipment. Some armoires do grow, however. In orde r to grow, they must learn the elements of style that define the periods in which they wish to work, perfecting their hammer and their eye simultaneously. The hammer is by far and away the easier thing to learn. But with perseverance and the willingness to look critically at personal projects, the armoire can refine his eye. The best way to do this is to make exact reproductions, graduating to the next level, the creation of a new piece within a period style. To qualify, all elements of the piece must adhere to this style. Beyond the craft is the art of armoring. Most armor now made is equipment; some is crafted well, and a small percentage transcends the craft reality to become art. Art must, to my mind, communicate clearly to an audience. The greater the art, the more universal the message. For the armoire, to strive for art is to connect the mechanical defense with the spirit of chivalry. To reach this spirit, I believe the armoire must fight; they must use the armor and particip ate and understand the mechanisms that motivate combatants on the field. They must strive to understand the ideals if they are to add that spark that separates art from fine craft. Thornbird Arms was the company started in 1984 to expand abilities with the hammer and to try to extend the opportunity to others. Most of them were crude by my current knowledge, but we strove in a heartfelt way to improve the quality of equipment available to re-enactors so that they could, in turn, bring a more authentic feel to the tournament field. Several talented armoires came to work at the armory during those years, most notably Luke Apker, Greg Woznak, and Ladislav Kuzela. Luke got the picture very quickly, fast becoming perhaps the finest hammerman I have seen. GregWoz to most of uscould polish clear through the armour, producing mirrors from hammer-scaled plate. Ladislav started young but grew in maturity, striving with a purity of heart that kept him on the slow path towards excellence. There is something truly magical in creating a connection to the chivalric ideals from a flat, cold piece of steel.