Article Review U.S. Consumer Prices Held in Check in...

The economy has been turbulent over the last few years, to say the least. Nearly everyone has been affected in one way or another. The article entitled â€Å"U.S. Consumer Prices Held in Check in January† describes the current economic situation in the United States and even abroad. At one point in time deflation was among the many concerns on everyone’s mind, but the article states that deflationary worries can now be a thing of the past. In fact, consumer prices are now on the rise which can largely be tied to rising energy prices. There are many macroeconomic indices which are touched upon in the article. The primary focus of the article is consumer price index (CPI), which has increased $1.6% over the last twelve months (Hauser, 2011). In†¦show more content†¦The FED decided to carry out its bond purchasing program in August to help prevent deflation (Hauser, 2011). The article could have turned out much differently if the FED did not step up and take act ion. In addition the FED has the authority to adjust interest rates in accordance with the current economic condition. Currently the FED is willing to curb inflation by adjusting the interest rates at a moment’s notice (Hauser, 2011). The FED’s invisible hand can sometimes help prevent major economic disasters. The living standards around the world vary greatly. Productivity is directly linked to a country’s standard of living. Productivity is the quantity of goods and services produced from each unit of labor input (Mankiw, 2008). Essentially, in countries where workers are more productive they generally enjoy a higher standard of living and vice versa. Britain has a standard of living which is very similar to that of the United States. Britain is currently suffering from economic hardships as well. Britain’s inflation rate hit four percent which is the highest level in two years. The rate of inflation in Britain can be directly linked to increased prices for commodities (Hauser, 2011). It seems that countries with higher living standards are better able to weather economic storms and can cope with increasing prices better than struggling nations. The price of food andShow MoreRelatedFedex Five Porters Forces and Swot Essays2618 Words   |  11 PagesIntroduction There is no doubt that FedEx Freight is a leading U.S. provider of less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services. It is known for exceptional service, reliability and on-time performance. (History of FedEx Operating Companies About FedEx) With the rapid rise of virtually instantaneous electronic mail, some wondered if FedEx overnight mail delivery was as important as it was in the past. Margaritis pointed out that the company received only 9.3 percent of its revenue from overnight expressRead MoreThe U.S. National Debt and Selected Reduction Plans and Interest Group Positions2037 Words   |  9 Pagesof the public debt at last count in January 2012 (The Bureau of Public Debt). 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Using Solid Liquid Extraction Of Caffeine From Tea Leaves

The purpose of this experiment was to use solid-liquid extraction to isolate a crude sample of caffeine from tea leaves and then subsequently purify the isolated sample via sublimation. The two solvents used in the extraction were water and dichloromethane. In addition to caffeine, tea leaves also contain other compounds that must be dealt with including cellulose, proteins/pigments, tannins, and saponins. Cellulose is not soluble in water as a result of its high molecular weight and thereby does not dissolve in water during the boiling process. Proteins and pigments are highly soluble in water and thereby do not present any problems since caffeine is being extracted into the organic layer. Tannins are soluble in the organic layer and can become problems when trying to isolate just caffeine. To deal with Tannins, we add weakly basic CaCO3 during the boiling process so that the ester bonds in Tannins are cleaved thereby producing their corresponding calcium salts, which become water-s oluble. Saponins cause increased solubility of organic molecules in the aqueous layer and are dealt with by salting out the aqueous layer so that it becomes more polar leading to decreased organic solubility in it. Moreover, saponins can cause emulsions to form because of their membrane like properties and this can be dealt with via centrifugation prior to each extraction. Following extraction of caffeine in dichloromethane, the organic solvent can be evaporated so that a crude sample of caffeineShow MoreRelatedEffectiveness Of An Extraction Process And Purification Process955 Words   |  4 Pageseffectiveness of an extraction process and purification process by sublimation is observed and used to selectively separate caffeine from teabags. 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Analysis of the Character “Sammy” free essay sample

Sammy realizes that life isn’t always fair and that sometimes it involves the consequences that life can deal to anyone who has not had time to test a rash decision. Updike’s story illustrates that a part of growing up is a willingness to accept consequences of one’s choices, and that lifes hardest lessons are sometimes learned a little too late. This story represents a coming-of-age for Sammy, as seen through his evaluations of the costumers as the story develops. Though it takes place over the period of a few minutes, it represents a much larger process of Sammy’s growth. From the time the girls enter the grocery store, to the moment they leave, you can see changes in Sammy. At first, he only notices the physical appearance of the girls:   how they look and what they are wearing, seem to be his only thoughts. As the story progresses, he notices the interactions between the girls, and he even determines the hierarchy among them: â€Å"She was the queen. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of the Character â€Å"Sammy† or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She kind of led them, the other two peeking and making their shoulders round. She didn’t look around, not this queen, she just walked straight on slowly, on these long white prima-donna legs† (Updike 132). He observes their actions and how they affect the other customers of the grocery store. Rather, how the other people view the girls actions. His thought process is maturing and he starts to see things as an adult might see them, in some ways preparing him for the results of the decision that he will soon make. From the beginning of the story, it is clear that Sammy in no way likes his job, nor is he fond of the customers and people he is surrounded by each day. To Sammy, they are nothing more than â€Å"sheep† going through the motions f life. â€Å"I bet you could set off dynamite in an Aamp;P and the people would by and large keep reaching and checking oatmeal off their lists and muttering. Let me see, there was a third thing, began with A, asparagus, no, ah, yes, applesauce! ’ or whatever it was they do mutter† (Updike 133). He views them negatively; to him they are boring and useless, living mundane and unimportant lives and its obvious through Sammys portray al of them that he doesnt want to ever become one of them, nor does he want to be around them any longer. Besides Sammy, it seems that the other workers at Aamp;P feel the same way the about the job being boring as he does, simply by the way they react to the arrival of the three unique teenage girls. Granted the only people working in the store are men, they still find the arrival of the girls to be extremely exciting and an event worth waiting for. â€Å"The store’s pretty empty, it being Thursday afternoon, so there was nothing much to do except lean on the register and wait for the girls show up again† (Updike 133). They take pleasure in the visit from the girls, and when they do arrive, Sammy makes it clear that he is not the only one captivated by them; McMahon at the meat counter is seen â€Å"sizing up their joints† (Updike 134) and Stokesie expresses a constant fixation with the girls as well, which he shares with Sammy the first time they come into the store. It also becomes clear that Sammy wants to know more about them through his fixation with them, which may add to the reason he wanted to quit; he hoped to captivate their attention and gain their praise. However, Sammy quitting is more for himself that the girls in the long run, after all if it was really for the girls he wouldve ceased quitting the moment the girls rushed out. However he proceeds even with the negative aspects attached. â€Å" ‘Sammy, you don’t want to do this to your Mam and Dad,’ he tells me. It’s true, I don’t. But it seems to me that once you begin a gesture it’s fatal not to go through with it† (Updike 195). Even though he knows this will be difficult for his family he continues to quit. On one hand, he is being mature by not backing down and changing his mind once he realizes the girls are gone, because he is right in that, when you make decisions you must follow through with them. On the other hand however his decision to quit was thoughtless, drastic, and an immature one to begin with. Sammy starts to feel, for the first time, that there is something out there that is better. He is ready to go find it. When he decides to quit his job, hastily as it may be, he is making the choice to be an individual, to venture into the unknown. It is something that he knows he has to do, so he does have some hesitation in â€Å"removing the apron† (Updike 135). Once it has been removed, he knows that he cannot put it back on. This symbolizes his acceptance of having to move on in life. When the manager makes reference to Sammys decision and in its effect on his parents, it is a representation of Sammys coming-of-age. This may be a lesson for Sammy in which he learns from and gains some maturity; he learns that there are consequences and positives to every situation and it is his responsibility to deal with them as they arise.

Organizational Leadership free essay sample

Communication is key during these times of change, but many leaders do not take think about, or take into consideration how important relaying information about the change within the organization is. Unfortunately, leaders are quick to announce change surrounding the organization; however they seem to forget the impact that these changes will have on the business as a whole. The Genuine Company The Genuine Company is booming by leaps and bounds. Leadership for Genuine believes that it is time to get the word out about this company.Before the company can go public, some changes will need to happen within he structure of Genuine. Senior leadership has a few different ideas on what should occur. A few members of the leadership team think that this is the perfect time to go public, while some feel that the company is not ready yet, and by going public would be a big mistake (Genuine Scenario, 2009). We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Leadership or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some of the players in this scenario are Don Russ who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Genuine Company. He realizes that the organization does not have any experience with Pops.He knows that before the Genuine Company goes public, it is vital to look into what is necessary for the company o go public. The Chief Financial Officer (GO) is Michelle. She thinks that going public with the company is a great idea, but she wonders if the timing is right. She is questioning if the Genuine Company will be able to prevail over recent bad publicity geared towards the industry. Dons niece, Tier, is Chief Technology Officer (COT) for Genuine. Tier appears opposed to the change, though has justifiable ideas on how the changes should take place.The Marketing Officer is Charles. He is exceptional in marketing, but has troubles concentrating on details (Genuine Scenario, 2009). Investigating the Genuine scenario was intriguing. Team C brought up how this change could affect the team leaders and the question was raised on who would be better suited to lead the company. In the Genuine scenario, one employee quit just before the company was planning to go public. This should not come as a surprise. People handle change differently.Some are able to embrace and accept change and there are those who resist change and will not accept anything new. To avoid this from happening, companies can make sure that communication is open, and consistent with their employees; and also asking or ideas and feedback from their workers so that they can feel a sense of ownership in the change. By doing this, it will make the employees feel like they are participating in the change. Having the employees kept informed and involved should lessen thoughts of insecurity within the company (Genuine scenario, 2009).Changes Needed prior to Going public There are specific items that can be done to make Genuine ready to go public. Greg and Michelle are leads in the human resources department. They can take a look at the Serbians-Solely Act (SOX Act). The SOX act is racial to the organization going public. The act affects the Gene One company in countless ways. This act involves the PIP board, which consists of independent directors and at least one of the members of the PIP board has to have a SCOFF or CPA background. The Genuine Company is to give the SEC financial documents which will be their responsibility.Michelle thinks that an external accounting firm will need to be hired to make sure all the numbers are accurate. From a human resources point of view, Greg felt that the executives and the board at Genuine would need to be making sure their ethos are on target, and is without any discrepancies. He also thought that the approach used to announcing the change to their workers about the organization going public would be important (Swallow. Com, 2009) (Genuine Scenario, 2009). Tier, the COT, is brilliant at creating new inventions, but she is opposed to change and expanding.Her way of thinking could save the company money due to costly mistakes or this could restrain the company towards new innovations. With Michelle financial background and Titers creativity, the Genuine Company could possibly achieve stability in financial ND creative responsibility. However, these two individuals do have their problems, but together they are quite productive in new ideas, and discussions (Genuine Scenario, 2009). The Situational Style of Leadership The situational style of leadership seems to be the best fit with the changes happening within Genuine.Leadership and management will need to adapt to the changes and cooperate in the entire shifting taking place between management and staff. Making sure that employees are kept current on all changes taking place at the Genuine Company will help ease tension and crease the amount of staff lost during this time of transition. For this scenario, the Situational Leadership style was chosen to implement changes within Genuine. This type of leadership style includes a number of styles and creates a balance in the decision-making process.A situational leader can adopt different styles of leadership depending upon the situation. It focuses on the situation at hand and how leaders manage change in the organization. Ken Blanchard and Paul Hershey were the first to introduce this concept of leadership (Chimaeras Consulting Limited, 1 999) (Genuine Scenario, 2009). Hershey and Blanchard noted in there retrospect of the Situational Leadership style that the name, and the theory had been inspired by the changing leadership style needed by parents as a child grows from infancy through adolescence to adulthood (Changings. Erg, 2009). It is apparent that the company, Genuine, could be regarded in this way of thinking. In this scenario, the leaders of the company act like parents and their children are the company, Genuine. When the company changes and expands, the way the company is managed does as well; which creates a balance between legislation behaviors and task. This type of style is a great way to manage a company and lead employees. The Situational Leadership Model is about being more effective as a leader.This involves matching your leader behaviors; behaviors you use when trying to influence someone else; with the performance needs of the individual or group that you work with. It is about adapting the directive and supportive behaviors you use to match the readiness of others to perform specific tasks or functions. The model is simple; it works, and achieves results (moonshine. Com, 2007). It is important o have leaders who are effective and supportive. Behaviors need to be Us ported so that changes can be implemented so that the company can go forward with going public. Genuine needs this type of leadership (Genuine Scenario, 2009). The End-Vision The end-vision for Genuine is to establish a new and improved product with a selection that can be capable of changing the existence of the population across the globe. The companys vision and mission is to make every effort to produce new and innovative technology that will lead to fresh, affordable, and healthy produce around the world. Genuine is dedicated and strives to do the right thing in making contributions to society and their stakeholders.Hopefully, this declaration will create a sense Of balance towards the reaction from the public with the company going public. This organization will be committed to their stakeholders, but also to the employees, and the organization as a whole. The Genuine Company needs to attract the interest of the public and all the citizens of the world and do what is best for all. Conclusion By implementing the changes above, the Genuine Company will ultimately hanged and improve the culture of the company and their products. Organizational Leadership free essay sample Severe negative financial position in the market and unprofitable operation with the following causal factors: Product Management: Poor product styling resulting in loss of market share greater than many other car manufacturer’s total production Decentralization: Too many vehicle platforms that made production inefficient and was further complicated by a plethora of suppliers and decentralized purchasing Communications: Poor communication practices and an absence of transparency (managers were unaware of production costs) Rigid compartmentalized organization (siloed) structure with minimal cross department interaction Weak channels to market with unhealthy channel conflict. Customer Wants / Needs: Lack of customer focus with reactive stance to competitor actions Cultural Constraints: keiretsu Culturally rooted business philosophy Slow, patient, caution, afraid of change culture in Japan with many failed attempts to address well known problems Supplier relationships based on cultural and regional ties restricting global expansion Question 3: Evaluate Ghosn’s first 100 days. Effective leader and/or manager? Ghosn’s first 100 days proved he is an effective leader, Per John P. Kotter, Leaders dont make plans; they dont solve problems; they dont even organize people. What leaders really do is prepare organizations for change and help them cope as they struggle through it.