Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Literary Analysis of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Essay

Literary Analysis of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Essay Example me time, Victor Frankenstein, the human doctor who created the monster, is easily accepted into society because of his humanness and his social status as a member of a respected family. However, he shuns society in his attempt to circumvent the ‘normal’ course of things and then proves himself monstrous in character as he sends his creation into the world defenseless and without the necessary tools for survival. Dr. Frankenstein receives warnings regarding the unnatural teachings of his early scientific teachers yet continues forward with his experiments until he progresses beyond the point of no return. The monster he creates is given little chance at goodness as he is first rejected by his creator and then refused companionship by this same creator. This comparison begs the question what is monstrous in which the author provides no definitive answer. Victor Frankenstein, the main protagonist in the novel, takes the concept of new technology to its ultimate limit. His main goal in life is to find a way to re-animate lifeless matter, taking on the role of creator. While he was creating his creature, Frankenstein could only envision something beautiful and wonderful despite the fact that his instructors had warned him of the unnatural teachings of the ‘pseudo-scientists’ he had admired in his earlier years. â€Å"The ancient teachers of this science,’ said he [Frankenstein’s first professor], ‘promised impossibilities, and performed nothing. The modern masters promise very little; they know that metals cannot be transmuted, and that the elixir of life is a chimera† (40). Frankenstein purposefully and intentionally turned his back on the natural world as a means of concentrating on discovering the secret of bringing life to inanimate material, a process in which he was â€Å"forced to spend d ays and night in vaults and charnel-houses. My attention was fixed upon every object the most insupportable to the delicacy of the human feelings† (45)

Monday, October 28, 2019

Unemployment Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Unemployment Discrimination Essay The downturn in the economy has resulted in a high percentage of long-term unemployed people. To combat the issue, legislatures are attempting to make it illegal nationwide for employers to post job openings that bar unemployed applicants, and by making unemployment a protected classification. As these proposed laws will impact businesses and how they operate, it is crucial for businesses, human resource professionals, and labor and employment counsel to understand the changing laws and the implications on employers with operations in each affected state. Once a better understanding of the anti-unemployment discrimination issue is gained, employers will be better prepared to comply with the existing and potential laws so as to avoid penalties. Findings will show that there are better ways to deal with the issue as opposed to making unemployed discrimination a protected classification. Research into the issue was derived from the National Conference of State Legislatures, law journals, legal updates, news articles, and statutes. By using these resources, it was discovered that proposed anti-unemployment discrimination laws are failing, that unemployment becomes an issue during times of economic crisis, and that existing federal and state laws already protect people from discrimination with respect to employment-related decisions. Findings from research indicate that there is no one method that can help improve the unemployment rate. Instead of making it illegal for employers to make hiring decisions while considering a person’s unemployment status, the government should work in conjunction with employers by offering incentives and training programs to help reduce the unemployment figures. Shouldn’t employers be able to consider an applicant’s unemployment status without being fearful of accusations of unemployment discrimination? Unfortunately, employers in certain states today can be penalized for refusing to hire job applicants if the hiring decision is based on an applicant’s unemployment status or if a job vacancy advertisement includes language that bars unemployed persons from applying. Within the past two years, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington, D. C. have enacted legislation that makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against job applicants based upon their unemployment status. Most recently, the State of New York has made unemployment status a protected trait. New York’s law will come into effect on June 11, 2013 (Morea, 2013). The economy and difficulty obtaining gainful employment can be frustrating for a lot of people today, but despite the issue, employers should always be able to select the strongest candidate for a job opening without having to fear allegations of unemployment discrimination. In essence, an employer should be afforded the right to select a candidate with relevant, recent employment history over a candidate that has been out of the workplace for a considerable amount of time, especially where an applicant has an inadequate explanation for gaps in employment. Despite New York’s stringent, pending statute that will authorize an individual to bring a private action for occurrences of joblessness discrimination, similar proposed laws are failing federally and state-wide (NCLS 2013). The failed legislative bills, along with the new anti-unemployment discrimination laws, are discussed at length below. The compelling reason behind the failure of proposed anti-unemployment discrimination laws is that there is strong sentiment that such laws, if passed, may expose companies to lawsuits, which in turn will likely cause employers to become even more selective in inviting candidates for interviews so as to avoid unemployment discrimination suits (Pear, 2011). An employer should always be able to consider a candidate’s length of unemployment as part of its big picture hiring strategy. It just makes business sense. For example, say that Company 2Y, LLP has a job opening in a demographic area where the unemployment figures are staggering. In response to its job posting, thousands of applications are received; however, only one candidate is needed to fill the position. In order to streamline the hiring process, Company 2Y, LLP is going to weed out any applications or resumes where an applicant does not possess recent, relevant experience. In this manner, Company 2Y, LLP is able to cull the staggering numbers of resumes down to those resumes of candidates that are currently employed in the same line of work. By doing this, Company 2Y, LLP will be able to limit the amount of people it invites for an interview, and will be assured it is getting a top-notch employee that is up to par with the latest technological advances and business practices in the given field. In all states aside from Oregon, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D. C. , this hiring scenario would be a legitimate practice so long as the company does not have any protocols in place that set out to disqualify applicants based on a protected characteristic such as race, disability or those candidates that are over age 40. As it stands, people already have laws protecting them from discriminatory practices with respect to employment, so why is there a need to make unemployment a protected characteristic, especially considering that it is a state of being and not a permanent trait such as one’s color, gender, race, national origin, age, or disability. As stated, there are already sufficient laws and administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and local state agencies such as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Department of Labor that are charged with combatting discriminatory animus in employment.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Descartes philosophy Essay -- essays research papers

Descartes’ â€Å"evil genius scenario† provides the possibility for the existence of an evil genius that is in control of our world in place on an omnipotent god. By in control, I mean that he would in some magical way compose our lives by his own will, thus making any certain knowledge about material objects impossible. This scenario presents some real questions with Descartes’ argument because it basically completely rules out the possibility of any god.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We are imagining that Dr. Spiritus has invaded a small rural hospital and has stolen the brains of several babies. He places the brains in a large vat, provides them with the essential nutrients as well as hooking them up to electrodes that feed the false images into their minds. These impulses that the doctor would distribute at his own will would make the babies brains think that they are actually in their bodies living their lives as normal people. The doctor would provide all the necessary experiences such as childhood, school, first love and etc. However since Dr. Spiritus is an evil genius, he feels it necessary to feed these minds the stimuli of pain, suffering, and disaster.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first question that arises is if it is possible to determine if one is not among Dr. Spiritus’ victims. According to Descartes, the answer is yes. Descartes states that God is an infinite, omnipotent, omniscient substance. He also says that humans are not capable of causing this thoug...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Novel: Victorian Women’s Guilty Pleasure Essay -- Victorian Era

The Novel: Victorian Women’s Guilty Pleasure Introduction Victorian single women in the middle and upper class were expected to explore charity and community service as a way to help the poor. The attitude of â€Å" rich are busy, poor can wait† was supposed to be overturned, so that a â€Å" poor are busy, rich can wait† attitude could alleviate the growing poverty within the lower class. Miss Crawley’s blatant disregard for the poor, in addition to her zealous behavior, would normally be shunned in Victorian society, but because of her status, her irate behavior is overlooked. Her love for French culture was unusual for a woman of her status, but French novels, along with various types of British â€Å" sensation† novels, were a popular form of entertainment among Victorian women. French Influence After the French Revolution of 1789, the British followed events in France very closely. British museums have an extensive collection of French artifacts, especially literature by Alexander Dumas and Emile Zola. The French novel was under much scrutiny, due to the French novelists love of realistically portraying dramatic, grotesque events in an erotic fashion. The novels portrayal of their heroines was shunned as well. â€Å"Their contents included tales of adultery, bigamy, passion, crime and general unladylike behavior and were especially disliked for the overt presentation of sexuality in their leading female characters† (â€Å" Women’s Reading Materials†) The French novel was easily identified by a distinct yellow cover, beautifully illustrated by Vincent Van Gogh in his painting â€Å"Parisian Novel (yellow books).† Unfortunately, the British Medical Journal â€Å" The Lancet† thought otherwise. French novels were deemed responsible for social â€Å" diseases† ... ...ly of society, providing women readers with women who live outside of their own realms of society. â€Å" The heroine of this class of novel is charming because she is undisciplined, and the victim of impulse; because she has never known restraint or has cast it aside, because in all these respects she is below the thoroughly trained and tried woman.† (Sensationalist reviews). Further Information http://www.womenwriters.net/domesticgoddess/wellreadlinks.htm http://www.worldreviews.com/BOOK0008_JAN2001.htm Works Cited Victorian Sensationalism Online http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~mactavis/vso/) French Literature (http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Literature/DF_literature5.shtml) Women’s Reading Material (http://www.nearwell.com/downloads/Chapter2_LC.doc) Sensationalist Review( http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~mactavis/vso/reviews/reviews.htm)

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower

Catherine Zulfer, a former employee of playboy filed a suit against them alleging that Playboy Enterprises violated provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The former employee reports that playboy retaliated against her for refusing to participate in fraudulent activity against Playboy’s shareholders (Katz, Marshall& Banks, LLP, 2013). Without receiving permission from the board of directors, Christopher Pachler, Chief Financial Officer, instructed Zulfer to gather one million dollars in bonuses for various corporate officers of the company.At that time Zulfer felt that Pachler was attempting to embezzle the money from the company, therefore she denied the request until it was approved by the board. Zulfer then informed Playboys General Counsel and the Securities and Exchange Commission of the request that was made by Pachler. Soon after Zulfer made the report, she claims that retaliation against her began. She was excluded from company meetings and discussions, crucial information to her position was withheld from her, and her accounting staff was diminishing (Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, 2013).On December 31, 2011 Zulfer was terminated, although Playboy describes it as a layoff. Issue: Did Playboy violate the whistleblower-protection provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (â€Å"SOX†)? Rule: The Playboy Company retaliated against Zulter for refusing to participate in fraud regarding the playboy shareholders. Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (SOX) one rule prohibits any employer from retaliation against and employee. Another rule is that under this law employees are protected when they speak of a wrongdoing within the workplace.â€Å"Under SOX, employers are strictly prohibited from retaliating against employees who report illegal or unethical conduct. Employees are also protected when making disclosures about shareholder fraud or violations of SEC rules and regulations. † (Halunen, p. 1, Para. 1) Analysis: Append reflecti on Zulter dismissal was retaliation against her by the playboy company, because she reported and activity of fraud with the playboy shareholders.In this case, Zulter was continually excluded from meetings and discussions, withholding crucial information she needed to carry out her corporate accounting responsibilities, and eliminating corporate accounting staff. Conclusion: In the end, the courts dismissed playboy’s argument reaffirming that under the bylaws of (SOX) employees are protected from employees from retaliation for reporting violations of â€Å"any rule of regulation of the SEC.Zulfer was protected under the SOX Act, whistle-blower‘s of publicly traded companies are protected. Employers are not supposed to retaliate or discriminate against employees in the terms and conditions of their employment. The plaintiff provided information regarding violations the company was participating in; the violations that can be of a federal fraud statute, a rule or regulati on of the SEC, or a provision of Federal law relating to fraud against shareholders.The team agrees that Zulfer was protected under the Act and that the Act is there to bring forth more white collar crimes that would not otherwise be disclosed if the was not there to protect and compensate. SOX promotes honesty without fear, the whistle-blower provisions of the SOX Act provides a general framework for ensuring that employees (including attorneys and auditors) disclose information which may harm investors. Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower Catherine Zulfer, a former employee of playboy filed a suit against them alleging that Playboy Enterprises violated provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The former employee reports that playboy retaliated against her for refusing to participate in fraudulent activity against Playboy’s shareholders (Katz, Marshall& Banks, LLP, 2013). Without receiving permission from the board of directors, Christopher Pachler, Chief Financial Officer, instructed Zulfer to gather one million dollars in bonuses for various corporate officers of the company.At that time Zulfer felt that Pachler was attempting to embezzle the money from the company, therefore she denied the request until it was approved by the board. Zulfer then informed Playboys General Counsel and the Securities and Exchange Commission of the request that was made by Pachler. Soon after Zulfer made the report, she claims that retaliation against her began. She was excluded from company meetings and discussions, crucial information to her position was withheld from her, and her accounting staff was diminishing (Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, 2013).On December 31, 2011 Zulfer was terminated, although Playboy describes it as a layoff. Issue: Did Playboy violate the whistleblower-protection provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (â€Å"SOX†)? Rule: The Playboy Company retaliated against Zulter for refusing to participate in fraud regarding the playboy shareholders. Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (SOX) one rule prohibits any employer from retaliation against and employee. Another rule is that under this law employees are protected when they speak of a wrongdoing within the workplace.â€Å"Under SOX, employers are strictly prohibited from retaliating against employees who report illegal or unethical conduct. Employees are also protected when making disclosures about shareholder fraud or violations of SEC rules and regulations. † (Halunen, p. 1, Para. 1) Analysis: Append reflecti on Zulter dismissal was retaliation against her by the playboy company, because she reported and activity of fraud with the playboy shareholders.In this case, Zulter was continually excluded from meetings and discussions, withholding crucial information she needed to carry out her corporate accounting responsibilities, and eliminating corporate accounting staff. Conclusion: In the end, the courts dismissed playboy’s argument reaffirming that under the bylaws of (SOX) employees are protected from employees from retaliation for reporting violations of â€Å"any rule of regulation of the SEC.Zulfer was protected under the SOX Act, whistle-blower‘s of publicly traded companies are protected. Employers are not supposed to retaliate or discriminate against employees in the terms and conditions of their employment. The plaintiff provided information regarding violations the company was participating in; the violations that can be of a federal fraud statute, a rule or regulati on of the SEC, or a provision of Federal law relating to fraud against shareholders.The team agrees that Zulfer was protected under the Act and that the Act is there to bring forth more white collar crimes that would not otherwise be disclosed if the was not there to protect and compensate. SOX promotes honesty without fear, the whistle-blower provisions of the SOX Act provides a general framework for ensuring that employees (including attorneys and auditors) disclose information which may harm investors.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

How to Prepare for Retirement While Youre Young

How to Prepare for Retirement While Youre Young I know, you don’t think you need to think about retirement yet. But trust me, it sneaks up on you. You’re probably already behind. Rather than being overwhelmed, focus on a few simple things you can do this year to make sure you have the life you’ve always dreamed of in your sunset years. Eat Right and ExerciseKeeping up your health is half the battle. What good is retirement, after all, if you’re too sick to enjoy it? Fight off obesity, your risk of heart disease, and diabetes. Being healthy and active will improve your quality of life, and it will save you a small fortune in health care costs.Save SmartJust shaving off bits of every paycheck and dumping them into a savings account isn’t going to cut it. Try funding your 401k to the max- this is free money courtesy of your employer! Taking more out of your paycheck will also save you on annual income tax. And, if you have the means, try buying property to generate more income- or even remodeling yo ur house to include a rentable unit for a little extra cash.Know Where You’ll BeHave a home with equity, but very little savings? You won’t have access to your biggest assets to pay your monthly bills. To get greater access, consider selling your house and downsizing to a smaller property, renting out a spare room, or refinancing your loan or mortgage. You might even qualify for a reverse mortgage and be able to convert your home equity into cash.Know Where Your Money IsYou’ve worked so hard for your retirement savings. Make sure you know what your money is doing- and whether it could be doing better. Meet with an advisor for a once-a-year review of your funds, just like you see your doctor for an annual physical.Make a Bucket ListDon’t get all the way to your retirement and then have no idea how to spend your time. Stave off the potential loneliness and boredom by making sure you have a list of things to do with yourself- projects and trips and plans you never had time for in your working years.The 5 Resolutions You Need To Make If You Ever Want To Retire

Monday, October 21, 2019

A Brief History of the Cuban Revolution

A Brief History of the Cuban Revolution In the final days of 1958, ragged rebels began the process of driving out forces loyal to Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. By New Year’s Day 1959, the nation was theirs, and Fidel Castro, Chà © Guevara, Raà ºl Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos, and their companions rode triumphantly into Havana and history. The revolution began long before, however, and the eventual rebel triumph was the result of many years of hardship, guerrilla warfare, and propaganda battles. Transcendental Graphics / Getty Images Batista Seizes Power The revolution began in 1952 when former Army Sergeant Fulgencio Batista seized power during a hotly contested election. Batista had been president from 1940 to 1944 and ran for president in 1952. When it became apparent that he would lose, he seized power before the elections, which were canceled. Many people in Cuba were disgusted by his power grab, preferring Cuba’s democracy, as flawed as it was. One such person was rising political star Fidel Castro, who would likely have won a seat in Congress had the 1952 elections taken place. Castro immediately began plotting Batista’s downfall. Assault on Moncada On the morning of July 26, 1953, Castro made his move. For a revolution to succeed, he needed weapons, and he selected the isolated Moncada barracks as his target. 138 men attacked the compound at dawn: it was hoped that the element of surprise would make up for the rebels’ lack of numbers and arms. The attack was a fiasco almost from the start, and the rebels were routed after a firefight that lasted a few hours. Many were captured. Nineteen federal soldiers were killed; the remaining ones took out their anger on captured rebels, and most of them were shot. Fidel and Raul Castro escaped  but were captured later. 'History Will Absolve Me' The Castros and surviving rebels were put on public trial. Fidel, a trained lawyer, turned the tables on the Batista dictatorship by making the trial about the power grab. Basically, his argument was that as a loyal Cuban, he had taken up arms against the dictatorship because it was his civic duty. He made long speeches and the government belatedly tried to shut him up by claiming he was too ill to attend his own trial. His most famous quote from the trial was, â€Å"History will absolve me.† He was sentenced to 15 years in prison  but had become a nationally recognized figure and a hero to many poor Cubans. Mexico and the Granma In May 1955 the Batista government, bending to international pressure to reform, released many political prisoners, including those who had taken part in the Moncada assault. Fidel and Raul Castro went to Mexico to regroup and plan the next step in the revolution. There they met up with many disaffected Cuban exiles who joined the new â€Å"26th of July Movement,† named after the date of the Moncada assault. Among the new recruits were charismatic Cuban exile Camilo Cienfuegos and Argentine doctor Ernesto â€Å"Chà ©Ã¢â‚¬  Guevara. In November  1956, 82 men crowded onto the tiny yacht Granma and set sail for Cuba and revolution. In the Highlands Batista’s men had learned of the returning rebels and ambushed them. Fidel and Raul made it into the wooded central highlands with only a handful of survivors from Mexico; Cienfuegos and Guevara were among them. In the impenetrable highlands, the rebels regrouped, attracting new members, collecting weapons, and staging guerrilla attacks on military targets. Try as he might, Batista could not root them out. The leaders of the revolution permitted foreign journalists to visit and interviews with them were published around the world. The Movement Gains Strength As the July 26th movement gained power in the mountains, other rebel groups took up the fight as well. In the cities, rebel groups loosely allied with Castro carried out hit-and-run attacks and nearly succeeded in assassinating Batista. Batista decided on a bold move: he sent a large portion of his army into the highlands in the summer of 1958 to try and flush out Castro once and for all. The move backfired: the nimble rebels carried out guerrilla attacks on the soldiers, many of whom switched sides or deserted. By the end of 1958, Castro was ready to deliver the knockout punch. Underwood Archives / Getty Images Castro Tightens the Noose In late 1958 Castro divided his forces, sending Cienfuegos and Guevara into the plains with small armies; Castro followed them with the remaining rebels. The rebels captured towns and villages along the way, where they were greeted as liberators. Cienfuegos captured the small garrison at Yaguajay on Dec. 30. Defying the odds, Guevara and 300 weary rebels defeated a much larger force at the city of Santa Clara on December 28–30, capturing valuable munitions in the process. Meanwhile, government officials were negotiating with Castro, trying to salvage the situation and halt the bloodshed. Victory for the Revolution Batista and his inner circle, seeing that Castro’s victory was inevitable, took what loot they could gather up and fled. Batista authorized some of his subordinates to deal with Castro and the rebels. The people of Cuba took to the streets, joyfully greeting the rebels. Cienfuegos and Guevara and their men entered Havana on January 2nd and disarmed the remaining military installations. Castro made his way into Havana slowly, pausing in every town, city, and village along the way to give speeches to the cheering crowds, finally entering Havana on January 9th. Aftermath and Legacy The Castro brothers quickly consolidated their power, sweeping away all remnants of the Batista regime and muscling out all of the rival rebel groups that had aided them in their rise to power. Raul Castro and Chà © Guevara were put in charge of organizing squads to bring to trial and execute Batista era war criminals who had engaged in torture and murder under the old regime. Although Castro first positioned himself as a nationalist, he soon gravitated toward communism and openly courted the leaders of the Soviet Union. Communist Cuba would be a thorn in the side of the United States for decades, triggering international incidents such as the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The United States imposed a trade embargo in 1962 that led to years of hardship for the Cuban people. Under Castro, Cuba has become a player on the international stage. The prime example is its intervention in Angola: thousands of Cuban troops were sent there in the 1970s to support a leftist movement. The Cuban revolution inspired revolutionaries throughout Latin America as idealistic young men and women took up arms to try and change hated governments for new ones. The results were mixed. In Nicaragua, rebel Sandinistas eventually did overthrow the government and come to power. In the southern part of South America, the upswing in Marxist revolutionary groups such as Chiles MIR and Uruguays Tupamaros led to right-wing military governments seizing power; Chilean dictator  Augusto Pinochet is a prime example. Working together through Operation Condor, these repressive governments waged a war of terror on their own citizens. The Marxist rebellions were stamped out, but many innocent civilians died as well. Cuba and the United States, meanwhile, maintained an antagonistic relationship well into the first decade of the 21st century. Waves of migrants fled the island nation over the years, transforming the ethnic makeup of Miami and South Florida; in 1980 alone, more than 125,000 Cubans fled in makeshift boats in what came to be known as the Mariel Boatlift. After Fidel In 2008, the aging Fidel Castro stepped down as president of Cuba, installing his brother Raul in power. During the next five years, the government gradually loosened its tight restrictions on foreign travel and also began allowing some private economic activity among its citizens. The U.S. also began to engage Cuba under the direction of President Barack Obama, and by 2015 announced that the long-standing embargo would gradually be loosened.   The announcement resulted in a surge of travel from the U.S. to Cuba and more cultural exchanges between the two nations. However, with the election of Donald Trump as president in 2016, the relationship between the two countries is in flux. Fidel Castro died on Nov. 25, 2016.  Raà ºl Castro announced municipal elections for October 2017, and Cubas National Assembly officially confirmed Miguel Dà ­az-Canel as Cuba’s new head of state.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Gourds and Their Uses essays

Gourds and Their Uses essays Gourds have been useful to civilization for years. The gourd, a family member of squash, cucumbers and pumpkins, have been used for centuries even including B.C.. Natives found the gourd most useful for ritual, and everyday uses. There are many different kinds of gourds that have been used for different purposes, and many different places where wild gourds can be found. Just the color of a gourd can determine the power it has in a religious purpose, and the shape also can determine what purposes the gourd will serve. A gourd, also called a Cucurbitaceae because of its family, is most popular for the use of everyday uses. For example, gourds have been used for storage, canteens, utensils, and even ornaments. When the gourd is painted, waxed, and carved it is known as the sacred or sprit keeper, according to ancient beliefs. In the past when gourds where first founded in the wild, the Woodlands Indian Nations used gourds for daily routines. Later into the years, the early settlers discovered the true value of gourds such as using them for Used as floats by the Africans, gourds have helped people from traveling to surviving. When used as utensils, the gourd would be cut precisely with a arrangement of sharp tips at the end to stab the item they were trying to kill or eat. The tips were usually jagged, because the supplies these people had to cut the gourd were insufficient. The thinner the gourd, the easier the shell is to break while carving. On the other hand, the thicker the gourd, the harder it is to carve, which also causes breaking. Gourds have also been used for spiritual reasons. The common name for these gourds are called Spirit Herd Gourds, and are carved and painted with the symbols of sacred horses. Inspired by the Cherokee heritage, these gourds represent their guardians and ancient spirits. When black horses are painted on the gourd, this represents the ...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Feminist Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Feminist - Assignment Example The devaluation of nurturan work is one of the most widespread forms of the feminization of poverty, and encompasses a wide array of different issues. The most simple of these is the simple fact that nurturant work, though highly skilled in many respects, provides only minimal income to people practicing it. Often nurturant work is given to people too young to legally work, for instance, in the form of baby-sitting, and thus often usually pays far below minimum wage because of its unregulated aspect, as well as the fact that the people engaging in this form of work often cannot find other work due to their age and are willing to take very low paying jobs. The pattern of nurturant work being undervalued, however, is not simply limited to young people making less than minimum wage, but continues in all stages of life. Nannies and operators of daycare are often highly skilled people with years of experience, needing to hold certification in infant CPR, early childhood development and so metimes education, yet despite these facts are often paid significantly less than someone doing unskilled hard labor such as construction, and far less money than other skilled trades such as carpentry or plumbing. The simplest way nurturant work is devalued is simply the fact that people are unwilling to pay the amount for it that its skill level demands. While the underpayment of people employed in nurturant work is one of the simplest ways nurturant work is undervalued, nurturant work’s devaluation within the welfare system is far more sinister and dangerous in the long term. Despite wide-spread knowledge of the importance in properly raising children (conservative governments who slash welfare systems are often the most ardent defenders of the needs for women to raise children) welfare systems consistently refuse to recognize the raising of one’s own children as a valuable form of work to society. Many welfare systems around the world have a form of â€Å"work req uirement† based on the notion that if people were not forced to work long hours at useless jobs at below minimum wage to be able to get their welfare check, they would simply stop working and enter the welfare system out of sloth. These systems, however, tend to make no recourse for parents raising children of their own, forcing them to spend long hours away from home, making it impossible for them to raise their children as they want to. Through these systems governments are essentially saying that nurturant work is not actually work, and not actually valuable to society in any way. Though these types of oppressive welfare systems obviously affect parents of all genders, as women tend to be parents and single parents at a higher rate than men welfare systems tend to be disproportionately oppressive towards women. Emerging as they do from hetero-patriarchal governments that dominate the world, it is unsurprising that welfare systems intrinsically devalue nurturant work, one of the definitive forms of feminine work. Even for women who do not have to rely on the welfare system, however, systems of oppression operate to devalue nurturant work and force women to, because of nurturant roles, have significantly less earnings potential and stay in or close to poverty. The United States is one of the worst countries in the world in enforcing equity for people who must provide nurturant care, only forcing employers to grant

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Relationship between Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence Research Paper

The Relationship between Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence - Research Paper Example The strong bond of man to animals shows the capacity of the former to create meaningful bonds with other creatures not at the same step in the ladder of the intelligence hierarchy. Also, the positive effects of animals on human behavior became numerous as time progressed, which eventually lead to the creation of a new branch of sociology called environmental sociology, which deals with the relationship of the environment and the society (Zilney 1). Within the familial relationships that are abusive in nature, various kinds of cruelty are reported to exist. These would include emotional, physical, sexual, financial, and deliberate animal abuse (Taylor). Not only would one parent be suffering from either one of the abuses, but also the pain would resonate to other members of the household, including the children or pets. The perpetrator would most likely take down the weakest members of the household such as the pets in order to control the other victims (Brimer 654). However, because of the possible imprisonment that domestic violence could do to the abuser, the anger and aggression is instead turned to the animals instead, to further silence the other victims regarding the abuse. This makes it easier to detect animal abuse than domestic violence because even when the children or the abused parent are hidden from authorities, there are high chances that the neighbors would be witnessing such violence being done to the animals. Also, even without the presence of law enforcement officers, visiting veterinarians could assess if the animals are properly kept or not, thus further strengthening suspicions of domestic abuse (Ascione and Shapiro 571). It is also helpful to ask victims of abuse about their pets and how they interact with the abuser, because these victims may not be able to tell authorities right away about what they experience. By asking about their pets, law enforcement officers could identify if the abuse is not limited to the animal alone, which is mo re likely the case. Thus, by starting the interrogations from the treatment of animals, it can be expected that the victims would eventually confess to being abused themselves, thus implicating the abuser not just in hurting pets, but also other members in the family unit. With this in light, while the strength of the assumption that performing animal abuse itself causes domestic violence in the future, it is implicitly confirmed by researchers that animal abuse is highly correlated with domestic violence and therefore can be used to predict the abuser’s violent history as well as violence in the abuser’s future. Why the Study of Human-Animal Relationships went at a Slow Pace The relevance of understanding human relationships with non-humans were said to give additional insights to the need to study how the interactions of numerous creatures to men were able to help shape mankind’s behavior and culture (Zilney 6). Because of this notion, ethical lectures during the period of enlightenment by Immanuel Kant became ingrained sturdily in how men should treat animals. Kant was said to have mentioned that people who are cruel to animals are also cruel in dealing with other people (Linzey 1). Also, being abusive to weaker creatures become

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

Article analysis - Essay Example To build his argument he mentions the positive side of Fox stand. However, Bauder does not forget to mention the need of airing news that is unpleasant to the ears of its audience. He leaves the reader wondering about his stand on the debate when he takes on the opponent’s side. Towards the end of the article, Bauder takes the proposing stand to argue out his point in the article. Bauder gives support to his argument in several ways. Throughout the article, Bauder uses questions to drive his argument. Further, the use of quotation helps the reader to identify the stand of Bauder in the article. Rhetoric statements characterize the argument pointing out the cause of disagreement in the article. He compares the airtime given to Iraqi war by other channel using statistics. He sites 20% by CNN, 18% by MSNBC and 6% daytime news hole. It is probable that figures are assertive than mere use of words. He manages to use contradictory statements to exemplify his forth and back framing of his argument. This might challenge a reader who does not follow the argument. Bauder’s uses illustrative statement throughout the article to attest his argument. For example, ‘’certain folks don’t want bad news† helps to illustrate his point. This is a strategy since it sparks emotion of the reader, thus influencing readers stand on the point of argument. Another strategy that he employs in his article is the frequent use of questions to influence the stand of the reader. â€Å"So how to explain the divergent priorities?† The use of questions probably points the need to have a divergent view over the news to put in air. He effectively illustrates a situation of divergent views in the society. Moreover, he argued it is less rewarding to dwell on negative things. The central idea in his argument is the audience of they intend to serve. He points out that their intention is to give priority to the likes of their viewers. He believes

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Roman Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Roman Identity - Essay Example Traditions were supported with the mos maiorum. According to tradition the father was the one who made decisions in the family. These decisions were as basic as acknowledging parentage when a baby was born to deciding who his children would marry. In a larger sense Roman society had identity defined by where they were (Alban vs. Roman, etc.), city names and traditions specific to cities. In Livy's book one, the first paragraph shows how the Romans took their beliefs seriously especially when it came to hospitality: "To begin with, it is generally admitted that after the capture of Troy, whilst the rest of the Trojans were massacred, against two of them--Aeneas and Antenor--the Achivi refused to exercise the rights of war, partly owing to old ties of hospitality". (Livy, 1.1) Rules, written or unwritten were important to the Romans. Later in the first chapter Livy records how the issue of hospitality reared its head again when Romulus invited all the nearest peoples to a celebration. When the people were in his city they were invited into Roman homes throughout the city. A signal was given and Roman youths carried away the unmarried women. Of course this made a lot of people upset and Romulus was accused of violating the rules of hospitality: maidens retired, complaining of the violated compact of hospitality, and invoking the god, to whose solemn festival and games they had come, having been deceived by the pretence of religion and good faith." (Livy 1.) The compact of hospitality shows commitment of the Romans and their guests to certain rules, principals, or values. By ordering the women carried off Romulus was, in fact, violating the rights of the fathers to decide who their daughters would marry (called patria potestas). This was Romulus' attempt to solve the problem of too few women in his community. It was paterfamilias that gave the father this right to rule over his family. Roman society outside the home was an extension of paterfamilias. Outside the family the Romans belonged to a patron who took care of his charges during good and bad times. This patron in turn received the support of his charges. The selection is quoted to show how committed the people of that time were to their beliefs, religion, and good faith and how their beliefs/laws were violated. The Rome that Livy writes about contains numerous examples of how important family values were. Rome's growth was physical and moral. The Romans were caught up in the beauty of their land and the love for their families: "Before they had become united in spirit by commitment to wives and children and by love for the soil the nation not yet grown up, would have been torn apart by dissension" (Livy, 2.1) The challenge to maintain the values and virtues of Roman society was met with temptations and excesses. Many Romans fell to these temptations: "There has never been any state grander, purer, or richer in good examples, or one into which greed and luxury gained entrance so late" (Preface) "Among the Roman youth there were several of high birth who had lived under the monarchy a more irresponsible and pleasure seeking lifemissed the license that had been theirs and with everyone now enjoying equal rights they began to complain

Race and gender assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Race and gender - Assignment Example But Crashs weaknesses far outweigh its strengths. It fails to delineate and explain the differences between forms of bias found in different communities, reduces discussions of race to discussions of feeling and bias, ignores social institutions and different access to privilege and resources, and focuses discussion on race while masking other important factors such as class and gender. Jensen and Wosnitzer explain, â€Å"The central theme of the film is simple: Everyone is prejudiced -- black, white, Asian, Iranian and, we assume, anyone from any other racial or ethnic group. We all carry around racial/ethnic baggage that’s packed with unfair stereotypes, long-stewing grievances, raw anger, and crazy fears. Even when we think we have made progress, we find ourselves caught in frustratingly complex racial webs from which we can’t seem to get untangled†. This is a fair enough point, but is it true? Is everyone equally embroiled? No. Internalized racism is certainly a problem, as is racialized resentment towards a dominant class (e.g. whites, men, etc.) But not all groups are made equal when it comes to their expression of racism and bias. Blacks express the desire to live in integrated communities overwhelmingly; it is whites who are opposed (Defina). Further, more subtly, there is a big difference between the prejudiced attitudes of those who are the oppressed, the underdogs, of societys social structure, and the attitudes of those who are on top. It is the difference between the hatred that the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto felt for the Nazis and the hatred the Nazis felt for the Jews. The hatred might be equally virulent and violent, but the first is defensive and is in response to the perceived actions of the second. The Jews did not think that Nazis were genetically or culturally inferior, vermin who needed to be extinguished; blacks did not think whites were too stupid to manage their own affairs and deserved to be enslaved. It is the dominant group that

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Roman Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Roman Identity - Essay Example Traditions were supported with the mos maiorum. According to tradition the father was the one who made decisions in the family. These decisions were as basic as acknowledging parentage when a baby was born to deciding who his children would marry. In a larger sense Roman society had identity defined by where they were (Alban vs. Roman, etc.), city names and traditions specific to cities. In Livy's book one, the first paragraph shows how the Romans took their beliefs seriously especially when it came to hospitality: "To begin with, it is generally admitted that after the capture of Troy, whilst the rest of the Trojans were massacred, against two of them--Aeneas and Antenor--the Achivi refused to exercise the rights of war, partly owing to old ties of hospitality". (Livy, 1.1) Rules, written or unwritten were important to the Romans. Later in the first chapter Livy records how the issue of hospitality reared its head again when Romulus invited all the nearest peoples to a celebration. When the people were in his city they were invited into Roman homes throughout the city. A signal was given and Roman youths carried away the unmarried women. Of course this made a lot of people upset and Romulus was accused of violating the rules of hospitality: maidens retired, complaining of the violated compact of hospitality, and invoking the god, to whose solemn festival and games they had come, having been deceived by the pretence of religion and good faith." (Livy 1.) The compact of hospitality shows commitment of the Romans and their guests to certain rules, principals, or values. By ordering the women carried off Romulus was, in fact, violating the rights of the fathers to decide who their daughters would marry (called patria potestas). This was Romulus' attempt to solve the problem of too few women in his community. It was paterfamilias that gave the father this right to rule over his family. Roman society outside the home was an extension of paterfamilias. Outside the family the Romans belonged to a patron who took care of his charges during good and bad times. This patron in turn received the support of his charges. The selection is quoted to show how committed the people of that time were to their beliefs, religion, and good faith and how their beliefs/laws were violated. The Rome that Livy writes about contains numerous examples of how important family values were. Rome's growth was physical and moral. The Romans were caught up in the beauty of their land and the love for their families: "Before they had become united in spirit by commitment to wives and children and by love for the soil the nation not yet grown up, would have been torn apart by dissension" (Livy, 2.1) The challenge to maintain the values and virtues of Roman society was met with temptations and excesses. Many Romans fell to these temptations: "There has never been any state grander, purer, or richer in good examples, or one into which greed and luxury gained entrance so late" (Preface) "Among the Roman youth there were several of high birth who had lived under the monarchy a more irresponsible and pleasure seeking lifemissed the license that had been theirs and with everyone now enjoying equal rights they began to complain

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Joyce Carol Oates' in the region of ice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Joyce Carol Oates' in the region of ice - Essay Example The story also can be viewed as the footprints of the great changes that were taking place in the US society. Indeed Joyce Carol Oates depicts the details of the convent life of the era. This is the depiction of the era that entrepreneurs a trend to oppose any form of repression existing in any form of the society. The fact that Sister Irene, the nun of the story runs off to solve her student Alan’s problem refers to the socializing trend in the activities of the Church. This is the modern trend in the profession of religious personnel as Sister Irene in her modern outfit wearing an abbreviated veil represents the young nuns of the late 60s or 70s. Also the story puts a serious question for it readers whether the rules and regulations that apparently ignore the human instincts are validated enough. The arousal of the carnal instincts of the nun by a psychotic boy clearly indicates the failure of religion as to the repression of the human instincts. If approached from a psychoanalytic point of view the story yields an interpretation of the inner core of human mind. It seems to me that the nun is carried away with her student’s problem because of the reason that he represents her male â€Å"other† in many ways. In the story Allan appears to be impulsive, unreasonable, and rebellious. Sister Irene’s passion for the student can be viewed as her charm for her â€Å"self† that is revealed in Allan’s character. She sees herself that is proud, egoistic, rebellious, impulsive, etc, in him. On this point Allan can be viewed as the forbidden aspect of herself. I think, though the story, â€Å"In the Region of Ice† is a well thought story laden with psychoanalytical implications of human mind, it seems that the skeleton of the story is yet to be fleshed out with the details of its characters. The characters seem to be more of sketches than of full fledged

Nissan Report Essay Example for Free

Nissan Report Essay Company Overview Established in Yokohama, Kanagawa in 1933, Nissan Motors Co. Ltd currently manufactures vehicles in 20 countries and areas around the world, including Japan. Global unit sales in fiscal 2009 totalled 3.515 million vehicles. In addition to vehicles, Nissan also develops, manufactures and markets marine equipment. Nissan has a portfolio of two brands, NISSAN and INFINITI, worldwide. NISSAN vehicles are marketed in all major market worldwide. INFINITI was launched as a luxury car brand in North America in 1989. The INFINITI brand has since expanded to Middle East, Korea and Europe, and will continue to enter into new markets globally. Nissan builds high-quality cars that are safe and have the bold design and innovative technology to satisfy our customers’ needs. Vision Nissan: Enriching People’s Lives Mission statement Nissan provides unique and innovative automotive products and services that deliver superior measurable values to all stakeholders* in alliance with Renault. Long term goal Nissan wants to continue its quest to optimize product development and deliver highly innovative technology. Today, in various countries and regions around the world, they enjoy a stellar reputation for creating truly innovative vehicles and service programs. Short term goal The world is changing, and Nissan is adapting with it. Their short term goals are to harness the power thats inside Nissan to prepare solutions that their customers will want and value, now and in the years to come. Solutions such as: electric and fuel cell vehicles that are attractive, fun-to-drive cars with the appealing benefit of zero emissions; global entry cars that make mobility more accessible and affordable for all; and Innovative technological advances that are good for the environment, enhance safety, improve dynamic performance or provide greater life-on-board satisfaction. Organisational structure Nissan places high value on transparency, both internally and externally, in its corporate management. They focus consistently on the implementation of efficient management for the purpose of achieving clear and quantifiable commitments. In line with this principle, and in accordance with Japan’s Company Law and its related regulations, the Board of Directors has decided on the Internal Control Systems to pursue these goals and on its own basic policy. The board continually monitors the implementation status of these systems and the policy, making adjustments and improvements as necessary. One board member has also been assigned to oversee the Internal Control Systems as a whole. Nissan has adopted a system under which the Board of Statutory Auditors oversees the Board of Directors. The Statutory Auditors attend board and other key meetings, and also carry out interviews with board members to audit their activities. The Statutory Auditors regularly receive reports on the results of inspections and plans for future audits from independent accounting auditors, as well as exchange information to confirm these reports. The Statutory Auditors also receive regular reports from the Japan Internal Audit Office, making use of this information for their own audits. The organisational structure could also be explained with the help of the following diagram Here the Board of Directors overlooks the working of the CEO and President who is Carlos Ghosn. The CEO overlooks the working of the branch managers in various locations. Each branch manager handles a groups o VP marketing, VP production, VP finance, VP Public Relations, and VP Human Resource. Organisational Behaviour Nissan is deploying various activities under the banner of Blue Citizenship, which encapsulates their desire to preserve the blue Earth and to be a corporate citizen in harmonious coexistence with people and society. Those activities range from such global issues as the environment to contributing to communities, promoting diversity and making personal mobility available to as many people as possible. SUSTAINABILITY Nissan Green Program The history of Nissan taking environmental measures goes as far back as 1947. Since 1992, abiding to our environmental philosophy Symbiosis of People, Vehicle, and Nature, we have as an enterprise, been accelerating the activities pertaining to the said philosophy. At present we are promoting our mid-term environmental plan Nissan Green Program 2010, identifying the 3 crucial issues, and setting the ultimate goals of reducing CO2 emissions, cleaner (conservation of the atmosphere/water/earth) emissions, and resource circulation (the promoting of the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle). We are furthering our measures to achieve these goals. The 4 optimums, Nissan’s Powertrain Road Map In order to steadily reduce CO2 emissions, Nissan sees the total contribution of providing truthfully effective technology at an affordable price to its clients, while at the same time swiftly propagating these technologies, as crucial. That said, we believe the 4 optimums Investment in the optimum technology that fits the market needs, at the opportune moment, at the best value for the clients, as the basis of technology investment. Based on these 4 optimums, we will not only ultimately heighten the engine efficiency of petrol motor vehicles, but also proceed with the development and  investment of electrical vehicles which are zero-emission vehicles. Measures for a zero-emission vehicle For vehicle manufacturers, the best long-term policy that both creates demand and protects the environment, is to created a zero-emission vehicle that has no negative effects toward the environment. The Renault-Nissan Alliance sees the propagation and investment in electrical vehicles, which are zero-emission vehicles, as central to the corporate strategy, and committed to become a leader through electrical vehicles. The electrical vehicles that are being developed in Nissan will be introduced in the United States, Europe as well as in Japan in FY2010. By FY2012, there are plans to globally merchandise them. Lithium-ion Batteries Nissan had, at an early stage, taken interest in the development of motors, batteries, and inverters which are key technologies for electrical vehicles. Aiming to achieve the goals set forth in the Nissan Green Program 2010, we are striving to strengthen the developmental measures we have been taking up to this point. Additionally, we are working to develop technology for further practicability, and taking efforts in reducing their costs. In 2007, we established the Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) that deals with the production and sales of compact lithium-ion batteries. The batteries that are to be developed will be used within electrical vehicles, as well as hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. Quality At Nissan, we believe that the quality of our products allows us to build a relationship of mutual trust with our customers and is the foundation for continual growth. Product quality is far more than just the performance of Nissan vehicles. It means everything related to our car that brings satisfaction to our customers, from the moment of seeing and touching a Nissan car in the showroom to the support given by the sales staff and the post-purchase driving experience. Nissan quality also extends to after-sales inspections and repairs. We will continue to evaluate and improve all areas of our operations in order to provide the products and services that will constantly give satisfaction to our customers. Safety Shield Nissan aims to halve the number of fatal and serious injuries from accidents involving Nissan vehicles in Japan by 2015 compared with 1995. Based on analysis of real-world accidents, Nissan has been working progressively to design and engineer safer vehicles. Safety shield is an approach to provide continuous support against dangerous situations, by activating various barriers according to the circumstances, from normal driving to post-accident. We are advancing development based on even more sophisticated and proactive safety policy. PARTNERSHIP Yokohama mobility â€Å"Project ZERO† In March 2009, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Yokohama City saw an agreement over the 5-year -plan, the `Yokohama Mobility Project Zero, which aims to realize the environment model city that is promoted by Yokohama City. In order to reduce CO2 emissions, this partnership will see cooperation in disseminating eco-drive, in addition to testing guidance routes that will contribute to reducing traffic, as well as propagating electrical cars. Additionally, Nissan is in works with Tokyo University in developing a joint industry-university research concerning vehicle transport that aims for the symbiosis of urban space and nature. In terms of the evaluation and the release of information concerning this times planned items, we are, in cooperation with Tokyo University, also furthering them. Yokohama City is planned to be one of the first markets where Nissans electrical vehicles will be supplied, similarly to the various regions throughout the world that have similar partnership agreements with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Partnership regarding zero-emission mobility From January 2008, aiming for the realistic propagation of electrical vehicles, the Renault-Nissan Alliance concluded on the 40 cases (as of December 2009) of Partnership regarding zero-emission mobility along with governmental sectors, municipal sectors and other sectors. With this, we are working to prepare the social infrastructure such as by installing chargers, as well as taking into consideration benefit measures in times of purchasing the zero-emission vehicles. Through the cooperation with our partners throughout the world, we are contributing to a vehicle society that is both  people-friendly and considerate of the environment. Sky Project In Sky Project, which has been implemented since October 2006 in partnership with non-automobile industries and in cooperation with government agencies, Nissan, with the participation of customers, has been working to reduce the number of traffic accidents and alleviate traffic congestion by using intelligent transportation system (ITS). While providing information to cut the number of encounter head accidents and reduce driving speed in school zones and other areas, we investigate the potentiality for the alleviation of traffic congestion, realized through daily use of ITS, to improve effectiveness of energy use and reduce CO2 emissions. In Beijing, China, we have been implementing Star Wings, a project to develop new transportation information system, in cooperation with Beijing Traffic Information Center (BTIC), in order to alleviate traffic congestion and improve traffic conditions in Beijing and China. Wind power Beginning in 2007, Nissan became an active Y-green partner when it harnessed wind-power for use in its facilities in Japan. The company, through its Yokohma plant facility and the new Global Headquarters, seeks to utilize green energy in its facilities and implement local green energy for local consumption. Since November 2005, Nissan Motor Manufacturing Ltd. (UK) has been using a wind-power facility at its Sunderland plant. Addressing the key issues of Nissan Green Program 2010, the company is reducing C02 emissions by utilizing wind derived power in its facilities worldwide. ACCESSIBILITY BUI-2 (Best usability interior-2) BUI-2 (Best Usability Interior-2) is a concept car, whose interior has been created with a focus to design the way people feel so that all the elements can smoothly appeal to people as they engage in cars. For Nissan, three types of design interface design, colour and material design, and sensitivity quality design are broadly defined as interaction design. Through various research activities, we are making efforts to realize even more convenient and attractive interior designs. Lifecare vehicles (LVs) Nissan lifecare vehicles (LVs) help bring mobility to the elderly or those with physical disabilities. We regard LVs as an essential part of our line-up of cars rather than specialty vehicles, and we are enhancing the products and services available to them. As of the end of January 2009, in Japan there were 401 certified dealerships with LVs on display and advisory staff with expert knowledge of the vehicles, and a total of 5,520 LV advisors. There are dealerships in every prefecture of the country meeting the needs of customers and offering the chance to test-drive these vehicles. Since 2003, we have also been carrying out an annual campaign of LV trial rides for people who have only limited opportunities to get out and about, so that they too can experience the joy of mobility. COMMUNITY Corporate citizenship activities distinctive of Nissan Nissan endeavours to fulfil its role as a corporate citizen toward the realization of a sustainable society, while providing attractive products and services globally, under the vision of enriching peoples lives. We are thus advancing corporate citizenship activities in fields centered on three priority areas support for education, environmentally friendliness, and humanitarian assistance in order to contribute to the sustainability of society. We share our vision globally with Nissan employees around the world and strive to strengthen our relations with local communities by conducting activities responsive to the circumstances and needs of each country and region. Corporate citizenship in education field (Japan) Nissans corporate citizenship initiatives have been always focusing on Cultivating Future Generation. In education field, we have many programs such as Nissan Childrens Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix with its long history, and Nissan Joyful Picture Book and Storybook Exhibition, and in addition, we started the new programs such as Nissan Monozukuri Caravan and Nissan Design Waku-Waku Studio, which utilize Nissans strength for those original programs. Organisational culture The diversity of Nissan’s employees is the driving force enabling them to meet the varied needs of their customers and to maintain sustainable growth. The employees create greater value by sharing their knowledge, based on their individual experiences and different ways of thinking, in response to the various challenges they all face. For these reasons, Nissan have made diversity a corporate strategy and strive to create an environment where all their employees—who numbered 169,298 at Nissan and its affiliates as of March 2010—can extend their individual talents to the fullest. SUPPORTING CAREER DESIGN Continually Improving Human-Resource Systems A company’s employees are its most important resource. So that both Nissan and its employees can reach their full potential, they constantly work to improve our human-resource systems. The evaluation-based remuneration system used to accurately gauge employee contributions is structured in a way that motivates them to set and achieve high goals. An employee’s salary is determined through a combination of performance evaluations, which measure how well the employee achieved certain goals (commitments), and competency evaluations, which measure such intangible variables as technical skill, knowledge and attitude. Support for Self-Designed Careers Nissan believes that employees should â€Å"design their own careers† and actively assists their efforts to do so. Employees in Japan meet with their supervisors twice a year to discuss their performance and competency evaluations, as well as to express their ideas on how to proceed in their career path. Employees in Japan also have the chance to take on the challenge of a new position through the Shift Career System (SCS) and the Open Entry System (OES). The SCS enables employees to apply for positions in other departments and work areas that interest them regardless of whether there is a position immediately available. The OES allows them to apply for all openly advertised positions. Around 250 employees applied for approximately 100 open posts during fiscal 2009, and roughly 80 of them were successful in getting the positions they applied for. Fostering Specialized Skills Helping employees develop specialized skills over the medium to long term is vital for a company to achieve sustainable growth. They introduced the Nissan Expert Leader System as a means of strengthening and fostering further development of specialized skills in a wide range of technical and nontechnical areas like purchasing and accounting. In fiscal 2009, the system’s fourth year, they focused on 91 fields of specialization, designating 42 employees as Expert Leaders and 2 management-level employees as Nissan Fellows. The Expert Leaders and Fellows make use of their specialized knowledge to contribute to Nissan’s business endeavours overall. In addition to sharing their knowledge with others via our corporate intranet and other communication tools, they contribute to the fostering of the next generation of experts by passing on their specialized skills in seminars and training courses. CREATING A CULTURE FOR LEARNING A Variety of Learning Opportunities As an organization that continues to grow through constant learning, Nissan supports employees’ personal growth with a proactive, systematic approach to human-resource development. The act of learning is one in which people stretch themselves to develop skills that create value. They believe that a corporate culture of learning cannot exist without the motivation to take part in this value creation. The Learning Navigation system on their intranet is one means of providing employees with opportunities for learning. This system lets employees search for information whenever they wish to develop specialized skills, receive training in management techniques, participate in e-learning programs or take distance-learning courses. The site is updated regularly to provide information our employees need to increase their skills and build their careers, meeting their growing thirst for knowledge. Management Institute The Nissan Learning Center Management Institute in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, was established with the aim of cultivating human resources with  the specialized skills and leadership qualities needed for future development. The institute contributes to the ongoing creation of Nissan value through a number of programs, including human-resource development seminars, which provide leadership training to pass on the company’s accumulated experience and knowledge to the next generation; cultural diversity workshops; and our Consortium Program, in which they invite other global companies to take part in cross-industry exchange. Moreover, the leaders of our business activities around the world who have taken part in such programs as our Nissan Way Workshops are now active in educating fellow employees in the Nissan Way—the crystallization of experience and knowledge gained through our company’s revival—demonstrating our commitment to promoting a corporate cult ure of learning. Global Training Centers With the globalization of production systems, manufacturers must ensure that all of their manufacturing sites maintain consistent standards of quality. Nissan established Global Training Centers (GTCs) at its Oppama and Yokohama Plants in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and at its Sunderland Plant in the United Kingdom to educate trainers who share their knowledge at Nissan plants around the world. Trainees selected from among all employees at Nissan’s production facilities worldwide are brought to the GTCs to take part in the company’s Master Trainer Program. Upon finishing the program they are certified as Master Trainers and charged with instructing other employees at Regional Training Centers using a globally standardized curriculum and materials. As of the end of March 2010, 466 Master Trainers were hard at work passing on their technical skills to local employees at Nissan plants worldwide. Nissan’s accumulated know-how has been put into audio-visual form as an educational tool, available in five different languages, for global-standards training at GTCs. They also conduct â€Å"Nissan DNA† training seminars for all management-level employees at our production sites, working to strengthen skills that contribute to improved quality and lower costs and to foster the human resources that can carry out more efficient management of production operations. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION Employee Surveys Nissan carries out surveys to get employee input and suggestions for improvements, using the results to help improve the company’s management quality and employee motivation. From the results of these surveys, they identify the strengths of the company as a whole and those of individual divisions, as well as areas for improvement. They then work to make improvements that will lead to the creation of a better work environment for our employees and to continued growth for the company. The results of these efforts are analyzed for the company as a whole and for each region and department. Based on these analyses, each level of management formulates and carries out action plans tailored to specific needs. Enhancing Communication Tools Nissan introduced a corporate intranet system called WIN (Workforce Integration @ Nissan) in 2005 as a tool to promote communication and information sharing. Since then they have continued to update the system with new technologies while encouraging employees to make active use of this tool for internal communication and collaborative activities. They have expanded the WIN network beyond Japan, North America and Europe to include other markets and our major business partners. They also use internal newsletters and in-house video broadcasts to provide a variety of information to be shared by all employees at Nissan production sites around the world with no difference in time. Employee-Executive Exchange Nissan holds opinion-exchange meetings involving executives and employees as a means of building trust through clear communication between these two groups, as well as among employees themselves. These meetings, held at Nissan’s corporate headquarters in Japan as well as the company’s business offices in China, North America and other parts of the world, give executives a venue for informing employees of the current situation of the company and delivering management messages. They also provide employees with opportunities to ask questions and voice their concerns in a direct and open manner. They plan to continue these meetings as an important channel for active communication. Ethical Issues Global Educational Activities to Promote Compliance As a means of fostering compliance awareness throughout the company, Nissan has established groups and placed officers in charge of promoting compliance policy in each region where it operates. We place special emphasis on education to ensure that all employees have a correct understanding of the Code of Conduct and, as a result, make fair, transparent judgments in the course of their duties. To ensure full understanding of the code in Japan, all employees, including executives, take an elearning or video training course based on the Japanese version of the Nissan Code of Conduct—â€Å"Our Promises,† instituted in April 2004—after which they sign an agreement to abide by it. The revised parts of the code in fiscal 2010 were in response to legal amendments and retained all employees since fiscal 2010 to further strengthen the spirit of compliance within the company. Education programs to promote compliance are held regularly for all employees in North America, and a set of universal guidelines has been drawn up for each country in Europe. Compliance-related training is also being carried out in the General Overseas Markets based on guidelines that take into account conditions in each of those countries. Moreover, all group-affiliated companies have introduced their own codes based on the Nissan Code of Conduct. Additionally, they have created sets of internal regulations covering the global prevention of insider trading and the management of personal information. Nissan seeks to heighten awareness of compliance companywide through such measures as well as various education and training programs. Our Stance against Discrimination and Harassment Item 6 of Nissan’s Global Code of Conduct, â€Å"Value Diversity and Provide Equal Opportunity,† is our requirement to accept value and respect the diversity  to be found among our employees, business partners, customers and communities where we do business, and to reject discrimination and harassment in all their forms, no matter how minor they may be. Nissan executives and employees must respect the human rights of others, and may not discriminate against nor harass others based on race, nationality, gender, religion, physical capability, age, and place of origin or other reason; nor may they allow such a situation to go unchecked if discovered. We also work to ensure that all employees, both male and female, can work in an environment free from sexual and other forms of harassment. PEST analysis PEST analysis is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations. The use of PEST analysis can be seen effective for business and strategic planning, marketing planning, business and product development and research reports. PEST also ensures that company’s performance is aligned positively with the powerful forces of change that are affecting business environment. PEST is useful when a company decides to enter its business operation into new markets and new countries. The use of PEST, in this case helps to break free of unconscious assumptions, and help to effectively adapt to the realities of the new environment. Looking at the current condition of Japan, it is difficult to mention anything about its political, economical, technological or sociocultural since there is no stability in the country at the moment, due to the natural disaster crises they are facing. SWOT Analysis Strength: 1) Global Brand: According to business Week Global Brand Scorecard Nissan is the fastest growing automotive brand. Nissan’s brand equity was valued at $3,108 million in 2006. Some of the company’s passenger car models include Maxima, Sentra, Altima, Versa, Z Roadstar and Z Coupe. Some of its truck models are Quest, Armada, Pathfinder, Murand and Xterra. Brand strength provides competitive advantage that can offset the increasing competition. Over the last five years company has establish the global brand by focusing on the brand pyramid and dynamics that caters the silky design, the vibrant experience, the interplay between serenity and driving pleasure has reached a high level of alignment and consistency. That makes it easier to communicate about the brand and specific features of its model. 2) Renault-Nissan Alliance: The alliance has provided advantages to both companies. They can move into new markets faster and with lower costs because they dont have to build new plants. (Renault builds cars in Nissans Mexico plants and Nissan uses Renaults Brazil plant and distribution networks) The companies are collaborating on building common platforms, components and engines, and each company leads engine design in their area of expertiseRenault in diesel and Nissan in gasoline. And they have increased purchasing power because they buy components for six million cars not three as will be in the case of Nissan alone. The alliance has so far boosted the profitability, market capitalization and sales in 192 countries for both partners. CEO and president of Renault to his titles in 2005, says hell rely on the strengths of two distinct work forces: French innovation in concept stages and Japanese dedication to process in manufacturing. 3) Most fuel efficient car: Nissan is known to m ake the most fuel efficient cars over the years and this has become one of its major strengths in the competitive market. Due to its fuel efficient car, the demand for them has also increased over the past few years. Weakness: 1) Product Innovation time lag: Nissan launched two new or redesigned vehicles, in comparison to 14 in the three previous years. Nissan has misjudged its model strategy in the United States over the past few years. Like the other Japanese automakers, the company was a relative late-comer to the countrys high-profit margin and high-volume pick-up markets. Nissans late entry meant that it has suffered from the decline in the sector as a result of rising fuel prices in Japan, While Toyota and Nissan have been well placed to benefit from a shift in emphasis in Japan market towards compact sales as a result of the Scion and Civic models respectively, Nissan at the moment has no competitive offering in this segment. However, there  are a number of new models that should reinvigorate the companys fortunes in the United States, including the Sentra and Altima mid-size sedans, as well as its luxury-brand Infiniti G35 sedan. The company also desperately needs new offering in key segments in the European market. The Almera C-segment hatchback and Primera D-segment sedan are hopelessly outmoded and largely ignored by European buyers, although the new Note small multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) should provide Nissan with a sales success in Europe. 2) Lack of Diesel Technology: In the Japanese market, diesel accounts for only 0.4% of vehicles sold (Rowley, 2006). In contrast, diesel is very popular and its share in overall sales has been increasing. In the year ending 1st January 2006 the number of diesel cars sold increased by 7.5%. Some analysts believe that the diesel market will account for more than 80% of total vehicle sales in Europe by the end of 2008. Diesel technology has been improving significantly over the past decade reducing emissions, fuel consumption and cost. As Nissan’s home country has a low demand for diesel engines, Nissan lacks the technology and experience to produce diesel engines of comparative quality. Opportunity: 1) Asia market: Lower penetration coupled with strong rise in income levels, led to continuous jumps in car sales in markets like china and India. In fact china, followed by India is estimated to be major growth driver in the next decade. Hence it is necessary for global player to be present in these countries. Therefore all global players either have products for these markets or planning to develop products to enter into these markets. In India in year 2004-05 domestic sales of car and utility vehicles has crossed the 1 million mark. 2) Relocate its manufacturing unit to reduce cost: The Japanese car maker has stepped up their policy of producing where demand exists. Car making is an industry situated at a forefront of globalization and major player is accelerating their cross border activities. Manufacturing units in America and Europe have huge capacities in line with their vast domestic automobile  output. While this offered them the benefits of scale, the continuous sluggish growth in their local market and their inflationary increase in production cost, especially wage cost. Adoption of cost reduction measure became imperative for players to survive. China, India and Thailand have been regarded as the Low Cost Production bases with their unique offering to the outsourcers. Low cost country will provide them the global clientele and technology and also have synergetic operation. Area of opportunity for India lies in the products which have high level of design and engineering requirements, low level of auto mation and significant assembly requirement. 3) Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organization (RNPO): The RNPO, which was established in 2001 in the early stages of the alliance, was one of the key ways in which Renault-Nissan would combine their resources to create a more efficient organization. Currently Nissan and Renault share 60% of the same part and raw material suppliers. This has led Nissan to achieve greater purchasing power and has served to reduce costs and reduce the bargaining power of suppliers. There still remains significant opportunity through the RNPO to decrease costs and provide increased competitive advantage. Threats: 1) Cross-Cultural Disharmony: As Nissan and Renault become further integrated with one another, the risk of cross-cultural disharmony increases. If disharmony occurs then, as occurred at DaimlerChrysler, overall company performance may be reduced and the current strengths that the Alliance provides may become instabilities. Nissan is currently working to reduce the likelihood through its Business Way program but corporate and national culture takes a long time to change. 2) Rising Commodity Prices: Due to the economic expansion of China, changes in commodity prices could affect the costs incurred by Nissan. Over the past 12 months, the price of steel used in car production has risen by nearly 30% (London Metal Exchange, 2006). Nissan has taken steps to reduce the effect of rising steel prices; in 2000, Nissan began using hot dip zinc coated steel and converted to less expensive steel in 2002, which saved about $16 million per year (Nissan Motor Co., 2004). This however, has done little to  reduce the upward pressure on vehicle costs and prices. As this increase in cost has been passed on to the consumer, demand for new vehicles has reduced. This threatens Nissans viability in the region. 3) Market saturation: With overall industry sales number stagnant, if not declining in key economies term, the overall automobile industry has been significantly impacted. Due to overall market saturation, the individual company new product development strategy towards market expansion is changing from iterative year on year model changes to drastic innovation. The emergence of SUV market few years back is an evidence of how product and market innovation has changed the very composition of US auto market. Marketing Strategies TARGET MARKET Nissan’s target market will be the low-level income group and middle class. Whereas Infiniti’s target market is people looking for luxury, great driving experience with unparallel appeal. With constant awareness and education about Nissan affordability and safety features, different type of group could be acquired resulting in increase of brand loyal consumers. People are more aware and therefore, they are constantly more particular when deciding which car to purchase. With strategic advertisement, consumers can be attracted with its latest features and a new image Nissan will provide to owners. NISSAN TARGET MARKET: GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENT The major concern of Nissan is to capture all the district headquarters of the country resulting in its coverage of almost all over the country. NISSAN TARGET MARKET: PSYCHOGRAPHICS With new image Nissan will provide to its buyers, owners will feel more confident and proud considering that Nissan is an international organization with strong background resulting driving Nissan a status symbol. Also safety and comfort are big factors of considerations in a consumers mind so Nissan by focusing on these factors will attract safety and comfort conscious people. Seeing its potential, consumers will most likely shift to Nissan. NISSAN TARGET MARKET: DEMOGRAPHICS Primary Target market belongs to middle class, upper middle class and low earning income people in society, falling in income bracket of below $ 2500. Also the target will be people from 25 60year old who are major automobile buyers. DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES Basically there are two types of distribution channels available: Direct distribution and In-direct distribution PROMOTION STRATEGIES Promotion is one of the most important factors of marketing; it is done to affect the consumer behaviour in order to achieve sales and increase product image. In promotion the major task is to make consumers aware of the product and to attract consumer towards the product by highlighting the advantages of the product. Also it keeps consumers aware and well informed about product’s features and improvements. ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH An extensive market research will be conducted to have better idea about consumers’ perception about Nissan and its competitors. For this purpose Nissan will acquire services of marketing and research agencies to better analyze market environment. This will enable Nissan to learn about the consumers’ behaviour, how they perceive us and compare with the competitor. The media of the advertising a product is always chosen after the market environment research to get knowledge that if the target audience is interested in that mode of advertisement or not. ADVERTISING To advertise the product better and create awareness about product; Nissan will use different advertisement methods to approach the consumers. The diversity of advertisement channels will help in reaching the masses of different mindsets. Following Advertisement methods will be used: †¢ Nisan will use print and electronic media to introduce the product to consumers. †¢ Special events will be sponsored by Nissan. †¢ Use of Billboards, flex signs etc for massive introduction of car’s launch. †¢ Special road shows and displays will be set at dealers outlets. †¢ Prize contest will be conducted to attract people towards the car. Financial Review Net sales For fiscal year 2009, consolidated net revenues decreased 10.9%, to  ¥7.517 trillion, which reflected the strong yen offsetting the increase in sales volume. Operating profit Consolidated operating profit totalled  ¥311.6 billion, compared to a negative  ¥137.9 billion in fiscal year 2008. Net income Net non-operating expenses increased  ¥69.1 billion to  ¥103.9 billion from  ¥34.8 billion in fiscal 2008. Net income reached  ¥42.4 billion, an increase of  ¥276.1 billion from fiscal year 2008. Major competitors In Asia the 3 big of the automobile industry is Nissan, Toyota and Honda. But Nissan Motors major competitor is Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota, much larger than Nissan and possessing deeper financial pockets, was better positioned to sustain the losses incurred from the global economic downturn. Consequently, Nissan entered its ninth decade of operation facing formidable obstacles. The first financial decline came in 1991, when the companys consolidated operating profit plummeted 64.3 percent to  ¥125 billion (US$886 million). Six months later, Nissan registered its first pretax loss since becoming a publicly traded company in 1951 ¥14.2 billion during the first half of 1992. The losses mounted in the next two years, growing to  ¥108.1 billion in 1993 and  ¥202.4 billion by 1994, or nearly US$2 billion. To arrest the precipitous drop in company profits, Nissans management introduced various cost-cutting measuressuch as reducing its materials and manufacturing costswhich sav ed the company roughly US$1.5 billion in 1993, with an additional US$1.2 billion savings realized in 1994. Nissan also became the first Japanese company to close a plant in Japan since World War II and cut nearly 12,000 workers in Japan, Spain, and the United States from its payroll. Nissan also was staggering under a debt load that reached as high as US$32 billion and threatened to bankrupt the company. Only intervention from Nissans lead lender, Industrial Bank of Japan, kept the company afloat. There were some positive signs in the early 1990s to inspire hope for the future. Nissans 1993 sales increased nearly 20 percent, vaulting the car maker past Honda Motor Co., Ltd. to reclaim the number two ranking in import sales to the all-important U.S. market. Much of this gain was attributable to robust sales of the Nissan Altima, a replacement for its Stanza model, which was introduced in 1992 and marketed in the United States as a small luxury sedan priced under $13,000. To the joy of Nissans management, however, the Altima typically was purchased with various options added on, giving the company an additional $2,000 to $3,000  per car. Nissan also was encouraged by strong sales of its Quest minivan, which was introduced in the United States in 1992 and had been developed jointly with Ford Motor, which marketed its own version, the Ford Windstar. Nissans losses continued through the fiscal year ending in March 1996, cumulating to US$3.2 billion over a four-year span. The companys return to profitability in fiscal 1997 came about in part because of the cost-cutting program and in part from the yens dramatic depreciation against the dollar. Despite the return to the black, Nissan remained a troubled company. From its 1972 peak of 34 percent, the companys share of the Japanese auto market had fallen to 20 percent by early 1997. Competition from the more financially stable Toyota and Honda played a factor in this decline, but Nissan also hurt itself by failing to keep pace with changing consumer tastes both in Japan and in overseas markets. For example, Nissan was behind its rivals in adding minivans and sport utility vehicles to its product line-up, having for years dismissed these sectors as passing fads. Meanwhile, minivans, sport utility vehicles, and station wagons accounted for half of all passenger car sales in Japan by early 1997, up from just more than ten percent in 1990. In the U.S. market, the Altima lost ground to two midsized rivals, the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry, because Nissans model was smaller and thus less desirable. In the luxury car sector, Toyotas Lexus line became the hot brand in the United States, triumphing over the Infiniti. Because of these and other factors, Nissan returned to the red for fiscal years 1998 and 1999. Although the losses were not as large as earlier in the decade, the companys continued sky-high debt loadwhich stood at US$19.7 billion in late 1998did not bode well for Nissans future. Business Strategies, Keeping Competitive Edge 1) Product Strategy To secure our profitability and sustainable growth based on our future product line up plan, in our product strategy developing process, we are monitoring the impacts of some different types of risk scenarios such as global market changes and demand deteriorations to our future profitability (COP) based on our plan. 1. Drastic decline of total global demand, past examples as reference case. 2. A demand shift between vehicle segments drastically faster than our assumptions in our mid-term planning. 3. A demand shift from the matured markets to the emerging markets drastically faster than our assumptions in our mid-term planning. We periodically monitor the impact of these scenarios to secure our future profitability and sustainable growth, and also update our future line-up plans periodically based on the results. To improve the robustness of our product line up against these risks, we take following countermeasures as our main direction when planning our product strategy. Expand availability of individual products across markets to mitigate the risk of single market demand fluctuations. Increase volume and efficiency per product through a consolidation and rationalization of the portfolio to lower the breakeven point and thereby reduce the profit risk of global Total Industry Volume declines. Prepare a more balanced product portfolio meeting needs in a broader range of markets and segments reducing reliance on specific large markets. 2) Quality of Products Services Nissan is working on the corporate task named â€Å"Quality Leadership† which aims for achieving top level quality by FY2012. In this project, actions are carried out with numerical targets for following 4 areas. 1. Perceived quality attractiveness: Customers’ impression on vehicle’s quality when customer looks it at a dealer’s show room 2. Product quality: Quality of product itself based on the experiences as an owner of the vehicle 3. Sales service quality: Quality related to behaviour or attitude of sales staff or quality of service when inspection and maintenance 4. Quality of management: internal management quality to improve employees’ motivation which supports above 3 qualities For example, target of â€Å"Product quality† is to become top level at Most Influential Indicator (MII) of each region. In order to achieve the target, it is broken down to internal indicators by model which correlate with MII. Progress of all quality improvement activities are monitored with those  internal indicators. All the actions are taken based on rotating PDCA cycle, such as, the progress of activities are monthly reviewed by â€Å"Quality Committee† chaired by EVP and necessary actions are decided. Total picture of â€Å"Quality Leadership† on global base is monitored and discussed at the Global Quality Meeting chaired by COO annually. 2 years passed since this project started and it is going well. We are confident that we can achieve the target by FY2012. With respect to new model project, in order to achieve the quality target of each project, milestone meetings set at each key process of design, preparation for production and production, confirm key check points, such as achievement of quality targets, adoption of measures to prevent recurrence of past problem, adoption of measures for potential risks related to new technology / new mechanism / design change. Commercial production can be started after confirmation at â€Å"SOP (Start of Production) Judgment Meeting†, which confirms all issues are solved and quality target can be achieved. Final decision that the model can be sold is made at â€Å"Delivery Judgment Meeting†, after confirmation of quality of commercial production and preparedness for service / maintenance. As described above, Nissan is implementing thorough quality check before new model launch. Nissan is progressing quality improvement activities also after launch by gathering quality information from markets and prompt deployment of countermeasures. In case of occurrence of safety or compliance issues, necessary actions such as recall are implemented with close cooperation with market side team based on the decision by independent process from management. Occurred incidents are deeply investigated, analyzed and feed backed to models on the way of production or development for prevention of recurrence In addition to above described activities, such as quality assurance at new model project and quality improvement activities on daily basis, the â€Å"Quality Risk Management† framework has been newly developed from FY2009.  This is the high level system to ensure successful quality management for on-going and future projects. This includes assessment of quality related risks, evaluation of risk level, assignment of responsible person based on the level and to clarify organization for follow up. These processes are implemented at â€Å"Quality Risk Management Committee† chaired by EVP twice a year. 3) Compliance and Reputation As described above, Nissan produced the Nissan Global Code of Conduct for all employees of the Nissan group worldwide. To ensure thorough understanding of the code, training and education program such as e-learning is improved and compliant situation is monitored by Global Compliance Committee. Nissan has also adopted the internal whistle blowing system (Easy Voice System). This allows any employees to submit opinions, questions, requests or suspected compliance issue directly to Nissan’s management. Additionally, Nissan created sets of internal regulations covering the Global Prevention of Insider Trading and the management of personal information. Nissan keeps effort to prevent reputation risk to the company by continuous implementation of such measures as various education and training programs. Conclusion As the automobile industry is booming, It is necessary to keep up with the competition. The only way to compete with the competitors is to come out with innovative technology, fuel efficient cars, and luxury looking yet affordable cars. Nissan has not only concentrated on making cars but also provided their support to various stakeholders. Its working has benefited the environment by taking many environmental initiatives such as starting the Nissan Green Program 2010. The company also has worked towards effectively and efficiently developing their employees in terms of specialisation, or giving them a work-life balance. In line with its vision of Enriching People’s Lives, Nissan’s desire is to provide attractive products and services to customers worldwide while at the same time fulfilling its responsibility as a corporate citizen to help realize a sustainable society.