Saturday, January 25, 2020
God and Sin in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays
God and Sin in Heart of Darkness A long debated issue that has plagued human beings since the fall of man is what leads people to commit evil actions and whether evil is inherent in all people. In the literary work of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Marlow grapples with those two similar issues. They way in which Charlie Marlow, the protagonist and skipper, goes about determining the answers are by observing his and other people's goals and motivations throughout his voyage of discovery and self-enlightenment in the Congo of Africa. In the novel Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad seems to be suggesting that the environment pushes people to their extremes, so they commit evil actions. I agree with this idea because in the Bible it says; "1 Corinthians 15:33, ...bad company corrupts good character." Anybody can look around and see that the world is evil. You may see people like politicians doing good for the community on the news, but you know that they are truly looking out for their own self-benefit, more money and publicity. Or even in the novel where it tells about Kurtz having the most successful ivory station in Africa, the way in which he achieved this is by raiding other tribes of their possessions. The Bible states that in "1 John 2:16, For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world." There are several cases of people having mental breakdowns because of stress from the world's imperfectness. This mental collapse sometimes results in them attempting to, or actually murdering others, or even committing suicide. In "Jeremiah 17:9, The Heart is more deceitful that all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" This verse gives proof that our hearts are sick from the evil in them, which corrupts good judgment and self-restraint. For another example the character Kurtz, the owner of the inner station, which is the most successful station, turned his back on his European roots. Kurtz became a god to the natives, and killed people who displeased him. Evidently, one has to admit, whether or not they believe in God, that the world is evil, corrupt, and man is prone to react abnormally to a difference of environment.
Friday, January 17, 2020
Muslim views on medical and sexual questions Essay
Transsexuals are people who believe that their mind is trapped within the body of someone who is of the opposite sex. Many of them who are unable to have the necessary sex organ change operation end up committing suicide. However in the terms of shariah law, it is not allowed for men and women to change their gender to the opposite sex. If one goes against the Shariah law, then he/she will be violating the commandments of the Qurââ¬â¢an and Hadith. The Shariah has also gone to the extent where women are not allowed to dress as men, and men are not allowed to dress as women. It is noted in an Hadith that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) cursed those men who imitated women and those men who imitated women. If one was to undergo a sex change, then he/she will be altering the natural features and organs that Allah had blessed them with. Many patients have problems with their sex lives, so they seek the help of a doctor or in such cases, they are recommended to go to sex counselling sessions. However it is not allowed for Muslim physicians to engage such conversations. If a husband and wife had problems in their sexual lives, then they would consult a doctor of their own sex. They should then give a broad outline of their problem and not go into such detail. The Muslim doctor would not be allowed to find out such explicit details or show the patient videos that demonstrate such sexual acts. However during sexual therapy lessons, explicit video films which demonstrate such explicit acts may be shown to the patient. It is totally against the Shariah Law for the patient to watch such explicit acts. Some people take advantage of mentally retarded people by having sex with them. So in order to reduce the chance of them falling pregnant, they can be sterilized. This is cause due to their mental state, they would be unable to care for the child. Methods of contraception such as the use of pills can be used instead of using the method of sterilisation as it would mean that all chances of a future hope of pregnancy will be lost. It is not allowed for the mental patient to be castrated but medicine can be administrated which would suppress their sexual urges. Recent studies show that homosexuality is genetically inclined. In Islam, homosexuality is forbidden so it is merely a plot from Shaytaan whoââ¬â¢s aim is to make homosexuality more acceptable in our society. The main duty of a Muslim psychiatrist is dissuade his/her patient from indulging in such haram acts. The act of homosexuality has been condemned in the Qurââ¬â¢an and Hadith. Brain-stem death is accepted in the field of medicine as doctors have been entrusted in confirming that a person is dead. In Islam, a person is only considered dead when his soul has left its body. The body then becomes cold and stiff. If left for a long period of time, then the body begins to decompose. If these signs are visible, then the person is considered to be dead in terms of the Shariah. If these signs are not visible, then the person is not considered to be dead. In this case, whether a brain-stem dead person is dead or not is not relevant. In either case, the persons organs are not allowed to be removed from the body. The organs and limbs of a deceased person belongs to Allah, so the person has no right in deciding as to whom his organs are donated to. If a fellow human is dying and the only option of survival is of eating another humans limb and another human gladly offers the too, it will not be allowed.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
The Civil War Of The United States - 1233 Words
ââ¬Å"Blundering Generationâ⬠Division among a population for opposing goals wasn t a new concept brought to light by the Civil War. Almost one hundred years prior to the Civil War, inhabitants of the thirteen colonies fought against each other towards their differing support for their wages of unity. Patriots fought Loyalists for coalition of the colonies, and likewise Northerners now fought Southerners for the preservation of the Union. The imminent breakup of the Union, likewise to the dissolution of British hold, wasnââ¬â¢t only dependent upon the errors of fumbled leaders. Other factors of equal or even greater importance to the collapse of the Union were economic structure, social makeup, and ongoing movements attempting to alter theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Lacking mechanical resources, production required cheap manpower for efficiency. Take the manpower away and the South had nothing to uphold or fall back upon; they relied on themselves for consumption and prod uction, basically keeping all economy within the radius below Virginia. The South felt as is it was a completely alternate society with its own set of regulations and how it ran. They did not necessarily associate themselves to being the same Americans as those that resided in the Northern states; therefore, Southerners feared compromise would sacrifice their entire system. The basic mindset of the people was not an economic-based way of seeing social levels, but rather it was racially based. The wealthy white, usually plantation owners, sought to differentiate themselves from poor, unemployed white by owning those that were even below them, slaves. ââ¬Å"Positions hardened as Republicans asserted the sanctity of majority rule, slaveholders perceived a growing threat to their way of life, and abolitionistsââ¬âboth black and whiteââ¬âsought to end slavery.â⬠(http://www.tredegar.org/) Southerners seeked to represent that the wealthy whites were at the top of the hill, the slaves in the valley, and others fell somewhere in a plateau. Anything that could alter Southern society would change the way people saw each other and how relations would occur. Although even the
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Globalization And The Global Tobacco Industry - 1634 Words
Author Peter Bensonââ¬â¢s ethnography Tobacco Capitalism: Growers, Migrant Workers, and the Changing Face of a Global Industry, provides and extensive examination into the lives of tobacco famers residing in North Carolina and the global tobacco industry as it undergoes profound changes though facets such as globalization, industrialization, the anti-tobacco movement, and debates over immigration. The seventh most valuable agricultural commodity in the United States; tobacco is a $1.5 billion dollar industry and is valued above all other vegetables produced in the United States. This commodity remains in high demand despite its position as the single most preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Bensonââ¬â¢s ethnography explores decades of social change regarding the tobacco industry and its relationship with growers amidst the current anti-smoking and tobacco movement. Despite industrialization of the market, tobacco faming in North Carolina continues to o perate as a family business with many growers tracing their farms back several generations. The basis of Peter Bensonââ¬â¢s research was conducted in Wilson County, North Carolina, the largest and most active tobacco region in the United States. His research is based on twenty months of field study and archival research conducted from 2002 to 2010. The everyday life and social relations concerning tobacco growers, economic restructuring of the tobacco industry, and migrant labor camps will serve as the basis ofShow MoreRelated`` 1493 : Uncovering The New World Columbus Created By Charles C. Mann966 Words à |à 4 PagesJohn Rolfe transplanted tobacco seeds from Venezuela. Six years later he traded tobacco for English dirt, which brought the life source of earthworms to America. European powers turn Virginia into a tobacco-producing machine on the global market (95). From 1607 to 1624 tobacco spreads to China, Dheli, Istanbul, and Mughal empires. Tobacco brought malaria and yell ow fever to the Americas. Then sugarcane spread malaria to the Caribbean and Mexico. By 1620, American tobacco is at its highest profitRead MoreThe First Glimpse Of Globalization1573 Words à |à 7 PagesGlobalization is the process in which a world-wide circulation of goods, ideas, and people takes place. Historically, there were two periods of profound expansion, the 15th and 16th century and 20th and 21st century. In both cases, these eras of globalization were preceded by periods of enriched thinking, sharing, and scientific revolutions. The renaissance is a prime example of an era when ideas and knowledge flourished and spread throughout Europe. This newfound age of discovery resulted in globalRead MoreGlobalization And The Global Economic System1568 Words à |à 7 PagesWhen we think of globalization historically, should we apply it within the frame works of archaic, proto and modern? A. G. Hopkins who wrote Globalization in World History tends to think we should. He define s archaic globalization as before to the industrious revolution and the creation of the modern state prior to 1500. For Hopkins, this time period planted the seeds of what would become the proto period. In proto-globalization, from 1500-1800, arose the beginnings of the state and the dilationRead MoreThe World s First And Second Century Essay1555 Words à |à 7 Pagesbelieve that the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade initiated globalization. The twentieth century had ushered in new ways in doing business internationally with multinational trade deals, general agreements on tariffs and trade in place for somewhat fair and ethical trading. Over time globalization has impacted our world economics, blended cultures, and has improved on the way that the world communicates through modern day technology. History of Globalization The Hellenistic age is period when Alexander theRead MoreGlobal Governance: Globalization and Non-State Actors2026 Words à |à 9 Pages ââ¬Å"The process of globalization and the increasing role of non-state actors in global governance are undermining the role of the state as the principal actor in global policymaking.â⬠Globalization and the increasing role of non-state actors have shifted the position of states, the traditional ââ¬Å"main playersâ⬠in global governance. However, whether this change undermines states is debatable. In one sense, statesââ¬â¢ roles have somewhat diminished: Non-governmental entities ââ¬â namely transnational corporationsRead More Globalization Has A Negative Impact on Global Health1799 Words à |à 8 PagesGlobalization is the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets (www.merriam-webster.com, 2012). Globalisation has had both, positive and negative effects on health. This essay will examine how globalisation has helped alcohol and tobacco trade around the world and in doing so affected health, how globalization has enabled the global community to combat these issues and an estimationRead MoreGlobal Perspective on Health Policy Essay1612 Words à |à 7 Pagesthat contribute to chronic diseases are adults, elderly and children. Studies prove that it comes from unhealthy diets, exposure and use of tobacco products, not regularly exercising and harmfully using alcohol. Non-communicable disease are driven by aging and the globalization of unhealthiness in our lives (Non-communicable diseases. 2014). The globalization of unhealthiness like eating unhealthy can result in high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, high blood glucose levels, and higher bloodRead MoreThe Global North/South Divide1724 Words à |à 7 Pagesbetween the regions defined as the global north and the global south. The theory of the Global North and Global South is a new geopolitical perspective. It divides the world into two blocs ââ¬â the industrialized countries of the global North and the poor countries of the South on the global level of analysis. While ââ¬Å"Global Southâ⬠is sometimes used as a synonym for the more familiar ââ¬Å"third worldâ⬠that term has fallen into disfavor. This essay looks at globalization and discusses how it has exacerbatedRead MoreGlobal Industry Issues ( Food Beverage ) Essay886 Words à |à 4 PagesGlobal Industry issues (Food Beverage) Food and beverage industry is going through lots of changes and making its way to diversified categories. Since the beginning of twenty-first century, food and beverage industries have to face a lot of challenges which forcing this industry to change its strategy and operation. Before twenty- first century, food and beverage industry was all about advertising which was most of the time was just show off. But in this new era, consumers want more from food andRead MoreCausing Harm With Trade Embargos And Sanctions1678 Words à |à 7 PagesBarry and Katja B. Kleinberg stated in their journal article, ââ¬Å"although greater global integration has increased opportunities to use economics as political leverage, it has simultaneously made it more difficult for governments to use economic coercion effectively. Not only can those states targeted by sanctions rely on their better and more numerous alternative trading partners to offset economic losses, but globalization has also empowered sender-state firms who do not share their governmentââ¬â¢s priorities
Monday, December 23, 2019
The Accomplishments Of John F. Kennedy - 1504 Words
When John Fitzgerald Kennedy was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 1961, he became the youngest man ever elected as President of the United States, as well as the first Roman Catholic. With his combination of charm, good looks, and a youthful vitality, he inspired Americans to serve, saying, ââ¬Å"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your countryâ⬠(Olugbemiga). Although his presidency was brief, Kennedy established the Peace Corps, grew the space program, stood up to Russian aggression in the Cold War, and showed outstanding leadership during the Civil Rights Movement. Kennedyââ¬â¢s election in 1960 represented a changing of the guard. At forty-three, he was the first President to be born in the twentieth century (Schlesinger 112), and he was a symbol of Americaââ¬â¢s future. He was ââ¬Å"young, confident, and forward-lookingâ⬠(Randall 41). Young adults, in particular, seemed to connect with him, and Kennedy instinctively sensed this. As a way of reaching out to this age group, one of the first things Kennedy did in his Presidency was to establish the Peace Corps, a volunteer program that sent young Americans abroad in an effort to promote friendship and world peace (Olugbemiga). The Peace Corps was so successful that it is still in existence to this day. The growth of the American space program was another of Kennedyââ¬â¢s important accomplishments. Spurred by the Sovietââ¬â¢s success in launching the first man into outer space, Kennedy wanted toShow MoreRelatedJohn F. Kennedy s Accomplishments1452 Words à |à 6 PagesAs John F. Kennedy once said, those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly. Many famous figures in American history made tremendous contributions to create what our country is today. John F. Kennedy deserves lifetime achievement award because he impacted the United States by launching Sputnik into space, tackling communism, and bravely approaching the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the year 1917, on the 29th of May, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy. Kennedy wasRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy s Accomplishments Essay1532 Words à |à 7 PagesThe campaign for President in 1960s was one of the closest races between two candidates. In the end, John F. Kennedy, the Democratic nominee, had only been elected by a one-tenth of a percent margin against his Republican party opponent, Richard M. Nixon. John F. Kennedy had made specific decisions as the Democratic candidate that helped him leap to victory. Specifically, JFKââ¬â¢s performance during the first televised debate, decision to focus on key large states, Houston tape, and other decisionsRead MoreJohn F. Kennedys Life, Struggles, and Accomplishments Essay872 Words à |à 4 Pages John F. Kennedyââ¬â¢s beginnings These words said by a powerful president, who had helped this country not only be successful but a very strong country. John F. Kennedy said these words to tell Americans, you need to care for your country not just yourself. John F. Kennedy was not only a president but he was in the U.S. Navy, which I think means he has pride in his country and was willing to do anything he could do to make it a better place. In chronological order I will discuss John F. Kennedyââ¬â¢sRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy s Speech1361 Words à |à 6 PagesJohn F. Kennedy Kennedyââ¬â¢s inaugural speech was remembered in the lines ââ¬Å"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your countryâ⬠. Kennedyââ¬â¢s speech resounded all over the United States inspiring the American nation to change, prosper and grow. He reassured the citizens of their nationââ¬â¢s strength and gave the people a sense of security. As the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy was known for many accomplishments such as the establishment of the Peace CorpsRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy: An Influential Person Essay1335 Words à |à 6 PagesJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy led the start of a new era in human history. He was born on May 29, 1917 in the small Boston suburb of Brookline, Massachusetts. He majored in government and international relations at Harvard University. In 1961 Kennedy served as President until his assassination in 1963. John F. Kennedy influenced and touched the lives of people everywhere through his efforts with the Apollo 11 space mission, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the founding of the Peace Corps. Kennedy wasRead MorePresident John F. Kennedy1746 Words à |à 7 Pagesto achieve the seemingly impossible, this president is able to transcend the limitations of the executive office itself. President John F Kennedy was masterful at this skill and the words he spoke and the dreams he invited us to share are as powerful today as they ever were. Our cultural memory of John F. Kennedy was shaped within a very narrow time frame. Kennedy, born in 1917, was only forty-six years old, when he was assassinated. He had served less than three years as president of the UnitedRead MoreThe Start of the American Revolution Essay1480 Words à |à 6 PagesOn April 19, 1775 seven hundred British troops marched to take control and command the American arsenal and to capture Patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock. (History.com. 1996-2013) A man named Paul Revere saw the British and quickly went ahead to warn the Patriots. This gave the Americans the little time they needed to assemble thei r minutemen; these were men and boys who could be ready at a minutes notice to defend and fight, they were picked because of their strength, wits and reliabilityRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy s Speech871 Words à |à 4 Pages ââ¬Å"John F. Kennedy was elected in 1960 as the 35th president of the United States. At 43-years-old JFK became the youngest man and the first Roman Catholic to hold that office.â⬠President John F. Kennedy gave his inaugural address on Friday, January 20, 1961. In his speech he addresses many issues faced by society during that time, as well as today. Kennedy expresses his presidential intentions by saying ââ¬Å"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear anyRead MoreThe Leadership Styles And Behavioral Analysis1532 Words à |à 7 Pagesfutureâ⬠-John F. Kennedy, 35th US President. This paper describes about the Leadership styles and Behavioral analysis of former U.S. president John F. Kennedy. Elected in 1960 as the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy was the youngest man to hold that office. He was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts to Joseph P. Kennedy, a self-made multimillionaire who led the Exchange commission and securities under Franklin D. Roosevelt and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. He parlayedRead MoreAnalysis Of John F Kennedy Speech867 Words à |à 4 Pagespeople heââ¬â¢s touched, and from snapshots of his accomplishments. John F. Kennedyââ¬â¢s inaugural address of 1961, his most famous speech, ââ¬Å"Inside Kennedyââ¬â¢s Inauguration, 50 Years Onâ⬠, an article by Eleanor Clift that gives a detailed description of the presidentââ¬â¢s inauguration, and an image, ââ¬Å"Inauguration of John F. Kennedyâ⬠, by the United States Army Corp, all convey the impact of John F. Kennedy in their own unique fashion. The legacy of John Fitzgerald Kennedy is expressed through a variety of similar and
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Interpretations of the Reichstag Fire Free Essays
i) Van der Lubbe was a madman, and he set fire to the Reichstag all by himself, but the Nazis genuinely believed the fire was the start of a Communist uprising. ii) The Reichstag Fire was started by the Nazis to give them an excuse to take emergency powers and lock up or kill the Communists. Van der Lubbe was used by the Nazis. We will write a custom essay sample on Interpretations of the Reichstag Fire or any similar topic only for you Order Now Which interpretation is best supported by the evidence in these sources and your knowledge of the period? Explain your answer. Itââ¬â¢s difficult to incline the balance to any of both interpretations because both of them have evidence to backup them. Source A for instance, supports the first interpretation, it suggests that Lubbe acted a lone and Diels to backup his words tells that it would be easily set the fire because the old furniture, dry wood, and heavy curtains would made the fire spread rapidly, while Lubbe could be starting fires elsewhere in the building running through the long corridors. In the other hand Source I contradict directly the other source, because it says that a man who was handicapped both physically and mentally, without knowledge of the place and with the brief time given couldnââ¬â¢t possibly set the fire on its own. As we can see both of the sources use well supported theories, however, Source I seems to be best well supported because despite the inflammable materials which were there, he was handicapped, didnââ¬â¢t know the place and he didnââ¬â¢t even have time, also, Source I its from an history book what suggest me that the theory would been well studied by historians to arrive that conclusion. In support of statement i) Source B shows Lubbeââ¬â¢s confession which tells ââ¬Å"I set fire to the Reichstag all by myselfâ⬠, here we could say that Lubbe set the fire on his own, and due to his madness he could set the fire on his own for then boast about his ââ¬Å"great jobâ⬠. However there are too many reasons were he could be lying to take in favour this source, he could be protecting communists, or maybe under pressure by the own Nazis, or simply despite he was helped he would preferred to tell everyone he set the fire on himself to ââ¬Å"show offâ⬠. In the other hand, we have other sources suggesting that the Nazis were implicated in the fire, Source E for example shows General Franz telling that on Hitlerââ¬â¢s birthday three years before, Goring said ââ¬Å"The only one who really knows about the Reichstag building is I, for I set fire to itâ⬠, General Franz could have reasons to tell the truth because know he didnââ¬â¢t have any kind of Nazi pressure on him and also he might had nothing to loose. Anyway, he also could be lying show the reliability here is very questionable, he could be telling that for saving himself, to revenge on him. However, it was at Hitlerââ¬â¢s birthday, so Goring could been easily drunk and say that in a joke (despite there was the possibility that the alcohol could make say what he shouldnââ¬â¢t say). Goring in Source F describes of ââ¬Å"ridiculousâ⬠the statement before, he could be telling the truth and said that in sense of a joke while he was drunk, which explains why he didnââ¬â¢t remember nothing he said, so maybe the two are telling the truth ââ¬â Halder could take too seriously what for Goring was a joke while he was drunk to make some fun on Hitlerââ¬â¢s birthday. However it Halder was telling the truth and Goring said that seriously its obvious that Goring would have defend himself as shown in Source F. Most likely Halder could misunderstand Goringââ¬â¢s joke so the value of his evidence could hardly support the second statement. D and G are two of the less reliable Source shown here, they are both pieces of propaganda by blaming the enemy for the fire. The two of them were published in convenience of the party and both of them lack of evidence to backup them so we cannot consider them seriously. It appears that Source H the best well supported source contradicting the second statement though its took from an history book so the evidence on it is most likely to be true. It suggest that the Nazis didnââ¬â¢t expected the fire at all because the measures taken after it couldnââ¬â¢t be plan, most importantly the fact that the Nazi party had to use out-of-date lists to arrest the communists and that the Nazis had hoped to destroy the Communists after the election (however, this last statement is very subjective). Obviously, the Nazis would have made ample preparations if they planned the fire and this source shows they didnââ¬â¢t, this possibly one of the bests pieces of evidence (if we assume the book is telling the truth) against the theory that the Nazis were behind the fire. In conclusion we can say that none of both interpretations is more supported by the sources than other because they almost balance equally with sources in favour or against. We have to say that some sources suggest that that Lubbe didnââ¬â¢t acted alone which in the same way that suggests that could been helped by communists they could be also helped by the Nazis. The most important thing is the weight and reliability that each source have, and all of them have reasons to not be true. For my interpretation of the sources and my knowledge it would be more likely that the Nazis took part in the fire. The first statement isnââ¬â¢t very well supported because despite the evidence in their favour (such the fact that the fire could be spread very rapidly due to the materials inside) Van der Lubbe couldnââ¬â¢t make such a high damage and devastation as shown in source J, itââ¬â¢s very hard to believe that all that damage could be done a person who hardly had any time (before being caught), who didnââ¬â¢t have any knowledge of the place, and who had a severe sight problem and so mentally ones. The curious thing that makes you think is that the fire was made just one week before the elections, very possibly the Nazis could have planned the fire as an excuse to use the emergency powers, by blaming the Communists of an uprising and so crushing the opposition in favour for their elections. Because we got to remember that Hitlerââ¬â¢s greatest fear at that time was the Communism. How to cite Interpretations of the Reichstag Fire, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Case Study One free essay sample
They begin as glass panels that are manufactured in high-technology fabrication centers in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Operating sophisticated tooling in environments that must be kept absolutely clean, these factories produce sheets of glass twice as large as king size beds to exacting specifications. From there, the glass panels travel to Mexican plants located alongside the U. S. border. There they are cut to size, combined with electroniccomponents shipped in from Asia and the United States, assembled into finished TVs, and loaded onto trucks bound for retail stores in the United States. Itââ¬â¢s a huge business. In 2006, U. S. consumers spent some $26. 4 billion on flat panel TVs, a 63 percent increase over the amount spent in 2005. Projections call for U. S. sales to hit $37 billionââ¬âdespite the fact that due to intense competition, prices for flat panel displays have been tumbling and are projected to continue doing so. During 2006 alone, prices for 40-inch flat panel TVs fell from $3,000 to $1,600, bringing them within the reach of many more consumers. We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study One or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In 2007, half of all TVs sold in the United States will be flat panel TVs. The underlying technology for flat panel displays was invented in the United States in the late 1960s by RCA. But after RCA and rivals Westinghouse and Xerox opted not to pursue the technology, the Japanese company Sharp made aggressive investments in flat panel displays. By the early 1990s Sharp was selling the first flat panel screens, but as the Japanese economy plunged into a decade-long recession, investment leadership shifted to South Korean companies such as Samsung. Then the 1997 Asian crisis hit Korea hard, and Taiwanese companies seized leadership. Today, Chinese companies are starting to elbow their way into the flat panel display manufacturing industry. As production for flat panel displays migrates its way around the globe to low-cost nations, clear winners and losers have emerged. One obvious winner has been U. S. consumers, who have benefited from falling prices of flat panel TVs and are snapping them up. Other winners include efficient manufacturers who have taken advantage of globally dispersed supply chains to make and sell low-cost, high quality flat panel TVs. Foremost among these has been the California-based company Vizio. Founded by a Taiwanese immigrant, in just four years of sales, Vizio flat panel TVs ballooned from nothing to $700 million in 2006. The company is forecasting sales as high as $2 billion for 2007. Vizio, however, has only 75 employers, These employees focus on final product design, sales, and customer service, while Vizio outsources most of its engineering work, all of its manufacturing, and much of its logistics. For each of its models, Vizio assembles a team of supplier partners strung across the globe. Its 42-inch flat panel TV, for example, contains a Panel from South Korea, electronic components from China, and processors from the United States, and it is assembled in Mexico. Vizioââ¬â¢s managers scour the globe continually for the cheapest manufacturers of flat panel displays and electronic components. They sell most of its TVs to large discount retailers such as Costco and Samââ¬â¢s Club. Good order visibility from retailers, coupled with tight management of global logistics, allows Vizio to turn over its inventory every three weeks, twice as fast as many of its competitors, which is a major source of cost saving in a business where prices are falling continually. If Vizio exemplifies the winners in this global industry, the losers include the employees of the manufacturers who make traditional cathode ray TVs in high-cost locations. In 2006, for example, Japanese electronics manufacturer Sanyo laid off 300 employees at its U. S. factory, and another Japanese company, Hitachi, closed its TV manufacturing plant in South Carolina, laying off 200 employees. Both Sanyo and Hitachi, of course, still made TVs, but they are flat panel TVs assembled in Mexico from components manufactured in Asia.
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