Monday, January 27, 2020

Engineering Management at Toyota

Engineering Management at Toyota Toyota Motor Corporation is the second largest producer of automobiles in the world. It has its headquarters in Japan and is present in a large number of countries around the world. This multinational company was established by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937. It was formed as a result of a spin-off from a company known as Toyota Industries which was owned by his father. At present, the company leads a group composed of 522 subsidiaries. Toyota has also ventured in to other fields of business like financial services and production of robots in addition to its automobile production operations. The company, in combination with its parent group-Toyota Industries, forms one of the biggest conglomerates of the world. It also has the honor of being the only automobile producer appearing in the top10 BrandZ name recognition ranking. The premier brands owned by the company include Toyota, Lexus and Scion. It has a majority shareholding in Daihatsu Motors and has a minor share in Fuji Heavy Industries, Isuzu Motors, and the engine, motorcycle and marine craft manufacturer Yamaha Motors. The values adopted by the company’s management have been developed by its founders and have played a significant role in its success. These values have emphasized the importance of terms like, Lean Manufacturing and Just in Time Production (JIT). Toyota has also developed a unique approach, popularly known as The Toyota Production System (TPS) which forms the basis of its Lean manufacturing. The TPS is a wonderful blend of the values adopted by the company and the practices implemented by its management. The system is responsible for ensuring a proper coordination with the customers as well as the suppliers. Its preliminary business objectives were to get profit from the technologies offering potential to develop the customer experience through personalization and streamlining the internal processes in order to ensure a sustained profitability for the business (Liker, J 2004). However, Toyota has always made improvements in its existing processes to sustain its current growth rate. As a result of this, the company is able to withstand the fierce competition experienced in the automobile sector, for a number of decades. Just In Time (JIT) Just in Time is an effective combination of a number of techniques that aim to increase the return on investment of a business-activity. This is done by decreasing the size of the in-process inventory, and various associated costs, related to it. It has been observed that this technique results in remarkable improvement in an organizations return on investment, quality, efficiency and effectiveness. In fact, JIT has been considered as an integral component of an organization’s philosophy and not merely as a production technique. (Ohno 1988) JIT was first developed and mastered inside the manufacturing units of Toyota by Taiichi Ohno in order to satisfy the requirements of the customers without causing any kinds of delays. Later on, Taiichi Ohno came to be known as the father of JIT. Thus, the credit for publicizing the technique is given to Toyota Motor Corporation of Japan. Toyota was successful in overcoming the increasing challenges for its existence through this technique as it focused upon people, plants and systems. (Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2004) The company was very quick to realize that the successful execution of JIT is possible only when each individual within the company contributed towards it. Toyota pioneered this concept to upgrade its current manufacturing process in order to compete with other major players. For a long time, the company was unable to bear the expenses of huge amounts of land used for storing its finished products and spare-parts. Due to this, the economic lot size of the organization was reduced, which led to a very low return on investment for its manufacturing units. Thus, a need was felt for making these units more flexible and eliminating the overhead costs, which were affecting the profitability. With the help of constant research-work, the engineers at Toyota redesigned the manufacturing operations in order to develop a commonality of tooling for various production processes. It also made use of flexible robotic systems for performing a majority of these operations. As a result, common subassemblies were designed that could be used in several models, without wasting much time. The development and implementation of Just In Time technique led to significant improvements for the company. As the work-in process inventory was sold immediately after it was built, a rapid increase in the liquidity was observed. At the same time, the response-time for the customer’s demands came down to about a day. The rate of customer satisfaction increased in no time as vehicles were delivered before their expected deadlines. Moreover, the risk of warehousing the vehicles was completely eliminated as the company adopted the built to order policy for them. (Just in Time- Toyota’s Manufacturing Technique 2008) The very nature of JIT emphasized heavily on the quality aspect, which in turn resulted in the production of high-quality vehicles with minimum complaints. Finally, Toyota redesigned its entire manufacturing process to remove any kind of tolerances, and implemented efficient statistical controls. Consequently, Toyota trained its suppliers to ensure a quality and timely delivery for the spare-parts. JIT increased the motivation levels of the workers, who aimed to accomplish more challenging goals. It also allowed Toyota to concentrate on group effort, which resulted in talent-identification, sharing knowledge, problem-solving skills, ideas and the achievement of a common goal. All these helped the company to secure a competitive position for itself. Stock Control Automobile industry incurred high cost on storage of materials and components. Companies used to store bulk of materials and components. It is the Toyota Corporation that invented just-in-time, a system of stock control. Toyota has adopted JIT method of ordering inventory, for instance it does not keep many assembled cars in its stock. Rather, it manages to assemble the cars in 4 hours after the order is placed. There are many plants of the company who deliver parts and components for manufacturing. Wastage of time is minimized through just-in-time stock control. Detailed production schedules were worked out by manufacturers to find the efficient manufacturing system. Card ordering system ‘Kanban’ was developed to reduce the space and cost attached with large quantities. In Toyota, components were ordered only after the instruction of ‘Kanban’. According to this plan, material that can be used in 1 hour is kept in the stock. But production of whole car plant would be stopped if there is any delay of more than I hour. Initially, it was not easy to cope with the new system ‘just-in-time’. Very soon, Toyota outperformed and developed effective production system. (Hancock, Bolling Pearce 2001) Toyota production system is surprising and highly successful. The production system is valuable and useful due to its integration. Toyota production system focuses on removing waste. Lean manufacturing specialist says ‘just find and eliminate waste’ (Lean manufacturing, 2001). Searching for the waste and eliminating it leads to continuous improvement. Wastes are of many types such as organizational, psychological and materialistic. Bad design is one of the most terrible and careless mistakes, which occurs due to negligence. Bad design problem starts at the commencement of manufacturing and have an effect on other functions. Designing not only includes the design of tools and parts but also the design of manufacturing process. It is expensive to fix the poor design. (Lean manufacturing 2001) If there is a defect in any manufacturing phase, it goes down the line. This defect leads to losses that increase exponentially. Toyota has quality control system, which emphasizes on finding defects. Quality of work in an organization cannot be improved if labor feel shameful on their mistakes and have fear in their mind. (Lean manufacturing 2001) In Toyota, there is an environment of pointing out of fault by the person who has committed it. The organization has an efficient manufacturing environment, in which an employee is encouraged not to commit the mistake again instead of being punishing for that mistake. Employee training is of paramount importance in Toyota Production System. Voice of employees is listened by the management of company. Consumer demand is center of gravity in inventory management of Toyota production System. Employee feedback is also an important part of production system. Strict actions are taken on management mistakes, as they are important and harmful than the mistakes committed by the worker. Management mistakes are taken seriously and proper attention is given to them. Layout of production floor reduces motion of workers and assemblies. Employees at Toyota have specialization in many tasks, which is helpful when main skills of the workers are not required. In the period of low demand, plans are set to hold the meetings and improvements are made in off time. Inventory is highly reduced in production system. Toyota Production System stresses on consumer demand for material resource planning. Inventory is not pushed from behind rather it is pulled forward through manufacturing chain. Major source of waste is overproduction, which is minimized. The company tries to maintain relationships with few trustworthy suppliers as many suppliers involve much time and paperwork. Manufacturing process is standardized so that efficiency can be maintained. Design of the manufacturing process is such that it is forward looking as it helps in reducing the expenses of changeovers. Environmental Protection Toyota Corporation has always been known for its active participation in the environmental protection efforts. It regards the protection of the environment as a key issue for the constant growth of a business organization. In 2000, Toyota framed the Toyota Tsusho Group’s Environment Policy for guiding the actions of its managers and employees in accordance with the environmental issues. In the same year, the company set up the Earth Environment Committee, to promote its environment-related efforts. In fact, this committee formed the basis for the current Conference on the Global Environment. Another major effort of the company in this direction came in the form of Toyota Turkey Project. This project is assigned with the responsibility of economic development and progress based on acceptable principals of the ecological studies, for the coming generations. Since, high-quality products are manufactured in secure and hygienic working-environment; the project ensures that its operations strictly follow the global Toyota environmental policies in product development, design and manufacturing processes. (Environmental Factors 2008) Toyota aims to achieve its environmental protection goals with the help of following processes- Manufacturing automobiles with minimum utilization of natural resources, increased usage of renewable resources, low waste production, and causing less environmental impact by the release of hazardous substances and high levels of noise. By obeying the rules concerning the legal requirements associated with environmental issues and other environmental protection legislatures to continuously assess its environmental performance. By increasing the awareness about the environment issues among various sections of the society by training them. By starting open communication with customers and public institutions in regard to environmental management system efforts and environmental protection practices. Thus, to constantly upgrade its environmental performance, Toyota sets annual goals and targets with respect to the environmental management system. Due to its responsible behavior and exemplary efforts in this direction, the company has been certified with the ISO 14001 Environment Management System Certificate. Nearly, 5.644 m ² of the manufacturing area of the company is being lightened by the sunlight, in order to decrease the electricity consumption. Similarly, the water-pipes constructed of steel are converted into HDPE pipes, to control the wastage of water. Toyota also motivates its business-partners to actively participate in the environmental protection campaigns. With the help of the trainings, members recognition about environmental concerns is increased. For this, the company celebrates the month of June as the Environment Month, every year. In this month, various programs are organized for increasing the level of environmental awareness among all people associated with the company. On similar lines, the company has launched an environmental bulletin- Toyota Green, to complement its efforts in the given direction. In addition to this, the company undertakes detailed inspections before making further investments in business to determine its environment-related impact. It is interesting to note that these inspections are based on surveys aimed to protect the environment, before setting up any new manufacturing units. For this, the company demands detailed investigation from its procurement sources to avoid any kinds of problems related to the environment. In addition to this, check sheets are designed for undertaking surveys and properly dispose off the waste materials, released as a result of the manufacturing operations carried out at the given location. Conclusion It has been seen that the company has a strong presence in the automobile market-segment. The company has a very impressive history and believes in strong cultural values. It lays a great emphasis on the aspect of quality and efficiency to win the confidence of its customers. Moreover, the company believes in making constant changes in its existing processes to remain competitive. In fact, Toyota has always been known for the adoption of latest technologies and concepts to increase its work-efficiency and productivity from time to time. This attitude of the company is supported by the introduction of modern concepts such as JIT, Kanban and Robotics, etc. At the same time, Toyota is always prepared to experiment with the new ideas suggested by its employees, suppliers or customers. Due to this flexible approach, the company has been successful in maintaining its position in a very fierce competitive scenario. At the same time, it has been able to satisfy and fulfill the demands and requirements of its customers, in the most profitable manner. Thus, the company would be able to sustain its current growth-rate and profitability, without facing any difficulty in the near future along with its mission to protect the environment from further deterioration. It is also expected that the company would continue to develop efficient and revolutionary work-methods which would be of great utility for the entire industry. However, it has to remain attentive to the constant changes taking place in its external environment and its areas of operation. References Environmental Factors 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2008, from test.toyotsu.co.jp/data/current/pdf-400-datafile.PDF Hancock G, Bolling, K Pearce, B 2001, GCSE Graphic Products for OCR.Heinemann. Just in Time- Toyota’s Manufacturing Technique 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2008, from www.japan-101.com/business/just_in_time.htm Lean Manufacturing 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2008, from http://systems.almyta.com/articles/Inventory_Management_History_6.asp Liker, J 2004, The 14 Principles of the Toyota Way: An Executive Summary of the Culture Behind TPS, p. 37, Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan. Ohno, T 1988, Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production, Productivity Press. Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2004, Canadian Driver Communications Inc.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Red Balloons

The song I chose to do my project on is the song 99 Red Balloons, by the artist Gabriel Kernel, also known as Nana. This was one of the songs in the ‘ass to make the point about how the war really affected the citizens and the countries themselves. The theme of this song is that overreacting right away is a bad thing. It can cause damage to you and to everything else around you. This song is representing the fact that the United States and the Soviet Union were caught up in the Cold War and it caused many problems.The example in this song is that, what if a child let go off balloon and it went over the Berlin Wall to the Soviet's side? Without deciding what it was, they blew up the whole country of Germany. This could have happened because of something so silly like a balloon. It also describes how unlucky the citizens of Germany are. They are in the middle of all of this. If something was thrown over the wall, or a balloon floated over it, their lives would have been ruined o r they could have died because of it. The Soviet Union and the united States only thought about homeless.They were waiting for some kind of spark in the war so they would know when to fight. The meaning of this whole song Is that during the cold war, the Soviet union and the united States were always at the brink of a nuclear war. This song explains a great story about what might have happened if something floated over the Berlin wall to the Soviet Union's side. In this song, the balloons are mistaken by the Soviets as some unidentified object in the sky. Their military springs into action, creating a big, useless war that destroys their city. This was all because a bunch of balloons.The song ends on a hopeful note, when Nana sings the line â€Å"Eve found one more balloon. Think of you and let it fly,† that part shows that hope still remains, despite all that was lost. A lot of people believe that this was a song about protest, but in an interview with Nana, she explained th at the song was only meant to be a place to lighten the atmosphere of fear that the Cold War was bringing to Germany during the time she wrote it. This song makes me feel really sad about the way the woo superpowers would have Just destroyed their city like this and kill all of their innocent civilians.The minute they say these unidentified objects coming their way, they Immediately shot and blew up their city. I feel awful for the poor families who could not do anything or escape from harm's way. There was always a threat of nuclear war looming in the air. People who lived through the cold war were always at a risk of nuclear war breaking out. Children had frequent drills. They were taught what to do in case an atomic bomb went off. People must have been living in days filled with fear. The united States tried to have a period of dtenet which lasted for a while, but It did not end the war. Hen I first heard the song, It made me sad that a couple of kids could have caused that much destruction by letting go some balloons. I am very thankful that I did not have to go through what they went through for over 44 years. Ready to launch a surprise nuclear attack to them and their allies. They had a new alert system called the RYAN that provided important information to them, like warning before the attack comes. Two years later in 1983, the year the song 99 Red Balloons came out, the Soviet Union's RYAN tracker spotted something.Some observers dismissed the alert and the war scare but others were not sure. The latter view seems to have been closer to the truth. These developments, along with the new United States management's tough stance toward the USSR, prompted Soviet officials and much of the populace to voice concern over the prospect of a US nuclear attack. But there really was no attack that was necessary to deal with. Like in the song 99 Red Balloons, they overreacted again, but this time to something that was not even there.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Consider the Attitudes To Women Demonstrated In the Vienna of Measure For Measure

I think most men have fooled themselves into thinking that they are the seat of power—because women have allowed them that dream. Women's subtle power is to make men think that the man is in charge. Eli Khamarov in America Explained! Throughout the course of Measure for Measure, Shakespeare highlights subordination of the female characters by the males. In the Vienna represented in the play women have to suffer exploitation and derogation as their individualism and independence are undermined. Shakespeare uses this treatment of women to exemplify the corruption in the city of Vienna. The two main female roles in Measure for Measure are Mariana and Isabella. Both these women are victims of the corrupt motives of the men who so strongly influence their lives. Isabella, the protagonist, is a nun. Her name means â€Å"consecrated to God†. Looking at the roles the other women in the play have adopted, as will be discussed in more depth during the course of this essay, it seems she is almost forced into the role by the bigoted society in Vienna. It appears that the only fate for women, unless they wish to join a convent, be a prostitute or alone, is to become a housewife. As a nun Isabella benefits from the education and relative independence (although whether this particular privilege can belong to a woman, in the Vienna Shakespeare writes about, is doubtful) she would not have if married. There are still certain restraints, in that she is not able to have the sexual freedom of women who are not so divinely consecrated and, once she has taken her vows, she is n ot allowed to entertain the company of men: Nun: †¦ When you have vowed, you must not speak with men But in the presence of the prioress; Then if you speak you must not show your face, Or if you show your face you must not speak†¦ However, this is a small sacrifice to make for the standard of life she can expect to live but in spite of the advantages of being a nun, there significant drawbacks. Isabella is forced to abide by two laws: the chauvinistic law of the land and the androcentric dogma of the church. When they collide Isabella is forced to make a choice, not only between man and God, but also between her brother's life and her soul. It is ultimately the social structure in Vienna that is responsible for her angst and consequent no-win situation. Isabella: Then Isobel live chaste and brother die: More than our brother is our chastity Ultimately, for Isabella there is no escape. Even her brother does not understand her reasoning behind the choice to sacrifice his life for control of her own: â€Å"What sin you do to save a brother's life, / Nature dispenses with the deed so far / That it becomes a virtue.† The contrast between â€Å"sin† and â€Å"virtue† accentuates the contrast between his perception of the predicament and Isabella's. Claudio also overlooks that the church does not see nature as the overall decider of right and wrong. He fails to see that this is not only Isabella clinging onto her ‘eternal life' but also that this is her bid for independence. The strength of her female character is indicated in Act II Scene iv where she delivers the only female soliloquy in the play: Isabella: To whom should I complain? Did I tell this Who would believe me?†¦ †¦ had he twenty heads to tender down On twenty blocks he'd yield them up Before his sister should her body stoop To such abhorred pollution. Though she has just been offered a vicious ultimatum by Angelo, and seems at her wits end, she stands firm in the decision she has made. Her steadfast attitude towards the values she upholds is a contrast to those displayed by the three most significant male characters in the play: Angelo: Who will believe thee, Isabel? My unsoiled name, th'austereness of my life, My vouch against you, and my place i'th'state, Will so your accusation overweigh†¦ †¦ redeem thy brother By yielding up thy body to my will†¦ In this speech Angelo reveals a part of himself so contrasting with the person spoken about so highly in Act I Scene I: â€Å"There is a kind of character in thy life / That to th'observer doth thy history fully unfold.† This â€Å"well-seeming Angelo† is not the same person revealed in Act II Scene iv, and indeed throughout the play. His lack of consistency about his scruples hints at the weakness of his character, especially compared to that of Isabella. Unfortunately for her, no matter how much she can prove herself in the presence of men her femininity remains. Were women allowed more independence and choice, Isabella would not be faced with two conflicting laws; her situation would be entirely different. Her helplessness is highlighted by the fact that it is the subordination by men that has led to her no-win predicament, yet it is only a man who has sufficient authority to grant reprieve of either of the two fates. Bearing in mind the corrupt nature of most of the men in Measure for Measure's Vienna, this can only mean Isabella will no doubt be exploited. Mariana, in contrast to Isabella's comparatively feminist existence as a nun, has found her entire life shattered by the cancellation of her betrothal to a revered Lord of the city. Not enough to lose her brother at sea, with all the family's wealth, Lord Angelo shows his superficiality along with demonstrating the attitudes of men towards women in Vienna – that they are disposable – by calling off the engagement. Duke: †¦her brother Frederick was wrecked at sea, having in that perished vessel the dowry of his sister†¦ she lost a noble and renowned brother, in his love toward her ever most kind and natural; with his the portion and sinew of her fortune, her marriage dowry; with both, her combinate husband, this well-seeming Angelo. Isabella: Can this be so? Did Angelo so leave her? Duke: Left her in tears, and dried not one of them with his comfort; swallowed his vows whole†¦ a marble to her tears Here the Duke reveals the sad truth of Mariana's past which, as a woman, she is powerless to do anything about. The Duke says her brother loved her, Angelo clearly did not. In jilting her he demonstrates that his interests in her were based purely on the money she can access from her family. Kathleen McLuskie writes in The patriarchal bard: â€Å"There is evidence to suggest that marriage was regarded as just an instrument of social control†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The truth of this is slowly revealed throughout the play, though remains disguised until the final scene, especially in this scene. The accuracy of McLuskie's statement resonates through this scene the significance of its fact is seen in Mariana's daily life. The Duke's second statement describes Angelo's lack of interest in Mariana besides as a source of riches and probably business relations of some sort. Since the Duke describes Angelo as a model person, this appears to be accepted as some sort of norm amongst the aristocracy in Vienna. Through Mariana is shown the effect this self-interest has on the women in the society. Mariana is now confined to a moated grange where she has little company and even less to occupy her time. Shakespeare uses Mariana's character later in the play to exaggerate the forgiving nature of women, one of the few positive attributes he bestows upon the female characters in Measure for Measure. Mariana: Oh, my dear lord, I crave no other, nor better man. Although the women in Vienna are stripped of their freedom and seem to have their sense of responsibility undermined, they retain their principles and live up to the roles they hope to be given. They remain steadfastly loyal: Isabella to the doctrines of the church and Mariana to Angelo, regardless of the price they have to pay. Their devotion is often presented as submission: Isabella: (to Duke) I am directed by you. What Isabella does not realise when she utters these words is the situation to follow. This may be a premonition (as frequently occur in Shakespeare's plays) of the obedience the Duke of her in the final scene. Perhaps what Eli Khamarov claims in America Explained! is true also in Shakespeare's Vienna, that women allow men power over them. Then the question needs to be asked, â€Å"What do women gain from permitting men to domineer them?† Sexual freedom is certainly not the answer. The sexual constriction of Isabella and Mariana's lives is a stark contrast to that of the prostitutes, which make up a large Viennese sub-culture, in particular Mistress Overdone. Lucio: Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes. I have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to [judge] This brothel-owner is nicknamed Madam Mitigation by Lucio, since she ‘alleviates' men's sexual tension. Her liberalism is however still as much of a bane to her as Isabella's chastity is to Claudio and Angelo alike when, on the promotion of Angelo to â€Å"acting duke†, the brothels are ordered to close. Mistress Overdone: But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down? Pompey: To the ground, mistress. Mistress Overdone: †¦ What shall become of me? Caught in a vicious cycle, Mistress Overdone cannot marry, since no man wishes to marry her because she is a prostitute. If she cannot marry she must support herself; the only trade women are welcome in is prostitution hence she must remain a prostitute. But this in turn means no man will marry her. Mistress Overdone's lack of choice in her own life is another example of the double standards adopted by the corrupt men in Viennese society. This is a culture where women are used for sex yet still expected to remain pure and chaste. Their civil rights are abused, they are treated as second-class citizens, and their freedoms of speech and choice are taken from them. The comparison of the female characters suggested in the first paragraph of this essay when establishing Isabella's choice of becoming a nun is a good starting point for this. Mistress Overdone has the most freedom of any woman, but she pays for this with any emotional security she could hope for. Isabella has emotional security within the constraints of religion, but no freedom. There is also the possibility she may have little companionship. Mariana has no emotional security or freedom. When Juliet exercised her freedom within her emotional security; she had both taken from her. Since, even though the women in Vienna are stripped of their freedom and seem to have their sense of responsibility undermined, when a man is sentenced to death for impregnating his fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½e, the moral responsibility of the action is placed on the woman. Duke: So then it seems your most offenceful act Was mutually committed. Juliet: Mutually. Duke: Then was your sin of a heavier kind than his. Juliet: I do confess it, and repent it, father. Although the Duke is here posing as a friar, either he is adopting the attitude of the church he is representing, or he is following his own moral code. By going along with the church's belief Shakespeare is using him to show the patriarchal set-up of the religion in Vienna. If the Duke is using his own ideals as a guide, this is similarly as worrying since he is the ruler of the city and has the superseding voice. The exploitative nature of the men in Vienna is shown by the treatment of both Isabella and Mariana by Angelo and the Duke throughout the play. They are humiliated in public and subordinated in private. Angelo: For that her reputation was disvalued In levity. Since which time of five years I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her Angelo's jilting of Mariana leads to a decline her self-esteem whilst the Duke's manipulation of the two women results in his exultation and their continued lack of choice, as he marries Mariana to Angelo and demands Isabella's own hand in marriage. This lack of respect for women's own abilities to make choices renders them powerless over even their own lives. What Shakespeare says about Vienna through the men's treatment of women is evident. Men who do not respect others, and who strip the rights of women to save their own face not achieve their goals. Nonetheless Shakespeare does not show them suffering, especially not at the hands of the women. Angelo ends the play married to a woman who loves him dearly and will pander to his every want. Claudio, in his inability to understand Isabella's decision to let him die, finds himself not having to. The Duke is still asking for Isabella's hand right up to the end of the scene. Her name suggests she will not give in. Yet it is not only on the account of oppression that men stand accused of maltreating females, Shakespeare strongly highlights issues including sexual double standards and general moral hypocrisy. Claiming that the Vienna in Measure for Measure was indicative of the London of his time, Shakespeare shows what little he thinks of the values adopted by his peers and contemporaries. The images he conjures up of dirty streets and lavish mansions are also historically accurate representations of life in London powerfully supporting the supposition that the city was the subject of Shakespeare's criticism. Perhaps Shakespeare is offering a theory behind the state of London and what can be done to change it. He also makes reference to what he feels women's role is in society through the characters of Isabella, Mariana and Mistress Overdone in particular. These are three women who do not fit into the role of wife and each have different ways of life, yet still find their destinies have been handed over to men. It is possible that in this play Shakespeare is criticising the misogyny of 17th Century London and maybe even King James I (although the latter is highly unlikely he would get away with it). A counter-argument is offered by Linda Bambur's Comic Women, Tragic Men: a Study of Gender and Genre in Shakespeare, that â€Å"the writer fails to attribute the opposite sex characters the privileges of the other† hints at Shakespeare's own sexist attitude. She hints that the treatment of women in Measure for Measure is a parody for Shakespeare's own attitude towards them. Truth be told, his subliminal messages in Measure for Measure may never be known, but one fact remains. Whether as a result of playwrights like Shakespeare, or simply because of a gradual change in attitudes, two centuries after this play and its highlighting of deep-rooted patriarchy, the first feminist movement sprang up. London has never been the same.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Essay about The Great Depression in the United States

The era of the 1930s through the 1940s is one of the darkest periods in America’s history. It was a time of despair for all Americans. This dreadful time was caused by various reasons and hit America when it was least expected. It also had many effects which left an impact on America still up to this day. At that time, there was no abundance of anything: no jobs, no food, and certainly no abundance of money. However, there was surely an abundance of sadness. America had no hope since the money was a thin, green line, and there was no food or clean water to drink. The monstrosity began on the year of 1930 and lasted up to the year of 1940 or in some places even more. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl were one of the most famous†¦show more content†¦Simple things were not simple anymore. Life had changed for everyone. The Dust Bowl was a both manmade and natural disaster. It was a period of rigorous dust storms that significantly damaged Americas agriculture in th e prairies. The Dust Bowl affected over 100,000 acres of land which centered Texas and Oklahoma and parts of Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico. The droughts and the failure to apply dry-land farming methods to prevent wind erosion caused the dust storms. During the 1920s, farmers deep-plowed the topsoil off of the land. This led to a displacement of deep-rooted grasses that were suppose to trap the soil and moisture. Without the soil and moisture, the dirt was really easy to blow away with just a little wind. The unanchored soil loosened and when the winds blew, the dirt would form clouds that sometimes even blackened the sky. The â€Å"blackened sky† was also known as a black roller or a black blizzard. Cotton farmers left fields bare over winter months when winds were at their highest point, which also loosened up the dirt. Cotton farmers also burned stubble, thinking that it would kill weeds before planting season, but they were also destroying the soil from its organic nut rients and surface vegetation. All of these poor farming methods led to some quite massive dust storms. In Novemeber 11, 1933, a destructive dust storm blew into South Dakota. In May 9, 1934, a strong dust storm hit the Great Plains. It was a two day storm that removed largeShow MoreRelatedThe Great Depression Of The United States857 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States has been through many wars and confrontations with other countries since its founding in 1776. Many lives were lost and many names forgotten. World war two was one of those wars. â€Å"The good war† as they called it, was a fight that was fought between the leading powers of the world. The First World War ended only 21 years prior to the beginning of this war in 1939. The citizens of the United States were set on not entering another war and losing more family and friends. World warRead MoreThe United States And The Great Depression Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesThe United States was forever changed during the 1930s. The United States had just come out of a period of unprecedented wealth. Farmers had abundance of crops, many were investing all of their paycheck into the stock market, and banking-business practices had not changed since the Industrial Era. Many of these factors contributed to the Great Depression. Americans felt as if they were immune to any economic downturn; however by 1932, one in four American â€Å"breadwinners† were out of work. On OctoberRead MoreThe United States And The Great Depression1402 Words   |  6 Pagescolonized by Great Britain, is still considered a western country. That along with the interconnectedness of a globalized economy makes it so that Australia is still affected, both positively and negatively, by the changes of the United States and Britain. Such was the case when the United States suffered wh at is now known as the great depression in 1929. The great depression spread throughout most western countries and beyond and Australia was no exception. Australia was hit with the depression not longRead MoreThe Great Depression Of The United States1299 Words   |  6 PagesThe Great Depression in the United States triggered when the American stock market crashed, causing America’s economy to have a downturn. The two long-term causes of the Great Depression were the stock market and consumer spending. When the prices were rising and wages became stagnant, people started to buy with credit and slowly reduced the amount they spent. The stock market was one of the long-term causes of the Great Depression because of speculation and abusing the stock market. SpeculationRead MoreThe Great Depression Of The United States902 Words   |  4 Pagesthe envy of the world. In the 1960’s the medical facilities in the United States employed more people than the auto industry that served a population where one out of eight would be admitted annually (Stevens, 1996). These marvelous facilities contained air condition, artificial lighting, electric beds, carpeted private rooms, sterile supply services, advanced laboratories, and pneumatic tube systems. The infrastructure was great and it supported a population where more than 70 percent had hospitalRead MoreThe Great Depression Of The United States922 Words   |  4 Pagesconversion of sinners to Christianity. Paragraph on Marian Apparitions, the 9 sites One of these modern apparitions of the Virgin Mother was in Banneux, Belgium in 1933. 1929 saw the Wallstreet Crash in the United States which prompted the Great Depression. This dramatic downfall of the United States’ economy had repercussions in Europe, which lead to large unemployment rates and poverty. The global climate at the time would’ve socially and financially affected this small farming village. If the villageRead MoreThe Great Depression Of The United States Essay2205 Words   |  9 PagesThe Great Depression in the United States started on October 29, 1929, a day referred to always after as Dark Tuesday, when the American securities exchange smashed in the wake of being on the ascent for over 10 years. Banks fizzled, the country s cash supply lessened, and organizations went bankrupt and started to terminate their specialists by the thousand. Then, President Herbert Hoover who was the president at the time promised to be patient and let the time frame run its course. He citedRead MoreEssay on The Great Depression in the United States930 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States? Downfall Screams, tears, and cries for help were all part of Americas downfall. From 1929 through 1941 there was only one thing that was plentiful, sorrow. During this time the United States was faced with another obstacle. It changed America in many ways. One hard struggle lead to the next. The later events all started with the crash of the stock market. This period can only be explained by its name. So, the stock market crash in the United States caused businesses toRead MoreThe Great Depression Effects On The United States2949 Words   |  12 Pagesâ€Å"The Great Depression was the most severe, prolonged economic crisis in American History. It displaced thousands of families, created hardships for millions of people, shaped an entire generation, and reshaped the way Americans viewed the role of their government,† (Cravens). Although the Great Depression had devastating effects on the United States, its impacts on family life and structure were the most devastating. Children had to take on more responsibilities by attempting to find jobs in a marketRead MoreCauses and Effects of The Great Depression in the United States1238 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Depression is a defining moment in time for not only American, but world history. This was a time that caused political, economical, and social unrest. Not only did the Great Depression cause a world wide panic, it also caused a world wide crisis unlike any before it. This paper will analyze both the causes and the effects of the Great Depression in the United States of America. One cause of the depression is the effects of World War One. World War one had many devastating effects on