Organizational Technology Plan Essay Example for Free

Organizational Technology Plan Essay Team C is researching University of Phoenix and the technology used at the school. The team will research new technology, workforce training, and recommendations to stay ahead of future challenges. In addition, team C will cover value chain analysis and primary technology the school uses for instructions. University of Phoenix has extensive support activities that students and instructors access daily. Team C will retrieve information and recommend ideas for UOPX to create a more enjoyable learning environment. The team will also cover the different ways UOPX uses the Internet to market products available to all stakeholders. Challenges University of Phoenix has set itself apart by creating a competitive advantage for working adults seeking to further his or her education. Points of differences include advanced technology and communication networks, service-oriented staff in a virtual environment, and easy access of training modules for students of all levels. Although technology has proved a point of difference for UOPX, it also is a hurdle for those intimidated by new advancements. Fear of technology is a consideration. The target market for UOPX is adults who have been away from college for 10-15 years or more. With this market comes a clientele removed from technology that did not exist when he or she enrolled in high school or college. This supports a strategy of establishing partnerships with organizations such as Microsoft or Apple to assist in managing server workload as well as attracting new customers. Staying ahead of the technology curve is essential, and organizations such as Apple can introduce new customers as well as offer new mediums of communication that can bring more awareness to each brand. One example would be developing an Apple tutorial available within the UOPX library. This would help to train, service the students, and enhance their academic experience. University of Phoenix needs to continue to enhance the on boarding process with orientation classes and a consistent stream of tutorials to engage new students to the online program. The current model includes communication networks including e-mail, blogs, chat forums and online forums. This is effective but will become dated if UOPX does not stay ahead of the technology curve. â€Å"Current struggles with bandwidth size for wireless networks is a good example of the need to anticipate and stay ahead of the competition† (Information Systems and Technology Articles, 2011). In addition to the software, it is important to be aggressive with hiring talent who is current with tomorrow’s technology. Recruiting from organizations such as Microsoft, Google, and other technology companies will inspire creative and innovative thinking that will assist in maintaining a competitive advantage and attract new markets. Value Chain Analysis University of Phoenix is an accredited college that is available for adult learners seeking a learning environment, which is flexible, has challenging curriculum, provides a supportive learning environment and is a top-rated college to attend. University of Phoenix has five goals that help students understand what key subjects are essential to his or her education; professional competence and values, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, information utilization, and collaboration (University of Phoenix, 2011). University of Phoenix primary activities related to value chain analysis is apparent; the learning environment has been constructed. An online campus is available for those adult learners not able to attend an educational campus. The value chain support activities are readily available for any student to research via University of Phoenix website or by calling an academic counselor who can provide information and answer any student or potential students’ question or concern. Primary Activities University of Phoenix was technologically created so learners are provided the same learning experience as those students who attend on-campus classes. Virtual students can feel they are provided the same learning environment and are just as engaged as if sitting in a classroom. This technological edge gives University of Phoenix a competitive advantage over many other universities not offering virtual classrooms or just started to implement virtual learning. Dr. John Sperling, a Cambridge-educated economist and professor-turned-entrepreneur, established University of Phoenix in 1976. He saw an opportunity to cater to working adults seeking higher education by offering convenient class times at local sites (University of Phoenix, 2011). University of Phoenix is the nations largest private university, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs at more than 200 locations as well as online in most countries around the world (University of Phoenix, 2011). Support Activities Many organizations use some type of support services put into place to help the people who need it. At University of Phoenix, there are support systems to help the students who require help. Most of the students at University of Phoenix are online students and the need for technical support and help desks are extremely important to facilitate with the success of the student. When students and instructors need to meet deadlines, the most important system in place is technical support. UOPX even has help desks for the student or teacher help him or herself instead of talking to a support specialist. Often this list is full of questions that can help solve many common problems. University of Phoenix has numerous types of help desks for the students not just for technical questions. (Regan and O’Connor, 2002. p. 246). UOPX has enrollment specialists and staff members available to help the student enroll in the program they are seeking and properly prepare for the upcoming course. Because University of Phoenix is predominantly online campus, help desks and technical supports are necessary from the start of the course to graduation to ensure the success of the instructors and students. These systems are in place and are usually 24 hours so that help is available when needed. Innovative Approaches University of Phoenix uses innovative approaches toward higher learning and uses the business technology to help them approach new information and old. Data mining is utilized by the business world to help them discover how customers like or dislike a certain product or process; University of Phoenix uses data mining to find new and old information that can be used in classes. Harvard Business School is considered one of the top business schools in the world; the professors teach information that can be useful in all business schools. The information taught by the Harvard professors is available online and in websites like those that are available in the UOPX library. By collaborating with sites like EBSCOhost, Gale PowerSearch, and ProQuest students can research information that has been reviewed by professionals from different sources. Another source of information and also a source of friendship that helps the University of Phoenix with communication, learning, and camaraderie are the e-mail, individual class threads. In addition, the new phoenix connect forums that allow students and faculty to keep in touch with each other. The online learning environment is new to many students and the idea that a person can receive his or her bachelorettes’ in an online class is hard for the professional world to grasp. According to a study about the online learning experience, â€Å"In comparing students who had and who had not completed online courses, Dobbs, Waid and del Carmen (2009) found that students who had completed online courses viewed the online experience as positive, would likely take more online courses and wished faculty would put more materials online† (Deggs, Grover Kacirek, 2010). With this in mind, the online education experience is improving and using more technology to help students gain access to the material that is available. Internet Use University of Phoenix uses the Internet to recruit staff, for customer service and marketing purposes. In the instance of recruitment of new staff, one can find job listings on careerbuilder.com and the phoenix.edu site. This is an added benefit for University of Phoenix to uses the Internet to reach a larger demographic of potential staff. Staff recruiters are available via e-mail if there are questions or concerns. University of Phoenix is quite transparent and open for comments and suggestions. When dealing with marketing, one can stumble across a non-University of Phoenix site and see a banner that can be clicked on to, acquire information about the school. â€Å"University of Phoenix is recognized as the pioneer of online higher education and has been at the forefront of advancing education through technology for more than 30 years† (Mary Berry, UOPX). With Phoenix Connect alone, University of Phoenix is not only tackling customer service for students but also a marketing tool for the university. Banners, blogs, videos, and social networking are exceptional ways that University of Phoenix has used the Internet. Potential students want to know that the university is on the cutting edge and can provide a quality education. By having these avenues to research and learn online are additional advantages and benefits to students and potential staff. Organizations to Move University of Phoenix must remain a dynamic organization with regard to technology. Using Michael Porters Value Chain model, technology is a key support system that influences each of the value chains (NetMBA: Business Knowledge Center, Strategy, 2010). For University of Phoenix to continue to look ahead to future opportunities for growth the outbound logistics and operations units will need to adapt to change. The operations value chain for UOPX is the transformation of the raw materials into a finished product or service. This correlates to the network and infrastructure that UOPX uses today. Advances in technology affect UOPX more than most organizations because they rely on this technology as a primary support system to present the finished product to its customers. Technology advances to increase productivity and service will enhance the website, increase the efficiency and speed of service, introduce new tutorials, and change the design and brand of the network used by students . How the product is delivered describes Porters outbound logistics value chain (NetMBA: Business Knowledge Center, Strategy, 2010). Brick and mortar organizations would refer to this as the packaging and presentation. Phoenix presents this value chain as the online experience it provides the students. Enhancements and technology upgrades to the library, blogs, academic advisory center, and access to the writing and mathematics center for excellence contribute to the online presentation that UOPX provides for the students. Advancements in technology will drive change with Phoenix because it is more than just a support system for the value chains. People upgrade technology at home and at work via communication media, smart phones, and wireless technology. UOPX must embrace this change and adapt it to the current model to remain current with the expectations of its customers and faculty. Embracing this change will ensure that UOPX is keeping pace with the expectations of the public, and stay ahead of competition using technology as a point of difference. Manager Responsibility An essential part of organizational change is the learning curve involved in the implementation plan within the organization. The four phases consist of vital key components involved within managements grasp include unfreezing change, learning, change, and refreezing. Unfreezing change is the management skill of making sure that all parties involved within the change ahead, are current, and prepared for the learning curve ahead. Management must create urgency for the need to change toward each individual. The second phase will include a period of learning. This will be considered the urgency brought upon by the first phase of needing to be prepared for adaptation of change. During this period, the change will focus on changing the old attitude so that each individual is acclimated for the new company vision. Vision during the implementation phase is extremely important to guide each individual. The next phase is called the change phase that takes place after the unfreeze phase. The most optimal time to introduce this phase is once everyone has communicated his or her differences or concerns about the phase. This will include organized meetings within the company to brainstorm within each department. Final phase of this process is called the refreeze phase. The refreeze phase will inclusively bring together the entire process and knowledge gathered by each process. Staff will be encouraged to attend the advanced training sessions created to make the change possible. Through attending these sessions or training classes, each employee will unknowingly become more comfortable with the change. Implement Change Participation will allow employees to be part of the planning and implementation process; he or she can contribute to identifying and understanding the goals of the strategic plan. Education is another factor to help overcome resistance to change from employees. Leaders should educate employees about the strategy before and during the implementation process. Education is a method that supplies individuals with information he or she needs to understand the reason for change. A method a leader can use in the negotiating process is to identify and offer incentives to individuals who resist change such as giving him or her important role in the implementation process. Management and Knowledge Every business needs a good manager to be successful. Without a knowledgeable manager the business will not thrive. One of the most important jobs of a manager is the ability to find and recruit new employee’s that will be able to aid in the success of the business (Change Management Learning Center, 1996-2011). Once the manager has the employee trained and ready to work, the manager will need to have the knowledge to manage the employees. Successfully managing employees is not easy and would require the knowledge of the laws and regulations of employee’s rights. The employees represent the business and are the people that the customers turn to for help. If properly trained and managed the employees will be a huge reason that customers will be loyal. Customer loyalty is partly based upon how much the customer can trust and rely on the business. So training employees to be the best representatives is the absolute most import job of a manager. Managers are also responsible for overseeing the daily business to include stock and supply. It is important for a business not to run out of anything that will help them be successful. The manager must oversee that equipment is staying in good repair and that all the employees be responsible for his or her own duties. Also when needed a manager must restructure any plan or process not working up to standards. Because of changing times and constant technological upgrades new processes are a must, and where there is new processes there must also be new training to learn new processes. The manager is the one person who everyone goes to, when there is an issue or problem it is the manager’s expertise and knowledge that will help the employees to have a good working condition Areas of Manager Knowledge At University of Phoenix, management must be knowledgeable of process re-engineering and restructuring, innovating application of goods and services approaches to managing employees as a vital element in the value chain, methods of achieving, and maintaining customer loyalty. To remain and compete as one of the top nation’s largest private universities offering degree programs in 200 locations as well as online courses in many countries around the world. An organization must be aware of what consumers want and need to keep up with the changing times and remain successful. â€Å"Planning is specifying the goals to be achieved and deciding in advance the appropriate actions needed to achieve those goals† (Bateman Snell, 2009) . In today’s world of technology, University of Phoenix must be able to invent new ways of advancing the company, coming up with competitive advantages while staying progressive, looking for revolutionary technological advances. Planning involves analyzing current situations as well as projecting and estimating future requirements. Company Preparedness Top management in any company has the responsibility to communicate the organization’s vision and guide strategic planning. Consistent and clear communication with team members is other key factors to identify desired outcomes. Leaders will achieve success by simply communicating with the team his or her shared vision, achieving milestones, and celebrating large, or small wins. Team members should share in the vision without fear of reprimand because he or she voices an opinion or challenges premises. Internal Resistance Organizations understand that changes in technology are a constant in today’s business. Management needs to understand that with those changes individuals will react differently depending on how the information is conveyed to the employee. Management understands that individuals will have issues or concerns with new technology changes in the workforce. Individuals who have those issues or concerns should understand that management has his or her best interest in mind when making those changes. Organizations that have a direct communication style with those individuals will ask members of his or her staff what his or her thoughts are with the new change. This will give direct feedback regarding what individuals think about the changes. Individuals, who express those concerns, are more apt to understand the change and move forward. Managers who will use this style can understand that not all members of his or her staff will express his or her concern. Management should develop a straight talk with individuals when he or she has gathered information about any changes in technology within the organization. Management should be straightforward with individuals when the information is needed to be communicated with individuals so that the individual can understand the change and how this will affect his or her job. Employees who are included with developing changes will understand those changes and work on developing a positive attitude toward those changes. Management should understand that some individuals will not understand the changes and do not want to make those changes. Individuals who are part of those groups should be addressed as individuals who need extra attention and understand what concerns that he or she has. Those individuals are people who do not understand those changes and should have extra training to help those individuals with his or her issues. Management should include trainers with any new change in technology so that individuals could be trained on the new processes with the company. Trainers with a hands-on approach with employees are a tool that can assist with the negativity an employee may experience. Employees will be more open to express his or her concern with a coworker who is a trainer. The trainer can take that information and pass it on to management. Management can sit down and come to positive conclusions for all parties involved to provide better solutions to employees. The solution to resistance from employees during technology changes can be implemented differently. It depends on the individual and not every individual will be positive with any change in an organization with technologies. Management needs to let people know the benefits of those changes, and involve as many people as possible to ensure people can understand the changes. Involvement and open talk with employees with make the resistance dwindle as much as possible. Management must prepare for those changes and be open with individuals to show him or her change. Effective Communication of Change Companies are prone to change regardless of how hard an organization attempts to limit changes. Companies like University of Phoenix embrace change because they know it drives the competitive edge. Recently University of Phoenix went under some drastic changes for the betterment of the school and most important the students. This was highlighted in the media as well as on the Internet. One example of how the university effectively communicated changes was by having their representatives speak to the media and reporters about why they were changing compensation for employers and eliminated staff members. The following is a statement from a representative at University of Phoenix about changing compensation, â€Å"We are the first to do so among proprietary schools, and it is an important change that is clearly something that regulators and policy makers in Washington want to see† (De Groote, Michael of Deseret News). This statement alone lets any potential student know that the reason for the change is to align with what the government wants to see. This puts in the customers mind that the UOPX is serious about abiding to guidelines and policies. Making such a statement is a bold move and advantageous in creating the competitive edge for the university. Because the university is the first to make such a change this allows students whether new or old, know they are serious about the accreditation of the school. They proved this by making a tough decision even though it may have displayed weakness but were essential at the time. Ownership UOPX markets itself as an accredited institution that provides education at the highest level. It provides students an online library with resources that represent the integrity of the university and the product UOPX delivers to its students. This information and the content provided represent the outbound logistics and the sales and marketing value chain for University of Phoenix. The university packages this information to attract students to the benefits and value of the product. Accuracy, quality, and flow of this information (outbound logistics) will determine the success of this value chain and the impact on the entire system. If this value chain breaks down the synergy of the organization will be lost. The raw materials and operations value chains can be managed perfectly but if the logistics of the customers’ access to this information is flawed, UOPX will fail. More important, technology becomes a key support to this value chain because the content, accuracy, and accessibility of this information is a primary point of difference for UOPX. Leaders must have excellent communication with the technology team and logistics team to coordinate the product in a way that offers value to the student but not overwhelming him or her with complicated application to access the information. Accuracy and quality of the information will reflect the sales and service value chain. UOPX markets itself as an institution that affords students every benefit of a traditional brick and mortar university. With that statement UOPX must ensure that all information obtained from the students complies with privacy regulations and material found within the university library is credible. Communicate Change University of Phoenix is at the forefront of technology in an educational environment. The company is continually looking for the best technology to be used in the adult education field. To stay at the top as the largest private university the organization must be able to communicate internally with employees and externally with customers. Different resources reach out to different individuals. Apollo Group is the parent company of University of Phoenix. Within the walls of the company Apollo group uses several ways to communicate with employees about technology changes coming down the road. The organization uses both broadcast e-mail as well as individual e-mail to relay information on technology researched, beta tested, and progressed pertaining to the implementation plan. The organization uses an internal website and network to allow employees to learn more about different projects and give input to the project teams. Employees can access training materials for the new technology implemented or considered for implementation. Social Contract Social contract will meet these principles of social contract through actively contributing revenue earned through the successful implementation of new technology. This shows the benefit rather than just the revenue by exemplifying to the public that this company is in support and contributes to welfare of society and not just focused on maximizing profit. University of Phoenix’s annual report will highlight the progress of our social responsibility on many levels. Including furthering members of society education, minority help, donations to arts, and social welfare agencies that will improve many social conditions. Through implementing a well planned/organized technology, these standards of ethical issues will be met. Ethical issues concur with the science of human duty to one another. Giving social responsibility to society exemplifies an easy and unique decision for our future investors. â€Å"Primary functions, such as product research and development, production, and marketing; and support functions, such as human resources, public relations, and information systems† (Regan O’Connor, 2002, p. 17) are extremely important primary functions involved in actively and directly involving the production and marketing for this product. The IT department expanded to other departments of the new technology will correlate a focus on organization-wide management to develop skills of knowledge management in training and development issues. Ownership Any organization has social responsibilities to the community and the employees. Technology plays a role in that responsibility. Not only does University of Phoenix use technology to service its customers but also to help the employees of Apollo group. The University of Phoenix uses secure technology programs to transmit information with the Department of Education and Direct Loans. The students social security number, birth date, contact information, and sometimes banking information must be secure. Personal information must be protected because of privacy rights set in place by the federal government. One of the largest reasons to protect this information is identity theft. This would be the biggest failure of social responsibility. Technology Technology is used to help employees as well. Apollo group employs people across the nation. Human resources to provide benefits and pay to all employees use technology. Paperwork for different types of leave is transmitted electronically. Changes in personal information are kept on the human resources website. The University of Phoenix uses technology to improve and support the well-being of the employees. Through the internal intranet system, the employees have access to resources to become healthier, physically, and mentally. Through the same HR site, employees can view paychecks, vacation, sick hours, change personal information, and complete training. Technology is continually being used to help employees. Many items have to consider when researching going global. In fact, the world is becoming a smaller place in terms of business. With all the new technology, it is easy for a business to be productive in other countries. E-mail, video teleconferencing, the Internet, and e-commerce are some of the methods used by businesses so that they can be in more than one place. Many rules apply that may make the transition difficult if not known. Possessing an IT manager is a must when going global because of the rules and regulations of other countries for the Internet. Web accessibility in some countries is limited that would make setting up the Internet in another country difficult. Each country has policies and procedures that must be followed in order for use of the Internet to be used (W3C Web Accessibility initiative, 25 August 2006). This means that a company should understand the policies and procedures before they purchase their property in the country. Being online will be one of the m ost important tasks this business will have. Without the use of the Internet the business will be, blind so to speak from their sister locations, and this may pose a problem to the company. The long term effects of cultural and languages differences on a company’s business operations can be positive and negative for an organization depending on how that organization is prepared for that development. Organizations must understand the countries culture when expanding to that country. Different cultures have different customs that is acceptable and unacceptable in that country. The long-term effect of an organization moving into a country and conducting business not fully aware of those habits and customs in that country can result in very negative for that organization. Different nations have different customs that he or she is accustomed too. If an organization crosses those lines in the form of the employee, those employees will not work as effetely as he or she should. This happens because of an individual upset with the organization and spending more resources complaining about what had happen. This result for the organization will take time to resolve to make things work for the better. That organization must communicate with the employees and other members of the community what the goal is for the organization. If the goal is positive for both the organization and country than that business will result in a win-win solution for everyone involved. In an organizations standpoint it should be able to communicate effetely so that miscommunication cannot accrue. If an organization does have miscommunication, the organization must be able to correct that miscommunication as quickly as possible to save the organization from down time. Organizations can benefit from expanding globally if it is done correctly. The correct way to do this is to have research done on the country that the organization is looking to expand. This will ensure that the organization is successful in working with that organization. The long-term effect for doing business that must expand to stay competitive is positive for the organizations and expands employment for other people involved. Expansion is a necessity for organizations. With that necessity, the expansion should have the research needed to support effective communication within that organization. Ownership UOPX markets itself as an accredited institution that provides education at the highest level. It provides students an online library with resources that represent the integrity of the university and the product UOPX delivers to its students. This information and the content provided represent the outbound logistics and the sales and marketing value chain for University of Phoenix. The university packages this information to attract students to the benefits and value of the product. Accuracy, quality, and flow of this information (outbound logistics) will determine the success of this value chain and the impact on the entire system. If this value chain breaks down the synergy of the organization will be lost. The raw materials and operations value chains can be managed perfectly but if the logistics of the customers’ access to this information is flawed, UOPX will fail. More important, technology becomes a key support to this value chain because the content, accuracy, and accessibility of this information is a primary point of difference for UOPX. Leaders must have excellent communication with the technology team and logistics team to coordinate the product in a way that offers value to the student but not overwhelming him or her with complicated application to access the information. Accuracy and quality of the information will reflect the sales and service value chain. UOPX markets itself as an institution that affords students every benefit of a traditional brick and mortar university. With that statement UOPX must ensure that all information obtained from the students complies with privacy regulations and material found within the university library is credible. Communicate Change University of Phoenix is at the forefront of technology in an educational environment. The company is continually looking for the best technology to be used in the adult education field. To stay at the top as the largest private university the organization must be able to communicate internally with employees and externally with customers. Different resources reach out to different individuals. Apollo Group is the parent company of University of Phoenix. Within the walls of the company Apollo group uses several ways to communicate with employees about technology changes coming down the road. The organization uses both broadcast e-mail as well as individual e-mail to relay information on technology researched, beta tested, and progressed pertaining to the implementation plan. The organization uses an internal website and network to allow employees to learn more about different projects and give input to the project teams. Employees can access training materials for the new technology implemented or considered for implementation. Social Contract Social contract will meet these principles of social contract through actively contributing revenue earned through the successful implementation of new technology. This shows the benefit rather than just the revenue by exemplifying to the public that this company is in support and contributes to welfare of society and not just focused on maximizing profit. University of Phoenix’s annual report will highlight the progress of our social responsibility on many levels. Including furthering members of society education, minority help, donations to arts, and social welfare agencies that will improve many social conditions. Through implementing a well planned/organized technology, these standards of ethical issues will be met. Ethical issues concur with the science of human duty to one another. Giving social responsibility to society exemplifies an easy and unique decision for our future investors. â€Å"Primary functions, such as product research and development, production, and marketing; and support functions, such as human resources, public relations, and information systems† (Regan O’Connor, 2002, p. 17) are extremely important primary functions involved in actively and directly involving the production and marketing for this product. The IT department expanded to other departments of the new technology will correlate a focus on organization-wide management to develop skills of knowledge management in training and development issues. Ownership Any organization has social responsibilities to the community and the employees. Technology plays a role in that responsibility. Not only does University of Phoenix use technology to service its customers but also to help the employees of Apollo group. The University of Phoenix uses secure technology programs to transmit information with the Department of Education and Direct Loans. The students social security number, birth date, contact information, and sometimes banking information must be secure. Personal information must be protected because of privacy rights set in place by the federal government. One of the largest reasons to protect this information is identity theft. This would be the biggest failure of social responsibility. Technology Technology is used to help employees as well. Apollo group employs people across the nation. Human resources to provide benefits and pay to all employees use technology. Paperwork for different types of leave is transmitted electronically. Changes in personal information are kept on the human resources website. The University of Phoenix uses technology to improve and support the well-being of the employees. Through the internal intranet system, the employees have access to resources to become healthier, physically, and mentally. Through the same HR site, employees can view paychecks, vacation, sick hours, change personal information, and complete training. Technology is continually being used to help employees. Many items have to consider when researching going global. In fact, the world is becoming a smaller place in terms of business. With all the new technology, it is easy for a business to be productive in other countries. E-mail, video teleconferencing, the Internet, and e-commerce are some of the methods used by businesses so that they can be in more than one place. Many rules apply that may make the transition difficult if not known. Possessing an IT manager is a must when going global because of the rules and regulations of other countries for the Internet. Web accessibility in some countries is limited that would make setting up the Internet in another country difficult. Each country has policies and procedures that must be followed in order for use of the Internet to be used (W3C Web Accessibility initiative, 25 August 2006). This means that a company should understand the policies and procedures before they purchase their property in the country. Being online will be one of the most important tasks this business will have. Without the use of the Internet the business will be, blind so to speak from their sister locations, and this may pose a problem to the company. The long term effects of cultural and languages differences on a company’s business operations can be positive and negative for an organization depending on how that organization is prepared for that development. Organizations must understand the countries culture when expanding to that country. Different cultures have different customs that is acceptable and unacceptable in that country. The long-term effect of an organization moving into a country and conducting business not fully aware of those habits and customs in that country can result in very negative for that organization. Different nations have different customs that he or she is accustomed too. If an organization crosses those lines in the form of the employee, those employees will not work as effetely as he or she should. This happens because of an individual upset with the organization and spending more resources complaining about what had happen. This result for the organization will take time to resolve to make things work for the better. That organization must communicate with the employees and other members of the community what the goal is for the organization. If the goal is positive for both the organization and country than that business will result in a win-win solution for everyone involved. In an organizations standpoint it should be able to communicate effetely so that miscommunication cannot accrue. If an organization does have miscommunication, the organization must be able to correct that miscommunication as quickly as possible to save the organization from down time. Organizations can benefit from expanding globally if it is done correctly. The correct way to do this is to have research done on the country that the organization is looking to expand. This will ensure that the organization is successful in working with that organization. The long-term effect for doing business that must expand to stay competitive is positive for the organizations and expands employment for other people involved. Expansion is a necessity for organizations. With that necessity, the expansion should have the research needed to support effective communication within that organization. To allow a company to grow, the expansion globally may need to take place. Whereas this would be an excellent feat to take on, there are technology issues that can occur in the process. It is best to prepare oneself for any technology issue that may arise. First, it is important to understand where the company plans to spread globally and if that country is capable of meeting the standard s required in the United States. One issue that may arise is some â€Å"countries lack the infrastructure to support such technology† (Encyclopedia of Business, p. 1). If this occurs, a solution may be establishing intermediate technology for the time being. Another problem could be security when business is conducted online. Other countries may not uphold the same privacy acts as The United States therefore customers could suffer because of this. One key issue would be the Internet and how quickly information can be communicated. Looking at University of Phoenix the online students would suffer in another country if they did not have comparable Internet to the United States. This would hinder their schooling, and this would not be something the university would want for the student. Another factor would be the time difference and tech support available for students who need it in other time zones. Hence, it is crucial to research and know the location thoroughly so these technology issues would not take place. Team C completed extensive research on University of Phoenix’s technology plan and current upgrades. UOPX has a business description of giving all individuals the chance to receive a degree to improve his or her marketability and improving his or her lively hood. Technology has an enormous impact on UOPX because a majority of students attends classes on-line. The university has a stringent policy on proper conduct of students and faculty. UOPX requires and expects all stakeholders to respect and treat all students and employees with proper etiquette. In addition, UOPX has students and instructors around the world. This requires UOPX to establish technology and support staff that is well versed in the technology that is used by all stakeholders. UOPX has consistently been on the for-front of technological advancement for on-line classes. The university has consistently sought out the best and brightest individuals in the technology field to stay ahead of all other on-line universities. Because of being on the for-front, UOPX has continued to set the standard with-in the for-profit universities. References Information Systems and Technology Articles. (2011, April). Wireless Infrastructure: Can our Current System Handle Bandwidth Demands. Retrieved from http://www.phonix.edu University of Phoenix. (2011). Introducing PhoenixConnect: The University of Phoenix Academic Social Network. Retrieved from http://www.phoenix.edu/colleges_divisions/business/articles/2011/01/introducing-phoenixconnect-the-university-of-phoenix-academic-social-network.html Regan, E., OConnor, B. (2002). End-User Information Systems: Implementing Individual and Work Group Technologies. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. : A Pearson Education Company. Retrieved from chap7,pg.6 , TEC401 website. Deggs, D. Grover, K. Kacirek, K. (Sep. 2010) EXPECTATIONS OF ADULT GRADUATE STUDENTS IN AN ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAM. College Student Journal, 01463934, Sep2010, Vol. 44, Issue 3 retrieved June 4, 2011 from EBSCOhost Bateman, T.S., Snell, S.A. (2009). Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World. (8th ed.) McGraw-Hill. University of Phoenix, (2006-2011), retrieved on June 2, 2011 from http://www.phoenix.edu/ Change Management Learning Center. (1996-2011). An Overview of Change Management. Retrieved from http://www.change-managment.com/change-managment-overview.htm http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700088460/University-of-Phoenix-enrollment-drops-because-of-changes-to-enrollment-recruiting-practices.html NetMBA: Business Knowledge Center, Strategy. (2010). The Value Chain. Retrieved from http://www.netmba.com W3C Web Accessibility initiative. (25 August 2006). Policies Relating to Web Accessibility. Retrieved from http://www.w3.org/WAI/Policy Regan, E. A., OConnor, B. N. (2002). End-User Information Systems: Implementing Individual and Work Group Technologies (2nd ed.). Pearson, NY: Prentice-Hall.

The Conflict Between Manmade Law And Natural Law Philosophy Essay

The Conflict Between Manmade Law And Natural Law Philosophy Essay When Agamemnon is forced to return Chryseis back to her father, he gives an ultimatum declaring that he would only do so if he gets Briseis in exchange. This infuriates the mighty Achilles beyond control (hence the above quote) who then goes on to confront Agamemnon. This where the whole issue of manmade law vs. natural law comes into play, because in book I, Agamemnon is described as a powerful man who lords it over all the Argives, one the Achaeans must obey A mighty king, Achilles on the other hand, is expressed as the matchless runner. This shows us that even though by the law of nature, Achilles should be the one who is in control, but by the right of birth, Agamemnon is the one in complete power. When trying to explain the difference in manmade law vs. natural law, the distinction is very straightforward. There are certain rules in society that we have to abide by in order for harmonious living. These are basic norms and values that are drilled into us from childhood through va rious forms of socialization such as school, family etc. These include various regulations such as respect, love and to value those who are near and dear to us. In school we have various sanctions imposed on us if we break any of the set norms such as cheating or skiving class for no apparent reason. For more serious offences such as murder, fraud or theft, various agents of social control can rein in these unnatural desires by putting us into remand homes or jail. Furthermore, within a country we are given certain human rights which we can exercise on a daily basis such as freedom of speech, right to equal protection under the law etc. When new rules and regulations are set up within a society, we say that these rules are manmade, as these do not comes naturally to us. Natural law is that unwritten law that is more or less the same for everyone everywhere. To be more exact, natural law is the concept of a body of moral principles that is common to all humankind and, as generally posited, is recognizable by human reason alone. Natural law is therefore distinguished from-and provides a standard for- manmade law, the formal legal enactments of a particular society. Since laws are made for a reason; natural law is used to dictate human reason. In fact, it is law discovered by human reason. Our normal and natural grasp of the natural law is affected by reason, that is, by the thinking mind, and in this service reason is sometimes called conscience. We, in all our human acts, inevitably see them in their relation to the natural law, and we mentally pronounce upon their agreement or disagreement with the natural law. Such a pronouncement may be called a judgment of conscience. The norm of morality is the natural law as applied by conscience. Lastly, we ca n say that the natural law is the disposition of things as known by our human reason and to which we must conform ourselves if we are to realize our proper end or good as human beings. So in a more concise form, we can say that natural law is that by human beings can rationally guide themselves to their good. The origins of natural law theory lie in Ancient Greece. Many Greek philosophers discussed and codified the concept of natural law, and it played an important role in Greek government. Later philosophers such as St. Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke built on the work of the Greeks in natural law theory treatises of their own. Many of these philosophers used natural law as a framework for criticizing and reforming manmade laws, arguing that manmade laws which are unjust under the principles of natural law are legally wanting. Some theorists argue that humans may give up certain rights to live in society, for the better human good. However, the basic tenets of equality and a desire to do good still remain. Some people also integrate religious beliefs into natural law theory, while others refer more generally to basic moral laws which may or may not be guided by religious faith. To actually understand the basis of the natural law theory, we have to go back in time, as Aristo tle was the pioneer in coming up with this theory. In ancient Greece, the emphasis on the difference between nature (physis, ) and law, custom, or convention (nomos, ) was made obvious from the start. It basically meant that even though the law of the land may vary from place to place, but by nature they should be the same everywhere. Against the conventionalism that the distinction between nature and custom could create, Socrates and his philosophic heirs, Plato and Aristotle, put forward the existence of natural justice or natural right. Going back to explaining natural law and manmade law in the Iliad, we can clearly see the disproportion in the ranks within the army. Achilles, who is the son of the goddess Thetis, is made the leader of the Achaeans whereas Agamemnon is the commander-in-chief and is a mere mortal. Furthermore, we note that Achilles is self-less and noble, while Agamemnon is self-centered and egotistical. Proof of this is evident when Achilles is made to give up his prize (Briseis) because Agamemnon demands it in return for sending back Chryseis. Achilles is enraged by the request and argues that the plunder has already been distributed and a good man does not take back what he has given. Agamemnon and Achilles argue, each man insulting the other. Agamemnon threatens to take a prize if one is not given to him, and Achilles reminds him that all of the Achaeans are fighting against foes who have only wronged Menelaus. For the sake of the two royal brothers, the Argives bloody their hands against men wh o have done them no wrong. Achilles also complains that though he bears the heaviest burden in battle, it is the king who is always greedy for prizes. Achilles refuses to fight anymore as he will go home to Phthia. Because of this dishonor, anger seizes Achilles and he strides toward Agamemnon to kill him. Hera sends the goddess Athena to stop him. Only Achilles can see Athena, who tells him not to kill the king. She promises that Achilles will be justly compensated for this great dishonor and Achilles obeys her. This is itself is a trait to be noted, even though Achilles is seething with rage and a passion to destroy Agamemnon there and then, he restraints himself just because he is instructed by a goddess and shown that even though he may be stronger and more virtuous of the two, Agamemnon is still the king and thus he must be obeyed unconditionally. Manmade law is made for the betterment of mankind. Man knows this law, makes this law, and therefore has the ability to break this law, or amend it, or delete it. In the Iliad, we can see that Agamemnon not only twists and turns the law to his advantage but even tries to test his army, just so he can be confident that his army still pays him the kind of respect demanded by a king, unquestionable and undeniable. This is seen when Thetis, pleads with Zeus to intervene and bring the battle between the two mighty warriors to an end. Zeus then comes to Agamemnon in his dream, but Agamemnon manipulates it to his advantage. We also observe the obvious difference between Achilles and Agamemnon, when Nestor, oldest of the Achaean kings, rises and tells the two men that they must listen to him, because he is old and has lived and fought with warriors greater than any now living. He asks Agamemnon not to take Briseis, Achilles fairly won prize, and he tells Achilles that he must respect Agamemn ons position as commander-in-chief. His words are lost on the two men. Achilles returns to his ships with his companion Patroclus. The Achaeans send the ships to make the sacrifice, with Odysseus in charge of the expedition. Meanwhile, Agamemnon sends men to fetch Briseis, who is given up without a fight Achilles does not resist because the girl was a gift distributed by Agamemnon and the great warrior feels it is not his place to refuse the king. This clearly shows that if Achilles wanted, he could have struck down Agamemnon without any effort and still has his army, but he choose to obey the law of the land and conform to the rule of obeying ones king. Agamemnon on the other hand, misused and abused his power and took what was not his and behaved in a way not fitting for a ruler. As per positivists like Rousseau (1754), there is no law unless we create it, which is true in the sense that there are no social consequences of our actions unless society has agreed to implement such consequences. The concept of natural law suggests that there are forces acting upon man that are beyond change. Although there are obvious examples of scientific natural law, such as the law of gravity, there are more subtle examples such as the law that stealing from your neighbor will cause hardship on you and others. According to Dentreves (1954) Natural Law is binding beyond the will of any material being, man included. What this is trying to imply is that natural law exists even without the existence of man, and indeed as history shows us, natural law did exist well before man, and even life in general. Manmade laws are culturally and psychologically defined, in no way can they be confused with natural law. The line between natural and manmade law must be drawn between those laws which were consciously created and those which exist somewhat by default. Yves R. Simon says that natural law cannot be broken. Moral sentiments seem to be natural law because our morality leads us to think egocentrically about it. Manmade law is also known as positive law in many contexts, the reason this is so is because they are typically imposed on the citizens of a particular area. There are many arguments that point towards the fact that positive law is always religious in nature, for example The Ten Commandments of Christianity; Christians might consider the Ten Commandments valid not only because they are rooted in moral principles, but also because they may have been etched in stone by God. This view is supported by the fact that positivists believe that in order for a law to be obeyed, it must be endorsed by an individual in authority. Ethics are sometimes woven into positive law, but behaving in an unethical way is not necessarily considered a violation of the law. For ex ample, it may be considered unethical for a corporation to minimize profits for its own gain; however, if this behavior is performed under the applicable positive law, it may not be illegal. Besides, another theory that comes through by many sociologists such as Novak stated that man made law has actually stemmed from natural law. The example he gave for this is that of traffic rules, what could be the purpose of looking both ways before crossing a street? The answer was simple he argued, every human being has the natural instinct of staying alive and will try to avoid any situation is which their life is in danger. Behaving in any other way, would result in altruistic behavior, i.e. in order to motivate oneself, behaving in a manner that is selfless and detrimental. Going back to analyzing the implications of the conflict between manmade law and natural law in Book I of the Iliad, we can now look into it with a more educated point of view. Achilles behaved in an honorable way because one reason may be that he may want to remain true to his personal code of ethics or second he may be doing so, so that he still commands the same sort of respect from his subordinates as be fore. We should note however, that even though Achilles rage is legendary, one word from Athena calmed him enough to restrain himself. The saying your freedom ends where my nose begins can be aptly applied to this particular situation. This is because even though Agamemnon openly slighted Achilles in front of the entire army and showed him who was in charge, Achilles ignored it. Adler, in his works, once said that natural law means principles of human conduct, not the laws of nature discovered by the physical sciences. According to him, the natural law as applied to physical things or animals is sacred; stars and atoms never disobey the laws of their nature. But man often violates the moral rules which constitute the law of his specific human nature. For e.g. Plato calls it justice and applies it to the human soul and human conduct. The first precept of natural law is to seek the good and avoid evil. It is often put as follows: Do good unto others, injure no one, and render to every man his own. Now, of course, such a general principle is useless for organized society unless we can use it to specify various types of rights and wrongs. That is precisely what man-made, or positive, law tries to do. Thus, the natural law tells us only that stealing is wrong because it inflicts injury, but the positive law of larceny defines the various kinds and degrees of thef t and prescribes the punishments. Such particular determinations may differ in various times and places without affecting the principles of natural law. Neither Aquinas nor Aristotle thinks that particular rules of laws should be the same in different times, places, and conditions. In the Iliad, the implications of pitting man made law versus natural law can be countless. Achilles refused to fight in the war against the Trojans, because his pride was wounded during his personal battle against Agamemnon. He vowed that he would not fight Hector, greatest warrior of the Trojans, and thus avenge his hurt when he sees Agamemnon fall dismally to the ground. If Agamemnon had not exercised his right as the supreme ruler, this would not have happened and he, with the help of mighty Achilles, would have continued his victorious streak against Troy. In conclusion, it is easy to see that because of the various rules drawn out for us in society, expressing our true sentiments can be tricky. Even Achilles, the matchless runner, had to curb his fury because going with his instinct would bring embarrassment and shame to himself. Finally, in my opinion, the affect of manmade laws in society is far greater than that of natural laws. We see it in everyday life even, we can always look to people in power e.g. politicians and see that its not always the smartest or most virtuous person who is elected to power, more times than not, the people responsible for our life are those who are already moneyed or have enough financial stability to fund their next three generations. Hence the laws that are put into effect only benefit them and their allies. The Iliad was used as a guidance manual for generations and people still look to it for moral lessons, this is because even though it took place centuries ago, the fundamental message is still well founded for todays modern society. Natural Law Vs. Manmade Law 3

Beauty and the Beast by Mme Le Prince De Beaumont :: essays research papers

Beauty and the Beast by Mme Le Prince De Beaumont The fairy tale Beauty and the Beast opens with the characters of a rich merchant and his six children, three boys and three girls. "The two eldest girls were vain of their wealth and position" (22), but the youngest girl, the prettiest of the three, had a more pleasing personality, humble and considerate. This youngest daughter was so beautiful even as a child that everyone called her Little Beauty. She was just as lovely as she grew up so that she was never called by any other name, a fact that made her sisters extremely jealous. All three girls had numerous marriage proposals - the two eldest always turned their suitors away with the declaration that they had no intentions of marrying anyone less than a duke or an earl. Beauty too always turned her proposals down, but with kindness, answering that she thought herself too young and would rather live some years longer with her father. "Then through some unlucky accident the father lost all of his fortune and had nothing left but a small cottage in the country"(22). When the father told his children that they would all leave town and move to the country cottage the two eldest daughters replied that they would not leave and go with him. They thought they had plenty of gentlemen who would marry them but soon found out that the men they had turned down so harshly now had no pity for them. On the other hand, many still had feelings for Beauty and several men offered to marry her yet she still refused, stating she could not think of leaving her father along in his troubles. At first Beauty would sometimes cry in secret over their misfortune, but in a very short time she decided, "All the crying in the world will do me no good, so I will try to be happy without a fortune" (22). After settling into their cottage, the merchant and his three sons began plowing and sowing the fields and working in a garden. Beauty did her part to help out; rising at four o'clock every morning to light the fires, clean the house, and fix breakfast for her family. When all her work was done, Beauty would amuse herself reading, playing her music, or singing while she spun. The two eldest girls, however, did not know what to do with their time; each day they had breakfast in bed, not rising until ten o'clock, and then they spent their days pitying themselves and grieving for the loss of their carriage and fine clothes.

Essay on The Glass Menagerie and the Life of Tennessee Williams

The Glass Menagerie and the Life of Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie closely parallels the life of the author. From the very job Tennessee held early in his life to the apartment he and his family lived in. Each of the characters presented, their actions taken and even the setting have been based on the past of Thomas Lanier Williams, better known as Tennessee Williams. Donald Spoto described the new apartment building that Williams and his family relocated to in St. Louis, Missouri as having only two small windows, one window in the front of the apartment and another in the rear.   A fire escape blocked the smoky light that might have come in from the window facing the back alley (16).  Ã‚   In The Glass Menagerie, the apartment was described as facing an alley. Meyer brought to my attention that the entrance to the apartment was actually a fire escape. There was no front door in the apartment of The Glass Menagerie, only a fire escape to enter and exit through (1865).  Ã‚   This omission of a front door represents the feeling that Tennessee Williams had that he could not leave his family and strike out on his own in a normal fashion as most children do. Tennessee Williams felt that he had to literally escape in order to follow his own dream of writing as Tom too felt in the play. John Fritscher points out in his dissertation that Tennessee a nd Tom both were torn between their mother's interpretation of responsibility and their own instinct (5). Tom Wingfield, the narrator of the play, is representative of Tennessee Williams himself, down to them sharing the same first name. Tennessee Williams did not earn his nickname until his college days at the University of Missouri (Meyer 1864).  Ã‚   Both Tom and Tennessee William... ...ed his world and his experiences of it in whatever form seemed suitable to the material. (Kahn)    Works Cited: Cook, Sharon. "Permission to Quote Me." E-mail to author. 2 Apr. 1999 Fritscher Ph.D., John J. Love And Death In Tennessee Williams Diss.1967: Loyola University Library. Internet 1999. Available: jackfritscher.com/tennessee Kahn, Sy. Modern American Drama: Essays in Criticism. Edited by Willima E. Taylor. Deland, Florida. Everette/Edwards Inc., 1968. 71-88 Spoto, Donald. The Kindness of Strangers: The Life of Tennessee Williams. Boston: Little, Brown and Co.,1985 Tischler, Nancy M. Tennessee Williams: Rebellious Puritan. New York: The Citadel Press, 1965. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Writing, Thinking. 5th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford, 1999. 1865-190

Images, Symbols and Symbolism in Fahrenheit 451 :: Fahrenheit 451 Essays

Images and Symbols of Fahrenheit 451 Imagine a future in which all books are banned and censored in an attempt to keep the human race from thinking for themselves. Such a lifestyle is depicted in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. This frightening world is one in which people are controlled by the government in every way. A number of restrictions are placed upon the people of this society. One of which is the prohibition of the possession and/or reading of literature. The firemen of this time are paid not to protect citizens from the danger of fires, but to burn all books to ashes. One fireman, by the name of Montag is (opened up to the ways of a life)<THIS IS VAUGE BE MORE SPECIFIC> in which people read, think, and live freely. Bradbury uses poetic devices throughout the novel to paint vivid images. Two of these poetic IMAGES are the use of fire and water WHICH portray different meanings. Bradbury refers to fire and its purpose on a number of occasions. To the firemen, fire symbolizes purification through the burning of books. This is ironic since such an act usually denotes destruction. Captain Beatty, chief of the fire department, believes that "fire is bright and fire is clean."(60) This belief develops when he explains to Montag the reasoning behind burning books. The reader is at this time given an image of Beatty, his character, and his way of thinking. In one instance, the flames were used to cleanse the fire department of its evils by its elimination of the chief. In this case, "Montag shot one continuous pulse of liquid fire on [Beatty]" until "he was a shrieking blaze, a jumping, sprawling gibbering mannikin, no longer human or known, all writhing flame on the lawn."(119) A picture is created in the mind of the reader showing how Montag finally stands up for what he believes is right. Furthermore, when Montag set his own house ablaze, he undergoes an uncommon emotional experience in which he views the fire as a new starting point. The fire signifies Montag sterilizing his life by burning his house and "he felt himself gush out in the fire, snatch, rend, rip in half with flame, and put away the senseless problem."(116) This captures Montag in a stage of anger and frustration after his wife has left him and his chief is ready to arrest him.

The Life of Walter Mitty (Alternate Ending)

The life of Walter Mitty By Gregory Jones 9/17/12 Walter Mitty the Undefeated, inscrutable to the last. â€Å"Walter! † his wife yelled â€Å"what are you doing can’t you see I’m ready to leave! † Ok Mitty replied they got into the car and Mitty turned on the radio. The Football game had just ended, and the announcer was describing the atmosphere in the game it was the 4th quarter with only 30 seconds left on the clock. â€Å"Ok Mitty you’re going to throw to the drag route understand? â€Å"Yeah coach I know what to do I’ve done this before† Mitty ran onto the field into the huddle. â€Å"Ok guys we got 30 seconds left were going for it now, everyone just run down for a Hail Mary. The players stared at him in confusion they all knew the coach wouldn’t have called the play but they had faith in their quarterback to win the games. Mitty slowly walked up to the center and got set, looking at the linebackers and safety. Hike† Mitty dropped back, but the defensive tackle broke through the line and chased him out of the pocket. Mitty rolled out of the pocket knowing there wouldn’t be any open receivers. He pumped fake to make the linebackers drop deeper in coverage before he started running. He juked the first linebacker and hurdled the second. The crowd began to scream and yell as they realized Mitty had got the first down with 20 seconds remaining on the clock. But Mitty didn’t run out of bounds he was going for the win now.The corners and safety know having knowledge that Mitty was running immediately joined the chase. He stiff armed one corner to the ground still in full stride. The crowd was going completely berserk. Mitty had one last man until he scored the winning touchdown. Mitty was on the 5 the safety on the 1 Mitty leaped off the ground reaching the ball out. â€Å"Walter you passed our house! † â€Å" I was going to score† Mitty whispered â€Å"what?!?!? You mus t remember to take your medicine you always daze off when you don’t. †

Economic Analysis Essay

The enthusiasm, as well as the anxieties that is generated by the working of the economy of the United States is not just US economy generates is not just obvious but also easy to understand. The United States, with a GDP of 13. 2 trillion USD, and a population of 300 million (with an average yearly per capita income of more than 44,000 USD), is the largest economy of the world (CIA Factbook, 2008). Its currency, the US dollar, even in the throes of its greatest financial crisis, is the world’s preferred currency, and its markets the world’s biggest. In diversity and amount, the natural resources of the country are greater than those of most other countries. Many US industries are global leaders, and it remains the favorite marketing target for companies from across the world. With the US being the largest trading partner for numerous north and south countries, a large portion of the global economy relies upon US consumption for survival; significant changes in its pattern can lead to global euphoria or gloom. The performance of the US economy is influenced by an assortment of local and international factors. Distinguished by particularly low government control, a guiding principle that was first chosen by the founding fathers and followed painstakingly ever since (Oppenheimer, & Reddaway, 1989). Although the government stipulates regulations and ensures inviolability of contracts, most microeconomic decisions are taken by private firms and corporations. (Rowe & Silverstein, 1999) Governmental and Federal Reserve activities occur mainly through the modification of tax policies, changes in interest rates, and control of money supply; their endeavor being to push the economy in chosen directions rather than to compel it to take up preferred paths. (Oppenheimer, & Reddaway, 1989) The last two decades have been particularly turbulent for the economy, marked by sharp expansion, occasional slowdowns, and the occurrence, in 2008, of a slump of dimensions sharp enough to affect the economic fortunes of numerous nations and millions of people. This assignment aims to assess and analyze the performance of the economy from 1990 until the present day, taking up various economic developments, the reasons behind the same, and their local and global impact. Commentary Overview of 1990 to 2001 The economic performance of an extremely intricate and influential economy like that of the US relies upon various local and global developments like investments, agricultural, manufacturing and service activity, exports and imports, global and local commodity prices, currency strength, disposable incomes, and consumption patterns. It is also influenced by fiscal and monetary measures like changes in tax policies, interest rates on loans, and reserves of banks, as well as by ongoing developments like price rises, job levels, and induction of fresh participants into the work force. Whilst the United States is one of the leading exporters of coal, wheat, corn, and soybeans, its continuous and strong economic growth has increased its dependence upon other countries for oil and many other raw materials. In fact the country had become a leading consumer of practically every sort of raw material by the 1960s and growth continued to rise thereafter. The 1970s and the 1980s, the decades that preceded the 1990s, were difficult ones and were distinguished by slow economic growth and inflation. While the period was marked by the entry of Japanese industry onto the global stage, the oil price shocks, and the forced bailout of Chrysler, it also witnessed the emergence of the service industry and the numerous small businesses in the United States. Whilst the 1980s saw a reduction in inflation rates and the creation of millions of jobs, such developments were accompanied by drastic increases in military expenditure, Medicaid and Medicare costs, corporate debt and household borrowing (Julius, 2005). Thousands of banks failed because of a combination of reasons that included high inflation and interest rates, bad loans to developing nations and speculative real estate ventures. The total national debt reached a figure of 290 billion US dollars, the highest till then. The US economic recovery commenced in 1991 and continued for the rest of the decade; it was distinguished by a long period of constant growth and by strong performance in key economic indicators like growth, inflation, unemployment and interest rates. Real growth in GDP stayed at around 3 % for the whole period with a low of 2. 5 % and a high of 3. 9 % in 1998. Unemployment fell from a peak of 7. 5 % to 5. 6 % by the middle of the decade and to less than 5 % after 1997. â€Å"America’s labor force changed markedly during the 1990s. Continuing a long-term trend, the number of farmers declined. A small portion of workers had jobs in industry, while a much greater share worked in the service sector, in jobs ranging from store clerks to financial planners. If steel and shoes were no longer American manufacturing mainstays, computers and the software that make them run were. † (The 1990s and beyond, 2008) Inflation, which had reached dangerously high levels in the 1980s also moderated significantly and remained below 3 % for most of the decade. The only area that witnessed volatility was the stock market, with stock prices rising by more than 60 % in the closing years of the decade on the back of low unemployment and good growth figures. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which had stood at around 1,000 in the late 1970s, went up to as much as 11,000 in 1999, adding substantially to the wealth of many Americans (Julius, 2005). Whilst Clinton, who occupied the Presidency from 1993 to 2000, declared the era of big business to be over in the United States, he worked to strengthen market forces in areas like long distance telephony, reduced the size of the federal work force and ensured the continuance of most of the New Deal innovations (The 1990s and beyond, 2008). The economy was also helped greatly by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the consequent enlargement of trading opportunities. Technological advances led to the introduction of a wide assortment of sophisticated new electronic products. Numerous innovations in telecommunications and computer networking led to the development of a vast IT industry and revolutionized the operating methods and ways of numerous industries. â€Å"After peaking at $290,000 million in 1992, the federal budget steadily shrank as economic growth increased tax revenues. In 1998, the government posted its first surplus in 30 years, although a huge debt — mainly in the form of promised future Social Security payments to the baby boomers – remained† (The 1990s and beyond, 2008) The Economy in the 21st Century Whilst such developments led a number of economists to believe that the United States was entering a period of sustained economic growth, economic growth came to a halt in the early 2000s. Much of this was due to the slowing down of the investment boom and the economy went into recession in the second half of 2001, cutting a ten year period of economic growth. Along with slowdowns in investment and the widespread crashing of dotcom organizations the economy was terribly hurt by the World Trade Center attacks worsened the economic situation. The recession was short lived and lasted for a period of 8 months and whilst the labor force continued to grow, its rate moderated significantly. Whilst the actual recession was short lived the following years were ones of slow growth. Growth in GDP, which was estimated at 2. 5 % in 2002 continued to be slow in 2003 and unemployment rose significantly in 2003 (Julius, 2005). Huge corporate scams, like the ones at Enron and WorldCom led to erosion of domestic confidence and the recovery process remained slow and sluggish. The downturn in the US economy, which had spurred global economic growth during the 1990s led to a worldwide economic downturn, not just in Europe but also in Japan, Latin America and Southeast Asia (Julius, 2005). Consumer spending increased only after the commencement of the war in Iraq and was accompanied by the improvement of most economic indicators. The movement of the economy in the 2000s can be broken up in three distinct sections, the recession of 2001 followed by sluggish growth in 2002 and 2003, sharp economic growth from 2004 to 2007 and financial crisis that enveloped the economy after the housing crash and the mortgage disaster of 2007 (The 1990s and beyond, 2008). The years following 2003 witnessed a recovery powered by consumer spending as the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates and the government reduced taxes. The economy grew at an average annual rate of 3. 1 % during this period, a rate not much lower than that achieved during the growth phase of the 1990s. The economy was also bolstered by a USD 500 billion spending on homeland security and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, a jump of 4 trillion USD in household debt and a 50 % increase in prices of real estate (The 1990s and beyond, 2008). With the Fed engineering finance at low interest rates, consumer debt, credit card, and vehicle loans went up from 7. 9 trillion USD to 12. 2 trillion USD, and US consumers went on a spending spree that had no precedent. Inflation was fuelled not just by increasing demand but by sharp increases in oil prices, which went up from 28 dollars a barrel in 2001 to the mid 60s in 2006 and finally to USD 148 a barrel in 2007 before the current crisis brought it crashing down. â€Å"The rise in GDP in 2004-07 was undergirded by substantial gains in labor productivity. Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage in the Gulf Coast region in August 2005, but had a small impact on overall GDP growth for the year. Soaring oil prices in 2005-2007 threatened inflation and unemployment, yet the economy continued to grow through year-end 2007. † (CIA Fact Book, 2008) Tragedy struck the US and global economy in 2007 in the form of the mortgage crisis when economists were predicting a boom the likes of which the world had never seen before. The majority of the problems impacting the US economy have come about because of the development of housing crisis. Whilst housing and construction activities had grown sharply since 2004, they slackened significantly in 2006 after successive interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve made monthly housing loan repayments substantially more costly for home mortgage holders. With loans having become far more expensive to service, the housing industry went into a slump in 2006 with far lesser home sales on a Year on Year basis. The continuation of this phenomenon into 2007 led to a sharp economic slowdown and was in many ways responsible for the precipitation of the mortgage crisis. The sub prime mortgage financial crisis in the USA first evidenced itself in 2006, and assumed global proportions in mid 2007. With a combination of a number of economic causes like increased monthly repayment figures and declining home values restricting the inability of mortgage holders to meet their repayment terms, mortgage lenders, who until the had ridden the wave of real estate expansion, were hit with huge cash deficits and the inadequate securities to make good their losses (Bernanke, 2007). The emergence of the sub prime crisis led to the opening of a virtual Pandora’s Box of wrong and risky banking practices, and the financial bankruptcy and mortgage foreclosures of thousands of borrowers. It also led to the bankruptcy of huge financial institutions like Lehman Brothers, the virtual collapse of a monolith like Citibank, the collapse of stock markets, the extinction of stock market fortunes of thousands of Americans and finally to a tremendous crunch in availability of funds and credit. Apart from creating havoc among financial institutions the crisis has also led to tremendous slowing down of economic activity, the loss of thousands of jobs, increasing unemployment, contraction of GDP and enormous economic uncertainty. The sub-prime crisis has put a huge doubt over broader economic functioning by choking spending and by impacting the progress of the building sector. Whilst most impartial observers are likely to attribute the sub prime crisis to the greed of borrowers and lenders, the lax policies of regulatory authorities is seen by many to be a major contributory factor for the development of this crisis. Laxity in the activity of the Federal reserve, which reduced interest rates in 2001 and kept them low for five years, is considered to be a major reason for the reckless borrowing and lending practices that finally led to the sub prime crisis. The collapse of major banks and financial institutions has led to the development of an enormous credit crunch, with banks unable to lend money to businesses and to individuals. â€Å"So far this year, 15 banks have failed, compared with three last year. And Wall Street’s five biggest investment firms were swallowed by other companies, filed bankruptcy or converted themselves into commercial banks to weather the financial storm† (Bush: Bailout Plan †¦, 2008). With losses not being confined just to mortgage lenders, many banks lost billions of dollars in the bad mortgage debts that they had bought from mortgage companies. This in turn led to sharp reduction in the money available with them and made them unable to engage in any further lending activity. Businesses across a wide spectrum of industry and service sectors find it difficult to obtain funds for operations and growth, a phenomenon that is seriously affecting their regular working, and leading to contraction of business activity, reduction in production and sales, and to reduction of workforce. Thousands of people have been laid off in the banking sector and job losses are now increasing across the spectrum of business companies, not just in the United States but across the world. Reduced employment figures, accompanied by lesser money availability with people who are fortunate enough to hold their jobs, is also leading to sharp drops in demand for a range of products, including automobiles and household goods, and leading to crisis conditions in various sectors of the economy. The US automobile industry, which has been going through a bad patch for the last few years, has been particularly badly hit, with mostly all companies announcing production cuts and job terminations. Conclusion The duration and severity of the current financial crisis has led many analysts to compare it with the events of the Great Depression, when 9,000 banks failed. Others however feel that while the current crisis is undoubtedly severe it is far away from reaching the levels of economic grief that characterized the depression of the 1930s. Contracting money supply, tax increases, and protectionist tariffs, factors that were associated with the Great Depression are not present today. Unemployment levels, while rising today are also far below the levels of 25 % that were breached in the 1930s. Today’s problem remains associated with the crisis of banking solvency, as is evident from the bankruptcies, forced takeovers and virtual nationalization of large private sector banks. Banks are desperate to first balance their banks and are looking for funds to stay afloat and manage their existing obligations rather than in providing fresh credit. The government of the United States has come out with a bailout plan that was first estimated at 700 billion US dollars and has now come up to nearly a trillion dollars, a figure equal to the GDP of many prosperous West European economies. The bailout plan envisages the provisioning of hundreds of billions of dollars that the treasury can use to for the purchase of distressed assets, particularly mortgage backed securities and for making capital injections into banks. The purpose of the bailout plan is to protect banks, stabilize the economy, improve liquidity, restore confidence in financial markets, and encourage consumption. The Federal Reserve has in recent weeks joined with other major central banks to reduce interest rates and the world’s top economic powers are getting together to take concerted action. Such efforts are yet to show significant results and stock markets continue to remain depressed. â€Å"Slowing consumer demand, labor productivity and, potentially, trade growth worsens the prospects of a mild recession. If the bailout does not soon restore financial stability-and many economists doubt that it will-bailing out the broader economy will require additional public funds and increase burdens on future taxpayers† (Gokhale, 2008) Economists also estimate unemployment to increase to hit 7. 5 % by next year and most are in agreement that while the current crisis may not prove to be as severe as the great depression, economic recovery does not appear to be immediately visible and that the economy will remain difficult even if financial markets were to stabilize. In the meanwhile Americans will most probably have to live with shrinking salaries and reducing net worth at least for 2009.