The Effects of Child Family Interaction

The Effects of Child Family Interaction Child and family interaction: the setting The scene shows Eaton Kerr, a toddler, in a happy and playful family photo shoot with other members of his family. These family members are his mother, Kerry; his father, Jonathan; and his doting 8 year old brother, Jordan. The Kerr family lives in Northern Ireland. Kerry is clearly enamoured of her little boy. In her own words, she â€Å"cant bear to be away from him† and could just â€Å"gobble him up†. This is probably intensified by the fact that Eaton had been an unproblematic infant, who slept well, ate well and rarely cried. Kerry and Jonathan apparently had an easy time in the first few months after his birth. This is evident in the casual and relaxed manner that can be seen with the entire family. However, one and a half years later, Kerry is yearning for a baby girl. Having previously lost two female children, and currently raising two little boys, Kerry hungers for a female child. A scene in which she strokes her dogs head longingly could perhaps be an indicator of how much she craves another child. Kerry has a tendency for potential fatal blood clots, which is typically increased in pregnancy. Despite past medical complications and a clear understanding of the associated risks, Kerry is determined to pursue her dream. She is booked into the hospital for a medical scan to assess potential risk of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular events during pregnancy. The results are daunting and confirm that a pregnancy could be lifethreatening for the young mother. Understandably, Kerry is dejected by the prognosis, and four months later, she still has not come to terms with the outcomes of the scan. Her severe levels of unhappiness culminate in clinical depression: she is perpetually unhappy and tired; has lost all motivation to carry out even mundane everyday tasks; and finds no pleasure in things that normally make her happy (anhedonia). The loss of her two baby girls in the past appears to be constantly on her mind and she keeps photo scans of the embryos which would serve as a constant negative reminder. The fact that she has named these two offspring (Jordana and Caitlin) shows the depth of the attachment she feels for them. In addition, it seems she has recently lost her father all these are textbook triggers for clinical depression. Using the DSM-1 classification of mental health diseases, Kerrys depression would be classified as severe, as she confesses to having had suicidal thoughts. It is a well-known fact that depressed mothers find it difficult to respond to their childrens needs. In a poor attempt to discipline her toddler, Kerry tries to implement strict upbringing rules which are often not suitable to Eatons developmental phase. This is clearly corroborated by the evidence of Eatons corresponding stunted development. However, the little boy is shown as striving to obey his mother, only becoming rebellious at the often-dreaded bedtime etc, thus showing signs of his first battle for independence at eighteen months. Poor sleep hygiene that is common among depressed patients is also proving to be problematic in the mother-child relationship. In the video, classifying humans according to their sleep patterns, Eaton is categorised as a lark early to bed and early to wake; while Kerry is a contradicting owl who is up till late at night and, consequently, stays in bed till late in the afternoon. This means that Eaton is often up, for hours, sometimes for up to three and a half hours, crying for his mother before he gets any attention. He is losing numerous battles for his independence in this power struggle and is learning that he has no control over his environment. Although it is not voiced in the videotape, the constant absence of Eatons father, Jonathan, suggests possible family problems. He has to leave for work early as he helps run the family energy business, and appears to be blissfully unaware of the problems in his home. Therefore, Kerry is probably going through these difficult times alo ne. Without the vital family and social support, her depression is likely to worsen and would essentially adversely impact on her little boy. Child development As Kerry is unable to motivate herself to do anything, she is also incapable of stimulating the young Eaton. Her apparent insensitivity to his emotional needs is clearly evident and would be detrimental to the childs development. This is seen with simple tests as outlined below: Progress testing: carried out by a child development specialist with picture books and block shapes. The results of this showed that Eaton could complete less than one third of his tasks and is behind other children of his chronological age. Empathy testing: using a scientifically based questionnaire, Kerry scored high on the empathy testing. However, she has been unable to pass this on to Eaton who scored very low on these tests, having a tendency towards blatant aggression towards not just his mother, but also to his eight-year old brother, Jordan. This sort of behaviour could lead to bullying traits in the future. Interaction experiment: this shows that Kerry is unwilling to allow Eaton grow and learn. By limiting his playtime to toys and games that dont stimulate him, she is inadvertently limiting his development, probably in an unconscious and failing attempt to foster attachment to her. It seems she doesnt want him to gain independence, but would rather he remain dependent on her. Analysis of child-mother interaction: a literature review Attachment theory John Bowlbys attachment theory is a psychological and ethological description that helps to explain an infants attachment to a parent or caregiver. Infants become attached to adults who are sensitive and responsive in their interactions with them. The way a parent responds to their young infant in different situations is key to the development of patterns of attachment in the child. These patterns are the skeletal framework that guides the childs feelings, thoughts and expectations in subsequent relationships (Bretherton et al, 1999). According to Bowlbys theory, through physical and emotional closeness with a parent or caregiver, the child develops an internal working model, reflecting the parents own response to him/her. In Eatons case his thought process might mirror the insensitivity that he has experienced from his depressed mother, and could potentially cause problems in the future. Family dynamics: a secure base The point of attachment should ideally provide a secure base from which the child can explore the environment and return when he/she feels fearful. If Eaton lacks that secure haven, his mental health would be compromised. In his book, A Secure Base, John Bowlby (1998) describes the initiation of the mother-infant interaction. He highlights an initial elation and extreme possessiveness immediately after delivery. This phase was probably evident in Kerry, in the first few months when she stated her joy and reluctance to let Eaton out of her sight. However, the well documented lively social interaction alternating with phases of disengagement may have developed a pronounced effect of the latter phase, especially after the disheartening results of her hospital scan. Peri- and post-natal conditions that could affect (hinder or foster) positive attachment and the effective formation of a secure base, as outlined by Bowlby (1998) are outlined below: Adequate support for the mother with other aspects of household chores, etc. A secure base for the mother herself Length of separation from the baby in the hours and days following delivery Birth experience Attitudes and expectations expressed by the mother during her pregnancy It is not clear from the brief clips of the videotape which, if any, of the above factors are applicable to Kerrys experience. However, interpreting non-verbal communication and appearances, I think it is possible that Kerry receives little or no support around the house, especially as Jonathan departs for work early and eight-year old Jordan would be if limited help. This proposed lack of support could mean that Kerry does not have her own personal security base and might have been in need of assurances. While we are not privy to Kerrys birth experience during the delivery of little Eaton, her past medical history, in addition to that statement â€Å"Ive cheated life once alreadyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ , suggest that she may have had a difficult pregnancy, which, in addition, could have led to prolonged periods of separation from her newborn in the periods immediately following the birth. The Maternal Deprivation Theory Revisiting the controversial ‘maternal deprivation theory, in the World Health Organization report on Maternal Care and Mental Health, Bowlby (1951) explored the effects of deprivation of maternal care. Maternal deprivation is not limited in definition to mothers who are physically absent from their infants lives; it also applies to mothers who are not sensitive or responsive to their childs needs. In this report, Bowlby concluded that a warm, intimate and continuous child-mother relationship, in which both parties find satisfaction and enjoyment, is essential. Lack of such a satisfactory relationship could lead to significant and irreversible mental health malformations. The case of Eaton and his mother, Kerry, could be seen as a classic example of the maternal deprivation theory. While Kerry is present physically, her own self-admitted lack of motivation and uninvolved attitude is not adequate to foster that close relationship with her second son. As highlighted by Bowlby and later his close colleague, Mary Ainsworth (1962), Eaton could be at risk of having some mental problems in the future, if a timely and effective intervention is not implemented. The long-term effects of poor child-family interactions The consequences of the poor maternal and possibly paternal interaction which Eaton is accustomed to cannot be overemphasised. In a recent study using a conceptual model derived from the attachment theory, it was shown that attachment anxiety and low empathy significantly increases the odds of child molester status (Woods and Riggs, 2008). Furthermore, attachment insecurity in childhood is linked to externalizing behaviour and higher and stable patterns of depressive behaviour at the adolscence stage (Allen et al, 2007). Also, conversely, avoidance of closeness in depressed mothers is implicated in the development of internalizing symptoms in their children, because individuals who are avoidant of closeness, logically, are poor care givers (Whiffen et al, 2005). Research also shows that infants and toddlers of depressed mothers are at increased risk of developing attachment insecurity and behavioural difficulties than offspring of nondisordered mothers (Cicchetti et al, 1998). Observing the effects of maternal depression on social cognition and behaviour in parent-child interactions, Lovejoy (2007) depressed mothers, as a group, exhibited more negative behaviour. Furthermore, maternal depression was found to be associated with negative parent-child interactions and more negative, albeit fairly accurate, perceptions of child behaviour. This factor could be a major implicating factor in the apparent poor development that Eaton shows. An older study by Seiner and Gelfand (1995) showed that enacted maternal withdrawal and depression led to toddlers physically withdrawing from their mothers, making more negative physical bids for attention and generally becoming unfocused and negative, displaying their distress in a developmentally appropriate manner. In addition, the children made no attempt to comfort their mothers; this can be related to Eatons unsympathetic reaction to his mothers apparent distress in the video. There are numerous other studies in the literature that explore the negative impact of poor interaction between child and mother (or care giver). There is a clear association between attachment and maternal depression, and the development of the recipient child. Recently, Vieten and Astin (2008) evaluated the effectiveness of an eight-week mindfulness-based intervention during pregnancy on prenatal stress and mood. Their findings demonstrate that mothers who received this intervention showed significantly reduced anxiety and negative effect during the third trimester in comparison to those who did not receive the intervention. It is well-documented that stress and negative mood during pregnancy increase the risk of poor childbirth outcomes and postnatal mood problems and may interfere with mother-infant attachment and child development. Accordingly, such interventions may be pivotal in supporting mothers in preparation for child delivery. Conclusion In the course of research for this write-up, I have a gained a greater understanding of the attachment theory and the role of the â€Å"secure base† in molding a childs development. More importantly, I am now aware of the need to provide as much support to the mother as is expected for the newborn. This is especially the case for at-risk mothers. Partners and family members need to be a part of the support programme to ensure that mothers receive the care and security they need in order to effectively carry out their newly acquired duties.

The Strategic Rationale For Outsourcing Decisions

The Strategic Rationale For Outsourcing Decisions By reviewing the relative and risks of making or buying, firms can persuade their expertise and resources for improved profitability. Combining two strategic approaches accurately permit managers to coordinate their companies skills and resources efficiently beyond levels obtainable with other strategies. 1- Concentrate companys possessed resources on its core competencies through which the company can achieve definable incomparability and offer unique value for customers. (Quinn, and Doorley, 1990) 2- Outsourcing strategically other activities of the companies consisting of many conventionally believed primary to a company which are neither special capabilities the firm nor affect critical strategic requirements. (Quinn, 1992) Substantial gains can be achieved from effective combining of the two approaches. Directors leverage their firms resources in four manners. First, they expand returns on in-house resources by focusing investments and energies on the enterprises best jobs. Secondly, if core competencies are well-developed a company can supply astounding barriers for present and forthcoming competitors that look for entering into the companys areas of interest, thus assisting and shielding the strategic advantages of market share. Third, conceivably the utmost leverage of all is the full deployment of external contractors, investments, innovations, and specialized professional capabilities that would be unaffordable or even not possible to replicate internally Fourth, in rapidly shifting marketplaces and technological circumstances, this cooperative strategy reduces risks, shortens discovery and manufacturing cycle times, decrease investments, and generates better responsiveness to customer needs. (Quinn and Hillmer 1995) Earning sustainable competitive advantage through Outsourcing Managers can combine core competency concepts and strategic outsourcing for maximum effectiveness. Managers can analytically select and develop the core competencies that will provide the firms uniqueness, competitive advantage, and basis of value creation for the future. Core competency strategies The basic ideas behind core competencies and strategic outsourcing have been well supported by research extending over a twenty-year period.[4] In 1974, Rumelt noted that neither of the then-favored strategies unrelated diversification or vertical integration yielded consistently high returns.[5] Since then, other carefully structured research has indicated the effectiveness of disaggregation strategies in many industries.[6] Noting the failures of many conglomerates in the 1960s and 1970s, both financial theorists and investors began to support more focused company concepts. Generally this meant sticking to your knitting by cutting back to fewer product lines. Unfortunately, this also meant a concomitant increase in the systematic risk these narrower markets represented. However, some analysts noticed that many highly successful Japanese and American companies had very wide product lines, yet were neither conglomerates nor truly vertically integrated.[7] Japanese companies, like Sony, Mitsubishi, Matsushita, or Yamaha, had extremely diverse product offerings, as did 3M or Hewlett-Packard in the United States. Yet they were not conglomerates in the normal sense. They were termed related conglomerates, redeploying certain key skills from market to market.[8] At the same time, these companies also contracted out significant support activities. Although frequently considered vertically integrated, the Japanese auto Industry, for example, was structured around mother companies that primarily performed design and assembly, with a number of Independent suppliers and alliance partners without ownership bonds to the mother companies feeding into them.[9] Many other Japanese hi-tech companies, particularly the more Innovative ones like Sony and Honda, used comparable strategies leveraging a few core skills against multiple markets through extensive outsourcing. The term core competency strategies was later used to describe these and other less diversified strategies developed around a central set of corporate skills.[10] However, there has been little theory or consistency in the literature about what core really means. Consequently, many executives have been understandably confused about the topic. They need not be if they think in terms of the specific skills the company has or must have to create unique value for customers. However, their analyses must go well beyond looking at traditional product or functional strategies to the fundamentals of what the company can do better than anyone else.[11] For example, after some difficult times, it was easy enough for a beer company like Fosters to decide that it should not be in the finance, forest products, and pastoral businesses into which it had diversified. It has now divested these peripheral businesses and is concentrating on beer. However, even within this concept, Fosters true competencies are in brewing and marketing beer. Many of its distribution, transportation, and can production activities, for example, might actually be more effectively contracted out. Within individual functions like production, Fosters could further extend its competitive advantage by outsourcing selected activities such as maintenance or computing where it has no unique capabilities. The essence of core competencies What then is really core? And [emailprotected] The concept requires that managers think much more carefully about which of the firms activities really do or could create unique value and which activities managers could more effectively buy externally. Careful study of both successful and unsuccessful corporate examples suggests that effective core competencies are: 1. Skill or knowledge sets, not products or functions. Executives need to look beyond the companys products to the intellectual skills or management systems that actually create a maintainable competitive edge. Products, even those with valuable legal protection, can be too easily back-engineered, duplicated, or replaced by substitutes. Nor is a competency typically one of the traditional functions such as production, engineering sales, or finance, around which organizations were formed in the past. Instead, competencies tend to be sets of skills that cut across traditional functions. This interaction allows the organization consistently to perform an activity better than functional competitors and continually to Improve on the activity as markets, technology, and competition evolve. Competencies thus involve activities such as product or service design, technology creation, customer service, or logistics that tend to be based on knowledge rather than on ownership of assets or intellectual property per se. Knowledge-based activities generate most of the value in services and manufacturing. In services, which account for 79 percent of all jobs and 76 percent of all value-added in the United States, intellectual inputs create virtually all of the value-added. Banking, financial services, advertising, consulting, accounting, retailing, wholesaling, education, entertainment, communications, and health care are clear examples. In manufacturing, knowledge-based activities like RD, product design, process design, logistics, marketing research, marketing, advertising, distribution, and customer service @ also dominate the value-added chain of most companies (see Exhibit 1). 2. Flexible, long-term platforms capable of adaptation or evolution. Too many companies try to focus on the narrow areas where they currently excel, usually on some product-oriented skills. The real challenge is to consciously build dominating skills in areas that the customer will continue to value over time, as Motorola is doing with Its focus on superior quality, portable communications. The uniqueness of Toys R Us lies in its powerful information and distribution systems for toys, and that of State Street Boston in its advanced information and management systems for large custodial accounts. Problems occur when managers choose to concentrate too narrowly on products (as computer companies did on hardware) or too inflexibly on formats and skills that no longer match customer needs (as FotoMat and numerous department stores did). Flexible skill sets and constant, conscious reassessment of trends are hallmarks of successful core competency strategies. 3. Limited in number. Most companies target two or three (not one and rarely more than five) activities in the value chain most critical to future success. For example, 3M concentrates on four critical technologies in great depth and supports these with a peerless innovation system. As work becomes more complex, and the opportunities to excel in many detailed activities proliferate, managers find they cannot be best at every activity in the value chain. As they go beyond three to five activities or skill sets, they are unable to match the performance of their more focused competitors or suppliers. Each skill set requires intensity and management dedication that cannot tolerate dilution. It is hard to imagine Microsofts top managers taking their enthusiasm and skills in software into, say, chip design or even large-scale training in software usage. And if they did, what would be the cost of their loss of attention on software development? 4. Unique sources of leverage in the value chain. Effective strategies seek out places where there are market imperfections or knowledge gaps that the company is uniquely qualified to fill and where investments in intellectual resources can be highly leveraged. Raychem and Intel concentrate on depth in design and on highly specialized test-feedback systems supporting carefully selected knowledge-based products not on volume production of standardized products to jump over the experience curve advantages of their larger competitors. Morgan Stanley, through its TAPS system, and Bear Stearns, through its integrated bond-trading programs, have developed in-depth knowledge bases creating unique intellectual advantages and profitability in their highly competitive markets. 5. Areas where the company can dominate. Companies consistently make more money than their competitors only if they can perform some activities which are important to customers more effectively than anyone else. True focus in strategy means the capacity to bring more power to bear on a selected sector than any competitor can. Once, this meant owning and managing all the elements in the value chain supporting a specific product or service in a selected market position. Today, however, some outside supplier, by specializing in the specific skills and technologies underlying a single element in the value chain, can become more proficient at that activity than virtually any company spreading its efforts over the whole value chain. In essence, each company is in competition with all potential suppliers of each activity in its value chain. Hence, it must benchmark its selected core competencies against all other potential suppliers of that activity and continue to build these core capabilities until it is demonstrably best. Thus the basic nature of strategic analysis changes from an industry analysis perspective to a horizontal analysis of capabilities across all potential providers of an activity, regardless of which industry the provider might be in (see Exhibit 1). 6. Elements important to customers in the long run. At least one of the firms core competencies should normally relate directly to understanding and serving its customers that is, the right half of the value chain in Exhibit 1. Hi-tech companies with the worlds best state-of-the-art technology often fail when they ignore this caveat. On the other hand, Merck matches its superb basic research with a prescription drug marketing knowhow that is equally outstanding. By aggressively analyzing its customers, value chains, a company can often identify where it can specialize and provide an activity at lower cost or more effectively to the customer. Such analyses have created whole new Industries, like the specialized mortgage broker, syndication, secondary market, transaction-processing, escrow, title search, and insurance businesses that have now taken over these risks and functions for banks and have disaggregated the entire mortgage industry. 7. Embedded in the organizations systems. Maintainable competencies cannot depend on one or two talented stars such as Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak at Apple or Herbert Boyer and Arthur D. Riggs at Genentech whose departure could destroy a companys success. Instead, the firm must convert these competencies into a corporate reputation or culture that outlives the stars. Especially when a strategy is heavily dependent on creativity, personal dedication, and initiative or on attracting top-flight professionals, core competencies must be captured within the companys systems broadly defined to include its values, organization structures, and management systems. Such competencies might include recruiting (McKinsey, Goldman Sachs), training (McDonalds, Disney), marketing Procter Gamble, Hallmark), innovation (Sony, 3M), motivation systems (ServiceMaster), or control of remote and diverse operating sites within a common framework and philosophy (Exxon, CRA, Inc.). These systems are often at the heart of consistent superior performance; in many cases, a firms systems become its core competencies.(12) Preeminence: The key strategic barrier For Its selected core competencies, the company must ensure that it maintains absolute preeminence. It may also need to surround these core competencies with defensive positions, both upstream and downstream. In some cases, it may have to perform some activities where it is not best-in-world, just to keep existing or potential competitors from learning, taking over, eroding, or bypassing elements of its special competencies. In fact, managers should consciously develop these core competencies to block competitors strategically and avoid outsourcing them or giving suppliers access to the critical knowledge bases or skills that underpin them. Honda, for example, does all its engine RD in-house and makes all the critical parts for its small motor design core competency in closely controlled facilities in Japan. It will consider outsourcing any other noncritical elements in its products, but builds a careful strategic block around this most essential element for all its businesses.(13) Most important, as a companys preeminence in selected fields grows, its knowledge-based core competencies become ever harder to overtake. Knowledge bases tend to grow exponentially in value with Investment and experience. Intellectual leadership tends to attract the most talented people, who then work on and solve the most interesting problems. The combination in turn creates higher returns and attracts the next round of outstanding talent. In addition to the examples we have already cited, organizations as diverse as Bechtel, ATT Bell Labs, Microsoft, Boeing, Intel, Merck, Genentech, McKinsey, Arthur Andersen, Sony, Nike, Nintendo, Bankers T rust, and Mayo Clinic have found this to be true. Some executives regard core activities as those the company is continuously engaged in, while peripheral activities are those that are intermittent and therefore can be outsourced. From a strategic outsourcing viewpoint, however, core competencies are the activities that offer long-term competitive advantage and thus must be rigidly controlled and protected. Peripheral activities are those not critical to the companys competitive edge. Strategic outsourcing If supplier markets were totally reliable and efficient, rational companies would outsource everything except those special activities in which they could achieve a unique competitive edge, that is, their core competencies. Unfortunately, most supplier markets are, imperfect and do entails some risks for both buyer and seller with respect to price, quality, time, or other key dimensions. Moreover, outsourcing entails unique transaction costs searching, contracting, controlling, and recontracting that at times may exceed the transaction costs of having the activity directly under managements in-house control. To address these difficulties, managers must answer three key questions about any activity considered for outsourcing. First, what is the potential for obtaining competitive advantage in this activity, taking account of transaction costs? Second, what is the potential vulnerability that could arise from market failure if the activity is outsourced? Conceptually, these two factors ca n be arrayed In a simple matrix (see Exhibit 2). Third, what can we do to alleviate our vulnerability by structuring arrangements with suppliers to afford appropriate controls yet provide for necessary flexibilities in demand? The two extremes in exhibit 2 are relatively straightforward. When the potential for both competitive edge and strategic vulnerability is high, the company needs a high degree of control, usually entailing production internally or through joint ownership arrangements or tight long-term contracts (explicit or implicity). Marksk Spencer, for example, is famous for its network of tied suppliers, which create the unique brands and styles that underpin the retailers value reputation. Spot suppliers would be too unreliable and unlikely to meet the demanding standards that are Marks Spencers unique consumer franchise. Hence, close control of product quality, design, technology, and equipment through contracts and even financial support is essential. The opposite case is perhaps office cleaning, where little competitive edge is usually possible and there is an active and deep market of supplier firms. In between, there is a continuous range of activities requiring different degrees of control and strategic flexibility. At each Intervening point, the question is not just whether to make or buy, but how to implement a desired balance between independence and incentives for the supplier versus control and security for the buyer. Most companies will benefit by extending outsourcing first in less critical areas, or in parts of activities, like payroll, rather than all of accounting. As they gain experience, they may increase profit opportunities greatly by outsourcing more critical activities to noncompeting firms that can perform them more effectively independence and incentl,v In a few cases, more complex alliances with competitors may be essential to garner specialized skills that cannot be obtained in other ways. At each level, the company must isolate and rigorously control strategically critical relationships between its suppliers and its customers. Competitive edge The key strategic issue in insourcing versus outsourcing is whether a company can achieve a maintainable competitive edge by performing an activity internally usually cheaper, better, in a more timely fashion, or with some unique capability on a continuing basis. If one or more of these dimensions is critical to the customer and if the company can perform that function uniquely well, the activity should be kept in-house. Many companies unfortunately assume that because they have historically performed an activity internally, or because it seems integral to their business, the activity should be insourced. However, on closer investigation and with careful benchmarking, a companys internal capabilities may turn out to be significantly below those of best-in-world suppliers. Ford Motor Company, for example, found that many of its Internal suppliers quality practices and costs were nowhere near those of external suppliers when it began its famous best in class worldwide benchmarking studies on 400 subassemblies for the new Taurus-Sable line. A New York bank with extensive worldwide operations Investigated why its Federal Express costs were soaring and found that its Internal mall department took two days more than Federal Express to get a letter or package from the third floor to the fortieth floor of Its building. In interviews about benchmarking with top operating managers in both service and manufacturing companies, we frequently encountered some paraphrase of We thought we were the best in the world at many activities. But when we benchmarked against the best external suppliers, we found we were not even up to the worst of the benchmarking cases. Transaction costs In all calculations, analysts must include internal transaction costs as well as those associated with external sourcing. If the company is to produce the item or service internally on a long-term basis, it must back up its decision with continuing RD, personnel development, and infrastructure investments that at least match those of the best external supplier; otherwise, it will lose its competitive edge over time. Managers often tend to overlook such backup costs, as well as the losses from laggard innovation and unresponsiveness of internal groups that know they have a guaranteed market. Finally, there are the headquarters and support costs of constantly managing the insourced activity. One of the great gains of outsourcing is the decrease in executive time spent managing peripheral activities freeing top management to focus more on the core of Its business. Various studies have shown that when these internal transaction costs are thoroughly analyzed, they can be extremely high.(14) Since it is easier to identify the explicit transaction costs of dealing with external suppliers, these generally tend to be included in analyses. Harder-to-identify internal transaction costs, however, are often not included, thus biasing results. Vulnerability When there are many suppliers with adequate but not dominating scale) and mature market standards and terms, a potential buyer is unlikely to be more efficient than the best available supplier. If, on the other hand, there is not sufficient depth in the market, overly powerful suppliers can hold the company ransom. Conversely, if the number of suppliers is limited or individual suppliers are too weak, they may be unable to supply innovative products or services as well as a much larger buyer could by performing the activity in-house. While the activity or product might not be one of its core competencies, the company might nevertheless benefit by producing internally rather than undertaking the training, investment, and codesign expenses necessary to bring weak suppliers up to needed performance levels. Another form of vulnerability is the lack of information available in the marketplace or from individual suppliers., for example, a supplier may secretly expect labor disruptions or raw material problems, but hide these concerns until it is too late for the customer to go elsewhere. A related problem occurs when a supplier has unique information capabilities: for example, large wholesalers or retailers, market research firms, software companies, or legal specialists may have information or fact-gathering systems that would be impossible for the buyer or any other single supplier to reproduce efficiently. Such suppliers may be able to charge what are essentially monopoly prices, but purchasing from them could still be less costly than reproducing the service Internally. In other cases, there may be many capable suppliers (for example, in RD or software), but the costs of adequately monitoring progress on the suppliers, premises might make outsourcing prohibitive. Sometimes the whole structure of information in an industry will militate for or against outsourcing. Computing, for example, was largely kept in-house in Its early years because the information available to a buyer of computing services and Its ability to make judgments about such services were very different for the buying company (which knew very little) than for the supplier (which had excellent information). Many buyers lacked the competency either to assess or to monitor sellers, and feared loss of vital information. A company can outsource computing more easily today, in part because buyers, computer, technical management, and software knowhow are sufficient to make informed judgments about external suppliers. In addition to information anomalies, Stuckey and White note three types of asset specificity that commonly create market imperfections, calling for controlled sourcing solutions rather than relying on efficient markets.(15) These are: (1) site specificity, where sellers have located costly fixed assets in close proximity to the buyer, thus minimizing transport and inventory costs for a single supplier; (2) technical specificity, where one or both parties must invest in equipment that can be used only by the parties in conjunction with each other and has low value, in alternative uses; and (3) human capital specificity, where employees must develop in-depth skills that are specific to a particular buyer or customer relationship. Stuckey and White explain the outsourcing implications of information and specificity problems in the case of a bauxite mine and an alumina refiner. Refineries are usually located close to mines because of the high cost of transporting bauxite, relative to Its value. Refineries in turn are tuned to process the narrow set of physical properties associated with the particular mines bauxite. Different and highly specialized skills and assets are needed for refining versus mining. Access to Information further compounds problems., if an independent mine expects a strike, it is unlikely to share that information with its customers, unless there are strong incentives. As a result, the aluminum industry has moved toward vertical integration or strong bilateral joint ventures, as opposed to open outsourcing of bauxite supplies despite the apparent presence of a commodity product and many suppliers and sellers. In this case, issues of both competitive advantage and potential market failure dictate a higher degree of sourcing control. Degree of source control In deciding on a sourcing strategy for a particular segment of their business, managers have a wide range of control options the Exhibits 3 and 4 for the most basic). Where there is high potential both for vulnerability and for competitive edge, tight control is indicated (as in the bauxite case). At the opposite end is, say, office cleaning. Between these extremes are opportunities for developing special incentives or more complex oversight contracts to balance intermediate levels of vulnerability against more moderate prospects for competitive edge. Nikes multi-tier strategy offers an interesting example (see boxed insert on page 62). The practice and law of strategic alliances are rapidly developing new ways to deal with common control issues by establishing specified procedures that permit direct involvement in limited stages of a partners activities, without incurring either ownership arrangements or the loss of control inherent ln arms-length transactions. Flexibility versus control Within this framework, there is a constant tradeoff between flexibility and control. One of the main purposes of outsourcing is to have the supplier assume certain classes of investment and risk, such as demand variability. To optimize costs, the buying company may want to maintain its internal capacity at re atively constant levels despite highly fluctuating sales demands. Under these circumstances, it needs a surge strategy. McDonalds, for example, with $8billion in sales and 10.1 percent growth per year, needs to call in part-time and casual workers to handle extensive daily variations yet also be able to select its future permanent or managerial personnel from these people. IBM has had the opposite problem, since its core demand has been declining, the company has had to lay off employees. Yet it needs surge capacity for: (1) quick access to some former employees, basic skills; (2) available production capacity without the costs of supporting facilities full time; and (3) the ability to exploit strong outside parties specialized capabilities through temporary consortia for example, in applications software, microprocessors, network development, or factory automation. Strategically, McDonalds has created a pool of people available on call options, while IBM through spinouts of factories with baseload commitments to IBM, guaranteed consulting employment for key people, flexible joint venturts, and strategic alliances has created put options to handle surge needs as it downsizes and tries to turn around its business. There is a full spectrum of outsourcing arrangements, depending on the companys control and flexibility needs (see Exhibit 4). The issue is less whether to make or buy an activity than it is how to structure internal versus external sourcing on an optimal basis. Companies are outsourcing much more of what used to be considered either integral elements of their value chains or necessary staff activities. Because of greater complexity, higher specialization, and new technological capabilities, outside suppliers can now perform many such activities at lower cost and with higher value-added than a fully integrated company can. In some cases, new production technologies have moved manufacturing economies of scale toward the supplier. In others, service technologies have lowered transaction costs substantially, making it possible to specify, transport, store, and coordinate inputs from external sources so inexpensively that the balance of benefits has shifted from insourcing to outsourcing. In certain specialized niches, outside companies have grown to such size and sophistication that they have developed economies of scale, scope, and knowledge intensity so formidable that neither smaller nor more integrated producers can effectively compete with them (for example, ADP Services in payroll, and ServiceMaster in maintenance). To the extent that knowledge of a specific activity is more important than knowledge of the end product itself, specialized suppliers can often produce higher value-added at lower cost for that activity than almost any integrated company. Strategic benefits versus risks Too often companies look at outsourcing as a means to lower only short-term direct costs. However, through strategic outsourcing, companies can lower their long-term capital investments and leverage their key competencies significantly, as Apple and Nike have done. They can also force many types of risk and unwanted management problems onto suppliers. Gallo, the largest producer and distributor of wines in the United States, outsources most of its grapes, pushing the risks of weather, land prices, and labor problems onto its suppliers. Argyle Diamonds, one of the worlds largest diamond producers, outsources virtually all aspects of its operation except the crucial steps of separation and sorting of diamonds. It contracts all its huge earth-moving operations (to avoid capital and labor risks), its housing and food services for workers (to avoid confrontations on nonoperating issues), and much of its distribution (to De Beers to protect prices, to finance inventories, and to avoid the complications of worldwide distribution). By outsourcing to best-in-class suppliers in each case, it further ensures the quality and image of its operations. Important strategic benefits Strategically, outsourcing can provide the buyer with greater flexibility, especially in the purchase of rapidly developing new technologies, fashion goods, or the myriad components of complex systems. It reduces the companys design-cycle t

Overpopulation :: Human Population

During the first 2 million or so years of its history the human population was a minor element in the world ecosystem, with at most 10 million members. In the New Stone Age, less than 10,000 years ago, the number of humans began to increase more rapidly. The rough equilibrium maintained before Neolithic times gave way when the human population developed agriculture and animal husbandry and no longer had to spread out in search of game. With the abandonment of a hunting-gathering way of life and the rise of permanent settlements and eventually cities, the human population underwent dramatic growth. By the beginning of the Christian era it had reached 250 million, and by 1650, half a billion. Growth of population during 20th century was very rapid. In 1994 the total world population was estimated at about 5. 6 billion people. It increased nearly by 4 billions of people during past 100 years. The most significant world trend is that death rates are currently falling in poor and rich countries alike, while birthrates remain high in most poor countries and low in most rich ones. Exceptions are the generally higher death rates of Africa and the high birthrates of the rich oil-producing countries. The most populous countries, in descending order, are China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, and Russia. The U.S. population totaled about 260. 8 million in 1994. In the 1990s about 4. 1 million children were born annually in the United States, and more than 2. 1 million persons died yearly. The greater number of births is due in part to a fertility rate that has increased by nearly 20 percent since the mid-1980s. International immigration, both legal and illegal, is another major element in U.S. population growth. Legal immigration has recently amounted to about 1 million per year; illegal immigration is thought to be several hundred thousand. In China, the world's most populous country, the 1994 population was estimated at nearly 1. 2 billion, more than double the 1953 census population of 584 million in mainland China. China's annual increase has been estimated at 1. 1 percent annually. India's population of more than 911. 6 million people (1994 est.) is increasing faster than that of China, and if present trends continue, it will soon catch up with or surpass China. Since the disintegration of the USSR, Indonesia and Brazil are now the fourth and fifth most populous countries, with 1994 estimated populations of 199.

Free Richard III Essays: Richard III as a Rapist :: Free Essay Writer

Richard III as a Rapist Yes, King Richard/Duke of Gloucester masters the art of seduction in his wooing of Lady Anne. And when I say, "masters the art," I guess I mean that he achieves his conquest. But is seduction really the prevailing theme throughout Richard III? I propose that we be careful when we say that Richard is a great seducer, for is it seduction or rape when one's consent is not given? For instance, Lord Hastings, the Duke of Clarence, the young princes, Queen Margaret, and other seeming "seducees," were they seduced or forced? Most interesting to me, would be the Duke of Buckingham. I really can't determine which side of the issue he falls on. I would be most apt to consider him a disloyal, dishonest, money-grubbing, power mongerish, usurper if anything. And would almost admit that he could be conned into doing just about anything if there were to be some gain for his own. He begins his part in the play with thoughts of "atonement" (I.iii.36). He cries, "peace, peace, for shame! If not for charity" to the Queen Margaret when she beseeches him to "take heed of yonder dog [Richard]" (I.iii.272,288). Then when Richard asks him what Queen Margaret is saying, he replies with, "Nothing that I respect, my gracious Lord" (I.iii.294). THEN, what is up with his speech of loyalty to King Edward? He goes on and on about how if he should EVER be "cold in love," to the King and his family, then "deep, treacherous, and full of guile" should he be (I.iv.38-40). He goes straight from this loyalty to committing Lord Rivers, Lord Grey and Sir Thomas Vughan to prison. He rants and raves at the Cardinal for not tearing the young Duke of York from his mother's arms. Finally he engineers the death of Hastings with Gloucester/Richard and sets everything into motion for his coronation. Is he seduced, is he forced, or does he just do what he wishes on whim, hoping that in the end, everything will turn out for his ultimate gain? I suppose the answer to my question lies in the dialogue betwixt the newly crowned King Richard and Buckingham, when Buckingham is confronted with the assignment of killing the two young princes. If Buckingham could have made known his intentions to the King then we would know if he was a seducee, or a forced man.

John D. Rockefeller Essay -- Standard Oil Company Biography Essays

John D. Rockefeller John Davison Rockefeller (July 8, 1839 - May 23, 1937) was the guiding force behind the creation and development of the Standard Oil Company, which grew to dominate the oil industry and became one of the first big trusts in the United States, thus engendering much controversy and opposition regarding its business practices and form of organization. Rockefeller also was one of the first major philanthropists in the U.S., establishing several important foundations and donating a total of $540 million to charitable purposes. Rockefeller was born on farm at Richford, in Tioga County, New York, on July 8, 1839, the second of the six children of William A. and Eliza (Davison) Rockefeller. The family lived in modest circumstances. When he was a boy, the family moved to Moravia and later to Owego, New York, before going west to Ohio in 1853. The Rockefellers bought a house in Strongsville, near Cleveland, and John entered Central High School in Cleveland. While he was a student he rented a room in the city and joined the Erie Street Baptist Church, this later became the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church. Rockefeller started to work at the age of 16 as a clerk in a small produce firm. After that he formed a partnership in a grain commission house. Cleveland was a good place to organize "something big" in the oil business. There were two major east-west railroads in Cleveland. Also, Cleveland was on Lake Erie, which was big enough for large ships to harbor. This made it possible to transport the oil easily. Rockefeller was determined to make Cleveland the center of oil business. Before he was able to accomplish this feat, he would eventually create the largest oil company in the world in Cleveland, titled "Standar... ...he created are the Rockefeller Foundation, Rockefeller Institute, the General Education Board, and the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial. Today the Rockefeller name lives on through the institutions he founded. John D. Rockefeller started with very little, amassed a fortune, and then gave back to the country that made it possible for him to be so successful. To sum this all up Rockefeller created extremely successful companies, he used what are now corrupt methods in some aspects of his corporation building to get to the top. The success of the Standard Oil Company is credited to the fact that its owners ran them with great authority. In this very competitive time period, many new businesses were being formed. It took talented businessmen such as Rockefeller to get ahead and keep the companies running and make the fortunes that were made during this period.

Cinderella Not a Love Story Essay

A very common fairy tale that we have grown up hearing is the story of Cinderella, a poor girl whose dreams of marrying a prince and living happily ever after, finally comes true after many years of wishing upon a star. Individual writers of the â€Å"Cinderella† story may alter the story, but the general concept is always the same. This classic story has been told to millions of children and is known as a great romance. A romance is supposed to have suspense, anticipation, and a deep connection between the two characters that have and/or are falling in love with each other, and Cinderella is none of those. â€Å"Cinderella† is a great rags to riches story, but it is far from a romance. Cinderella is a 17 to 22 year old girl that suffers from an abusive home life. The abuse Cinderella suffers from is mainly verbal; however, some things in the story could defiantly be considered physical abuse. The abusive is inflicted by her two step-sisters and her step-mother. Since Cinderella’s mother died when she was a small child it is assumed that she looks to her step-mother for approval the way young girls look to their mother for approval. Depending on the version of â€Å"Cinderella† you read her father is either dead, or he is a spineless man who does not protect her from her step-mother and step-sisters. Do to the abusive living environment, Cinderella is looking for a way out, like any young girl would be, that is required to do all the house hold chores and is treated poorly. When Cinderella hears about the ball she wants to go, but deep inside her she knows that she will not be allowed. In Charles Perrault’s â€Å"Cinderillon† a fairy godm other appears, that helps Cinderella in going to the ball. Cinderella knows that if she makes a good impression on the prince that he may want to marry her, which would give her a way to escape her horrible living environment. In Perrault’s and may other version of â€Å"Cinderella† the prince and Cinderella dance until midnight they do not engage in any conversation nor do they kiss. They only simple of affection here is that the prince does not allow anyone to cut in there dancing. When the clock sticks midnight Cinderella leaves quickly because all the fairy godmothers magic is about to wear off. Cinderella accidently leaves behind a glass slipper. If Cinderella didn’t lose the glass slipper the story would be over. That does not show true love. The prince vows to marry the women the glass slipper fits. It’s hard to believe that in the whole kingdom that the slipper wouldn’t fit anyone else. A few things to think about here are what would have happened if the slipper did fit another and what if the slipper was not left. It is hard to believe that the prince loves Cinderella if he cannot recognize her without the glass slipper fitting her foot. In modern day that would be like saying that one’s husband cannot recognize her without her makeup on. If you love someone to the point that you want to share your life entire life with them then you should be able to recognize them regardless of minor changes such as dressed-up or just done rolling in the dirt.

Compare and Contrast for Montana 1948 Essay

Is it right to say a man with wealth and power can do whatever he wants? From the viewpoint of the novel â€Å"Montana 1948†, the answer is absolutely no. The novel has drawn a picture of Hayden family, the most respectful and dominating family in town, being thrown to chaos just because of the crime a family member committed. Even though two main characters in this novel, Frank and Wesley, share some similarities from their childhood environment, the three main contrasts between them lead them to different endings. Frank and Wesley grew up together and shared the same education background, therefore they are alike in their appearance, credentials, spouses choices, and prejudice attitudes. They are both tall, broad-shouldered and pleasant-looking. They are all intellectual people as Frank is a doctor and Wesley is a law school graduate. They both marry to two beautiful and highly-educated women from another town. We can see how alike they are from David’s observation: à ¢â‚¬Å"From that height I noticed something I had never noticed before. I noticed how the two men were brothers in posture and attitude (page 73)†. The significance of this quote is they resemble each other so closely that it’s not strange if they share the same attitude towards some matters. One specific example of this attitude is that they both have prejudice against Indian people, just like their father. Despite their similarities, David still respects and admires his uncle Frank more than his father Wesley. David claims: â€Å"It was the way I always felt when the two of them were together. Brothers naturally invite comparison, and when comparison was made between those two, my father was bound to suffer (page 24)†. From this quote, we understand that the more David admires about Frank, the more he feels sorry and disappointed in his father.. David has this feeling towards his father because as being compared to Wesley with his severely injured leg, Frank looks more well-built with an athletic grace that Wesley lacks. Moreover, Wesley doesn’t fit neither David’s ideal of what a sheriff should be nor his mother’s ideal at all. On the other hand, Frank is a genuine war hero, a dedicated doctor, his father’s favorite son, and a proud of Hayden family. Another difference between Wesley and Frank is the degree of their racism towards Indian people. Wesley doesn’t like Indian people because he thinks they are ignorant, lazy, and irresponsible. His racist reaction stops at the level that he forbid David to wear the moccasins that he received in his birthday. Regardless of that attitude, he treats Indians like human beings with generosity, kindness, and respect. Unlike Wesley, Frank doesn’t express any discrimination on the surface; he accepts treatments for all white and Indian patients. However, his racist attitude is expressed at a higher degree; he took advantage of his occupation to sexually molest many Indian women and even committed murder. The most important difference between them is that Wesley is brave and courageous to execute justice while Frank is too coward to take his responsibility. Facing Frank’s horrific crime, Wesley chooses to go after the truth by investigating the accusation. Although he is placed in a complicated situation that compromises his position as a sheriff and his position as a son and brother, his final decision is to stand up to his father to execute justice. Wesley states clearly his opinion: â€Å"David, I believe that in this world people must pay for their crimes. It doesn’t matter who you are or who your relations are; if you do wrong, you pay. I believe that. I have to (page 150)†. This quote explains how Wesley is thinking about the whole situation and why his final decision is to choose justice over family. Furthermore, it also indicates his opinion towards the rights and wrongs that Wesley wants David to understand. Contrary to Wesley, Frank doesn’t take any responsibility for what he did at all. When he molested those Indian women, he doesn’t think about the impact to his family at all. When his crime is revealed, he doesn’t even try to confess to either his parents or his wife. On top of that, he shows his cowardice by choosing suicide instead of being punished. He has never concerned about the shame and pain he might have brought to his family. Although Frank and Wesley grew up under the same childhood environment and had some similarities in characteristics, the contrasts between them set them apart. Frank committed crime and ended up with his death, while Wesley chose justice and ended up losing his family. Obviously, a man has to pay for what he did, no matter how powerful, influential, or wealthy he is.