The Federal State Of The United States Essay - 926 Words

A federal state is one that brings together a number of different political communities with a common government for common purposes, and separate â€Å"state† or â€Å"provincial† or â€Å"cantonal† governments for the particular purposes of each community. The United States of America, Canada, Australia and Switzerland are all federal states. Federalism combines unity with diversity. It provides, as Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister, said, â€Å"A general government and legislature for general purposes with local governments and legislatures for local purposes.† The word â€Å"confederation† is sometimes used to mean a league of independent states, like the United States from 1776 to 1789. But for our Fathers of Confederation, the term emphatically did not mean that. French-speaking and English-speaking alike, they said plainly and repeatedly that they were founding â€Å"a new nation†, â€Å"a new political nationality†, â€Å"a powerful nation, to take its place among the nations of the world†, â€Å"a single great power†. Fathers of confederation The Fathers of Confederation, Quebec Conference, 1864 They were very insistent on maintaining the identity, the special culture and the special institutions of each of the federating provinces or colonies. Predominantly French-speaking and Roman Catholic, Canada East (Quebec) wanted to be free of the horrendous threat that an English-speaking and mainly Protestant majority would erode or destroy its rights to its language, its French-type civil law,Show MoreRelatedThe United States Federal Government875 Words   |  4 PagesToday, many Americans are firm believers that the federal government is constantly overreaching and causing citizens to feel harassed and mislead. The idea that the federal government has become overly powerful is exceedingly common throughout the United States. In many cases, the federal government does overstep by inappropriately using the power that they possess. However, there is a fine line between rebelling against the federal government for your own freedom and completely overlooking all ofRead MoreThe United States Federal Government942 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States federal government should limit the influx of refugees into the United States. Currently, three different entities oversee the United States Refugee Admissions Program. These entities are the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, which falls under the Department of State, The Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is headed up by the Department of Health and Human Services, and select offices within the Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration ServicesRead MoreThe United States Federal Government1346 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States federal government is composed of three institutions, the Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court. Based on the Constitution of the United States, the federal system, and the separation of power, the three branches exist and each represents the three institutions, the legislative branch is vested by the Congress, the judicial branch is ves ted by the Supreme Court, and the executive branch is vested by the President. The three distinct branches are respectively independentRead MoreFederal Government And The United States1498 Words   |  6 Pages Federal Government The United States of America government is called the federal government and is the republic of the fifty states which constitute the United States. It also constitutes the capital districts and several other territories. Now the government is made up of three different branches and they are the Executive, Legislature, and the Judicial. Those powers are all vested by the US constitution which is in the congress, the president, and also the federal court that also includesRead MoreThe United States And The Federal System1360 Words   |  6 Pages The United States is one of the few countries that govern through the federal system. Federalism was created to organize a form of government where multiple levels of government have authority. It was meant to decentralize and divide powers and responsibilities to prevent a tyranny from ever taking over. Although the United States adopted federalism as their system of government, the balance of power has been broken, drastically shifting i t to the central government. Now, it is no question thatRead MoreThe United States Federal Courts1306 Words   |  6 Pages The United States Federal Courts of today, are vastly different from what they were when our country was first beginning. The courts of the federal system today, are designed in a hierarchical manner, with the United States Supreme Court sitting as the highest court in the land, and as the court of last appeal (Neubauer Fradella, 2008). While there are several different courts, which make up the federal system, there are laid out in a way that allows for an avenue of appeals for a courts decisionsRead MoreThe United States Federal Government Essay1429 Words   |  6 Pages The quality of life today for most Native Americans is drastically lower than that of the average non-Native American. Why? The United States federal government failed to continue the upward economic trajectory of the Native peoples. The aid and reconciliation Calvin Coolidge desired were not continued successfully. Instead, it is evident that while the Department of the Interior and the Presidential administrations after Coolidge have have had empathy and a desire for the Native Americans’Read MoreThe United States Federal Government Essay910 Words   |  4 PagesTo guarantee a partition of forces, the U.S. Federal Government is comprised of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. To guarantee the administration is successful and nationals rights are ensured, every branch has its own particular forces and obligations, incorporating working with alternate branches.(Branches of Government  · House.gov n.d.) The legislative branch is comprised of the House and Senate, referred to all in all as the Congress. Among different forces, the legislativeRead MoreThe Federal Government Of The United States1392 Words   |  6 PagesThe federal government of the United States of America faces lots of challenges through their operations. American citizens desire to witness several changes that can boost their lives under different fields of life. It goes without being mentioned that the stiff economic competition on the market in the current era plays a crucial role in mobilizing the masses to embrace or deter from several existing issues. Therefore, different governments have to analyze the demands and pleas of the local commonRead MoreThe Federal Reserve Of The United States Essay1792 Words   |  8 Pageslargest economy in the world. The United States founding fathers established a government system to distribute certain powers of the federal government to particular branches that have checks and balances in place to assure efficiency and openness among its divisions. One may assume that the organization that controls the monetary supply of an economic powerhouse of a country would have strong oversight and control over the policies they carry out. The Federal Reserve, also referred to as The Fed

Dorothea Dix was born on April 4, 1802. She was born in...

Dorothea Dix was born on April 4, 1802. She was born in Hampden, Maine. Even though she grew up less fortunate and in a broken home, she managed to get an education and become internationally known for her kindness and assistances to the mentally ill population. She started off as a simple school teacher but ended up changing the world by contributing to the medical field. Her work was known international. Dorothea Dix’s early years can be described as miserable. She had 2 brothers Joseph and Charles. She left home at the age of 12 because she was neglected by her parents. Both Dorothea Dix’s parents were alcoholics. Her dad was also very abusive to her and to her two brothers. When she left home to live with her grandmother, her†¦show more content†¦After her fighting with the U.S. congress Dorothea was physically worn out by trying to achieve her dream in trying to help the mentally challenge. Her generosity was so vast that she was known for making 3 0 hospitals for the mentally ill. Dorothea Dix contributions are that she was a social reformer. One of Dorothea’s famous quotes was â€Å"the insane do not feel heat or cold.† (4) When the confederate forces withdrew from Gettysburg they left behind 5,000 injured soldiers who were treated by Dix’s Nurses. Dorothea Dix was never married to anyone; she was only engaged to Edward Bangs. They were 13 years apart. Edward Bangs was not only her fiancà © but also her second cousin. The only reason she didn’t get married to Edward Bangs was because of the fear that she would become like her parents. She did not want to mimic her parents’ behavior and become an alcoholic. Dorothea Dix also never had any children but she did spend a large part of her life devoted to teaching her students as teacher. After a long Thirteen years of working for the mentally ill Dorothea Dix decided to

E- Business and Opportunities for Retail Sector - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theE- Business and Opportunities for Retail Sector. Answer: The Retail sector is the oldest and fastest growing sector in the world. Goods sale in the physical store direct to the consumer and not for resale. E- Business are gaining momentum in this ramified economic changing business environment. There are many changes in future that would surely result to better opportunity for the retailers. Online business in each and every filed are growing continuously in comparison with other off line business. However, these online businesses are accompanied by various demerits such as communication problem, timely delivery of goods and services and cyber-attacks. Although retail stores are traditional way to buy any goods by the consumer so they are profitable for both retailers as well as for consumer. Quality of goods is another measure concern while selling goods and services online to customers. There are many retailers, globally expanding their business by opening their stores worldwide through online marketing channels. Traditional retailers sh ift their business model and enlarge new attractive concept to focus large consumer. The most advantage of retailer stores are they give their consumer what they seeking for. It must be essential for the retail stores to digitize their store which meets the current as well as future need of the retailers (Zhu and Lin, 2015). Myer is the traditional style of departmental store which provide wider range of goods by providing men, women and childrens clothing, footwear and several kind of accessories. Myer is one of the best retail stores in Australia. It is the fastest growing retail store and expanding their business globally. By providing various facilities to the consumer Myer believes in customer satisfaction. Myer provide both physical as well as digital environment for the consumer (Choudhuri, 2014). It allows their consumer to interact with the physically available goods. Business retail stores need to allow their system to match with growing technology and update themselves by new systems to compete the future hurdles and with E-commerce. The technology can change and give easier way to meet their consumer to retail stores. This type of supermarket gives all kind of product in one roof and customer needs not to waste their time to look around for likely products. Social media is also the key featur e for the growth of the retail business as it may passes the quality and customer experience with other people (George Wynn, Turner and Lau, 2013). There are many retailers which newly come to retail store market and such type of competition is good for the future growth of the retail stores. As retail stores are very traditional in the market it is also less in cost in comparison with online products through online products includes delivery charges and other charges. The future retail stores are bringing more simplicity to available their product as nearest to the consumer. This type of large and huge supermarkets provides more ductility and aside the difference of offline and online business (Ahokangas, et al. 2014). Myer is going to adopt various types of new arrangements which may provide better facility to the consumer. One of the most important things of retail stores is that it provides representatives for displaying the product. It gives positive response to the consumer (A hokangas, Juntunen and Myllykoski, 2014). References Zhu, Z. and Lin, S. F. 2015. Entrepreneurial Perceptions and E-business Opportunity Discovery: Evidence from China. Choudhuri, P.S., 2014. Scope of E-business opportunity in life insurance sector: A study on life insurance corporation of India.South Asian Journal of Marketing Management Research,4(3), pp.95-106. George Wynn, M., Turner, P. and Lau, E., 2013. E-business and process change: two case studies (towards an assessment framework).Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development,20(4), pp.913-933. Ahokangas, P., Juntunen, M. and Myllykoski, J., 2014. Cloud computing and transformation of international e-business models. InA Focused Issue on Building New Competences in Dynamic Environments(pp. 3-28). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Ahokangas, P., Matinmikko, M., Yrjola, S., Mustonen, M., Posti, H., Luttinen, E. and Kivimaki, A., 2014, April. Business models for mobile network operators in Licensed Shared Access (LSA). InDynamic Spectrum Access Networks (DYSPAN), 2014 IEEE International Symposium on(pp. 263-270). IEEE.

Impacts of Climate Change on health Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Impacts of Climate Change on health. Answer: Introduction Climate change has been on the rise over time. It is a threat to health in so many ways. This paper looks at some of the health impacts caused by climate change. The impacts may come from direct exposure to changes in climatic conditions, for instance, the changing weather patterns and weather events that are so harsh to live. The changes may result from the availability of water and quality of air in the atmosphere that may consequently affect agriculture and economy as well (Knowlton et al., 2011). There are several instances of the negative impacts of too much climate conditions and health. Some of the adverse effects of climatic changes can be seen when droughts and floods have affected areas resulting in failures in crop harvesting. This consequently leads to a shortage of food and malnutrition. There are further consequences of malnutrition including some disorders and hindrances to child growth and development (Portiers Tart, 2010). The availability of water has been affected by dynamics in precipitation resulting from changes in the two seasons i.e rainy and dry seasons. The quality of the atmospheric air continues to deteriorate because of the pollution of the ozone layer. The pollutions are caused by an increase in temperature and stagnated air (Costello et al., 2009). The effect of climate change has further caused an increase in some diseases especially the vector-borne diseases, for instance, malarial diseases. The breeding of mosquitoes is enhanced by the increase in temperature, a condition that enables the female mosquitoes to become so fertile (Meehl et al., 2007). The effect may extend to cause mental disability, for example, anxiety and depression (Costello et al., 2009). The extreme weather conditions have the ability to cause devastation and health impacts in poor and underdeveloped countries through inadequate harvesting and population displacement (St. Louis Hess, 2008). The world has changed. Activities by the people are a cause of environmental problems. Climate change caused by adverse weather conditions for example heat waves, melting snow, rising in sea level, hurricanes, storms, and wildfires among many other devastating effects, show that there is a need to look at the consequences on health. The temperature of the earth is seen to increase because of human activities, for example, burning fossil fuels. The emissions from these are thrown into the atmosphere thereby infiltrating the atmosphere resulting in changes weather conditions that consequently affect agriculture as well as health (Parry et al., 2007). The Little focus seems to have been given to the potential health impacts of change in climate. Pope Benedict XVI and the U.S. Catholic Bishops have accepted the consensus by science researchers that it is upon everyone to look for a proper action that can curb the problems of climate change and its impacts. According to Catholic healthcare professionals, climate change is a moral aspect and faith requires that we act prudently to avert the carbon footprint and to give protection to human life and dignity. This will mean we care for the least and voice up to help the poor. The Catholics believe that life is a sacred thing and the poor should be granted a special concern. They are committed to a common good and this has urged them to reconsider the issue of climate and its effects and try to reduce its impacts on human life and endeavors. Health workers can show by example through reduction of their personal carbon footprints, encouraging, and campaigning for sustainability of lifestyles, for instance, reducing dependency on the automobile as a means of movement, and to focus on the costs related to environmental purchases at work (American Academy of Paediatrics, 2007). Health workers can also the role of enlightening their patients about the strategies and effects of climate in their local and regional places. Through this, they would be able to understand how to take care of their environment and even how to deal with different problems caused by climatic changes (Gould, 2011). Conclusion In recent decades, a huge number of people worldwide have been affected by natural disasters arising from climate changes. Just to mention a few, floods, droughts, cold, among others (Costello et al., 2009). Recently it has been observed that climatic changes are on the rising trend and this poses a great challenge to human, plants, and animal life. It is, therefore, a proper time to call everyone to participate in the global reduction of those factors that affect the environment. References Knowlton, K. (2011). Six Climate Change-Related Events in the United States Accounted for About $14 in Lost Lives and Health Costs: Health Affairs, 30(11), 2167-2176. Portier, C.J. Tart, K.T. (2010). The Interagency Working Group on Climate Change and Health (IWGCCH). A human health perspective on climate change: Report outlining the research needs on the human health effects of climate change. Research Triangle Park, NC, Environmental Health Perspectives and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Costello, A., Maslin, M., Montgomery, H., Johnson, A.M., Ekins, P. (2011). Global health and climate change: moving from denial and catastrophic fatalism to positive action. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 369(1942), 1866-82. Meehl, G.A et al.,(2007). Climate Change: The Physical Science Basis. The contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, 747-845. St.Louis, M. Hess, J. (2008). Climate Change: Impacts on and Implications for Global Health.American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35(5), 3527-538, 2008. Parry, M.L et al., (2007). Climate Change: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. The contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press. American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP). (November 2007). Policy Statement: Global Climate Change and Childrens Health. Pediatrics, 120(5), 1149-1152. doi:10.1542/peds.2007-2645

How to Mange Palouse Soils from Erosion

Table of Contents Introduction Importance of Palouse Soils Causes of Erosion Effects of Erosion on Palouse soils How to Mange Palouse Soils from Erosion Conclusion Works Cited Introduction The level of global environmental degradation is on the increase and many countries are already experiencing some of its effects. Just like other parts of the world, Washington State has been plagued by a lot of natural disasters over the past few centuries and it is currently grappling with the challenges caused by these natural disasters.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to Mange Palouse Soils from Erosion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example it has experienced earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Apart from these common disasters, erosion of the Palouse soils has caused serious environmental degradation. These soils are mainly found in the eastern part of Washington State. Importance of Palouse Soils The import ance of this Palouse soils lies in the fact that it is very fertile and it also has the capacity to retain water. â€Å"This is because the particles of the silt that form the Palouse soils have pores that retain water and it therefore has a great agricultural potential† (Duffin 78). Owing to the importance of this soil it is therefore important to analyze the causes of its erosion, its effects and how it can be managed. Causes of Erosion â€Å"The history of the erosion of Palouse soils can be traced back to 1800s when crops were cultivated along the Palouse River Basin† (Duffin 34). This erosion became worse in 1900s when the erosion interfered with the soil fertility. The sharp increase in erosion of Palouse soils during this time was attributed to the destruction of the vegetation which protected the top soil. The inhabitants of the Palouse region cleared the slopes to pave way for cultivation of grains which later exposed the slopes to serious erosions. In the sub sequent years, other factors have contributed to the escalation of soil erosion in this region and they include the following. First, is the issue of farming whereby several crops like winter wheat have been grown on the Palouse area, which has sloppy a terrain. Second, the sloppy nature of the Palouse region makes it prone to soil erosion. This is because water runs faster on sloppy grounds as compared to low lands. The third factor is the increasing number of settlements in the region which also leads to environmental degradation. In addition to these, the loose nature of the silt soil makes it to be eroded easily (Troeh and Donhue 542). Effects of Erosion on Palouse soils The erosion activities on the Palouse soils have caused many environmental challenges in this region and they include the following: â€Å"A survey that was conducted in this region revealed that close to 40 percent of the rich Palouse soils have been lost to erosion, and the situation could become worse if mor e cropland was put into production† (White 220).Advertising Looking for essay on geology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Due to the soil erosion, agricultural production has gone down considerably due to the decreasing fertility of the land. â€Å"The increasing settlements, and cultivations have also led to the lowering of the ridges and some are now as low as seven feet† (Morgan 105). How to Mange Palouse Soils from Erosion Because of the devastating effects of this erosion a lot of mechanisms can be put in place to mitigate its effects on human beings and the environment at large. Several measures including reduction of farming activities in this region have been adopted to curb soil erosion and they have led to substantial reduction in the rate of soil erosion and its effects. The methods to be used in the prevention of this soil erosion should be in line with the landscape of the Palouse soils. Since this la ndscape is very sloppy the following recommendations though not new can be used to manage the effects of the soil erosion (Morgan 116). Farmers in this region should have a consensus on the cultivation practices to be adopted by most of them. For example, they can concentrate on regular planting of crops which do not expose the vegetation to erosion. For example cover crops should be grown extensively. The application of contour farming technique can act as a good solution to a sloppy area like this one. â€Å"This is due to its ability to facilitate soil retention and it can therefore elevate agricultural production from approximately ten to sixty percent† (Morgan 130). Because the Palouse soils are quite weak, the inhabitants of this region should plant many trees especially the evergreen species which will act as wind breaks through out the year. This will prevent soil from being blown off by strong currents of wind. Shrubs should also be maintained in order to check surfa ce â€Å"runoff†. Gabions should also be constructed in areas with deep trenches to check the speed of water that runs down the slope during the rainy seasons. Apart from these recommendations, the government can relocate some of the people living here to other productive lands else where in order to decongest this place. This will ensure sustainable recovery of the Palouse soils. Conclusion If the above remedies can used consistently, the soil erosions that have ravaged the productivity of Palouse soils can be reduced to manageable levels. It is therefore important for all the people living in this place to take an initiative toward protecting their land from any further degradation. The government should also monitor the rate of soil erosion and come up with sustainable programs which will restore the lost soil fertility.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to Mange Palouse Soils from Erosion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Duffin, Andrew. Plowed under : agriculture and environment in the Palouse. Washington. D.C: University of Washington Press, 2007. Morgan, Richard. Soil erosion and conservation. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2005. Troeh, Frederick and Roy Donhue. Soil and water conservation for productivity and environmental protection. New York: Prentice Hall, 2003. White, Robert. Priciples and practice of soil science: the soil as a natural resource. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2005. This essay on How to Mange Palouse Soils from Erosion was written and submitted by user Marvin E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Success at Last free essay sample

It always looked so easy when my dad did it. He cutsmoothly, his shoulder leaning so close to the water that his body lookedparallel to the cool glass. I had been itching to be free of my yellow trainingskis and ski on my own. I wanted to learn to fly over the water just like my dad,but water skiing isnt as easy as it looks. I had been trying for almost a month.First I tried two skis, but my seven-year-old stick legs werent strong enough tocontrol them, so Dad suggested simplifying things by using one ski. Simplify?Slalom ski? My first attempts at slalom skiing were disasters, but Irefused to give up. When we took a family trip to a lake, I couldnt wait to tryagain. After eating a big lunch on the deck overlooking the water, we went outfor a ski. I was the last to go. We will write a custom essay sample on Success at Last or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I reluctantly slipped into the foreboding water;this lake was a lot bigger and rougher than the one back home. The frothy waterswirled around me and I was terrified. How can I get up in this mess of whitecapswhen I cant even get up in my calm little lake? I wondered. I crouched in thewater, pulled my legs to my chest and waited. After four attempts Iaccepted defeat but only for that outing. I was determined not to giveup. The next morning my dads friend suggested another way of getting meup, and I said, Sure! I would try anything to get the chance to ski.He had me sit on the lower portion of the dock, skis in the water and rope inhand as he pulled the boat away. As I sat, I thought about falling like an anchorinto the dark water and getting splinters in my butt. Ready? he asked. Yeah! I replied, shakily. Iheard the boat roar and my teeth clenched. I felt the rope gently tug my arms andsuddenly the cool air was tingling my legs and the water was splitting to let methrough. I was doing it! Success at last! I couldnt wait to get home and showoff my new skill to my friends. It took seemingly endless gallons of waterup my nose and aching, heavy arms, but now I can fly across the water almost aswell as my dad. I gained this confidence through persistence and courage -qualities I plan to apply to my life once I reach the big lake of college andeven the ocean of real life.

The Organizational Study of Levi Strauss Essays

The Organizational Study of Levi Strauss Essays The Organizational Study of Levi Strauss Paper The Organizational Study of Levi Strauss Paper Abstract This paper analyzes the organizational structure and design of the world’s largest brand-name apparel marketers, Levi Strauss Company. The concepts of hierarchy, change management, and employee involvement applications will be discussed, along with the organization’s environment and competitive strategies. The premise of this paper is the accomplishment of this organizational mode Levi Strauss for change and the ultimate success of the company’s transformation. Levi Strauss and Company was founded in 1853 and since has become a household name in the trouser industry. They are the world’s largest producer of brand-name clothing and the second largest maker of jeans in the United States. Levi Strauss started the tradition of being an apparel innovator and today, the company still upholds the commitment to offering products that are right for every generation. Levi Strauss mission statement is to seek to reflect the voices of the communities where they have a business presence and make a difference by addressing tough social issues and empowering people to solve their own problems and those of their communities The values of Levi Strauss and Company are the foundation of the company. It is what defines them and sets them apart from the competition, sets the vision for the future, the business strategies and the decisions that are made. The four core values are empathy, originality, integrity, and courage. When they talk of empathy, they are walking in other people’s shoes. Their success comes from listening to what consumers want and meeting their needs of the consumers, retail customers, shareholders and employees. The company’s long-standing traditions of community involvement and employee volunteerism continue today which contribute to their commercial success. Authenticity and innovation is what makes Levi’s an original. The jeans have been worn by generations who incorporated them into their own sense of style. The ethical conduct and social responsibility illustrates the integrity that the company holds for always doing the right thing. The commercial success maintains the company’s beliefs and behaviors which motivates customers trust and loyalty. And lastly, the company has the courage to always stands up for what they believe in, whether it is challenging accepted practices or conventional perception. Their ultimate goal for Levi Strauss is making the company more competitive by implementing a number of business turnaround strategies and by changing the process of how they develop, deliver, and market the products. The organization markets their products under the leading brand names such as Levi’s, Dockers, and Signature. These are the most widely recognized brands in the apparel industry. The company’s organizational level analysis begins with their strategy. The corporate citizenship states a strong belief in the company which can shape society through civic engagement and community involvement, responsible labor and workplace practices, charity, ethical conduct, and environmental awareness. The four core values of the company’s mission statement of empathy, originality, integrity and courage sum up the long-term purpose of the company’s goal Levi Strauss for successful strategy and transformation. Levi Strauss developed and implemented a sourcing program in 1991 that incorporates value in working with stakeholders for improvement of working conditions in factories that produce their products, and a Levi Strauss in the communities where these are located at. They were able to gather valuable information and maximize positive effects by working with other companies and key stakeholders, such as non-governmental organizations, local governments and trade unions. Other memberships and working groups that this organization is a part of are The Business for Social Responsibility, American Apparel and Footwear Association, and The U. S. Council for International Business. Information technology assisted the organization by obtaining a sharper customer focus and helping management make better decisions. Levi Strauss was able to acquire detailed knowledge and understanding of their customer base, which in turn, provided products which brought back interest in the Levi’s brand. With the Information Technology revolution, Levi’s Jeans even designed a jean with a docking station in the pocket to place one’s IPOD. Last year, they a Levi Strauss produced a mobile phone with a range of denim cases to choose from. The ideas of merging fashion and technology came from customer feedback and satisfaction. The Levi Strauss and Company Technology Center has eighty employees and is responsible for the research and development, design, engineering and manufacture of specialized sewing equipment for Levi Strauss plants. In 1999, they purchased MK Manufacturing Software which managed centralized purchasing operations for the United States and Canada factories and to support the manufacturing and inventory of the machines used to make Levi Jeans. In the company’s ransformation and structural change, they have managed to modify the entire process of how they develop, deliver and market their products by making their products more innovative and appealing to customers. They expanded the licensing programs so they can offer more product ranges; and they a Levi Strauss improved the economics of brands for the customers. Lastly, they improved the operational efficiency by implementing new business planning and performance mode Levi Strauss that clarifies roles, responsibilities and accountabilities. The end result was steady sales and profitability for the company. The main focus of the company’s human resource management is conducting activities designed to fit cultural differences and career development of employees. The employees must attend classes that teach the company’s objectives, values and ethics, and a Levi Strauss how to understand the lifestyle and background of people. The company a Levi Strauss expresses concern for the employee’s work and family life by helping them balance their responsibilities. The company’s corporate culture purpose is ethical conduct and a strong commitment to social responsibility. The company developed an Aspiration Statement which specified their commitment to communication and ethical management practices. Those that followed and abided by it received recognition and empowerment. They value the diversity of employee’s backgrounds, experience and knowledge, and welcome the ethnic, cultural, and lifestyles of the communities where the employees live and work. Levi Strauss installed self managed teams which increase performance, improve the quality of the products, and promote originality level Levi Strauss. The organizational system refers to the members in making team decisions, which in turn, increase effectiveness, sense of responsibility and ownership of the work. T. Gary Roger is the Chairman of the Board. John Anderson is the President and CEO. And Hans Ploos van Amstel is the Chief Financial Officer. The organization knows they still have work to be done in order to stay on top and continue to be the most worn line of clothing in the world. Their value-driven competitiveness and major transformations has definitely set the standard in becoming a successful company. The biggest challenge and uncertainty is the massive change in the world, and what customers want. Customers are becoming more demanding and suppliers are abundant. The company is in the process of remaking Levi’s for the 21st century. They set targets for the new design and implementation. They are researching what the organization should look like and what the customers expect. By listening carefully to not only the consumers, by the employees themselves, the work and concepts will be built to everyone’s satisfaction. Levi Strauss: Product Life Cycle Levi Strauss has gone discount. We see this change in distributors such as Wal-mart, Kmart and JCPenny. This is indication that Levi is in the decline stage of the product life cycle. At this point there is a downturn in the market. For example more innovative products are introduced or consumer tastes have changed. There is intense price-cutting and many more products are withdrawn from the market. Profits can be improved by reducing marketing spend and cost cutting. Efficient Vs. Learning Levi Strauss has a Horizontal structure. This dominant structure consists of the following: ? Shared tasks, empowerment ? Relaxed hierarchy, few rules Horizontal, face-to-face communication ? Many teams and task forces ? Decentralized decision making This type of structure as we will further discuss is functional with cross functional team integers is decentralized but lacks stability, efficiency, control and reliability. Intervention Strategy: Levi Strauss Company Change of an organization structure and ability to adapt occurs when three elements are in place simultaneously: (1) dissatisfaction with the present situation, (2) a compelling vision of how the change will create a better future; (3) first steps for reaching the vision. If any of these elements is missing or collectively they are less powerful than the resistance to the change, then change will not take place. Thus the first part of an intervention focuses on creating a common database and the foundation for the dissatisfaction. Following that, the intervention moves to creating a future that is far more desirable than that which caused the dissatisfaction. It ends with participants developing and implementing steps that are necessary for moving the organization and themselves forward. We chose to focus on a large group intervention process facilitated by outside consultant OD practitioners. Reason for this is to dismantle the group think and develop strategic ideas that would be innovative and effective. Desired Outcomes: ?Prepare, Practice and Participant in the change process ? Gain a better understanding of the business, customers, what we sell, and whose needs the products meets ? Levi Strauss vision are effectively communicated ?Renew individual Levi Strauss and organization spirit Begin thinking globally, internally and externally The goal of this intervention is to elicit feedback and input from all members of the organization, develop an effective annual plan based on the proposed long range plan. It should be designed to accommodate full and part-time members and administers to a one-day event which should include over 95 percent participation. This would allow all members to engage in whole system conversations since many employees come from different parts of the system. Implementation of change management activities Perhaps the primary means to directly implement change is for the leaders to forcefully create a sense of urgency. Many organization fail at change management because of lack of communication, failure to define objectives, project management problems, technical issue and inexperience in scope and complexity. Levi has emphasized quality, being socially responsible, and hiring the most talented people the firm can recruit. The value of each individual, the effective leadership of work groups and the success of enterprise has been the emphasis at Levi Strauss since founded. However like any other organizations, Levi has had its problems. Being slow to adopt to new fashion trends, Levi is struggling with generation gap problem. In 2003, Levi closed it last U. S plant and decided to focus on manufacturing outside because of the cheaper cost of labor (www. levistrauss. com). Levi has attempted to attract 14-17 year olds without turning off older people and as Levi plotted along fashion shifts occurred and passed Levi. As result many young people will not wear Levi and many hardly know about the brand at all. These are problems that create uncertainty in the organization leading management to rethinks it position and develop new strategy to remain competitive. We decided to have an effective change management strategy Levi could implement an Open Space intervention. Open space is a large-group process that helps participants focus energy on issues or opportunities of interest, and collectively design appropriate courses of action. Although it works with as few as 8 participants, Open Space is considered a large-group intervention because it works equally well with hundreds of participants. This simple, but very powerful framework creates the right conditions for Levi Strauss management team and provides a dynamic process of discussion and cooperation. Every single participant who contributes with his knowledge and experience influences the end result. Because participants in an Open Space Conference all participate actively, and talk to others regardless of function or background, creates a high level of employee involvement, commitment among participants and much networking across boundaries, usually resulting in a much deeper understanding of the issues as stake well as new ideas about the way forward. Levi Strauss Competitive Strategy-Using Michael Porter’s Five Forces A competitive assessment consists of an analysis using Porter’s Five Forces of Competition. The Five Forces of competition shape every industry and every market. The Five Forces Model is based on microeconomics, and is an extension of the SWOT analysis. This model is an important tool for analyzing organizations’ industry structure and strategy. Michael E. Porter identified five competitive forces that determine the intensity of competition and the attractiveness of any industry. Porter’s model is based on the insight that a corporate strategy should meet the opportunities and threats in an organizations external environment. The model accounts for supply and demand, complementary products and substitutes, volume and cost production, and market structure. We will analyze the industry using Porter’s model. The five forces of competition are illustrated below: Threat of New Entrants Competitive Rivalry Between Existing Players Bargaining Power of Customers Threat of Substitutes Bargaining Power of Suppliers The collective strength of these five forces determines the ability of a firm to gain market share in the apparel industry. Once an analysis has been conducted, managers can search for options to influence these forces in the interest of the organization. In the apparel industry, an organizations’ main objective is to reduce competitive forces. In detail, the five forces are illustrated in the following paragraphs (www. valuebasedmanagement. net). New Entrants Porters indicates new entrants pose a threat due to increases level capacity afforded. For example, suppliers could drive prices down and cut into profits. We have noticed this with Levi’s joint ventures with Wal-mart and JcPenny. More importantly the chance of new comers entering to market depends upon two variables, the barriers to entry and probability. The barriers for apparel industry includes economies of scale, product differentiation, capital requirements, switching costs, accessibility of distribution channels and competing firms which includes learning curves and location. Rivalry The intensity of rivalry among existing competitors depends upon the level of saturation within the industry. For example, for one organization to gain market share they must take it from a competitors, the level of rivalry that exist is high, often resulting in retaliation and price wars. Rivalry may stem from a variety of source which has numerous and equally balanced competitors, slow industry growth, high fixed or storage costs and overproduction and high exit barriers. Bargaining Power of the Customer Historically, the bargaining power of apparel retailers went unchallenged. Fortunately, globalization of the free world and the increased availability of foreign products have increased the bargaining power of the customer. In the appeal industry, consumer markets and foreign competition forces prices down. Thus, the bargaining power of consumer market determines how much pressure it can impose on margins and volumes. Customers a Levi Strauss possess a credible backward integration threat resulting in the purchase from a rival/foreign company. However, due to worldwide economic strain it’s becoming more difficult for Levi to maintain its selling power and to remain economically diverse overall, customers do not have much buying power, as they never purchase in large volume. Here are some ways Levi Strauss can reduce the bargaining power of customers: ? Partnering ?Supply chain management ?Increase loyalty ?Increase incentives and value ?Move purchase decision away from price Threat of Substitutes The treat substitute of competition occurs if multiple products are found to perform the same function. Levi must recognize the customer is no longer bound to one product or rely of customer loyalty. They must consider price, availability and quality to avoid loss of market share. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Materials, production, operation cost and capital are necessary for any production process. For example, suppliers comprise all sources for inputs that are needed in order to provide goods or services. Levi Strauss buyer/supplier relationship is crucial to attain growth in the apparel/retail market. Normally, the strength of a supplier affects an industry’s profitability, and they can exert a major influence on a firm’s goods and services. However, the suppliers bargaining power in the apparel industry is very low. The apparel retail supply business is quite fragmented. Many suppliers relies one or two distributors to buy a majority of their products. If decided to switch suppliers, it would be devastating to the previous supplier’s business. As a result, suppliers are extremely susceptible to the demands and requirements of the apparel manufacture. SWOT Analysis This was a SWOT provided for Levis Strauss acquired off the web and was most useful. Levi Strauss as the conclusion we thought SWOT was the best way to conclude with the Competitive assessment of Levi Strauss Company. The analysis will present Levi Strauss’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strength Strong Brand Image Good Distribution Market Leader in Western Europe Good market position and partnership Efficient human resource management Weaknesses Quality Retail sales network is too big and inefficient Niche demand Multi-brand strategy and full range market presence is cost-intensive Opportunities Better acceptance of Levi Strauss Brand The strong market position in China is a guarantee for prosperous future Partnership with Mal-mart Threats Lower Priced Asian apparel The stock price evaluations, unattractiveness of the old economy Decline Stage of life cycle Competitive Strategy Critique First, environmental uncertainty means that managers do not have sufficient information about environmental factors to understand and predict environmental needs and changes. (Environment here refers to more than the physical environment, such as pollution or hurricanes. It a Levi Strauss involves the economic, sociocultural, technological, legal phenomenon that affects the operation of the business (www. soi. org). Companies have to make an effort to adapt to the rapid changes in the environment. The environment creates uncertainty for managers, who must respond by designing the organization to respond to adapt to the environment. Managers use several strategies to counter environmental uncertainty. They may use boundary spanners to link and coordinate the organization with key elements in the environment. Boundary spanners detect and process information about changes in the environment, and then they represent the organizations interest to the environment. They help to synchronize the activities of the organization to therapid changes in the environment. Some of their roles include scanning the technological horizon to detect any changes, sourcing information on competitors and getting feedback from suppliers and customers. Another strategy is the use of interorganizational partnerships where separate businesses make a collaborative approach to riding the wave of changes that stem from environmental uncertainty. Instead of going in all out competition, businesses now form alliances, sharing information through networks to ensure that they all have more information about the environment than if they had collected info on their own we see this with Levi’s positioning in Wal-Mart stores. Structural Form of Levi Strauss Company Levis Strauss led the way of flatter hierarchies, cultural diversity, empowerment, quality and globalization. Levis chosen structural form of nonhierarchical organizations have many advantages over their competitives that use conventional methods. For example, experience and expertise are often shared; creativity and new ideas are fostered, tested and discussed. These organizations are more cohesive and collaborate; empowerment is a key feature; and it can be highly supportive of multiple stakeholders in global environments. However, the chosen structure is more likely to have higher Group think’. Groupthink is a type of thought exhibited by group members who try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas. During groupthink, members of the group avoid promoting viewpoints outside the comfort zone of consensus thinking or the herd mentality can prevail; implementing decisions can be difficult since flatter organizations serve multiple constituencies and stakeholders; and many flatter organizations are team-based organizations, often geographically dispersed and electronically networked. Levi Strauss: Diagnosing the organization’s culture Culture is perhaps the most important characteristics in an organization. The first step in cultural analysis is describing the culture of the organization. Levi Strauss Company is often describing as being parentalistics. The framework is considered Clan culture, for example the figure below provides the framework matrix of four type’s cultures of which we based our analogy. Flexibility and Discretion ClanAdhocrachy Internal Focus and IntegrationExternal Focus and Differentiation HierarchyMarket Stability and Control The Hierarchy Culture key values center on maintaining efficient, reliable, fast, smooth-flowing production, for example many fast food organization fall within the section. The Market Culture core values are competitiveness and productivity. We see Market Cultures generally in manufacturing companies such as general electric. The Adhocracy Culture is temporary characterized by a dynamic, entrepreneurial and creative workplace. For example military, NASA would be considered part of this section. Levi Strauss currently has a Clan Culture. The Clan Culture is like an extended family where shared values and goals, cohesion, participation, individuality, and a sense of togetherness exist within the Levi Strauss organization. The primary strategic implication of a culture should be a source of competitive advantage to the organization (www. coachingandmentoring. com). Critique: Levi Strauss Organization Environment Adaption The rapidity and volume of changes have resulted in less lead time for management to analyze changes in their organizations external environment and to formulate appropriate strategies. In addition, the risks and uncertainty involved in implementing a particular strategy or set of strategies have intensified. In summary, the turbulence in the apparel industry from the change in customers taste and the circumstances that lead to external environment challenges has an effect on the decision makers and how they effectively anticipate changing conditions. Recommendations It is recommended that employees be made aware of the competitive position of the industry in relation to its competitors; competitive related information must be fed to all staff regularly. Management and employees need to be sensitive to customer needs, trends and what the competition is doing. This should create a sense of discomfort within the organization and make members of the organization aware that things always change and that there is always rivalry in the apparel industry competing for customers. Senior management need to reduce the levels of complacency by continually speaking of changes in the industry and that the absence of a visible crisis should not create comfort in the minds of employees. The leadership of Levi Strauss needs to inspire employees, acting with honesty and integrity. It is recommended that a planned and coordinated change management intervention be developed to focus on strategic change. Middle management needs to also be involved in these initiatives with trust existing between all levels of management, which is visibly noticed by all employees. It is strongly recommended that the organization formulate a vision for the change process during the planning phase. Employees need to understand what the business look and feel like after the change process. It is recommended that management formulate and communicate the master plan for the business. A specific vision and mission needs to be created and communicated. The gap between the current state and future state needs to be highlighted. It is recommended that any future communications relating to the alignment project include the vision for the change and the strategic significance. Communications should enhance the driving forces for change and reduce all retraining forces. Senior management needs to review their communications plan and strategies and need to measure the effectiveness. The communications plan needs to include the context of the change taking place. Future change interventions need to be honest, open and take into account the audience by being simple and straightforward. Communications need to be frequent and need to motivate more employees to participate in the process by creating enthusiasm. Reference: Cameron, K (2007) Diagnosing and Changing Organization Culture, Retrieved June 5, 2008, www. coachingandmentoring. com Lima Tony, (2006), Five Forces Model Porter, Retrieved June 2008, www. valuebasedmanagement. net/methods_porter_five_forces. html N. A, Levi Strauss Company Fact Sheet, Retrieved June 2, 2008, www. valuebasedmanagement. net/Downloads/CompanyFactSheet. pdf