Discuss Critically the Implications of Whistleblowing for Essay

Discuss Critically the Implications of Whistleblowing for Accountability, and Raising and Escalating Concerns - Essay Example 110). The secret filming agency also revealed that disabled patients were exposed to a lot of mental and physical torture. This is attributed to the fact that they are in most cases ignored or mistreated when they attend healthcare centers (Jeffrey, 2009, p. 24). Whistle blowing is not easy task as many would think because it puts ones career and reputation on the line. Whistle blowers who advocate for better medical care for patients who have demanding needs are in most cases scared of the attitudes their colleagues. In most cases, their colleagues are not in support of their actions (Killion & Dempski, 2006, p. 122). Alerting the society about the needs of patients is crucial and very important. However, this has to be done with extreme care so as to avoid raising false alarms. There should be careful analysis of situations in order to get comprehensive information about the situation. This helps in making sure that the raised concerns are adequately and appropriately addressed. He alth care workers and practitioners are not regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (Lewis, 2001, p. 299). The organization however does its best to ensure that it passes the right information relating to how patients can be handled in a careful and respectful manner. Nurses are well trained on matters relating to duty and are encouraged to put first the interests and concerns of patients. They are also supposed to ensure that patients are adequately protected from all manner of risks (Lippincott & Wilkins, 2002, p. 110). The Nursing and Midwifery Council has produced various publications that offer guidance to health practitioners regarding their roles and duties. For instance, in their publication, ‘Raising and escalating concerns’ they gave a number of tips on how healthcare practitioners can improve their service delivery. They noted that healthcare practitioners have the duty of acting responsibly should they feel that a colleague may be putting a pati ent's life at risk in the course of delivering medication (Vandekerckhove, 2006, p. 255). Practitioners have also been empowered to seek assistance from respective authorities should there be a problem that could hinder effective service delivery. The hospitals environments are supposed to avail maximum comfort to the sick ill and also be able to assure them of an improvement in their health (White, 2005, p. 100). Governments in developed countries have laws that protect whistle blowers. A perfect example is the enactment of the interest disclosure act of nineteen ninety-eight (Lewis, 2001, p. 300). The law was put in place to protect workers from victimization once they air out issues concerning professional malpractices. The act covers workers who expose genuine concerns regarding their employers or colleagues (Vandekerckhove, 2006, p. 221). Appropriate procedures must be observed when raising concerns about specific issues. Firstly, the issues being raised should be valid and law ful. They should be raised for public interest rather than personal interests (Lippincott & Wilkins, 2002, p. 129). Once issues are raised, relevant authorities make a follow up to ensure that there is fairness and transparency in addressing the raised concerns (Boatright, 2009, p. 99). Service delivery in a public institution should always reflect

Plato v.s. Aristotle Essay Example for Free

Plato v.s. Aristotle Essay Plato was a very intelligent philosopher and teacher. Platos most famous student was Aristotle, who regardless of his education by the great philosopher has different views and opinions that Plato. The ideas of Plato and Aristotle would battle constantly. Platos metaphysics and epistemology split the world into the everyday perception of the world and into forms. These forms are best identified as ideas that are just out in the atmosphere. For example, there are so many different designs for creating a table which exist in the real world. However, Plato states that there is somewhere out in the atmosphere, the idea of a perfect table in which all creators of a table base their crappy tables off of. Plato talks about the allegory of the cave cast his beliefs on metaphysics and epistemology. First, he describes people who are forced to sit and watch shadows on a cave wall for the entirety of their lives. The shadows represent how regular people see objects in everyday life. If one of these people, who has only watched shadows, were set free to see what was casting these shadows, and then was demanded to leave the cave they would then see the true forms of objects. To Plato these forms are reality because of their perfection. and that only enlightened philosophers are able to truly comprehend these forms. But, the philosopher with this unique knowledge of the world must preach it to all of the people who dont have the knowledge. Aristotle did have some similar ideas with Plato because he too also believed in forms. However, Aristotle does not see eye-to-eye with Plato that their are ideas floating in the atmposhphere. Aristotle has the thought that these forms exist inside of the objects themselves. So, rather than having the idea of a perfect chair floating in ones imagination the chair would be discovered inside of any chair. Aristotle expresses this idea with the thought of the sould and the body being one, but in perspective they are their own pieces of a being. Basically, the soul represents the forms and the body represents reality. These two philosophers diverge extremely in their ideas also. This can be noticed in how the two philosophers determine what is true and what is not. Aristotle believes that what he has seen and knows to be true is the only case where something can be true. But, Plato would believe anything that he could create reasons to be true. Therefore, Aristotle would rather use scientific method to prove a truth before stating them as true. But, Plato would use common knowledge and intuition to determine the truth of something. Reasoning is definitely not comparable to visually seeing, and therefore Aristotle and Plato differ in their methods of finding truth.

Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy Essay -- Philosophy of E

Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy Knowledge is a very powerful thing, and to be able to deliver this to today’s youth has been a dream of mine for a long time. There are many advantages to teaching. I feel that is a very fulfilling profession. I have seen my sister in the classroom, and it greatly inspired me to want to make a difference in some ones life. Through watching my sister in action I was inspired to follow in her footsteps. I believe that each child has the will to learn, and that if they have a teacher who is on fire they will be on fire. I think that if a teacher cannot be excited about why they are doing, how can they expect their students to be excited. I want to be a teacher who brings the classroom to life. I want to have students who share their own views, and show the desire to learn. I strongly feel that if I show a desire to learn, they will want to learn from me. Children of all race, and creeds want to learn and excel. Unfortunately they usually come across an experience that can alter this desire. I also feel that a child’s home life can greatly affect their desire to learn. In order to help children in these situations you must be understanding, and try to see where they are coming from in order to give them the desire back. By being patient with students especially at the early childhood level when many times they are still in the early stages of life, I strongly feel they will gain a respect and love for school. Knowledge is an endless institution from which you can always take from regardless of the situation. This has to be wanted from the beginning, children must understand that it is theirs for the taking. I strongly feel that each child can learn whatever he... ... chance to do things in the real world it will be easier for them to learn what we are teaching. I hope to one day be able to deliver all of these ideas and concepts to children in a classroom I call my own. I hope to graduate from college with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education with a minor in history. While teaching I intend on working through graduate schools earning a masters, and physical doctrine in special education. I hope to one day be employed by a university, and be able to educate future teachers. I hope to run a classroom where students have a say in their education, and I hope to have a great amount of mutual respect. My best learning experiences in school were in classrooms where I had a say so in my education. I hope to show children that they all have the same opportunity, and can achieve whatever their hearts desire. Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy Essay -- Philosophy of E Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy Knowledge is a very powerful thing, and to be able to deliver this to today’s youth has been a dream of mine for a long time. There are many advantages to teaching. I feel that is a very fulfilling profession. I have seen my sister in the classroom, and it greatly inspired me to want to make a difference in some ones life. Through watching my sister in action I was inspired to follow in her footsteps. I believe that each child has the will to learn, and that if they have a teacher who is on fire they will be on fire. I think that if a teacher cannot be excited about why they are doing, how can they expect their students to be excited. I want to be a teacher who brings the classroom to life. I want to have students who share their own views, and show the desire to learn. I strongly feel that if I show a desire to learn, they will want to learn from me. Children of all race, and creeds want to learn and excel. Unfortunately they usually come across an experience that can alter this desire. I also feel that a child’s home life can greatly affect their desire to learn. In order to help children in these situations you must be understanding, and try to see where they are coming from in order to give them the desire back. By being patient with students especially at the early childhood level when many times they are still in the early stages of life, I strongly feel they will gain a respect and love for school. Knowledge is an endless institution from which you can always take from regardless of the situation. This has to be wanted from the beginning, children must understand that it is theirs for the taking. I strongly feel that each child can learn whatever he... ... chance to do things in the real world it will be easier for them to learn what we are teaching. I hope to one day be able to deliver all of these ideas and concepts to children in a classroom I call my own. I hope to graduate from college with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education with a minor in history. While teaching I intend on working through graduate schools earning a masters, and physical doctrine in special education. I hope to one day be employed by a university, and be able to educate future teachers. I hope to run a classroom where students have a say in their education, and I hope to have a great amount of mutual respect. My best learning experiences in school were in classrooms where I had a say so in my education. I hope to show children that they all have the same opportunity, and can achieve whatever their hearts desire.

Cmi Level 7 Unit 7006

1. Identify the current strategic aims and objectives 2. Undertake an evaluation of the component parts of a strategic plan 3. Analyze the factors affecting the strategic plan The history of Harley-Davidson began in 1903, in a 10†² x 15†² shed located in the Davidson family's Milwaukee backyard. The Davidson brothers – William D. , Walter, and Arthur – and William S. Harley crafted their first motorcycle using the best tools they had available – mostly their hands and their ingenuity. Since that time Harley-Davidson has learned many lessons on how to operate a business.We are focused on providing our customers with not just a quality product, but also an overall experience. Our mission statement is as follows: honesty, integrity and personal growth in all of our dealings with stakeholders. Our values are the rules by which we operate. At Harley-Davidson, we are equally committed to a corporate vision that mandates how we run our business. Within this vi sion we emphasize the relationships that we deem crucial to our success, including our relationships with customers and suppliers. Our vision states: HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.IS AN ACTION-ORIENTED, INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, A LEADER IN ITS COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE OUR MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS (CUSTOMERS, SUPPLIERS, EMPLOYEES, SHAREHOLDERS, GOVERNMENT, AND SOCIETY). HARLEY-DAVIDSON BELIEVES THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS TO BALANCE STAKEHOLDERSi INTERESTS THROUGH THE EMPOWERMENT OF ALL EMPLOYEES TO FOCUS ON VALUEADDED ACTIVITIES. Doing Business With Harley-Davidson Our vision is our corporate conscience and it helps us to eliminate short term thinking, such as â€Å"cashing in† on the intense demand for our motorcycles by giving quantity precedence over quality to save a few dollars per unit.It also encourages every employee in our organization to be acutely aware of his or her role in satisfying our stakeholders. Harley-Davidson has become the world leade r in the super-heavyweight (850cc+) motorcycle market because of our unwavering commitment to continuously improve upon the superior quality of our products. This quality commitment is built on the satisfaction of each and every customer, internal and external, including everyone from our production line employees to our end users.This belief is captured within our quality policy statement: HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT TO REDUCE WASTE, DEFECTS AND VARIABILITY IN EVERYTHING WE DO, WHILE STRIVING TO MEET / EXCEED CUSTOMERS' EXPECTATIONS. It is the goal of Harley-Davidson to satisfy our customers by not only meeting, but also exceeding their expectations and by giving them superior value for their money. We can accomplish this only if you, as a Harley-Davidson supplier, embrace our company's values and commitment to quality to the extent that we do.Our hope is that you will see reward in satisfying our customers, which are also your customers. Please remember you are not simply selling your products to Harley-Davidson, you are selling them to our customers. 1. Apply a range of strategic analysis tools to audit progress towards strategic aims and objectives 2. Review and assess the expectations of all stakeholders and their influence upon the organizational strategy 3. Analyze, interpret and produce a structured evaluation of organizational strategic positionHarley Davidson has always been known for its differentiated products that have continuously stood out from the norm. This has a lot to do with strategies Harley uses to promote its products and services. Some of the key strategies used throughout 2013 were the promotion of its 110th Anniversary Special Edition Motorcycles and the worldwide Open Road Tour used to advertise their current production line. The stunning 2013 model 110th Anniversary Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which feature rich new paint schemes and special 110th Anniversary identification has been an instant success.Eve ry 2003 motorcycle in the line-up has been designated a 110th Anniversary model. The company has extended the model year to 14 months to give even more customers the opportunity to own a piece of Harley-Davidson history. The Anniversary celebrations began back in late 2011 as the Open Road Tour made its way to Atlanta, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Toronto and Dallas/Fort Worth. The festivities then traveled overseas to Sydney, Tokyo, Barcelona and Hamburg. Billed as the world’s largest rolling birthday party, the Open Road Tour brought the Harley-Davidson experience full throttle to riders and enthusiasts around the world.Receiving worldwide exposure at minimal advertising costs, the Open Road Tour has been a complete success, thus allowing Harley’s unique and differentiated products to be seen up close around the world. Additionally, Harley-Davidson established the Harley Owners Group (HOG) in 1983 in response to a growing desire by Harley riders for an organized way to sh are their passion and show their pride. By 1985, 49 local chapters had sprouted around the 12 country, with a total membership of 60,000.Now in 2013, the promotion of the 110th Anniversary has allowed the membership to include over 1200 chapters and close to 800,000 members. HOG has played a major role in the success of the 110Th Anniversary celebration. This one of a kind, unique strategy which started 20 years ago by Harley and its members, has grown tremendously and will continue to play an important role in the future success of the company. Strategies such as these implemented by internal management and carried out by dedicated customers and members are one of the most precious assets a company can ever dream of.That is the Harley way!! Furthermore, the key strategies relating to the distribution channels have allowed Harley-Davidson the world-wide exposure needed to market its product with tremendous success and demand that has always seemed to exceed supply. To date, there ar e more than 1300 independent dealers worldwide. Over 630 are within the United States alone. Recognizing that to grow sales will take more than just an increase in capacity, the company’s aim has been to add 20-30 dealers per year to grow the dealer network, with an increase of roughly 5-10 domestically and the balance internationally.In addition to its dedicated dealer network, the company also uses smaller, occasionally temporary retail outlets in high-traffic areas, such as airports, to sell accessory products like apparel, collectibles, and licensed products. This gives Harley the additional exposure needed without having to spend millions on other forms of advertising. In order to effectively analyze Harley Davidson, we wanted to present a breakdown of the different price ranges offered based on the current list of the five classes of heavyweight motorcycles produced under the Harley Davidson name. BusinessHarley-Davidson, Inc. was incorporated in 1981, at which time it purchased the Harley-Davidson ® motorcycle business from AMF Incorporated in a management buyout. In 1986, Harley-Davidson, Inc. became publicly held. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the â€Å"Company† include Harley-Davidson, Inc. and all of its subsidiaries. The Company operates in two segments: the Motorcycles ; Related Products (Motorcycles) segment and the Financial Services (Financial Services) segment. The Company's reportable segments are strategic business units that offer different products and services.They are managed separately based on the fundamental differences in their operations. The Motorcycles segment designs, manufactures and sells at wholesale heavyweight (engine displacement of 651+cc) Harley-Davidson motorcycles as well as a line of motorcycle parts, accessories, general merchandise and related services. The Company's products are sold to retail customers through a network of independent dealers. The Company conducts business on a global basis, with sales in North America, Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), AsiaPacific and Latin America.In 2009, the Company decided to exit its former Buell product line and ceased production of Buell motorcycles. The sale of remaining Buell motorcycle inventory to independent dealers and/or distributors was substantially completed during 2010. The majority of independent dealers continue to provide ongoing service and replacement parts to Buell owners. In 2010, the Company completed the sale of MV Agusta (MV). The results of MV have been presented as a discontinued operation for all periods. The Motorcycles segment discussion that follows is specific to the Harley-Davidson brand unless otherwise specifically noted.The Financial Services segment consists of Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS). HDFS provides wholesale and retail financing and provides insurance and insurance-related programs primarily to Harley-Davidson dealers and their retail customers. HDFS conduct s business principally in the United States and Canada. Harley-Davidson, Inc. , SWOT Analysis * Overview Harley-Davidson, Inc. (Harley-Davidson) designs, manufactures, and sells heavyweight motorcycles. The company markets, its products in North America, Europe, Asia/Pacific and Latin America.The company’s strong brand image, coupled with its wide range of products, helps it to be a front-runner in the industry. However, dependence on the domestic market and product issues are a few areas of concern to the company. Nonetheless, expansion in global markets, especially Asian markets, and launch of new models could ensure a strong future for the company. New emission standards for two wheelers and the prevailing competition could negatively impact the company’s growth. Harley-Davidson, Inc. SWOT Analysis| Strengths| Weakness| Strong Brand ImageBroad Product and Service PortfolioFocused Research and Development Activities| Product Recalls/IssuesDependence on the Domestic M arket| Opportunities| Treats| Global ExpansionNew Product LaunchesRestructuring Plans| New Emission Standards for Two WheelersProcurement of Raw MaterialsCompetitive Landscape| * Strengths Strong Brand Image Harley-Davidson owns one of the strongest brands in the world, which helps it attract and retain a loyal customer base.The company established a strong brand image with its motorcycles achieving iconic status and being ranked among the world’s most valuable brands. Harley-Davidson has been continuously ranked among the top 100 global brands in the world. The company holds 55. 7% share in the US heavyweight market; and is ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the heavyweight motorcycle market share in nine countries across Europe. Harley-Davidson’s motorcycles are known for their traditional styling, design simplicity, durability and quality.The company achieved industry recognition for its high quality, best design, robust performance and unflinching customer confidence, loyalt y and trust of its products and services. The Harley-Davidson brand has significantly contributed to the success of the company by building strong market recognition and a loyal customer base. Broad Product and Service Portfolio Harley-Davidson offers a broad array of products and services through its two business segments, namely, the Motorcycles ; Related Products segment and the Financial Services segment.The company offers a variety of products in the motorcycle segment to cater to the various needs of its customer base. Harley-Davidson designs, manufactures and sells heavyweight touring, custom and performance motorcycles, besides a line of motorcycle parts, accessories, general merchandise and related services. Harley-Davidson is well known for its unique motorcycles. Its subsidiary, Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC), manufactures five families of motorcycles, namely, Touring, Dyna, Softail, Sportster and V-Rod.These models are distinguished by their frame, engine, suspensi on, and other characteristics. The company shipped 233,117 motorcycles in the fiscal year ended December 2011, comprising 39. 5% Touring motorcycle units, 39. 2% Custom motorcycle units, and 21. 3% Sportster motorcycle units. Through Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS), the company offers a package of wholesale and retail financial services for its products, providing it a competitive edge in the motorcycles business in the US and Canada regions. HDFS financed 51% and 30. 4% of the new Harley-Davidson otorcycles retailed by independent dealers in the US and Canada respectively in 2011. HDFS provides wholesale financial services to Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealers, including floor plan and open account financing of motorcycles and motorcycle parts and accessories. These specific services provide a competitive edge to the company in capturing a higher market share and enhancing its bottom line. Focused Research and Development Activities Harley-Davidson has a strong research a nd development unit that facilitates innovation and attracts industry attention.Its Product Development Center (PDC) undertakes the development of new and better quality products. The company spent $145. 4m, $136. 2m, $143. 1m and $163. 5m in the fiscal years ended December 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008 respectively on research and development activities. Harley-Davidson’s continuous focus on R;D helped the company in launching innovative products such as Softail motorcycles with 1584 cc engine with new features such as new hand controls, a larger odometer, and an anti-lock braking system option.Continuous research and development activity enables the company to maintain a leading position in custom and touring motorcycle market and develop products for the performance segment. Focused R;D activities enable the company to offer innovative products and improve its operational performance. * Weaknesses Product Recalls/Issues Product recalls/issues not only affects the companyâ€⠄¢s current revenue, but could also affect its long-term performance by reducing customer confidence.In February 2012, Harley-Davidson launched a repair service campaign to fix faulty brakes in about 1,228 units of 12 models, including the Road King and the Electra Glide Ultra Classic. In October 2011, the company initiated a world-wide recall affecting over 308,000 units of its Touring, CVO Touring and Trike motorbikes. The company made this recall owing to a potentially dangerous glitch with their braking systems, where in the problem with a switch on the bikes could cause the brake lights to stop working, or may even cause the rear brakes to fail.Such recalls would hamper Harley-Davidson’s brand image and have a significant impact on its product sales. Dependence on the Domestic Market Harley-Davidson focuses predominantly on the US and generates a major part of its revenue from that market, which could increase its business risk. For the fiscal year ended December 2011, t he company’s Motorcycles business reported revenue of $4. 67 billion comprising 67. 7% revenue generated from the US, 16. 8% from Europe, 4. 9% from Japan, 3. 3% from Canada, 3% from Australia and 4. 3% from Other foreign countries.In 2011, its Financial Services business reported revenue of $649. 44m comprising 95. 3% from the US, 0. 7% from Europe and 4% from Canada. Such geographical concentration makes Harley-Davidson vulnerable to the risks of economic downturn in any single market. * Opportunities Global Expansion Harley-Davidson has huge opportunities for growth in the overseas market. In October 2011, the company opened a new permanent Latin America headquarters in Miami, Florida, the US. Through this new headquarters, the company can expands its focus on customers in Latin America.In the fiscal year ended December 2011, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles from the international markets witnesses a rise of 6. 1%. The rising demand in Europe, Asia, Australia, L atin America and Africa offers huge potential for the company. In 2011, Harley-Davidson completed its second CKD (complete knock down) assembly plant in India to further strengthen its operations in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2010, the company opened a 1,000 square meter showroom in Beirut. This is the first and only showroom in the Levant which includes six-station service facilities with staff trained by the company.In a bid to garner a higher market shares in these regions, the company already refined its business and marketing strategies that are attuned to local customer preferences. Focus on international expansion would help the company enhance its business aggressively and reap greater benefits. New Product Launches Harley-Davidson could benefit from its new product launches. The company intends to explore new methods to enhance its value by introducing new products, which provide an edge over other players in the market.In February 2012, Harley-Davidson launched two new mo torcycle models, namely, the Seventy-Two and the Softail Slim, further strengthening its heavyweight custom offerings. In July 2011, the company offered its customers an H-D1, a comprehensive set of customization tools. In January 2011, the company introduced new Softail motorcycles with 1584 cc engine and through its Touring motorcycles line, the company introduced Electra Glide Classic, Road King, Road King Classic, Ultra Classic Electra Glide and Electra Glide Ultra Limited touring bikes.The company’s 2010 models include nine new domestic models of heavyweight motorcycles. New model launches could help the company sustain its leadership position in the highly competitive automotive industry. Restructuring Plans Effective 2009 – 2010, Harley-Davidson announced a series of restructuring measures, which focused on reducing administrative costs, eliminating excess capacity and exiting non-core business operations.In 2009, as a part of the restructuring plan, the company consolidated engine and transmission plants, closed a distribution facility, discontinued the domestic transportation fleet, consolidated vehicle test facilities, and exited the Buell product line. In September 2010, the company’s unionized employees in Wisconsin ratified three separate new seven-year labor agreements, which take effect in April 2012 when the current contracts expire. The new contracts would allow flexibility and increased production efficiency.Harley-Davidson also repurchased expensive debt worth $300m and is expected to save $45m annually for three years. In December 2011, the company announced plans to cease its operations at New Castalloy, its Australian subsidiary producer of cast motorcycle wheels and wheel hubs; and source those components through other existing suppliers. This move was made in line with its overall strategy to develop world-class manufacturing capability throughout the company by restructuring and consolidating operations for greater competitiveness, efficiency and flexibility.Such restructuring initiatives by Harley-Davidson are expected to improve its operational performance in the long-run. * Threats New Emission Standards for Two Wheelers Harley-Davidson could face increased challenges in its two wheeler business due to the stringent emission standards. According to Dealernews. com, motorcycle industry stakeholders in Europe announced plans to increase EURO 3 emission standards to more stringent EURO 5 standards by 2015. Association des Constructeurs Europeens de Motorcycles (ACEM) is likely to introduce EURO 3 standard for mopeds and Euro 4 standard for motorcycles by 2012.It also proposed the introduction of more stringent emission test cycle, and EURO 5 standard for motorcycles by 2015. Such implementations might require the company to redesign its vehicles, which could result in increased operating costs. Failure to comply with the standards could result in penalties and affect its profit margins. Procu rement of Raw Materials Harley-Davidson relies on suppliers to obtain raw materials and provide components for use in manufacturing its motorcycles. It depends on a single supplier for certain of its raw materials.Such a situation makes the company’s business dependent on the ability of the supplier to deliver the ordered raw materials in time. The rising input costs could also have a major impact on the operational costs of Harley-Davidson. Increasing pressure of the costs of commodities leads to capacity constraints, lower production and financial distress to raw material suppliers. In case of a delay in receiving the raw materials, product delivery to its customers could also get delayed, which impacts its business and customer relations.Competitive Landscape Harley-Davidson manufactures motorcycles in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Many of the company’s competitors have more diversified businesses and they may compete in the automotive market or all segments of the motorcycle market. Its motorcycle retail prices are generally higher than that of its competitors. If price becomes a crucial factor for consumers in the heavyweight motorcycle market, Harley-Davidson would be at a competitive disadvantage.Moreover, its financial services operations face stiff competition from various banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions that may have access to additional sources of capital at more competitive rates and terms, particularly for borrowers in higher credit tiers. The company’s failure to address and respond to these competitive pressures worldwide would have a material adverse effect on its market share. 1. Identify and develop a range of alternative strategic options to meet strategic aims and objectives 2. Determine and justify the strategic option that meets the revised strategic position

Chapter 4 Public Finance Answers

Part 2 – Public Expenditure: Public Goods and Externalities Chapter 4 – Public Goods 1. a. Wilderness area is an impure public good – at some point, consumption becomes nonrival; it is, however, nonexcludable. b. Satellite television is nonrival in consumption, although it is excludable; therefore it is an impure public good. c. Medical school education is a private good. d. Television signals are nonrival in consumption and not excludable (when broadcast over the air). Therefore, they are a public good. e. An automatic teller machine is rival in consumption, at least at peak times.It is also excludable as only those patrons with ATM cards that are accepted by the machine can use the machine. Therefore the ATM is a private good. 2. a. False. Efficient provision of a public good occurs at the level where total willingness to pay for an additional unit equals the marginal cost of producing the additional unit. b. False. Due to the free rider problem, it is unlikely that a private business firm could profitably sell a product that is non-excludable. However, recent research reveals that the free rider problem is an empirical question and that we should not take the answer for granted.Public goods may be privately supported through volunteerism, such as when people who attend a fireworks display voluntarily contribute enough to pay for the show. c. Uncertain. This statement is true if the road is not congested, but when there is heavy traffic, adding another vehicle can interfere with the drivers already using the road. d. False. There will be more users in larger communities, but all users have access to the quantity that has been provided since the good is nonrival, so there is no reasons larger communities would necessarily have to provide a larger quantity of the nonrival good. 3.We assume that Cheetah’s utility does not enter the social welfare function; hence, her allocation of labor supply across activities does not matter. a. The public good is patrol; the private good is fruit. b. Recall that efficiency requires MRSTARZAN + MRSJANE = MRT. MRSTARZAN = MRSJANE = 2. But MRT = 3. Therefore, MRSTARZAN + MRSJANE > MRT. To achieve an efficient allocation, Cheetah should patrol more. Chapter 4 – Public Goods 4. The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence is a public good because it is nonrival and presumably non-excludable. The government should pay for the research only if the SMB is greater than the SMC. . Aircrafts are both rival and excludable goods, so public sector production of aircrafts is not justified on the basis of public goods. If policymakers erroneously assume that the benefits of the mega-jetliner are public, then they would find the efficient level of production by vertically summing demand curves rather than horizontally summing demand curves. This causes the benefits to be significantly overstated and could be used to justify such high costs. 6. It is unlikely that if Pemex were privati zed that the situation would lead to a monopoly situation. Comparing oil production to telephone service is not a correct comparison.In the case of the telephone company, there was only one provider of telephone service. In the case of oil production, there would be only one producer in Mexico, but many competitors providing oil from which Mexico could buy. The newly privatized company would have to compete to sell its goods. It would likely become more efficient than the state run company because of this competition. 7. This debate is similar to the debate about private versus public education. Public sector production is often associated with higher costs (for both schools and prisons), but there may be other reasons society would prefer public to private provision.These reasons typically relate to equity considerations. For schools, the main argument is to make sure everyone child has the opportunity for a good education. For prisons, there may be a fundamental conflict between f air and humane treatment of prisoners and keeping costs low. For example, equity might require that prisoners be fed nutritious meals, but giving them bread and water for every meal might be less expensive. This question asks students to give personal opinions about privatizing prisons, so there is no single â€Å"right† answer. 8.The experimental results on free-riding suggest that members of the community might voluntarily contribute about half of the required amount. The reason these citizens wanted to use private fundraising was because the state government redistributed tax dollars from wealthy districts to poor districts (the so-called Robin Hood plan), so using private donations was a way to avoid losing tax dollars to other districts. 9. Books are not a public good. They are both rival (two people cannot read a book at the same time) and excludable (you can keep a person from reading a book).But if the goods libraries provide are a sense of community or a better educa ted populace, these would qualify as public goods. If the public good aspect of the library is to produce a better educated populace, then perhaps the classic books are a better choice. 10. Hiring private military firms to provide military support in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Darfur would be similar to the example of airport security in the text. One might argue that a private firm would not provide adequate training, use unethical or especially aggressive methods to shorten the conflict, thus lowering costs to increase profits.Proponents would argue that such things could be stipulated in a well-written contract. However, no Part 2 – Public Expenditure: Public Goods and Externalities contract can specify every possible contingency. In high conflict situations this may be especially true as the opposing side will not be predictable. 11. a. Zach’s marginal benefit schedule shows that the marginal benefit of a lighthouse starts at $90 and declines, and Jacob’s margina l benefit starts at $40 and declines. Neither person values the first lighthouse at its marginal cost of $100, so neither person would be willing to pay for a lighthouse acting alone. . Zach’s marginal benefit is MBZACH=90-Q, and Jacob’s is MBJACOB=40-Q. The marginal benefit for society as a whole is the sum of the two marginal benefits, or MB=130-2Q (for Q? 40), and is equal to Zach’s marginal benefit schedule afterwards (for Q>40). The marginal cost is constant at MC=100, so the intersection of aggregate marginal benefit and marginal cost occurs at a quantity less than 40. Setting MB=MC gives 130-2Q=100, or Q=15. Net benefit can be measured as the area between the demand curve and the marginal benefit of the 15th unit. The net benefit is $112. 5 for each person, for a total of $225. 2. Each day the private decision of each fisherman would equate private cost with private benefit. Therefore, 7 would show up because then each fisherman would catch four fish. If the fishermen catch less than four fish, then they will stay home. The net benefits to society are 0 fish (the benefit to the seven fishermen is 4 fish (7Ãâ€"4=28) and the cost to society is 4 fish per fisherman (7Ãâ€"4=28)). The efficient number of fishermen to show up at the lake is the number that will maximize social net benefits, which happens where the social marginal benefit equals the social marginal cost.This occurs at four fishermen, where the net social benefits equal 12 fish (4Ãâ€"7 – 4Ãâ€"4). Access to the lake is an impure public good. It is rival – if one fisherman has access to the fish, the others have less access. It is, however, non-excludable because it is difficult to keep people from fishing at a lake. 13. Britney’s marginal benefit is MBBRITNEY=12-Z, and Paris’s is MBPARIS=8-2Z. The marginal benefit for society as a whole is the sum of the two marginal benefits, or MB=20-3Z (for Z? 4), and i s equal to Britney’s marginal benefit schedule afterwards (for Z>4).The marginal cost is constant at MC=16. Setting MB=MC along the first segment gives 20-3Z=16, or Z=4/3, which is the efficient level of snowplowing. Note that if either Britney or Paris had to pay for the entire cost herself, no snowplowing would occur since the marginal cost of $16 exceeds either of their individual marginal benefits from the first unit ($12 or $8). Thus, this is clearly a situation when the private market does not work very well. Also note, however, that if the marginal cost were somewhat lower, (e. g. , MC? ), then it is possible that Paris could credibly free ride, and Britney would provide the efficient allocation. This occurs because if Britney believes that Paris will free ride, Britney provides her optimal allocation, which occurs on the second segment of society’s MB curve, which is identical to Britney’s MB curve (note that Paris gets zero marginal benefit for Z>4). Since Paris is completely satiated with this good at Z=4, her threat to free ride is credit if Britney provides Z>4. See the graph below. Chapter 4 – Public Goods MBParis MBBritney