Global issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Global issues - Assignment Example It is apparent that the city’s culture upholds the challenges faced by the disadvantaged and unfortunate children as necessary to the creation of happiness, a practice despised by the enlightened individuals who resolve to find solace in an unknown destiny. 3. Annie Dillard’s narration of seeing as a factor born to an individual’s verbalization in calling for attention is presumably an ideal illusion (231). Arguably, a person is capable of idealizing the occurrence of an event after realizing the apparent need to pay attention. Therefore, an individual acquires information from seeing and communicating the importance of an event to his brain for the mind to relay additional impulses that will increase the level of attention. 4. Annie Dillard’s narration provokes the perception that the human eye is different from a camera in various aspects. For example, the eye depends on a person’s conscience to conceptualize the events and communicate them to his brain for memorization while a camera depends on the user’s intention to capture and process an occurrence through the device (235). The similarity depicted between a camera and an eye is evident in the visualization and attentiveness provided in capturing a distinct

Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus Valley Essay Example for Free

Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus Valley Essay Throughout the history of Earth, there have been many fascinating developments, the most prominent being the first civilizations, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. They had many similarities, such as characteristics of early civilizations and social structures, but they also had their differences. The most embossed differences included the divergent geography, prior belief, trade, relations with other civilizations, and politics. The earliest societies, such as Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt exhibiting indicator traits of civilization developed along the floodplains of great rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq, and the Nile in Egypt. People had settled in Mesopotamia by 7000 B. C. and the First Dynasty of Egyptian rulers was founded before 3000 B. C. , implying a much earlier period of occupation in the Nile River valley and delta. To protect themselves and channel the forces of nature, people living near the rivers created new technologies and forms of political and social organization. The geographical similarities were that both civilizations resided on banks of major rivers, Tigris Euphrates, and Nile. Another similarity is that both civilizations developed a writing system. It first appeared in Mesopotamia before 3300 B. C. E.  Cuneiform was the name of it, and wedge-shaped symbols represented words or syllables. Hieroglyphics were the Egyptians’ way of writing, and it had been developed by the beginning of the early Dynastic period. Pictorial symbols represented sounds, syllables, or concepts. Literacy was confined to a relatively small group of scribes and administrators in both of these civilizations due to long period of study required to master the systems. Also, both civilizations had social classes, with the king and the royal families at the top, next were the priests, local leaders and artisans, and lastly, slaves and peasants occupied the bottom. Both Mesopotamians and Egyptians acquired substantial knowledge about mathematics, engineering, medicine, and transportation for various reasons such as, creating calendars, calculating the quantity of agricultural produce, building temples and pyramids, and practice astronomy. Egypt and Mesopotamia were in contrast to one another in many ways. Egypt emphasized strong central authority, while Mesopotamian politics shifted more frequently over a substructure of regional city-states. They were also culturally different; Egypt developed in relative isolation, all foreigners were considered enemies while Mesopotamia was a multicultural society. Also, Egypt was well endowed with natural resources and far more self-sufficient than Mesopotamia. They used papyrus reeds growing in marshy areas to make sails, ropes, and a kind of paper. Hunters pursued the abundant wild animals and birds in the marshes. Egypts art and architecture are very different from Mesopotamia. From pyramids to temples, rigid pharaohs to flowing art of Amarna, Egypts style was totally different from Mesopotamias. Mesopotamian art focused on less monumental structures. In Mesopotamia, women lost social standing and freedoms in societies where agriculture superseded hunting and gathering; whereas in Egypt, they are depicted with dignity and respect, could own properties, and inheritance from their parents was possible. Both civilizations traded differently but Mesopotamia was more productive due to technological advance. Egypt’s interests abroad focused on maintain access to valuable resources rather than acquiring territory. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt were ruled by kings, however, in Egypt, their kings were called pharaohs and they had significantly more power than the Mesopotamian kings of the city-states. Also, relating the above comparisons to larger global context, The Indus Valley is one of the worlds earliest urban civilizations, along with its contemporaries, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. One of the differences between these three civilizations is that there is a large quantity of metal in the Indus Valley than in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and most metals are utilitarian tools and everyday objects. However, more jewelry and other decorative objects have been unearthed in Mesopotamia and Egypt. Also, Indus Valley people were technologically skilled in irrigation and using the potter’s wheel. They also have a system of writing with more than 400 signs. Like the Mesopotamians, the people of Indus Valley had widespread trading contacts reaching as far as Mesopotamia. There is little known about the political, social, and economic institutions of Inds Valley, however, there is a statue called the â€Å"Priest-King† because some scholars believe it may represent someone with religious and secular authority, but the true identity of this person is unknown. Conclusively, certain traits are indicators of civilization such as: political system based on control of a defined territory, long-distance trade, and major advances in science and the arts are among others, which the earliest societies, such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus Valley have exhibited. They were the first civilizations to develop high levels of political centralization and urbanization. Because little is known about the Indus Valley people, there is not a lot of information for their political and social status; however, they clearly possessed the technology which par with those found in Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Comparing Characterization in Alias Grace, Their Eyes Were Watching God

Characterization in Alias Grace, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Fools Crow      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood is a novel where the main character Grace is a sort of mystery character.  Ã‚   In the end she is at peace, but there are still many questions about her left unanswered.   Because Atwood's style of writing is informative, yet unclear at the same time, the audience is left to put the pieces of the puzzle that is Grace together themselves.  Ã‚   This leaves the reader guessing about her character.   Two other works that contrast the characterization of Grace Atwood uses in Alias Grace are Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, and Fools Crow in Fools Crow by James Welch.   The characterization the authors use in these three novels determines how well the reader will get to know the main characters in terms of emotion.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Characterization is one of the main components of writing a novel.   Most of the time in a novel the attributes of the main character are well known.   By the time you've finished the novel, you feel as if you know all that there is to know about that person.   In the case of Alias Grace, Atwood leaves more to questions about Grace's character than are answered.   It seems as if the more you learn about her life, the more of a mystery she becomes.   It is the reader's job to take what is known about Grace and piece her together the best she can. In a review of the book, David Wiley states, "What unfolds is that no one will ever know Grace" (Wiley 3).   Her personality is never totally revealed, and the reader is left wondering who she is. One character, Dr. Jordan never finds out anything new about her personality than any of the other doctors who evaluated her before did.   She t... ...statement:   The characterization the authors use in these three novels determines how well the readers will get to know the main characters in terms of emotion. I.   Characterization of Grace   Ã‚  Ã‚   A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What role characterization plays   Ã‚  Ã‚   B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How well the reader gets to know Grace II.   Characterization of Janie   Ã‚  Ã‚   A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hurston's development of Janie   Ã‚  Ã‚   B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What the reader learns about Janie III.   Contrast of Janie and Grace   Ã‚  Ã‚   A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What makes the two characters different   Ã‚  Ã‚   B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Contrasting views on love and marriage IV.   Characterization of Fools Crow   Ã‚  Ã‚   A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Transformation made by his character   Ã‚  Ã‚   B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How his character is developed V.   Contrast of Fools Crow and Grace   Ã‚  Ã‚   A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Difference in the two character's emotions   Ã‚  Ã‚   B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reaction (emotionally) to different situations   

Carr and the Thesis Essay

Edward Carr begins What is History? By saying what he thinks history is not†¦by being negative. In Carr’s words, what history is not, or should not be, is a way of constructing historical accounts that are obsessed with both the facts and the documents which are said to contain them. Carr believes that by doing this the profoundly important shaping power of the historian will surely be downplayed. Carr goes on to argue – in his first chapter- that this downgrading of historiography arose because mainstream historians combined three things: first, a simple but very strong assertion that the proper function of the historian was to show the past as ‘it really was’; second, a positivist stress on inductive method, where you first get the facts and then draw conclusions from them; and third – and this especially in Great Britain – a dominant empiricist rationale. Together, these constituted for Carr what still stood for the ‘commonsenseà ¢â‚¬â„¢ view of history: The empirical theory of knowledge presupposes a complete separation between subject and object. Facts, like sense-impressions, impinge on the observer from outside and are independent of his consciousness. The process of reception is passive: having received the data, he then acts on them†¦This consists of a corpus of ascertained facts†¦First get your facts straight, then plunge at your peril into the shifting sands of interpretation – that is the ultimate wisdom of the empirical, commonsense school of history. 2 Clearly, however, commonsense doesn’t work for Mr.Carr. For he sees this as precisely the view one has to reject. Unfortunately things begin to get a little complicated when Carr tries to show the light, since while it seems he has three philosophical ways of going about his studies – one being epistemological and two ideological – his prioritizing of the epistemological over the ideological makes history a science too complex for comprehension to anyone other than himself. Carr’s epistemological argument states that not all the ‘facts of the past’ are actually ‘historical facts. Furthermore, there are vital distinctions to be drawn between the ‘events’ of the past, the ‘facts’ of the past and the ‘historical’ facts. That ‘historical facts’ only become this way is by being branded so by recognized historians. Carr develops this argument as follows: What is a historical fact? †¦According to the commonsense view, there are certain basic facts wh ich are the same for all historians and which form, so to speak, the backbone of history – the fact, for example, that the battle of Hastings was fought in 1066. But this view calls for two observations. In the first place, it is not with facts like these that the historian is primarily concerned. It is no doubt important to know that the great battle was fought in 1066 and not 1065 or 1067†¦The historian must not get these things wrong. But when points of this kind are raised, I am reminded of Housman’s remark that ‘accuracy is a duty, not a virtue’. To praise a historian for his accuracy is like praising an architect for using well-seasoned timber. It is a necessary condition of his work, but not his essential function. It is precisely for matters of this kind that the historian is entitled to rely on what have been called the ‘auxiliary sciences’ of history – archaeology, epigraphy, numismatics, chronology, and so-forth. 3 Carr thinks that the insertion of such facts into a historical account, and the significance which they will have relative to other selected facts, depends not on any quality intrinsic to the facts ‘in and for themselves,’ but on the reading of events the historian chooses to give: It used to be said that facts speak for themselves. This is, of course, untrue. The facts speak only when the historian calls on them: it is he who decides to which facts to give the floor, and in what order or context†¦The only reason why we are interested to know that the battle was fought at Hastings in 1066 is that historians regard it as a major historical event. It is the historian who has decided for his own reasons that Caesar’s crossing of that petty stream, the Rubicon, is a fact of history, whereas the crossings of the Rubicon by millions of other people†¦interests nobody at all†¦The historian is [therefore] necessarily selective. The belief in a hard core of historical facts existing objectively and independently of the historian is a preposterous fallacy, but one which it is very hard to eradicate. 4 Following on from this, Carr ends his argument with an illustration of the process by which a slight event from the past is transformed into a ‘historical fact’. At Stalybridge Wakes, in 1850, Carr tells us about a gingerbread seller being beaten to death by an angry mob; this is a well documented and authentic ‘fact from the past. But for it to become a ‘historical fact,’ Carr argues that it needed to be taken up by historians and inserted by them into their interpretations, thence becoming part of our historical memory. In other words concludes Carr: Its status as a historical fact will turn on a question of interpretation. This element of interpretation enters into every fact of history. 5 This is the substance of Carr’s first argument and the first ‘positionâ€⠄¢ that is easily taken away after a quick read his work. Thereby initially surmising that Carr thinks that all history is just interpretation and there are really no such things as facts. This could be an easily mislead conclusion if one ceases to read any further. If the interpretation of Carr stops at this point, then not only are we left with a strong impression that his whole argument about the nature of history, and the status of historical knowledge, is effectively epistemological and skeptical, but we are also not in a good position to see why. It’s not until a few pages past the Stalybridge example that Carr rejects that there was too skeptical a relativism of Collingwood, and begins a few pages after that to reinstate ‘the facts’ in a rather unproblematical way, which eventually leads him towards his own version of objectivity. Carr’s other two arguments are therefore crucial to follow, and not because they are explicitly ideological. The first of the two arguments is a perfectly reasonable one, in which Carr is opposed to the obsession of facts, because of the resulting common sense view of history that turns into an ideological expression of liberalism. Carr’s argument runs as follows. The classical, liberal idea of progress was that individuals would, in exercising their freedom in ways which took ‘account’ of the competing claims of others somehow and without too much intervention, move towards a harmony of interests resulting in a greater, freer harmony for all. Carr thinks that this idea was then extended into the argument for a sort of general intellectual laissez-faire, and then more particularly into history. For Carr, the fundamental idea supporting liberal historiography was that historians, all going about their work in different ways but mindful of the ways of others, would be able to collect the facts and allow the ‘free-play’ of such facts, thereby securing that they were in harmony with the events of the past which were now truthfully represented. As Carr puts this: The nineteenth century was, for the intellectuals of Western Europe, a comfortable period exuding confidence and optimism. The facts were on the whole satisfactory; and the inclination to ask and answer awkward questions about them correspondingly weak†¦The liberal†¦view of history had a close affinity with the economic doctrine of laissez-faire – also the product of a serene and self-confident outlook on the world. Let everyone get on with his particular job, and the hidden hand would take care of the universal harmony. The facts of history were themselves a demonstration of the supreme fact of a beneficent and apparently infinite progress towards higher things. 6 Carr’s second argument is therefore both straightforward and ideological. His point is that the idea of the freedom of the facts to speak for themselves arose from the happy coincidence that they just happened to speak liberal. But of course Carr did not. Thereby knowing that in the history he wrote the facts had to be made to speak in a way other than liberal (i. e. in a Marxist type of way) then his own experience of making ‘the facts’, his facts, is universalized to become everyone’s experience. Historians, including liberals, have to transform the ‘facts of the past’ into ‘historical facts’ by their positioned intervention. And so, Carr’s second argument against ‘commonsense’ history is ideological. For that matter, so is the third. But if the second of Carr’s arguments is easy to see, his third and final one is not. This argument needs a little ironing out. In the first two critiques of ‘commonsense’ history, Carr has effectively argued that the facts have no ‘intrinsic’ value, but that they’ve only gained their ‘relative’ value when historians put them into their accounts after all the other facts were under consideration. The conclusion Carr drew is that the facts only speak when the historian calls upon them to do so. However, it was part of Carr’s position that liberals had not recognized the shaping power of the historian because of the ‘cult of the fact’ and that, because of the dominance of liberal ideology, their view had become commonsense, not only for themselves, but for practically all historiography. It appeared to Carr that historians seemed to subscribe to the position that they ought to act as the channel through which ‘the facts of the past for their own sake’ were allowed self-expression. But Carr, not wanting to go the route of his fellow historians, nor wanting to succumb to the intellectual complaints about the demise of the experience of originality, says: In the following pages I shall try to distance myself from prevailing trends among Western intellectuals†¦to show how and why I think they have gone astray and to stake out a claim, if not for an optimistic, at any rate for a saner and more balanced outlook on the future. 7 It is therefore this very pointed position which stands behind and gives most, if not all, of the reason for Carr’s writing What is History? Carr himself seems to be quite clear that the real motive behind his text was the ideological necessity to re-think and re-articulate the idea of continued historical progress among the ‘conditions’ and the doubters of his own ‘skeptical days’. Carr’s ‘real’ concern was ‘the fact’ that he thought the future of the whole modern world was at stake. Carr’s own optimism cannot be supported by ‘the facts’, so that his own position is just his opinion, as equally without foundation as those held by optimistic liberals. Consequently, the only conclusion that can arguably be drawn is that ‘the past’ doesn’t actually enter into historiography, except rhetorically. In actuality there should be no nostalgia for the loss of a ‘real’ past, no sentimental memory of a more certain time, nor a panic that there are no foundations for knowledge other than rhetorical conversation.

Changes in China During the Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties Essay

China’s development had started at a very early point in human history and continued to grow through millennium until the collapse of the Han Dynasty in 221. When China reunified it experienced political, social, and economical changes over a period of 700 years and 3 dynasties. Those dynasties were the Sui, Tang, and Song. The Sui Dynasty, founded by Yang Jian in 581, was responsible for unifying China for the first time in 400 years. The capital was re-established at Chang’an . Yang Jian turned Chinese religion from Confucianism to Buddhism and Daoism. The strength of both belief systems were evident as monasteries for both were built in the capital and Buddhist monks were appointed as key advisers in the government. A major accomplishment of the Sui Dynasty was the construction of the Grand Canal. The Canal linked the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers and provided for political, social, and economic uses. Politically, the Canal was used as an imperial highway for the emperor to inspect the kingdom and used as a means to rapidly deploy troops to the various provinces. The Canal was used socially for quick communications throughout the country. It also facilitated shipments of grains, rice, and other needed commodities from rural south China to the over-populated northern region. The Sui Dynasty came to an end in 618 after Emperor Sui Yangdi’s murder. Li Yuan, a general under the Sui, took control of the empire during the instability that followed the murder and established the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty began in 618 and continued to build on the accomplishments of the Sui. The main feature of the Tang was the expansion of the Chinese empire. The Dynasty expanded their influence over the area south of the Yangtze River and took control of Tibet. The Xinjiang province was established in the northwestern section of the empire. Significant diplomatic and economic relations began between China and other country-states in Southeast Asia. Chang’an had been restored to its former self as the population numbered 2,000,000 and goods from all over the world were bountiful. The Tang reintroduced civil service exams to the empire. The candidates for civil service were all male and came from the rural gentry class. Those who successfully completed the exam were referred to as scholar-gentry. Buddhism’s influence rose even more during the Tang and helped China reached a pinnacle for poetry and sculpture. Silk Road trade increased dramatically under the Tang, although maritime trade still played a critical role in the empire’s economy. Even through all of these accomplishments, the Tang created their own demise. Various problems arose from inside the central government and eventually lead to a revolt. The revolution was suppressed but China never fully recovered. The government control of the landlords had significantly weakened and the nomads north of China saw their opportunity to invade. These factors along with a speculated drought lead to the end of the Tang Dynasty in 907. China entered a period of turmoil after the end of the Tang Dynasty, similar to the period that occurred in between the Han and Sui Dynasties. The only difference is that the period after the Tang did not last as long. In 960, Song Taizu managed to sign the majority of the military commanders that brought an end to the Tang into a cooperative agreement. The commanders in the northwestern region and in Tibet did not take part in the cooperative. China lost its control over Tibet as a result. Song Taizu decided to move the capital to Kaifeng to decrease the risk of a hostile takeover of the capital. The Khitan people from the north were unable to be contained which lead to Song Taizu moving the capital again, this time further south to Hangzhou. Civil service exams initiated during the Tang came to full fruition under the Song. Buddhism lost its power and influence to give rise to State Confucianism. Private commerce was a major aspect of the Song Dynasty and allowed for greater economic expansion and prosperity. All was well until the Jurchen from Manchuria forced the Song Dynasty to pay tributes. As a means of protection and retaliation against the Jurchen, the Song formed an alliance with the nomadic people from the Gobi Desert, the Mongols. After the Mongols defeated the Jurchen they turned their attention towards and conquered the Song Dynasty in 1279. The Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties built on top of each other for a better version of traditional China. They also each single-handedly made a contribution to the development of the country as a whole. The Sui had the Great Canal, the Tang developed the diplomatic relations, and the Song expanded economically. All of three dynasties and their accomplishments helped lay the ground for today’s China.

Allocation of Artificial and Transplantable Organs Essay Example

Allocation of Artificial and Transplantable Organs Essay Example Allocation of Artificial and Transplantable Organs Essay Allocation of Artificial and Transplantable Organs Essay Allocation of Artificial and Transplantable Organs Everyday many Americans and others across the world are in need of artificial organs, which is are man-made devices that are implanted into a person to replace their own natural organ and to perform the same functions as that natural organ would. The ability of this to succeed has been one of the biggest achievements in medicine and still continues to save the lives of people everywhere. However, this subject also brings up a lot of controversy. The main problem is that the supply of organs available is less than the great demand of patients needing them, therefore, here has to be way that decides how the organs will be distributed amongst the patients. There are many methods this can be done, but when doing so, one should not take into account a persons social worth and neither should they account for self-inflicted injuries. If it is taken into account, then it is not promoting Justice as fairness. Artificial organs began back in 1943, when a Dutch physician by the name of Willem Kolff invented the hemodialysis machine. This machine forced blood to and from the body for cleansing. Every time this was performed, it was required for the cannulas to be connected to arteries and veins. Eventually, these sites would become exhausted and could not work anymore. This resulted in the invention of a shunt by Dr. Belding Scribner, which is a tube permanently attached to one vein and one artery and allowed for the continuous blood flow. Now with the two inventions put together, the doctors had created an artificial kidney that could save many lives. However, this amazing breakthrough led to issue: the scarcity of these machines. Because there was very few of them available to patients, doctors had to come up with a way to decide which patients got dialysis and which didnt. The best option was The God Committee, created by the Swedish Hospital, Scribner, and Kings County Medical Society to take the burden of this moral decision off physicians. The committee consisted of seven members of the community: a surgeon, a minister, a housewife, a labor leader, a banker, a lawyer, and a state governmental official. They never met the candidates they were discussing, but had two physicians that served as advisors and screened the patients for medical unsuitability. The first criteria that was set by The God Committee required for patients wanting dialysis was that they ad to be residents of the state of Washington and under forty five years old. They also had to afford the expensive treatment. This was still not enough and too many people were applying so they then started considering the candidates personal information like education, employment, family, and achievements. Eventually, the committee in charge of distributing artificial organs was replaced by the United Network for Organ Sharing, or UNOS because of Congress passing the End-Stage Renal Disease Act stating that the federal government is entitled to pay for the dialysis treatment of any American. UNOS is a non-profit organization that established national standards of how the artificial organs are distributed and is still used in todays society. This organization mainly deals with national transplant waltlng llst ana matcnes Oonors wltn reclplents twenty-Tour nours a clay. UNOS was created in 1987, it seemed as if the system of allocating artificial organs had improved significantly, however, there are still many issues that have not been resolved. The main one being how and when applicants get put on the waiting list because UNOS does not deal with patients who are not yet on the list.

Cultural Diversity of Ford Motor Company Employees

Cultural Diversity of Ford Motor Company Employees Free Online Research Papers The rise of multinational companies and increased global diversification by even small companies has resulted in people of diverse backgrounds and cultures working together in the same office or for the same organization. Conflict in such situations is predictable, but understanding the diversity issues can help companies implement programs designed to keep conflict at a minimum and to take full advantage of the many benefits which such diversity brings to an organization. Key to understanding how diversity is managed in multinational organizations is understanding the concept of corporate culture (which defines organizations), diversity programs and their use to minimize conflict among employees, and the unique problems that employees working overseas encounter. One of the biggest companies that have worked a lot on diversity is Ford Motor Organization. Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and the worlds second largest automaker, selling vehicles in 200 markets and with approximately 345,000 employees on six continents. Ford also is a family with a heritage of strong and clear values. One of the most essential of Ford values is their commitment to diversity and inclusion. For Ford, diversity is a means to an end. It is one of the ways the company is seeking to drive a transformation to a team-based workplace. To have meaningful relationships with customers (and other stakeholders) it is essential to have an understanding of their needs. Having a diverse workforce is one of the ways of building this capacity into the company. From the start, Henry Ford and the family of Ford employees have valued diversity. Henry Ford launched our diversity journey when he offered a $5-a-day wage in 1914. Thousands of immigrants and African-Americans flocked to Ford Company, lured by the prospect of pay that was more than do uble the prevailing industry standard. This revolutionary event in American business created a new middle class and established Ford as one of the first American companies to truly reflect the growing diversity of the United States. By as early as 1916, Ford employees represented 62 nationalities and every major world religion. By 1919, there were enough Ford employees of Middle Eastern descent in the Detroit area to support a Muslim mosque - the first to be built in the United States. Ford also employed more than 900 people with disabilities. We were one of the first companies to adapt work environments to their needs. Ford first African-American salaried employee, Eugene J. Collins, was hired in 1919, despite a segregated America. By 1920, Ford employed more African-American hourly workers than any other automotive company. Ford first collective bargaining agreement with the United Auto Workers in 1941 was groundbreaking because it explicitly prohibited discrimination based on race, color, national origin or creed. By 1946, gender was added to the non-discrimination clause, prompted by the entry of women into the work force during World War II. Ford middle years produced a number of firsts, including the first African-American and female executives. In 1967, Henry Ford II proclaimed that dealers and suppliers are valued members of the extended Ford family. In 1969, the company’s first plant forewoman was promoted. In 2005, Ford names Anne Stevens, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Americas. She is the highest ranking woman in the automotive industry. Today, Ford is as diverse as the world itself, providing an exciting portfolio of cars and trucks to customers in 200 markets around the world. Defining Diversity and Its Values Diversity literally means variety, and embracing workplace, diversity means welcoming the full variety of society: different races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, religions, ages, abilities, education, beliefs- any characteristic that distinguishes groups of people. Offer equal opportunities to all people, regardless of these factors, is simply the right thing to do, and part of being a responsible corporate citizen. Accordingly, ford motor company has long maintained non-discrimination policies and actively measures its progress in creating and promoting a diverse workplace. But diversity also supports and strengthens business. Welcoming a wide range of people into the company opens up a bigger pool from which to find the best- qualified candidates. And diverse working teams bring together different ideas and perspectives, challenging one another for the best results. Moreover, in this global economy, having many different groups represented within the company helps make its products and services more appealing to costumers who are members of those same groups. Diversity embodies all the differences that make us unique individuals. Not limited to physical aspects of race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, and sexual orientation, it includes culture, religion, education, experience, opinions, beliefs, language, nationality and more. Diversity enhances confidence and improves the contributions made by people in such environments. Valuing and respecting each individual simply makes good sense. Success and productivity are natural extensions of a corporate culture that truly values all people. Bill Ford said valuing different employee backgrounds and skills makes the company more responsive to the marketplace. â€Å"In the end ford company is more successful. And ford employees, our customers, our shareholders and our business associates, they all benefit, Ford said. In other words, diversity is not a favor to the world. It’s a richness that strengthens us as a company and gives us a competitive advantage.† Ford Motor Company continues to receive recognition for its diversity programs. Most recently, the company received a 100 percent score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The CEI is a review on how America’s top companies treat their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees, consumers and investors. Ford previously scored 85 percent, but by prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, the score took a considerable jump. The number of companies receiving the top grade rose to 56 in 2004, from 28 in 2003, and just 13 in 2002. Diversity and Globalization Workforce diversity from customer service clerks through to the board of directors is a critical dimension for those companies seeking to establish themselves as global enterprises. The Conference Board of Canada released a study last year which concluded that having an ethnically-diverse workforce can make a company more profitable. Gaining the global advantage was the theme of the report, which predicted that if Canadian businesses continue to rely heavily on traditional markets, our export growth and standard of living will be relegated to the slow lane of international commerce. The key to entering international markets, it is implied, is gathering an international employee base to serve as a natural bridge and help Canadian firms penetrate those emerging markets. Ford has manufacturing, assembly and sales facilities in 34 countries and distributes its vehicles through a network of more than 10,500 dealers in more than 200 countries. Alex Trotman, chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Company argues its very important for our product people to understand the different consumer tastes around the world. People in China dont like exactly the same products as people in India. Our performance is global and our workforce has to be global. We have to be very understanding of the issues of the world. Helmut Eppich, founder and Chairman of Ebco Industries, makes the following statement: The world is forcing us to think more globally, more internationally, and this requires an international focus. You need to understand what makes people tick†¦.This is why I think the focus on multiculturalism that Ebco has taken is critically important. Overcoming language barriers, grasping various cultural nuances, attracting the best employees in a changing demographic and establishing good faith with foreign investors are important for a diverse workforce in the cultural microcosms of Canada or the United States, but are survival tactics for firms seeking a global presence. Sandra Wilking, the special advisor to the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is cited in a recent Conference Board of Canada study saying that many mainstream Canadian business people arent pursuing opportunities in the Asia Pacific region because of their concerns about differences in language, culture and business practices. With the sheer number of highly qualified Canadians and landed immigrants from all parts of Asia, this is a tremendous wasted opportunity. Employee Resource Groups For more than a decade, ford employee resource groups have provided support, outreach and development to employees who share ethnicity, race, religion, life experiences, disabilities or backgrounds. ERGs hold educational and cultural events and support many diversity-related efforts such as college campus recruiting. Membership is open to all Ford employees. Ford-Employees African-Ancestry Network (FAAN) FAAN champions diversity at Ford by making a positive impact on the African-American community. FAAN promotes leadership development through seminars, mentoring, counselling and Dialogues on Diversity with senior management. Members support summer internship programs and recruiting at minority-focused career events. In the Detroit area, they provide Scholastic Aptitude Test coaching, an area Pre-College Engineering Program, Paint the Town events and Black History Month Celebrations. They also support the United Negro College Fund. Ford Asian Indian Association (FAIA) FAIA works for the success of Ford Motor Company. Its three-part vision is to promote the Ford family of brands as the Brand of Choice for Asian Indian consumers, make Ford the Employer of Choice for Asian Indian professionals, and develop business and technical skills of Asian Indian employees to ensure a competitive advantage for Ford. FAIA also works to enhance awareness and understanding of Asian Indian culture among all employees. Ford Chinese Association (FCA) One of the oldest resource groups at Ford, FCA represents a highly motivated group of dedicated professionals, eagerly bringing diversity to the workplace. FCA promotes activities for technical and cultural exchange within its membership and with outside associations as well. Members actively support the company’s business initiatives. Ford Finance Network (FFN) The FFN is dedicated to helping new Ford Finance hires acclimate to the company. To that end, Detroit-area members sponsor a professional development event, a social event and a brown bag lunch presentation event each quarter. They coordinate a â€Å"buddy† system where new hires are paired with experienced Finance employees. They maintain a Web site that includes the FFN membership database and biographies. This Web site also links to key Ford information, events and FAQ’s, and provides reviews of local entertainment spots. Ford Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Employees (GLOBE) Ford-GLOBE is active in making Ford a gay-friendly company. It strongly supports the company’s EEO policy. GLOBE has chapters in Great Britain, Germany and the U.S. providing worldwide networking and confidential employee support. Members actively champion diversity education, recruiting and marketing. They hold monthly membership meetings, lunches and socials while supporting many community events. Ford Hispanic Network Group (F-HNG) F-HNG, through service and support, strives to be a positive force in the Hispanic community. The group’s vision is to assist the corporate effort to employ, develop and retain Hispanics in the workforce. Programs include hosting professional development events and sponsoring speakers on diversity initiatives. Professional Women’s Network (PWN) PWN focuses on professional development for women, promoting an environment that attracts, develops, retains and advances talented women for the Ford team. PWN sponsors motivational speakers, mentoring programs, leadership initiatives and community projects. Women in Finance (WIF) WIF is an affiliate of the Professional Women’s Network. Ford key goals include the enhancement of personal and professional development, member networking and the support of the company’s diversity efforts. Initiatives include motivational speakers, panel discussions, recruiting, flexible work arrangements, financial planning and community activities. Ford Parenting Network (FPN) FPN works to support employees in balancing work and family life. We also serve as a resource to the company on issues that affect working parents. FPN primary mission is to further Ford’s effort to create a balanced worklife environment- an environment where maximum contribution at work is balanced with the employee’s fulfillment of personal and family responsibilities. We work to promote family-friendly worklife policies and decisions at Ford. We sponsor ongoing parenting classes and outstanding parenting seminars, and we offer networking opportunities for Ford parents. Ford Interfaith Network (FIN) Founded in 2000, the Ford Interfaith Network (FIN) aims to assist the company in becoming a worldwide corporate leader in promoting religious tolerance, corporate integrity, and human dignity. They strive to act in accordance with their beliefs and out of love for human beings and all of creation, promoting understanding and respect for the various faiths. They help management to: o increase and maintain religious diversity o attract, develop, and retain talented employees of faith o be more aware of religious consumers and investors needs Middle Eastern Community @ Ford Motor Company (MEC@Ford) Everyone is welcome to join MEC@Ford, a resource group dedicated to making Ford Motor Company the preferred automotive producer among Middle Eastern communities. Goals include building consumer relationships, demonstrating corporate citizenship, promoting diversity and developing cultural awareness. Activities include working with area schools, and mentoring and support for employees of Middle Eastern backgrounds. Ford Employees Dealing with Disabilities (FEDA) Founded in 2002, FEDA envisions becoming the first-stop resource for Ford Motor Company employees dealing with disabilities. They seek to provide information and networking tools, eliminate social barriers, and contribute to culture change in the workplace for the benefit of all. Ford Diversity in the Marketplace More than half of new-car buyers are women or people of color. Today, multicultural groups represent 37 percent of the United States population. By 2010, more than 40 percent of the population will be ethnically diverse. Ford already has the industry’s strongest family of brands, including Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Mazda, Land Rover and Aston Martin. This vast line-up of products allows ford customers to stay under the Ford Motor Company umbrella as they grow and progress throughout their lives. Each of these brands designs, markets and produces high-quality products that connect with ford customers. Ford products and ford marketing messages have found universal appeal, regardless of people’s interests, cultures and traditions. Over the past four years, the company’s multicultural efforts have grown. They have a solid record of success. Their largest brand, Ford, has been the top U.S. brand for Hispanics for six consecutive years (R.L. Polk data, 1997-2003). Ford Division also has been among the top sellers to the U.S. African-American and Asian markets. Ford Division has awarded more than 850 college scholarship grants, totaling $1,515,000, to Hispanic high school seniors through the Spirit of Accomplishment scholastic program, from 1997 – present. The Mustang is the number one selling sports car to Hispanics and African-Americans. It essentially owns the segment with 45% of the Hispanic and 46% of the African-American share. The Ford F-150 is the top selling vehicle to Hispanics and the top selling full-size pickup to African-Americans. 2005 was a record a F-series Hispanic sales year selling more than 61,000 retail units. More F-150s are sold to Hispanics than any other truck, car or SUV in the United States. Left to right: Kiyoshi Ozaki, senior managing executive officer, China Business, Mazda Motor Corp.; Mark Fields, executive vice president, Ford Motor Company, and president, The Americas; Sanae Fusao, interpreter, Mazda Motor Corp. and Kazuhide Watanabe, chairman of the board, Mazda Motor Corp. Ford is aggressively expanding its online presence with highly interactive content in the Hispanic, African-American and Asian markets. They recently launched a new multilanguage Asian-American Web site and have the industry’s most comprehensive and integrated Hispanic Web site. The Fusion’s integrated multicultural marketing campaign has played a key role in making Ford’s newest midsize sedan a sales success. In 2004, Volvo launched its first brochure in Chinese and Korean. Today, Ford is building upon this strong foundation and taking our multicultural marketing to a new level. Since Ford company began, our grass-roots efforts have reinforced Ford’s commitment to diverse populations. They are finding new ways to reach out through local sponsorships and community involvement. Each of their brands has an active multicultural marketing program. Ford is committed to the communities where people do business. This commitment has driven the company to devel op many creative programs that give directly back to the community. The Ford Mi Negocio (My Business) web portal is the first Hispanic entrepreneurial online business community of its kind. It provides sound business advice in Spanish to Hispanic entrepreneurs. Ford is also committed to the Ford Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) Business Classic, a real world business plan competition with $100,000 in scholarships open to 370,000 HBCU students and their prospective schools. .Ford Dealers Suppliers At Ford, they value the dealers and suppliers who make up their extended family. This is why, for several decades, they have been an industry leader in the development of minority dealers and suppliers. Not only does their support of dealers and suppliers make Ford a stronger company, it also encourages entrepreneurship and brings new wealth and job opportunities to communities throughout the country. Lizabeth Ardisana, chief executive officer, ASG Renaissance, is a Ford supplier and the first woman to chair the board of the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. With 373 minority dealers in the United States, Ford has a greater percentage of minority dealers – 7.8% – than any other major automaker. Ford purchased more than $3.7 billion of goods and services from minority suppliers in 2005 – more than the revenue of some Fortune 500 companies. This commitment has earned to Ford a spot on the â€Å"Billion Dollar Roundtable,† a small group of companies that have spent $1 billion or more with minority suppliers. Ford’s Insight program helps dealers better understand and serve African-Americans, Asian-Americans, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender customers, Hispanics, women and young adults. The program includes Web-based cultural training, in-dealership workshops and assistance in developing comprehensive multicultural strategies. Minorities who have dedicated themselves to a career in automotive retailing often are eligible for funding from Ford. Through Ford’s Dealer Development Investment Program, the company will fund up to 90% of an eligible candidate’s investment capital – the seed money that’s needed to buy a dealership. Their support of the largest minority suppliers also benefits smaller minority-owned businesses. In 2005, more than 500 of their largest suppliers purchased more than $12 billion from minority-owned businesses. Ford has made its M-Tier program available to all its suppliers. Those who want to launch their own Tier 2 program to report diverse purchases may do so at no charge. They made history in 2004 by awarding a $500-million contract to one of the largest African-American-owned companies in the United States. Through their industry-leading Supplier Diversity Development Program, Ford sponsors financial assistance, loans and subsidies for consultants who work closely with suppliers to develop business plans, improve quality and identify problems. .Conclusion Concluding I would like to say that every company should work on diversity because is very important for everyone and in the end we are all human beings, so we should not have differentiation with each other. And finishing I would like to add the 4 main points for diversity which are: â€Å"By using the company’s policy to do things in a positive way and celebrate the key people driving the diversity policy, we have found that people remain motivated and more committed to diversity and its benefits to the business.† â€Å"Diversity works best when its driven from the top, and is part of the way we relate to one another no matter where we are in the company.† â€Å"Making the link between diversity and work life balance is critical.† â€Å"Recognising that contributing to our communities complements our diversity vision.† SOURCES USED wikipedia.org ford.com/en bredin.ab.ca/ImmigrantServices/Employment Preparation/Cultural Diversity in the Workplace.aspx Research Papers on Cultural Diversity of Ford Motor Company EmployeesTwilight of the UAWMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraResearch Process Part OneThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X