Sejanus, his fall Essay Example For Students

Sejanus, his fall Essay A monolog from the play by Ben Jonson NOTE: This monolog is reproduced from Sejanus, His Fall (1603). SEJANUS: If this be not vengeance, when I have done What's more, made it great, let Egyptian slaves, Parthians, and shoeless Hebrews brand my face, Furthermore, print my body brimming with wounds. Thou lost thyself, youngster Drusus, when thou thoughtst Thou couldst outskip my retaliation, or outstand The force I needed to smash thee into air. Thy imprudences presently will taste what sort of man They have incited, and this thy fathers house Split in fire of my frustrated wrath, Whose anger will concede no disgrace or mean. Infidelity? It is the lightest sick I will submit. A race of underhanded acts Will stream out of my resentment, and oerspread The universes wide face, which no family Will eer favor, nor yet keep quiet; things That for their finesse, close, and brutal imprints, Thy father would wish his, and will, maybe, Convey the vacant name, however we the prize. On, at that point, my spirit, and start not in thy course; In spite of the fact that heavn drop sulfur, and hellfire burp out fire, Giggle at the inactive fear. Tell glad Jove, Between his capacity and thine there is no chances. Twas just dread first on the planet made divine beings.

Dangers of Dual Relationships in Therapy

Risks of Dual Relationships in Therapy Regularly, individuals who look for the assistance of an advisor are defenseless in various manners, and the special relationship of customer and advisor is based on a lot of trust and receptiveness where various issues are uncovered. This circumstance can frequently leave a patient or customer feeling more defenseless than any time in recent memory, and sadness, tension, and other emotional wellness concerns can without much of a stretch cloud a customers judgment. Since the customer advisor relationship is a relationship of intensity, it is a higher priority than at any other time that specialists don't surrender to temptation or sexual fascination that may exist for a customer, and that sexual associations with customers and patients not be permitted to create. Albeit a few examinations have been done on the presence of customer specialist sexual connections, it is clear that a significant number of the consequences of these reviews are untrustworthy because of the idea of the circumstance. In any event, when secrecy is guaranteed, numerous specialists are frightful of the repercussions of being uncovered and are hesitant to disclose such data. In any case, these investigations affirm that sexual connections still regularly happen among specialists and customers, more every now and again in male experts than females. Besides, these examinations have additionally uncovered that these sorts of connections can be further negative to customers and patients who look for the assistance of expert specialists. Sexual connections among advocates and customers has existed presumably since the very beginning, being noted as far back as the fifth century B.C., when the Hippocratic Oath began, expressing, â€Å"In each house where I come, I will enter just to benefit my patients, keeping myself a long way from all purposeful sick doing and all temptation, and particularly from the joys of affection with ladies and men.† Nonetheless, late examinations and even legal disputes have affirmed that this wonder proceeds and as a rule, is further hindering to the psychological well-being of the customers who go into these sorts of connections. For customers who are managing issues identified with aggressive behavior at home, misuse, assault, or interbreeding, the maltreatment of trust and force that happens with sexual customer advisor connections can build sentiments of injury and mental trouble, frequently activating side effects of post-horrible pressure issue. Indeed, even in customers who are not managing these sorts of issues, expanded sadness and uneasiness can happen, and a patient who has been associated with a sexual relationship with a specialist is regularly bound to endeavor self destruction and further impervious to extra treatment. Likewise, examines have uncovered that sexual connections among advisors and patients are as often as possible related with subjective brokenness, sentiments of void and disconnection, a debilitated capacity to trust, expanded sentiments of blame, disarray in regards to limits, and concealment of outrage. In spite of the fact that these kinds of manifestations are not noted in each customer who has been associated with a sexual relationship with an advisor, a significant number of these indications were viewed as regular in customers who had occupied with this sort of relationship. To put it plainly, treatment is the best when limits and trust of the customer are not damaged and an expert relationship is kept up, and in almost every locale, it is the obligation of the specialist to keep up this expert relationship. Truth be told, the legitimate ramifications for specialists who do go into a sexual relationship with a customer can be serious in numerous states. All together for advisors and other psychological wellness experts to keep up their expert licenses, most states not just command that there be no sexual associations with customers, yet in addition that there is no sexual relationship with a previous customer too. While in certain states the prerequisite is that the customer has not been a patient for at any rate two years, in others the rules specify in any event five years. What's more, the psychological well-being proficient might be committed to demonstrate that the relationship isn't exploitative in nature and that the customer is completely fit for settling on their own choices with respect to the relationship. For advisors and emotional well-being experts who do take part in a sexual relationship with a customer, the punishments can be extreme. Not exclusively can an advisor lose their expert permit for such acts if the relationship is found, yet they can likewise be sued for negligence and infringement of trust in numerous examples. Keeping up an expert relationship consistently isn't just to the greatest advantage of the customer and their psychological prosperity, yet in addition to the greatest advantage of the specialist and their expert notoriety.

Underage Drinking Risk Factors and Consequences

Underage Drinking Risk Factors and Consequences Addiction Alcohol Use Print Underage Drinking Risk Factors and Consequences By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on February 02, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on October 04, 2019 Cultura/Seb Oliver / Getty Images More in Addiction Alcohol Use Binge Drinking Withdrawal and Relapse Children of Alcoholics Drunk Driving Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Underage drinking has actually been steadily declining for decades in the United States, but it is still prevalent enough to be a major public health concern. Underage drinking began a steep decline back in the 1980s when Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which required states to raise the age for legal purchase and possession of alcohol to 21 by October 1986 or lose 10% of their federal highway funds. By 1988, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had adopted 21 as the minimum drinking age, setting off a steady decline in underage drinking rates among 8th, 10th and 12th-grade students that continues today. Prevalence of Underage Drinking However, according to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 8.65 million Americans age 12 to 20 reported that they were current drinkers, meaning they had at least one drink in the past 30 days.?? Males still binge drink and drink daily more than underage females, but the differences are diminishing. White students report the highest levels of drinking, Hispanics are next and blacks report the lowest rates. Of those students who have problems or who drop out, 80% report having gotten drunk in the past month, or reported binge drinking, or reported drinking and driving in the past 30 days.?? Drinking and Adolescent Development For some students, drinking alcohol is their only behavioral problem, but for others, drinking goes along with other problem behaviors linked to unconventionality, impulsiveness, and sensation seeking, according to research.?? Typically, binge drinking among students follows the pattern of beginning around age 13, increasing during adolescence, peaking in young adulthood (ages 18-22) and then gradually decreasing.?? However, studies have found that young people who increase their binge drinking between ages 18 and 24 or who consistently binge drink at least once a week during those years may begin  having problems in the following areas:?? MarriageEducational attainmentEmploymentFinancial independence Factors That Encourage Alcohol Abuse There are many factors that can contribute to the reason that some adolescents begin a pattern of alcohol abuse and develop alcohol use disorders while others do not. Here are some of the key risk factors. Genetic Risk Factors Research has shown that genetic factors play a role in a persons vulnerability to developing alcohol problems.?? We know for certain that children of alcoholic parents are significantly more likely to become alcoholics themselves compared to children of parents who are not alcoholics. But, a family history of alcoholism is not the only determining factor. Environmental influences also play a role in whether someone develops alcohol use disorders and can vary widely from person to person.?? We also know that some environmental influences can mitigate the genetic influences and cause some children of alcoholics do not develop drinking problems. Biological Markers Studies have revealed that brain waves caused by a response to specific stimuli can provide measurable brain activity that can predict the risk of alcoholism. P300, a specific brain wave that occurs about 300 milliseconds following a stimulus of light or sound, is one of the brain waves used in these studies.?? If someone demonstrates a low P300 amplitude it indicates an increased risk for developing alcoholism, especially among the sons of alcoholic fathers. Scientists were able to predict alcohol and other drug use in preadolescent boys four years later at the average age of 16 by measuring their P300 brain waves.?? Childhood Behavior Behavior patterns in early childhood have also be found to be predictors of later drinking problems. At age 3, children who were classified as under controlledâ€"impulsive, restless or distractibleâ€"were twice as likely to be diagnosed with alcohol use disorders at age 21 compared to 3-year-olds classified as inhibited or well-adjusted.?? Children who exhibit aggressiveness as early as ages 5 to 10 years old are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs during adolescence. Children who exhibit antisocial behavior are more likely to have alcohol-related problems during adolescence and severe alcohol use disorders in adulthood, research shows.?? Psychiatric Disorders Alcohol consumption and a variety of psychiatric disorders have been linked to adolescents and young adults in several research studies:?? Adolescents who are heavy drinkers are more likely to have conduct disorders.Boys from 6 to 17 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and who had weak social relationships were significantly more likely to have severe alcohol use disorders four years later.College freshmen with anxiety disorders were twice as likely to have severe alcohol use disorders compared to those without anxiety disorders.College students with drinking problems were four times as likely to have a major depressive disorder. Along with the factors listed above, there are a number of psychosocial factors that increase the risk of underage youth making a decision to begin early-onset alcohol consumption. Parenting, Family Environment, and Peers Parents are the single most important influence on their childrens decision to become involved in substance abuse or not. Studies show that parents who drink or express favorable attitudes about drinking are linked to their children initiating alcohol consumption and continuing to drink.?? Children who are warned about the dangers of alcohol by their parents are less likely to start drinking underage. The same is true for children who report being close to their parents. A lack of parental communication, support and monitoring have been linked by researchers to the frequency of drinking, heavy drinking, and drunkenness among adolescents.?? Studies have also linked parental hostility, rejection and harsh, inconsistent discipline to childhood drinking and alcohol-related problems.?? Adolescents are more likely to drink if their peers drink,?? but beyond that, even if their peers exhibit an acceptance of drinking it can influence a childs decision to initiate alcohol consumption. Top Risk Factors for Teen Substance Abuse Positive Expectancies of Alcohol Research shows that adolescents are more likely to begin drinking if they have developed a positive expectancy about drinking.?? These positive expectancies generally increase with age and can predict both the onset of drinking and problem drinking among young people. Childhood Trauma Child abuse and other traumatic events are also risk factors for later alcohol problems among youth. Of those adolescents who end up in treatment for alcohol abuse disorders rates of physical abuse, sexual abuse, violent victimization, and witnessing violence are much higher than the general population of adolescents. Compared to study controls, adolescents in alcohol treatment programs were:?? 6 times more likely to have been abused physically18 times more likely to have been sexually abusedMore likely to have experienced posttraumatic stress disorder Those adolescents treated for alcohol abuse were 10 times more likely to have had PTSD while those treated for alcohol dependence were 13 times more likely. Alcohol Advertising Studies of the effects of alcohol advertising on children have found that alcohol ads can significantly increase positive expectancies about alcohol.?? Alcohol advertising targeted at adolescents has been found to influence alcohol brand preferences and increase the adolescents intention to drink as adults. Consequences of Adolescent Alcohol Use In the late 1960s and early 1970s, in the Vietnam war era, many states dropped their legal drinking age to 18. The political thinking was, if they are old enough to get drafted and fight for their country, they are old enough to drink. The effect was almost immediate. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities increased dramatically. Highway deaths not only increased in the states where the drinking age was lower but also in the states that bordered those states. Thats when Congress stepped in and mandated nationwide legal drinking age of 21 by threatening to withhold federal highway funding to those states that did not increase the drinking age. The higher legal drinking age immediately prompted a decrease in underage drinking and a decrease in drinking and driving as well as alcohol-related highway fatalities. The legal drinking age no doubt had an effect in other areas where underage drinking can result in problems, including: Sexual Behavior: Underage drinking is linked not only to increased risky sexual behavior but also increased vulnerability to coerced sex.?? Adolescents who drink are more likely to have sex before age 16, more likely to have sex while they are drinking and less likely to practice safe sex after drinking.Risky Behavior and Victimization: Alcohol use among 8th and 10th graders have been found to increase both risky behavior and victimization.?? This is particularly true for 8th-grade students.Puberty and Bone Growth: If studies conducted with laboratory animals are an indication, heavy alcohol consumption in adolescents can delay puberty, slow bone growth, and result in weaker bones.?? Preventing Underage Drinking Is Essential Several studies have found that early-onset drinking is linked to the risk of greater substance abuse problems later in life.?? The earlier a child begins to drink alcohol, the greater the problems he or she will face in adulthood, not only with substance abuse but with meeting important life goals such as education and careers. Therefore, it is important for parents and for society to do everything possible to prevent the initiation of childhood drinking. Laws and policies will only work so far, the real work begins in the home within the family.

Sir Gawain and the Green Night Discussion Study Question...

Sir Gawain The Green Night Discussion/Study Question 12 1. For what purpose would Gawain poet place King Arthur in line with the founders of the ancient civilizations? The purpose is to show how well respected king Arthur was, how he was known as the greatest king in medieval times, to show how he was an important leader of medieval times and Britain. 3. While describing the knights and ladies of Arthur’s court, the Gawain poet alludes to some of the values of his audience? What adjectives, used to describe these scenes of â€Å"revelry†, correspond to these values? Some of the values are that a married women and married men can engaged in relationships with other people other value is that†¦show more content†¦6. What is the Knights reaction to this challenge? He first refuses the offer to sit down then he refuses to fight Arthur’s men and instead play a game. 7. How does Sir Gawain rationalize his request of Arthur that be one to accept the Knight’s challenge? What qualities does he thus show? Gawain rationalizes his request to complete the Green Knight’s challenge by reciting, the rules of the game to show he actually wants to do it and isn’t being rational. This shows the qualities of courage and strength, and also thinking things through. 8. What bargain does the Green Knight strike with Gawain? That Gawain will have to report to him in a years’ time to be murdered. 9. Describe the reaction of the gathered crowd to the spectacle that enfolds before Arthur. The crowd is shocked into silence most of the time, during the feast but at other times are most likely scared or gasping. Discussion Question On Part 2 of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight 1. Why did the lords and ladies have â€Å"sorrow† for Gawain? Why did they â€Å"make mirth† for his sake? They felt bad for Gawain because they knew he would soon be riding off to his death, they felt they had to â€Å"make mirth become happy, to cheer him up. 2. Why do you think the Gawain poet aggrandizes Gawain by describing his equipment and clothing in such extravagant and hyperbolic detail? The poet did this to emphasize on the strength andShow MoreRelatedThe Sonnet Form: William Shakespeare6305 Words   |  26 Pagessonnets were written—the sonnet was the form of choice for lyric poets, particularly lyric poets seeking to engage with traditional themes of love and romance. (In addition to Shakespeare’s monumental sequence, the Astrophel and Stella sequence by Sir Philip Sydney stands as one of the most important sonnet sequences of this period.) Sonnets were also written during the height of classical English verse, by Dryden and Pope, among others, and written again during the heyday of English RomanticismRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pages. 8 Education: Teaching English as a Second or Other Language (TESOL)—non-native English Speaker ..................................................... ............................................................................... 8 Environmental Studies ............................................................................................................ 9 Geography .............................................................................................................................

A More Perfect Union The American Dream Essay - 1270 Words

On eighteen century America, the founding fathers classified the American Dream as an idea that everyone living in the United Stated had the chance to achieve the Jeffersonian idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. At the time the American Dream was supposedly possible to anyone who had the willingness to work hard and honestly. To the founding father s anyone who would stand by this saying would either achieve success or be emulated for their efforts, even those who did not achieve their goal would still have made a contribution to their nation because everyone followed the understanding that hard labor and honesty are qualities that everyone must strive. Although this only applied to some. On the speech â€Å"A More Perfect Union†, Obama demonstrates that this idea was then stained by this nation’s original sin of slavery which created questions that divided the country for many years since the signing of the document. In fact, we still experience reperc ussions that affect the premise of the American Dream† (). A dream that was embedded within our Constitution that had at its core the idea of equal citizenship under the law, which includes freedom, justice, and a union that could be and should be perfect over time.† The article â€Å"The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold† by Brandon King, talks about whether the American Dream is Dead, Alive, or on Hold. King later redefines the American Dream today as the potential to work for an honest, secure way of life andShow MoreRelatedAbraham Lincoln s Greatest Speech1233 Words   |  5 Pages(Lincoln). Lincoln knew that war would tear the country apart, and he wanted to prevent that. As he prepared to give the speech, he kept quiet, but others turned around his silence. Many said he was the reason the Union was divided. In preparing for his speech he knew everything had to be perfect to deliver a uniting speech. 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They fulfill their dreams, gain wealth, and have a better life. there is always that one question, how to become an American. Is it really just getting a green card, living here for three years, and passing a few tests? Sure get you re citizenship to America, but are they truly an American? As of 2012, 14 percent

Ford vs. Gm Free Essays

FORD MOTOR COMPANY . VS. GENERAL MOTORS Ford Automotive Company Background The Ford Automotive Company began as a vision of its founder Henry Ford. We will write a custom essay sample on Ford vs. Gm or any similar topic only for you Order Now Henry Ford was born in 1863 on a farm near Dearborn, Michigan. In 1890 Ford’s hobby in the engineering field became a career as he began his employment at Detroit Edison Company. In 1892, Ford built his first gasoline buggy in which he sold in 1896 to help fund the construction of a new automobile. Three years later in 1899, Ford was forced to quit despite his promotion to chief engineer because of his hobby outside of work. The loss of his career at Detroit Edison Company did not slow Ford down. Soon after that he started Detroit Automobile Company with the help of some private investors. Shortly after, he withdrew from that business association because of accounting and prices of the cars produced by the company. On June 16, 1903 Henry Ford opened a converted wagon factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit which became known as the Ford Motor Company. After the company was formed it went through ups and down like any other company. The Ford Motor Company fought with the Licensed Association of Automobile Manufacturers over rights for a patent held on road locomotives with internal combustion engines when the company began. The Model T was the beginning mark of Ford’s success being one of its most popular cars in 1908. Ford was also involved in the war effort in World War I. The Ford Motor Company placed its resource at the disposal of the government providing large quantities of automobiles, trucks, ambulances, Liberty airplane motors, Whippet tanks, and Eagle submarine chasers. The Ford Company later expanded into other countries such as England, German, and Russia. The Ford Motor Company has been through many changes in time that include two World Wars, the Great Depression and more. General Motors Automotive Company Background William C. Durant, founder of General Motors Company was born in Boston, Massachusetts on December 8, 1861. Durant was also the grandson of Michigan Governor Henry H. Crapo. Durant dropped out of high school to work in his grandfather’s lumberyard. He went from the lumberyard to selling carriages. In 1886, Durant founded the Flint Road Cart Company which transformed from $2,000 start-up capital into a $2 million business that made sales around the world. Durant teamed up with Josiah Dort to create the Durant-Dort Carriage Company based in Flint, Michigan in 1890. Their company became the number one leading manufacturer of horse-drawn vehicles in the world. After Durant produced the modern system of automobile dealer franchise s, he was offered a general manager position of Buick in 1904. Shortly after obtaining this position and being successful in it, Durant became president of the company taking it in a different direction. Durant arranged the incorporation by proxies of General Motors and quickly after sold stock and with the proceeds acquired Oldsmobile in 1908. After that acquisition, Durant acquired Oakland, Cadillac. In 1911, Durant went into a partnership with Louis Chevrolet, starting the Chevrolet Company. In 1916, GM was incorporated as General Motors Corporation. GM went on to expand by purchasing McLaughlin Motor Car Company in Ontario, Vauxhall Motors of England, and 80% share in German automobile manufacturer Adam Opel AG. Under the leadership of Alfred P. Sloan, GM had successfully exceeded the sales of Ford Motor Company. GM also became versatile by purchasing Fokker Aircraft Corp of America and Berliner-Joyce Aircraft in which later merged into General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation. GM manufactured vehicles and aircrafts for both Allied and Axis customers during WWII. GM continued expanding and came out with more brands the almost any other automobile company in the world. Ford Motor Company Profile Ford Motor Company is a public company that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Ford is a worldwide company located in Dearborn, Michigan which is also part of the S P 500. The key people involved in the success of this great company include William C. Ford, Jr. (Executive Chairman) and Alan R. Mulally (President CEO). Ford’s production consists of automobiles and automotive parts. Ford produces amazing vehicles such as the Mustang, F-150, Fusion, Taurus, Focus, etc. Ford also has subsidiaries such as Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo. Ford has its own luxury cars under the Lincoln brand. The line of services that ford provides involves automotive finance, vehicle leasing, and vehicle service. Ford Motor Company has had an exceptional year with revenue up $136. 26 billion, operating income up $8. 681 billion, net income up $20. 21 billion, total assets up $178. 35 billion, and total equity up $15. 07 billion. General Motors Company Profile General Motors Company is labeled as a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. The headquarters of GM is located in Detroit, Michigan in the Renaissance Center. GM has 156 facilities on six different continents and serves the public worldwide. One the key people in the current success of GM is Daniel Ackerson (Chairman and CEO). Their products include automobiles and automotive parts and also financial services. GM has a many subsidiaries that consist of CAMI, Adam Opel AG, Holden Ltd, Vauxhall, and more. GM’s divisions include Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC. The 202,000 employees have helped to produce revenue adding up to $150. 28 billion in 2011. To add to GM’s great year, the operating income is up $9. 287 billion, net income is up $7. 585 billion total assets are up $144. 60 billion, and the total equity is up 38. 9 billion. Employee Benefits Ford provides a great benefits package. There employee package includes: * Medical * Dental * Vision * Paid Vacation * Paid Company Holidays * Ford Flexible Work Program * Savings Stock Investment Plan (401K) * Ford Retirement Plan * Vehicle Purchase Plan * Community Service Program * Ford Employee Recreation Program (FERA) General Motors also provides an excellent benefits package. GM employees’ benefits package includes: * Medical * Dental * Vision * Savings-Stock Purchase Program 401(k) * Personal retirement income plan * Financial planning * Life insurance * Disability benefits * 17 Paid holidays 2 Week vacation with 1-3 years of service * 5 Week vacation for longer service employees * 5 additional paid days off Employees and immediate family members purchase vehicles at a significant discount The Customer is Always Right Our principal purpose in presenting you with this information is to help you with your decision in choosing a company to work for as a communications consultant. Through our research we have f ound a considerable amount of data that should not only help you decide which company you will be choosing, but clarify which company would be the best choice. In presenting information there are several challenges in deciding which categories would peak your interest in a company. While there are vast amounts of information at your fingertips we have reviewed personal accounts of employee satisfaction experiences as well as customer satisfaction surveys, challenges that each competitor faces both near and far, and the tough decisions that Ford and GMC have had to make during the times of financial crisis. It is our belief that employee satisfaction is a key to a successful business and so do most major businesses, including Ford and General Motors. Employed persons spend the majority of their time at work, and that makes it obvious that employee satisfaction should be the one of the most important categories researched. To determine if not only the company fits you, but to see if the â€Å"YOU† fit the company. Since 2009, the year of GMC filing bankruptcy, 29,000 or more salaried employees are operating under a new policy that concentrates efforts towards placing the customer’s needs first, and receiving a bonus when customer retention goals are met. These efforts are to improve customer relationships with the GM products and services. Here are some comments from glassdoor. om about General motors recent customer experiences, â€Å"GM is the place to go† says a former project manager in Chicago, Illinois. A former engineer in Detroit, MI on a recent visit to a GMC dealer said â€Å"management is working hard to improve the culture which has been slow and cumbersome. † GMC since their recent financia l crisis has placed a concentrated effort on employee and customer satisfaction, and it has proven to be a key to their revival. Their initiative is to increase its customer retention from 52 percent to 58 percent, if the employees reach the company’s retention goal it will add $4. billion in annual revenue. â€Å"Mark Reuss, General Motor’s North America President stated it’s the first time in his 26-year career that the automaker will reward employees based around how well they retain their customers. † General Motors is definitely creating a change in policies and procedures and only employee effort and good managing decisions will decide the future success of the company. Ford on the other hand stood strong through the financial crisis of the latter part of the 2000’s, declining acceptance of the Tarp money offered by the Government, and choosing not to declare bankruptcy. Ford’s success is due mainly to the Ford family giving up the reigns and allowing an outsider executive control over the company, and other employees making good decisions, and allowing the company to rely on employees and great customer satisfaction to keep the ball rolling. William â€Å"Bill† Clay Ford, Executive Chairman of the Board for Ford Motor Corporation, and former CEO, acknowledged that there may have been some gain from taking TARP money, but nothing is forever, and people have short memories. So it is really up to Ford everyday to earn our respect. GM is a great competitor, and we know that. I like where we are positioned and I like that we have positioned ourselves to earn that respect† he was quoted in an article â€Å"How Ford did it† on Cnn. com. Ford’s Pulse Survey Ford motor company has gone through great lengths to improve their company not only as an automotive manufacturer but in terms of employee satisfaction. In 2009, 80 percent of Ford’s salaried employees participated in their annual Pulse survey. The Pulse survey gives Ford an insight into employee’s actual satisfaction with the company, their job, diversity, and other aspects of the workplace. The Pulse survey includes several categories one being an (ESI)- Employee Satisfaction Index, in which 68 percent gave a good rating which was a two percent increase from the previous year and a third year with improvement to the company’s scores. The area of greatest improvement was the employee overall satisfaction and information received from upper level management. Other areas that have improved over the years are supervision and diversity. Ford has placed a highly concentrated effort into improving communications internally to build trust and increase transparency amongst employees. Diversity in the Workplace Since 1903 Ford has been known as a leader in the automotive industry and a leader in diverse practices in the workplace. Ford is still committed to hiring a highly skilled workplace that reflects many different aspects of our country including culture, ethnicity, race, age, perspective, religion, physical ability and sexual orientation. In 1913 Ford offered five dollars a day to factory workers to attract the African American and immigrant citizens in the community helping create the black middle class. By 1916 Ford was proud to have employed with them, men and women from 62 different nationalities, and 900 disabled employees. In the year 1919 Ford is responsible for leading to the first mosque in the United States. By 1920 Ford had more African American employees than any other automotive company in the world. That year they also employed their first Asian-Indian employee whom later established the Ford of India. In 1941 Ford negotiates its first collective bargaining agreement which was groundbreaking, mostly because it explicitly prohibited discrimination based on race, color, national origin, or creed. 944 is when Rose Will Monroe, a rivet gun operator, was chosen to appear in a commercial for the Ford Motor Company showing determined women factory workers and personifying the Ford image of diversity for all in the workplace. In 1970 several women join the company as salaried employees. They quickly moved up the executive ranks becoming the first women to enter Ford’s Mar keting and Sales Management Program. Today, Ford’s efforts continue in hiring female employees in the executive, management, and engineering divisions. Barb J. Samardzich, Vice President of Powertrain Engineering has said that today 18% of Ford employees are women, which is 5% higher than it was when she graduated from college. In 2003, the company included an expanded definition of diversity to include not only race, ethnicity, age and gender but also many things are unique to employees unique such as backgrounds, opinions, experiences, perspectives and life situations. â€Å"It also put an emphasis on fostering an inclusive culture that is free of barriers, and in which all employees are included, respected and appreciated†, says Ford executives. At GM, we view diversity as a critical business imperative that in the long-term will benefit each of us, and all of us. We drive diversity throughout our organization by focusing on five areas: Customers, Communities, Dealers, and Suppliers† says GM executive. GMC hasn’t always made the best decisions as a company, but one of the keys to their success is creating a strongly d iverse workforce. On March 14 GMC hosted a luncheon celebrating their 50th anniversary of Inforum a professional organization focused on creating strategic connections and accelerating careers for women throughout Michigan. This year GMC showed a bit of Latin flair when they allowed designer Johanna Medina, designer of GMC’s Acadia to be the keynote speaker. She spoke to students of Bronx high school of visual arts about her path to working as a designer for GMC and how much she enjoys the diversity of their workforce. The General Motors African Ancestry Affinity Network (GMAAN) held its 6th Annual Black History Month Celebration on February 24, 2012 at the Grand Ballroom inside the Greektown Hotel in Detroit, MI. This year’s theme was â€Å"Influencing a New Generation† and GM’s own Mr. Ed Welburn, Vice President of Global Design, was the Keynote Speaker. Ed spoke about his love and passion for designing vehicles and how it was influenced by GM at a very early age and he was absolutely determined to work for the company that inspired him. He manages 11 Global design studios in eight countries and over 1,800 creative people that continue to design the best award-winning vehicles around the world. Ed is the 6th person to lead GM Design in the company’s 100 year history and the first to lead a united GM Global Design organization. GM also supports diversity by recognizing women of color in the workplace. In 2011, Chevrolet was the sponsor for BET’s first annual award show for women of color, BLACK GIRLS ROCK! â„ ¢ Soul Tour. GMC has constantly showed their efforts to encourage diversity in the workplace from Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. to being one of the Gold sponsors of the Special Olympics of Michigan which were held on Macomb Community College Campus in Warren, MI. First Lt. Travis Manion was moved by the members of FDNY Rescue Company One, one of the first fire companies to respond to the World Trade Center on Sept. 1, after spending a day with them before his last tour of Iraq in 2006. Their hard work and sacrifice only reinforced Travis’ belief in serving his country. While Travis was killed by enemy fire in Fallujah later that year, his spirit lives on thanks to the Travis Manion Foundation. In July 2011, the GM Foundation and Chevrolet donated $250,000 to the Travis Manion Fou ndation to help take its 9/11 Heroes Run fundraiser nationwide. Ford and GMC are two very great companies that show much promise for the future. They have increased size, profitability, technology, but most importantly employee and customer relations. Ford was built on tradition and has set several market trends in which most automotive companies have followed including GMC. General Motors has also made a name for itself in the automotive industry becoming a known producer of quality cars and other automotive parts. They have partnered with several diverse groups to spread an image of how much they care about keeping culture, diversity, and employees ‘ rights and freedoms amongst the highest priorities. These are only a few aspects that define both of these companies without diving into financial statements and stock prices. The more important points we hope to reach in coming to a conclusion on the decision for you is what the companies plan to do with their futures. What challenges does each of these competitors face? What difficult decisions have each had to make for each of them to still be thriving as much as they are today? Looking Ahead The most important part of planning your future career with a company is to research what decisions they are making currently about guiding their future. The automotive industry faces several challenges in today’s struggling economy while trying to make those choices. Globalization, Demographics, General Motors is currently going through a complete renovation with their new business model in place, combining automotive aspects with new digital technology, and competing with new entrants into the industry that now have a competitive advantage with smaller more economical alternative vehicles. In today’s U. S. automotive market there are companies such as Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Fiat, and more who have become heavyweight competitors in the national and international industry. Detroit was for years the epicenter of the American automotive industry; it was not until recently when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) allowed foreign companies to open factories in the South-Eastern areas of the country. This move actually gave foreign companies a great perception in the public’s eyes because it created thousands of employment opportunities for locals and those who lived in northern states who were struggling to find jobs. The Southern Auto Corridor† which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia serves as the production center of foreign automotive companies and provides the biggest competitor for auto makers such as Ford and General Motors. They not only have to compete with the public’s opinions of the companies providing better jobs, but also the foreign companies cornering the fuel efficiency market. Ford, since it w as established has been an innovator in the automotive industry, from the T-model to the Ford F-150. Ford has set the standard with being the first to release new technology and set trends in the highly competitive industry. In the 1960’s it was the Mustang and today it’s vehicles such as the Fusion, and Focus with incredibly economical technology setting the car’s estimated fuel economy over 40 miles per gallon. General Motors has also been one of the industries top competitors and most creative innovators. In the 1960’s when Ford released the Mustang, setting an industry standard for American vehicles, General Motors released the Camaro and Firebird which became the Mustang’s number one competitor. Today they are at the top of the American automotive industry, releasing the Chevy Volt a hybrid vehicle that offers consumers enough fuel efficiency to make a trip to the gas station only once a month with regular charging. The competition continues between these two mega competitors in the research and development of hybrid vehicles, Sports Utility Vehicles that can hold large families and achieve the same fuel economy as the smaller hybrid vehicles. In today’s economy efficient personal finance has become the key to our success, and as a smart business model Ford and General Motors has realized that creating smarter, more economical vehicles is the best way to increase consumer perception and retention. With gas prices fluctuating daily, hybrid and alternative vehicles have become the future of the automotive industry. They have become the future not only because of consumer’s personal finances, but because of global warming. The environmental affects of motor vehicles is threatening the way of life as we know it. Global Warming is a rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and is affected heavily first by the ocean, but secondly by large factories and vehicles such as cars and trucks giving off large amounts of CO2. As time goes on the Earth will be plagued with horrible climates and scarce resources, that’s why the automotive industry and the people of the world are strongly pursuing alternative vehicle options to save the environment. The environment changes as well as the societal views and opinions. Cars that were once considered popular are no longer the talk of the town. The age group that vehicles are sold to is often identified by the amount of digital technology it has or the sport styled body kits. Demographic and Consumer behavior have always been a challenge for the automotive industry. It is why they change models yearly in efforts to incorporate new and improved functions. Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. are America’s legendary competitors in the automotive industry. There is not a person in the United States that does not know at least one or two vehicle models of either company. Who Has the Advantage? Ford Motor Company and General Motors have both competitive advantages over each other and over other automobile companies. Both companies make all types of automobiles, from cars to SUV’s, which gives them an advantage of offering all types of automobiles. â€Å"Ford Motors adopted the strategy that allowed it low production cost by cutting all the excessive cost involved in its operations. †(Ford Case Study) This strategy gave Ford a big cost advantage over other competitors in terms of lower cost. By cutting the costs on materials and production supplies that were not being used effectively, Ford increased their profits and could increase their market share. Ford increased its market position in the automobile industry by increasing consumer trust by fighting against bankruptcy. A competitive advantage that both companies have in the industry is the cost of their products. Both companies provide affordable vehicles that consumers are looking to buy during these hard economic times. Although the automobile industry has taken a huge hit in recent years due to the recession, they are still fighting hard to produce new and eco-friendly vehicles for consumers. General Motors has a competitive advantage in the selection of vehicles they offer to the public. Since General Motors is made up of four widely known automobile companies (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC), they have a wider target market and are therefore able to appeal to more consumers. Both Ford and GM offer great service. This gives them a competitive advantage over other automobile companies that lack in service and part availability. Companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Audi, which are built in foreign countries, sometimes take a little longer to get parts and that could make some consumers shy away from them. Our conclusion is that Ford Motor Company’s ability to cut cost while still making a quality product gives them the advantage over General Motors. The Great Automobile Recession Both Ford Motor Company and General Motors have faced challenges in the past that were hard for them to overcome. We can start to look as recent as the last ten years to see challenges that had to be overcome. Ford and General Motors were both near bankruptcy due to the most recent depression. â€Å"In 2006, Ford posted its biggest operating loss to date: $12. 6 billion. This coincided with continued deterioration in market share, with the majority of these losses being captured by Toyota and General Motors. From 1997 to 2007, Ford’s United States market share plummeted from 25% to 15%. †(Oasis Consulting) Ford is making moves to try to get the company back on its feet and moving in the right direction. One thing that Ford did to get through these rough economic times was to sell Jaguar and Land Rover. They are also in the process of trying to sell Volvo, which could be very economically productive for them. The Ford Motor Company is trying to get rid of all their other companies to cut costs and help overcome the enormous debt owed by the company. General Motors went through the same economic challenges as Ford, except their situation was a little worse. As General Motors got right to the threshold of bankruptcy, they were bailed out by the U. S. Treasury in an effort to keep the United States automobile companies afloat. â€Å"GM, critically short of operating cash, received a bridge loan from the U. S. Treasury, under the conditions that the company further accelerates a tough restructuring of its U. S. operations that had been underway for several years. †(General Motors web site) These economic hardships pushed both of these companies to the limit, but they were both able to overcome these challenges and become stronger because of it. Due to the extreme consequences General Motors had to face during the recession, we believe that Ford Motor Company is in better shape as an overall company. General Motors had to be â€Å"bailed out† by the government, which means that they were going bankrupt before being given money by the government. Company Success Both companies have had plenty success in their histories. One of Ford Motor Company’s biggest successes is the creation of the Mustang in the 1960’s. â€Å"The sharp, four-seat 1965 Mustang became the â€Å"darling† of America. The â€Å"love affair† brought about the sale of 100,000 Mustangs in the first 100 days. Total sales for the year reached 418,812, far exceeding the 100,000 projected by market research. † The Mustang has been one of the most popular cars in the automobile industry. For forty years, Ford has made a huge profit from the selling of the Mustang. Another success story was the creation of the Thunderbird. This car came out before the Mustang, and was equally as popular. â€Å"The 1955 Thunderbird made its first public appearance in dealer showrooms on Oct. 22, 1954 with a selling price of $2,695, although delivery prices ranged from $3,000 to $4,000. The public went for the Thunderbird in a big way, placing more than 3,500 orders in the first 10-day selling period. † This shows just how popular this Ford model was in its time. Two thousand dollars was a lot during that time period, and to sell that many means major profit for Ford Motor Company. General Motors also has their share of success stories. â€Å"To be the best, General Motors must continually meet and exceed customer expectations. To be flexible and successful across our organizations – Vehicle Manufacturing (Assembly, Powertrain and Stamping), Manufacturing Engineering, and Service Parts Operations – we use a single common manufacturing system to ensure high quality and reliability. † This shows that General Motors takes great pride in making sure that each vehicle is created to the best of their ability. For most of the twentieth century, General Motors was biggest company in the automobile industry. We have given several reasons why we have chosen Ford Motor Company as the company you would prefer to work for. Ford Motor Company is in better financial shape, has remained a leader in employees overall Quality of Life, and has made smart, progressive, and innovative decisions concerning the future of their company as a leader in the automotive industry. General Motors, who had been bailed out by the government is making a turn around since the crisis, but the company is still searching for an identity as a brand, and has a lot of work to do in directing their company. There are several challenges for both companies and with competition comes job opportunities. As a communication consultant for Ford or GMC would be a great career, but our consulting group is sure that we have displayed to you that Ford is the company for you. Works Cited AE Television Networks, LLC. â€Å"William Durant creates General Motors†. http://www. history. com/this-day-in-history/william-durant-creates-general-motors (2011). Dornbach-Bender, Rhett, Bill Slade Joe Thorpe. â€Å"Strategic Report for Ford Motor Company. † Oasis Consulting. 20 April 2009. Web. 11 April 2012. http://economics-files. pomona. du/jlikens/SeniorSeminars/oasis/reports/F. pdf Ford Motor Company. â€Å"An American Legend. † Web. 13 April 2012. http://media. ford. com/article_display. cfm? article_id=81 Glassdoor. â€Å"Ford Motor Reviews†. http://www. glassdoor. com/Reviews/Ford-Motor-Reviews-E263. htm (2012). GM Historical Pamphlets. General Motors. http://www. gmheritage center. com/gm-heritage-archive/historical-brochures. html (2012). Sabatini, Jeff. â€Å"GM now tying all employee bonuses customer Loyalty†. Automotive News. http://www. autoblog. com/2012/06/05/gm-now-tying-all-employee-bonuses-to-customer-loyalty/. (2012). Sustainablity Report: â€Å"Employee Satisfaction†. How to cite Ford vs. Gm, Essay examples

Ford vs. Gm Free Essays

FORD MOTOR COMPANY . VS. GENERAL MOTORS Ford Automotive Company Background The Ford Automotive Company began as a vision of its founder Henry Ford. We will write a custom essay sample on Ford vs. Gm or any similar topic only for you Order Now Henry Ford was born in 1863 on a farm near Dearborn, Michigan. In 1890 Ford’s hobby in the engineering field became a career as he began his employment at Detroit Edison Company. In 1892, Ford built his first gasoline buggy in which he sold in 1896 to help fund the construction of a new automobile. Three years later in 1899, Ford was forced to quit despite his promotion to chief engineer because of his hobby outside of work. The loss of his career at Detroit Edison Company did not slow Ford down. Soon after that he started Detroit Automobile Company with the help of some private investors. Shortly after, he withdrew from that business association because of accounting and prices of the cars produced by the company. On June 16, 1903 Henry Ford opened a converted wagon factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit which became known as the Ford Motor Company. After the company was formed it went through ups and down like any other company. The Ford Motor Company fought with the Licensed Association of Automobile Manufacturers over rights for a patent held on road locomotives with internal combustion engines when the company began. The Model T was the beginning mark of Ford’s success being one of its most popular cars in 1908. Ford was also involved in the war effort in World War I. The Ford Motor Company placed its resource at the disposal of the government providing large quantities of automobiles, trucks, ambulances, Liberty airplane motors, Whippet tanks, and Eagle submarine chasers. The Ford Company later expanded into other countries such as England, German, and Russia. The Ford Motor Company has been through many changes in time that include two World Wars, the Great Depression and more. General Motors Automotive Company Background William C. Durant, founder of General Motors Company was born in Boston, Massachusetts on December 8, 1861. Durant was also the grandson of Michigan Governor Henry H. Crapo. Durant dropped out of high school to work in his grandfather’s lumberyard. He went from the lumberyard to selling carriages. In 1886, Durant founded the Flint Road Cart Company which transformed from $2,000 start-up capital into a $2 million business that made sales around the world. Durant teamed up with Josiah Dort to create the Durant-Dort Carriage Company based in Flint, Michigan in 1890. Their company became the number one leading manufacturer of horse-drawn vehicles in the world. After Durant produced the modern system of automobile dealer franchise s, he was offered a general manager position of Buick in 1904. Shortly after obtaining this position and being successful in it, Durant became president of the company taking it in a different direction. Durant arranged the incorporation by proxies of General Motors and quickly after sold stock and with the proceeds acquired Oldsmobile in 1908. After that acquisition, Durant acquired Oakland, Cadillac. In 1911, Durant went into a partnership with Louis Chevrolet, starting the Chevrolet Company. In 1916, GM was incorporated as General Motors Corporation. GM went on to expand by purchasing McLaughlin Motor Car Company in Ontario, Vauxhall Motors of England, and 80% share in German automobile manufacturer Adam Opel AG. Under the leadership of Alfred P. Sloan, GM had successfully exceeded the sales of Ford Motor Company. GM also became versatile by purchasing Fokker Aircraft Corp of America and Berliner-Joyce Aircraft in which later merged into General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation. GM manufactured vehicles and aircrafts for both Allied and Axis customers during WWII. GM continued expanding and came out with more brands the almost any other automobile company in the world. Ford Motor Company Profile Ford Motor Company is a public company that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Ford is a worldwide company located in Dearborn, Michigan which is also part of the S P 500. The key people involved in the success of this great company include William C. Ford, Jr. (Executive Chairman) and Alan R. Mulally (President CEO). Ford’s production consists of automobiles and automotive parts. Ford produces amazing vehicles such as the Mustang, F-150, Fusion, Taurus, Focus, etc. Ford also has subsidiaries such as Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo. Ford has its own luxury cars under the Lincoln brand. The line of services that ford provides involves automotive finance, vehicle leasing, and vehicle service. Ford Motor Company has had an exceptional year with revenue up $136. 26 billion, operating income up $8. 681 billion, net income up $20. 21 billion, total assets up $178. 35 billion, and total equity up $15. 07 billion. General Motors Company Profile General Motors Company is labeled as a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. The headquarters of GM is located in Detroit, Michigan in the Renaissance Center. GM has 156 facilities on six different continents and serves the public worldwide. One the key people in the current success of GM is Daniel Ackerson (Chairman and CEO). Their products include automobiles and automotive parts and also financial services. GM has a many subsidiaries that consist of CAMI, Adam Opel AG, Holden Ltd, Vauxhall, and more. GM’s divisions include Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC. The 202,000 employees have helped to produce revenue adding up to $150. 28 billion in 2011. To add to GM’s great year, the operating income is up $9. 287 billion, net income is up $7. 585 billion total assets are up $144. 60 billion, and the total equity is up 38. 9 billion. Employee Benefits Ford provides a great benefits package. There employee package includes: * Medical * Dental * Vision * Paid Vacation * Paid Company Holidays * Ford Flexible Work Program * Savings Stock Investment Plan (401K) * Ford Retirement Plan * Vehicle Purchase Plan * Community Service Program * Ford Employee Recreation Program (FERA) General Motors also provides an excellent benefits package. GM employees’ benefits package includes: * Medical * Dental * Vision * Savings-Stock Purchase Program 401(k) * Personal retirement income plan * Financial planning * Life insurance * Disability benefits * 17 Paid holidays 2 Week vacation with 1-3 years of service * 5 Week vacation for longer service employees * 5 additional paid days off Employees and immediate family members purchase vehicles at a significant discount The Customer is Always Right Our principal purpose in presenting you with this information is to help you with your decision in choosing a company to work for as a communications consultant. Through our research we have f ound a considerable amount of data that should not only help you decide which company you will be choosing, but clarify which company would be the best choice. In presenting information there are several challenges in deciding which categories would peak your interest in a company. While there are vast amounts of information at your fingertips we have reviewed personal accounts of employee satisfaction experiences as well as customer satisfaction surveys, challenges that each competitor faces both near and far, and the tough decisions that Ford and GMC have had to make during the times of financial crisis. It is our belief that employee satisfaction is a key to a successful business and so do most major businesses, including Ford and General Motors. Employed persons spend the majority of their time at work, and that makes it obvious that employee satisfaction should be the one of the most important categories researched. To determine if not only the company fits you, but to see if the â€Å"YOU† fit the company. Since 2009, the year of GMC filing bankruptcy, 29,000 or more salaried employees are operating under a new policy that concentrates efforts towards placing the customer’s needs first, and receiving a bonus when customer retention goals are met. These efforts are to improve customer relationships with the GM products and services. Here are some comments from glassdoor. om about General motors recent customer experiences, â€Å"GM is the place to go† says a former project manager in Chicago, Illinois. A former engineer in Detroit, MI on a recent visit to a GMC dealer said â€Å"management is working hard to improve the culture which has been slow and cumbersome. † GMC since their recent financia l crisis has placed a concentrated effort on employee and customer satisfaction, and it has proven to be a key to their revival. Their initiative is to increase its customer retention from 52 percent to 58 percent, if the employees reach the company’s retention goal it will add $4. billion in annual revenue. â€Å"Mark Reuss, General Motor’s North America President stated it’s the first time in his 26-year career that the automaker will reward employees based around how well they retain their customers. † General Motors is definitely creating a change in policies and procedures and only employee effort and good managing decisions will decide the future success of the company. Ford on the other hand stood strong through the financial crisis of the latter part of the 2000’s, declining acceptance of the Tarp money offered by the Government, and choosing not to declare bankruptcy. Ford’s success is due mainly to the Ford family giving up the reigns and allowing an outsider executive control over the company, and other employees making good decisions, and allowing the company to rely on employees and great customer satisfaction to keep the ball rolling. William â€Å"Bill† Clay Ford, Executive Chairman of the Board for Ford Motor Corporation, and former CEO, acknowledged that there may have been some gain from taking TARP money, but nothing is forever, and people have short memories. So it is really up to Ford everyday to earn our respect. GM is a great competitor, and we know that. I like where we are positioned and I like that we have positioned ourselves to earn that respect† he was quoted in an article â€Å"How Ford did it† on Cnn. com. Ford’s Pulse Survey Ford motor company has gone through great lengths to improve their company not only as an automotive manufacturer but in terms of employee satisfaction. In 2009, 80 percent of Ford’s salaried employees participated in their annual Pulse survey. The Pulse survey gives Ford an insight into employee’s actual satisfaction with the company, their job, diversity, and other aspects of the workplace. The Pulse survey includes several categories one being an (ESI)- Employee Satisfaction Index, in which 68 percent gave a good rating which was a two percent increase from the previous year and a third year with improvement to the company’s scores. The area of greatest improvement was the employee overall satisfaction and information received from upper level management. Other areas that have improved over the years are supervision and diversity. Ford has placed a highly concentrated effort into improving communications internally to build trust and increase transparency amongst employees. Diversity in the Workplace Since 1903 Ford has been known as a leader in the automotive industry and a leader in diverse practices in the workplace. Ford is still committed to hiring a highly skilled workplace that reflects many different aspects of our country including culture, ethnicity, race, age, perspective, religion, physical ability and sexual orientation. In 1913 Ford offered five dollars a day to factory workers to attract the African American and immigrant citizens in the community helping create the black middle class. By 1916 Ford was proud to have employed with them, men and women from 62 different nationalities, and 900 disabled employees. In the year 1919 Ford is responsible for leading to the first mosque in the United States. By 1920 Ford had more African American employees than any other automotive company in the world. That year they also employed their first Asian-Indian employee whom later established the Ford of India. In 1941 Ford negotiates its first collective bargaining agreement which was groundbreaking, mostly because it explicitly prohibited discrimination based on race, color, national origin, or creed. 944 is when Rose Will Monroe, a rivet gun operator, was chosen to appear in a commercial for the Ford Motor Company showing determined women factory workers and personifying the Ford image of diversity for all in the workplace. In 1970 several women join the company as salaried employees. They quickly moved up the executive ranks becoming the first women to enter Ford’s Mar keting and Sales Management Program. Today, Ford’s efforts continue in hiring female employees in the executive, management, and engineering divisions. Barb J. Samardzich, Vice President of Powertrain Engineering has said that today 18% of Ford employees are women, which is 5% higher than it was when she graduated from college. In 2003, the company included an expanded definition of diversity to include not only race, ethnicity, age and gender but also many things are unique to employees unique such as backgrounds, opinions, experiences, perspectives and life situations. â€Å"It also put an emphasis on fostering an inclusive culture that is free of barriers, and in which all employees are included, respected and appreciated†, says Ford executives. At GM, we view diversity as a critical business imperative that in the long-term will benefit each of us, and all of us. We drive diversity throughout our organization by focusing on five areas: Customers, Communities, Dealers, and Suppliers† says GM executive. GMC hasn’t always made the best decisions as a company, but one of the keys to their success is creating a strongly d iverse workforce. On March 14 GMC hosted a luncheon celebrating their 50th anniversary of Inforum a professional organization focused on creating strategic connections and accelerating careers for women throughout Michigan. This year GMC showed a bit of Latin flair when they allowed designer Johanna Medina, designer of GMC’s Acadia to be the keynote speaker. She spoke to students of Bronx high school of visual arts about her path to working as a designer for GMC and how much she enjoys the diversity of their workforce. The General Motors African Ancestry Affinity Network (GMAAN) held its 6th Annual Black History Month Celebration on February 24, 2012 at the Grand Ballroom inside the Greektown Hotel in Detroit, MI. This year’s theme was â€Å"Influencing a New Generation† and GM’s own Mr. Ed Welburn, Vice President of Global Design, was the Keynote Speaker. Ed spoke about his love and passion for designing vehicles and how it was influenced by GM at a very early age and he was absolutely determined to work for the company that inspired him. He manages 11 Global design studios in eight countries and over 1,800 creative people that continue to design the best award-winning vehicles around the world. Ed is the 6th person to lead GM Design in the company’s 100 year history and the first to lead a united GM Global Design organization. GM also supports diversity by recognizing women of color in the workplace. In 2011, Chevrolet was the sponsor for BET’s first annual award show for women of color, BLACK GIRLS ROCK! â„ ¢ Soul Tour. GMC has constantly showed their efforts to encourage diversity in the workplace from Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. to being one of the Gold sponsors of the Special Olympics of Michigan which were held on Macomb Community College Campus in Warren, MI. First Lt. Travis Manion was moved by the members of FDNY Rescue Company One, one of the first fire companies to respond to the World Trade Center on Sept. 1, after spending a day with them before his last tour of Iraq in 2006. Their hard work and sacrifice only reinforced Travis’ belief in serving his country. While Travis was killed by enemy fire in Fallujah later that year, his spirit lives on thanks to the Travis Manion Foundation. In July 2011, the GM Foundation and Chevrolet donated $250,000 to the Travis Manion Fou ndation to help take its 9/11 Heroes Run fundraiser nationwide. Ford and GMC are two very great companies that show much promise for the future. They have increased size, profitability, technology, but most importantly employee and customer relations. Ford was built on tradition and has set several market trends in which most automotive companies have followed including GMC. General Motors has also made a name for itself in the automotive industry becoming a known producer of quality cars and other automotive parts. They have partnered with several diverse groups to spread an image of how much they care about keeping culture, diversity, and employees ‘ rights and freedoms amongst the highest priorities. These are only a few aspects that define both of these companies without diving into financial statements and stock prices. The more important points we hope to reach in coming to a conclusion on the decision for you is what the companies plan to do with their futures. What challenges does each of these competitors face? What difficult decisions have each had to make for each of them to still be thriving as much as they are today? Looking Ahead The most important part of planning your future career with a company is to research what decisions they are making currently about guiding their future. The automotive industry faces several challenges in today’s struggling economy while trying to make those choices. Globalization, Demographics, General Motors is currently going through a complete renovation with their new business model in place, combining automotive aspects with new digital technology, and competing with new entrants into the industry that now have a competitive advantage with smaller more economical alternative vehicles. In today’s U. S. automotive market there are companies such as Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Fiat, and more who have become heavyweight competitors in the national and international industry. Detroit was for years the epicenter of the American automotive industry; it was not until recently when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) allowed foreign companies to open factories in the South-Eastern areas of the country. This move actually gave foreign companies a great perception in the public’s eyes because it created thousands of employment opportunities for locals and those who lived in northern states who were struggling to find jobs. The Southern Auto Corridor† which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia serves as the production center of foreign automotive companies and provides the biggest competitor for auto makers such as Ford and General Motors. They not only have to compete with the public’s opinions of the companies providing better jobs, but also the foreign companies cornering the fuel efficiency market. Ford, since it w as established has been an innovator in the automotive industry, from the T-model to the Ford F-150. Ford has set the standard with being the first to release new technology and set trends in the highly competitive industry. In the 1960’s it was the Mustang and today it’s vehicles such as the Fusion, and Focus with incredibly economical technology setting the car’s estimated fuel economy over 40 miles per gallon. General Motors has also been one of the industries top competitors and most creative innovators. In the 1960’s when Ford released the Mustang, setting an industry standard for American vehicles, General Motors released the Camaro and Firebird which became the Mustang’s number one competitor. Today they are at the top of the American automotive industry, releasing the Chevy Volt a hybrid vehicle that offers consumers enough fuel efficiency to make a trip to the gas station only once a month with regular charging. The competition continues between these two mega competitors in the research and development of hybrid vehicles, Sports Utility Vehicles that can hold large families and achieve the same fuel economy as the smaller hybrid vehicles. In today’s economy efficient personal finance has become the key to our success, and as a smart business model Ford and General Motors has realized that creating smarter, more economical vehicles is the best way to increase consumer perception and retention. With gas prices fluctuating daily, hybrid and alternative vehicles have become the future of the automotive industry. They have become the future not only because of consumer’s personal finances, but because of global warming. The environmental affects of motor vehicles is threatening the way of life as we know it. Global Warming is a rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and is affected heavily first by the ocean, but secondly by large factories and vehicles such as cars and trucks giving off large amounts of CO2. As time goes on the Earth will be plagued with horrible climates and scarce resources, that’s why the automotive industry and the people of the world are strongly pursuing alternative vehicle options to save the environment. The environment changes as well as the societal views and opinions. Cars that were once considered popular are no longer the talk of the town. The age group that vehicles are sold to is often identified by the amount of digital technology it has or the sport styled body kits. Demographic and Consumer behavior have always been a challenge for the automotive industry. It is why they change models yearly in efforts to incorporate new and improved functions. Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. are America’s legendary competitors in the automotive industry. There is not a person in the United States that does not know at least one or two vehicle models of either company. Who Has the Advantage? Ford Motor Company and General Motors have both competitive advantages over each other and over other automobile companies. Both companies make all types of automobiles, from cars to SUV’s, which gives them an advantage of offering all types of automobiles. â€Å"Ford Motors adopted the strategy that allowed it low production cost by cutting all the excessive cost involved in its operations. †(Ford Case Study) This strategy gave Ford a big cost advantage over other competitors in terms of lower cost. By cutting the costs on materials and production supplies that were not being used effectively, Ford increased their profits and could increase their market share. Ford increased its market position in the automobile industry by increasing consumer trust by fighting against bankruptcy. A competitive advantage that both companies have in the industry is the cost of their products. Both companies provide affordable vehicles that consumers are looking to buy during these hard economic times. Although the automobile industry has taken a huge hit in recent years due to the recession, they are still fighting hard to produce new and eco-friendly vehicles for consumers. General Motors has a competitive advantage in the selection of vehicles they offer to the public. Since General Motors is made up of four widely known automobile companies (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC), they have a wider target market and are therefore able to appeal to more consumers. Both Ford and GM offer great service. This gives them a competitive advantage over other automobile companies that lack in service and part availability. Companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Audi, which are built in foreign countries, sometimes take a little longer to get parts and that could make some consumers shy away from them. Our conclusion is that Ford Motor Company’s ability to cut cost while still making a quality product gives them the advantage over General Motors. The Great Automobile Recession Both Ford Motor Company and General Motors have faced challenges in the past that were hard for them to overcome. We can start to look as recent as the last ten years to see challenges that had to be overcome. Ford and General Motors were both near bankruptcy due to the most recent depression. â€Å"In 2006, Ford posted its biggest operating loss to date: $12. 6 billion. This coincided with continued deterioration in market share, with the majority of these losses being captured by Toyota and General Motors. From 1997 to 2007, Ford’s United States market share plummeted from 25% to 15%. †(Oasis Consulting) Ford is making moves to try to get the company back on its feet and moving in the right direction. One thing that Ford did to get through these rough economic times was to sell Jaguar and Land Rover. They are also in the process of trying to sell Volvo, which could be very economically productive for them. The Ford Motor Company is trying to get rid of all their other companies to cut costs and help overcome the enormous debt owed by the company. General Motors went through the same economic challenges as Ford, except their situation was a little worse. As General Motors got right to the threshold of bankruptcy, they were bailed out by the U. S. Treasury in an effort to keep the United States automobile companies afloat. â€Å"GM, critically short of operating cash, received a bridge loan from the U. S. Treasury, under the conditions that the company further accelerates a tough restructuring of its U. S. operations that had been underway for several years. †(General Motors web site) These economic hardships pushed both of these companies to the limit, but they were both able to overcome these challenges and become stronger because of it. Due to the extreme consequences General Motors had to face during the recession, we believe that Ford Motor Company is in better shape as an overall company. General Motors had to be â€Å"bailed out† by the government, which means that they were going bankrupt before being given money by the government. Company Success Both companies have had plenty success in their histories. One of Ford Motor Company’s biggest successes is the creation of the Mustang in the 1960’s. â€Å"The sharp, four-seat 1965 Mustang became the â€Å"darling† of America. The â€Å"love affair† brought about the sale of 100,000 Mustangs in the first 100 days. Total sales for the year reached 418,812, far exceeding the 100,000 projected by market research. † The Mustang has been one of the most popular cars in the automobile industry. For forty years, Ford has made a huge profit from the selling of the Mustang. Another success story was the creation of the Thunderbird. This car came out before the Mustang, and was equally as popular. â€Å"The 1955 Thunderbird made its first public appearance in dealer showrooms on Oct. 22, 1954 with a selling price of $2,695, although delivery prices ranged from $3,000 to $4,000. The public went for the Thunderbird in a big way, placing more than 3,500 orders in the first 10-day selling period. † This shows just how popular this Ford model was in its time. Two thousand dollars was a lot during that time period, and to sell that many means major profit for Ford Motor Company. General Motors also has their share of success stories. â€Å"To be the best, General Motors must continually meet and exceed customer expectations. To be flexible and successful across our organizations – Vehicle Manufacturing (Assembly, Powertrain and Stamping), Manufacturing Engineering, and Service Parts Operations – we use a single common manufacturing system to ensure high quality and reliability. † This shows that General Motors takes great pride in making sure that each vehicle is created to the best of their ability. For most of the twentieth century, General Motors was biggest company in the automobile industry. We have given several reasons why we have chosen Ford Motor Company as the company you would prefer to work for. Ford Motor Company is in better financial shape, has remained a leader in employees overall Quality of Life, and has made smart, progressive, and innovative decisions concerning the future of their company as a leader in the automotive industry. General Motors, who had been bailed out by the government is making a turn around since the crisis, but the company is still searching for an identity as a brand, and has a lot of work to do in directing their company. There are several challenges for both companies and with competition comes job opportunities. As a communication consultant for Ford or GMC would be a great career, but our consulting group is sure that we have displayed to you that Ford is the company for you. Works Cited AE Television Networks, LLC. â€Å"William Durant creates General Motors†. http://www. history. com/this-day-in-history/william-durant-creates-general-motors (2011). Dornbach-Bender, Rhett, Bill Slade Joe Thorpe. â€Å"Strategic Report for Ford Motor Company. † Oasis Consulting. 20 April 2009. Web. 11 April 2012. http://economics-files. pomona. du/jlikens/SeniorSeminars/oasis/reports/F. pdf Ford Motor Company. â€Å"An American Legend. † Web. 13 April 2012. http://media. ford. com/article_display. cfm? article_id=81 Glassdoor. â€Å"Ford Motor Reviews†. http://www. glassdoor. com/Reviews/Ford-Motor-Reviews-E263. htm (2012). GM Historical Pamphlets. General Motors. http://www. gmheritage center. com/gm-heritage-archive/historical-brochures. html (2012). Sabatini, Jeff. â€Å"GM now tying all employee bonuses customer Loyalty†. Automotive News. http://www. autoblog. com/2012/06/05/gm-now-tying-all-employee-bonuses-to-customer-loyalty/. (2012). Sustainablity Report: â€Å"Employee Satisfaction†. How to cite Ford vs. Gm, Essay examples

Education will never be as expensive as ignorance Essay Example For Students

Education will never be as expensive as ignorance Essay What are differences between education and Ignorance? Why do many people agree with a quote Education will never be as expensive as ignorance. Most of the people who graduate from colleges know it is the fact that education costs them a huge amount of money. For instance, people have to pay school fees, buy gas to drive to schools, spend time at schools, and commit to their study. Moreover, some students cant afford colleges because their parents arent able to support them to get degrees, so they must get loans from banks. I guess many readers could wonder why the author states that education would be always cheaper than Ignorance. In my opinion, the quote carries a deep meaning Athena people dont have good education and become useless people for the society, It does not only cost them but also the society. This means ignorance of education can make them make mistakes which may cause serious problems to the society. There are several examples to show what damages could happen when people are uneducated. First, some people can become dangerous criminals because they infringe laws unconsciously, and they are not palpable to distinguish good things and bad things. Second, employers dont want to hire workers who dont have a basic requirement to be hired, which is a high school diploma, because they know those workers cant make profits for their companies and work effectively. Last, people who are lazy to study become a burden for people around since people who work hard do many things such as charities and pay more taxes in order to support uneducated people. To conclude, people should take an advantage of education because It can pay off not only for their personal lives but also for the best of the society.

A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies Based Upon Published Research Papers Essay Example

A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: Based Upon Published Research Papers Essay A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: based upon published research papers The ‘New Economy’ of the 90s made businesses more dynamic. The Information technology needs of these dynamic businesses were no longer static. Developers found traditional software methodologies less effective as they now faced frequently changing requirements. This increased their interest in agile methods, which were effective at managing changing requirements. Furthermore, agile methods could improve quality and reduce time simultaneously. Developers now not only have to make a choice between traditional and agile methodologies, they also need to select which agile methodology is best suited to address their requirements. This paper will help solve this problem by providing a survey of agile methodologies. This survey will help readers to decide which agile methodology can best serve their needs. The paper conducted the survey using a literature review of existing research. The survey found philosophical similarities amongst agile methods. It concludes that the combination of agile-methodologies and traditional-methodologies will continue to grow. INTRODUCTIONTHE purpose of software development methodologies is to effectively reuse the existing knowledge of software development [1],[2]. Traditional software development methodologies use process driven models. Developers followed specific procedures and plans to develop software. Traditional methodologies like the ‘water fall methodology’ assumed that requirements could be determined accurately before development of the software. These milestone-based approaches increased the time required to develop software. In the ‘new economy’ of 90s, time-to-market was a significant competitive advantage [3],[4],[5]. We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: Based Upon Published Research Papers specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: Based Upon Published Research Papers specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: Based Upon Published Research Papers specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Developers were asked to produce quality software in less time and had to work without clearly defined requirements. These new challenges caused developers to look towards agile software methodologies. Agile methodologies can reduce the time required to develop software and improve the software quality at the same time. Agile methods focus on people, their communication and working software. Agile methodologies focus less on processes and documentation. Agile methodologies have their own set of challenges [6]. The first challenge is to select the agile methodology best suited for a particular project. The wide range of choices offers developers flexibility however the developer needs good understanding of these methodologies to make a well informed decision. This paper provides a survey of agile software development methodologies to assist developers in making the correct decision. Some comparisons are already available in the literature [7], this paper additionally includes background knowledge and history of agile methodology. Instead of focusing on process details this paper explains the philosophy behind the processes. Section II of this paper explains the history of agile methodologies. Section III provides descriptions of various agile development methodologies. Based on the survey section IV draws various conclusions. Section V relates employability skills with agile methodologies. HistorySignificance of its HistoryThere is no universally acceptable definition of agile software methodologies. Understanding the evolution of agile software development methodologies can help understand the nature of agile development methods. History of software methodologiesThe success rate in software development was low in 1960s. The lessons learned from one project were hard to use in other projects. Developers felt the need to create a systematic approach to develop software to replicate the successes in software development. These systematic approaches for software development were called software development methodologies. System Development life cycle is the oldest software methodology which was developed in 1960. The waterfall methodology was first formally described in 1970. These methodologies described formal processes, which can help in the development of large information systems. History of Agile methodologiesThe history of agile methods can be traced back to 1974 [8] but at that time these methodologies were not considered mainstream. In the 90s, the world economy started to shift from a manufacturing based economy to a service based economy. Business requirements were hard to define and time-to-market was reduced. Time taken by software development using traditional approach meant loss of competitive advantage in areas where time-to-market was short. Agile methodologies reduced the time required to develop the software while improving the quality [9]. Several modern agile methods were developed in mid 90s. These methods included Scrum, Extreme Programming, Feature Driven Development, Adaptive and Dynamic Systems Development Method. It is expected that more agile methods will be developed in response to future requirement. Agile ManifestoDevelopers observed the similarities between modern software development methodologies like extreme programming, scrum and feature driven but there was no agreement over how to articulate these similarities. In 2001 a group of developers gather in Utah to discuss these new methodologies. They listed their four preferences which differentiated their approach from traditional software development approach. These preferences were [10]: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan These preferences do not imply complete absence of items mentioned in the later part of the dot points above. For example if documentation is completely absent in a project it can no longer be considered agile [11]. Based on the above mentioned preferences, participants of the meeting listed 12 principles of agile methodologies. These principles were [10]: Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customers competitive advantage Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for the shorter timescale. Business people and developers work together daily throughout the project. Build projects around motivated individuals, give them the environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information with and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. Working software is the primary measure of progress. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility Simplicity-the art of maximizing the amount of work not done is essential. The best architectures, requirements and designs emerge from self-organizing teams At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly. Agile software methodologies were described by principles instead of processes or framework. Recently some authors have attempted to describe a conceptual framework to describe agile methodologies [12] . Agile methodologies focus on quickly delivering working software versions to the customer. The customer provides feedback to developers based upon this working software. Developers modify the software based upon this feedback. Developers continuously show the working software to the customer after making the required changes. Iterations are continued until customer is satisfied. This is achieved through flexibility, improved and increased communication amongst the team member and with clients and superior but simple technical design of the software [10]. Agile methods It is not possible to compile a comprehensive list of agile methods in the absence of a clear definition. This section discuses philosophy, processes, advantages and disadvantages of different agile methods. This paper provides various recommendations based on these discussions. Agile Modeling Agile Modeling is not an independent software development methodology but it is used for supplementing other methodologies. Agile Modeling shares the philosophy of face-to-face meetings, less documentations, simplicity and feedback with other agile methodologies. The build-first approach of agile software development negatively impacts the quality of the software-architecture and documentation. Agile Modeling can improve the quality of architecture and documentation by applying proven software engineering principles in an agile manner [13]. Instead of creating a comprehensive set of models and documentation Agile Modeling focuses on producing ‘sufficiently’ detailed models and documents[13]. In other words agile Modeling advocates for creating working models for software. The level of detail in a model is dictated by the context in which a model is being developed [14]. Agile Modeling is commonly used in combination with Extreme Programming, agile unified process or scrum[7]. Client feedback is sought as frequently as possible. The model and documents are updated in an incremental fashion. This incremental approach offers same philosophy as other agile software development methods, thus Agile Modeling can be integrated with other agile software development methods. This paper recommends using Agile Modeling in traditional software development methods where business requirements are stable but are hard to communicate. Agile Modeling techniques will help developers and clients to remain on the same page. Dynamic Systems Development Method IT projects share triple-constraint with other project management areas. Triple constraint implies that developers need a balance between time, resources and scope of a project. If developers want to change one, they need to adjust the other two. In DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method ) instead of fixing the features and varying time and resources, time and resources are fixed and features are changed [7]. DSDM was created by a consortium of organisations in 1995 [15]. They suggested developing software in five phases. The first two phases are non-iterative while the last three phases are iterative. The first two non-iterative phases are feasibility study and business study. The last three iterative phases are functional model iteration, design and build iteration and implementation [7]. DSDM implements ideas similar to other agile methodologies, these ideas include user involvement, frequent delivery, iteration and face-to-face communication. This paper recommends implementing the idea of changing the scope of a project in any software development methodology where time-to-market is a significant competitive advantage. Extreme ProgrammingIt is claimed that the extreme programming is the most commonly used agile methodology[16]. Extreme Programming like other agile methods is iterative in nature. In extreme programming, each iteration produces working and tested software. Each iteration focuses on one functional aspect of the client requirement. Extreme Programming starts with Exploration. The client explains requirements in the form of ‘stories’. The team starts developing the code. Development in the first phase is accompanied by the exploration of technologies which they will use in the system. During this time the client keeps on writing the ‘stories’. After completion of the first phase developers plan which ‘stories’ should be given priority. A schedule is developed based on these priorities. This phase is called the planning phase. After completion of the planning phase, working software is produced regularly. Software is produced using pair programming. After implementing a reasonable number of stories, the ‘production phase’ starts. In the ‘production phase’ extra testing is done. After the production phase, the maintenance phase starts. In this phase the existing system is maintained and simultaneously new developments are completed. Completion of all the computer stories is called the death phase. The death phase can also occur if software is not considered feasible at any stage. Some organisations have customized extreme programming techniques to meet specific requirements of their organisations [4]. Extreme Programming philosophy views the release phases from a client’s point of view. The releases are mapped with the client’s view of functionality by using the concept of a story. The client, who has little understanding of the software-architecture, finds this approach more natural to his/her world-view. This approach also helps in prioritization of functionality. So the development process produces software which contains high-value features. Extreme programming achieves productivity and quality by using concept of shared ownership of the code. Pair Programming technique is used to enable shared ownership. The code review is immediate. This also facilitates communication of knowledge amongst the team members [16]. This paper suggests that the concept of iteration based on customer stories and the concept of shared ownership of code might be treated independently of each other. Although extreme programming integrates these two approaches, these concepts can be used separately. Scrum Scrum provides a mechanism for interaction between team members instead of focusing on development techniques. It takes a middle ground between well-defined requirements and constantly changing requirements. Scrum freezes the requirements during a sprint lasting two to four weeks. Requirements are re-evaluated after the end of a sprint. This approach is useful when customer requirements are not clearly defined [17]. Scrum development is divided into three phases pre-game, development and post-game [18]. Planning and design is completed in the pre-game phase. A back-log created during this phase lists the incomplete tasks and assigns each task a priority. The development phase is completed using iterations. Each iteration is called a sprint and is two to three weeks long. Clients can not change back-log during a sprint. Short meetings are held daily before the start of the day. At the end of each sprint the back-log is examined. After clearing the back-log, the post-game phase starts. This phase includes testing, documentation, integration and deployment [7]. This paper recommends using pair programming in conjunction with scrum. This will improve the quality of the produced code and encourage shared responsibility amongst the team members. Feature Driven DevelopmentIt is claimed that the Feature Driven Development is suitable for development of critical systems [7]. Unlike other agile methodologies it builds a complete software architecture / model early in the development. It uses agility and iteration in its feature building phase. The use of comprehensive analysis and design allows it to use multiple teams working on different features simultaneously. This enables developers to use FDD in large teams developing critical systems. FDD starts with domain experts providing a walk through to the development team. The development team develops models for each area and simultaneously develops a model for the entire system. The development team uses these models and domain knowledge to build a comprehensive feature list and discusses the list with the client. After discussion and prioritization, the development team starts an iteration of planning and building features. FDD is useful for organisations which use waterfall methodology and want to adopt a more agile approach. The migration to FDD will pose less challenges compared to challenges associated with migrating to other agile methods [19]. If the FDD approach is adopted by small teams, this paper recommends using Agile Modeling as a supplement. Agile Modeling will help reduce the overheads generated by the FDD modelling phase, making it useful for small teams. It is further suggested that for large projects traditional requirement engineering should be used with some added agility [19]. ConclusionAgile methods are effective when teams are small, time-to-market is a significant competitive advantage and the requirements cannot be clearly defined at the start. The ‘New economy’ of 90s had all these elements. This led to an increase in the adoption of agile methods. The development of agile methodologies is part of a wider evolution of software development methodologies, with agile methodologies being the result of a continuous and distributed evolution which will remain hard to define. The focus of agile methodologies is on principles instead of precise processes. This will make it easier to integrate agile principles in traditional software development approaches. Communication methods which utilize tacit knowledge can be used in traditional software development approaches, where precisely defining requirements is time consuming. Early development of high priority features can also be integrated in traditional approaches. Agile methodologies like ‘Feature Driven Development’ will help increase the acceptance of agile methodologies in areas which require large teams and high quality. Many large organisations will customize specific agile methods to tailor these methodologies to meet their requirements. This means that the adoption of pure agile methods and use of agile principles in traditional software development methodologies will continue to grow. Employability skills Developers who use agile methods can improve their employability chances in multiple ways. Adoption of agile methodologies is increasing which means that developers experienced in agile methodologies are in short supply compared to the demand. Development using agile methodologies requires developers to have better then average skills [9]. Therefore developers who have experience in agile methods are considered better then average developers. In addition to these advantages developers using agile methods improve their generic employability skills. This section explains how agile methodologies are related to employability skills Communication skills Agile methodologies make up for the lack of comprehensive documentation by using intensive communication. Developers using agile methodologies improve their communication skills by interacting with clients and team members. Teamwork Agile methods lack detailed processes and the absence of detailed processes means that developers need to coordinate and work as a team. Detailed processes encourage bureaucratic working which discourages coordination. In agile methods developers need to coordinate their efforts on a regular basis in order to develop the software. Some agile methods like Extreme Programming use pair programming which requires extensive teamwork. Agile methods like scrum need daily meetings. Teamwork learned during agile development can be used at other careers. Problem SolvingAgile methods encourage creativity amongst team members. Developers are not bound by a certain process. They have the liberty to come up with the solution to both technical and decision making issues. Agile methodologies can be customized by developers. This further encourages creative thinking and problem solving. Self ManagementAgile methodologies encourage replacing central decision making with distributed decision making. This encourages developers to articulate their own ideas and vision. In software methodology like FDD developers take responsibility of their own class which encourages developers to use self management. Planning and organisingLack of detailed planning in agile methods does not imply absence of planning. Planning is an essential part of agile methods and agile methodologies help developers adopt pragmatic approaches towards planning. Agile methodologies prioritize software features and invest efforts in those features which bring more value to the client. This practice helps developers focus on high priority issues at their career. TechnologyFrequent release of working software encourages unit testing. Unit testing is usually done using automated methods. This encourages developers to develop and use technology for the development process. Agile methods like Feature Driven Development define a special role of toolsmith. The toolsmith’s responsibility is to use technology to develop tools for team members. Developers using agile methods understand the value of using technology in their careers. LearningThere is an opinion that learning is a core component of agile methodologies framework [12]. This opinion views agility as a continuous process. In each iteration, the developers’ learning is based on the results of the iteration and they use this learning in the next iteration. This learning activity enables developers to continuously improve the agile process. Learning activities associated with agile programming improve developer’s ability to learn at other jobs. Initiative and enterpriseAdapting to changing requirements is an integral part of agile methodologies. In the absence of a rigid process, developers are encouraged to take initiative and come up with solutions. A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies Based Upon Published Research Papers Essay Example A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: Based Upon Published Research Papers Essay A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: based upon published research papers The ‘New Economy’ of the 90s made businesses more dynamic. The Information technology needs of these dynamic businesses were no longer static. Developers found traditional software methodologies less effective as they now faced frequently changing requirements. This increased their interest in agile methods, which were effective at managing changing requirements. Furthermore, agile methods could improve quality and reduce time simultaneously. Developers now not only have to make a choice between traditional and agile methodologies, they also need to select which agile methodology is best suited to address their requirements. This paper will help solve this problem by providing a survey of agile methodologies. This survey will help readers to decide which agile methodology can best serve their needs. The paper conducted the survey using a literature review of existing research. The survey found philosophical similarities amongst agile methods. It concludes that the combination of agile-methodologies and traditional-methodologies will continue to grow. INTRODUCTIONTHE purpose of software development methodologies is to effectively reuse the existing knowledge of software development [1],[2]. Traditional software development methodologies use process driven models. Developers followed specific procedures and plans to develop software. Traditional methodologies like the ‘water fall methodology’ assumed that requirements could be determined accurately before development of the software. These milestone-based approaches increased the time required to develop software. In the ‘new economy’ of 90s, time-to-market was a significant competitive advantage [3],[4],[5]. We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: Based Upon Published Research Papers specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: Based Upon Published Research Papers specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Agile Software Methodologies: Based Upon Published Research Papers specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Developers were asked to produce quality software in less time and had to work without clearly defined requirements. These new challenges caused developers to look towards agile software methodologies. Agile methodologies can reduce the time required to develop software and improve the software quality at the same time. Agile methods focus on people, their communication and working software. Agile methodologies focus less on processes and documentation. Agile methodologies have their own set of challenges [6]. The first challenge is to select the agile methodology best suited for a particular project. The wide range of choices offers developers flexibility however the developer needs good understanding of these methodologies to make a well informed decision. This paper provides a survey of agile software development methodologies to assist developers in making the correct decision. Some comparisons are already available in the literature [7], this paper additionally includes background knowledge and history of agile methodology. Instead of focusing on process details this paper explains the philosophy behind the processes. Section II of this paper explains the history of agile methodologies. Section III provides descriptions of various agile development methodologies. Based on the survey section IV draws various conclusions. Section V relates employability skills with agile methodologies. HistorySignificance of its HistoryThere is no universally acceptable definition of agile software methodologies. Understanding the evolution of agile software development methodologies can help understand the nature of agile development methods. History of software methodologiesThe success rate in software development was low in 1960s. The lessons learned from one project were hard to use in other projects. Developers felt the need to create a systematic approach to develop software to replicate the successes in software development. These systematic approaches for software development were called software development methodologies. System Development life cycle is the oldest software methodology which was developed in 1960. The waterfall methodology was first formally described in 1970. These methodologies described formal processes, which can help in the development of large information systems. History of Agile methodologiesThe history of agile methods can be traced back to 1974 [8] but at that time these methodologies were not considered mainstream. In the 90s, the world economy started to shift from a manufacturing based economy to a service based economy. Business requirements were hard to define and time-to-market was reduced. Time taken by software development using traditional approach meant loss of competitive advantage in areas where time-to-market was short. Agile methodologies reduced the time required to develop the software while improving the quality [9]. Several modern agile methods were developed in mid 90s. These methods included Scrum, Extreme Programming, Feature Driven Development, Adaptive and Dynamic Systems Development Method. It is expected that more agile methods will be developed in response to future requirement. Agile ManifestoDevelopers observed the similarities between modern software development methodologies like extreme programming, scrum and feature driven but there was no agreement over how to articulate these similarities. In 2001 a group of developers gather in Utah to discuss these new methodologies. They listed their four preferences which differentiated their approach from traditional software development approach. These preferences were [10]: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan These preferences do not imply complete absence of items mentioned in the later part of the dot points above. For example if documentation is completely absent in a project it can no longer be considered agile [11]. Based on the above mentioned preferences, participants of the meeting listed 12 principles of agile methodologies. These principles were [10]: Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customers competitive advantage Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for the shorter timescale. Business people and developers work together daily throughout the project. Build projects around motivated individuals, give them the environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information with and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. Working software is the primary measure of progress. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility Simplicity-the art of maximizing the amount of work not done is essential. The best architectures, requirements and designs emerge from self-organizing teams At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly. Agile software methodologies were described by principles instead of processes or framework. Recently some authors have attempted to describe a conceptual framework to describe agile methodologies [12] . Agile methodologies focus on quickly delivering working software versions to the customer. The customer provides feedback to developers based upon this working software. Developers modify the software based upon this feedback. Developers continuously show the working software to the customer after making the required changes. Iterations are continued until customer is satisfied. This is achieved through flexibility, improved and increased communication amongst the team member and with clients and superior but simple technical design of the software [10]. Agile methods It is not possible to compile a comprehensive list of agile methods in the absence of a clear definition. This section discuses philosophy, processes, advantages and disadvantages of different agile methods. This paper provides various recommendations based on these discussions. Agile Modeling Agile Modeling is not an independent software development methodology but it is used for supplementing other methodologies. Agile Modeling shares the philosophy of face-to-face meetings, less documentations, simplicity and feedback with other agile methodologies. The build-first approach of agile software development negatively impacts the quality of the software-architecture and documentation. Agile Modeling can improve the quality of architecture and documentation by applying proven software engineering principles in an agile manner [13]. Instead of creating a comprehensive set of models and documentation Agile Modeling focuses on producing ‘sufficiently’ detailed models and documents[13]. In other words agile Modeling advocates for creating working models for software. The level of detail in a model is dictated by the context in which a model is being developed [14]. Agile Modeling is commonly used in combination with Extreme Programming, agile unified process or scrum[7]. Client feedback is sought as frequently as possible. The model and documents are updated in an incremental fashion. This incremental approach offers same philosophy as other agile software development methods, thus Agile Modeling can be integrated with other agile software development methods. This paper recommends using Agile Modeling in traditional software development methods where business requirements are stable but are hard to communicate. Agile Modeling techniques will help developers and clients to remain on the same page. Dynamic Systems Development Method IT projects share triple-constraint with other project management areas. Triple constraint implies that developers need a balance between time, resources and scope of a project. If developers want to change one, they need to adjust the other two. In DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method ) instead of fixing the features and varying time and resources, time and resources are fixed and features are changed [7]. DSDM was created by a consortium of organisations in 1995 [15]. They suggested developing software in five phases. The first two phases are non-iterative while the last three phases are iterative. The first two non-iterative phases are feasibility study and business study. The last three iterative phases are functional model iteration, design and build iteration and implementation [7]. DSDM implements ideas similar to other agile methodologies, these ideas include user involvement, frequent delivery, iteration and face-to-face communication. This paper recommends implementing the idea of changing the scope of a project in any software development methodology where time-to-market is a significant competitive advantage. Extreme ProgrammingIt is claimed that the extreme programming is the most commonly used agile methodology[16]. Extreme Programming like other agile methods is iterative in nature. In extreme programming, each iteration produces working and tested software. Each iteration focuses on one functional aspect of the client requirement. Extreme Programming starts with Exploration. The client explains requirements in the form of ‘stories’. The team starts developing the code. Development in the first phase is accompanied by the exploration of technologies which they will use in the system. During this time the client keeps on writing the ‘stories’. After completion of the first phase developers plan which ‘stories’ should be given priority. A schedule is developed based on these priorities. This phase is called the planning phase. After completion of the planning phase, working software is produced regularly. Software is produced using pair programming. After implementing a reasonable number of stories, the ‘production phase’ starts. In the ‘production phase’ extra testing is done. After the production phase, the maintenance phase starts. In this phase the existing system is maintained and simultaneously new developments are completed. Completion of all the computer stories is called the death phase. The death phase can also occur if software is not considered feasible at any stage. Some organisations have customized extreme programming techniques to meet specific requirements of their organisations [4]. Extreme Programming philosophy views the release phases from a client’s point of view. The releases are mapped with the client’s view of functionality by using the concept of a story. The client, who has little understanding of the software-architecture, finds this approach more natural to his/her world-view. This approach also helps in prioritization of functionality. So the development process produces software which contains high-value features. Extreme programming achieves productivity and quality by using concept of shared ownership of the code. Pair Programming technique is used to enable shared ownership. The code review is immediate. This also facilitates communication of knowledge amongst the team members [16]. This paper suggests that the concept of iteration based on customer stories and the concept of shared ownership of code might be treated independently of each other. Although extreme programming integrates these two approaches, these concepts can be used separately. Scrum Scrum provides a mechanism for interaction between team members instead of focusing on development techniques. It takes a middle ground between well-defined requirements and constantly changing requirements. Scrum freezes the requirements during a sprint lasting two to four weeks. Requirements are re-evaluated after the end of a sprint. This approach is useful when customer requirements are not clearly defined [17]. Scrum development is divided into three phases pre-game, development and post-game [18]. Planning and design is completed in the pre-game phase. A back-log created during this phase lists the incomplete tasks and assigns each task a priority. The development phase is completed using iterations. Each iteration is called a sprint and is two to three weeks long. Clients can not change back-log during a sprint. Short meetings are held daily before the start of the day. At the end of each sprint the back-log is examined. After clearing the back-log, the post-game phase starts. This phase includes testing, documentation, integration and deployment [7]. This paper recommends using pair programming in conjunction with scrum. This will improve the quality of the produced code and encourage shared responsibility amongst the team members. Feature Driven DevelopmentIt is claimed that the Feature Driven Development is suitable for development of critical systems [7]. Unlike other agile methodologies it builds a complete software architecture / model early in the development. It uses agility and iteration in its feature building phase. The use of comprehensive analysis and design allows it to use multiple teams working on different features simultaneously. This enables developers to use FDD in large teams developing critical systems. FDD starts with domain experts providing a walk through to the development team. The development team develops models for each area and simultaneously develops a model for the entire system. The development team uses these models and domain knowledge to build a comprehensive feature list and discusses the list with the client. After discussion and prioritization, the development team starts an iteration of planning and building features. FDD is useful for organisations which use waterfall methodology and want to adopt a more agile approach. The migration to FDD will pose less challenges compared to challenges associated with migrating to other agile methods [19]. If the FDD approach is adopted by small teams, this paper recommends using Agile Modeling as a supplement. Agile Modeling will help reduce the overheads generated by the FDD modelling phase, making it useful for small teams. It is further suggested that for large projects traditional requirement engineering should be used with some added agility [19]. ConclusionAgile methods are effective when teams are small, time-to-market is a significant competitive advantage and the requirements cannot be clearly defined at the start. The ‘New economy’ of 90s had all these elements. This led to an increase in the adoption of agile methods. The development of agile methodologies is part of a wider evolution of software development methodologies, with agile methodologies being the result of a continuous and distributed evolution which will remain hard to define. The focus of agile methodologies is on principles instead of precise processes. This will make it easier to integrate agile principles in traditional software development approaches. Communication methods which utilize tacit knowledge can be used in traditional software development approaches, where precisely defining requirements is time consuming. Early development of high priority features can also be integrated in traditional approaches. Agile methodologies like ‘Feature Driven Development’ will help increase the acceptance of agile methodologies in areas which require large teams and high quality. Many large organisations will customize specific agile methods to tailor these methodologies to meet their requirements. This means that the adoption of pure agile methods and use of agile principles in traditional software development methodologies will continue to grow. Employability skills Developers who use agile methods can improve their employability chances in multiple ways. Adoption of agile methodologies is increasing which means that developers experienced in agile methodologies are in short supply compared to the demand. Development using agile methodologies requires developers to have better then average skills [9]. Therefore developers who have experience in agile methods are considered better then average developers. In addition to these advantages developers using agile methods improve their generic employability skills. This section explains how agile methodologies are related to employability skills Communication skills Agile methodologies make up for the lack of comprehensive documentation by using intensive communication. Developers using agile methodologies improve their communication skills by interacting with clients and team members. Teamwork Agile methods lack detailed processes and the absence of detailed processes means that developers need to coordinate and work as a team. Detailed processes encourage bureaucratic working which discourages coordination. In agile methods developers need to coordinate their efforts on a regular basis in order to develop the software. Some agile methods like Extreme Programming use pair programming which requires extensive teamwork. Agile methods like scrum need daily meetings. Teamwork learned during agile development can be used at other careers. Problem SolvingAgile methods encourage creativity amongst team members. Developers are not bound by a certain process. They have the liberty to come up with the solution to both technical and decision making issues. Agile methodologies can be customized by developers. This further encourages creative thinking and problem solving. Self ManagementAgile methodologies encourage replacing central decision making with distributed decision making. This encourages developers to articulate their own ideas and vision. In software methodology like FDD developers take responsibility of their own class which encourages developers to use self management. Planning and organisingLack of detailed planning in agile methods does not imply absence of planning. Planning is an essential part of agile methods and agile methodologies help developers adopt pragmatic approaches towards planning. Agile methodologies prioritize software features and invest efforts in those features which bring more value to the client. This practice helps developers focus on high priority issues at their career. TechnologyFrequent release of working software encourages unit testing. Unit testing is usually done using automated methods. This encourages developers to develop and use technology for the development process. Agile methods like Feature Driven Development define a special role of toolsmith. The toolsmith’s responsibility is to use technology to develop tools for team members. Developers using agile methods understand the value of using technology in their careers. LearningThere is an opinion that learning is a core component of agile methodologies framework [12]. This opinion views agility as a continuous process. In each iteration, the developers’ learning is based on the results of the iteration and they use this learning in the next iteration. This learning activity enables developers to continuously improve the agile process. Learning activities associated with agile programming improve developer’s ability to learn at other jobs. Initiative and enterpriseAdapting to changing requirements is an integral part of agile methodologies. In the absence of a rigid process, developers are encouraged to take initiative and come up with solutions.