The World Is Flat Executive Summary free essay sample

The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman is best described as an expos © of the realities of the present day business world and of the effects that certain advances in technology as well as political upheavals have had on capitalism during the past three decades. The flattening of the world is a metaphor used to describe an increasing interconnectivity among the citizens of the world. This increase in interconnectivity is ascribed to several events such as the fall of the Berlin wall, and most prominently, the advent of the internet. The point is stressed that for companies to survive in todays environment, they must keep pace with the constant advances in technology that are making previous ways of doing business no longer competitive. It is also noted that it is becoming less important that a company be subservient to a particular nation state. Outsourcing to countries where labour is cheaper such as India, will save companies money, establish business practices in foreign countries, and, ironically, produce better results. We will write a custom essay sample on The World Is Flat Executive Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As a result we are left with he same capitalism as before, but Just a different (and ever changing), and much wider playing field. Its shocking to learn how backward the United States of America has become. To think that the country responsible for setting the pace of modern day capitalism has been able to educate its population so poorly is a troubling reflection of our value system. To quote the text, In China today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today, Britney Spears is Britney Spears and that is our problem. America is no longer motivated. Our youth have become lazy underachievers who will certainly be left at the bottom of the food chain where the upper rungs will be occupied by todays hardest workers who come from todays poorest countries. That is of course unless Americans have a drastic change in mentality. Unfortunately, I believe what will happen is that as a nation we will end up underpaid (or simply paid what we are worth) or unemployed. Essentially, being Ame rican is no longer a valuable thing. We are becoming worthless. As a nation we are apathetic to issues that are most mportant to the survival of our country; instead, we would prefer to focus our energies on fguring out how much pot Lindsey Lohan smokes and whether such and such a celebrity beats his wife or not. It is because of this media induced epidemic that I foresee an increasingly slimmer portion of the US population benefiting from globalization. The rest I see as being indefinitely underpaid if paid at all. The most important lesson to take away from this book is the importance of hard work. Also, it is very important to realize how to benefit, in business, from this hanging world and to adapt as quickly as possible to its parameters. It is those who are best equipped to adapt that will be able to stay afloat financially. The importance of networking also cannot be overlooked. Not only is networking in general going to be more and more important; with whom you network, and how you communicate with each other could make the difference between a successful business and a failure. Those who plan to adapt the best must establish vast and purposeful networks. Furthermore, in business we have to continue think globally, and we have o think about long term benefits. In America we have trouble thinking beyond the snort term. ts probably not uncommon to tind a businessman trom the other side of the world whose long term goals include the prosperity of generations underneath him, In America people increasingly dont even have their own prosperity in mind. So not only is it time to take into consideration our own prosperity, but it is also time to ensure that the generations that succeed us will also have the ability to prosper. Eric Snoddy

England Is Not an Independent Country

England Is Not an Independent Country Although England operates as a semi-autonomous region, it is not officially an independent country and instead is part of the country known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland- the United Kingdom for short. There are eight accepted criteria used to determine whether an entity is an independent country or not, and a country need only fail on one of the eight criteria to not meet the definition of independent country status- England does not meet all eight criteria; it fails on six of the eight. England is a country according to the standard definition of the term: an area of land that is controlled by its own government. However, since the United Kingdoms Parliament decides certain issues like foreign and domestic trade, national education, and criminal and civil law as well as controlling transportation and the military. The Eight Criteria for Independent Country Status In order for a geographical region to be considered an independent country, it must first meet all of the following criteria: has space that has internationally recognized boundaries; has people who live there on an ongoing basis; has economic activity, an organized economy, and regulates its own foreign and domestic trade and prints money; has the power of social engineering (like education); has its own transportation system for moving people and goods; has a government that provides public services and police power; has sovereignty from other countries; and has external recognition. If one or more of these requisites are not met, the country cannot be considered fully independent and does not factor into the total of 196 independent countries around the world. Instead, these regions are typically called States, which can be defined by a less-strict set of criteria, all of which are met by England. England only passes the first two criteria to be considered independent- it has internationally recognized boundaries and has had people living there consistently throughout its history. England is 130,396 square kilometers in area, making it the largest component of the United Kingdom, and according to the 2011 census has a population of 53,010,000, making it the most populous component of the U.K. as well. How England Isnt an Independent Country England fails to meet six of the eight criteria to be considered an independent country by lacking: sovereignty, autonomy on foreign and domestic trade, power over social engineering programs like education, control of all its transportation and public services, and recognition internationally as an independent country. While England certainly has economic activity and an organized economy, it does not regulate its own foreign or domestic trade and instead defaults to decisions handed down by the United Kingdoms Parliament- which is elected by citizens from England, Wales, Ireland, and Scottland. Additionally, although the Bank of England serves as the central bank for the United Kingdom and prints banknotes for England and Wales, it doesnt have control over its value. National government departments such as the Department for Education and Skill maintain responsibility for social engineering, so England does not control its own programs in that department, nor does it control the national transportation system, despite having its own system of trains and buses. Although England does have its own local law enforcement and fire protection provided by local governments, Parliament controls criminal and civil law, the prosecution system, the courts, and defense and national security across the United Kingdom- England does not and cannot have its own army. For this reason, England also lacks sovereignty because the United Kingdom has all of this power over the state. Finally, England does not have external recognition as an independent country nor does it have its own embassies in other independent countries; as a result, theres no possible way England could become an independent member of the United Nations. Thus, England- as well as Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland- is not an independent country but instead an internal division of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Organizational behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational behavior - Essay Example It is basically a practice of proper or suitable human behavior within the organizational setting (Griffin and Moorhead 3). The human behavior within the organization depends on many important factors and they are the organizational structure, motivational factors, job satisfaction, leadership qualities of the managers, communication processes and many more. However, with the advancement of the behavioral approaches of the new age work forces the organizational behavioral approaches of the management are also changing. The ROWE program in Best Buy is a great example to be studied by most of the organizations. Organizational structures (on the basis of decision making) Centralized: According to the centralized method the top level managers take the final decision and it is been carried downwards to the employee level. In this case the numbers of the managers are less and they stay away from the service point. Most of the traditional organizations follow the centralized structure. Dece ntralized: The decentralized system is totally different. The decision can also be taken in a much lower level. However, it is better than the centralized methods as the decision is made fast and the decision maker stays near the service point (Finkler et al; 43). Relation between organizational behavior and Structure: Strategy is the long term goal of the organization towards the proper direction. There are many strategies related to the organizations behavior and many strategies are discussed above and will be discussed in the later part of this paper. However, the organizational behavior and the organizational structures are closely related to each other. The decision making process and the behavior of the organization highly depend on the organizational structure. The structure and the behavioral strategies have reciprocal relationship (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 312). This important relation focuses one strategy formulation and the strategy implementation. In the recent time the ROWE program in the Best Buy can be presented to understand the relation between the organizational behavior, the structure and the strategies accordingly to match both the entities (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 312) Organization Behaviors: Group behavior: An organization is made of different people from different cultural back grounds and the group behavior plays a vital role in this context. However, group behaviors can referrer to many things. For an example, a group made of similar mentality people for some personal achievements can be a great negative character for an organization. However, a systematic grouping of employees for the betterment of the organization can be called as a team. And, team work is a great positive point for any organization. However, a group behavior is less predictable as many people are associated with a group (Yalom, and Leszcz 261). Job Attitudes: The attitude is a relative and evaluative statement; it can be favorable or unfavorable towards an object, person or job (Robbins, 55). It is a complex behavior of a person and it is highly dependent upon individual. However, attitudes can be molded with proper behavioral practices. The attitude of an employee towards her or her job depends upon many important factors and they are the job profile, motivation

Decision Making Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Decision Making - Assignment Example In this step, one should be weary of confirmation bias, which makes one ignore incoming information because they have already decided what is best. The narrator states that dilemmas might make it hard to make decisions, as one might find themselves stuck in cyclical indecisiveness. External and internal pressure might cause one to resort to the following: make impulsive decision or delay or avoid decision-making process. The narrator outlines the following decision making skills, which help ease the decision making process: Neuromodulators such as serotonin play a crucial role in influencing the decisions we make. Therefore, the narrator suggests that it is best to make decisions in the morning compared to making them in the afternoon, as serotonin levels are higher in the morning. Decisions made later in the day are more risk-averse, as one tends to gravitate towards the status-quo bias. This leads to indecision, as many opt to postpone making the decisions. Decisions trigger anxiety within the individual tasked with the decision-making responsibility, as one is constantly evaluating whether they considered all the relevant factors prior to making the decision. It is easier to make a decision solely compared to making a decision after considering other people’s different perspectives. The narrator uses the example of dictatorship and democratic regimes whereby, he claims the latter are plagued with decision-making

Serving Each Other in Todays Society

Serving Each Other in Todays Society Community Service: Serving Each Other in Todays Society There are many young adults out there who lack self-esteem, confidence, a sense of accomplishment or purpose, or simply a reason to get away from TV, computers, and video games. They often dont understand the value of community and the importance of team work. Most teens also dont realize how much lending a helping hand to others can also benefit them. What could be done to teach teens the importance of helping others and build a sense of self- confidence and worth? Community service is quick to remind anyone the importance of offering help, working as a team and simply getting outside and active. These teens shouldnt be assigned to just anything. All of the participants in community service should have a voice in the activities in which they are participating. Otherwise, it could make the whole experience a miserable one and do just the opposite of what it is intended to do. There is a lot of stigma around mandatory community service, but with flexible community service programs, positive promotion, and choices, teens will be put on the right track. A lot of stigma surrounds mandatory community service. Most people see it only as a means of corrective punishment. There are many people who think community service should be left to prisoners, and not to the youth of today. This poor attitude needs to be reversed by education. Many teens believe what they hear from their parents, teachers, and mentors. With this poor attitude on the matter, its no wonder teens may despise the idea of serving in the community. Proper education and promotion is the key to a successful program. For example, teens should see the results of community service. They should be able to see workers having a good time and enjoying what they do. Young adults should also see that they would benefit from serving in the community. This could all be done by providing introductory programs, attractive pamphlets, peer communication, and so on. Once teens are educated about community services and its benefits, the stigma will fade and they will be more willing to participate. Its important to remember the power of choice. There are numerous activities the teens could participate in. Blood drives, children activity clubs, clean-ups, and mentoring are just a few of the many things to choose from in community service. One who has a choice in what he or she does as an extra activity will be happier while participating. Delgado states, â€Å"[] a summary of the literature on youth activities, found that youth benefit the most when they have an opportunity to actively plan community-service projects that contribute to the welfare of others[]†.(127) When community service workers plan activities, a sense of ownership is built. Since the ideas were their own, the activity belongs to the workers and they will likely work much harder than they would if they were forced into the activity. Choosing an activity is just as powerful as planning one. The ability to choose an activity will also encourage teens to participate in multiple activities, which will broaden their horizons and abilities. A lot of young people lack a good sense of self-esteem. It can be caused by criticism, the media, the lack of activity, and so on. Many times all a teen needs to boost his or her self esteem is a sense of purpose and direction. Studies have shown that productive individuals generally have a higher self-esteem. (Joseph 1) Using community service as a way for teens to stay active is a great way for them to see the fruits of their efforts. When young adults see how much the work they are putting forth really matters, it will boast their confidence. For example, if a small town had grass growing in the sidewalk, trash lying about, and dirt everywhere, a group of teens could plan a cleaning project. Such a project would beautify the town and would likely give the group a sense of pride. The town would benefit by the work and maybe even be educated by the teens actions. If there were a huge turn-around in appearance, then perhaps the rest of the townspeople would help maintain the new condition of the small town. This would boost morale even higher for the group and make all the work seem very worthwhile. Another good point to mention is the fact teens would be busy. A lot of teens spend a ton of time in from of their computers, televisions, or video games systems. A study conducted in 2003 concluded that an alarming 34% of teens were clinically obese. (Nichols and Good 169) The sedentary lifestyle most Americans have adopted is devastating to overall well-being. When teens are over-weight, they suffer in numerous ways. They are persecuted by their peers, which results in a low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. They lack the energy or drive to pursue an activity because they lack physical fitness. Any kind of activity is good for someones health. If teens get actively involved in community service, they will be on the go. If teens get moving and realize how out of shape they are, then it may motivate them to do something about it. This will promote exercise and proper diet, thus resulting in a healthier lifestyle. Schools have been trying to incorporate teamwork into the classrooms, but it often doesnt work out as well as hoped. There have been numerous studies conducted on the matter and only a small portion of teamwork exercises have worked in schools. (Thomas 1) When a teamwork activity is academically based, it is difficult to pursue and most times it is difficult to see any results. Actual physical labor shows more of an effect of ones efforts. Therefore, some type of community service where one is physically involved in an activity with a group of people would teach teens how positive teamwork is. Then, they would later incorporate the idea into other activities, thus making them well rounded and willing to work with others. There are many young adults who leave high school and have no idea what the real world is all about. Most teenagers only know a life where everything is structured, and there is no question about what step to take next. Teens receive a schedule with their classes, books, a time for lunch period, and often their extra activities are planned for them. Community service would be a great place for teens to learn the importance of self-reliance. When a teen is provided a choice in what he or she may do as an activity, this would be the first step in that lesson. The second would be finding a way to transport themselves to the place of work. Then, they would have to make sure they are on time. Decision making, responsibility and initiative all fit into the lesson of self-reliance and define some of the basic things they would go through in adulthood. As it has already been said, with self-reliance comes a sense of responsibility. Anyone participating in community service is still held to a standard. These standards typically arent as high standards in a paid environment; however, there is still something to be gained. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development states, â€Å"[] by age 15, millions of young people risk reaching adulthood unable to assume the responsibilities of informed, active citizenship in a pluralistic society. (Radest 30) This same report also says, â€Å"Early adolescence offers a superb opportunity to learn values, skills, and a sense of social responsibility†. (30) With teens being held to a standard, they must assume responsibility for their successes and failures. This is something everyone goes through as an adult. It is better to learn these lessons earlier in life so teens can make their mistakes, learn from them, and grow from the entire experience. Resilience is a lesson which shouldnt be taken lightly and should be learned early in life. Adults often rush to the rescue when problems arise, not allowing young people to think it through and find a solution on their own. A problem arises and some teens may panic, have no idea what to do, or stand around waiting for someone else to take care of it. While going through community service, teens will likely meet with a few setbacks and will need to take action. Since these setbacks would likely only be minor, it would be a great place to start learning resilience. Resilient children are proactive rather than reactive and have a good sense of â€Å"coherence†. That is to say they understand things happen in life but we still have some control over it all. (Joseph 29) Adults have to practice resilience a lot through life, so learning this early will help teens become well rounded adults. Since community service is a team effort, teens will be able to build professional social skills. Social skills are built throughout childhood, but in a more professional setting where the use of language is different, these skills will be refined. These teens would be working with adults who know how to properly communicate in order to achieve a goal. If young adults observe the behaviors of the adults around them, take note of what happened, and try their best to act the same, they would begin building the stepping stones to success. They would learn a range of thing from avoiding confrontation and generating solutions, to active and proper listening skills.(Joseph 255) All of these are needed in a professional atmosphere and will help them throughout college and the working environment. The benefits teens would receive from community service experience have been thoroughly discussed thus far, but not how the community would benefit. It all, of course, depends on the activities the teens participate in. If there were a community clean-up, then a town would be beautified. If the teens helped deliver groceries to those who cant get around, then people wouldnt have to go hungry or worry about how to get their food. When teens mentor younger kids, the children would have the benefit of someone relatively close to their age teaching them. The people living in these communities and seeing the difference teens are making with all of their work may adopt a more volunteer attitude. The ways a community benefits from those who serve are endless, and shouldnt be forgotten. There a so many things a young adult can take from community service that will benefit him or her immediately, as well as in the future. Teens can build a healthy self-esteem by gaining a sense of purpose and seeing how much of a difference they can make in the world. They could come to understand the importance of living a healthier life. Young adults would gain the ability to think through problems, work with others as a team, and make important decisions. Professional conduct and language will be learned, which will help them in their work endeavors. They will also learn resilience and self-reliance, which will help them bounce back quickly from setbacks and take a more proactive approach to life. There is a quote from Andrew Shue that says, â€Å"Community service has taught me all kinds of skills and increased my confidence. You go out there and think on your feet, work with others and create something from nothing. Thats what lifes all about.† (Shue brainyquotes.com) This is a great way to sum up what teens would gain and what community service is about. Its about helping others, but also helping yourself in the process. Once teens get out there and start working in our communities, they will see what a difference they can make. They would remember these lessons through their lives and likely continue to act in a positive way because of what they learned. This entire process could help change the way people behave now and in the future in a very positive way. When everyone gives just a little, it can go a long way and there has to be a beginning somewhere. Why not make that beginning start with today youth and expand into the generations to come? Works Cited Melvin Delgado, New Frontiers for Youth Development in the Twenty-First Century: Revitalizing Broadening Youth Development (New York: Columbia University Press, 2002) 127 Joanne M. Joseph, The Resilient Child: Preparing Todays Youth for Tomorrows World (New York: Insight Books, 1994) 1,29,255 Sharon L. Nichols, and Thomas L. Good, Americas TeenagersMyths and Realities: Media Images, Schooling, and the Social Costs of Careless Indifference (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004) 169 Howard B. Radest, Community Service: Encounter with Strangers (Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1993) ,30 Andrew Shue, n.p., Community Service, brainyquotes.com, n.d., August 20, 2009, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/andrewshue214132.html Gary Thomas, Effective Classroom Teamwork: Support or Intrusion? (New York: Routledge, 1992) 1

The Microsoft Antitrust Case Essay -- essays research papers fc

The case against Microsoft was brought buy the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as several state Attorneys General. Microsoft is accused of using and maintaining monopoly power to gain an unfair advantage in the market. The case has been under observation for a long time, but the Justice department is having trouble coming up with substantial evidence against Microsoft. Specifically, the Department must prove:That Microsoft has monopoly power and is using it to gain unfair leverage in the market.And that Microsoft has maintained this monopoly power through "exclusionary" or "predatory" acts(Rule).Some say that Microsoft is only taking advantage of its position in the market and using innovative marketing strategies to attract new customers. They have chosen to implement a market development strategy to attract new customers who are looking for a system that has Internet capability. Microsoft feels that by integrating their Internet Explorer web browser technology into Windows, they are only improving its overall functionality available to the customer. Microsoft began expanding into the browser area because of increasing threat from Netscape and Java. Java is the programming language used to make Netscape. Programs that are written in Java can work on any PC, whether it has Windows on it or not. That is why there is a great threat to the Windows environment. The more Netscape is used, the more other vendors will begin writing Netscape compliant programs and the more Java will be used, which puts a damper on Windows. So Windows introduced their Internet explorer to combat the increasing Netscape usage. It did not do this to create a monopoly, but to protect itself. If people realize that Java programs can be run on ANY PC, then they will realize that they do not need to buy Windows. Some say that Microsoft began it's "illegal" agenda when it began requiring PC manufacturers to sign a license agreement that said that if they were going to have Windows preinstalled on their new systems, that the Windows Internet Explorer must also be installed. Although it is possible for consumers to install other browsers onto Windows and use them, critics say that Microsoft still has an unfair advantage. It also keeps other browser companies from being able to consult with PC manufacturers to put their browser on the PC from the beginn... ...nies, server companies, and just about any other company that has something to do with a computer. Microsoft knows that it has the dominant operating system on the market right now and every software company, ISP, etc, wants to be part of it. If they are not, then they are likely to go under. The more and more companies that join Microsoft, the more and more Microsoft's monopoly power will grow. Pretty soon, Microsoft will own 100% of the market not only in browsers, but I believe in many other areas, such as software production and distribution and even what kind of computer, its hardware, etc, that can run Windows. I do not believe that Microsoft's monopoly agenda solely contains their "browser war", but that it extends to a much higher scale. Works CitedWeb Sites:<a href="http://www.mindspring.com/~dmataconis/microsoft.htm#Case Resources">http://www.mindspring.com/~dmataconis/microsoft.htm#Case Resources<a href="http://www.mindspring.com/~dmataconis/sherman.txt">http://www.mindspring.com/~dmataconis/sherman.txt<a href="http://www.cnn.com/US/9805/18/federal.complaint/">http://www.cnn.com/US/9805/18/federal.complaint/

Family Life Can Create Considerable Stress

How do know? Well let's just say experience has the best of me on this one. For example, the relationship with my parents I think broke my heart more than it did theirs. Although they weren't married, so I didn't experience the process of a divorced family they still separated. I was about four and lots of people don't remember that much when you're that young, but I did. I remember the bond me and my father shared, we were inseparable. Remember the bond me and my dad's mom had, she was my nana felt her love no matter where was. Subsequently my mother took me and left.That was family and she left without a problem. Was devastated, growing up that never left my mind, and how easy it was for her to just, leave. I let the stress build thinking of growing up without a father just got to me. Now I didn't go through divorce papers, courts and custody battles I could imagine that's a whole lot worse than what my situation was. But do know the feeling of separated parents, I do know how it f eels to think about having that family where everything was normal and you had them tot by your side, in one place you can really call home.Now being with divorced or separated parents is stressful just think you don't want to choose sides you love them both. They both love you as well, that why they've set up this arrangement so you can switch every weekend, summer and/or holiday. There's a plus you can have two rooms, two birthdays and so forth. On the contrary you have to deal with step parents, step siblings arguments with who gets you on Christmas day or who can keep you an extra day longer. The stress is just overwhelming don't you think?You love them both, so you don't want to say no to them, you don't want them thinking you are choosing sides, one over the other so what do you do. Then you have friends to deal with at both places and depending on how far apart your parents live from each other. Your friends at your dads are going bowling one weekend and your friends at your moms are going to the movies that same weekend and now you have to choose who you want to hang out with. Its just stressful. All they want is you, and all you want is stability.One home, one family, one life. Now there are those situations where you don't have two rooms, you don't have to deal with both parents and all the arguments and what not. You just have to deal with one parent. That sounds whole lot less stressful right? It can be, but then there are those people who aren't as fortunate as others. People who let their stress override them and their parent wasn't there to help. The type of residence you grow up in is critical to the process of a child who has divorced parents or only one parent.If no one is there for them and they onto know where to turn to the world we live in today can provide them with lots of things to turn to. All it takes is hanging with the wrong crowd. For instance I only had my mother and due to the fact that she was never home had no one to turn to, so started hanging out in the streets. One thing led to another and there was every day, every night in the street up to no good with the wrong people not going to school, fighting, doing drugs, drinking stealing and so much more that I know I will regret for the rest of my life.All of the drugs, drinking and fighting made me think it took the stress away it eloped me forget until was sober again, but that just gave me more of reason to do it more. This went on for about four years. While I thought it was taking the stress away it was really putting on more stress, if I didn't have what I needed to take the stress away I stressed about it, looking for whatever would take it all away. Now I'm not saying this is exactly what will happen everyone has their different ways of coping with things and it all just depends on what's in front of you at the moment. Its also about who you turn to.Whether they are there for you or for themselves. Not everyone can relate, but you would be surprise d on how many people do relate. Its tough when you don't have the proper people to turn to, or you have all of the bad choices sitting right in front of you. So much pressure, so much stress, it will never stop no matter how many times you tell yourself you got this, you can do it, it just won't stop. The stress just overwhelms you. But you can fight it, you know the bad choices the stress, you can override it, and all you need to do is talk to someone or have someone give you that push you need.