What Extent Did the Existence of the Third Reich Depend on the One Person Adolf Hitler Essay Example for Free

What Extent Did the Existence of the Third Reich Depend on the One Person Adolf Hitler Essay After the First World War, in 1919 Hitler joined the gor strasser)National Socialist German Workers Party (NASPD) as a regular member and with the help of his personal qualities and great speaking skills he was then made its leader in 1921. In 1924 after his release from prison and his written work Mein Kampf his significance within the German politics rose as he attacked the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles and promised a Lebensraum for all the Germans. The Nazi party had anti-Semitic ideas, blaming the state of the country at the time on the Jews, with Hitler orating those thoughts to the public who wanted to have someone to blame for all the problems in Germany. Hitler had such a charisma that people believed whatever he said (Emil Klein, Nazi supporter, 1920s, BBC interview) so he soon became very popular with the population. He also appealed to the majority of the population as he considered racially pure Germans special and the people believed that and connected with him. In 1933 he was appointed the Chancellor of Germany and his ideas were accepted and supported all over the country. Later in 1934, after the death of the German president Paul von Hindenburg of that time, he became the absolute dictator of the Reich. After the First World War, with the approaching world crisis, Germany needed a strong leader to make a radical change. To aid the country, Hitler persuaded rich people to invest into a new kind of Germany, into a military regime with plans to conquer Europe. People’s belief in Hitler soon grew as there was less unemployment after he came to power just as he promised (Adolf Hitler, Appeal to the German People (January 31, 1933), p. 3) and he became the countrys central figure for the people. Hitler had a lot of power and was worshiped by Germany. He gathered thousands for his speeches, everyone wanted to see him and he was very welcomed everywhere in his Reich. He was involved in most decisions including the military ones, even though they were quite often questioned on whether the chances of success were all or nothing. Hitler was a very ambitious leader, and this is what put him in control of the Third Reich he shared the vision with those around him and then had others come up with ways of implementing them. He was infamous for being vague in detail. A good example of this is his meeting with the generals to discuss the future plans of action (Martin Bormanns Minutes of a Meeting at Hitlers Headquarters, (July 16, 1941)). Throughout the five hours of the meeting, there were no clear instructions that came from Hitler, he just outlined the aims and ideas and kept talking about them. From there it can be concluded that despite being the central figure, it wasn’t all completely up to him in the end. The Fuhrer made most of the decisions, especially the biggest ones, by himself and spent days alone waiting for the solution to come to him. However, although Hitler authorised the killings of the Holocaust, it was up to the others how this was to happen. He had trusted men around him, the generals that took over some of the responsibilities. Some of the people who made it all possible for the Third Reich’s existence were: Hermann Goring, who established the Geheime Staatspolizei ; Heinrich Himmler, who was head of the SS and Hitlers right hand, the person responsible for the Holocaust; Otto Eichmann, who is often portrayed as the mastermind, he did the administrative side of things he organised the transport for Jews to the concentration camps; and Paul Joseph Goebbels, who was the Reich’s Minister of Propaganda and was very close to Hitler all along. Those were the people close to Adolf Hitler, whom he in turn organised to do whatever he dictated. Propaganda of Hitler, with Joseph Goebbels in charge, was one of the most important factors that built the whole Third Reich around him. Films, which had political hints in them for the audience were created; films about Adolf Hitler were made like Triumph of the Will, creating the myth about The Munich Putsch, a photo shoot of Hitler in his charismatic poses and other forms of propaganda were in use. It helped the people connect with the leader, gave them hope and certainty for a good future. The popular ideas in the country were also a sort of propaganda. Hitler wanted to have all ethnic Germans together under his rule. It didn’t make people think about the ruthless and cold-hearted actions that were to follow, like the purification of the nation: something that Hitler alluded to in some of his speeches. Also organisations like the Hitler Youth were created to make future soldiers of Germany and to get the new ideas into the children, as that was easier to do with children than with adults. It was important to have the people believe in Hitler, that’s what made him the powerful leader he was for the country. He said that people at war didnt die, that they lived on in the hearts of the whole Germany. People then trusted him and followed him. Having looked at a few most important facts and some evidence, it can be concluded that the existence of the Thirdnce of 3disions entirely by himself. menting it. Reich was totally dependent on one person. Its established that the political, social and economic situations in the country were just perfect for someone with the right ideology, ambitions, and ruthlessness to become its leader. Finally, having the right set of skills, he was able to gather around a dedicated group of followers as ruthless as himself. He persuaded rich imperialists to invest into a bankrupt state with the view to conquer Europe and promises of even more riches for the rich and his propaganda promised ordinary people that they would become the greatest nation in the world.

Employers Obligations for Employee Health and Safety

Employers Obligations for Employee Health and Safety To what extent is the employer obliged to exercise care for the health and safety of the employee while performing his or her duties? Is the current position in this regard satisfactory? Introduction The obligations of the employer for health and safety have undergone an interesting development on both the common law and statutory sides of legal regulation. This paper will examine the current extent of obligations for employers towards the health and safety of their employees while they are carrying out their work duties. This current position will then be analysed in order to determine whether it is satisfactory. A. Current Health and Safety Obligations of the employer to the employee 1.The Common Law The common law duty of care[1] translates into an implied term of the contract and in the case of Wilsons and Clyde Coal Co v English[2] the House of Lords identified three key areas in which this implied duty lies: (a)Competent Staff An employer will be liable if they do not provide their employees with sufficient training. This occurred in Hawkins v Ross Castings Ltd[3] where an employee sustained an injury as a result of a spillage of molten metal at the fault of a seventeen year old colleague who possessed only a rudimentary standard of English. Another facet to the heading of competent staff is the actual behaviour of the employees whereby, acts of mischief or ‘larking around’ can be of a particular danger as occurred in Hudson v Ridge Manufacturing Co Ltd.[4] (b) Safe Plant and Equipment An employer is obliged to provide safe equipment and this even applies where there was no knowledge of there being a fault. This is a departure from the traditional common law perspective but is not a new measure as it into effect with the passing of the Employer’s Liability (Defective Equipment) Act of 1969. Here all faults in equipment to be attributable to the employer where a third party has been negligent and in order to meet the financial needs of this obligation, insurance is obligatory for such actions in accordance with the Employer’s Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969. In the interests of fairness, the employer and/or the insurance company can then sue the manufacturer. (c) Safe System of Work This obligation is twofold whereby the employer must, firstly, tell the employees of the location of safety equipment[5] and secondly, the employer has the right to assume that the employee possesses a degree of common sense with the result that there is no obligation to warn of dangers that are obvious such as the hitting of an unexploded bomb with a hammer[6] or running in the corridor to obtain lunch.[7] This highlights the fact that the employer must find a balance between the obvious and the not so obvious safety measures where there would be an obligation to inform the employee of risks and the proper procedures. Employees may make a decision not to take certain precautions, but if the risk is obvious, their employer will not be liable[8], however despite any conscious choice on the part of the employee, a risk that is not obvious will always rest with the employer[9]. This standard is ideal as it rightly presupposes the authority of the employer and their superior knowledge bu t at the same time, also acknowledges personal autonomy of employees for which the employer should not be held liable. A further and more recent application of the safe system of work is that the employer must refrain from requiring that the employee work excessively long hours[10] and cause unnecessary levels of stress[11] that arise on account of insufficient staffing and the even more serious occurrence of bullying in the work place.[12] This gave rise to an innovation in liability for the psychological injury that employees could sustain and in this era of greater pressure in the work place, it would have been a far more applicable head of claim to a greater number of employees than that of the traditional doctrine of liability for physical injury alone. However two recent cases on this matter gave rise first of all, limitation and then outright exclusion of heads of claim concerning stress in the work place. The earlier limitation arose in Sutherland v Hatton[13] in which it was held by the Court of Appeal that there had to be ‘plain indications of impending harm’ that would arise f rom the stress. This is part of a traditional acceptance that there has to be a balance between the likelihood of the injury occurring and the cost to the employer of protecting his employees.[14] In the latter case of Barber (Appellant) v. Somerset County Council (Respondents)[15] involved a teacher suffering from stress and the House of Lords rejected the notion of an employer’s duty of care. Lord Scott of Foscote stated that: â€Å"The school is entitled to expect, also, that the teacher, an adult, will take his own decisions as to whether he needs to consult his doctor and will, if so advised by his doctor, take time off†¦[16]† (d) Safe Place of Work Since the decision of the Wilsons and Clyde Coal Co case, there is a fourth area to which the applied duty of care is attributable and this is the provision of a safe place of work. There are three key areas where the employer must exercise a reasonable standard of care. This constituted the obligation to provide an adequate reporting system.[17] More recently, this has the potential to extend to instances of long term injury such as passive smoking as it was established that employees have a right not to work in a smoky environment in Waltons and Morse v Dorrington[18] and this would constitute a step in the right direction. A question now arises as to how far this duty ought to extend. 2.Statutory Duties The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the key legislative authority for the obligations of employers to their employees and its aim is twofold. 1. The provision of a general duty of care In the first place the 1974 Act sets out the general duties that are applicable to the entire employment spectrum and this standard is found in s 2(1) of the 1974 Act, which is as follows: â€Å"It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all his employees.† Further to this there are also more specific obligations laid throughout s 2 of the Act, which encompass ‘the provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work so that they are safe and without risk to health’.[19] There is also provision on, ‘the handling, storage and transport of articles and substances[20]’ as well as, ‘provision of information, instructions, training and supervision.[21]’ Finally s 2 of the 1974 Act also has provision on: â€Å"The maintenance of places of work under the employer’s control in a safe condition with safe and risk free means of access and egress.[22]† and â€Å"The provision and maintenance of a safe, risk-free working environment with adequate welfare facilities and arrangements.[23]† The crucial element of these provisions is that the standard of care stipulated is for the employer to act is, ‘as far as is reasonably practicable.’ This standard carries with it the obligation for employers to do everything reasonable that would ensure safety and the provisions go far to show that this encompasses many fields such as training, inspections and the availability of safety equipment. The emphasis of the Robens Report was therefore largely met with there being a statutory framework that requires employers to actively think about the measures they are taking. 2. Provision of a unified system of enforcement by the Health and Safety Executive and the various local authorities. The second aim of the 1974 Act is as a system of enforcement and this is largely carried out by the Health and Safety inspectorate but paradoxically, no one can, in accordance with s 47 of the 1974 Act, raise a civil action under the duties imposed by the 1974 Act. While this results in a fundamental questioning of the usefulness of the 1974 Act, it does highlight the fact that this legislation is exclusively an Act for professional enforceability. The rights of recourse for employees are therefore in accordance with the standard duties of care that are found under the law of tort.[24] More specifically, actions can be raised in relation to industrial accidents, personal injury, injuries arising out of the course of employment and some statutory obligations. However, it is the Act itself that specifics the standard of care to be adopted by employers when their employees are carrying out their employment duties. In addition, the 1974 Act creates a premise for criminal liability, which of course carries higher penalties as well as an employer’s burden of proof, as opposed to the burden of the plaintiff in civil actions. 2. Interpretation of the standard of care of the 1974 Act in case law Interpretation of the standard under case law is essentially analysis of the way in which the courts have dealt with the crucial phrase, ‘so far as is reasonably practicable.’ Case law shows that the reasonable practicability of a given situation can cover areas such as financial viability of the health and safety measure as against the risk of injury. This is similar to the balance that requires to be sought under the common law, with the equivalent 1974 Act case being that of Associated Diaries v Hartley.[25] Here an employee sustained an injury as a result of a truck going over his foot. The safety shoes would have cost him  £1 per week but decided not to use them and his argument that they should have been provided for free failed on account of the fact that they would have cost the employer  £20,000. This balance is perfectly sound but the 1974 Act is not equipped to deal with instances of stress at work on account of the fact that civil actions cannot be raised via its provisions. B. Is this position satisfactory? 1. Possible faults with the common law It is extremely disappointing that the House of Lords has rejected the concept of a duty of care for stress as there is a great deal that employers can do to relieve stress levels and, as with the balance that has been achieved between the cost of health and safety and the likelihood of injury, the equivalent would be more than approachable for stress situations. This does not bode well for other types of innovations such as The common law does however acknowledge that a duty of care also extends beyond the work place where the employee continues to act within their duties of employment. This is seen in the case of King v Smith and Another[26] where, in the event of inadequate on-site facilities, it is up to the employer to find a suitable solution. 2. Faults with the 1974 Act The current issue with the current Health and Safety legislation is that it is becoming outdated and is much in need of reform in order to cope with new kinds of dangers that were not such a going concern in 1974. This specifically refers to the ever increasing circumstances of stress related injury that would be wholly out-with the competence of the Health and Safety Inspectorate. However as a result of Barber v Somerset County Council, such an argument would not hold strength unless the legislative were to decide to override the common law doctrine and create a statutory obligation for employers against employee stress. Conclusion Both the common law and the statutory framework are equally satisfactory in terms of their ability to tackle cases of negligence where there has been physical injury caused to the employee on account of the negligence of the employer. However, the express exclusion of liability for stress, as well as the impracticability of the Health and Safety inspectorate to even attempt to assist in safeguarding against stress is a concern of great magnitude. The conclusion of Lord Foscote in the case of Barber v Somerset County Council was wrong as the question of choosing to be a teacher or a doctor is an overly romanticised image of a pic’ n mix employee’s market with readily available jobs. Further to this, it should never become an accepted condition of our society that unhealthy stress should be an integral to working life for which there can be no legal recourse. Bibliography Legislation Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Case Law Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 Wilsons and Clyde Coal Co v English [1938] AC 57 Hawkins v Ross Castings Ltd [1970] 1 All ER 180 Hudson v Ridge Manufacturing Co Ltd [1957] 2 QB 348 Finch v Telegraph Construction Maintenance Co Ltd [1949] 1 All ER 452 O’Reilly v National Rail [1966] 1 All ER 499 Lazarus v Firestone Tyre and Rubber Co Ltd (1963) The Times 2 May Qualcast (Wolverhampton) Ltd v Haynes [1959] AC 743 Berry v Stone Maganese Marine Ltd (1971) 12 KIR 13 Johnstone v Bloombury Area Health Authority [1991] ICR 269 Walker v Northumberland County Council [1995] IRLR 35 Ratcliffe v Dorset County Council [1978] IRLR 191. Waters v Commissioner for the Police of the Metropolis [2000] IRLR 720 Sutherland v Hatton [2002] EWCA Civ 76 Stokes v Guest, Keen Nettleford (Bolts Nuts) Ltd [1968] 1 WLR 1776 Barber v Somerset County Council [2004] UKHL 13 Franklin v Edmonton Corporation (1966) 109 SJ 876 Waltons and Morse v Dorrington [1997] IRLR 488 Associated Diaries v Hartley [1979] IRLR 171 King v Smith and Another (1994) The Times 3 November. General Cleaning Contractors v Christmas [1953] AC 180 Text Book Publications D.Brodie, â€Å"Health and Safety† (Oxford University Press, 2004) H.Collins, K.D.Ewing A.McColgan, ‘Labour Law:Text and Materials (Oxford: Hart Publishing, 2001) Smith and Woods ‘Industrial Law’ (Butterworths, 8th edn, 2003) R.W.Painter and A.Holmes, Cases and Materials on Employment Law, (Oxford University Press 5th edition, 2004) Articles D Brodie ‘Trust and Confidence and Barber v Somerset County Council: Some further Questions’ (224) 33 ILJ 261 1 Footnotes [1] Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 [2] [1938] AC 57 [3] [1970] 1 All ER 180 [4] [1957] 2 QB 348 [5] See Finch v Telegraph Construction Maintenance Co Ltd [1949] 1 All ER 452 [6] O’Reilly v National Rail [1966] 1 All ER 499 [7] Lazarus v Firestone Tyre and Rubber Co Ltd (1963) The Times 2 May [8] See Qualcast (Wolverhampton) Ltd v Haynes [1959] AC 743 [9] See Berry v Stone Maganese Marine Ltd (1971) 12 KIR 13 [10] Johnstone v Bloombury Area Health Authority [1991] ICR 269 [11] Walker v Northumberland County Council [1995] IRLR 35 [12] See Ratcliffe v Dorset County Council [1978] IRLR 191. See also Waters v Commissioner for the Police of the Metropolis [2000] IRLR 720, which involved tormenting within the police force after the failure to take seriously an allegation of sexual assault. [13] [2002] EWCA Civ 76 [14] For an in depth analysis of this balance, see Stokes v Guest, Keen Nettleford (Bolts Nuts) Ltd [1968] 1 WLR 1776 per Swanwick J at pp 1779-1783 [15] [2004] UKHL 13. For commentary see D Brodie ‘Trust and Confidence and Barber v Somerset County Council: Some further Questions’ (224) 33 ILJ 261 [16] ibid per Lord Foscote at paragraph 14 [17] Franklin v Edmonton Corporation (1966) 109 SJ 876 [18] [1997] IRLR 488 [19] 1974 Act s 2(2)(a) [20] 1974 Act s 2(2)(b) [21] 1974 Act s 2(2)(c) [22] 1974 Act s 2(2)(d) [23] 1974 Act s 2(2)(e) [24] For the birth of the neighbour principle, see Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562. [25] [1979] IRLR 171 [26] (1994) The Times 3 November. This case followed the older case of General Cleaning Contractors v Christmas [1953] AC 180

Malaysian Economic Policy and FDI :: History Economics Malasya Essays

Malaysian Economic Policy and FDI BACKGROUND AND COUNTRY ATTRACTIVENESS. Malaysia is the second fastest growing economy in the South East Asian region with an average Gross National Product (GNP) growth of eight-plus percent per year in the last seven years. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has moved from an agriculturally based economy to a more diversified and export oriented one. The Malaysian market is fairly openly oriented, with tariffs only averaging approximately fifteen percent and almost non-existent non-tariff barriers and foreign exchange controls. The open trade based economy is supported by the fact that the total two way trade almost amounts to 120 percent of the GNP (1994). Together with a stable political environment, increasing per capita income, and the potential for regional integration throughout the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysia is an attractive prospect for FDI (refer to Tables 1, 2, 3 and Graph 1 for relevant economic indicators). Until 1993, foreign investment contributed 60% of all investment in Malaysia. FDI grew strongly in the late 1980s to reach a peak of RM17.7 billion in 1992. This was followed by a sharp drop to RM6 billion in 1993 due to the world rececession, but rose again to RM15.2 billion in 1994. Malaysia is among the top five recipients of foreign direct investment in the world and while in recent years it has come mainly from other Asian countries, 1993 saw the US as the biggest inward investor with RM1.7 billion. Japan and Taiwan are clearly the largest overall investors with the US third, followed by France, Singapore and the UK (McLeman 1994, 19). The rationale of this report is not to promote Malaysia as an attractive destination for multinational entities, but rather to analyze how Malaysia's economic policy impacts upon FDI. Malaysia, perhaps, represents one of the most successful developing nations that has been able to effectively incorporate economic policy objectives with foreign funds, knowledge and networking throughout FDI (refer appendix 5). FDI in Malaysia is an important catalytic factor, increasing exports, knowledge and provides an economic vehicle towards the Malaysian 2020 vision. THE MALAYSIA PLAN AND THE NEW ECONOMIC POLICY FRAMEWORK The Malaysian government uses economic planning to achieve economic and socio-economic goals in close coherence with the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the National Development Policy (NDP). The Fifth Malaysia plan and the Long-term Industrial Master Plan Malaysia, in particular, indicate specific future objectives and economic trends. Malaysian Economic Policy and FDI :: History Economics Malasya Essays Malaysian Economic Policy and FDI BACKGROUND AND COUNTRY ATTRACTIVENESS. Malaysia is the second fastest growing economy in the South East Asian region with an average Gross National Product (GNP) growth of eight-plus percent per year in the last seven years. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has moved from an agriculturally based economy to a more diversified and export oriented one. The Malaysian market is fairly openly oriented, with tariffs only averaging approximately fifteen percent and almost non-existent non-tariff barriers and foreign exchange controls. The open trade based economy is supported by the fact that the total two way trade almost amounts to 120 percent of the GNP (1994). Together with a stable political environment, increasing per capita income, and the potential for regional integration throughout the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysia is an attractive prospect for FDI (refer to Tables 1, 2, 3 and Graph 1 for relevant economic indicators). Until 1993, foreign investment contributed 60% of all investment in Malaysia. FDI grew strongly in the late 1980s to reach a peak of RM17.7 billion in 1992. This was followed by a sharp drop to RM6 billion in 1993 due to the world rececession, but rose again to RM15.2 billion in 1994. Malaysia is among the top five recipients of foreign direct investment in the world and while in recent years it has come mainly from other Asian countries, 1993 saw the US as the biggest inward investor with RM1.7 billion. Japan and Taiwan are clearly the largest overall investors with the US third, followed by France, Singapore and the UK (McLeman 1994, 19). The rationale of this report is not to promote Malaysia as an attractive destination for multinational entities, but rather to analyze how Malaysia's economic policy impacts upon FDI. Malaysia, perhaps, represents one of the most successful developing nations that has been able to effectively incorporate economic policy objectives with foreign funds, knowledge and networking throughout FDI (refer appendix 5). FDI in Malaysia is an important catalytic factor, increasing exports, knowledge and provides an economic vehicle towards the Malaysian 2020 vision. THE MALAYSIA PLAN AND THE NEW ECONOMIC POLICY FRAMEWORK The Malaysian government uses economic planning to achieve economic and socio-economic goals in close coherence with the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the National Development Policy (NDP). The Fifth Malaysia plan and the Long-term Industrial Master Plan Malaysia, in particular, indicate specific future objectives and economic trends.

Describe The Elements Of Death :: essays research papers

Describe the elements of war and death in Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage. This book is divided into two parts. In the first part the main characters, Henry Flemings. illusions disappear when confronted by the reality of battle(WAH 642). During the first battle he sees vague figures before him, but they are driven away. In the next battle he is so frightened that he runs away becoming one of the first heroes in literature to actually desert his fellow soldiers in the field. While Henry is separated from his fellow soldiers, he wanders through the forest. There he experiences the kind of illusions that predominate in all of the writings of Crane (WAH 642). First he tells himself that nature does not blame him for running. Next he finds himself in a part of the woods that he believes is religious. The insects are praying and the forest takes the appearance of a chapel. Henry is comfortable with this until he finds a dead soldier in the heart of the â€Å"chapel†. Henry sees an ant carrying a bundle across the face of the dead soldier. That view is beautiful in the sense of conveying great emotion through minute detail(WAH 643). As he moves back henry sees a line of injured soldiers including his friend Jim Conklin,who is badly wounded and another friend called â€Å"the tattered man†. Trying to make up for deserting his friends, Henry tries to help Jim Conklin who is dying.After Conklin dies, the tattered man probes deeply into Henry’s conscience by repeatedly asking â€Å"where ya hit†(Bowers 132). Henry deserts the tattered man. When Henry stops another soldier he asks him the novels most important question which is â€Å"why† The soldier hits henry on the head for starting trouble. Ironically this wound becomes Henry’s â€Å"Red Badge of Courage†. Henry is then lead back to his regiment by a â€Å"cheery soldier† who helps wandering soldiers. This leads Henry into the second half of the book. Henry’s wanderings are over. Not until the end of the book does he ask questions. Most of the repudiations are complete: heroes do not always act like heroes; no one understands the purpose of life or death; nature may be malevolent, probably no different, but is certainly not the benevolent pantheist realm of the transcentalists, and God, is simply nowhere to be found(Weatherford 32). In the second part of the novel Henry beco0mes a â€Å"war devil†, the hero that he wanted to be originally when another battle is over, all Henry has accomplished is negated. Many critics found the last chapter confused and muttled, Henry’s feelings range from remorse to the â€Å"sin† which is not responsible

Industrial Robots and Manufacturing Automation Essay -- Robots Automat

Industrial Robots and Manufacturing Automation Abstract Automation started out as an assembly line of workers doing the same repetitive task all day long. Some of the jobs were very boring, dirty, unpleasant, and possibly dangerous. After the introduction of the first robot in 1961, automation began to advance in ways people could only imagine. Each of the six basic styles of robot used in industry today were designed with different applications in mind. Some of the robots were designed for assembly, others are more suited for simple pick and place applications, while a select few are capable of carrying heavy loads over a large area. The operations of the robots have also advanced from simple hard-stop, one-function, hydraulic actuated robots to the more sophisticated, high-precision, servo controlled robots that can be reprogrammed to do many different jobs. Robots have greatly increased production, the quality of the parts, and the safety of workers. The main reason for the use of robots is to make a company profitable while producing a high quality part at competitive prices. The number of robots used in industry increases every year as more companies realize their many benefits. Robots are the future of the manufacturing industry. As the performance and flexibility of robots increases and their prices continue to drop, many companies will uses these added incentives to invest in the future. Soon every company that has an application for a robot will be forced to invest in one, to stay competitive in the world market. Introduction The Robotics Industry Association defines a robot as ?a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks? (Zalda 8). In short, a robot is a machine that is programmed to perform a variety of tasks in place of humans. The first industrial robot, built in 1961, was a mechanical arm used to load presses. After the development of the computer and the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) in the 1970?s, the world saw great advances in the development of robotic control and the quality of robot manufacturing. As a result, there has been acceptance of the industrial robot world wide, improving the productivity and quality standards of industry (Hodges 3-5). Robots acco... ... ?Automation Reduces Weld Spatter? Welding Design & Fabrication (Jun. 2001): 37 EBSCOhost. Online. Nov. 2002 . Cheney, Susan. ?Packaging & Manufacturing.? Candy Industry (Jun. 2000): 20. InfoTrac. Online. Nov. 2002 . Hodges, Bernard. Industrial Robotics, 2nd ed. Boston: B.H. Newnes, 1992. ?Robotics? McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology, 1995 ed. ?Robotics will boost quality and transfer efficiency levels.? Coatings (Jul.-Aug. 1991): 66 InfoTrac. Online. Nov. 2002. . ?Small Shop Gains Edge with Robotic Welding.? Welding Design & Fabrication (Aug. 2001): 42 EBSCOhost. Online. Nov. 2002 . Time Life. Computer Age. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Inc., 1992. Weimer, George. ?Robots ?see? factory?s future.? Material Handling Management (Mar. 2002): 25. InfoTrac. Online. Nov. 2002 . Williams, Gray ?Robots and Automation.? The new book of popular science. Grolier Inc., 1996, 186-94. Woodman, Chester L., Kurt Kuster. ?Small shop, big decision.? American Machinest (Apr. 2001): 78 EBSCOhost. Online. Nov. 2002 . Zalda, Roberta. ?Using flexibility to justify robotics automation costs.? Industrial Management (Nov.-Dec. 1994): 8. InfoTrac. Online. Nov. 2002 .

B. Will the Economy Falter? Essay

The U. S. is now in its fifth straight year of economic growth. (There was a brief recession back in 2001. ) It has been observed over the last 60 years economic that recoveries on average last only five years. Once the five-year mark is reached, an economy typically runs into trouble. Cracks and strains start to appear. Inflation pressures build, interest rates move higher, housing weakens and business inventories begin to swell. On the media pundits utter the â€Å"R† word (recession) more frequently at this juncture. So the obvious question is: If the present recovery is five years old, is this economy now in jeopardy? The answer, fortunately, is no. Some sectors, like housing, are showing signs of tiring. Even the pace of job creation has been slowing the last four months. However, when diagnosing the health of an economy, it is vital to differentiate between an economy that is merely slowing to a more moderate and sustainable pace — from one where fundamentals have so deteriorated that a recession is all but inevitable. All evidence this time points to the former, namely that the economy remains in sound health with the business cycle far from over. The economy has indeed performed very well so far in 2006. Growth surged an estimated 4. 5% annual pace in the first half — despite high energy prices and rising interest rates. Inflation, though slightly higher than what the Federal Reserve prefers, is still quite benign. Companies continue to focus on operating more efficiently and raising productivity levels. Job creation, which has been disappointing recently, is still running at an average of nearly 150,000 a month, very near the level of 165,000 per month seen in 2005. S&P 500 earnings are expected to increase by 11% in the second quarter, after a 15% jump in the first three months (Baumohl).

Concluding Case †Custom Coffee & Chocolate Essay

Billions of people across the globe choose to have a cup of coffee each morning to start the day or as a morning work break but coffee has become more than just a drink. Coffee has become an ingrained part of various cultures and coffee shops can be found in most every city around the world. It is little wonder that coffee ranks among the world’s largest commodity markets second only to oil (â€Å"Dangerous Grounds: About the Show†, 2013). Given diversity and competition in the market, the small startup company of Custom Coffee & Chocolate will require a clear mission statement, detailed business analysis, and tactical plans that will help it to increase market share within the Seattle community. A mission statement describes a company’s fundamental purpose and how that company is unique within its product and services offerings. In writing of the company’s mission, each word must be carefully selected for consistency and there must be a commitment from the stakeholders to focus resources in the accomplishment of this mission (Ireland & Hitt, 1992). Bonnie Brewer and Stacy Kim have passed a milestone having developed regular customers within the five months of opening the first coffee house. As a statement for moving forward, â€Å"Custom Coffee & Chocolate’s mission into the community is to provide the highest quality, socially ethical coffee and chocolates while serving to keep the Seattle community connected and invigorated. † The next step towards developing a tactical business plan is to identify internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats. A common challenge among small startup companies is finance. Within the first six months, Brewer and Kim have exhausted both their savings and initial small-business loan placing the company in a precarious position. For further development of the business, these proprietors will need to seek further investment capital through another partner, reduction in salary, or incur more debt with another small-business loan. Being located near a university is a strength that entails a surrounding population that is educated and can appreciate socially and environmentally sustainable coffee and chocolate. Coffeehouses for this type of customers are not only a place to purchase caffeine but also a social gathering place for study and recreation. Many coffeehouses are able to differentiate themselves from larger chains such as Starbucks by creating a more inviting environment that encourages guests to stay longer and experience the ambiance (Grant, 2005). Custom Coffee provides currently provides quality product but needs to improve the service it provides to the area. Companies such as Starbucks, Tully’s, and Seattle’s Best have made their starts in the Seattle community and in some cases grown to be national and multi-national organizations. In some cases such as Tully’s coffee, the competition was too much and have gone into bankruptcy (â€Å"McDreamy’ saves Seattle coffee chain,† 2013). The tactical plan for Custom Coffee & Chocolates will comprise of two milestone events. Within the first year, the company will take out another small-business loan to improve its utilization of technology. The store will install high-speed wireless for its guests as well as invest in improving its website and web search analytics. Brewer and Kim will implement an in-dorm delivery service while also standardizing hiring and training practices for the new, part-time staff that will be required. The hours of operation will be lengthened to better serve students’ late night study habits as well as an increase in marketing to the university clubs and organizations. This will lead into an event schedule that may include coffee and chocolate tastings as well as an open mike night. The goal of these changes will result in the company being financially stable within the first year and better positioned for expanding into a few other locations within the second or third year. In conclusion, a company must identify its reason for existence, analyze the market, and then make a plan based on both that mission and market analysis. The Custom Coffee & Chocolate store has many challenges that lay ahead but with clear vision and planning, it is positioned to become an ingrained part of Seattle’s university communities having successfully passed the first six months of operation. A key to this success will be for the company to focus into a niche where many of the nationally franchised coffee shops lack (Grant, 2005). Custom Coffee will exceed with socially and environmentally responsible products as well as providing a friendly, social gathering point for the local community.