How Technology Has Changed Our Lives Essay Example For Students

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives Essay Technology has traditionally evolved as the result ofhuman needs. Invention, when prized andrewarded, will invariably rise-up to meet the freemarket demands of society. It is in this realm thatArtificial Intelligence research and the resultantexpert systems have been forged. Much of the materialthat relates to the field of Artificial Intelligencedeals with human psychology and the nature ofconsciousness. Exhaustive debate on consciousness andthe possibilities of consciousnessness in machines hasadequately, in my opinion, revealed that it is mostunlikely that we will ever converse or interract witha machine of artificial consciousness. In JohnSearles collection of lectures, Minds, Brains andScience, arguments centering around the mind-bodyproblem alone is sufficient to convince a reasonableperson that there is no way science will ever unravelthe mysteries of consciousness. Key to Searlesanalysis of consciousness in the context of ArtificialIntelligence machines are refutations of stro ng andweak AI theses. Strong AI Theorists (SATs) believethat in the future, mankind will forge machines thatwill think as well as, if not better than humans. Tothem, pesent technology constrains this achievement. The Weak AI Theorists (WATs), almost converse to theSATs, believe that if a machine performs functionsthat resemble a humans, then there mustbe a correlation between it and consciousness. Tothem, there is no technological impediment to thinkingmachines, because our most advanced machines alreadythink. It is important to review Searles refutationsof these respective theorists proposition toestablish a foundation (for the purpose of this essay)for discussing the applications of ArtificialIntelligence, both now and in the future. Strong AI Thesis Strong AI Thesis, according to Searle,can be described in four basic propositions. Proposition one categorizes human thought as theresult of computational processes. Given enoughcomputational power, memory, inputs, etc., machineswill be able to think, if you believe thisproposition. Proposition two, in essence, relegatesthe human mind to the software bin. Proponents of thisproposition believe that humans just happen to havebiological computers that run wetware as opposed tosoftware. Proposition three, the Turing proposition,holds that if a conscious being can be convinced that,through context-input manipulation, a machine isintelligent, then it is. proposition four is where theends will meet the means. It purports that when we areable to finally understand the brain, we will be ableto duplicate its functions. Thus, if we replicate thecomputational power of the mind, we will thenunderstand it. Through argument and experimentation,Searle is able to refute or severely diminish these propositions. Searle argues that machines may wellbe able to understand syntax, but not thesemantics, or meaning communicated thereby. Essentially, he makes his point by citing the famousChinese Room Thought Experiment. It is here hedemonstrates that a computer (a non-chinese speaker,a book of rules and the chinese symbols) can fool anative speaker, but have no idea what he is saying. Byproving that entities dont have to understand whatthey are p rocessing to appear as understanding refutesproposition one. Proposition two is refuted by thesimple fact that there are no artificial minds ormind-like devices. Proposition two is thus a matter ofscience fiction rather than a plausible theory A goodchess program, like my (as yet undefeated) Chessmaster4000 Trubo refutes proposition three by passing aTuring test. It appears to be intelligent, but I knowit beats me through number crunching and symbolmanipulation. The Chessmaster 4000 example is also anadequate refutation of Professor Simons fourthproposition: you can understand a process if you canreproduce it. Because the Software Toolworkscompany created a program for my computer thatsimulates the behavior of a grandmasterin the game, doesnt mean that the computer is indeedintelligent. Weak AI Thesis There are five basic propositions thatfall in the Weak AI Thesis (WAT) camp. The first ofthese states that the brain, due to its complexity ofoperation, must function something like a computer,the most sophisticated of human invention. The secondWAT propositionstates that if a machines output, ifit were compared to that of a human counterpartappeared to be the result ofintelligence, then the machine must be so. Propositionthreeconcerns itself with the similaritybetween how humans solve problems and howcomputers do so. By solving problemsbased on information gathered from their respectivesurroundings and memory and by obeyingrules of logic, it is proven that machines canindeed think. The fourth WATproposition deals with the fact that brains are knownto havecomputational abilities and that aprogram therein can be inferred. Therefore, the mindisjust a big program (wetware). Thefifth and final WAT proposition states that, since themind appears to be wetware, dualismis valid. Proposition one of the Weak AI Thesisis refuted by gazing into the past. People havehistorically associated the state ofthe art technology of the time to have elements ofintelligence and consciou sness. Anexample of this is shown in the telegraph system ofthelatter part of the last century. Acid Rain (3433 words) EssayModern neural network systemproperties include a greatly enhanced computationalabilitydue to the parallelism of theircircuitry. They have also proven themselves in fieldssuch asmapping, where minor errors aretolerable, there is alot of example-data, and whererulesare generally hard to nail-down. Educating neural networks begins byprogramming a backpropigation of error, which isthe foundational operating systemsthat defines the inputs and outputs of the system. Thebest example I can cite is the Windowsoperating system from Microsoft. Of-course,personal computers dont learn byexample, but Windows-based software will not runoutside (or in the absence) ofWindows. One negative feature of educatingneural networks by backpropigation of error is aphenomena known as, overfitting. Overfitting errors occur when conflictinginformationis memorized, so the neural networkexhibits a degraded state of function as a result. Atthe worst, the expert system maylock-up, but it is more common to see an impeded stateof operation. By running programs inthe operating shell that review data against a database, these problems have beenminimalized. In the real world, we are seeing anincreasing prevalence of neural networks. To fullyrealize the potential benefits ofneural networks our lives, research must be intenseandglobal in nature. In the course of myresearch on this essay, I was privy to severalinstitutions and organizationsdedicated to the collaborative development of neuralnetworkexpert systems. To be a success, research anddevelopment of neural networking must address societalproblems of high interest andintrigue. Motivating the talents of the computingindustry willbe the only way we will fully realizethe benefits and potential power of neural networks. There would be no support, naturally,if there was no short-term progress. Research anddevelopment of neural networks must beintensive enough to show results before interestwanes. New technology must be developedthrough basic research to enhance the capabilities ofneural net expert systems. It isgenerally acknowledged that the future of neuralnetworks depends on overcoming manytechnological challenges, such as datacross-talk (caused by radio frequency generation ofrapid data transfer) and limited databandwidth. Real-world applications of theseintelligent neural network expert systems include,according to the ArtificialIntelligence Center, Knowbots/Infobots and intelligentHelp desks. These are primarily easily accessibleentities that will host a wealth of data and adviceforprospective users. Autonomous vehiclesare another future application of intelligent neuralnetworks. There may come a time in thefuture where planes will fly themselves and taxiswill deliver passengers without humanintervention. Translation is a wonderful possibilityof these expert systems. Imagine theability to have a device translate your English spokenwords into Mandarin Chinese! This goesbeyond simple languages and syntacticalmanipulation. Cultural gulfs inlanguage would also be the focus of such devices. Through the course of Mind andMachine, we have established that artificialintelligencesfunction will not be to replicate theconscious state of man, but to act as an auxiliary tohim. Proponents of Strong AI Thesisand Weak AI Thesis may hold out, but the inevitablewill manifest itself in the end. It may be easy to ridicule thoseproponents, but I submit that in their research intomakingconscio us machines, they are doing thefield a favor in the innovations and discoveriesthey make. In conclusion, technology will prevailin the field of expert systems only if the philosophybehind them is clear and strong. Weshould not strive to make machines that may supplantour causal powers, but rather onesthat complement them. To me, these expert systemswill not replace man they shouldnt. We will see a future where we shall increasingly findourselves working beside intelligentsystems.

On the Rescue Mission Preserving the Environment

In spite of the fact that the modern world is highly preoccupied with the state of environment and is gradually taking necessary measures to provide environmental safety, at present the situation remains threatening.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on On the Rescue Mission: Preserving the Environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is obvious that the mankind has to apply certain changes to the existing state of affairs, otherwise the chance to live in a safe place will be lost for good. Due to the number of suggestions, it seems that people are about to find a way out of the complicated situation. Evaluating the Measures to Be Taken: Pros and Cons One of the newest inventions of the mankind, the idea of engineering for sustainable development, has been developed to make all the pieces of the modern life fall into their places, and to make such issues as the modern technologies and the safety of the w ildlife compatible. To be more precise, the sustainable development concerns the problem of combining the environmental, the social and the economic elements into a single body with high potential for further development. Though such combination seemed rather far-fetched idea, at the current moment it seems that this goal can be achieved once people join their forces and make a step forward. To emphasize the significance of the sustainable development, it must be mentioned that the idea that underlines the new approach is the efficient use of the natural resources without harming the environment and at the same time providing the maximum of economical profit for the country and its population. Dealing with the idea of how to utilize the natural resources and provide a good effect on the nature, the book deals with the most topical problem of the environment contamination and the dangers which it triggers. With help of the new approach many dangers can be avoided, yet there is a lot to consider, the authors of the book warn. According to the overwhelming definition provided by ICE, â€Å"Sustainable development is commonly conceptualised as having three dimensions – dimensions which are often symbolised as overlapping circles: environmental, social, economic† (What Is Sustainability and Sustainable Development?).Advertising Looking for critical writing on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, the authors of the book make it clear that only maintaining the balance between these spheres of a man’s activity, one can both preserve the wildlife and at the same time reach high level of development. It is worth noticing that the authors of the book mention all the possible dangers which a careless attitude towards environmental problems can lead and has already led. However, pointing at the most complicated issues on the agenda of the mankind development and the nature preservation, the authors of the book not only draw the idea of the helpless state of nature, but also suggest certain means to change the situation, According to the authors of the book, controlling the state of environment can prove quite easy once people take certain responsibility in caring of nature and wildlife. With all the dangers which the mankind poses to the wildlife, the importance of technical progress and the development of industries cannot be denied, which means that people merely have to search for harmless ways of development. Thus, taking the sustainable development approach, people will be able to preserve the environment and at the same time continue the technological growth, which is incredibly important for the modern world. Considering the impact of the sustainable development, the authors of the book suggest one of the most effective methods to maintain the abovementioned balance. Thus, it seems that their objectives have been stated in the most clear and p recise way. Mentioning all the threats which the mankind poses to the environment at present, they heralded the epoch of saving the wildlife and restoring the nature. As the ideas of industry and nature are comprised, the coexistence of the mankind and the wildlife will become possible, the authors of the book claim. Once the mankind realizes the peril which the entire world is now, they will eagerly contribute to the nature restoration, 6the book claims. Moreover, it seems that the process has already been started.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on On the Rescue Mission: Preserving the Environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the cheerful prognoses, it seems that the rescue team has a long way to go. Indeed, with the level of the environmental contamination it is highly unlikely that the changes are going to occur soon. On the contrary, the efforts needed to apply are quite considerable, wh ich means that the researchers have a long way to go. According to the evidences obtained recently, the nature is suffering quite severe changes caused by an unwise use of the natural resources and half-baked ideas of how to make use of the natural resources. Thus, one of the most dangerous threats posed at present to the world is the one concerning the nuclear weapons. Though it is quite clear that the risk level of the scientific experiments must be reasonable, the desire to reach far beyond the horizon is more intense than the wish to keep the environment untouched. As Huhne said, â€Å"Safety is and will continue to be the number one priority for existing nuclear sites and for any new power stations.† (Nuclear Safety Is Number One Priority – Huhne (Press Notice)). Certifying that the UK does not have anything to do with the tragic events taking place in Japan recently, Huhne also mentions that maintaining safety at the nuclear power stations remains one of the basi c concerns of the mankind. However, it seems that the considerations of the nuclear power plants do have certain grounds, which have to be tackled sooner or later. Along with the energy challenges the authors of the book raise an important question concerning the level of carbon decrease. Whether it is possible is not a matter of life and death yet, but it will soon become the one, according to the prognoses of the authors of the book. Due to the fact that the mankind produces huge mass of carbon dioxide, the environment contamination progresses geometrically. Leading to an environmental catastrophe, this problem must be tackled, otherwise people will not be able to resist the danger. As the England Annual Conference announced, Speakers representing the views of all the construction professions spoke at – what provided to be – a very enlightening day.Advertising Looking for critical writing on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Topics covered included new developments, insulation, low carbon emissions, retro-fitting historical buildings and the carbon footprint of the whole life cycle of construction. (Is Low Carbon Sustainable Development Possible?) However, these are not only the threats which the book is speaking of. The authors also suggest the method of sustainable development as a means of comprising the technology development and preserving the wildlife and the nature. Once the new method is utilized, it will become easier to control the safety of the environment, the authors insist. It seems that the new means of protecting the nature does have the right to be practiced. Indeed, once the riches of the nature are wisely utilized, the state of the wildlife will become more or less stable. Contributing to the Great Mission: Some Suggestions Throughout the history of the world people have always been using its riches, yet it was only in the past few decades when people became seriously concerned about its safety and balance. Thus, taking into account the damage which has been made to the nature and wildlife, it seems that repairing the damage will take people much more than a few years. Still there are certain suggestions of how to make the world more stable and to maintain the sustainable development without traumatizing the Mother Nature anymore. Thus, it seems that the mankind has to deal with the environmental issues at present, otherwise there will not be enough time to tackle all the complicated issues which have already arisen. Among the most complicated subjects which need serious considerations and fast solutions, the one concerning the alternative energy sources and their utilization. As The Royal Academy of engineering claims, â€Å"Meeting the increasing global demand for energy is one of the key challenges for sustainable development† (25). Thus, it is extremely important to search for4 the new ways of obtaining energy and to make wise use of the remaining sou rces. Taking into consideration the way people use the energy sources, it can be supposed that looking for the new energy sources will soon become the key priority of the mankind. Therefore, it is vitally important for people to think of the new energy sources. It is not only the lack of energy sources at present that raises certain questions, but also the impact which the current ones have on the atmosphere, the wildlife and the nature in general. It is obvious that the modern mankind faces great dangers connected with the energy sources. Due to the CO2 emissions, a great number of animals suffer, and a lot of species are on the verge of extinction, not to mention those which are already considered as extinct. Thus, the energy problem must be tackled. IEMA mentions that they are â€Å"determined to place environmental professionals at the heart of sustainable change, this conference will give delegates some of the tools they need to shape the development of the sustainability agen da† (Make the Business Case for Climate Action and Resource Efficiency.) However, at the same time the researchers admit that the changes which they are going to undertake will demand considerable time and efforts, which means that the current situation is going to last for another bunch of decades before things shift from their standstill position. It must be mentioned that certain measures still have been undertaken, among them the resolution concerning the British government and their responsibility for the state of the environment: â€Å"Government should develop a single framework for UK businesses to use to report their greenhouse gas emissions. This could be based on the 2009 Defra/DECC ‘Guidance on how to measure and report your greenhouse gas emissions’† (IEMA Evidence Included in Influential Report on Energy Efficiency). Thus, there is no doubt that the UK government and a group of activists are exploring the means to ensure the environmental safe ty in the country. However, the existing theories on what sources of energy can substitute the potentially dangerous ones and the ones which are going to be drained soon lead nowhere. However, it must be admitted that the activists interested in the state of the country are not sitting twiddling their thumbs, but working on the problem solution. One of the major improvements in this sphere is the fact that the population of the UK are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers which the unreasonable use of natural energy might lead to. Organized to make people shape a general idea of the energy situation in the country, the Climate Week brought much more results than the organizers could have thought – people are now eagerly participating in the energy problem solution: â€Å"Thousands of businesses, charities, schools, councils and others are running events to help highlight the issue of climate change and provide practical examples of how people are responding to the chall enges.† (Natural England Supports Climate Week).   Therefore, it is clear now that the mankind is going to find the way put of the complicated situation. Once people join forces, they will be able to drive the nature out of the crisis it is in now. Joining forces, people will finally find the alternative energy source and will preserve the environment as it is – pure, rich, and fertile. Works Cited IEMA Evidence Included in Influential Report on Energy Efficiency. IEMA, March 01 2011. Web. Web. Is Low Carbon Sustainable Development Possible? ICE, n.d., Web. Web. Make the Business Case for Climate Action and Resource Efficiency. IEMA, March 18, 2011. Web. Web. Natural England Supports Climate Week. Natural England, March 21 2011. Web. Web. Nuclear Safety Is Number One Priority – Huhne (Press Notice). Department of  Energy Climate Change. March 17 2011. Web. Web. The Royal Academy of Engineering. Engineering for Sustainable Development.  London, UK: Royal Ac ademy of Engineering, 2005. Web. What Is Sustainability and Sustainable Development? ICE. n.d., Web. Web. This critical writing on On the Rescue Mission: Preserving the Environment was written and submitted by user Marisa Tillman to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Homophobia in children The harm it can cause Professor Ramos Blog

Homophobia in children The harm it can cause Homophobia is not a phobia most people are born with, it is taught through morals of parents and how they grew up. In recent years homophobia has been dwindling down with the recent laws past that make gay marriage legal in the states. However, it is still a very big factor within the school system. Many children are afraid to come out as gay or Bi because of the repercussions they can face due to their peers bullying them. In a report by Jamie Ducharme for Time magazine, Jamie tells of the unfortunate tale of a Nine-year-old boy’s death by suicide because he was bullied for coming out as gay. His mother had approached the childs classmates about the issue when Jamel Miles, the Nine-year-old classmate, had first come out as gay. Jamel had first come out as gay over the summer to his family, so as the new school year had started he was facing a significant amount of bullying from his classmates. Jamel is one of many children and teenagers who had faced a tragic end due to bullying. Children and teens who identify and a sexual minority such as any of the LGBT pronouns have an increased percentage of committing suicide because of the increased amount of bullying. In a study done by Nationwide Childrens Hospital and John Ackerman, a clinical psychologist and the prevention coordinator for the Center for Suicide Prevention it was uncovered that â€Å"An estimated 34% of gay, lesbian or bisexual kids face bullying at school, which may make them especially susceptible to suicidal behavior†(Ackerman). It was also found that an estimated 40% of high school students who identified as LGBT had considered suicide due to excessive bullying and ridicule. While we are far from ending homophobia we can definitely address the issue with suicide prevention. The school system should react faster to occasions such as Jamels and many others by punishing the bully for their actions rather than brushing it off. Suicide prevention can be talk about in schools, as well as how bullying could truly affect someone. It can bring that person to the thought and possibility of suicide. link:  http://time.com/5379876/denver-9-year-old-suicide-bullying/ Discussion questions: 1. What are your thoughts about this situation? 2. What can we do as parents to prevent this from happening in the future? Group: Aidan Littleton, Xenia Jimenez,  Daniel chittenden

Philosophy - Animal rights & liberation article by Peter Singer Essay

Philosophy - Animal rights & liberation article by Peter Singer - Essay Example Singer points out that when humans alter nature, they tend to only take the costs and benefits for humans into consideration; and the effects of such actions on other animals are often given no moral significance. To illustrate, according to Singer, when a ‘reservoir’ is constructed, though it is pointed out that it would drown a valley teeming with wildlife, the reason behind this concern often lies in the fact that the valley has value as a place for recreation like hunting, shooting, and bush walking. In other words, the hardships caused by the reservoir to the lives of the nonhuman beings in the valley are not of any moral concern. Thus, the claim is that while lamenting on the negative impact of such human encroachments, the concern is not about the direct hardship caused by the alteration to the nonhuman beings there, but about the possible losses to humans themselves as a result of the alteration. In other words, the sustainability of a human interference in nature is often decided by weighing its benefits to humans against its negative impacts on humans. The lives of other species are not given any value other than the usefulness of those animals to humans. According to Singer, not giving attention to the sufferings of nonhuman things for the mere reason that they do not belong to human species is not justifiable. In order to justify this claim, Singer provides the example of the history of slavery. The White slave owners never took the sufferings of the Black slaves into consideration because their moral concerns were limited to White people (135). However, later on, the society realized the fact that the ideology was terribly wrong. Very similar is the case of nonhuman things too. The only difference is that in the former, ‘race’ was the boundary of morality, and in the latter case, ‘species’ is the boundary. Thus, the argument culminates in the

Hawaiian island ecosystem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hawaiian island ecosystem - Essay Example here is a gradient between ecosystems-wide impact, as is caused by drastic habitat change, and impact on single species† (Committee on Resources, 2003). Erosion or land runoff contributes approximately two third of total land pollution in the island which has become the biggest menace today. Commercial factor of fishing has destroyed coral reef. Reports (as cited in Timbers, n.d.) reveal the fact that ‘Seventy five percent of fish species in Hawaii are in critical condition’. Above all, the marine debris pollutes the water of river, stream, ocean and sea. Evidently, as an after effect of the waste disposal, many species have already vanished from the face of the earth. It is important to think if the threat posed by the invasive species can be overcome some way. Biological control seems effective in this regard. In order to get rid of these deadly species, and for controlling pests, weeds, plant deceases, and even insects, as a practical solution, relying on certai n living organisms, such as predation, parasitism, or certain other natural mechanisms is effective. In other words, pest management is the primary and ever relevant method to overcome the danger caused by invasive species. In addition, it is necessary to overcome problems in which man has direct involvement. For instance, the issue of marine debris has to be addressed with prime importance. Evidently, marine debris occurs mostly due to excess disposal of plastic on the water. And, preventing such waste disposal needs proper management and collaborative effort. Eventually, by improving control over overuse of plastics it is possible at certain extent. Along with this, non-governmental initiatives and awareness programs can also ensure public participation in protecting the aquatic environment...This paper will analyze the major ecological issues in the region, their tragic effects, and practical solutions. It is important to think if the threat posed by the invasive species can be overcome some way. Biological control seems effective in this regard. In order to get rid of these deadly species, and for controlling pests, weeds, plant deceases, and even insects, as a practical solution, relying on certain living organisms, such as predation, parasitism, or certain other natural mechanisms is effective. In other words, pest management is the primary and ever relevant method to overcome the danger caused by invasive species To recapitulate, Hawaii Island is the promise island among many islands across the United States. The region has been facing potential environmental threats for the recent decades. Unfair human intervention along with invasive species constitutes the major threat to the eco-balance of the island. The success of bringing harmony in the island depends on analyzing the problem and applying practical solutions. Only a comprehensive approach can find a proper solution for this issue. Stakeholders in this matter include government, NGOs, tourists, and the general public. Among the practical solutions, pest management is very important. Other strategies include but not limited to awareness programs, prevention of aquatic disposal, and preservation of endangered species.

Child Labor in Philippine

Child Labor in Philippine All people were born with rights. Children are people as well; so, children also have theirs. Their right have been violated from child labor. Child labor is defined as, the employment of a child in a business or industry especially in violation of state or federal statutes prohibiting the employment of children under a specified age. Obviously, child labor has been a big social problem from over the world, mainly the third wrodl countries or developing country such as Philippines. This paper will argue the cases of child laborers, specifically in the city and in provinces of the Philippines. The social problem in Philippines, the government has ways to manage and improve it or not or even made it disappeared or not. It is a known fact that the disadvantages outnumber the advantages of child labor. There are three points, so that it is easier to view the advantages and the disadvantages of the said problem. Having a history background of Philippines which will have understand what is going on better. The purpose of this argument paper is to present the increasing amount of child labor in Philippines and how they were harm. Another would be to discuss the effects of child labor to the family, economy, and to the self. Lastly, the paper will suggest ways to stop or reduce child labor. In the pass industrial background of child labor first appeared with the development of the developing countrys system. In this type of business a dealer bought raw materials to be put out to the homes of worker to be spun, woven, sewn, or handled in some other materials. This allows a division of labor and a level of specialization among different types of people. Products are paid by pieces, and children were commonly used at whatever task they could perform. In England and North America, this system was important from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century and is still being seen up to the present in some industries and, in some country including Philippines. (Labor) The kids were forced to beg on the streets and help making money for the professional beggars. The children that are prostitute help trading with the tourist. The girls were used as a servant in a private home and being treated no better than slave. Many children were brought from the dumpsites and put on the street to make money. Children are being use as a runner helping distribute illegal drugs in to the city. The nubile girl working as a striper and night and teenage exposing their skin than necessary on the theater screen. Truly, child labor has many faces. Children performed these can either endangers their health or safety, interferes with their education or prevent them from playing other activities that are important to their development. The children can not really survive. (Heineman, 2001) Most of the children must be kept inside so that they could not be seen by the public. They would mostly be working in factories at night or as prostitutes at night. Cloth factory in Philippine uses child labor to produce goods and export the goods to the United States. (Deshpande, 2008) The reason the number of child labor is increasing because they were taken from other province and were promised with good live. Another is that they were forced to work due to poverty. Since industrious works are more suitable for children than compared to other people who are in the right age to work. Child slave labor is to use the illegal working children below 18 years of age in danger job. Underage children are being forced to do physical labor to help their families mainly due to poverty. About 2.06 million all around the Philippines are forced to do labor, such as in crop plantations, mining caves, rock mining, and factories. Due to the poverty problems that are not being help from the government, the number of child labor will continue increasing. (Deshpande, 2008)Child labor has many health effects in children who are supposed to be in the environment of a classroom rather than walking on the streets and risking every chance, over and over again, to earn money. Although most do get the privilege of education, most end up being dropouts and repeaters because they are not able to focus on their studies. Because of child labor, children suffer from starvation, the ability to grow, and improper health development. (Deshpande, 2008)The problems of child laboring continue to gro w, so the economics of the country will drop rapidly. People with proper education will not get job due to higher salary payment compare to illegal child labor. The cost of child labor is incredibly low comparing to workers with high education. Philippines is a young nation with high percentage number of young people in its overall population. There are up to 22.4 million children ages between five and seventeen. Sixteen percent of the overall population represent working children ages between five and seven, which means that one of every six children work. In the last twelve months, 3.7 million children ages five to seventeen worked. Children from rural area make up 67.1 percent of this number and almost half are between the ages of five and fourteen. These working children are mostly all boys, who account for 65 percent. As far as the locations where these children work, 60 percent perform unpaid family work in their own households, 17.2 percent work in their own homes and 53 perc ent work in family farms. (Group, 2002) The impact of the childrens health is a big problem for some country. The illness and death of family income head family means that the children has to go out and find money. A child that has health problem maybe judge unfairly and their work most of the time affect with their education. Child that believes to be clean from disease maybe put on the street as a prostitute. There is very few information available about the reason of disability on child labor research is deeply needed in this area. However, there is evidence of children being intentionally disabled for use such as begging. Furthermore, it is noticeable that disability can lead to poverty. (Group, 2002) By disabled children can weaken the poverty organization and there are higher risk of treating people unfairly. Anecdotal evidence believed that like women, disabled children are less likely to get equal pay for equal work. Most of the work for children is and dangerous job that require the risk of their health daily. If children are disabled from doing work, they would not be getting reward or very less, however their live may have been ruined forever and damage to their life and future. This is why there are increasing risk of people treating unfairly and poverty. The same is true for those who have HIV/AIDS or STIs or are raped at work. Sexually oppressed children is the mainly risk here. Child labor continues to live throughout the world. Children have to work because their survival and that of their families depend on it, and in some cases, because dishonest adults take advantage of their weakness. Child labor is caused from weaknesses in education systems and is deeply rooted in cultural and social attitudes and traditions. The problem is more by the fact that child labor is kept away from public view, making the problem seem less of an important. What can be done about child labor? 1. Prioritize education. It is a fact that the countries with a lot of child labor are worst at education than those that spend more primary education. Primary education should be free, made it important, well-resourced, and located everywhere. It is much easier to keep track on school attendance that to check on factories and workshops. It might make us feel good, but it only helps educate one child, isolating them from others in their community. (Group, 2002)2. Give the jobs of child workers to the adult that is capable of working. This way, the family does not suffer, and indeed should be better off, as adult wages are generally much higher than child wages. (Group, 2002) All in all, child labor can be widely spread in Philippine, but that are more disadvantage of using child labor than advantage. Government has to come in to help set law more stricty. Children labor are get harm both my mental and psychical. They are not able to live in a normal society because of their difference, both from accident or harm to make people feel sorry. All these things can be help if the government gives more attention to education and give jobs to the people that are allegeable to do work and band all the factories or any organization that use child under age.

Geely Company Analysis

Geely Company Analysis When globalization becomes a circumstance, many companies try to open oversea market. Here, we’d like to take a look at a Chinese private-own automobile company Geely. As china’s top car maker, Geely abstracted the world’s eyes recently. In 2004, Geely plans to export 5,000 vehicles to the Middle East, South America and North Africa after shipping 1,000 cars to Syria in the fourth quarter of 2003 at US$4,000-$6,000 each. This year, Geely wants to open US market. But with many strong competiters in car manufactory in US, with weak reputation around chinese product, How does Geely find an appropriate approach to develop its business? This paper will try to find the answer. First, we will introduce Geely background to help reader know its history and present situation. Then we will do SWOT analysis and Entry mode comparison toward its current status to find a better approach for Geely to enter in US. We will cover chapter 4 and chapter 14 in this paper. Company opportunity Although it’s hard for a new automotive manufactor enter in US market, which is roughly saturated and full of strong competitors, Geely still has its own advantages and oppotunities. Its super-low price becomes a brick to knock the door of US low end vehicles market. Some other famous and successful brand bulid a good model for Geely in car image, design etc. Also, US market is huge and American people have a high consumption, if Geely can catch the oppotunities, the chance to success will be great. Now, let’s take a look at its company background. Company background Geely automobile company was found on March, 1997 in Zhe Jiang China. It is a private own automobile company. The registered capital of this company is RMB 20 million. In 2001, Geely automobile became the first approved private company in terms of automobile manufacture in mainland China. The chairman of the company is Li Shu Fu. He has good relationships with the Chinese government leaders and Zhe Jiang province government leaders. China has high economic growth rates since 1980s. Many Chinese people make a lot of money every year. Most of them want to own cars or need cars for many easons. So the Chinese car market become bigger and bigger. It provides a good opportunity to Li Shu Fu and his employees to realize their dream: â€Å"Make the best Cars, ordinary People Can Afford. † Geely automobile company hires many workers to produce different styles cars in Zhe Jiang province and operates big business in mainland China, Middle East, southern America and Africa. The operatio n of the company can affect the economic growth of Zhe Jiang province. So, Geely automobile company always gets support from the Zhe Jiang province government. Gerry automobile company is focusing on low-income market in mainland China. In the first half of 2003, Geely Company produced 34360 units of cars and renews the lowest prices of its products in the automobile industry, so the company shared 3. 84% of the total Chinese car market. At the same, the company made technical cooperation agreement with German Rucker Company. The cooperation agreement helps Geely automobile to improve its products’ quality quickly. This company gets success in domestic market after its first car launched off in Linhai City Zhejiang Province. On June, 2003, the one hundred thousand Geely care launched off in Zhejiang Province. This company has import & export license and the ISO 9001 quality system certification, so it is very easy for the company to export its products to other countries. Gerry Company tries to enter in international market since its foundation. The company sells its products or establishes extensive trading relationship in different countries and areas since 2003. It seems to get success in Middle East, Southern American and Africa because the company exports large quantities of products to those areas per year. This company is looking for the opportunities to enter the U. S. market now. S. W. O. T Analysis Since we have assumed that Geely has its potential to open the automobile market in American, then the next step is to analyze the company and automobile industry environment. One of tools is provided by our text book called â€Å"S. W. O. T† analysis which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (Sulivan, 2002). * Strength A strength could be defined as something a company is good at doing or a characteristic that gives it enhanced competitiveness. It may include aluable physical and/or human assets, an achievement or attribute that takes the company in a position of market advantage, alliances or cooperative ventures, and so on(Thompson & Strickland, 2001, p117). For Geely Automobile Company, low cost of physical and/or human assets is one of the major strengths. As we know, although Chinese labor cost is not the lowest in the world, its cost is still much lo wer than lots of industrialized countries. Besides, the average cost of raw materials, plant, and land is also cheaper than some western countries. Moreover, Geely does not only have low cost labor but also has lots of valuable human assets. In 2003, Geely recuited some experienced managers into their team including former the General Manager of SAIC Volkswagen, Vice President of FAW Volkswagen Group, President of Dongfeng Automobile Institute Research, Chief Representative of German BMW and General Manager of China region after service company of Benz Company. These lower-cost advantages make Geely achieve its low price strategy among other competitors. On May, 2003, Geely sparkplug automobile popularization and renovate the newest and lowest price of automobile in the automobile industry. For instance, Geely makes some low-priced sedans. One of those is under the brand name, Haoqing minicar which is the cheapest on the Chinese market, at just 32,000 yuan which converts to $ 3,867 U. S. dollars. Some company’s alliances or cooperative ventures also build up its strength. On Dec. , 2002, Geely made contracts with Daewoo International Co. , Ltd and Maggiora S. p. A, a famous Italy automobile project group with respectively to develop CK-1 and CI-1 automobile project. On June,2003, Geely made a technical cooperation agreement with German Rucker Company. * Weakness A weakness is defined as something a company lacks or does poorly or a condition that makes the company at a disadvantage. A weakness may include lack of financial support, poor brand image or reputation and so on (Thompson & Strickland, 2001, p117). As we mentioned that Geely is a private owned company in our company background section, it is more difficult for them to get financial support in order to expand market or R&D. Furthermore, even though it made strategy corporation with several Shanghai and Zhejiang commercial banks, from an international perspective, â€Å"the lack of a strong relationship with a large bank with lobal connections† (Sulivan, 2002, p512) seems to be a big weakness for them. The second weakness is the reputation of Chinese products. For example, every time we, including Europeans, Americans even Asians, mention made-in-China products, we probably are talking about most of toys, shores, textiles or cheap electronics, but fewer of high-tech products. It is true for Chinese automobile manufacturers such as Geely that in order to open western markets they still have a long way to build their product images. * Opportunity It is no doubt that America has one of the most favorable automobile markets in the world. The political and businesses environment such as regulation are stable and well-developed. The income per capita is also ranked at top. Besides, its infrastructures such as freeways and national transportation network are also well built. For automobile manufacturers, they can either open luxury car markets or focus on mid-income or lower-income consumers. For foreign car makers especially from Asia, Japanese opened American market in 70’s and Korean opened in 90’s; the next might be from China. Threats Like opportunity, a threat is also viewed at whole industry level rather than each single company. In the automobile industry, the most common threat is a lot of competitors. There are not only many worldwide well-known brands such as General Motor, Ford, Toyota, Martz-Benz which produce different kinds of luxury automobiles for high-or-mid income consumers but also lots of small m anufacturers such as Hyundai, Geely, or Chery (another Chinese automobile company) which focus on lower-income market. Another threat is fueling fears. Since Asia economy boom, the demand of natural resource such as petroleum is increased dramatically. However, nowadays, the oil reserve is decreasing. Due to the high demand and short supply in oil, consumers start to consider not only the prices of automobiles but also the ability of gasoline saving while they purchase the cars. The change of consumer purchase behaviors will directly affect automobile manufactures’ market strategy and R&D. In sum, S. W. O. T analysis is very helpful for both domestic-oriented and international-oriented companies to analyze internal or external economic environment. However, after finish this analysis, there is another analysis to do – country analysis before we choose an appropriate entry model. US Country Analysis In US, automobiles play an important role in our daily lives. We can not finish our duties without driving a car. According auto Automotive News, there are 16 million cars in US. Most of the car sales are not made US car companies. US made cars sales is around 44. 9 %. That means 55% of cars sales in US are from foreign company. Japanese cars are the most sales cars in US. There are a lot of reasons why the Japanese cars are popular in US market. First, Japanese cars are better quality and lower price than US cars. Second, the Japanese cars saves their customers in gasoline cost. Because gasoline price increases so quickly, the US economy is experiencing a inflation problem. The daily life product prices are in a rise. People have less spending power than before. The market for cheap cars will increase year by year. On the other hand, people who have higher income still want to buy an expensive car. Most of the rich people want to buy Europe cars, such as BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Audi. As for the cheap car market, Korean cars are taking over most of the sales. China automobiles may have a good chance to break into US market, because China may be more competitive than Korean cars. The car come from China also consume less gas. It is may have a good opportunity to break into US market. Entry mode Since the objective for Geely Automotives is to eventually dominate the U. S. low end vehicles market, the most appropriate way for Geely automotives to do this would be through the direct exporting along with sales subsidiary method of entry. Geely will start out by selecting markets that are more susceptible to buying Chinese vehicles such as California and certain parts of Texas. Additionally, this process is set up to allow Geely to move carefully, develop a good foundation in the U. S. markets and if the future looks favorable then Geely may eventually grow and expand from there. Since China already has some of the lowest labor costs in the world, Geely automotives may be able to leave their manufacturing plant in China and the cars will then be directly exported to the U. S. from China. Once the cars arrive then Geely U. S. subsidiary will be responsible from there on and transport the vehicles to the dealerships for sale. To augment the exporting process, Geely will open up sales subsidiary dealerships in the selected locations in California and certain parts of Texas. The function of these sales subsidiaries will be sales, customer support and along with repair and maintenance on the vehicles. The management team will be also be imported from Geely’s headquarters in China, whereas sales, customer support and mechanics can be hired locally, since there is a good supply of well trained car salesmen in U. S. already. While a sales subsidiary dealership may be more expensive to set up in the U. S. than a simple sales branch, the sales subsidiary will be better for long term growth and the expenses should be off set by higher revenues earned from the subsidiary. According to Dr. Sullivan in Exploring International Business Environments, a sales subsidiary will also be better for long term growth because a sales subsidiary will allow Geely to â€Å"1. Be closer in touch with end-user needs. 2. Have more control over distribution channels, And 3. Being perceived by customers as more committed to the market. † ( 263). Dr. Sullivan also notes that the major disadvantage of a sales subsidiary is in finding sales personal with the right mix of experience, language skills and willingness to work for foreigners. However this should not be a big issue for Geely since there is a large Chinese population in California and many well trained sales people. (263). The major thrust behind Geely’s entry mode is to expand through economies of scale even if it means sacrificing short term profits. Lawrence Ang, executive director of Geely describes it clearly when he said in a recent news update: â€Å"We're the most aggressive market player in pursuing price-cuts and economies-of-scale strategies,† Ang continues by explaining that â€Å"Market share is relatively more important for us in the near term than profit margin because China's auto industry will experience a trend of declining profit margins in the next couple of years,† Furthermore, Ang concludes that â€Å"†We need a critical mass. Then we can push down our per-unit costs, leaving room for maneuvering on pricing. † (china. org. cn) Case study†¦ Hyundai Motors To understand the effectiveness of this entry mode better, let us look at Hyundai as an example. Hyundai first entered the U. S. market in 1986, their timing was perfect because it was a time when most automobile manufacturers were striving to dominate the higher-end markets, and this left plenty of room in the low end vehicles market. Hyundai took advantage of this by providing affordable cars for college students and lower income families. Hyundai also started out by exporting to Canada and later to the west and east coasts of U. S. where these markets are more liberal to foreign cars. Hyundai’s success was immediate, setting a record by selling their 100,000th Excel in just seven months of their first appearance. (Hyundai. com). With the American car manufacturers slowly loosing market share and Hyundai moving up in their target market, this could be the perfect opportunity for Geely to enter the U. S. market and reproduce Hyundai’s astounding results. Conclusion Eventually, as U. S. has huge demand of automobile, and slowly looses its market share to the Asian automobile manufacture, and as Hyundai moves to higher-end markets, this presents an opportunity for Geely. According to S. W. O. T analysis, Geely has its strength on low cost of natural resource and labor, and opportunity on focusing large demand of low-income consumers but the threat on powerful competitors, and weakness on poor reputation. Thus, if Geely could fully utilize its strength and opportunity, and build up its reputation by improving its qualities, we strongly believe that Geely could successfully enter U. S. market, and has high chance to capture part of U. S. automobile industries.