Triangulation in Geometry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Triangulation in Geometry - Research Paper Example More specifically, it can be defined as the underlying space of a simplicial complex. Here, a polyhedron can be viewed as an intersection of halfspaces (Webster 1994). Then, a convex polytope may be defined as the convex hull of a finite set of points (which are always bounded), or as a bounded intersection of a finite set of half-spaces (Webster 1994). More specifically, it can be defined as a finite region of -dimensional space enclosed by a finite number of hyperplanes. The part of the polytope that lies in one of the bounding hyperplanes is called a cell (Weisstein 2002). Simplex is the generalization of a tetrahedral region of space to -D. The boundary of a -simplex has -faces (vertices), -faces (edges), and -faces, where is a binomial coefficient. The simplex named because it represents the simplest possible polytope in any given space (Weisstein 2002). Simplicial complex is a space with a triangulation. Formally, a simplicial complex in is a collection of simplices in such that: (i) every face of a simplex of is in , and (ii) the intersection of any two simplices of is a face of each of them (Munkres 1993). Objects in the space made up of only the simplices in the triangulation of the space are called simplicial subcomplexes (Weisstein 2002). Usually, surface is a -D submanifold of -D Euclidean space. More generally, surface is an -D submanifold of an -D manifold, or in general, any codimension-1 subobject in an object like a Banach space or an infinitedimensional manifold. A surface with a finite number of triangles in its triangulation is called compact surface (Weisstein 2002). Genus is a topologically invariant property of a surface defined as the largest number of nonintersecting simple closed curves that can be drawn on the surface without separating it. In fact, it is the number of holes in a surface (Weisstein 2002). The geometric genus of a surface is related to the Euler characteristic by . Our final key definition is for Betti numbers. Betti numbers are topological objects which were proved to be invariants by Poincar, and used by him to extend the polyhedral formula to higher dimensional spaces. Informally, the Betti number is the maximum number of cuts that can be made without dividing a surface into two separate pieces. Formally, the -th Betti number is the rank of the -th homology group of a topological space (Griffiths 1976; Weisstein 2002). 2. Euler's theorem Euler's theorem states relation between the number of vertices , edges , and faces of a simply connected (i.e., genus ) polyhedron () or polygon (), i.e. it states the polyhedral formula . Initial Euler's proof of the polyhedral formula is not irreproachable (Cromwell 1999). This proof is based on the principle that polyhedrons can be truncated. Euler's proof begins with a polyhedron consisting of a large number of vertice

Aoc vs the Constitution Essay Example for Free

Aoc vs the Constitution Essay The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution are only six years apart in history. Knowing this you would think that they have very few differences but it is the complete opposite. As soon as the Articles of Confederation were ratified, it got everyone thinking about how to create a good system of government. That is where the Constitution came in. The Constitution changed almost everything from the Articles of Confederation making the national government a lot more powerful. The Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781. The goal of the Articles was to balance the need for national coordination of the War of Independence with the fear that centralized political power was a threat to liberty of the people. The Articles stated that the new national government was to be a perpetual union. The Articles gave the thirteen states their individual sovereignty, freedom and independence. Under the Articles the national government had a one house Congress, where each state cast one vote. There was no president and no judiciary. Major decisions needed the approval of nine states to be passed. There were only a few powers given to the national government which were to declare war, conduct foreign affairs, and make treaties with other governments. Congress did not have financial resources. It did not have the power to levy taxes or to regulate commerce. Revenue came from contributions from the states and in order to amend an Article you needed a unanimous decision from the states. This made it hard to amend or to change anything. The Articles basically made it impossible to have a national government on a large scale. The Constitution of the USA was adopted in 1787. The Constitution created a legislature, an executive, and a national judiciary. Congress was given the right to raise money without having to rely on the states, like in the Articles, and states were prohibited from infringing on the rights of property. The idea was that the government would represent the people. The Constitution established a two house Congress consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Senate would include two members from each state and the House of Representatives would have members appointed according to the population of the state. Senators would be chosen by state legislatures while the Representatives would be elected by the people. This was the first step toward the expansion of democracy. The Constitution did not set any rules for qualifications to vote; they left that up to the states. The Constitution strengthened national authority. It gave the president the job of enforcing the law and commanding the military. It gave Congress the right to levy taxes, borrow money, regulate commerce, declare war, and foreign policy. The Constitution declared the national legislature as the supreme Law of the Land. It did however leave the majority of day to day affairs up to the states such as education and law enforcement. It created a checks and balances system between the states and the national government. This was the idea to prevent any branch of the national government from dominating the other two. I think that the Constitution did a better job protecting liberty. This is because even though there were way more provisions and what seems like way more restrictions, it actually gave guide lines so that your basic rights would not be taken away from you. It also made the voting system more fair and the fact that the House of Representatives were proportioned to the population size also made a lot of sense. It also gave strict provisions to insure that the state could not infringe your land. I also think that the Constitution did a way better job running a government. First of all it was a lot more specific so it cleared up a lot of confusion. Second the two house Congress was a much better idea and the checks and balances were also smart because it ensured that no one ever got too powerful. I also think it is a good thing that they insisted on picking a leader, president, for the whole country because I think you need one man to lead the country and make the decisions rather than a few arguing all the time. Also giving the national government some of the powers that the states once had ensured that the law would be fair to everyone, not just the ones making them in the states. As you can see the differences between these two significant documents of our history are tremendous. While the Articles set a few provisions basically empowering the states, the Constitution did the exact opposite putting the national government in charge. Obviously this was the way to go because this is the document that our country still runs by today.

Social Construct Of Mental Illness Stigmatization Sociology Essay

Social Construct Of Mental Illness Stigmatization Sociology Essay In order to begin this essay it is worth outlining some of the meanings behind the terms mental illness and stigma. Mental illness is a conceptually problematic term as there as different ways of speaking about normal and abnormal behaviour (Pilgrim and Rogers, 1999). It can broadly be described as a type of health problem which affects an individuals thoughts, feelings and the way they interact around other people. It also has a cognitive dimension as it can affect anybody at any time and may be temporary or permanent (Pilgrim, 2005). Scheff (1984) discusses the medicalisation of mental illness, he argues that residual deviance (pg. 36) can refer to the variety of conditions which are held under the umbrella term of mental illness simply because they do not come under any other category, such as criminal. Essentially, any form of unacceptable or deviant behaviour which is not classed in other ways, becomes a form of mental illness. Scheffs approach uses labelling theory to discuss m ental health; this is something I will turn to later. Surveys have revealed that the majority of us are acquainted with mental illness and are familiar with it damaging effects either through a friend or relative etc. 15% of us have had a mental health problem ourselves (Layard, 2005). Stigma can be defined as the social consequences of negative attributions about a person based upon stereotype. In the case of people with mental health problems, it is presumed that they lack intelligibility and social competence and that they are dangerous (Pilgrim, 2005, pg 157). Goffman (1963) argued that stigma spoils a persons social identity, it creates a gap between a typical, ordinary social identity which we expect others to have and our real social identity. It disrupts everyday social interaction because normal individuals do not know how to behave with stigmatized individuals and vice versa (pg. 15). Goffman identified three types of stigma, stigma deriving from physical defects or abnorm alities, stigma of race and religion and finally perceived blemishes of individual character this includes such things as sexuality, political beliefs and mental health (Goffman, 1963, pg. 14). Goffmans work is very important in discussing the complexities of stigma and discrimination and I plan to use his work throughout this essay. Skinner et al (1995) argue that a hierarchy of stigma exists in which inferior social statuses such as prostitute and alcoholic are ranked. They identified mental illness as being at the bottom of the hierarchy. The stigma of mental illness is different from others because it involves changes in behaviour which attracts negative judgment by others. It makes people wander about an individuals stability and whether they pose a risk to themselves or others (Bury, 2005). In order to better understand the stigma of mental illness it is necessary to conduct research into the lay views held amongst the public, this includes accounts from people with mental health problems (MHP) who discuss their experiences, and also the views of those without MHP (Pilgrim, 2005). A qualitative study by Dinos et al (2004) which researched the experiences of 46 people with a mental illness revealed that stigma was a major concern to most of the participants. Stigma defines individuals in terms of their mental illness and has the potential to impact on all aspects of life. Goffman (1963) formulated stigma into a double perspective, the first is obvious to others and cannot be hidden. He referred to this as discrediting. The second type is discreditable and is not necessarily noticeable to others (pg. 14). With this form the problem is managing personal information, whether this means hiding the fact that they have a mental illness, or hiding the nature and extent of the c ondition. Dinos et al (2004) found that the management of information was a major problem and a potent source of stress, anxiety and further feelings of stigma even in the absence of any direct discrimination (pg. 176). Some of the patients chose to downplay their illness by telling others it was another type, such as depression. Experiences of stigma were also dependent on the nature of the illness, those with depression and anxiety were more likely to feel stigmatized. While those with schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder were more likely to experience physical and verbal attacks. The effects of stigma can be extremely damaging, individuals may feel depersonalized, rejected and disempowered (Pilgrim, 2005, pg 158). This can lead to isolation and an acceptance of the treatment received as justified. This in turn can cause a further decline in their health (Dinos, et al, 2004). In terms of lay views of mental health held amongst the public, these are usually ones of distrust and sometimes hostility. Many people hold stereotypical views of mentally ill people in which psychotic behaviour is expected (Pilgrim, 2005). The influence of the media is important here and is something I will turn to later. Attribution theory (Corrigan et al, 2000 and Bury, 2005) can be used to explain stigma and discriminatory practices. It consists of two aspects, controllability and stability the former refers to the extent to which individuals are responsible for their own mental illness and stability refers to whether the illness can improve over time and to what extent. Studies which use attribution theory reveal that many believe that individuals with MHP are to blame for their illness and do not deserve any sympathy. They believe them to be potentially dangerous and should be avoided. Also, they show no optimism about people reaching recovery (Corrigan, et al, 2000). An examp le of such a study comes from Weiner and colleagues (cited in Corrigan, 2000), they asked 59 students to rate various disability groups according to aspects of controllability and stability, the results revealed that they viewed mental illness much more severely than other illnesses. The widespread stigmatization of mental illness is rooted historically in fear of the unknown, our tendency to attack ridicule or laugh at what we dont understand (Lalani and London, 2006). Since the deinstitutionalization of mental illness and the introduction of care in the community initiatives, this fear of the other has become much more significant as the boundaries between the sane and insane have become blurred. We have a strong need to distance ourselves from things that we fear, therefore the stigma of mental illness is one of panic and hostility. Having discussed the stigma of mental illness and the perceptions held amongst the population in a little more depth, this leaves the question of how it is culturally constructed. Thoits (1985) discusses how we learn to act and feel through repeated social interaction. Our emotions are governed by the norms of society which we internalize from an early age. We know how we should feel in a variety of circumstances e.g. sad at a funeral lively at a party, happy at a wedding, proud on success, angry at an insult and so on. (pg. 224). Equally, we recognize when our behaviour may be viewed as inappropriate to others and learn to control it. For example, big boys dont cry and keep a stiff upper lip (pg. 224). We have a shared awareness of how we ought to behave in the social world, therefore anybody who breaks these norms is subject to ridicule. Thoits develops a theory which contrasts with Scheff (1984). She argues that self-labelling processes are significant in mental health, as people assess their own behaviour and seek professional help voluntarily. Scheff on the other hand focuses on the involuntary nature of mental health treatment and how people come to be defined as mentally ill; his concern lies with the institutionalization of mental illness. The perceptions of people with mental illness held by wider society are ones of devaluation and discrimination (Link cited in Gaebel et al, 2006). When a person is labelled as mentally ill, these conceptions become part of his or her sense of self. Labelling theory is useful in understanding the stigma of mental illness. We react to mental illness is a similar way to crime and the criminal. This approach to deviance focuses on the reaction of others in maintaining and amplifying rule breaking or secondary deviance (Marsh et al, 2000). The labelling process can have a detrimental effect on a persons status and identity. Their old identity is discarded and a new master status label takes its place. In the case of the mentally ill individual, his or her condition comes to define who they are, regardless of the other roles they may have (such as parenthood or their job). Their stigmatized role of mentally ill dominates their existence (Marsh et al, 2000 and Pilgrim, 2005). The negative e ffects of labelling are very clear, research has suggested that employers are less likely to offer jobs to those who have been labelled mentally ill. They are also less likely to be given housing and more likely to have charges made against them for violent crimes. Some studies however, have indicated that labelling has had positive benefits for the individual (Pilgrim, 2005). The main source of information for the general public about mental illness comes from the mass media. The media have come to represent the beliefs and perceptions of wider society and frequently exaggerate events and portray inaccurate stereotypes of people with MHP. There is an unquestioning acceptance in the media of the rising toll of killings as a result of community care (Dunn, 2002). For example, in the Daily Mail (21 February, 2003) the headline 400 care in the community patients living by murder park was printed after a woman was found dead in East London. After discovering that a large number of care in the community patients lived near the park, the police and the media assumed she was murdered by a deranged psychiatric patient living in the community. Headlines like this are not uncommon and newspapers consistently present the image of the dangerous, unstable, incurable mental patient (Lalani and London, 2006). Other examples of hard-hitting headlines include violent, mad. So docs set him free. New community care scandal (The Sun, 26 February 2005) and Bonkers Bruno locked up (The Sun, 22 September 2003). Philo (1996) found that two thirds of news coverage made associations between mental illness and violence, but media depictions are not consistent with the facts about mental health and violence. Home office statistics indicate that there is little or no correlation between violence and mental illness. In reality, people with MHP are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators (Dunn, 2002). There is a lot of empirical evidence to suggest that the media informs us about mental illness and that their depictions are characteristically inaccurate and unfavourable (Wahl, 1992, pg. 351). Wahl and Roth (cited in Wahl, 1992) found that mentally ill characters in prime time TV shows lacked a social identity. They were usually single, unemployed and described negatively with adjectives like aggressive confused and unpredictable (pg. 345). Man y other studies have produced similar results, with dangerousness and violence being the most common traits of people with MHP. Wahl argues that these portrayals must have an effect on our behaviour and attitudes towards mental illness. Many studies have demonstrated that repeated exposure to media stereotypes in general influences conceptions of social reality (pg. 346). He cites research that demonstrates that heavy viewers of television tend to relate the real world to televisions distorted representations. One study asked students to complete a questionnaire about mental health before and after a viewing of One flew over the cuckoos nest those who saw the film had a less positive view of mental illness than those who hadnt seen it (Wahl, 1992). It is clear then that the overall relationship between the media and the mentally ill is not in dispute: it is one of sensationalism, exaggeration and fear mongering (Lalani and London, 2006). It is important however to mention that not a ll aspects of the media perpetuate negative stereotypes and it can be a useful tool in tackling discrimination and stigma. For many people living with a mental illness, the cultural attitudes of fear, hostility and ignorance has contributed to experiences of isolation and social exclusion. A report by the Citizens advice Bureau (CAB, 2003) revealed that most people with a MHP are unemployed and that those who did have jobs end up leaving because their employers convince them that they are unable to cope. Jo, a mental health service user discussed her experiences at work in a report to the mind inquiry (Dunn, 2002 pg. 11) when she informed her boss that she had to see a psychiatrist his reaction said it all, as soon as mental illness is mentioned people literally back away from you. Pilgrim (2005) highlights that people with MHP are three time as likely to be unemployed than those with physical disabilities. This is mainly because of the attitudes of employers and not because of a lack of willingness on the part of the individual (CAB, 2003). There also exists a disincentive to work for those who are in r eceipt of welfare benefits. For many, their income upon finding work would only increase at a small rate, if it all, and they would lose out on any supplementary benefits such as housing benefits. Further to this is the difficulty in having their benefits reinstated should the job not work out (CAB, 2003). Social exclusion is a complicated and often cyclical process. It can affect a persons access to education, social services and health care. Such limited access to one service can have a knock on effect on others. For example, restricted use of education and training opportunities can sustain unemployment further which in turn contributes to the benefit trap and can of course deepen a persons exclusion and cause a further decline in their health (Dunn, 2002). It is clear then that the social exclusion of people with MHP denies them the basic levels of citizenship, happiness and wealth available to everybody else (Pilgrim, 2005). To conclude, the stigma of mental illness is based on generalizations about insanity. These stereotypes are constructed through feelings of fear and anxiety over things we do not understand and struggle to relate to. There is no doubt that our views of mental illness are completely ungrounded and are transmitted repeatedly through the mass media, thus reinforcing a distorted image in our collective psyche. Stigma is used to identify and expose something abnormal about an individual (Goffman, 1963). However some are critical of the stigma framework and argue that it is too individualistic. If we study the collective discriminatory practices which cause exclusion for many people with mental illness, such as poverty and labour market disadvantage, then strategies for change may be easier to develop (Pilgrim, 2005). Layard (2005) identified mental health as our biggest social problem. It is not just a major health concern, it is a political issue. With such high numbers of people affecte d my mental illness, the costs to the economy are significant. Tackling stigmatization is an essential step in improving the lives of those affected. This involves inclusion of groups themselves, as only those with the knowledge and experience cans suggest what is right for them.

Heart Attacks Essay -- essays research papers

A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to a portion of the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped. This happens when one of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle is blocked by an obstruction. This blockage can be due to a condition called atherosclerosis (a build up of fatty like substance along the wall of the artery), a blood clot or a coronary vessel spasm along with a total obstruction. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart stops, that area of the heart will no longer receive the oxygen or nutrients needed to carry out its function and will die. If it is a very small part of the heart involved, it will be able to work without it. If a large portion is damaged, irreversible damage will happen which can lead to death.Damage to the heart muscle may be so severe that it may cause abnormal heart rhythm, called arrhythmias. Most people who are of a myocardial infraction or a heart attack do so within a few hours due to a type of arrhythmia The heart attack victim will complain of pressure, discomfort or a squeezing sensation in the centre of the chest. There may be pain radiating to the arms or the neck. There may also be shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and or indigestion. The pain that occurs is the result of heart tissue ischemia (decreased blood supply). The area that is not receiving enough blood is literally crying out for help. When a person complains of any of the symptoms mentioned, they should be transported ...

The Effective Use of Tone in Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to

The Effective Use of Tone in Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find Flannery O'Connor's short story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," begins with a Southern family preparing to go on what seems to be a typical vacation. The story is humorous at first because the reader is unaware of how the story will end. The tone changes dramatically from amusing to frightening and plays an important part in making the story effective. The narrator starts the story giving background information about the grandmother and her son, Bailey. The narrator explains that the "grandmother didn't want to go to Florida" (320). Although a major conflict could result from her dislike of the family's choice of vacation spots, it does not. When the grandmother first speaks she asks Bailey to read a newspaper article that she has found. She attempts to change his mind about not going to Florida, by saying, "Here this fellow that calls himself The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here what it says he did to these people..." (320). Bailey does not ...

Toyota V.S Ford

MGMT 341 Toyota Motor Corporation Vs. Ford Motor Corporation (Past to Present) THE GBAS MODEL Prepared for: Dr. Reed Nelson Prepared by: Jeremie J. Martin SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CARBONDALE SPRING 2011 Introduction This paper will be structured to focus on two of the leading automobile manufacturers in the industry to date. Toyota is the number one automobile manufacturer in terms of production and sales. Toyota is a foreign vehicle manufacturer located out of Japan founded in 1937. Ford is the second largest vehicle manufacturer in the United States and fifth largest worldwide.Ford was the eighth ranked overall vehicle manufacturer on the 2010 Fortune 500 list. Ford is known for producing the â€Å"Model T† in 1908 which will forever be known as the first affordable automobile in the United States. Each company will be introduced and described separately. After providing substantial information about each organization, a comparison will follow to highlight the difference s between the two. This comparison is imperative for the GBAS model. I will also make an assessment of the four facts or organization life, fit, trade-offs, opposites and if the elements come in packages.Toyota Motor Corporation Toyota Motor Corporation is a foreign vehicle manufacturer based in Aichi, Japan. Toyota Motor Corporation came to the forefront in 1937; (TMC) is a variation of what originally used to be Toyota industries. Kiichiro Toyoda always envisioned creating a multinational automobile manufacturer and his dreams came to fruition three years earlier, when still with Toyota Industries, they created their first product which was the â€Å"Type A† engine and in 1936 came their first vehicle the â€Å"Toyota AA†.Today Toyota Motor Corporation group companies include Scion, Lexus,  Daihatsu  and  Hino Motors Toyota stepped into the national spotlight in the 1980’s when people started to realize that there was something different about their vehi cle. What stood out most was the exceptional quality and efficiency of Toyota vehicles. Japanese cars were lasting longer than American cars and also required less maintenance. At the time, there were several Japanese manufacturers competing in the market, but Toyota stood out the most.Toyota did not provide the most exciting designs, but what they did was design automobiles that were very consistent and more reliable than most vehicles at an affordable price. Also, Toyota had a canny ability to troubleshoot all of their problems and come back even stronger when one of their weaknesses was exposed. While stock prices of the Big 3 were falling in 2003, Toyota shares increased 24% over 2002. Toyota’s capitalization was higher than the combined capitalization of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. (The Toyota Way, Pg 4) Toyota has the fastest product development process in the world.New cars and trucks take 12 months or less to design, while competitors typically take two years. Toyota is benchmarked as the best in its class by all of its peers and competitors throughout the world for high quality, high productivity, manufacturing speed and flexibility. (The Toyota Way, Pg 5) Toyota had a unique way of manufacturing their vehicles which is what helped them create differentiation from themselves and the market. The Toyota Production System and Lean production has dominated the industry for the last 10 years along with Six Sigma.During and before WWII, Toyota knew that mass production was not their strength. They were too small and disjointed to support high production values. Toyota decided to produce roughly 900 vehicles a month while on the other hand; Ford was about 10 times more productive. Toyota managers knew that if they were to survive, they would have to adapt to the mass production for the Japanese market. The problem was that they didn’t know how. The Toyota production system used many conceptions from those of Henry Ford, but the Japanese were determined to stick to the principles that Ford didn’t abide by.One very important principle was the concept of the â€Å"pull system†, which originated from American supermarkets. This system meant that Toyota would not replenish its parts until the next step in the process used up all of the original parts from the previous step. This directly relates to eliminating waste. At every step of the manufacturing process, Toyota uses â€Å"Kanbans† to signal the previous step when more parts need to be made. This creates the â€Å"pull† which continues back to the beginning of the cycle. Toyota also implements the philosophy of JIT into their manufacturing process.JIT is a set of principles that allows a company to produce and deliver products in small batches. This directly cuts down the lead time and allows them to meet specific customer needs. JIT allows Toyota to be responsive to customer demands; it also allows them to deliver the right items at the right time. â€Å"Kaizen† is also another principle Toyota stands on. The philosophy reaches for perfection and sustains TPS on a daily basis. Toyota refined their manufacturing process using these principles to make their organization more productive and less wasteful.What they didn’t know is that they also created a new paradigm in manufacturing that all types of businesses would eventually adopt. A common phrase around Toyota is â€Å"Before we build cars, we build people. † Toyota seeks to develop people so that they are strong contributors to the company culture and organizational development. The focus is to build a learning organization that seeks continuous improvement. That’s how they will ensure a guaranteed long term success hundreds of years from now. TMC management techniques’ goal is to develop their individuals, but at the same time promote effective teamwork.This technique is necessary for TPS to work. Creating a great culture comb ined with teamwork is the focal point of solving problems. The concept of bottom-up management is something that Toyota takes very seriously. Team leaders typically have about four to eight workers that they support and group leaders have about three or four groups. Toyota strongly believes in motivation theories when it comes to managing their employees. Their managers implement both internal and external management techniques.For example internally, Toyota applies Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs to them by providing their employees with job security, good pay, safe working conditions and a culture of continuous improvement. Externally, behavior modification has group leaders constantly on the production floor supervising employees and providing reinforcement. Toyota invests in their employees and in return they get committed individuals are willing to grow the company. Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is a multinational automobile manufacturer based out of Detroit, Michiga n. It is the second largest automobile manufacture in the United States.Henry Ford founded and incorporated the organization in 1903. Under the Ford umbrella is the Lincoln brand and internationally Ford has some stake in Mazda and Aston Martin. There used to be several more brands associated with the company but due to harsh economic times in the United States, they were either discontinued or sold. Henry Ford is known for making the most affordable automobile (the â€Å"Model T†) and transcending the American auto industry. Most people think that he actually invented the automobile as well as the assembly line. Those are not the facts.Henry Ford did however use the assembly line to produce his â€Å"Model T†. From 1909-1927, he sold 15 million Model T vehicles at a cost of $829 dollars each. During World War One Ford in 1925 also manufactured aircrafts, but after the war ended they returned to only manufacturing autos. Ford’s mission is to be the worldwide lea der in the automotive industry and in other industries such as financial services. Ford values its people, products and profits. Some of their principles include commitment to the quality of the business they conduct, customer focus, continuous improvement, employment involvement and teamwork.Ford strategy is predicated by its vision of being a low-cost, high quality manufacturer in all of their products while simultaneously providing the best customer service possible. In the United States, Fordism was the system of  mass production and consumption characteristics of highly developed economies during the 1940’s-1960s. It was a philosophy that  aimed  to  achieve  higher productivity  by standardizing the  output, using conveyor assembly lines and breaking the  work  into small de-skilled tasks. It is a contrast from Taylorism, which is based off Fordism, which seeks to improve efficiency of machines and workers.Fordism combines them as one unit and looks ac hieve minimal cost and maximum profit. (Source: businessdisctionary. com/Fordism) An assembly line  is a  manufacturing  process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner in order to create a finished product. The immediate benefit of an assembly line is that it allows you to produce more products faster than if you were to handcraft them. Henry Ford made the assembly line famous in 1908 when he began the mass production of Model T’s. With the implementation of the assembly line, Ford was able to improve other aspects f the company such as reducing the labor hours it takes to produce a single vehicle as well as increased production numbers and parts (Wikipedia. com/assembly_line). The use of assembly lines and mass production processes forced Ford to start using large factories for manufacturing. They were the first automobile manufacturer to use large factories. During the late-2000’s recession when auto sales dropped 37%, Ford requested bailo ut money. They requested $9 billion dollars from the government and an additional $5 million for the department of energy.With this money, Ford vowed to make smaller, more gas efficient, vehicles as well as close down dealerships and sell Volvo. Ford didn’t need the money nor did they receive any money, but simply requested for funds because they did not want their competition to have a financial advantage over them. During the auto bailout, Ford was in a better financial position than Chrysler and GM which is the reason they didn’t receive any government funding. Ford’s approach to management organization was the mirror image of their assembly line: specialized, hierarchical and tightly controlled.Ford has always operated on a pressure system with middle management. The old Ford hierarchy was mechanistic in the sense that it was made to be modified, to be able to be adjusted over time. The structure was designed to be reactive to a slow changing environment. Fo rd’s management was very authoritarian, regimented and driven by fear. In light of Japanese competition, Ford shifted gears from the mechanistic theme of management to focus on participative management and product development. Narrative ComparisonToday, most companies try to implement some type of lean production or six sigma quality functions into their manufacturing processes. Initially, that was not the focus when it came to manufacturing vehicles. Toyota was the first organization to implement that strategy due to Japan being desecrated by two atomic bombs and not having the money or supplies to mass produce. Post WW II, Ford’s mass production system was designed to make large quantities and a limited number of models; they had no flexibility with their system. This is why all Model T’s were all black.The Japanese market was very small and fragmented for high production. Toyota needed to manufacture low volumes of several different models using the same asse mbly line to survive in the market. The demand for vehicles was not high enough to use individual assembly lines for each vehicle type. Ford had ton of cash after the war and they invested it all in large equipment and large factories to house the equipment. This was to support the strategy of mass production. However, there was an issue with all the large volumes being produced, which caused Toyota to take a similar, but opposing manufacturing strategy to Ford.Ford’s processes were detached from each other due to the large volumes. This cause delays in the process and allowed large amounts of material to sit and become work in progress inventory. Also, workplaces were disorganized and out of control, some Ford factories looked like warehouses. Toyota had the idea of â€Å"one-piece flow† where one piece of a product moves from one stage to the next stage, one piece at a time. This was opposite to what was happening over at Ford where several pieces of a product were b eing made simultaneously at one stage, then moved on to the next stage.Toyota used Ford’s ideology of a continuous process of materials throughout the manufacturing cycle while at the same time eliminating waste. Toyota didn’t have a lot of money or factories after the war so that had to be very precise in their manufacturing. They didn’t produce large volumes of just one type of vehicle. One-piece flow allowed Toyota the flexibility to change their process according to the demand of the market. Toyota adopted Ford’s manufacturing process, but made it more efficient and flexible. Toyota’s management philosophy was to develop their employees to become leaders within the company.This was their method of growing the company. Toyota knew that making all of their employees and integral part of the organization was the best way to build commitment within the company and a sure way to achieve all of its objectives. Ford on the other hand implemented a mor e authoritarian management philosophy where all of the pressure was put on middle management and not as much attention was given to the employees who were the key to their day to day operations. Ford primary focus was on production and the bottom line numbers.Mass production to make as many vehicles as possible is what drove them to implement such management techniques. The Discussion of goals, boundaries and activity systems. (GBAS Model) After the comparisons and noting the differences between Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Company, the GPAS model can be applied to see how effective both companies are at managing fit, trade-offs, packages and opposites. BOUNDARIES: In terms of customers, the Japanese market was very small, so Toyota knew that they would have produce small numbers of vehicles in various different models.Mass production wouldn’t work for them in the market because the customer demand was not high enough for that type of production system. Ford had a larg e U. S. market as well as an international market at the time so they were producing vehicles for everyone. When Henry Ford invented this inexpensive vehicle, there was a high demand for it and he sold millions of vehicles. Mass production worked well for high customer demand and the system made Ford a lot of money in a short amount of time. While Toyota remained in the automotive industry producing vehicles and engines, Ford tried its hand providing other services.Ford Motor Credit Company is the financial partner of Ford Motor Company. The purpose of the company was to handle automobile loans of Ford and also to offer loans and leases to other consumers. When it came to products, Toyota had an advantage. They designed they’re production system to be flexible due to the low customer demand in the Japanese market; therefore they were able to produce different types of vehicles at a faster pace than Ford. Although Ford produced more vehicles than Toyota they did not have the a bility to change the different models or colors of their vehicles within their assembly system.The mass production system was beneficial because it satisfied high customer demand, but it was limited in the way that it could only make huge quantities of one model. Originally Model T’s were only all black because Ford lacked the flexibility to change colors. Ford used its mass production system to make millions of Model T’s and later Model A’s. Ford also took its hand briefly in the aviation industry during the First World War building engines. Ford’s most successful airplane was the Ford 4AT Trimotor, but after the war was over Ford went back primarily to the utomotive industry. In terms of accessibility, Toyota was limited to the Japanese Market, they did not have the ability to manufacture vehicles elsewhere nor did they have the demand. After the atomic bomb Toyota had very little cash and lacked the infrastructure to compete outside of Japan. On the ot her hand, Ford had huge amounts of cash from the success of the Model T and they had a huge U. S and international market to sell too. Also, Ford had a huge supply system to support all of their manufacturing efforts. ACTIVITY SYSTEMS:Toyota’s activity systems were based around the central theme of their production system which was eliminating waste. When it came to manufacturing the company focused on continuous improvement, lean production and the Toyota Production system. Continuous Improvement also known as Kaizen, is a process that has lead Toyota to be a very lean and productive company. Kaizen strives for perfection and helps sustain the TPS system. The purpose of continuous improvement is to always become better, regardless whether the gains are large or small.Toyota felt that if they continually improved their processes, they would be able to eliminate as much waste as possible while remaining overly productive. Toyota formed small work groups within the workplace to ensure effective teamwork and to develop the skills of their employees. This also encouraged discussion amongst employees and it helped them make some of the decisions in the manufacturing process opposed to putting all the pressure on middle management. The Toyota Production System is a system that is composed of all of Toyota’s processes and principles in order to achieve a high level of quality production standards.JIT, Kaizen, One piece flow and continuous improvement theories combine to create a system that changed the way production standards were measured. Using many of the lessons preached by Henry Ford, Toyota evolved a system that helped them overcome challenges in a deplorable economy. At the same time they created a system that has been adapted in many other industries outside the automotive world. Ford, the American powerhouse, also believed in a continuous production flow, but they were not as cautious as the Japanese due to being in a better financial situatio n post WWII.They produced millions of model T’s with the help of assembly lines, large factories and a system of mass production to keep up with the high customer demand for the world’s most inexpensive automobile. Ford’s production system was an adaptation of their market and they took full advantage. They had access to complete systems supplies in combination with a lot of cash which tremendously increased their profit margins in 15 years. GOALS: Toyota’s goal was to create a system similar to Ford’s mass productions system, but at the same time adapt it to the Japanese market.The Japanese were producing automobiles for a market of customers who were not buying vehicles half as much as customers were buying autos in the United States. Even though there was a low demand for automobiles, the Japanese did demand different models, so their system had to be flexible enough to shift with the customers demand. In terms of creating the production system, Toyota aimed for a very lean system. A system that would be very cautious in using raw materials and cash in order to prevent being wasteful. Also, Toyota wanted a very clean and organized workplace in order to utilize all of the warehouse space that they did have.Toyota aimed to produce small quantities of quality products to meet specific customer needs. Ford was all about big business, money and power. Ford’s goal was to take over the automobile industry with the invention of the Model T. It was clear what their objective was by looking at the way they manufactured automobiles. Ford believed in standardization, but they never manufactured more than one type of motor car in the same facility. They were so focused on making the Model T a commodity that they did not focus on their other brand Lincoln. Ford’s customer base was broad.The Model T was marketed on a national level as a very inexpensive vehicle. Ford had the luxury of dealing with a high demand in the U. S and International market. Ford however, did not offer a variety of models to choose from. They only produced one vehicle in one color. Several years later they began producing the Model A. Due to the high demands at the time, customers did not pay attention to how inflexible Ford’s production system was. Although Ford may not have been as good as Toyota, they were also advocates of lean production and continuous improvement.Ford felt that their materials were more important than their employees, an opposing view of Toyota. Ford learned that wasted materials eventually became wasted money and frantically began to search for solutions to be more productive with their raw materials. Eventually Ford had the notion that they owed it to society to be more conservative of their materials. Summary of GPAS: ToyotaFord Boundaries: Narrow, Stable Broad, Stable Activity Systems: Simple, Flexible Complex, Inflexible Goals: Impermeable Permeable THE FOUR FACTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL LIFEDiscuss ion of fit: There is organizational fit between the boundaries, activity systems and goals of both Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Company. There are differences between the two companies, but both companies were competing in different markets therefore they had to adjust to the wants and needs of their customers. Ford has very permeable boundaries. Their complex and inflexible system which consisted of mass production, large factories, large machinery and assembly lines was imperative in order to satisfy the demand of their customers in the U. S and international market.Ford was able to establish a very credible and trustworthy relationship with its customers by satisfying their needs in a timely fashion. The permeable boundaries and complex activity system fit very tightly with customers who were in the market for a vehicle manufactured by Ford. Toyota Motor Company has significantly less permeable boundaries than does Ford, therefore their activity system is simple and more f lexible. The fact that Toyota had a significantly smaller market to manufacture vehicles for did not stop them working at a faster pace and creating higher quality vehicles.Their activity system was designed for customers who wanted different types of automobiles in different colors. They also wanted quality vehicles that would last for a long time to avoid high vehicle turnover. This flexible system was perfect for the struggling Japanese market post World War II. Things come in packages: Ford Motor Company was in a great position post WWII. They had tons of cash, access to a complete supply system, and a high demand for their products in the market and huge factories and equipment to make thousands of automobiles. Those resources helped reinforce their needs to make their automobiles a commodity worldwide.When comparing the two organizations, it is clear that Ford has more permeable boundaries than Toyota. On the contrary, less permeable boundaries made it more difficult for custo mers outside of the Japanese market to get a Toyota vehicle. They had not made their vehicles a commodity yet, but that was not their focus. After being desecrated by two atomic bombs, the Japanese manufacturing focused on making small amounts of quality vehicles. Making more quality vehicles using the one-piece flow process increased the skills and intelligence of the employees which directly helped grow the company.Having a lower customer demand allowed Toyota the time to perfect their craft and create a system that would change the manufacturing world. There are opposites: In terms of activity systems and boundaries, comparing Toyota to Ford is like comparing the tortoise to the hare. Ford was the automobile powerhouse with all its large equipment and mass production processes, producing vehicles at a very affordable price. On the other hand, Toyota was very conservative and waste less with their TPS system when it came to putting automobiles on the market.This was a classic exam ple of the â€Å"Quality vs. Quantity† argument. Ford had created a commodity; they became a pioneer in the automobile industry providing the masses with thousands of vehicles at a time. They had a huge customer base and the infrastructure to provide their products and services worldwide. Toyota had a flexible system that created quality vehicles in a timely manner as well, just not as in much bulk as did Ford. They had an advantage over Ford in the fact that could offer a variety of vehicles with shorter lead times.Ford had a very inflexible system and very long lead times, credited to their mass production system. Toyota’s system was more productive with their raw materials. They wanted to avoid work in progress inventories in their factories which lead to them incorporating a â€Å"pull system† into their manufacturing process. There are trade-offs: In comparing the two companies to each other, the trade-offs between the two become very obvious. Toyota offers a quality of vehicles that Ford can’t produce and Ford offers a price that Toyota can’t compete with.Ford offered lower prices because supplies were not scarce and they had complete access. Also, after the war Ford had a ton of cash so they could provide their automobiles at a cheap price in hopes of making it a commodity. Their activity system allowed them to only make standardized products without any customization. With the luxury of having a high customer demand, Ford remained efficient. Toyota’s system which used JIT principles which allowed them to manufacture products in smaller quantities, with shorter lead times to meet specific customer’s needs.This was a very flexible system which helped them offer an option of customization for their automobiles while still providing a high level of quality. CONCLUSION Ford paved the way for the automobile industry when they began the mass production of their Model T’s in 1908. The use of the assembly lines helped them sell thousands of vehicles and make millions of dollars in a short period of time. Toyota came along and used the same principles that Ford used, but refined their process to be more productive by using the ideology of continuous improvement.Toyota wanted to become less wasteful, produce smaller batches of automobiles and create higher quality products within a flexible system that would allow them to react to customer demands without long lead times. By creating this flexible system, Toyota put their company in a better position than Ford. In order to be a leader in the automobile industry you must be able to react quickly to the market demands and provide the customers with a quality product in a reasonable amount of time. The TPS system allows Toyota to do that, while Ford would be in a world of trouble with inventory concerns because of their mass production system.Even though both companies had very different beginnings, each has been successful in the automob ile industry. They will continue to use each other as benchmarks when trying to create the best automobile possible for their customers. Comparison of Differences ToyotaFord One-Piece Flow Mass Production Low market demand High Market Demand Flexible manufacturing Inflexible Manufacturing No cash Cash and Assets High Quality Standard quality Shorter lead times Extremely long lead timesHigher costs Very inexpensive automobiles Employees manufactured Assembly Lines No warehouses Huge Factories and Warehouses Multiple types of vehicles Two models (Model A & T) TPSManufacturing ideas set grounds for TPS Lean Manufacturing Very wasteful BIBLIOGRAPHY Liker, Jeffrey K. The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004. Print. Liker, Jeffrey K. , and David Meier. Toyota Talent: Developing Your People the Toyota Way. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.Print Meyer, Stephen. The Five Dollar Day: Labor Management and Social Control in the Ford Motor Company, 1908-1921. Albany: State University of New York, 1981. Print. Ford, Henry, and Samuel Crowther. Today and Tomorrow,. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page ;, 1926. Print. Starkey, Ken, and Alan McKinlay. Strategy and the Human Resource: Ford and the Search for Competitive Advantage. Oxford: Blackwell Business, 1993. Print. â€Å"Toyota. †Ã‚  Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. ;http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Toyota;. â€Å"What Is Fordism?Definition and Meaning, Business Dictionary. †Ã‚  BusinessDictionary. com – Online Business Dictionary. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. ;http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/Fordism. html;. â€Å"Assembly Line. †Ã‚  Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. ;http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Assembly_line;. Amadeo, Kimberly. â€Å"Auto Bailout – The Big 3 Bailout – Government Bailout of Auto Industry. †Ã‚  US Economy and Business – US Economic Indicators â€⠀œ US Economic News. 31 Dec. 2009. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. ;http://useconomy. about. com/od/criticalssues/a/auto_bailout. htm;.

Hrm 300 Week 1

Human Resource Management Overview Introduction Human resource management (HRM) has evolved into a huge industry in the business arena. The evolution and advancement of technology has created a global platform for HRM. The effect of globalization in many organizations has opened the door for HRM, and it is a crucial component for a successful business strategy and plan. This paper will define HRM, and discuss HRM’s primary function and role in an organization’s strategic plan. What is human resource management? HRM is comprised of the staffing, development, motivation, and maintenance functions. Each of these functions however is affected by external influences† (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007, p. 50). In HRM, staffing involves strategic human resource planning, recruiting and selection. It is important to select the right people for your organization. Recruiting is critical because it can make or break your business. Training and development consists of equipping th e employees with the necessary skills and knowledge. Successful businesses have a vested interest in the employees.Inquiring about employee goals, family, strengths and weaknesses, and using that information to assist him or her in reaching their potential can improve productivity in your organization. For example, my company offers tuition reimbursement. That is an excellent benefit to take advantage of because I value education. I have a personal goal to obtain a MBA. Because my company is paying for my education, it serves as an incentive for me to continue working for the company and strive to move up the corporate ladder.In turn, my company reaps the benefit of the skills and knowledge achieved from the training and development. The maintenance aspect of HRM involves communication and safety and health. This portion of HRM is concerned with the well being of employees, and enhances the nature of the job and personal life of the employees (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007). OSHA was implemented under the government to protect the employees in regards to his or her physical safety. The contract on which I work at the U. S.White House consist of several constructions projects that Some people have to wear steal toe boots, safety glasses and ear plugs in order to prevent possible injuries. This is mandated in areas that could be hazardous. What is the primary function of HRM? The primary function of HRM has changed drastically because of Federal and State laws, new requirements with employment practices, and involves hiring the right people. Because of the changing technology the primary function of HRM is recruiting people with higher skill sets.Organizations now need people with higher level degrees and certifications in the computer field. The reason for this mandate is because information systems are becoming more complex and ever changing. New recruits must be trained on new software programs. Employees have to be able to adapt and be critical thinkers in ord er to stay up-to-speed. In addition, employees have to be trained and specialize in various fields. What is the role of the HRM in an organization’s strategic plan? HRM has various roles in an organization’s strategic plan. HRM must therefore balance two primary responsibilities: assisting the organization in it strategic direction and representing and advocating for the organization’s employees† (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007, p. 34). HRM has a vital role in an organization, and â€Å"must be forward thinking† (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007, p. 34). HRM must work with management in order to accomplish the strategic plan. They must be in line with the company’s vision and mission statement in order to assist the organization. Determining ways to cut cost, but still maintain higher productivity is one way to help the business.HRM can also perform inspections throughout the organization to weed out weaknesses in operations or functions, and unprodu ctive employees (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007). Making a few necessary adjustments by holding weekly meetings can make a big difference in implementing and monitoring the progress of the strategic plan in an organization. My company performs weekly productivity checks to keep the organization strong and fluent. We are required to report to the supervisor each week providing status on our tasks and progress, and share our ideas on how we can improve.Conclusion In conclusion, HRM is a crucial component in today’s business arena. Technology and globalization have broadened the scope of HRM. Information systems and global recruitment efforts increase the complexity of HRM. Throughout this paper, we have defined HRM, discussed its primary function, and determined how it impacts the strategic plans of companies all over the world. Reference DeCenzo, D. , & Robbins, S. (2007). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management (9th ed. ) by DeCenzo & Robbins. (9th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.