lorraine hansberry-an annotated bibliography :: essays research papers fc

Lorraine Hansberry: An Annotated Bibliography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lorraine Vivian Hansberry was born May 19, 1930 in Chicago and raised in a middle-class family. When Hansberry was only eight years old she had her first experience with civil rights. Her father fought a lengthy legal battle in the late 1930’s against harsh covenants which kept Chicago’s blacks in the ghettos. To make a statement the family moved into an all white neighborhood which was against the law at that time. The house was often vandalized and the children were faced with hostility as they walked to and from school. Hansberry’s father fought the city’s Jim Crow laws all the way to the Supreme Court and won. This whole experience would later serve as an inspiration for Lorraine Hansberry’s play â€Å"A raisin in the Sun†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hansberry attended the University of Wisconsin for two years and then studied painting in Chicago and Mexico, before she realized she had no talent for it. Moving to New York in 1950, she held many jobs, while perfecting her skill as a writer. Hansberry said, â€Å"A woman who is willing to be herself and pursue her own potential runs not so much the risk of loneliness as the challenge of exposure to more interesting men- and people in general†. She became involved in the civil rights movement and married a white jewish man; their marriage would only last a few years before Hansberry began exploring her feelings for women. She joined the Daughter of Blitis, a pioneering lesbian organization and had two letters published in their journal, â€Å"The Ladder†. However, it was for her play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun†, that she received her praise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hansberry was the first black to direct a play on Broadway since 1907. â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award. Hansberry was also named

Intoxication: Not a Defence for Crime

Intoxication: Not a Defence for Crime There has been too many times where intoxication was used as a defence in criminal cases where it should not have been considered as a defence. Intoxication in criminal cases and whether it should be considered or not considered as a defence is very controversial. Voluntary intoxication should not be considered as a defence of crime.The main arguments against using intoxication as a defence are: the degree of proof required to prove intoxication is not sufficient, it is unfair to the victim if the accused gets away with a lighter sentence or no sentence at all because of the defence of intoxication, and last, in the case of voluntary intoxication, the mens rea should be considered satisfied toward general intent crimes. Analyzing these arguments proves that voluntary intoxication should not be used as a defence for criminal cases.The degree of proof required to prove intoxication is not rigorous enough. The degree of proof required to prove intox ication is balance of probabilities. When dealing with a serious charge, such as murder or sexual assault, the degree of proof for intoxication should be beyond a reasonable doubt, just like the prosecution is required to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt to convict the accused. There can be cases where intoxication might have occurred post offence and used as a defence to avoid penalties or punishment.For example, Mr. X bought a bottle of alcohol at 5 PM and went home. He killed his wife with a knife at 7 PM. After killing his wife, he started drinking and became extremely intoxicated. At 9 PM, his son came home and found his mother (wife of Mr. X) dead and his father (Mr. X) unconscious with a bloody knife close to him. The son called the police and the father was arrested with police charging the father with murder. The accused, Mr. X, went on to claim intoxication as a part of his defence.The charge was reduced to manslaughter. This example shows that the degree of proo f required proving intoxication is not rigorous enough. Mr. X began drinking after he killed his wife, however because there was no witness, the claim of Mr. X that he was intoxicated at the time of his wife’s murder cannot be effectively refuted and he would be tried for a lesser charge. Mr. X was able to reduce his charge by making a false statement while not having to prove that statement. That is obstruction of justice and perjury. If ntoxication was not allowed to be used as a defence of intent of the crime, Mr. X would not be able to get his charge reduced and therefore he would be charged with the crime that he actually committed. If intoxication is used as a defence for crime and the accused receives a lighter sentence or no sentence at all, it is unfair to the victim. If a person has been sexually assaulted by someone who was intoxicated, is it not the victim’s right to see justice being served? R. v. Daviault, [1994] 3 S. C. R. 63 is a case where Mr.Daviault sexually assaulted an elderly woman with a disability during extreme intoxication. This is a controversial case because of the argument made by Justice Cory that if Daviault had only been a â€Å"little† drunk, he may have had the mental ability to make the decision that he should not sexually assault the victim. In this case, it was established that the defence of intoxication could only be used in cases of â€Å"extreme† intoxication such as this. This case is an example of exceptional circumstances where extreme intoxication was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.The disabled elderly woman who was the victim of this case still suffered and does not even have the satisfaction of knowing that the person that wronged her may not be punished. The degree of intoxication may not even matter in most sexual assault cases. Research suggests that intoxication is merely used as an excuse to get away with the crime. On Canlii. org (Canadian Legal Information Institute), only a sm all percentage of sexual assault cases involved incest while intoxicated. Canlii. org showed the difference in search results of sexual assaults due to intoxication and incest due to intoxication. 490 cases were found of sexual assault while intoxicated and 121 cases were found of incest while intoxicated. One could question that if a sexual offender, while intoxicated, has the mental ability to distinguish between a related and unrelated person, then that offender has the mental ability to have the reasonable mind set to know the consequences of sexual assault and that it is illegal. Further to the research on Canlii. org, the use of intoxication as a defence encourages crime while being insensitive to the needs and rights of the victim.For example, a victim of sexual assault may be labelled as â€Å"available† or worse, hurtful words that may lead to psychological issues. A lighter sentence to the perpetrator would not help the psychological damage that victim has to deal w ith. Instead it might be worse because the victim may feel that they have been wronged for the second time; the second time being by the justice system. There are always precautions that can be taken to avoid situations when one is voluntarily intoxicated. R. v. Mascarenhas, [2002] 60 O. R (3d) 465 (C. A. ) is a case of driving under the influence.In this case, Mascarenhas was driving under the influence and killed two pedestrians. This is a general intent crime where a mens rea is not required. The proof of the act, actus reus, is required. Mascarenhas may not have intended to kill the pedestrians but nevertheless, two lives were taken. Mascarenhas cannot use the defence of intoxication for this crime. Precautions could have been taken to avoid the accident. If Mascarenhas had taken reasonable care of himself or possibly had someone to take care of him in voluntary intoxication, driving under the influence would have been avoided and therefore the pedestrians might still be alive.T his connects to criminal negligence. Mascarenhas disregarded the safety of others and therefore was also sentenced for being criminally negligent. During voluntary intoxication, a person should be responsible his or her own actions. Mascarenhas was convicted with criminal negligence, impaired operation of a motor vehicle as well as other convictions. This case is a good example of when the justice system made the right decision. The mens rea of an intoxicated person was not taken into consideration since the law does not require mens rea as a part of a general intent crime.Other crimes should also be dealt in the same manner and consider mens rea satisfied if the person was voluntarily intoxicated. Based on the analysis of the arguments that voluntary intoxication does not require a sufficient amount of proof, that it is unfair to the victim, and that the mens rea is considered to be satisfied in the case of intoxication in general intent crimes, it is safe to say that voluntary int oxication should not be used as a defence in criminal offences. Criminals who are voluntarily intoxicated and commit a crime deserve the original sentence that comes with the act.The sentence should not be reduced. Voluntary intoxication means that one has the control to decide whether he or she wants to be intoxicated or not. They have the responsibility of reasonable care. Therefore, voluntary intoxication should not be used as a defence of crime. Works Cited: Section 33. 1: Criminal Code (R. S. C. , 1985, c-46) Section 219. 1: Criminal Code (R. S. C. , 1985, c-46) R. v. Mascarenhas, [2002] 60 O. R (3d) 465 (C. A). R. v. Mascarenhas, 2002 CanLII 41625 (ON CA) R. v. Daviault, [1994] 3 S. C. R. 63 R. v.Daviault, 1994 CanLII 61 (SCC), [1994] 3 SCR 63 Lamb, W. Kaye. â€Å"Defence of Intoxication. †Ã‚  The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Foundation, 2007. 1 Sep 2007. http://www. thecanadianencyclopedia. com. Souper, M. â€Å"General defences – intoxication†. Sixth Form Law. 2000-2008. http://sixthformlaw. info. â€Å"Intoxication and legal defences† Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2013. http://apt. rcpsych. org. Weaver, Rheyanne. â€Å"The Mental Health Consequences of Rape†. EmpowHER, 2012. http:empower. com.

Florence Nightingale - 2171 Words

Slide 1: The Early Years * Known for her contributions to the nursing and mathematical fields as well as an important link in English feminism in the early 1850s while struggling with her self-definition and the expectations of an upper-class marital and family life. * Born May 12th 1820 into a wealthy upper middle-class family in Florence Italy, she was named after the city in which she was born. * As a child, Florence was very close to her anti-slavery lobbyist father. Being the youngest of two girls, and having no son, her father treated her as his friend and companion. Her father, William Nightingale, a wealthy English landowner, took responsibility for her education and personally taught her Greek, Latin, French, German,†¦show more content†¦The Crimean War (Blue Slide) * Most of the conflict in the Crimean War occurred on the Crimean Peninsula, which lies on the southern tip of the Ukraine, and the pro-jects into the Black Sea. The Crimea was an important military position for the Russians, bc their naval fleet could access the Mediterranean Sea from the Region. * Britain was not the instigator of the Crimean War. They followed Emperor Napoleon III of France into it. It was the first war the British fought against a strong enemy, Russia, since defeating the French at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Because the British Armys victories had all been over smaller and poorly equipped armies in Africa and India, they were ill-prepared for the Crimean conflict. * The temporary quarters en route to the war had been in a disease-ridden pat of Bulgaria. Soldiers were required to leave their kits behind upon proceeding to Crimea. The supplies that were lost were not replaced. Soldiers arriving in Crimea after crossing the black sea where often near death on arrival and many died in the crossing. * The army then rationed supplies to the soldiers who were required to build fires, prepare and cook their own food while being ill with multiple diseases . * Nightingales contribution to army reform was prompted by the extreme conditions in the British Armys provision of food, shelter, clothing, blankets and medical supplies for theShow MoreRelatedFlorence Nightingale592 Words   |  3 PagesColleen Worth Florence Nightingale January 28, 2008 Throughout history, wars have emphasized the need for nurses. During the Crimean War (1854-1856), the deficiency of care given to soldiers led to a public outcry in Great Britain. Florence Nightingale played an impressive role in addressing this problem. Florence Nightingale was born in Italy on May 12, 1820 into a rich, upper class, wealthy and intellectual family. She believed she was â€Å"called by God to help others and to improve theRead MoreFlorence Nightingale623 Words   |  3 PagesFlorence Nightingale Introduction A human service is a non-profit organization or effort that renders the services for human needs. We should believe that human services is the greatest gift for anyone else and even too your own self satisfaction. This profession offers the assistance needed to manage with primary and social human needs. It is the person’s own will that raise him to pay services for human welfare and help needy people for their survival. Under the human service professionRead MoreFlorence Nightingale Essay1567 Words   |  7 PagesFlorence Nightingale Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy. Her parents named her after the city she was born in. She was born on May 12,1980, she was raised mostly in Derbyshire England. Many people when they hear Florence Nightingale think about her as a nurse and for her fight for better hospital care. Florence did aRead MoreBackground on Florence Nightingale652 Words   |  3 PagesBackground Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, named after her birthplace, Florence, Italy. Florence’s mother Frances Nightingale was from a family of merchants and enjoyed socializing with people of prominent social standing. Florence was the exact opposite; she avoided anything where she was the center of attention. Florence’s father William Shore Nightingale was a wealthy landowner. Her father was able to provide Florence with the best education. Florence Nightingale was alwaysRead More Florence Nightingale Essay1022 Words   |  5 PagesFlorence Nightingale Florence Nightingale, a well-educated nurse, was recruited along with 38 other nurses for service in a hospital called Scutari during the Crimean War in 1854 . It was Nightingales approaches to nursing that produced amazing results. Florence Nightingale was responsible for crucial changes in hospital protocol, a new view on the capabilities and potential of women, and the creation of a model of standards that all future nurses could aspire towards. Florence NightingaleRead MoreFlorence Nightingale As A Nurse1552 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"a person who cares for the sick or infirm.† Florence Nightingale was a nurse. During the 1800’s, the Victorian Era, nurses were given a second definition beside the one listed before. Nurses were considered menial laborers, until Miss Florence took control. Although recently her position has been considered outdated, losing it’s preciousness, Florence Nightingale and the influence she had on so many lives is not to go without notice. Florence Nightingale deserves an unalterable prestigious place inRead MoreContributions Of Florence Nightingale1234 Words   |  5 Pages Florence Nightingale is most commonly known for her great influence in modern Medicine, even did consults on queens and kings and when the Civil War came around the president asked her advice on how to help the injured soldiers, but she also was a great contributor to mathematics. Many people tend to overlook the fact the fact that Florence Nightingale is credited with developing a form of the pie chart now known as the polar area diagram, or occasionally the NightingaleRead MoreEssay on Florence Nightingale2096 Words   |  9 PagesFlorence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820 in Florence, Italy. She came from a wealthy family. As a child she had a vivid imagination, was considered a dreamer and often dreamed of helping others. Nightingale was well educated, a benefit of her family#8217;s wealth and her fathers belief in education, even for women. She studied all of the basic subjects, such as history, math, philosophy, science, music and art. She also learned five different languages. At a very young age she discoveredRead MoreFlorence Nightingale As A Hero1021 Words   |  5 Pagesexample of such a little known cultural hero Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale is a hero who changed the way the medical community/culture tended the wounded. Florence Nightingale was known as â€Å"The Lady with the Lamp† during her time in the Crimean War (â€Å"Florence Nightingale†, 2017). She is the founder of modern nursing, and a social reformer who focused on improving healthcare, promoting feminism and providing hunger relief. Although Nightingale devoted her life to the service of others,Read MoreEssay on Florence Nightingale1471 Words   |  6 PagesFlorence Nightingale was a legend in her lifetime and was one of the greatest pioneers in nursing. She lived ninety years and accomplished many great things for the field of nursing. Her descriptions of nursing, health, environment, and humankind are remarkable and still true to this day. Nightingale reformed nursing and changed the way nursing was viewed. Some of the issues during Nightingales time, the 1800s, we still face today. Nightingale not only impacted nursing in the 1800s, but

Indian Bpos Essay - 906 Words

Case Study- Indian BPOs- Waking up to the Philippines Opportunity 1. How has the global economic downturn, discussed in the opening profile and throughout this chapter, impacted jobs outsourcing in the BPO industry? The global economic downturn has impacted jobs outsourcing in the BPO industry as it has helped to be one of the largest job creators in India. Due to this, many companies had to increase their operations output and therefore employ more and more people to keep up with the expanding trend. One of the major impacts, being growth and maturity, had an effect on the BPO industry and contributed to the outsourcing companies and continued growth of the industry. The IT and BPO outsourcing boom created a huge impact in the Indian†¦show more content†¦It is important to continue to attract employees but also maintain existing ones, especially with job outsourcing, as it is cheap labour you still need to ensure employees are looked after properly. Personal choice and decision making is another trend that will always be required as that is what keeps companies competitive. With regards to the BPO industry in India and the Philippines, this applies as the Philippines are becoming more competitive. Companies may start choosing the Philippines over India as they have better language skills and less additional costs. The change in demographics and the rise of the knowledge economy is another trend as companies want to outsource to countries where the workers are more skilled and have a better grasp of the English language, this again relates to Philippines over India. 3. What are the effects of the Indian government policies on the Indian BPO industry and on MNC decisions regarding locations for outsourcing jobs? Locations for outsourcing jobs is very important as companies need to decide what is going to be the cheapest option but also the most beneficial in terms of maintaining their remaining clients and customers, there tends to be quite high volume complaints when it comes to outsourcing jobs, problems can arise often due to language barriers, so choosing the best locationShow MoreRelatedIndian Bpos- Waking Up the Philippines Opportunity Case Analysis776 Words   |  4 Pagesmake much more money in the Phillipines with the same customer satisfaction. IV. Alternatives- If India wants to keep BPO’s around, they need to start flirting with the idea of re-instating the tax abatement as well as having the government pick up the transportation costs. V. Recommendations- If I am the decision maker in the Indian government, I do not want the BPO’s to pick up and move all their money to another country. 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The main issues faced in this case mostly stem from the loss of the tax abatement in India, in addition to the weakening US dollar. Due to these two issues, doing business in India versus other fruitful options like Philippines becomes very expensive. These are majorRead MoreIndi Indian Business Processing Outsourcing1964 Words   |  8 PagesSince the late 19 century, as described Mukherjee (Cited in Peng 2014) Indian Business Processing Offshoring (BPO) industry case study, outsourcing business processes offshore has been the vital strategy in response to the business survival of the rapidly internationalised resource environment. In essence, as described Mukherjee, it is the complexity of definitive features for a successful BPO for Multi-National Companies (MNC) and the lack of regulative measure of examina tion and control of theRead MoreMergers and Acquisitions Scenario in It/Ites in India4035 Words   |  17 Pagessuccess story of Indian IT/BPO is attracting a lot of growth opportunities. To achieve it potential the industry is taking an inorganic route to meet its demands. The industry has been much concentrating on the fast growing US market. With the subprime crisis, and the world on the brink of recession, it remains to be seen if the industry will still sustain its rapid growth. Every bad scenario has a built in opportunity in it. Likewise here the recession may prove to be a boon for the BPO’s. 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Since then the growth of the banking industry in India has been a continuous process. The Government’s regular policy for Indian bank since 1969 has paid rich dividendsRead MoreTotal Solutions Of A Project Management Company2185 Words   |  9 PagesThe graph mentioned above depicts an increase in the number of opportunities for Indian Markets in BPO industry from all over the world. India has emerged to be the top as the biggest destination for call centre/ BPO industry in comparison with other countries like Malaysia, China, Pakistan and Russia etc. Such a tremendous increase in this industry in India has attracted many western countries to establish its BPO’s in India. Government Departments of more than 18 states in USA have outsourced itsRead MoreCase Study1945 Words   |  8 Pagesgeographies. In the more mature outsourcing market of today, it is not simply the numbers of English-speaking engineers that has resulted in India being the destination of choice. Indian IT companies are offering more to customers, a wider range of services, more quality, more RD talent – and all of this at a lower price. Indian IT companies have started offering BPO, consulting, testing, engineering services, infrastructure management etc. For those companies still preferring to set up captive unitsRead MoreHrm Practices at Infosys14505 Words   |  59 Pagesstyle is humble and straight-forward, quite uncommon in the world of Indian business. Narayana Murthy believes in sharing wealth with his employees and in leading by example. In a knowledge-based business like Infosys, he sees the importance of consistency in rhetoric and action in empowering employees. Narayana Murthy is credited with creating a culture of closeness and empowerment at Infosys. His management style, rare among Indian business leaders, is based on western management. The other founding

Obama Hits 50% Approval Rating in Poll by David Jackson Article

Essays on Obama Hits 50% Approval Rating in Poll by David Jackson Article The paper "Obama Hits 50% Approval Rating in Poll by David Jackson" is a delightful example of an article on politics. The news article is about recently released poll results in relation to the rating of the United States of America president Barrack Obama. The polls were conducted by the new Washington Post-ABC News poll in December. The current survey ratings are considered as the highest since a similar poll was conducted in 2013. Thus, the polls indicated that President Obama’s rating had hit 50%. This was considered as a relief to the Americans who are keen on how the president will address the key issues that affect them as a state. The polls were conducted as a result of voters granting Republicans authority over the senate and an increased GOP majority in the U.S. House. According to the polls the ratings of president Obama improved considerably as a result of perceived good economic improvements. In addition, the poll reflected a further sharp divide among the Americ ans along Democratic and Republican lines. However, the article gave more hope of the two sides of the political divide to overcome their political differences and pave way for political stability and tolerance in the United States. It was therefore evident that President Obama’s ratings had greatly improved since November 2014 as a result of the president’s zeal in resolving such issues as immigration and climate change within the context of the United States. According to the polls, the ratings of president Obama could further improve in the future if he successfully addresses various issues that affect the Americans. In addition, the unity and political stability among the Republicans and Democrats are crucial in American politics (David, 2015).

Xox Supply Chain Free Essays

string(194) " decisions on developing the Xbox 360 was no longer based on their desire to get into selling hardware and simply offering a gaming console, but more on their goal of increasing software sales\." Answer the following questions in relation to Xbox case: Lee, Hau; Hoyt David W. and Holloway, Chuck, â€Å"Evolution of the Xbox Supply Chain† * Who are the various stakeholders for Xbox that formed the Microsoft ecosystem while developing the supply chain business strategy for Xbox? * What were the challenges faced by Xbox when it first launched Xbox? * How did this compare to the launch of Xbox 360? * Did they consider any changes in the supply chain? Essay: Xbox Stakeholders Microsoft’s Xbox project was started by a group of gamers in 1999 so that they can also develop a gaming console which threatened the performance of the home PC market. The Xbox project consisted of both internal and external stakeholders who had either a direct or indirect â€Å"stake† in the project. We will write a custom essay sample on Xox Supply Chain or any similar topic only for you Order Now These stakeholders include the Microsoft employees (i. e. , Xbox project team, Microsoft executives), shareholders, suppliers (e. g. , Intel, Nvidia), contract manufacturers (i. e. , Flextronics, Wistron Corp, Celestica), game developers, designers (i. , Astro Studios), distributors, broadband providers, retailers and customers. The stakeholders of the Xbox project can be visualized in terms of their position in Microsoft’s extended supply chain, shown in Figure 1. 0 below. Figure 1. 0 Microsoft’s Xbox supply chain Challenges with Original Xbox Microsoft encountered many challenges when launching the original Xbox in 2001. To better understand the challenges in the original Xbox, we can adopt the SOSTAC (Situation analysis, Objective Setting, Strategy, Tactics, Actions and Control) approach. Situation Analysis. Microsoft did not have a presence in the gaming console market and was up against strong competitors which already had established markets such as Sony (Playstation) and Nintendo (GameCube). This competitive landscape put them in a position wherein they needed to develop a product that offered features that were comparable to existing products in the marketplace which was perfectly priced to establish themselves in the market. Moreover, Microsoft recognized that it was critical to launch in time for the 2001 holiday eason to allow them to have a presence in the marketplace before they became up against the â€Å"next-generation product†. Thus, Microsoft’s early challenges came at a price of high production ramp up costs, where they needed to produce 100,000 consoles in a week in order to launch the new Xbox in time for the Christmas. Objective. The short-term objectives of developing the original Xbox was primarily aimed at entering the gaming consol e market, learning from the experience and paving way for the next generation of products. Strategy. Microsoft adapted a push supply chain strategy using an extended supply chain. They developed their products based on existing game consoles with added features, most of which were built to compete against Sony PS2. In addition to a having features similar to other gaming consoles available in the market, the Xbox had other features such as allowing Xbox to play DVDs, and a built-in modem which in 2002 was used to launch Xbox live. Tactics. Microsoft lacked the competency in building hardware –neither did it have exposure to designing and manufacturing hardware that can be used as a game console nor did it have any experience with the game console market. Hence, Microsoft decided to form strategic partnerships with preferred contract manufacturers who can deliver the products for them because they did not have the time to deal with unproven vendors and risky designs. Actions. Microsoft also took into account the location of manufacturing facilities in their selection of contract manufacturers to allow to take into account the logistics of to shipping products quickly to the US and European markets and decided to find plants in Mexico and Hungary. Logistics is the time-related positioning or resource, or the strategic management of the total supply chain. The supply chain is a sequence of events intended to satisfy a customer: It can include procurement, manufacture, distribution, and waste disposal, together with associated transport, storage and information technology(Chaffey, 2002). Microsoft’s Xbox had over one thousand (1000) components and forty-five (45) of which were critical components that was only available from a single supplier. The Xbox also required several parts with high technical performance requirements (e. . , processing speed, graphics resolution, memory requirement and internet access). The high dependence on Microsoft’s suppliers made it necessary to integrate the information exchange with its key suppliers. Thus, Microsoft decided to require co-investments from its suppliers and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) to improve the coordination among the various groups. This suggests tha t Microsoft recognized the need for using technology to improve the flow of information and adapted some form of technology to manage the relationship with various intermediaries. Control. While the case did not provide enough data to see how Microsoft measured the outcome, it can be inferred from the changes they made to the launch Xbox 360 that they did some reviews internally so that they can make the necessary changes. Unfortunately, Microsoft had very little time to learn to how to manage the supply networks — â€Å"[t]he coordination of all supply activities of an organization from its suppliers and partners to its customers†(Chaffey, 2002, p. 335). While they adopted a push approach to supply chain management, which is typically suggests that the production processes are aimed at cost and efficiency, Microsoft was up against significant challenges that made it difficult to be cost effective. In the end, Microsoft’s investment in the Xbox is higher than the expected sale price of the product — i. e. , the costs for producing the Xbox hardware were estimated to be at $450, when retail price for the Xbox was only at $299. 00. Profitability was therefore dependent on driving the costs down for the Xbox console and sales from selling games. Differences between Original Xbox and Xbox 360 and Supply Chain Changes Situation. When Microsoft launched Xbox 360, gaming had already become a big part of the home entertainment and broadband access was substantially higher. Microsoft also had a better understanding of what games were needed in each country because they had already established a presence in the market. Objective. Microsoft’s decisions on developing the Xbox 360 was no longer based on their desire to get into selling hardware and simply offering a gaming console, but more on their goal of increasing software sales. You read "Xox Supply Chain" in category "Papers" So, Microsoft developed the new system in such a way that can be a central part of home entertainment thereby incorporating other features such as internet access. Strategy. In launching Xbox 360, Microsoft planned a global launch, which no other company had done before, so that Xbox 360 can be made available in all major markets before Sony would have a chance to launch PS3. Implementing a global strategy posed two large risks for Microsoft. To mitigate this risk, Microsoft also implemented some risk management techniques. Risk management is intended to identify potential risks in a range of situations and then take actions to minimize risk† (Chaffey, 2002, p. 599). It involves several stages which include the identification of risks, possible solutions, implementing the solutions that target high-impact risks and monitoring them for the future. First, was related to the fact that the Xbox required complementary products for it to be enjoyed and their biggest concern was wheth er there would be sufficient game titles available at the same time. Thus, Microsoft lined up game developers who could develop new games. For this task, Microsoft had a better appreciation of game types needed in each country based on the original Xbox experience, nonetheless ensuring that the games were ready had various timing issues. The unavailability of games in a particular country would mean a decrease of sales of consoles and would have a significant impact on the profitability of Microsoft. Second, Microsoft faced the risk of success where the supply of gaming consoles would not be sufficient to keep up with demand. Foreseeable, this can manifest itself in different ways but both negatively impacting their ability to acquire new customers. This suggests that Microsoft recognized the implication of complementary products to allow them to take advantage of the network effects. For Microsoft, the worse case scenario is for Microsoft to miss customer expectations and put them at risk for losing their customers. Another scenario is if their demand calculations were off and end up with an over/under supply of gaming consoles in one area. Tactics. As soon as the original Xbox was launched, Microsoft started working on the next generation of Xbox and required the new model to have high definition capability, high storage capacity and access to the internet. Unlike the earlier launch of the Xbox, where Microsoft delivered a superior product whose features that came at the expense of cost, Microsoft included cost considerations as part of their new strategy. This time, Microsoft also wanted to take advantage of the timing, pricing and exploiting the relationships with complementary product. Actions. Microsoft made three changes in its supply chain management to drive down costs: (1) change the location of its manufacturing facilities; (2) increase the number of EMS suppliers; and (3) chip contracting. First, when launching the original Xbox, Microsoft decided to select manufacturing facilities that were geographically near the customers in order to quickly deliver the products to facilitate fast product introduction. However, in launching Xbox 360, Microsoft decided to take advantage of a less expensive option by switching the facility location from Mexico and Hungary to China. While this meant an increased risk in fulfilling orders in time for a global launch, the firm was able to leverage lower labor rates from a place where the infrastructure was already available for electronic manufacturing. Second, by permitting multiple EMS suppliers, Microsoft was able to ensure that they had enough manufacturers who would be able to fulfill the orders. This also provided the ability to negotiate as compared with being dependent on a single supplier at Xbox launch. This helped Microsoft manage the supplier vender lock-in that they had originally and arrest the possible increase in switching costs such as search costs, specialized suppliers, contractual commitment (Shapiro amp; Varian, 1998). Third, Microsoft decided that it was best to take ownership of the design of the chip (which was previously owned and designed by Nvidia and Intel) and source its parts from the supply chain. This disintermediation strategy in their supply chain made it possible for Microsoft to be in a better position to control costs over the product’s lifetime. Moreover, this strategy is consistent with what is usually referred to as an outside-in outsourcing activity so that they can build up skills internally and manage this area. Microsoft was also able to compress the design cycle by engaging in concurrent design development activities which included a closer link between and manufacturing, continuous testing and iterative redesign. This was a change from Microsoft’s original Xbox strategy which had significant system and supplier level lock-in effects for Microsoft because Nvidia and Intel owned and designed the chips. While the dual sourcing strategy minimized the risks of lock-in at the supplier level, they were still locked-in at the system level where Microsoft had to contend with any enhancements or changes in the design of the chips. Microsoft also used HDTV technologies that was available in the market, while Sony (being a hardware company) decided to bet on Blu-Ray to allow it to establish it as the new DVD standard for high-definition. In hindsight, Microsoft’s decision provided them a one-year head start in third generation consoles because Sony’s Blu-Ray decision caused a significant delay in Sony’s PS3 launch. By betting on Blu-Ray, Sony was betting on standards change to increase their competitive advantage. Control. As discussed previously, the case did not provide enough data to see how Microsoft measured control. Japanese Automakers’ Supply Chain Structures The disintermediation strategy that Microsoft took gives some insight to classic â€Å"make or buy† arguments that companies make in determining where to source their supplies. In contrast to Microsoft’s decision to do things themselves, â€Å"Japanese automakers apparently assume that quality, delivery, inventories, and related costs can be better governed by the purchasing department in a buy situation, than by making it yourself. † (Deming, 1982, p. 7). However, for them to control the quality they require invariably have demanding expectations from their suppliers. The expectations include: (1) exceptional quality requirements; (2) reliable just-in-time deliver; (3) exact quantities – no over- or under-runs; and (4) continuously improving productivity resulting in long-term cost reductions (Deming, 198 2, p. 48). In return for the high investments on the part of their suppliers, they have production contracts that are usually long-term (as long as six years), and may include requirements for product design and testing. For the Japanese automakers, they have â€Å"arms around relationship† where they embrace the lock-in effects with their suppliers instead of â€Å"arms-length transactions† which rely on the spot-market. The Japanese auto manufacturers are more likely to engage in vertical disintegration and outsourcing of processes to a network of suppliers. For example, in the case of Honda, they engage in strategic alliances with first tier suppliers whom they are said to have a strong â€Å"close relationship through shared history† (Choi amp; Hong, 2002, p. 78). They are said to have approximately 400 â€Å"core† suppliers and a number of indirect suppliers which all contribute to the production of 400,000 units of Accord models each year (Choi amp; Hong, 2002). Another example is Acura, where the structure of their network is very complex with 76 entities in the supply network (i. e. , 1 first-tier, 20, second-tier, 28 third-tier, 17 fourth-tier, 9 fifth-tier, and 1 six-tier) to produce their Acura CL/TL center console alone (Choi amp; Hong, 2002). Another example is Toyota, a company that is recognized worldwide for adopting lean management principles in its supply chain. Toyota has various stakeholders that contribute to the success of the supply chain namely: Domestic Suppliers; Overseas suppliers; Parts Centers; Toyota Plants; Distributors; Kyohans; Dealers; Repair Shops; Parts Jobbers; Customers. SOSTAC Analysis of Toyota To better appreciate how supply chain strategies differ, we can also adopt the SOSTAC model to explain Toyota’s strategy. Situation Analysis. Toyota is an established car manufacturer that has been in existence since 1937. Toyota offers a full range of models – from mini-vehicles to trucks. Toyota believes that their long-term success is based on loyal customers. Toyota manages using the Toyota Way, which is underpinned by two pillars, continuous improvement and respect for people. Toyota believes that the Toyota Way should be used in interactions because they believe that their success is not created by individual efforts but rather as a team. Objective. Toyota’s supply chain objective is to establish strong links to its customers, dealers and channels. Strategy. Toyota created an efficient network so that it can deliver excellent service to its customers. Their close interrelationship between various parts of the chain suggests that they engage in a pull strategy and their supply chain can be viewed in terms of Figure 2. 0 below. Figure 2. 0 Toyota’s supply chain Tactics. Toyota developed its own Toyota Production System where they introduced various manufacturing techniques such as Just-In-Time, Kaizen (continuous improvement). Toyota makes strategic alliance with its partners and puts an emphasis on long-term relationships. Toyota’s manufacturing processes is also developed so that each plant serves a local market and at least another market across the world. While this tactic can be seen as a logistical decision, it is also driven by various risk considerations. It is driven by a financial consideration so that it can hedge exchange-rate risks and shift production when exchange rates increase (Chopra amp; Sodhi, 2004, p. 345). It is also driven by capacity considerations so that idle capacity is mitigated by ensuring that more than one market are supported by the plants to deal with demand fluctuations(Chopra amp; Sodhi, 2004). Action. Toyota ensures that both the upstream and downstream supply chains are highly efficient networks. For its upstream supply chain, Toyota not only engages in activities that ensure that information flows across its suppliers, but also engages in various activities geared toward promoting a shared network identity among its suppliers. More specifically, Toyota created network-level processes to ensure that they share a social community, network norms and knowledge (Dyer amp; Nobeoka, 2000, p. 352). To implement this, Toyota has established various supplier associations (kyohokai) since 1943 so that they can have â€Å"(1) information exchange between member companies and Toyota, (2) mutual development and training among member companies, and (3) socializing events†(Dyer amp; Nobeoka, 2000). † For its downstream supply chain, Toyota is dependent on its dealers to distribute new and used vehicles, as well as servicing for its profitability. Toyota manages its dealers with three principles: (1) Independence of dealers as outside investors; (2) Winning jointly; (3) Encouraging competition among channels. This approach encourages their dealers to make independent decisions and be proactive in making improvements. Toyota help the dealers make decisions toward investing in areas necessary to improve so that they can be both successful. Toyota embraced lean manufacturing techniques to keep costs down. Not only do they apply these principles in their manufacturing of cars, but they also apply this in other areas of their supply chain. For example, they use kyohans to allow their dealers to maintain a low level of parts supply. The use of an intermediary to have a central control of parts allows the network some flexibility so that parts do not sit idly at dealers at the same time allow Toyota to move the parts to dealers that need them. Kyohans can order supplies of stocks once a day, and supplies them to the dealers 3-4 times a day. In case the stock is unavailable, kyohans can put in an emergency stock request which can be fulfilled by a domestic distributor within half a day to a day or an international distributor in under 5 days. Toyota also promotes continuous improvement through a concept they refer to as kaizen. This process allows them to improve their operations through innovation, organizational learning and standardization of processes. For example, a mandatory bi-annual inspections of cars for registration at the service facilities usually takes 2-3 hours. The length of time it took was largely dependent on skills and experiences of the service technician in charge of the inspection. After applying kaizen principles, Toyota was able to streamline and standardize the inspection process so that inspections would only take 45 minutes. Control. Toyota conducts performance measurements at predetermined timeframes. For instance they do annual reviews wherein they apply some ranking and rating mechanism to evaluate their dealers. The dealers are measured in terms of sales volume of new and used cars, after-service sales service, customer satisfaction, number of showrooms, number of service centers, number of staff, and profitability. Discussion There are various approaches to managing the supply chain of a firm. The decision to adopt one over another is highly depended on the long-term strategic goals of the corporation. From the Microsoft’s Xbox case, we can see that sometimes firm make costly decisions in the process of launching a product to gain foothold in the market place. It is then ultimately up to the firm to learn form the process and as an organization learn from the experience and make the necessary changes. Microsoft adopted two distinct approaches in managing their supply chain based on their short- and long-term objectives. In the launching Xbox, they were highly dependent on the expertise of their suppliers so that they can launch the Xbox in time for the 2001 holiday sales. This enabled the firm to learn from their experience so that they can come up with a new strategy to launch the next generation gaming console. Microsoft’s disintermediation strategy appears to minimize lock-in effects with suppliers so that they can take advantage of spot-markets and ultimately lower their costs. Interestingly, in the case of Toyota, they took a very different approach from Microsoft even when their objective was also to minimize production costs. Instead of relying on spot-markets, they embraced lock-in and invested in long-term relationships with its suppliers. This approach allowed them to make continuous improvements across multiple suppliers by sharing knowledge and information among the upstream and downstream processes. The increased information flows across the network was made possible by the use of various e-supply and e-demand applications. From the Toyota case, it can also be seen that a highly integrated supply chain that shares information, expertise across the firm can take advantage of minimized costs and profitability. It can also be gleaned from this case the importance of trust and respect because the members of the supply chain has access to critical information that can be detrimental to the other partners if opportunistic behavior arises. Chaffey, D. (2002). E-business and E-commerce Management: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Choi, T. Y. , amp; Hong, Y. (2002). Unveiling the structure of supply networks: case studies in Honda Acura, and Daimler Chrysler. Journal of Operations Management, 20, 469-493. Chopra, S. , amp; Sodhi, M. S. (2004). Managing Risk To Avoid Supply-Chain Breakdown. MIT Sloan Management Review(Fall 2004), 53-61. Deming, W. E. (1982). Out of the crisis: Quality Productivity and Competitive Position. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Dyer, J. H. , amp; Nobeoka, K. (2000). Creating and Manageing a High-Performance Knowledge-Sharing Network: The Toyota Case. Strategic Management Journal, 21, 345-367. Shapiro, C. , amp; Varian, H. (1998). Network and positive feedback – How to exploit Network effects. In H. B. S. Press (Ed. ), Information rules – A strategic guide to the network economy. (pp. 1-56). How to cite Xox Supply Chain, Papers

Contribute To Firm Financial Performance â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Disuses About The Contribute To Firm Financial Performance? Answer: Introducation At Microsoft, every policy and ethics are reflections of the organisations commitment for making the world a digital and better place. The reflection enthusiast the employees of Microsoft to work hard and their hard work are reflected in the companys all over expansion in the present world. Microsoft has taken the responsibility to provide the world the top services and their responsibility addresses the economic and social issues in the present world (Hoi, Wu Zhang, 2013). The principle aim of Microsoft is to earn the trust of more customers with proper decision-making and empower organisations and individuals. The responsibility of Microsoft extends to safeguard the future of the planet (Microsoft.com. (2017).The company focuses on achieving the long lasting impact of their product on the planet. This company highlights the importance of technology for creating a world of digitalization. Dedication is the main key that the company utilizes to bring more uniqueness in the relations hip with their customers. The citizenship mission of Microsoft largely observes the whole activities of the corporate social responsibility of Microsoft, which is to serve globally the needs of communities and fulfil the responsibility towards the public. Microsoft owner Bill Gates has also founded many foundations that also serve the perception of common people quite largely. Among all the employees 90 % of them are eligible for getting incentives, more than 99% of them has under gone the training of standard of business conduct in the year of 2016, almost 11700 employees have already enrolled them in the process of employee feedback and have already provided feedback using the same (Epstein Buhovac, 2014). Among the large number of employees working in Microsoft, 92% in a survey displayed their proud feeling for being an employee of Microsoft and 87% recommended Microsoft for having the most effective workplace. In the year of 2016, Microsoft formally committed to human rights as participant of United Nati ons global compact (Carroll Buchholtz, 2014). The business strategy of the company can be named as product differentiation and this is because the company is used to developing of the products that are technologically advanced and then selling the same for specific costs. The present strategy of the company is to increase their expansion through mergers and acquisitions and even by increasing the business opportunities. However, the weaknesses of the company are weak internet browser, less innovation and dependency on hardware for manufacturing their products. In the past year, the company has generated 86USD billion for revenue and 53 billion for gross margin and the rest of 21 billion for income operation (Carroll Buchholtz, 2014). Microsoft is marked for having the second largest certified privacy professionals compared to the other companies. Microsoft has specific employees who take care of the breaches of the company policy and other employees to look after maintaining the s ustainability in the company. The company maintains their commitment of advancement by evaluating the supplier operation of 23 ethical risks as well as social and environmental. Microsoft pursues a belief that technology leads the world towards achieving a sustainable future by empowering more people and organisation. The company uses technology in order to minimize the environmental impact. The company has taken responsibility to initiate ways that will help them establish a sustainable future for the world (Magdani, 2016). Sustainability is a major concern of the company and this is because the company wants to have a sustainable future. For these they have started funding for the sustainable development. The initiative of power of data and analytics that the company uses installs insight among the customers and empowers them for achieving sustainability is transportation, water system and others. The investment of Microsoft helps the customers for managing the resources with big data power (Berg Sheehan, 2014). The company is engaged in a large competitive industry that has many fluctuations within the market technologies and even among the strategies used by the companies. The company generates constant revenue from the every existing products in the market and Microsoft has kept their commitment by ensuring that they spend a huge amount of capital on market research as well as initializing development of the market. Microsoft is among the leading organizations in terms of the CSR activities which has contributed much to the society and it has done great work in the anguish stricken regions all around the world largely (Tai Chuang, 2014). However, to turn itself into a responsible corporate citizen and contribute largely to the society it is essential for the organization to maintain their sustainability in the market by enhancing and continuing their initiatives. Microsoft has marked them as an organization that has been able to generate many business o pportunities for other companies in the market across the globe (Janssen, Sen Bhattacharya, 2015). Microsoft is fully committed towards environmentally sustainable practices for their businesses. Microsoft is an organization who has considered the usage of the corporate social responsibility as an integral aspect of the business model of the organization. There are mainly four types of corporate social responsibility and they are economic CSR, legal CSR, ethical CSR and philanthropic CSR (Tai Chuang, 2014). Most of the countries in the world are using a single bottom where the primary purpose of the organization is fulfilling the goals and objectives of the organization set by the stakeholders. However, recently large numbers of companies are using a double bottom line and triple bottom line to incorporate the corporate social responsibility in to the business model of the organization. Microsoft is one of the leading organizations in the CSR activities who has contributed a lot to the society and has done great works in the grief stricken regions all around the world. However, i n order to become a responsible corporate citizen and contribute to the society it is essential for the organization to maintain their sustainability in the market. Thus, economic CSR is one of the major factors, which will help the organization in maintaining the sustainability of the organizations in the market (Suliman, Al-Khatib Thomas, 2016). Microsoft has made use of the innovation in the business model and products, which has helped them to generate more revenue in the fiscal year of 2016. The management of the organization has two-way communication with Bill Gates as the charismatic leader who has been able to transform the organization (Saeidi et al., 2015). The organization is following a transformative leadership pattern where the employees are encouraged to share their opinions and use innovation to make the technology even better. Microsoft is such an organization who has been able to generate business opportunities for other companies in the market. The organization provides their employees with a lot of benefits and flexibility, which helps to create a motivated diverse workforce (Boulouta Pitelis, 2014). The organization considers the workforce as the one of the important aspect of the organization as the workforce of an organization can increase the productivity of the organization and at the same time will h elp in gaining competitive advantage in the market. Microsoft is the major contributors in all the natural disasters the world has faced and has aided the people with all their resources, which show that how strong the organizations sustainability is. The company has started the commercial cloud, which has generated a lot of revenue for the company, and Office 365 is one of the biggest success for the organization as it has hit 23.1 million subscribers in the market. The revenue of the Microsoft azure also grew by 113% and the use of the SQL database has simultaneously increased to a different level (Microsoft.com., 2017). The company was able to acquire the company named LinkedIn in June 2016 at a price of $26.2 billion (Microsoft.com., 2017). The company is involved in a highly competitive industry where there are lot of fluctuations in the market technologies and the strategies used by the companies. The company is generating constant revenue from the all the products in the mark et and Microsoft has made sure that they spent a lot of capital on research and development of the market. This helps them to come up with new technologies, which provides them with competitive advantage in the market. Thus, it can said that even though contributing back to the society is the responsibility of all organizations but one thing that has to be taken in to account maintain the economic condition of the company should be the primary goal of every organization in the market. Hence, it can be concluded that, the economic CSR of Microsoft is still expanding and for maintaining sustainability, it is very important to enhance the corporate social responsibility activities of CSR and that will help in keeping the commitment of the company regarding a sustainable future. As sustainability is a major concern of Microsoft, the company has largely played a role in practising of ways that will lead to sustainable future for the world. Microsoftas an organization considers that workforce is one of the important aspect required for every organization as mainly the workforce of any organization is able to help in increasing the productivity of the organization and at the same time help in gaining and increasing the competitive advantage in the market. Microsoft is one of the major contributors for all the natural disasters the world faces and has been aiding the people with all their required resources, which is a strong example of how strong and powerful the sustain ability of Microsoft is and how they manage it. References: Berg, K. T., Sheehan, K. B. (2014). 7 Social Media as a CSR Communication Channel.Ethical practice of social media in public relations, 99. Boulouta, I., Pitelis, C. N. (2014). Who needs CSR? The impact of corporate social responsibility on national competitiveness.Journal of Business Ethics,119(3), 349-364. Carroll, A., Buchholtz, A. (2014). Business and society: Ethics, sustainability, and stakeholder management. Nelson Education. Epstein, M. J., Buhovac, A. R. (2014). A new day for sustainability: is your company ready to take on increased responsibility for its activities throughout the globe?.Strategic Finance,96(1), 25-34. Hoi, C. K., Wu, Q., Zhang, H. (2013). Is corporate social responsibility (CSR) associated with tax avoidance? Evidence from irresponsible CSR activities.The Accounting Review,88(6), 2025-2059. Janssen, C., Sen, S., Bhattacharya, C. B. (2015). Corporate crises in the age of corporate social responsibility.Business Horizons,58(2), 183-192. Magdani, N. (2016). Design for deconstruction: director of sustainability, BAM Construct UK, Hemel Hempstead.Nature,531(7595), 436-437. Microsoft.com. (2017).Microsoft 2016 Annual Report.Microsoft.com. Retrieved 17 September 2017, from https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar16/index.html Saeidi, S. P., Sofian, S., Saeidi, P., Saeidi, S. P., Saaeidi, S. A. (2015). How does corporate social responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of competitive advantage, reputation, and customer satisfaction.Journal of Business Research,68(2), 341-350. Suliman, A. M., Al-Khatib, H. T., Thomas, S. E. (2016). Corporate Social Responsibility.Corporate Social Performance: Reflecting on the Past and Investing in the Future, 15. Tai, F. M., Chuang, S. H. (2014). Corporate social responsibility.Ibusiness,6(03), 117.