Participation Early Education Essay

Participation in simple terms means to take part in something (Hornby 1995: 844). When referring to children’s rights, the concept is far broader. It is much more than simply asking children for their ideas or opinions. It is about listening to, respecting and understanding children, working in partnership with them, giving children the opportunity to actively make decisions that will result in their ideas becoming reality and their contributions bringing about positive change (Ministry of Social Development 2003). Children’s participation is a right not an optional extra (Participation Works 2012). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) promotes a rights-based approach to children and states that these rights begin at birth (Alderson 2008: 83). Many of the 54 articles encompass child participation. Articles 6, 7 and 8 refer to a child’s right to life, to a name and to an identity (Unicef n.d). The right to a life, to be a part of society, to participate as a part of the human race make all other rights achievable (Alderson 2008). Article 7 states that every child should have a name and their name should be respected. Giving a child a name and an identity is recognising the child as a unique individual rather than the property of a parent or carer (Alderson 2008: 79). One of the key articles that promote child participation is Article 12: ‘state parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with age and maturity of the child’ (Alderson 2008: 87). Article 12 is about giving children the right to express their views and having them heard. This means actively listening to children by allowing them to communicate their thoughts, feelings or ideas and know that they will be taken on board and respected (Scott et al 2008: 51). There are many whom are critical of this article and are concerned that it may be interpreted in such a way as to manipulate certain situations (Scott et al 2008: 51). The article states that the views of the child will be given due weight in accordance with age and maturity (Alderson 2008: 87). Some feel this may mean that children under a certain age may not be taken seriously nor have their views heard (Scott et al 2008). Alderson believes that babies and very young children are able to express themselves in various ways and get great joy from making choices (2008: 88). The UNCRC outlines child’s rights which protect children and promote welfare (Alderson 2008: 78). These rights illustrate how children and young people can actively participate and contribute to society (Alderson 2008: 78). Adult Roles Childhood has changed significantly and this is primarily due to an alteration in society’s view of children rather than the children themselves (Miller 2003: 14). Children have become the main focus in many households with parents and carers feeling the need to provide for their children in such a way that results in children feeling powerless (Miller 2003: 14). Adults may have a childhood ideal and attempt to enforce this onto their children. This may be an act of love but can do more harm than good (Miller 2003: 14). Adults may make decisions on a child’s behalf to spare them responsibility or by thinking the child is not capable of making those decisions. However this may result in a child feeling as if they have no control over their own life and may remain dependent rather than becoming confident and independent (Miller 2003:14). Decisions that may appear to be insignificant to adults such as what a child wears or what food they can eat, where they go to school or who they are allowed to play with are all extremely important and impact massively on the child’s life (Miller 2003: 15). It is presumed that children are inferior and that adults know better (Miller 2003: 15). Adults may possess more life experience than children but that does not mean that they always know what is right for a child. How a child feels and what they feel is important to them at that moment coupled with adult support is key to establishing a positive outcome that will benefit the child (Miller 2003: 15). Failing to allow child participation can be viewed as control or power. Many adults will use and abuse this power to gain something for themselves (Miller 2003: 15). Some adults may discipline or punish their children in a way that hurts or humiliates the child and will justify their actions as being essential in helping their child develop into a responsible citizen (Miller 2003: 15). In other cases children may be asked for their opinions or views only to have them ridiculed or dismissed. Barriers to Participation Involving children in decision making can be threatening or difficult for adults to achieve. This may be the case with parents/significant others, teachers or with anyone involved in working with children (Miller 2003: 17). Many worry that giving a child a voice and empowering them will lead to family difficulties and disordered classrooms (Alderson 2008: 92). Others find it hard to promote participation amongst younger children without being tokenistic (Scott et al 2008: 47). Some adults are of the opinion that child participation is dangerous and may put children at unnecessary risk (Miller 2003: 17). However if all risks are considered and it is accepted that the child can cope with the risks then the experience would prove beneficial to the child (Miller 2003: 21). If a child is not allowed to take risks within a safe and supported environment they may never experience risk at all (Miller 2003: 21). Allowing children to assess and take risks empowers them and enables them to gain first hand life experience (Scott et al 2008: 49). Handing over complete responsibility and power to a child would not be viable as they would not have the necessary life skills to deal with such an ask (Miller 2003: 21). It is essential to provide support and guidance as well as set boundaries for children in order to protect and nurture whilst empowering (Scott et al 2008: 51). It appears there is an unwillingness to allow children the opportunity to actively participate and this is portrayed well in Professor Roger Hart’s Ladder of Participation. Hart’s ladder was devised as a tool for understanding and portraying different levels of participation. There are eight levels in total on the ladder with each step describing the level of child participation and the adult intervention (Scott et al 2008: 49). The first three steps are manipulation, decoration and tokenism (Scott et al 2008: 49). These refer mostly to adult led activities where children are used or are given a voice but are given very little choice or opportunity for input (Scott et al 2008: 49). As the steps progress the level of adult intervention diminishes and child participation increases. Level 6 is adult initiated and refers to a working partnership between children and adults (Scott et al 2008: 49). Although the activity was initiated by the adult, the children play a part in decision making. The final step is level 8 which is child initiated (Scott et al 2008: 50). This is the step that allows children complete and total participation. They have initiated the project and have actively taken part in the decision making. They have chosen a project or activity that is relevant for them and one in which they feel they will bring about change (Miller 2003: 16 ). The adults take a back seat but are there to fully support and guide the children when necessary (Scott et al 2008: 50). Promoting Participation Child participation should be voluntary; the child should have the right to decide whether or not they want to take part (Miller 2003: 18). In order for children to make that decision they have to be informed about the decision making process and how it works (Miller 2003: 18). This will ensure they understand their own role as well as the roles of others (Miller 2003: 18). It is important for adults to recognise opportunities for child participation and to find ways of encouraging active involvement (Miller 2003: 21). Adults must consider a child’s experience, skills and needs as well as the impact these may have on others. It is important to actively listen to children and to create a safe environment where children are able to express their views and feelings (Scott et al 2008: 51). To promote inclusion it is vital to reach those children and young people who do not readily participate in decision making such as children with disabilities or children with socioeconomic issues (Miller 2003: 19). Adults must identify barriers and try to break these down. Providing an easily accessible environment that is adapted to suit the needs of the children may be one way or providing information and resources in a format that suits the child, i.e. Braille or using sign language (Miller 2003: 19). Information should also be displayed and communicated in a child friendly manner, free from jargon or hidden agenda (Unicef n.d). It is important to support and motivate children during active participation by keeping children informed and up to date (Unicef n.d). Letting children know how their efforts are impacting on a situation will keep them motivated and reassured that their voices are being heard and are making a difference (Unicef n.d). There are many benefits to child participation such as giving children a sense of citizenship; they are using their voices to bring about change (Scott et al 2008: 49). Some other benefits include increased self-esteem and confidence, a sense of being valued and respected, greater responsibility, gaining practical, language and presentation skills and inspiration and motivation (Scott et al 2008: 49). This will in turn impact on the wider society by encouraging citizenship; promote democracy and influence policy (Miller 2003: 17). I feel child participation is vital in ensuring all children are listened to, valued and respected as individuals and as citizens of society. I aim to encourage participation in my workplace setting by actively listening to the children and ensuring I am always available to the children. I will respect the children’s feelings and views and actively acknowledge their feelings in a positive manner. I feel it is important to involve children in decision making and planning. When planning activities I will ensure they are child led and that the children have expressed their interest in the area or topic or have suggested an activity or topic. I will do this by having discussions with the children and asking open questions to ensure children have the opportunity to express their own opinions and thoughts. I believe the area in which children learn should be adapted to suit their needs and should allow for inclusion for all. This may mean ensuring all equipment and resources are easily accessible and are clearly labelled. Children should play an active part in deciding on their snack and I will always encourage children to express their likes and dislikes. Discussing food and children’s opinions on food can empower children to make healthy food choices for themselves. I will endeavour to act in a way which promotes the rights of every child to full participation whilst ensuring their protection and Conclusion It is clear that children’s voices are being heard and that there are opportunities for children to participate in bringing about positive change for the future. However there are still many barriers and hurdles that prevent children from feeling as though they have a choice or that having a choice will actually make a difference. The main barrier may indeed be attitude and the consensus that children simply can’t do what adults can do for them. I feel that children are in fact the teachers and adults can learn a great deal from them if they were only willing to listen. References Alderson P. (2008) Young Children’s Rights; Exploring Beliefs, Principles and Practice. (2nd edition) London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Hornby A .S. (1995). Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press Miller J. (2003). Never Too Young; How Young Children can Take Responsibility and Make Decisions. London: Save the Children. Ministry of Social Development. (2003). Involving Children. New Zealand: Ministry of Social Development. Participation Works Partnership. (2012). What is Participation? [Online]. Available from: http://www.participationworks.org.uk/topics/rights/participation-rights [Accessed 27 November 2012]. Scott F et al. (2008). HNC Early Education & Childcare. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd. Unicef. (n.d). Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the convention on the rights of the child. [Online]. Available from: http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf [Accessed 27 November 2012].

Boeing corporation crisis Essay

Attached is a report of the biggest crisis that the Boeing Corporation has ever faced in its existence. First it will describe the events leading up to the problem before it became a public issue. Then we will discuss in extensive detail exactly what the problem is that Boeing is facing and how they can overcome it. The team of xxx completed the research and the written report of the crisis. Boeing is an international supplier of commercial airline planes, military defense aircraft, and surveillance. Partially due to the September 11th attacks on the United States, the Boeing Corporation will be laying off 30,000 employees from their nationwide facilities. The layoffs will affect cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, St. Louis, Philadelphia, and will affect employees from entry level to executive offices. The announcements of these issues have caused Boeing’s stock to fall to a surprising low and production levels to drop dramatically. XXX would like to thank XXX for giving us the opportunity to complete this research assignment. The research helped us learn how to more efficiently utilize the different databases available to us and put it into a format so it can be presented to a public organization or the media. The skills learned in the duration of completing this report will be able to be utilized when presenting to upper management a detailed issue and solutions to a specific problem. Boeing Corporation Crisis Cal State Fullerton Jean Fuller May 28, 2002 Executive Summary Today the Boeing Corporation is facing one of the largest crises in the history of the company. They are in the process of laying off a total of 30,000 employees from their facilities nationwide. The layoffs will take place in cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, St. Louis, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. Most of the layoffs affect the commercial airline division, but the military defense and aerospace divisions will also be affected. The plan for the reduction in employee size began in July 2001, but the attacks on the United States on September 11th left the company having to lay off more employees. At the present time, Boeing is mainly focusing on reducing the amount of mandatory layoffs. This is going to be hard to accomplish because of the reduced demand for the company’s goods and services. In the future, Boeing’s focus will be on returning to a high level of production and profitability. They will be focusing on competing with the competition by increasing product innovation and reducing expenses that the company incurs during production in an effort to keep prices low. Due to economic slowdown and reduced spending by consumers, the Boeing Corporation was beginning to experience loss in revenues and a decline in production. Not more than three months later, the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York impacted the demand for commercial aircraft because of fear to travel by airplane. Also, heavy competition with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, Boeing is not being awarded as many contracts with the United States military, which is causing a decline in revenues for the aerospace and military defense divisions. There are not many ways to overcome the entire problem, but there are some alternatives that the company can consider in order to reduce them. The alternatives are to distribute hours equally among the employees, reallocate employees into different divisions, offer severance pay, and to continue to layoff employees. Boeing has to be careful in the way that this particular situation is handled. If employees feel as though they are being treated unfair, they will not have job satisfaction and production may decrease. The best possible solution for the Boeing’s problem is to equally distribute the hours among the employees. By doing this employees will maintain their jobs. This will result in higher job satisfaction than other alternatives, and Boeing will not have to go through an extensive process to rehire when they return back to a stage of profitability. Boeing Problem Statement As Boeing faces one of the greatest financial crises in the history of the airline industry, Boeing plans to cut production workers, engineers and support staff by mid-2002 (Nyhan, September 2001). Because of a declining economy as well as terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11th, Boeing is laying off a total of 30,000 employees in all divisions of the corporation: aerospace, commercial aviation, and military defense. The layoffs will happen in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Seattle, Oklahoma, and the Puget Sound area, and will affect everyone from salaried executives to the hourly paid maintenance employees. Layoffs are a sign of company turmoil and should be avoided to maintain the company stockholders. Short and Long-Term Goals Boeing’s primary short-term objective is to maintain a reasonable level of profitability given the recent occurrences. It will attempt to accomplish this by reducing the amount of dollars that are paid to the current employees by either reducing their hours, or completely terminating their employment with the company. Because of current supply and demand of the company, profits will be reduced if the current level of employees is maintained. Boeing’s long-term objective is to be the number one supplier of commercial, aerospace, and military aircraft and technology. They aim to accomplish this by maintaining a level of profitability that satisfies the stockholders and corporate executives. They also want to maintain a high level of competition with the current competition: Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. If Boeing loses government aerospace and military defense contracts to the competition, there is a high probability that the company will become insolvent and declare bankruptcy. Details of the Problem Prior to September 11th, Boeing was going through trying times. Their satellite manufacturing operations were in a recession. This was due to the bursting of the internet and telecom bubbles (Laing, 2002). The Commercial Airline Industry was also facing a slowdown. This was a result of high fuel prices, labor cost increases, a softening of the national economy and low passenger traffic (Smith, 2001). Also, improvements in production efficiency for Boeing led to a plan to decrease up to 15% of its employees in the commercial-aircraft business. This efficiency in production was due to the industry’s first ever-moving assembly line for the final phase of the production process, which cuts unneeded steps (Holmes, 2001). Likewise, by the end of 2001, Boeing lost out on the largest military contract ever when the Pentagon picked rival Lockheed Martin to build the Joint Strike Fighter for shared use by the Air Force, Navy and Marines. This next generation manned fighter is expected to flow more than $200 billion in revenues over the next 20 years (Laing, 2002). But most traumatic for Boeing were the terrorist attacks on September 11th. They transformed what had been shaping up as a mild downturn in commercial jet orders into a veritable collapse in demand (Laing, 2002). After the attacks, the need to fly drastically declined due to fear and security issues that made flying a nuisance. This left the US Airline Industry in a serious crisis. Companies such as Continental, US Airways, American, and Delta cut up to 20% of their capacity (Smith, 2001). Source: www.bloomber.com The terrorist attacks resulted in Boeing’s stock to plummet. Prior to September 11th, Boeing’s stock was falling because of the downturn in the economy. From the graph above, we can see that the attacks made the stock price to fall from $50 a share to $30. This was a sign that investors knew the impact the terrorist attacks had on Boeing’s industry. After September 11th, Boeing planned to respond to these problems by cutting production rates by 50 percent (Nyhan, November 2001). On September 18th, one week after the attacks, Boeing announced at a press conference that it would layoff up to 30,000 employees by the middle of 2002 (Smith, 2001). On that day, Boeing reduced the level of employees by 12,000: 3,000 through retirement and attrition, and 9,000 through layoffs (Farley, 2001). Boeing also stated that their jetliner orders would decrease drastically. In the next three years 80% of their 2001 orders would be delivered (Smith, 2002). They also planned to cut their monthly production of aircraft by half, from 48 to 24. The director of people at Boeing’s commercial airplane unit said, â€Å"In order to match our reduced production rate, we will need to accomplish the majority of the 20,000 to 30,000 reductions in 2002 employment by midyear†. Members of the Associated Press and Kiro 7 Eyewitness News stated, â€Å"Last week Boeing officials announced plans to layoff as many as 30,000 employees, mostly in the Puget Sound area, by the end of next year because of plummeting demand for new planes and postponed deliveries since the terrorist attacks.† Boeing’s commercial airplane division is not the only division that the layoffs will effect. Surprisingly 5,000 of the 30,000 layoffs are predicted to come from the military division. The military division cutbacks are also due to the September 11th attacks, but they are mainly due to global economic slowdown (Klein, 2001). This comes as a surprise because the military division is expected to grow in a time of war or terrorist attacks. Stockholders may assume that the government will request an increased level of production of fighter jets and military bombers so that the United States can dominate in the war against terrorism. In addition, the layoffs will not only affect the Boeing employees, but also people outside the company. As many as 20,000 of the Boeing layoffs may occur in the Seattle area alone, resulting in an additional 34,000 jobs lost by Boeing suppliers, subcontractors, and others (Klein, 2001). Alternatives Before Boeing implements any solutions they must maintain a good level of communication with their employees. The employees must know the reasons for a particular action taken by Boeing in order to avoid any mistrust and confusion (Hoffman, 2001). For example, an employee will wonder why layoffs are taking place when Phil Condit, Boeing’s CEO, is making an annual bonus of $1.13 million (Webber, 2002). Boeing must carefully explain their plans and what they are hoping to accomplish through their actions. Boeing can reduce the amount of layoffs by implementing any of the following solutions: Distribute Hours Among Employees The first solution for Boeing is to spread the hours among the employees for each department. Every department is given so many hours it can use for each week at the beginning of the quarter, depending on the amount of business Boeing has. If those hours taken and spread among the employees for each department, not as many layoffs will occur. The hours will be spread out by reducing the workweek from five days to four. By cutting one day out of an employee’s schedule Boeing is able to give those hours to another employee, which under the circumstances would be laid off. Once four employees each receive a deduction in their workweek one employee will be able to maintain their job and not be laid off. The advantage to this solution is that fewer employees will have to be laid-off. Employees will have their hours cut according to seniority. Some employees that have been with the company for a number of years will not be affected by the action. By holding onto the employees and not laying them off Boeing will be prepared to handle new contracts as they arise. Boeing is predicting that the recent decline in contracts is only short-term and business will soon return to their previous levels. The disadvantage to the solution is that some employees will not be able to afford a reduction in hours. In this scenario employees will not be satisfied and hold each other responsible for less hours. If employees are not satisfied then their production will decrease due to their dissatisfaction. Re-Allocate Employees The second solution for Boeing is to train employees in other departments within the company. This will allow Boeing to reallocate employees in different departments rather than laying them off. With the commercial airline department being hit the hardest by the recent terrorist events, employees in that department could transfer to other departments if they possessed the knowledge. The advantage in training employees outside their departments is the value it will add to the employee. If an employee has the knowledge and know how to be productive and efficient in other departments, not just his own, they become an instant asset to the company. Due to their flexibility Boeing can move the employee around in accordance with demand. A disadvantage to this solution is that Boeing will incur high costs for training employees to do other jobs. A slowdown in production will also result due to the time spent on training. The transition for an employee to move from one department to another is difficult because the employee will not be as efficient. Severance Pay Early retirement packages will be available to qualified employees. The retirement packages to be offered will vary depending on the number of years an employee has with the company. For each full year of service an employees has with the company, up to twenty-six years, they will receive one week of pay (Hoffman, 2001). The employee can take the severance pay in either a lump sum or as an income continuation. The single lump sum plan pays the severance pay to the person in one check within one month of leaving the company. The income continuation plan will pay the severance pay on the regular paydays every two weeks (Boeing, 2000). The advantage to this solution is each individual makes their own decision and they have total control of what they want to do. Also high salaries will be eliminated as management personnel take the package. Once management leaves, the ones that find early retirement appealing, Boeing will be able to promote employees into those positions without having to pay the large salaries. The disadvantage to this solution is that not many jobs will be saved because not many employees will go for the early retirement package. Boeing will also lose experienced managers if they decide to take the early retirement package. If this solution is implemented Boeing will continue to layoff employees because not enough jobs will be cut. Continue Layoffs The last solution is to continue to layoff employees as necessary. This will allow Boeing to keep revenues high because the layoffs will occur according to the market. If Boeing does not get as many contracts as they expected for a particular quarter, the layoffs will help the company’s finances. The disadvantage to this alternative is the potential of business picking backup. The market for commercial jetliners is expected to boom in two years and Boeing needs to be able to handle the new contracts. If Boeing has to constantly train new employees as business increases, in an effort compensate for the ones that were laid-off, they will not be operating at full efficiency. Solution Boeing realizes that layoffs can’t be completely eliminated, however they want to reduce layoffs to the lowest possible amount. Boeing will accomplish that by distributing the hours in each department among the employees. This solution will allow Boeing to save jobs by reducing the employee’s workweek from forty hours to thirty-two hours. The management of each department will determine the hours to be cut and the number of employees that are affected. This will be implemented on June 1, 2002 throughout all departments. Most employees will be affected by the reduction in hours, and management must be prepared to cope with the initial negative reaction. In order to measure the results of the solution, Boeing must evaluate the impact on its bottom line along with the toll it’s taking on their employees. An evaluation will occur every six months and will be lead by top executives and the department managers. Once evaluated, a decision will be made by the board of directors on whether or not to continue with the reduction of hours or to incorporate a different action. The thirty-two hour workweek is expected to be temporary as analysts are predicting a turn around in demand for planes (Holmes, 2001). As production returns to capacity, hours will be returned back to employees according to seniority.    Reference List Airlines slash workforces. (n.d.) retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.proquest.com . Airwise News. (2001, September 22). Majority of Boeing layoffs in aircraft sector. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.dowjonesinteractive.com Associated Press Newswires. (2002, March). More Boeing layoff notices. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.dowjonesinteractive.com. Article No. A71327300 Associated Press Newswires. (2001, September). First Boeing layoffs set to take effect Dec. 14. Retrieved May 7, 2002, from www.seattleinsider.com/news/boeing.html Boeing Company. (2002). A Brief History. Retrieved April 8, 2002, from www.boeing.com/companyoffices/history/boeing/html. Boeing Company. (2002). Layoffs Benefits Plan. Retrieved May 7, 2002, from www.boeing.com/companyoffices/benefits/boeing/html. Carlton, D.R. (2002, January) Boeing bleak outlook. The Economist, 362 (8257), 58. Corliss, B. (2002, April). Boeing deliveries drop 10%. Retrieved May 7, 2002, from www.msnbc.com Farley, G. (2001, December). Union leaders file grievances. The Associated Press. Retrieved April 15, 2002, from www.king5.com/cgi-bin/gold.cgi Genna, C.A. (2002, April 19). More layoff notices to be issued at Boeing. Retrieved May 8, 2002, from www.latimes.com Gillie, J.F. (2001, November). Lost jobs in Puget Sound area. The News Tribune, Tacoma. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.dowjonesinteractive.com Gillie, J.F. (2001, December). 1,700 new layoff notices today. The News Tribune, Tacoma. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.dowjonesinteractive.com. Article No. TCMA0135500 Global general aviation industry delivery breakdowns for jets. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2002, from http://rdswebl.rdsinc.com/texis/rds/suite.html. Hoffman, R. (2001, June 29). The Dynamics of Downsizing. Retrieved May 18, 2002, form www.hradvice.com Holmes, S.C. (2001, November 26). Aerospace industry downsizing. Business Week, (3759), 108-109 Klein, A. (2001, October 13). Boeing faces massive layoffs. The Washington Post. Retrieved April 15, 2002, from http://detnews.com/2001/business.html. Laing, J.R. (2002, April). Gaining Altitude: Corporate profiles. Barron’s, 82 (17), 21-25. Lloyd, M.K. (2001, December). Losing Altitude; Aviation. The Economist, 361 (8253), 81-83. More Boeing layoff notices going out. (n.d.) Retrieved April 26, 2002, from www.seattleinsider.com Nyhan, P.J. (2001, September). Boeing expects to layoff up to 10 percent in commercial division. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved April 10, 2002 from www.dowjonesinteractive.com. Article No. SEPI012700. Nyhan, P.J. (2002, February). Boeing lays off 1,000 local workers. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.dowjonesinteractive.com. Nyhan, P.J. (2001, November). Majority of Boeing layoffs to hit by June. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from http://seattlepi.nwsource.com Schneider, R. (2001, December). Losing Altitude: aftershocks from September 11th. The Economist. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.infotrac.com. Article No. A81118376. Smith, B.A. (2002, January 21). Boeing continues its production cost focus. Aviation Week & Space Technology, 156 (3), 43-44. Smith, B.A. (2001, September 24). Boeing cuts delivery estimates, prepares for major layoffs. Aviation Week & Space Technology, 155 (13), 29-32. Song, K.M. (2001, December). Boeing layoff face challenge. The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.dowjonesinteractive.com. Article No. SETL0135600. Song, K.M. (2002, April). Effects from Boeing cutbacks felt. The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 18, 2002, from www.dowjonesinteractive.com. Article No. SETL0211100. Standaert, J. (2002, January). Boeing trims 2,300 more jobs. The News Tribune, Tacoma. Retrieved April 10, 2002, from www.dowjonesinteractive.com. Article No. TCMA0201900. Thomas, G.D. (2002, April). Tough times ahead. Air Transport World, 39, (4), 31-33. Webber, J.P. (2002, April 19). Boeing hurt by slowdown. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 8, 2002, from www.latimes.com

MEDIA JOURNALISM 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MEDIA JOURNALISM 2 - Essay Example The destroyed rig Deepwater Horizon sank on Thursday spilling what some claim is over 200,000 gallons of oil a day into the surrounding waters. Spokespersons for Greenpeace claim that the company British Petroleum and the British people should be held financially liable for the ecological damage: â€Å"Dependence on oil is one thing†, claims Greenpeace/UK, â€Å"but responsibility is another†. United States President Obama speaking from the White House agreed with the sentiment. He said that while Federal and State organisation were act accordingly it was BP who was ultimately negligent: â€Å"As I said yesterday, BP is ultimately responsible under the law for paying the costs of response and cleanup operations.† Greenpeace has claimed that a lack of Government support has led to oil-dependent companies like BP spending little on research into alternative fuels. A Greenpeace spokesperson said: â€Å"Under its current chief Tony Hayward the company is pouring $19bn into developing its oil and gas business, compared with less than $1bn on all forms of renewable technologies†. Story selected to show the similar tone. ‘Teacher’ stories usually go two ways: either the teacher is a saint pushed to extremes, or the teacher is a predator and deserves more than the courts will ever dish out. Court selected for accurate records. Opinion pieces chosen specifically for the strength of the opinion. While this is not specifically a ‘political’ issue by itself, combined with the EU’s call for a revision of child protection laws in Britain the issue has been politicised. Public news forums almost universally applauded the decision. ‘Thomas’ on Yahoo News called students today ‘brats’ saying: I dont blame the teacher for losing it. The fault is with parents who cant parent†. ‘Jellieso’ from the news site ‘Digital Spy’ was also pleased with the verdict saying that: â€Å"Common sense rules for once†, a sentiment echoed by another

Media for Marketing and Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Media for Marketing and Advertising - Essay Example The report includes a comprehensive SWOT analysis including charts and relevant diagrams. Also, this paper exhaustively examines the target market and their needs as well as any possible stumbling blocks that the company may encounter when dealing with this particular niche. In addition it conclusively discusses the marketing mix that is the product, the place, promotion and the price of the toy in the UK market. Company’s Overview Hangzhou Kebo factory limited was established in the year 2004 with the main aim of developing and producing better quality toys professionally as explained by Hangzhou Kebo Toy Factory INC. Their toys are aimed at promoting creativity in children and have a high education value. Since then the company has spread its wings to countries outside Asia to as far as Europe. As a matter of fact, the company claims to export up to 80% of what they manufacture. Their biggest importers are the United States of America, Australia, Japan, West Europe and Korea where they have managed to attain a significant market share in these particular countries. The company takes pride in the quality as well as creativity of their products not to mention their expanding popularity. Hangzhou Kebo factory limited boasts of producing many major products including; educational toys, plastic toys, wooden toys and promotional gifts. Toys exported from China The graph above shows the value of toys exported from China. ... The products are designed to assist children to learn about different colours and shapes as well as helping them develop their capability for logical thinking and keen observation. Additionally, their toys can help children learn scientific concepts and this helps to develop their creativity, flexibility, self- confidence and intelligence in their early years. Versatile products Not only can their products be used for games, they can also be used as teaching aides. This ensures that their users get to enjoy both sides of the coin without a hassle. This is both convenient and helps to save time. It also ensures that learning is fun and acts as a measure to avert boredom. Brand reputation Their products have reported high sales and have been well received by customers globally. The company has worked with some of the renowned games and toys producers including Wonderland in Thailand and HABA in Germany (Trader China 2011). The company has secured a considerable market share not only in Asia but also in the Middle- East, U. S. and Europe. Weaknesses The company faces a major challenge as it will be introducing a new brand in the market not just a new product (Alibaba.com 2011). Acquiring new customers will most likely prove to be difficult as the target market already has a brand of their choice (Brassington and Petit 2003). Therefore, it will take a lot of advertising and marketing to sway the customers to take up this new brand as the brand of their choice. The product’s characteristics do not differentiate as much from other existing products in the market. As such the company’s products, that is, the toys they manufacture may not be that different from those already in circulation (Trader China 2011). This will result in the company’s loss if

Should men get paternity leave from work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Should men get paternity leave from work - Essay Example He would have to take charge of his wife and the new born in the same way that his wife will be taking care of. One should believe that paternity leave is something that facilitates the process of the birth of the baby and fast tracks the entire process. The mother is helped immensely and so are the other family members. The organizations of present times are however having different ideas. They believe that the paternity leave would not offer the employees the mileage that they would require when their young ones are born. They think that the fathers do not have to go through the same problems and issues which the mothers have, and hence it is not necessary to allot them the paternity leave in the first place. Therefore the fundamental right of the fathers under such consideration goes out of the window completely. They are forbidden to ask for the paternity leave because it belittles the kind of profession that they are a part of, and the fact that they are men makes the subject lo ok even more hopeless. What happens with these fathers is a totally different subject altogether. They believe that they have been hard done by because they are not given a chance to be with their family in this hour of need. The paternity leave can turn the tide in favor of the family as the head of the family under such cases is indeed the father himself. He would be given the assistance that is much required and which shall be the cornerstone of looking after his family in this crunch hour. Also the paternity leave would tell the people around that the father would have to safeguard the rights and interests of the family when the mother is going through post-delivery issues of depression and other illnesses. He will be the one who is going to take charge of the entire scenario that has cropped up within the reins of the family. The paternity leave is also a facilitating agent which tells the family that the father would be around when there is a new born in the house, and when he shall be given the welcome that he deserves in entirety. More than anything else, it is the duty of the father to be on his feet at all times, and make sure that all processes, activities and steps are coming along in a very fine way (Brill, 2007). If this paternity leave is not granted on to the individual under consideration, then he would have to undergo a great deal of mental trauma and stress as his family life is at stake, and that he has to deliver in such crunch times. It is good for an organization to grant the paternity leave in such situations because it will mentally relieve the individual of his domestic issues, and thus make him feel elated that he was given solace by the management when he needed it the most. However not all organizations would agree to such a philosophy in the first place, and there are bound to be serious anomalies within the same contexts. For the sake of argument, a paternity leave would offer mental satisfaction and relief from pain and agony to the individual who is going through domestic issues. It would open up his thinking domains and allow him to feel free from the shackles of work routines. A week or so of being away from work with regards to the paternity leave that this individual has obtained would mean a good amount of fresh energy and the organization can expect the individual to bounce back to work with new vigor and renewed spirit. However, the lack of this paternity l

Ethics Reflection Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics Reflection - Term Paper Example This situation does create the impressions that businesses do not really have a set of ethical principles to follow as it conducts it operations and that these do not feel any responsibility toward society. Such notions may be the result of certain corporations that are indeed callously advancing activities that negatively affect people while reaping great profits at the same time. One proof is the prevalent concept that, â€Å"from an economic point of view, one can only afford to be ethical as long as one remains competitive† (Duska 2007, p.62). In order to reduce the intensity of the conflict between business and other sectors of society, as well between it and the employees, there is a need to focus on the education and reeducation of the management and the owners on business ethics and social responsibility. Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell explain that â€Å"business ethics comprises the principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business† (2010, p. 6). This definition emphasizes the need for companies to refer always to such moral precepts and standards as they embark on activities related to their respective businesses.

Analysis with an Introduction to Proof Research Paper

Analysis with an Introduction to Proof - Research Paper Example Logical connectives develop rationale for verifying statements and for joining statements into compound scenarios that require decision-making. In introducing the concept of truth-value, the chapter’s logics concept improves people’s rationale in decision-making and is therefore fundamental to every person for real life decision. Professionally, the logics’ concepts are applicable to most people such as managers and health care personnel whose decision yield consequences that can be used to evaluate ability to perform as a professional. Quantifiers also play a critical role in rational decision as they establish bases for identifying variables upon which decisions can be made. Understanding nature of a quantifier in a situation also facilitates decision making through defining scope of a variable on which decision should be made. Proof techniques is another important section of the chapter that supports application of logics in decision making, as it establishes bases for verifying truth values of statements and scenarios. Exploring various techniques also improves the audience’s rational competence. Consequently, I feel the chapter is informative and equips people with competence to tackle real life problems (Lay 1- 34). Reading chapter two of the book also develops the feeling that mathematical concepts are the basis of real life experiences and decisions. The scope of sets, definition of sets and elements of a set, for example, identify with the first step of decision-making that defines a problem and its scope. Consequently, concepts of sets and elements of sets can help in establishing boundaries for problems and therefore focus analysis for generation of solutions. Basic sets operations of union and intersection further facilitates this application of sets in real life experience and is consistent with chapter one’s concept of connectives that can help in