Responsible Borrowing Worksheet Essay

Many students borrow federal student loans to pay for college. The goal of this assignment is to help you learn how to borrow responsibly, which may mean that you do not borrow at all or that you borrow only what you truly need. To borrow responsibly, you must understand your options and establish a financial plan for your entire program. With that plan in place, you can then focus on your classes and making connections with instructors and other students. Step 1 Watch the â€Å"Responsible Borrowing (Financial Aid)† video on the orientation website located here: http://www.phoenix.edu/student-orientation.html. Respond to the following questions: What is financial aid? Financial Aid is any grant or scholarship, loan, or paid employment offered to help a student meet his/her college expenses. Such aid is usually provided by various sources such as federal and state agencies, colleges, high schools, foundations, and corporations. How do grants differ from loans? Grants are money you don’t have to repay and are usually based on your financial need while loans are money you borrow that you must pay back, usually with interest costs. The major grants are Cal Grants, federal Pell Grants and some smaller federal grants What effect does class attendance have on funding availability? Students must attend school continuously, with no attendance breaks greater than 14 days, to retain disbursed federal financial aid funds. A leave of absence must be requested and approved if a student requires more than 14 days away from class. Step 2 Navigate to the Personal Finance category of the GEN/127 PhoenixConnect Community. Explore the resources provided and some of the discussions shared by the community members. Respond to the following questions: What did you find about student loan repayment plans? I found out that there are interests rates that cling to the loan and also you should pay close attention to the money you burrow in unsubsidized and subsidized loans because you will have to pay that back and also may sure you keep up with how much your borrowing and the dates that you will have to start repaying, you don’t want them to go into default. Why is having an educational financial plan important? You will need this so you can map out how much needs to be funded for your course and class, its very vital you pay attention to this because you could end up not having enough, thesethings you want to plan out and make sure of so you wont have any bumps or faults along the way. Step 3 Access the Financial Plan at www.phoenix.edu/financialplan. Enter your program and respond to the questions. Explore the information about options for payment, reducing cost, and military students (if applicable). If you have already completed the plan as part of the enrollment process, you can use those results for this step. Based on this plan, what is your estimated monthly payment when you enter repayment? My estimated monthly repayment fee is $56 a month. As a result of completing the plan, what changes can you make to reduce the amount you may borrow? Why? I can check for the cost of the classes so I wont borrow so much, just what I need to pay the cost of each class that way I wont over draw.

Taxation Issues

Rental income is generally regarded as a non-business source of income which is assessed under Section 4(d) of the Income Tax Act, 1967 ITA. In the case where rent is a section 4(d) source, rent from each property is treated as a separate source of income. However, as a concession, in computing the adjusted income from rent, the properties of the person can be grouped into the following categories: †¢residential properties, †¢commercial properties, and †¢vacant land The date of commencement of renting is on the first day the property is rented out.In the event a rental loss occurs, it becomes a permanent loss because it cannot be set off against other income sources or even other rental income sources. The loss also cannot be carried forward to the subsequent year of assessment. No capital allowance is given for the premise or assets provided to earn the rent. However, expenses incurred wholly and exclusively in earning the rental income are deductible against the rent al income. This includes the replacement or repair or maintenance cost related to the premise and other assets used to earn the rent.Furthermore, rental income can also be assessed as Section 4 (a) Business Income under certain situations. This is evident in The case of Per Lord Diplock in the American Leaf Blending Co Sdn Bhd v DGIR (1950-1985) MTSC 28 ( Privy Council ) is the issue of whether rent is assessable under Section 4(a) or Section 4(d) of Income Tax Act where it was held that although rent is assed under section 4(a) income it can be a business source of income if it is received in the course of carrying on a business of renting out the taxpayer’s property.In order for rental income to be assessed as business income and not investment income, two aspects need to be considered. 1. The number of units of property owned. This consideration however applies only to companies. A company can have its rental income assessed as Section 4(a) business income if it is letting at least †¢4 units of commercial buildings, †¢4 floors of shop houses, †¢4 units of residential properties or †¢Any combinations of 4 units of the type of premises mentioned.If the premise is a special purpose commercial building like a factory, warehouse, office or shopping complex, then the rental income from these premises can be assessed as business income even if the company is only renting out one premise. This is supported by the case of American Leaf Blending Co. Sdn. Bhd v Director General of Inland Revenue where it was held that an individual who receives rental income may not necessarily be doing a business.However, a company is created with the aim of making a profit for its shareholders and anything that a company does with its assets with the purpose of making a profit would amount to carrying on a business even though it is not the core operation of the company. 2. Active ancillary or support services are being provided to the tenants by the owner . This term specifically applies to non-company taxpayers without regard to the number of units of property they rent out.The taxpayer who is the owner of the premise is required to actively provide services such as security guard, air conditioning system, and supply of hot water, escalator, lift, recreational facilities and cleaning and maintenance of common property. It is important that these services are procured, managed or supplied by the taxpayer and not passively or incidentally derived from the lease of the property where the management corporation of the premise provides such services and not the owner.In the event that rental income is assessed as 4(a) business income, it will be aggregated for all properties as one source of income. Capital allowance or industrial building allowance will be given to be set off against the total rental income from all premises. In the case of River Estates Sdn Bhd v Director-General of Inland Revenue it was held that ‘The statute re cognises the existence of a source consisting of a business and the situation that a taxpayer can have more than one source consisting of a business’.It establishes that a business can have more than one source of income that will be grouped together and will be given capital allowance. Expenses that are incurred wholly and exclusively can also be deducted from the income. If a loss is sustained in the current year of assessment, it can be carried forward to the next year of assessment to be set off from that year’s income or be set off against other income in the current year if there are any. The date of commencement will be the date the premise is available for letting.

Eating Healthily and Advantages Disadvantages of Foods Essay

Today, every people and every country were all developing and moving forward, by then shall we keep in mind, what make us live until today and keeping us healthy.â€Å"Eating Healthily With A Busy Lifestyle†, is the topic that I chose. By reading the topic, the main point that I chose, straight away in people’s mind they will think of delicious food, delicacy that bring up the appetite, but do they have the time to eat what they want, to enjoy such appetizing meals? Does it suit our healthy life since nowadays we usually eat what we, just like the often phrase we usually heard, saw in the advertisements, ‘eat all you can’ or ‘eat while you can’. Some people neglect the healthy food thing, because they thought that healthy food is boring, not delicious and many more. I have seen people shall I say my friends, colleagues which they don’t consume any type of vegetable. I have few colleagues of mine, whenever we ate together sitting on the same table during dinner night especially, when the waiter brought the meal, and it vegetables, their first thought was they will not take those vegetables, they won’t eat it. Vegetable which contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, helps to protect our immune system, to beautify our skins and many more. It is very, very easy to eat the greens (vegetables), if they doesn’t look tasty, make them look tasty, use our imagination to think how to decorate, form the vegetables to look yummy. Here in this speech I will show how to eat healthily during working hours especially, how we divide our time to unleash our appetite towards healthy and scrumptious food. In this speech I will share what I have learnt and analysed for the healthy food, which is simple to make, and I will also points out of what are the advantages are and also disadvantages of foods especially in our country, Malaysia which most of them were highly contain of cholesterols and calories. And I will be talking on how to keep nutritious snacks on hand, packing your lunch and choosing healthy food when you are at a restaurant.

Human Resources in South Korea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resources in South Korea - Essay Example (Zimmermann and Sparrow, 2008) To start, operate and close a business is well protected by South Korea's regulatory environment. Starting a business takes an average of 17 days compared to the world's average of 43 days. Obtaining a license will take less than the world's average of 19 procedures and 234 days. Closing a business is also easy. (Hesketh and Fleetwood, 2006) The investment climate is increasingly open. The government offers incentives such as cash grants and zero-corporate tax zones; has a one-stop-shop for foreign investments; and assigns an official to facilitate each project. Residents and non-residents may have foreign exchange rate accounts. (Hesketh and Fleetwood, 2006) Trade, fiscal and labour freedoms are relatively weak. Monetary score is hurt by government subsidies of several sectors. Non-tariff barriers are very common. The labour market remains rigid despite the government's effort to enhance market flexibility in recent years. There are burdensome employment regulations that hinder employment opportunities and productivity growth. The non-salary cost of employing a worker is low, but dismissing a redundant employee is costly. The high cost of laying off a worker creates a risk aversion for companies that would otherwise hire more people and grow. Regulations related to the number of work hours are not flexible. (Zimmermann and Sparrow, 2008) The... For outsiders language barriers and tight social or business circles make the Korean labour market difficult to enter. Business relationships have traditionally been built upon personal ties and valuable introductions. The South Korea labour laws are mentioned below: Foreign workers: pursuant to the immigration control act, professional or skilled foreigners can be employed in Korea after being issued with visas; in other particular occupations which include the hospitality and hotel industry (E-7) visa is issued. (Hesketh and Fleetwood, 2006) General procedures: the parties concerned sign an employment contract. A related minister makes a recommendation. The minister of Justice issues a visa issuance certificate. (Hesketh and Fleetwood, 2006) Working standards and welfare: the labour standards act, which stipulates minimum working standards for workers, covers all employees. However, some provisions (relating to employment contracts, restrictions on dismissal, working hours, leave, etc.) are not applied to work places with four workers or less given economic conditions and administrative capacity. (Hesketh and Fleetwood, 2006) Restrictions on dismissal: employers cannot dismiss employees without justifiable causes. If dismissed without justifiable causes, an employee can apply for redress to a labour relations commission. Employers may be subject to punishment for unjustifiable dismissal. If an employer is to dismiss a worker, he or she should meet strict conditions and procedures. First, the employer should have urgent managerial reasons, make every effort to avoid such dismissals, select those to be dismissed by rational and fair standards and sincerely consult with the trade union or workers' representatives in advance. Even when an

Managing Behavior in the Workplace Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Behavior in the Workplace - Term Paper Example It is a reality that today workplace issues happen to be more diverse, complex, and inexplicable than ever before. A large percentage of such issues are commonly found to be originating from negative workplace environment fraught with confusions, biases, discrimination, fear, and unhealthy criticism. Negative environment in turn originates from mismanaged workforce behavior. An army leader should be well aware of the direction in which the behavior of his men proceeds as it can influence the whole country either for the good or the worse. Major annoying issues developing due to bad or wayward behavior include excessive gossip about each other’s personal affairs, sexual or mental harassment, communication gap between leaders and employees, and mistreatment of myriad changes by workforce. It is true that changes are always for the betterment of the organization and if those changes are not welcomed by the employees due to behavior which lacks obedience and understanding, results can be disastrous and much chaos could be created. This paper basically aims to postulate that the army leaders should be highly acknowledged to the behavior of those working under them as appropriately managed behavior is especially important in the military context since it raises concern not only for the army but for the entire nation as well. Stress also results when behavior is not managed efficiently. For this purpose, it remains mandatory for an army leader to communicate more often with the people of his army so that confusion about certain instructions could be removed and general appreciation for one another could be developed. Moreover, each worker should be motivated by the army leader to do a lot of things which do not necessarily fall into the role assigned to that worker like filling communication gap, condemning negative gossip, offering creative ideas, and professional handling of the bosses who sabotage employee’s careers. Professional handling of the bosse s who negatively affect employees’ careers relates to zero tolerance for harassment directed at employees. A leader should always try to set an example himself in order to see the workforce behaving appropriately. There is no chance for an employee to behave good if the leaders themselves engage in unprofessional activities like feeling tired all the time, arriving late for important tasks, and remaining absent. It becomes increasingly important for an army leader to set a good character example so that his workers could take an advice just by looking at his personality. It is repeatedly suggested by the researchers that creating a kind of culture where people feel part of the organization itself rather than merely remaining involved in their individual jobs makes a company preferable over another to work for. Many people leave army only because they do not feel themselves to be a part of the whole scene, rather they start considering their lives monotonous and boring. That i s just one way by which most of the talent gets wasted. In order to keep workers from feeling monotonous, changes should be implemented by efficient leaders. Though changes are despised but â€Å"

ENERGY WEDGES Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

ENERGY WEDGES - Lab Report Example VII. All the 8 strategies we chose werefilled out in the Wedge Worksheet and we totaled the cuts from each energy sector (Electricity, Transport, and Heat) and costs. A scoring table was used to predict how different interest groups ratedour wedges. (Hotinski) Our group discussed and the contributing really substantially. All the members came to a consensus on the choice of wedges that we made.The wedges were selected with a basis of the ease of achieving them and the effectiveness of each wedge. However we agreed that none of the wedges could create the stabilization triangle on its own and also none of the wedges was 100% effective. (Hotinski) Each of the 8 strategies above has the potential to reduce global carbon emissions by at least 1 billion tons per year by 2054, or 1 wedge. Using a combination of strategies will be needed to build the 7 wedges of the stabilization triangle. In summary, a single strategy cannot build the entire stabilization triangle. To keep pace with global energy needs at the same time, the world must find energy technologies that emit little to no carbon, plus develop the capacity for carbon storage. Many strategies available today can be scaled up to reduce emissions by at least 1 billion tons of carbon per year by 2054. We call this reduction a â€Å"wedge† of the triangle. By embarking on several of these wedge strategies now, the world can take a big bite out of the carbon problem instead of passing the whole job on to future generations

Research proposal Masters in Education Dissertation

Research proposal Masters in Education - Dissertation Example However in the same study, 82.4% students indicate that knowledge of subject is extremely important in classroom learning (Kavas & Kavas, 2008). Of course the means and techniques of instruction are important. Studies show that experimental techniques of instruction increase the overall student learning. Research reveals that when multiple experimental techniques are used, they improve the student learning even more (Lawrence O. Hamer, 2000). Now the question arouses that what other factors influence the classroom learning other then these conventional factors? A research conducted at a large public university in U.S reveals that non-native Teacher Assistants have a negative effect on the academic achievements of native students (Borjas, 2000). Marvasiti (2001) also conformed this hypothesis but Marvasiti indicates that this adverse effect is not due to lack of language proficiency. All of the above indicate that there are factors involved in classroom learning other than the academi c only. What I hypothesize from these findings is that there is a relationship between native perception of foreigners, in some cases â€Å"Racisms†, and the classroom learning regarding foreigners as instructors. ... uropean countries, where people from under developed countries are not perceived as above average, in some cases they are even considered to be equivalent to the labor class. In those countries, an instructor from an under developed country might have a negative effect on the classroom learning. Probably this is due to the resistance they have to bear at the start of making their career. What I propose in this study is to experiment with two different instructors, instructing same subject at two different places, one in home country and other in foreign country, and study the level of classroom learning affected by the origin of the instructor. For example, instructors form U.S instructing the same subject at U.S and Sri-Lanka, on the other hand an instructor from India instructing the same subject at India and United Kingdome. It would be ideal if we found the level of students same in both situations and where language of instruction makes no significant difference. In a nutshell w e will be investigating the relationship between instructor’s origin and the level of learning, keeping all other variables constant. If this hypothesis will proven to be correct, majority of people might get offended because the study indirectly highlights the racism present in different situations. It is rather important to state that there are some ethical consideration for this study. To achieve the objective of the study, data will be collected through observations, not all the data, but a major amount of data will have to be based on observations. It might be considered unethical to investigate such an issue without letting the subjects know. However the fact is that otherwise the objective of the study cannot be achieved. References Kavas, Aysel & Kavas, Alican (2008). An

Microsoft, Tesco, Google.com Market Segments Essay - 13

Microsoft, Tesco, Google.com Market Segments - Essay Example According to the study market segments in terms of promotion ergo become imperative. Market segmentation basically refers to specialising and specifically focusing on one kinds of consumers. Segments can be based on a variety of factors some of which include gender, geography, industry, age groups; or they can be a little bit more specific e.g. democrats in the USA or soccer fans etc. As the paper outlines by concentrating on one particular part of the market the producers are not just able to market their product better, they can even improvise and enhance their goods in a way which makes them the most appealing for their customers. Geoffery Yeo further defines market segments as, â€Å"Market segmentation is a technique widely used in he market research industry. It can be defined as ‘the process of splitting customers into different groups, or segments; within which customers with similar characteristics have similar needs†. How does one segment the market for food? E veryone needs food, however, if that was the only thing that crossed a producers mind then he would end up with a burden of a segment which consists of not just people from the UK, but the whole world. Focusing on what kind of food one is selling is extremely important, in our case we will be focusing on fast-food. Segments for this market will be created based on a number of factors: they can either be demographic or psychographic. Demographic factors take into account the age, sex, gender, income etc of the consumers, where as the psychographic factors look into what attracts and appeals to consumers the most. For a fast-food organisation to function properly in the UK it would have to focus primarily on psychographic factors.  

A Stranger to Marxs Estranged Labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Stranger to Marxs Estranged Labor - Essay Example Karl Marx's Theory of Alienation gives us an idea about the dehumanizing effects of capitalism that affects the worker in the society. Marx's idea of worker alienation pertains to the worker being deprived of all his fundamental human qualities as a result of the production process.As the society develops, people become alienated and estranged from his work, his being, and his society. In his essay â€Å"Estranged Labor† from the Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844, Marx saw how the whole society must falls apart into two classes — property owners and propertyless workers. As a writer and journalist struggling to make a living, his observations on Germany’s poor and oppressive condition greatly influenced his writing ideas (Wheen, 2001). Marx saw how rich factory owners have set antagonistic conditions towards workers who are subjected to a mechanized process of production. He argues that in contrast to the pre-capitalist period wherein the worker owns the means and ways of production, the workers in capitalist societies have no control over the entire production process. As a result, Marx observed that â€Å"the object which labor produces confronts as something alien† because the product does not belong to the worker anymore. This paper aims to examine the capitalist society’s alienation of the worker and how our modern society alienates the worker from his product, its labor process, from his fellow workers and eventually from himself. By looking at the four aspects of alienation, I will be able to examine and apply his ideas in relation to my work. In this way, I will be able to verify the truthfulness of his ideas in my own experiences at the workplace. Estranged Labor: The Wordplay The word â€Å"estranged† is peculiar. It’s from a late 15th century old French word estranger which means â€Å"to treat as a stranger† or extraneus in Latin (Barnhart, 1988). Nowadays however, the word has tak en a different form to mean from â€Å"being removed from customary environment or associations† to a more interesting definition â€Å"to arouse especially mutual enmity or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness† (Mirriam-Webster, 2011). It is this later form that Marx uses in his theories, and what he thinks will eventually lead to the uprising of the workers. From Small Shop Owners to Factory Workers The idea about the worker being alienated from the product, the process, his fellow workers and eventually from himself is understandable. In pre-capitalist society a worker would start his day by producing his own goods at his shop. It could be a weapon, a shoe, a tool or a simple an agricultural commodity. He would set out in his own speed and choice of production process. He would be able to change his production method or style as he communicated with his buyers. He would choose a payment to satisfy his own simple lifestyle an d to make sure that he had enough money to function in society. If he needed more money he might improve his products, perhaps develop new designs or qualities to enhance the function of his product. He would always be in close cooperation with the people around him and the society as he is greatly dependent upon them for the growth and development of his business. The kind of society I just described differs a great deal from the society we live in nowadays. Modern workers are not a part of the development process of the products they make. Usually, people produce things now in factories where they perform repetitive and closely monitored labor tasks by their managers and employers. This makes the entire process of work â€Å"impersonal† or â€Å"alien† to the worker. Worse, they are most often paid a low salary that does not reflect what they produce, but manages the capitalist to make a hefty profit. There would most often be fierce competition among fellow workers to get bonuses or a less meaningless job function. From this comparison over the state of workers in

DQ5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

DQ5 - Essay Example If the data has some extreme values, then median becomes the most accurate measure of central tendency. However, one weakness of median is that it cannot be applied to raw-data and the data has to arranged in ascending or descending order. This indicates that this measure is time consuming and when data is very large it is very difficult to first arrange it in ascending order and then arrive at median. Mode is considered appropriate for nominal data and can be calculated very easily by observation. There are no calculations required when computing mode and hence it is very quick. The only disadvantage with mode is that it gives the least accurate answer and hence people do not use it despite it being the easiest measure of center or central tendency. Measures of dispersion describe the spread of data. Some of these measures include range, variance and standard deviation. It includes measures such as range, standard deviation and variance. The advantage of range is that it is very simple and tells you the spread of data. However, since it is dependent on just two values, the answer is not the fairest representation of the distribution. Another very important measure of dispersion is standard deviation. Since it includes all the values of the observation it is most likely to give a good and accurate answer. But, as the numbers are squared in computing standard deviation, the extreme values get more weightage and answer is distorted. Similarly, variance is another good measure as it includes all the values in a observation. The only weakness of variance is that it is very time consuming as each observation has to be squared. The number of observations that fall into a particular class is call the frequency or count of that class. Frequency distribution is a table that lists all class and their frequencies in a systemized manner. This table tells us at a glance that how many times a particular observation has been seen in our

Professional Devlopment- Research report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Professional Devlopment- Research report - Essay Example This is crucial everywhere, especially at children’s settings as they are the practitioners’ responsibility. Therefore as a teacher, it is crucial to provide a supportive classroom environment suitable for children to engage in learning through creation of more lasting memory arising from brain involvement (McGaugh, 2003). In engaged learning, the focus of the teacher should be to connect new information to what is known already instead of teaching pupils in isolation (Helm, 2008, p. 2). Helm (2008) also reveals a project approach as one of the means of engaged-learning that enables students to bond the convention knowledge and skills with the world they live. According to the national Union of Teachers (2012-13), the professional duties of teachers are set out in detail in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document. It requires teachers to undertake a wide range of duties including in particular planning and teaching lessons, reporting on pupils’ pr ogress, maintaining good order and discipline, preparation of pupils for examination, collaborating with colleagues, safeguarding pupil health and safety. Practitioners need to provide various methods of effective learning as all children’s have different needs to be met. This can include singing, classroom toys, various games and physical movements. The role of the teachers is to help the child reach the milestone and reach their development stage. To do so it is essential to have a strong relationship with parents where they can communicate regarding the child’s feedback on their progress, share observations and discuss what can be done further. Current research from the Department of education (2013) (see appendix 1) shows that as of November 2012, there were 442,000 teachers - 4,000 up on November 2011. That is 7,800 higher than in 2005, and 36,200 higher than in 2000. , therefore the expectations for applying for a teaching job has

Treaty of Versailles essay Essay Example for Free

Treaty of Versailles essay Essay In this essay I will be analysing and concluding whether I believe that the Treaty of Versailles was the main cause of the political and economic instability in Germany between 1919 and 1923. Also I will be looking at other factors that may have caused the political and economic instability. The Treaty of Versailles (signed 28th June 1919) had huge impact on the political instability within Germany between 1919 and 1923. It consisted of 440 Articles setting out the terms for Germany to abide by. The treaty angered the German people as they felt stabbed in the back believing it to be unfair and shameful. The terms involved Germany taking the blame for the First World War and the reduction of their army which both had a political affect within the country. It humiliated the German people as they felt no blame for the war and they were very proud of their army. The anger the people felt left an opening for extremist left wing and right wing parties to gain popularity. The treaty caused a large amount of economic problems in Germany due to the harsh reparations term of  £6.6 billion which they had to repay for damages caused by the war. The German marks value was decreasing due to Germany reprinting money to keep up with payments which eventually caused hyperinflation. As the rate of money was decreasing the price for goods went up. Wages also went up but not enough to buy food, clothes etc. People with savings were hugely affected as those two became worthless. The population was starving and had to queue for food. Those who made enough to buy food could only afford no more than a loaf or two of bread. People even burnt their money just to keep warm. In 1223 the French Prime Minister decided to take action as Germany had defaulted on repayments. As the Germany army was limited there was nothing they could do, therefore The French occupied the Ruhr, one of Germany’s biggest industrial areas. The French believed the workers would carry on in order for them to gain their money. However the workers went on strike, meaning no money was being produced from what was being made at the Ruhr and even more unemployed in Germany. Other factors can be blamed for the political instability German faced between these years. The abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm was a  huge political change in Germany. Leaving Germany without its figure head meant a new government needed to be formed. The Weimar Republic was the new democratic government which signed the Weimar Constitution on the 11th of August 1919 in Weimar as Berlin was too dangerous due to revolutions. Friedrich Ebert was elected president on this date. Without the Kaiser the German people believed they were left without a strong leader. Although many welcomed the change to democracy, others believed that a military leadership was the only way to rebuild Germany after the war. Some even wanted communism, where everyone is equal with the control of a strong state. This created chaos and confusion among the whole German population. The country was not use to having a say in how the government is run and decisions that were being made which would be strange. The Weimar constitution itself caused some political problems between 1919 and 1923. The first huge problem with the constitution was Proportional representation. This meant that when Germans voted for a political party each party was then allocated seats in the Reichstag reflecting the number of people who had voted for it. It sounds fair but in fact it resulted in dozens of small parties, with no party strong enough to get a majority vote. Consequently there was no government to pass laws in the Reichstag. Weimar also caused revolutions within Germany, for example the Kapp Putsch in March of 1920. This right wing nationalist group, led by Wolfgang Kapp aimed to overthrow the government. The group consisted of members of the paramilitary Freikorps and had the support of many army officers. President Ebert wanted to disband the Freikorps, due to this the Freikorps joined forces with Wolfgang Kapp as they both wanted the same thing. Ebert was forced to leave Berlin which undermined his status and showed the Government to be weak. The only comeback Ebert had was to turn to the people and called for a General Strike. This was successful in making the Kapp putsch unsuccessful. However, despite the short period of time that Kapp had control of Berlin, the uprising made it clear that there was not universal support for the Weimar Government. Other factors can be used to explain the economical instabilities which Germany faced. For example, war costs had a large impact on the German economy. Money had to be spent on making weapons, supplying the army with what they needed, rations etc. This caused life in Germany to be very hard for civilians, food and other essentials were  limited. To conclude I believe that the Treaty of Versailles was only to blame for the economic instabilities Germany faced between the years 1919 to 1923. This is because the large reparations term of treaty which Germany had to pay. Reparations ruined the German economy and having 92 years with  £59million to pay back it shows how low their economy must have been. However the political instabilities between 1919 and 1923 that were caused I blame on the Weimar Constitution. This is due to the revolutions, extreme party votes that were gained due to unhappy people and chaos that were caused by the new government.

Perelmans Argumentation Theory And International Relations Philosophy Essay

Perelmans Argumentation Theory And International Relations Philosophy Essay The purpose of this essay is to outline the main notions of Chaim Perelmans philosophy as presented in The Realm of Rhetoric. Let it be mentioned here that Perelman never intended his book to be a methodological study book, but a concise work on what justification of values looks like in practical discourse. Still, his works have been widely applied as a methodological tool in the field of international relations. From outlining Perelmans philosophy I will proceed onto how it has been applied in international relations research. In the last part of my essay, I will study how to use Perelmans work in my own research. 2. BACKGROUND Initially, the Polish-born philosopher Chaim Perelman carried his research in law and philosophy along the lines of logical positivism. In 1944, Perelman completed an empiricist study on justice, De La Justice  [1]  . In his research he concluded that the applications of the law always involve value judgments, and as values cannot be subjected to the rules of logic, the foundations of justice must be arbitrary. Perelman found his own conclusions untenable since value judgments are an integral part of all practical reasoning and decision-making. To deny the value judgments would mean denying the rational foundations of philosophy, politics, law and ethics. As a result of his own empiricist study, Perelman rejected his positivism, absorbing influences from the philosophies that provided a rationale for value judgments  [2]  . According to him, the usefulness of logical positivism was limited to the applications of pure science  [3]  . Regressive philosophies that provide a rationale for value judgments were just as untenable for him because metaphysics self-evident axioms only one perceived error would cause the metaphysical construction and its claims for universal truths to collapse  [4]  . Prevalent alternatives, especially the existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre, do not elicit any sympathy from Perelman either: Perelman says that Sartre merely replaces absolutes of metaphysicism with absolute skepticism  [5]  . In 1948 Perelman met with Madame Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca, with whom he set on a collaboration project, the purpose of which was to develop a philosophy that avoided the absolutes of both positivism and radical relativism. Their basic question can be expressed as: What does justification of values look like in actual, verbal discourse?  [6]  In other words, they set on to research non-formal arguments. Together with Olbrechts-Tytega, Perelman created a theory of rhetoric and argumentation, based upon Greco-Latin rhetoric, as the foundation for a logic of value judgments. Their multidisciplinary study, Traità ¨ de largumentation la nouvelle rhà ©torique was published in French in 1958  [7]  . This work, where Perelman and Olbrechts-Tytega create their theory of rhetoric and argumentation, is the basis of Perelmans The Realm of Rhetoric, where he broadens the original work further. Relying heavily on the works of Aristotle, Perelman concludes that instead of aspiring to universal truths, philosophy in reality is more concerned with persuading specific audiences to accept its claims. For Perelman, a functioning philosophy (which would induce action and essential aspects of being) should be constructed on probabilities, not universal truths, and it should also be able to carry propositions of values stemming from its reception by particular audiences.  [8]   3. THE NEW RHETORIC AND THEORY OF ARGUMENTATION Rhetoric and theory of argumentation form the central core of Perelmans thought. Perelmans study of argumentation is the study of discursive techniques that induce or increase the minds adherence to the theses presented for its assent  [9]  . As Arnold  [10]  proposes, Perelmans realm of rhetoric is the entire universe of argumentative discourse. Perelmans rhetoric is based on the idea that since argumentation aims at securing the adherence of those to whom it is addressed, argumentation is relative to the audience to be influenced  [11]  . Thus, rhetoric is an art of persuasion. 3.1. Audience and the premises of argumentation Argumentation is a person-centered activity it is personal because it starts with the premises that the audience accepts  [12]  . As for the audience, Perelman sticks to the twin concepts of a particular audience and a universal audience; while every argument is directed to a specific individual or a group, it is up to the speaker to decide what information and data will win the greatest adherence according to an ideal audience  [13]  . The aim of all argumentation is to move an audience from an agreement on the premises to an agreement about some conclusion, to modify an audiences convictions through discourse, gain a meeting of minds instead of imposing its will through constraint or conditioning  [14]  . Thus, all argumentation must begin from bases of agreement adequately accepted by the audience prior to the argument. Perelman differentiates between two categories of bases of agreement: the first category consist of facts and truths, the second of the values and hie rarchies  [15]  . Facts and truths here can be understood as supposedly having been accepted by the universal audience, whereas the second category, the values, which can be concrete and abstract, are not universal  [16]  . Establishing values as a starting point of argumentation is important as they may influence action and define good behavior. Values are usually arranged in hierarchies, for instance the superiority of the just over the useful; as a starting point for argumentation an audience may value both but in argument set a preference between the two  [17]  . The last argument starting point, to draw the attention of the audience, is creating a presence. Perelman refers to creating and evoking presence as a technique belonging uniquely in the realm of rhetoric, reaching beyond space and time; convincing an audience through their imagination.  [18]   3.2. Techniques of argumentation As the non-formal argument depends on the adherence of an audience, the orator must see to it that his successive elements of an argument will be accepted or adhered to by the audience. Perelman offers two basic techniques to achieve this: firstly, the association through quasi-logical arguments, and appeals to reality; secondly responding to incompatible opinions through dissociation of concepts.  [19]   Quasi-logical arguments resemble logical, mathematical thinking. However, a quasi-logical argument always presupposes adherence to non-formal theses which alone allow the application of the argument  [20]  . An example of this would be a parlamentarian presenting budget figures in the Parliament, with the aim of initiating an additional rescue package for banks. He/she presents actual figures but purports them in a certain way in his argumentation, in order to convince his/her audience. Association through appealing to reality, on the other hand, refers to affirming of a causal tie between phenomena. From this vantage point argumentation can be directed toward the search for causes, the determination of effects, and the evaluation of a fact by its consequences, which in some cases leads to further inquiries  [21]  . A simple example of this could be a discovery of a corpse and the consequences that follow this particular action. Other ways of argumentation by appealing to reality include examples, illustrations, models and analogy  [22]  . The second technique dissociation of concepts the orator uses when the tenets of an argument are incompatible with accepted opinion. Perelmans view is that when faced with the incompatibilities that ordinary thought encounters, a person tries to resolve it in a theoretically satisfying manner by reestablishing a coherent vision of reality by dissociating the ideas accepted in the start. An example of this dissociation to an appearance vs. reality, a practice found directly or indirectly in all dissociations, could be an oar plunged into the water it appears broken but when we touch it, it is straight. Accordingly, appearances have an equivocal status some of them correspond to reality but sometimes they are only a source of an illusion.  [23]   4. PERELMANS ARGUMENTATION THEORY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS First and foremost, Perelman was a philosopher, not a theoretician in the field of international relations. Secondly, as far as I have understood it, he never aimed his project on rhetoric and argumentation theory, neither his book The Realm of Rhetoric, to be used as a book of methodology in any academic discipline per se. Anyway, during the past two decades there has been a lot of research in the field of international relations that focus on the impact of the politics of talk, or linguistic practices on world politics. Rhetoric and argumentation theory have been used extensively as a method. However, in my opinion, different scholarly communities seem to be pursuing different agendas on different forums, and despite the overlaps, complementarities and possible unification of how language matters in politics, seems to be beyond reach. The different forms of talk bargaining, rhetoric, commonplaces, legal argument, verbal fighting take place in different forums in the sectarian field of international relations. The different forums vary in the degree to which they are public, or rule-governed/institutionalized. The talk of politics also exerts its effects through different mechanisms legitimization, representational force, grafting, framing, persuasion, coercion. The political effects of talk are manifold: the resolution or the escalation of the conflict, the acceptance of or resistance to authority and domination, the construction and transformation of identities and narratives, etc.  [24]   What I would conclude about Perelmans rhetoric and theory of argumentation in the realm of international relations, is that as a method it is extremely adaptable and flexible, and it has thus been used extensively. An itemized listing of using Perlmans philosophy as a method in the different studies in international relations, apart from on the general level, as in the previous chapter, would run tens of pages. When trying to find examples of studies in the field of international relations, where Perelmans philosophy had been applied as a method, the most interesting one I stumbled upon was a study by the Viennese researcher Markus Kornprobst, called International Relations as Rhetorical Discipline. Kornprobst proposes that the irreconcilable differences and debates inside the fragmented discipline of international relations are not that irreconcilable and immeasurable at all if we understand the discipline in Perelmanian terms. He proposes, borrowing from Bakhtin and Gadamer that we should understand international relations as a field of overlapping paradigms, which are not hermetically sealed and sectarian. Speechlessness, non-communication inside the discipline can be overcome by uncovering overlaps. Secondly, he argues that this can be applied even to the most irreconcilable epistemological differences (positivism/postpositivism) inside the discipline. His heuristic vehicle for uncover ing overlaps is a classification of epistemological stances in Ancient Greece, which in Kornprobsts study starts from the thesis that international relations is a rhetorical discipline; based on its Aristotelian truth claims, the modes of reasoning and its manner of disseminating what is taken to be knowledge. Thus, the epistemological differences inside the discipline are actually not irreconcilable at all. Dialogue can develop out of the overlap of the horizons and (re)produce the shared language across horizons on which a scholarly community depends.  [25]   5. PERELMAN AND MY OWN RESEARCH I have planned to write my Masters thesis on Thailands democratization process and the national identity of Thainess. I am still at the early stages in my thesis. However, I am planning to use an interdisciplinary theoretical framework in my thesis, along the lines of the political thought of Robert J.Cox, Antonio Gramsci, Karl Polanyi and Gianbattista Vico. Let it be mentioned here that I am only beginning to outline the theoretical framework of my thesis, so the method I am going to use is still open. However, my intention is to study how the Western concept of democracy has been implemented in the local Thai context so that the concept of democracy has been assimilated to the strong nation state by the local competing elites. In this process, the local elites have used the concept of democracy as an instrument of order and discipline. This elite liberal democracy has been used to create Western-style projects, of which creating a national identity of Thai-ness -project is a prime example to suppress diverse segments of population. Thus, the liberal democracy is a kind of ideological tool to secure hegemony to control and discipline the population. An important part of the hegemonic process is immersing for instance the civil society, various peoples movements and democracy it into creating obedient citizens, who will act as guardians to the elite and their interest. In the centre of the national identity project in Thailands particular case is the monarchy. My emphasis would be on the socio-cultural interplay between rulers and ruled within state struggles over hegemony leading to different ways along which domination and resistance can be studied. Initially, I thought my emphasis would not be on economics and on the economical analysis, however during the research process my research is directing me more and more towards the international political economy and critical geography.  [26]   When it comes to the applicability of Perelmans rhetoric and argumentation theory to my thesis as a method, the argumentative approach would be easily applicable. As footnote here: Gramsci offers a very elastic frame of thinking, which calls for interdisciplinarity and open-mindedness just like Perelmans philosophy does  [27]  . A good starting point to use Perelman in my own research would be the central notion in Gramscis thinking, namely hegemony. Hegemony is a multilayered concept; it operates within the duality force/consent and violence/persuasion that to Gramsci characterizes the nature of power. It acquires concrete structure and specific content particularly during those periods in history in which the people or the masses either form the ground for political action or become a force in politics  [28]  . According to Gramsci, capitalism maintains control not only through political and economic coercion and force but also ideologically, through a hegemonic culture  [29]  . Any class that wishes to dominate in a society, has to move beyond economic-corporate interests, to exert moral and intellectual influence and to make alliances and compromises with different social forces to create a counter-hegemonic historic bloc  [30]  . Applying Perelmans rhetoric and theory of argumentation in analyzing Gramscis notion of hegemony would mean analyzing everyday argumentative discourse in public policy, in my thesis it would involve the dichotomy between the struggle of the subaltern classes versus the dominant elites. What is the dominant discourse in holding onto power of the different elites and how is it used to solidify the sovereignty of the authoritarian state over different segments of society struggling for power? What are the aspects of the dominant discourse, political, economical and cultural? As Gramsci sees the society as an organic process, much like the modern physics, he also sees the prevailing hegemony as a process on many levels, including the struggle between the authoritarian state and subaltern classes. Thus, the history of the subaltern classes and counterhegemonical forces is bound to be sporadic, depending on the political space that the subaltern classes manage to create for themselves at certain periods of history. What is the public discourse and the argumentative discourse of the subaltern classes like, and what are its implications when the space the subaltern forces create for themselves at these historical periods? How to interpret the talk of politics in my own research? In many respects, Perelmans rhetoric and theory of argumentation offers an extremely interesting and fruitful tool for my own research. However, as I am still writing my own research plan and doing the background research, I will leave the option of which method to use, open. 6. CONCLUSIONS In this essay, I have tried to outline Chaim Perelmans sometimes obscure philosophy on rhetoric and theory of argumentation. Perelmans theory has been widely applied as a methodological tool in the overlapping fields of research in the academic discipline of international relations. When it comes down to my own research, I find that Perelmans rhetoric and theory of argumentation is definitely one possible option I can as a methodological tool. 7. SOURCES OF REFERENCE: Agnew, J. (2001): The New Global Economy. Time-Space Compression, Geopolitics and Uneven Development. Journal of World Systems Research VII, 2, Fall 2001, 133- 154. . Accessed 15/12/2010. Arnold, C.C. (2008): Introduction. In Perelman, Ch. : The Realm of Rhetoric. Notre Dame, IN: UND Press, vii-xx. Cox, R. (1987): Production, Power and World Order: Social Forces In Making the World History. New York: Columbia University Press. Fontana, B. (2005): The Democratic Philosopher. Rhetoric as Hegemony in Gramsci. Italian Culture 23 (2005), 97-123. Accessed 15/12/2010. Gramsci, A. (2007): Selections from the Prison Notebooks. Edited and translated by Q. Hoare and G.N. Smith. London: Lawrence and Wishart. Gross, A.J. R.D. Dearin (2003): Chaim Perelman. Albany, N.Y.: SUNY Press. Kornprobst, M. (2009): International Relations as Rhetorical Discipline. International Studies Review 11(1), 1-22. . Accessed 14/12/2010. Perelman, Ch. (2008): The Realm of Rhetoric. Notre Dame, IN: UND Press. Perelman, Ch. L. Olbrechts-Tytega (1969): The Treatise on New Rhetoric and Argumentation. Notre Dame, IN: UND Press. The Politics of Talk in International Relations. A Workshop at the Research Centre Transformations of the State.University of Bremen 27-28 July 2010. . Accessed 14.12.2010.

Innovation Strategy for Tata Nano

Innovation Strategy for Tata Nano 1. INTRODUCTION: Seldom do we see cars that rewrite the history books even before they are seen running around on the roads. And hardly ever do we see cars that vow to put the nation on four wheels. The Tata Nano is one such car that has been in the news for quite a few years, for reasons good and evil. Nano is a car which has breathed into life due to one man. Give credit to Mr. Ratan Tata for his determination to build a low cost family car that has come true, finally. Took long it did, but the Nano came in a beautiful form. Touted as worlds cheapest car by a far cry, Nano has been the talk of the town around the globe. Head honchos of big organizations have been pouring in by numbers to have a look at this engineering master piece. Nano as a part of a new breed of 21st-century cars that embody a contrarian  philosophy of smaller, lighter, cheaper and portend a new era in inexpensive personal transportation and potentially, global gridlock. The Wall Street Journal confirms a global trend toward s mall cars, led by the Nano. The prefix Nano derives from the Greek root Nanos, meaning dwarf as with nanometer. Nano also means small in Gujarati, the native language of the Tata family, founders of the Tata Group. The project to create a 1 lakh rupees (3000SGD) car began in 2003, under the Chairman of Tata Motors, Ratan Tata. The strategy behind the project was the awareness of the number of Indian families who had two wheeled transport, but couldnt afford a four wheel car, and was based on the companys success in producing the low cost 4 wheeled Ace truck in May 2005. To discuss the innovation strategy for Tata Nano, we first discuss the constraints as per which the company had to operate. In pursuit of excellence and to keep up to the initial promise made to people that Tata will come out with a compact, quality car within a price tag of Rs. 1 lakhs(3000 SGD), Tata Motors came up with a design, marketing and operational strategy keeping in my mind the constraints of: Price Market Scalability Customer aspiration Resource efficiency 2. COMPANY PROFILE: Tata Motors Limited is Indias largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of USD 14 billion in 2008-09. It is the leader in commercial vehicles in each segment, and among the top three in passenger vehicles with winning products in the compact, midsize car and utility vehicle segments. The company is the worlds fourth largest truck manufacturer, and the worlds second largest bus manufacturer. The companys 24,000 employees are guided by the vision to be best in the manner in which we operate best in the products we deliver and best in our value system and ethics. Established in 1945, Tata Motors presence indeed cuts across the length and breadth of India. Over 4 million Tata vehicles ply on Indian roads, since the first rolled out in 1954. The companys manufacturing base in India is spread across Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Pune (Maharashtra), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) and Dharwad (Karnataka). Following a strategic alliance with Fiat in 2005, it has set up an industrial joint venture with Fiat Group Automobiles at Ranjangaon (Maharashtra) to produce both Fiat and Tata cars and Fiat powertrains. The company is establishing a new plant at Sanand (Gujarat). The companys dealership, sales, services and spare parts network comprises over 3500 touch points. Tata Motors also distributes and markets Fiat branded cars in India. Tata Motors, the first company from Indias engineering sector to be listed in the New York Stock Exchange (September 2004), has also emerged as an international automobile company. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand and Spain. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, a business comprising the two iconic British brands that was acquired in 2008. In 2004, it acquired the Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company, South Koreas second largest truck maker. The rechristened Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company has launched several new products in the Korean market, while also exporting these products to several international markets. Today two-thirds of heavy commercial vehicle exports out of South Korea are from Tata Daewoo. In 2005, Tata Motors acquired a 21% stake in Hispano Carrocera, a reputed Spanish bus and coach manufacturer, and subsequently the remaining stake in 2009. Hispanos presence is being expanded in other markets. In 2006, Tata Motors formed a joint venture with the Brazil-based Marcopolo, a global leader in body-building for buses and coaches to manufacture fully-built buses and coaches for India and select international markets. In 2006, Tata Motors entered into joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market the companys pickup vehicles in Thailand. The new plant of Tata Motors (Thailand) has begun production of the Xenon pickup truck, with the Xenon having been launched in Thailand in 2008. Tata Motors is also expanding its international footprint, established through exports since 1961. The companys commercial and passenger vehicles are already being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia and South America. It has franchisee/joint venture assembly operations in Kenya, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Russia, Senegal and South Africa. The foundation of the companys growth over the last 50 years is a deep understanding of economic stimuli and customer needs, and the ability to translate them into customer-desired offerings through leading edge RD. With over 3,000 engineers and scientists, the companys Engineering Research Centre, established in 1966, has enabled pioneering technologies and products. The company today has RD centers in Pune, Jamshedpur, Lucknow, Dharwad in India, and in South Korea, Spain, and the UK. It was Tata Motors, which developed the first indigenously developed Light Commercial Vehicle, Indias first Sports Utility Vehicle and, in 1998, the Tata Indica, Indias first fully indigenous passenger car. Within two years of launch, Tata Indica became Indias largest selling car in its segment. In 2005, Tata Motors created a new segment by launching the Tata Ace, Indias first indigenously developed mini-truck. In January 2008, Tata Motors unveiled its Peoples Car, the Tata Nano, which India and the world have been looking forward to. The Tata Nano has been subsequently launched, as planned, in India in March 2009. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the Nano brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The standard version has been priced at USD 2500 (excluding VAT and transportation cost). Designed with a family in mind, it has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Its mono-volume design will set a new benchmark among small cars. Its safety performance exceeds regulatory requirements in India. Its tailpipe emission performance too exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The lean design strategy has helped minimize weight, which helps maximize performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint. In May 2009, Tata Motors introduced ushered in a new era in the Indian automobile industry, in keeping with its pioneering tradition, by unveiling its new range of world standard trucks called Prima. In their power, speed, carrying capacity, operating economy and trims, they will introduce new benchmarks in India and match the best in the world in performance at a lower life-cycle cost. Tata Motors is equally focused on environment-friendly technologies in emissions and alternative fuels. . It has developed electric and hybrid vehicles both for personal and public transportation. It has also been implementing several environment-friendly technologies in manufacturing processes, significantly enhancing resource conservation Through its subsidiaries, the company is engaged in engineering and automotive solutions, construction equipment manufacturing, automotive vehicle components manufacturing and supply chain activities, machine tools and factory automation solutions, high-precision tooling and plastic and electronic components for automotive and computer applications, and automotive retailing and service operations. Tata Motors is committed to improving the quality of life of communities by working on four thrust areas employability, education, health and environment. The activities touch the lives of more than a million citizens. The companys support on education and employability is focused on youth and women. They range from schools to technical education institutes to actual facilitation of income generation. In health, our intervention is in both preventive and curative health care. The goal of environment protection is achieved through tree plantation, conserving water and creating new water bodies and, last but not the least, by introducing appropriate technologies in our vehicles and operations for constantly enhancing environment care. With the foundation of its rich heritage, Tata Motors today is etching a refulgent future. 2.1 TATA GROUP AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES TATA groups portfolio includes wide range of businesses which are leading in their fields. Its total revenue in 2006-07 is $ 28.8 billion which is 3.2 % of Indias GDP. TATAs business empire extends to over 80 countries across 6 continents. Similar to Jack Welchs opinion that the business should either be first or second else it is better to sell the business, TATA groups companies excel it the fields wherever they started the business. TATA group has ninety eight companies that are basically operating in seven sectors. 3. ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATIONS SYSTEM Innovation in Tata Motors is not a recent phenomenon, but is a part of its legacy. The Companys culture of perpetual search for excellence is highly attributed to the Tatas ethos and incessant efforts of its employees in the past several decades to serve the customers by bringing continuous innovation in its products and processes. The three major areas to illustrate how Tata Motors has effected innovation in the past few years. Products Processes People 3.1. PRODUCTS: Tata Motors created several breakthrough products in the past which changed the market dynamics and helped in providing a new customer experience. 407 platform in 1980s Japanese LCV players had made inroads into the Indian automobile market inthe 1980s. Tata Motors came out with its innovative 407 platform which was designed to suit the Indian conditions. It quickly became the bestseller in LCVs and the platform still continues control 2/3rd of the market even in the third decade of its existence. Indica in the late 90s- This was the first indigenously designed passenger car in India and it was innovative in the sense that it provided more value for money in terms of internal space (comparable to the Ambassador which was the benchmark in the country for internal space), contemporary features (comparable to Maruti Zen) and all that at a very competitive price. ACE Ace was Indias first mini-truck launched in 2005. While heavy trucks ply on the Highways, research showed the need for a small sub one-ton truck for intercity and truck terminal-to-nearby locations connectivity. The vehicle offered 4 wheeler functionality at 3 Wheelers price. The unconventional design features used in the vehicle were: Innovative 2 cylinder Indica engine Semi-monocoque body to withstand abuse Rigid front axle and rear wheel drive for low cost Flat face vs. semi-forward face to enhance the loading space. NANO The target price itself became the source of innovation, as you all must have read that the big names in the industry just rubbished it as false claims and commented that it was impossible to make a â€Å"CAR† at that price. However, you all know that the promise was kept. This was made possible through series of innovative ideas which led to acquisition of 37 patents by Tata Motors. Engine was packaged on the rear side. 2 cylinder engine (conventionally there are 3-4 cylinder engines) Identical handles and mechanisms for left and right side doors Instrument cluster in the middle of the dashboard Unconventional seats Interior space was maximized by pushing wheels to the corners and power train below the rear seat. Product created was very contemporary and It has sufficient Space inside to accommodate 4 persons comfortably. Highly fuel efficient Exceeds the current Safety requirements Complies with the current emission requirements. WORLD TRUCK The new generation range of trucks which would match with the best in the world in performance at a lower life-cycle cost is being unveiled in just a few hours from now. It will create a new benchmark in India in terms of power, speed, carrying capacity, operating economy and trims and a new experience for the drivers in terms of drivability and comfort. 3.2. PROCESS: Sustainability of innovation in products needed to be complemented with innovative changes in the organizational processes too. Some examples are: Adoption of the Tata Business Excellence Model (TBEM) It is based on Malcolm Baldridge Award for business excellence and Balance Score Card. This has created a culture of exploring various innovative ways to achieve excellence in all the organizational processes. Use of IT systems: It has been a benchmark and highly leveraged in the organization throughout the VALUE CHAIN. Supply Side Free-Markets for e-Sourcing, Supplier Relationship Management (SRM). Product Development Process. Institutionalized Stage Gate process in the organization is a benchmark in itself and ensures development of right product for the market and also an effective and efficient program management. Transition from in-house product development to a collaborative product development, utilizing the capabilities of suppliers, design houses, subsidiaries and associate companies specializing in different verticals. Internalization philosophyofTata Motors made some major global acquisitions like TDCV, JLR, Hispano, etc. Unlike many other Japanese / US players, they followed an innovative approach to be seen as a local company in the country of operation, i.e, as a South Korean player in South Korea and as a Spanish Player in Spain. This has helped them to appreciate the need and importance of all the stakeholders and they achieved this in four stages. This involves â€Å"Initiating†, by understanding the language and basic facts of the country, â€Å"Familiarization† with their c ulture, â€Å"Harmonization† and finally â€Å"Synergizing† by sharing the best practices and work ethics. 3.3. PEOPLE: The changing business environment and increasing complexity of business posed a huge challenge in achievement of business plans. Tata Group, of which Tata Motors is a part of, is well known for identifying and nurturing leaders. Tata Motors in the past has adopted several innovative means to leverage its human resource capabilities for achieving extremely challenging goals. Identifying leaders through assessment centers This process has been effectively utilized by Tata Motors to identify young managers with very high potential. This process was started some 20 years back and has progressively created a pool of very strong and effective leaders who have proven their capabilities in some very challenging assignments given to them. This process has now been replicated by many other organizations too. Putting them into challenging assignments and giving them International exposure Key projects like ACE and NANO are examples of some challenging projects which constituted of young leaders and engineers. Breaking the functional silos by shifting from a hierarchical organization to a more CFT approach All these experiences have helped us to redefine the way we have looked at innovation. And while innovation is normally understood as introduction of new and radical ideas in the area of products and services, our experience says there are several other areas that also require innovation in tandem, so as to effect an innovation in a company. Three of them I have already mentioned, that is, product, process and people. Four other areas of innovation Source of inspiration/ Purposefrom which the concept emanated, which stresses upon the fact that agility and understanding the unstated/ unfulfilled need of customers is the most important source of innovation. Tata Nano: In this case the idea struck in the mind of our Chairman when he saw a family of four (a man, his wife and two kids) riding on a scooter on a rainy day. He felt that there was an unfulfilled need of safe, affordable and an all weather alternative. Price: The price of Nano got fixed at Rs 1 lakh (2500USD). The achievement of price target was definite to create a major disruption in the car market as it fell midway between the price of a scooter and the cheapest car available which was priced at Rs 2(5000USD) lakh. Product design was choked for options because of the price target. Hence the setting the price as target triggered a series of innovation which involved: Target Cost approach which involved breaking down the cost targets to sub-system and then to component level. Suppliers were challenged with the stringent cost target given to them, but they accepted the same and the result is in front of you. Promotion: Innovation lies in reaching the right customers always and communicating in a simple and effective manner. Tata Motors in case of Nano developed a portal, which got as high 30 million hits even before the launch of the car. After the launch there were another 30 million hits in less than a month. This helped the customers in becoming more aware of the product features. They received around 2 lakh(.2 million) applications, which is a good response by all standards. Place/Reach: Conscious of the fact that demand for such cars would be substantial from the remotest corner of the country, the sale of form for booking were facilitated through several banks. New insurance schemes were co-designed with the insurance companies, and now we are in the process of enhancing the sales and service network for better reach and service to the customers. To summarize the experience, path breaking ideas, conceived and implemented in one or more of the 7 Ps, leads to INNOVATION. Purpose Product Price Place Promotion People Process 4. INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: Before the introduction of a product into the market, it goes through several stages of development. The stages of the product development includes the following idea Generation Idea Screening Concept Testing and Development Market Strategy Business Analysis Total Sales Estimation Estimation Costs and Profits Product Development Test Marketing As far as Nano is concerned, it falls new to the world products in the context that it has made a history for the cheapest car ever made without compromising on quality. i.e. best way value analysis. Category Players 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 A Maruti 800 28 24 21 14 10 7 B Alto,WagnorR,Santro,Indica 33 41 47 57 64 75 C Esteem, Swift, Indigo, Ikon, Ascent 12 15 18 22 26 33 D Mercedes-C, Skoda Superb 1 2 3 4 P/L Mercedes-E, BMw 1 1 1 1 1 1 74 81 88 96 104 120 Average Monthly Category Sales 4.1. idea generation The main idea behind TATA NANO was perceived by the chairman of TATA group himself who saw a family of four going on a scooter in rain he wanted to develop a transport which was affordable, safe and could face all types of weathers. This turned out to be the most ambitious project of Tata motors till date when Mr Ratan Tata told this to one of his managing directors Mr. Ravi Kant he was also interested about the idea. Mr. Ravi Kant had learned from his experience that â€Å"People want to move from two-wheelers to four-wheelers but they cannot afford it†. More and more can, but Indian car buyers today represent a tiny slice of a potentially giant market India has just seven cars per 1,000 people. Indias auto industry has grown an average of 12% for the past decade, but just 1.3 million passenger vehicles were sold in India in the fiscal year ending March 2006. That means a billion Indians buy about the same number of cars in a year as 300 million Americans buy in a month. If f our wheels cost as little as two wheels, that could change fast. About 7 million scooters and motorcycles were sold in India last year, typically for prices between 30,000 rupees and 70,000 rupees, about $675 to $1,600. Tata is targeting a price of 100,000 rupees one lakh, in Indian 19 terms of measurement or about $2,500 at current exchange rates, for its small car. That sounds impossibly cheap in the West but remains three times higher than Indias annual per capita income. The average pay for factory workers at Tata Motors is just $5,500 a year. 4.2. IDEA SCREENING The next step was screening of ideas. There were many ideas like to make a scooter with two extra wheels at the back for better stability, A three wheeled car like a closed auto- rickshaw but the market requirement was a car, the car should be such that it doesnt convey a message that its just an extension of a scooter it should be a proper car and likewise should also give the feel of a actual car. Trying to build a car cheap enough for motorcycle buyers seems to make sense now but seemed unachievable several years ago when Mr. Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors had first mentioned his dream of building a one-lakh car in 2003 at that time the whole world thought that this gamble will never work out but ironically the whole world is now talking of small cars as $5,000 or $7,000 after TATA NANO was launched in 2009. 4.3. CONCEPT TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT After surveying customers the end result was that people wanted a four wheeler which was cheap, dependable and strong enough to carry a load of 1 ton additionally four wheelers also increased the social status of the person who owns it .Four wheels not only practical appeal but also had a emotional appeal. Thus the new product was now to be developed but the following considerations would have to kept in mind when developing it- The car should be built on a different platform than conventional ones. It must be meeting all the safety and regulatory requirements. It has to be built on a scale which shall be more than double the earlier launches of similar products and the ramp up must be smooth. The car has to be designed so that it can be exported to other countries as the domestic demand may not materialize as per projections. There were three main requirement of the new vehicle: it should be low cost, adhere to the regulatory requirements, and achieve performance targets such as fuel efficiency and acceleration capacity. Nearly 500 engineers were involved in the development of the vehicle and everyday they had meeting so that the decision taking and the problem solving process could be accelerated. Each engineer represented a different part of the car: engine and transmission, body, vehicle integration, safety and regulation, and industrial design. The body of the vehicle had to go under a number of iterations because the Mr.Ratan Tata wanted that a person whose height is over six feet can also fit into the car without any discomfort and finally the length of the car had to be increased by 100mm but eventually. The hard work of designing the car paid off and the designers were successful in their attempt to design an actual car which did not look shabby and inexpensive but looked sleek and sophisticated. 4.4. BUSINESS ANALYSIS: COST: Since the car had to be built within a cost of Rs. 1 Lac, no conventional design would work as the costs shall be higher and so the entire car has to be redesigned. The design has to question the need of each and every component from the point of view of its necessity of existence and also the minimum requirements of its functionality. Value Engineering concepts have to be deployed to finalize the minimum requirements. DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY: Its a technology which brings radical change by introducing new ways of doing things. Technology that is Significantly cheaper than existing Technology. Much higher performing? Has greater functionality and Is more convenient to Use. Brings to market a totally different Value proposition than the one available and can change the Paradigm about a product. The Guiding factor was that the cost has to be minimized for each component yet maintaining its basic functionality. The Alternatives are: Reduce Consumption of Material being used. Alternate Suppliers to get same material at fewer prices. Use alternate materials. Eliminate use of Material. Eliminate a process Or a Combination of the above. COST REDUCTION PARADIGM: Value Engineering Alternatives: The target was very clearly defined that, within the given cost structure all the components have to be allocated and the same had to be achieved using the available alternatives. The Guiding factor was that the tax structure on materials and manufacturing must support the final cost. Decisions were Establish factory in a tax free zone. Get the tax advantages on infrastructure development. Get the suppliers to establish base near the factory. Get special concessions from State Govt. In short select a manufacturing location where all the advantages could be achieved. 4.5. TOTAL SALES ESTIMATION: The total sales had been estimated based on the following decisions It was estimated that the demand for the peoples car shall be at least twice the demand for Maruti 800, the lowest end car. Initial projections were at about 500,000 cars per year. The basic reason was the conviction that the target price shall redefine the 4 wheeler segment. The price decision of Rs 1 lakh is definitely going to make a lot many people transit to 4-wheeler fold and that shall explode the demand. Only 10% customers of 9 Million two wheeler market transit to 4-wheelers it shall amount to 50% of the passenger car market share. It was decided to set up plants with 5 lakhs cars per annum capacity and ramp the same up in stages, in line with increase in market demand. 4.6. MARKETING: Product: Tata has a very wide range of products it has passenger cars, utility vehicles, Trucks, Commercial passenger Carriers and Defense Vehicles. Nano received media attention due to its targeted low price. The Tata Nano is a rear-engine, four passenger ,city car built by Tata Motors, It was first presented at the 9th annual Auto Expo on 10 January 2008, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India. Aimed primarily at the Indian market. Price: The prices of Tata motors are generally affordable acceptable by the general public at large. Tata always have something for the lower class people with Nano being their trump card. Giving discount every month and special promotion for certain type of vehicle also one of the strong strategy use by Tata Motors. Discount can be made from Companys profit or from dealers profit at certain range. Pricing strategies: Penetration pricing Low pricing policy with minimum profit margin. Though the one lakh price tag is not fixed by TATA group, it was the word of mouth of people which fixed that range. This expectation of people creates a big challenge for the company. Place: Tata Motors has an extensive dealer network covering Indian and International markets. Wherever you are, there is a Tata Motors Sales and Service dealership close to you. The channel of distribution, physical location, and dealership method of distribution and sales is generally adopted. The distribution of vehicle must be in a very systematic way, from the plant to dealership and to end user. This is not only in India itself but also to the world-wide dealership. Promotion: Tata motors promote their products via Advertising and after sales services. Enough use of one of the most important element of promotion mix, publicity reduces the necessity of other promotional devices for Nano. Publicity as â€Å"One lakh car† by mouth to mouth. Auto expo 2008,New Delhi Geneva Publicity through print electronic media For other type of promotional activities, cost factor that is 1 lakh price tag is to be keep in mind, nano watches, nano T-shirts available in retail clothing stores. Advertising: TV other mass media will be less effective, thus too much money will not be invested in this regard. Mainly word of mouth advertising will get more emphasis. Internet will be a major media for advertising.

African American gay rights Essay -- essays research papers fc

I cannot begin to argue about African American/Hispanic LGBT, living in New York City and their civil rights without remembering the public outcry against black civil rights. Although the focus of this paper is on African American/Hispanic LGBT living in New York City and Their Rights to Marriage I have decided to start my paper of by discussing the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. The civil rights movement of the 1960's and the continuing struggle against race-based discrimination were rooted in the struggle against slavery. As early as the eighteen hundreds the United States legislative had laws known as segregation laws that limited certain freedom to them. They had to live in separate neighborhood, attend separate schools, drive in the back of public buses verses in the front where Whites were; African American would not dare go against these laws back then because if and when they did, they were unjustly imprisoned, beaten lynched and more for just trying to exercise human rights.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1960s African Americans led a fight to remove the legally codified vestiges of slavery from our constitution and from state and local laws. Most repulsive among these, were Jim Crow laws that required racial segregation; African Americans had to endure all these things until The Civil Rights Movement. The modern concept of civil rights was pioneered by African Americans in their long struggle to become full citizens of the United States. From the Civil...

Comparison Between “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”

Edgar Allan Poe is known for some of the most horrifying stories ever written through out time. He worked with the natural world, animals, and weather to create chilling literature. Two most notable thrillers are â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†. Poe was infatuated with death, disfigurement, and dark characteristics of the world. He could mix characters, setting, theme,and mood in a way that readers are automatically drawn into reading. Both of these short stories have the same major aspects in common. The narrators in both works prove to be similar in several ways. In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† the story is told through a psycho narrator; both stories contain apparent psychological imbalances within their story tellers, â€Å" -his central character or narrator so psychologically obsessed with a mysterious phenomenon that everything in the story irresistibly revolves around it...†(May, Charles E.) There really is no motive for the murder of the old man; just his eye that he cannot stand. He repeats himself frequently, trying to assure the reader, and himself, that he is sane; leading to believe he may not be psychologically stable. In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† the narrator can also be considered a mad man by the way he plays games with his victim. Montressor says to Fortunato that they should go home because â€Å"his health is precious.† This conversation is ironic because Montressor does not really want to protect Fortunato's health, but to kill him in the catacombs. Both of the narrators are proud of their murders and brag about them within the stories. Not only are the narrators similar but the settings are alike once the murders take place, both locations of the victims are buried in a dark place with no escape. I... ...ted Baraban, Elena V. "The Motive for Murder in 'The Cask of Amontillado'." Rocky Mountain Review 58.2 (Fall 2004): 47-62. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Vol. 111. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 7 Dec. 2010. Benton, Richard P. "The Cask of Amontillado: Overview." Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Ed. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 3 Dec. 2010. Chua, John. "An overview of 'The Tell-Tale Heart,'." Gale Online Encyclopedia. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 7 Dec. 2010. May, Charles E. "The Tell-Tale Heart: Overview." Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Ed. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 7 Dec. 2010. Valiunas, Algis. "No to Poe." Commentary 127.1 (2009): 42+. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 7 Dec. 2010.

Case for Analysis: Work Redesign in an Insurance Company

Running Head: WORK REDESIGN IN INSURANCE COMPANY Case for Analysis: Work Redesign in an Insurance Company 1. Explain which core characteristics of the employees’ jobs will be changed if the consultant’s recommendations are accepted. Answer: The core characteristic that needs to be changed according to the consultant’s recommendation is the job range. Employees only had a job depth but very little job range. The consultant suggested the company to change operation structure to a client basis from functional orientation, in which each employee would handle every aspect of service as issuing policies, collecting premiums, change beneficiaries, processing loan application pertaining to a particular policyholder. This company has a great job depth; the manager of internal operation believes that, this is the key of success of the company. The job depth is considered as the source of knowledge base and expertise in the firm. The consultant has come to an opposite conclusion according to the information provided by the employees. He considered and concluded that if the job nature and dimension can be spread horizontally then monotonous nature of work can be changed and employees can be motivated. He added inclusion if electronic data management system will reduce the amount of manual task offered to individual employee and that will eventually cut off the labor cost to the firm. 2. Which alternative redesign strategies should be considered? For example, job rotation and job enlargement are possible alternatives. What are the relevant considerations for these and other designs in the context of this company? Answer: Job redesign is actually restructuring the elements of the job by making it more motivating to the performer. It enhances the motivational potential of the job by altering core job dimensions. Job redesign strategies that can be considered are job rotation, job enlargement and job enrichment. Redesigning a job by altering its job range can be performed by either job rotation or job enlargement. Job enlargement is considered a horizontal restructuring method, in which the job is enlarged by adding related tasks. In this case the organization has separate departments to issue policies, collect premiums, change beneficiaries and process loan applications. To enlarge these jobs or to convert it into a client basis, it can be redesigned such as one employee will be responsible for all transaction related to a particular policy holder. Job enlargement can also result in greater workforce flexibility. In this job enlargement design technique, the number of tasks associated with a job is increased to add greater variety to activities, thus reducing monotony. Employees are bored with monotonic schedule of jobs, so by implementing this technique it will be possible to regain employee satisfaction. A job design technique in which employees are moved between two or more jobs in a planned manner is known as job rotation. The objectives is to expose the employees to different experiences and wider variety of skills to enhance job and to cross-train them. In this Insurance Company the employees for different departments can be rotated within the organization. This one may be an alternative redesign strategy. From the employee perspective this can be another strategy that can be taken into consideration, as this will help to reduce repetitive nature of jobs. The other job redesign technique that can be used is for redesigning job is job enrichment; this is a process to redesign job depth. Job enrichment adds new sources of job satisfaction by increasing the level of responsibility of the employee. In this organization every employee is an expert in their own domain, so the organization is very efficient. Employees are already working in a much enriched situation, so employee grievances won’t be reduced with this technique. While job enlargement is considered a horizontal restructuring method, job enrichment is a vertical restructuring method by virtue of giving the employee additional authority, autonomy, and control over the way the job is accomplished. For this company the problem is the employees are interested in job redesign by changing job range while the manager of internal operation is more interested in job redesign by increasing job depth. The employees are getting bored by monotonic work schedule, they are feeling uncared by the authority and these may be the reasons of high absenteeism. 3. What would be your decision in this case? What should management be willing to pay for employee satisfaction? Defend your answer. Answer: In my opinion Total Quality Management (TQM) combining the ideas of job enrichment and socio-technical theory will be the best fit here. Managers who implement TQM design jobs that empower individuals to make important decisions about service quality. This empowerment process will encourage participative management, team-oriented task modules, and autonomy. The electronic data processing system is very much required for this organization. Before starting job redesign the authority should consider the following facts. * Assessing the need for job redesigning -It has centrally involved problems with motivation, satisfaction and work effectiveness. -Employees think that there is problem with design of the work. * Determining the feasibility of job redesign -How ready are the employees for the change? How hospitable are organizational systems to needed change? * Enabling conditions -Reward system facilitating implementation. -Organizational climate facilitating implementation. – Employee development program: Employees should be regularly taken through various development programs such as training, classes, short term diploma etc in order to set them to the highest standard of professional strength and to maintain a highly skill ed workforce. Employees should be able to participate in the program of their choice in their spare time to develop and manage their career. Reward metrics and evaluation against the metric: Management should come up with an attractive and challenging reward metric to evaluate performance of individuals. More challenging and realistic metric will extract better performance and satisfaction from human resource. – Team building events: Team building events such as outing, camping, sport events are the excellent options to tether work force under the organizational culture. Employees should be able to select their preferred mode of celebration and team building process. Team building events facilitate sharing similar culture and competition across peer teams. – Assigning higher responsibilities towards organizational goals: Employees should be assigned higher responsibilities with time. This enables employees to stretch more on their capabilities to take work load and also provides a feel of pride and ownership. – Employee reorganization: Employees should be recognized either as individual or as team for their periodic accomplishments and should be awarded accordingly. This will enhance their confidence level and create healthy competition across organization. Employee review program – Employee satisfaction level must be reviewed by management on periodic basis. Employee satisfaction should be evaluated on multiple concerns as their work life balance, perks, work place comforts etc. – Motivating work force through dynamic management team: Last but not the least employees must be lead by enthusiastic and pioneer management teams who can lead by example. Dynamic management brings new ideas to the team and provides new challenges to the work force to exercise their skill set. References Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske, Organizations: behavior – structure – processes,  14th edition

Analysis of the Movie “Juno” Essay

Sixteen year-old Juno MacGuff is the oddball of girlfriend that beats to her protest drummer, and doesnt really c argon what others may commend of her. She learns that shes pregnant from a one-time inner encounter with her best friend, Paulie Bleeker. Juno and Paulie like for apiece one other, that dont figure themselves to be exclusive boyfriend/ daughter let alone be attain to be a family complete with child. Although she would instead not be pregnant, Juno is fairly practical astir(predicate) her situation. Paulie really leaves all the decisions about(predicate) the baby to Juno. Initially, she decides that she will have an abortion, only when thats something that she ultimately cannot go by with. So she decides to have the baby and separate it up for adoption. But first she has to dictate her father, Mac, and stepmother, Bren, that she is pregnant.Although they would have preferred if Juno was on disfranchised drugs or expelled from school, Mac and Bren too ar e pragmatic about Junos situation. The nigh step is to find prospective parents for the only unborn child. In the Penny recoverer ad section, Juno finds Mark and Vanessa Loring, a yuppie couple living in the suburbs. Juno likes the Lorings, and in some respects has found who looks to be a kindred spirit in Mark, with whom she shares a love of grunge medicament and horror films.Vanessa is a microscopical more uptight and is the one in the relationship seemingly most eager to have a baby. On her own choosing, Juno enters into a closed rather than idle adoption contract with the Lorings. During the second and tierce trimesters of Junos pregnancy which she treats with care but detachment, Junos relationships with her family, with Paulie, and with the Lorings develop. She gives the baby to Venessa, when she gives birth. At the end, Juno and Bleeker restore together and they realized their feeling to each other.After summarizing the movie, I want to break down it. The 2007 film r elease of Juno offers certain challenges to old conceptualizations of girlhood, yet the representation of female grammatical gender as tied to traditional notions of femininity remains substantially unchanged. Juno represents a ethnic artifact of changing ideologies of girlhood, yet it similarly functions as an example of the pervasive ambivalence towards the familiar subjectivity of girls.The representation of girls as sexless is challenged. Rather than a stereotyped depiction of the female body as intimate object, sexual desire is visibly expressed and acted upon by the girl character. end-to-end the film, Juno is shown as agentive in the decisions she makes about her body, sexual desire, and modes of self-expression her classification as a girl who identifies as a freak, cares little about what other people think of her, and dresses in grunge style clothing connote an independent self-confidence that is apparent in all of her intimate relationships.Although Juno has recei ved approbation for its originality, the story is most notable as a surprisingly familiar ethnical fairy-tale. Junos character is understandable as a metaphor for conditions of female sexual urge that continue to limit girls full expressions of sexual desire. Like the character of Juno, girls today are caught between increased expectations of federal agency on the one hand and continuing restrictions of their sexual expressions of desire on the other.In conceptualizing Junos agency it is important to recognize the strong and social ways in which Junos agentive choice is constrained. Juno is not a isolated agent her actions and her agency operate in connection to material and social structures influencing her passing(a) livelihood. The central paradox within Juno is that it celebrates agency for girls while simultaneously linking that agency to their corporeal desirability and role as authority reproducers.