Impact of US Dollar on Canadian Economy Essay Example for Free

Impact of US Dollar on Canadian Economy Essay The Canadian Economy is strong. According to the 2001 Canada Yearbook, factors contributing to the country’s economic health are: natural resources; manufacturing and construction industries; financial and service sectors; the ability to span distances using communications and transportation technologies; dynamic trade relationships with other nations; and the ability to compete in a global marketplace (2004). Being the 2nd largest country in the world, Canada’s natural resources accounts for 12. 6% of its GDP growth in 2003. The Energy Sector, Forestry, Mineral Sector as well as Geomatics Sciences are responsible for this growth. Exportation of natural gas, timber and wood products, potash, uranium and other minerals make up for the growth. Geomatics is the science and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, distributing and using geographic information. Since 2002, when the Canadian Government initiated the focus on understanding and mapping its land resources, it became one of the leading suppliers of information, technology and equipment in Geomatics. Today, Geomatics is a $10 to $20 billion dollar industry growing at a 20% rate, and thus is a potential growth area for the Canadian natural resources sector. According to Industry Canada, the Manufacturing and Construction Industries contribute to about 40% of Canada’s GDP, with an actual gross approximately $25 billion in December 2005. The two industries combined showed growth near single digit levels, (manufacturing at 1% GDP and construction at 0. 7% in Dec. 2005) which propelled the 0. 4 over-all GDP, making up for the loss in the Agriculture section at -1. 6% GDP in December 2005 (2006). The services sector in general is boosting the economy. Canada Yearbook states that the sector employs three out of four Canadians in the 21st Century (2004). Though their output is not as tangible as manufactured or natural goods, the services sector is everywhere and serve as the backbone of every economic sector. From the driver of a courier van to the company financial analyst to the service providers in Civil Defense, all the roles belong to the services sector. Together with advances in information technology, the services sector is transforming Canadian Economy into a knowledge-based economy (2006), as claimed by the Canadian Yearbook, where-in its modern products are efficient back-end services, professional consultancy and breakthrough technologies and equipment. Despite the economic transformation, trade is still the main means of business for Canada. As such, relationships with trade partners play a vital role. Among the countries in the world, four markets are in constant and significant trade relations with Canada: United States, United Kingdom, Japan and more recently, China. Among the four, its close neighbor, the United States takes about 75 – 80% of Canada’s trading business. Thus, changes in the Unites States economy, particularly of the US dollar impacts Canadian economy. State of Canada-US Trade Geography and history have provided opportunities for the United States and Canada to be in close business relations. In the natural order of things, free trade between the two nations would be beneficial in toto. However, political and social ramifications have prevented the successful pact since the mid 1800s until such time when, despite the disagreement of Canada’s Conservative Party, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between US and Canada was effected in October of 1987. The over-all provision is to minimize tariffs of all goods traded between the two countries to a maximum of 1%. With the FTA in effect, trade between the two countries rose to 40% from a pre-FTA level of 25%. However, there is strong opposition from Canada about violations of the United States in the provisions of FTA, to the disadvantage of Canada’s agricultural business. However, seeing the benefits of a free trade zone, Prime Minister elect Jean Chretien improved the FTA and broadened the extend of the free trade to Mexico. Thus, in January of 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Canada and Mexico, took effect. Such Agreement involves an immediate and phased release of tariffs and trade barriers for agricultural products traded between the three countries. A macro benefit of NAFTA is a systematic conduct of business within North America because of the creation of an impartial, rules-based system to resolve dispute among the countries. Significant increases in trade activity were observed among the three countries in the first seven years of NAFTA implementation as compared to agricultural trade activities with other markets outside of North America. Canadian agricultural and agri-food exports to the United States and Mexico have increased by 95 percent, reaching $14. 8 billion in 2000. In comparison, Canadian exports of agricultural products to non-NAFTA countries grew by 45 percent during the same period, according to Agriculture and Agri-food Department of Canada (2006). Prior to NAFTA, agricultural import-export activities between Canada and the United States was only at $13. 7 billion. However, this increased $25. 1 billion in 2000, 82% higher, since 1993. Because 61% of Canada’s farming produce are exported to the United States, agricultural exports for the same period grew 92% to reach $14. 1 billion. As a result, Canadas agricultural trade surplus with the United States has more than tripled since 1993. As summarized by the Agricultural Department of Canada, Horticultural crops: volume exports of tomatoes increased twenty-fold while exports of peppers and lettuce increased seven-fold, and exports of cucumbers increased six-fold. Oilseeds products: soybean oil volume exports increased seven-fold, exports of sunflower oil quadrupled, and canola oil exports increased by 44 percent. Specialty crops: dried beans volume exports nearly tripled. Red meats: beef volume exports more than doubled while pork exports increased by 87 percent. Processed products: roasted coffee volume exports increased nearly seventeen-fold, malt exports increased nearly five-fold, exports of frozen French fries increased four-fold, and pasta exports more than tripled. Following the success of NAFTA and its predecessors from other continents of the world, Canada together with thirty-three other countries belonging to the American Continent are drafting a free trade agreement called Free Trade Agreement Among the Americas (FTAA). With its complex participation, the agreement is still under negotiations. Factors that Influence the Rise of the Canadian Dollar (against the US Dollar) With the rise of the United States as an Economic super power, it naturally assumed a role of having the US dollar as a worldwide currency. Significant markets such as Canada are always compared to the dollar. Moreover, being a majority trade partner of the US, the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar matters significantly over the US dollar. Since 2003, Statistics Canada has plotted the rise of the Canadian dollar against the US dollar and indicated its significant rise against the greenback. There are three factors that may have contributed to this growth: first, the weakening of the US economy brought about by increasing current account deficits; secondly, the worldwide increase in commodity prices; and thirdly, the improved performance of the Canadian economy resulting in trade surplus. Since 2001, there has been a common phenomenon in most major currencies in the world: they appreciated against the US dollar. The Euro and Canadian dollar were two of the strongest performers. When the Euro surpassed the greenback in 2003 analysts predicted that there was no turning back. While the loonie has seen significant appreciation at the rate of 25% since 2001 until 2005, surpassing historical performance by the US dollar. Such appreciation has been driven by the increasing trade deficits of the US. Since 2001, the US has been buying more goods and a service than the country is able to sell. More oil, gas, metals and services were bought with US dollars than were sold outside of the US. Some analysts believe that the on-going War on Terror has been the main source of the deficit. While the country is still figuring out how to address the deficits, major trade partners such as Canada are reaping the benefits of a weakening dollar. At the mercy (or because) of commodity supply, the Canadian economy remained resilient despite the volatility of oil, gas, metals and wood. Being a major supplier of such commodities, precarious world prices came at an advantage. Despite some internal losses as a crude oil refiner, the bottom line effect of this factor remained positive and contributed to GDP. Thus, the increase of the Canadian dollar. Last factor that weakened the dollar from Canada’s point of view is the initiative of its government to attract more businesses through higher interest rates (vs. that of the United States). The over-all effect therefore, of the three factors above is the weakening of the US dollar against the Canadian dollar. Today, the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar is rising and reaching its peak in 2001, at C$ 0. 846 vs. the US$. With such growth, the general assessment of Canadian economists, businesses and external analysts is that this is positive for the Canadian economy, now more than ever. The next sections will have full discussion of the different sectors in the Canadian economy as impacted by the weakening (or strength) of the US dollar. Impact of the US Dollar on Canadian Industries Exports Apart from agriculture and agri-products, steel is another commodity that Canada heavily trades with the United States. Canada’s steel production accounts for approximately two percent of the world’s total supply. This is very small as compared to the Asian producers (Japan, North Korea and Taiwan), which accounts for nearly 40%. Nevertheless, 89% of Canada’s steel export go to the United States while 58% of Canada’s imported steel come from the US. Trade barriers, transportation costs prevent small Canadian steel producers from competing outside of North America. North America’s open market is ideal for small and big steel manufacturers from Canada. Just by its size and high demand, the opportunity for supply is wide. In addition, proximity to such a large market allows for low transportation cost. Just-in-time supply is immediately served without much impact on delivery cost. Furthermore, inventory can be kept low unless preparing for construction peak. Steel pricing in North America is also higher than other export markets by as much as 40% when compared to Japan, where steel importation is minimal due to its own supply. In North America, particularly the United States, steel trade is predicted to continue growth. In this light, sustained and open access to the U. S. market is key to the Canadian steel industry. A slight fallback in the market, for example, experienced in 1995 posed a threat to the industry. Whenever such a slow-down happens, issues related to anti-dumping and government subsidies arise, without any proper venue for address under NAFTA. Unfair trade practice is an issue commonly raised by the US against Canada when market conditions appear to favor Canada’s steel industry. In the same manner, weakening of the US dollar may initiate such a condition when Canada’s steel industry continues to maintain a surplus against the US. Once again is likely to be subject to charges of unfair trading practices by U. S. steelmakers. In 1993, according to Industry Canada, the country had a global steel trade surplus of $580 million and a steel trade surplus with the U. S. of $909 million. While the trade surplus was maintained with the U. S. , the surge in steel demand in 1994 resulted in a dramatic rise in imports and produced an overall international trade deficit of $207 million. The total trade balance deficit increased in 1995 to $349 million as Canadian imports again exceeded exports. However, the steel trade surplus with the U. S. was $1. 0 billion in 1995. Over the period from 1989 to 1995, steel imports have increased from 18. 6 percent of apparent domestic consumption in Canada to 29. 9 percent in 1995. Meanwhile the import share held by the U. S. increased from 8. 6 percent to 17. 5 percent. In the U. S. market, imports increased from 17. 9 percent of apparent domestic consumption in 1989 to 21. 4 percent in 1995, with Canadas import share increasing from 3. 1 percent to 4. 0 percent. With such steel trade dynamics between the two countries, the weakening of the US dollar means the increase in Canada’s export price. Either more US dollars are needed to purchase the same Canadian product in the 21st century, than during the slump 1990s; or less Canadian dollars are earned for every sale of a Canadian export. At the other end, when Canada imports from the US, the commodities and services become cheaper. Either way, both impacts sales and profits. When sales and profits are volatile, vulnerable small businesses tend to closedown and contribute to unemployment. In order to maintain profit margins, Canadian export companies will need to improve efficiencies. Improvement may come in three ways: production streamlining, outsourcing and amortization gains. When the US dollar is low, it is the best time for companies to reevaluate tools and machinery throughput. Technology improvements will present more-efficient, more-automated processes, which can be useful in improving production efficiency. Since most equipment are bought from the US or are priced in US dollars, lower dollar exchange rates mean cheaper equipment. This is one way that exports companies to maintain profit margins by reducing production cost through efficient machines. In the same line of thinking importing services also come cheaper than when the US dollar is strong. Whether obtaining services from the US, or from East Asia, where intelligent and skilled labor is cheap, outsourcing back-end process in export production always contribute to efficiency. Though this may result to redundancies, macro effects of outsourcing prove to be positive to the bottom line. Lastly, for businesses that amortize US dollar-denominated loans, there will be gains in the amortization payment because of the weakened dollar. Furthermore, during a round-table public forum in 2004, businessmen have suggested that the Canadian government consider lowering interests rates to match that of the US. Doing so will minimize the impact of loans on Canadian dollar-based denominations despite its appreciation. Imports The stronger currency benefits importers. Consumers and businesses benefit from a better Canada-U. S. exchange rate through less expensive imports from the U. S. The depreciation of the dollar lowers import costs and, more specifically, offers cheaper capital goods, making investment in new machinery and equipment in Canada cheaper. Canadian businesses import 80% of equipment and machinery, and with these imports now more affordable, a boost to business investment can be expected. However, some argue that with the loss of revenue, investments in new machinery and equipment would not be substantial.

Althussers Ideology :: Ideological State Apparatus, God

In the first half of his essay â€Å"Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses†, Althusser says that, â€Å"the resistances of the exploited classes is able to find means and occasions to express itself there† (99), by which he means in the Ideological State Apparatuses. In the second half of the essay, Althusser argues there are places that can be found in the ISA that allow expression of the exploited class, but this expression is an illusion as they can only express themselves in terms of being subjects. Althusser separates the State Apparatus into two sections, one being the Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) and the other being the Ideological State Apparatus (ISA). The RSA encompasses things like the military, police and government, whereas the ISA contains things like education, religion and family. The RSA is fundamentally different from the ISAs for two reasons, the first being that the RSA is strictly in the public domain whereas the ISAs can exist in both the public and private domain. The second difference is that, â€Å"the Repressive State Apparatus functions ‘by violence’, whereas the Ideological State Apparatus functions ‘by ideology’†(97). Althusser qualifies this statement by saying that the RSA truly functions by both violence as well as ideology since no apparatus can function by one alone. Therefore, conversely, the ISAs function primarily by ideology and secondarily by violence, although most of this violence is usually internal to t he apparatus. Althusser ends his discussion of the distinction between the RSA and ISA by saying that, â€Å"the Ideological State Apparatuses may be not only the stake, but also the site of class struggle, and often of bitter forms of class struggle† (99). By this, Althusser means that it is inherently difficult to take the ISA’s from the â€Å"formal† ruling class since they can retain their roles for a longer period of time than being thrown out of power in the RSA. This also leads us back to the question at hand; how do the resistances of the exploited classes find means and occasions to express themselves in the ISAs? The occasions for expression come from ideology. For Althusser, ideology is, â€Å"conceived as a pure illusion, a pure dream, i.e. as nothingness. All its reality is external to it† (108). Althusser differs from Marx on who controls this reality. Marx argues that this illusion is controlled by those who are in power and is used to control those who are not in power.

Cultural studies of Organization communication Essay

According to Saran and Kalliny (2009), there are many theories which explain the organizational behavior relative to changes in the structures. Saran and Kalliny (2009, para. 4) continue to explain that there are many â€Å"variables potentially affecting the implementation process including corporate culture issues, such as formalization, decentralization, functional differentiation, leadership, job satisfaction and job involvement and organizational dynamic issues, such as resources and communication. † The review of literature about this topic focuses on these key areas by providing historical and contemporary issues that have been captured within the scope of this research. Communication is one of the most essential things that an organization requires to prosper in any market especially during turbulent business environments. Dubrin (1997) was of the opinion that communication is a very important aspect that unites all systems of the organization. Managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders to create an efficient flow of activities. Knowledge management is very vital to managers since the efficient operation of any organization depends on how information is managed. The long term survival of any organization depends on the ability to manage information and knowledge for the efficient communication. People exchange, process and use information through the system of knowledge management (Bakan et al, n. d. ). Organizational structure defines the various divisions within an organization and establishes a system of coordinating the various resources for the achievement of the goals and objectives. Decision making process follows the structure of the organization to ensure all responsible individuals make the appropriate decisions. The managers create a system of collecting information and ideas from all stakeholders during the process of decision making to ensure all parties are included in the decisions of the organization. All the forces to the organization must be considered during the decision making process, that is, environmental forces, technological forces and the strategies being adopted by the organization. The restructuring process must ensure that the managers create systems which make maximum use of the resources available to the organization. The definition of tasks, allocation of different resources and the arrangement of resources as well as tasks should match the structure, goals and objectives of the organization. Organizational structure provides the systems to be followed during division of labor, when delegating authority and responsibilities, when establishing units of command, and the span of control. The structure of the organization defines the strategies to be adopted when delegating authority and responsibilities (Porter, 1985). The use of technology is encouraged in developing organizational structures which match the needs of an organization. The use of information communication technology has increased as the need for efficiency in both private and public corporations intensifies. Technology helps people learn about the use of better knowledge about improving their systems. Good governance in organization requires the establishment of a clear organizational hierarchy to define the roles of each individual involved in the activities of the organization (Wade, 2002). The use of technology has been encouraged by many organizations to adjust the existing structures to fit new strategies that are required for improved performance. When new technologies are adopted, the management must introduce other structures to ensure their implementation takes place efficiently. The people working in an organization need to be educated and persuaded about the new technologies being adopted by the organization to ensure they utilize them for the benefits of all stakeholders (Evan & Black, 1967). The technology must be relevant to the goals and objectives of the organization. The organizational factors must be well studied and analyzed to introduce a better system which is in line with all systems of the organization. Increase in technological innovation has attracted much attention especially due to the existence of scarce resources within the organization. Managers reshuffle the workers in their organization as well as creating other structures to ensure the organization adopts the new technologies being introduced (Rogers, 1995). Saran and Kalliny (2009) are of the opinion that implementing new technologies is complex and involves uncertainty. The uncertainty brings about conflicts between different stakeholders of the organization due to the new structures introduced. The uncertainty may create resistance from the people involved in the activities of the organization. The management must conduct adequate research about the best strategies to implement the technologies to ensure minimum resistance emanates from the individuals working in the organization (Rogers, 1995). However, Gill (2003, pg. 316) identified that many organizations do not conduct adequate research before implementing their new technologies and this has led to â€Å"low success rate, given the importance of the same in a very dynamic and ever changing business environment, where customers not only demand new products and services but also newness in the product offering. † Implementing new technologies requires introducing changes within the structure of the organization and behavior change is essential to ensure all stakeholders readily accept the new ideas. Behavior change is difficult where there is uncertainty about the technologies to be adopted. This may hinder implementation of the innovations. Organizations take a longer period to adapt to new changes compared to individuals. Fariborz (1991) suggested that the revolution in technology being observed today requires organizations to integrate the variables of the organization with implementation strategies. He continued to explain that technologies are the main vehicles of change and that individual, organizational and environmental factors affect the implementation of many technologies and innovations. Accepting change is the basis of introducing new technologies within the organization (Saran & Kalliny, 2009). For an organization to adapt to new technologies there is need to link the organization to the appropriate technologies which match the structures within the system. The innovations and technologies adapt to the organizational and industrial structures with time and the management must be patient enough to allow the new systems become incorporated into the processes of the organization (Van De Ven, 1986). There is a learning process involved in the adoption of new strategies. The old systems must be done away with to ensure the people do not revert to them. The culture of the organization should be adjusted to accommodate the new changes. Changing the culture requires changing the attitudes and values of the people involved in the activities of the organization. Changing the culture is not an easy thing and many people will become opposed to these strategies since there are gains and losses to many people when new systems are introduced. The culture of an organization defines the values, norms, and attitudes that people have. The management must create structures which match the culture of the organization. The culture determines the best strategies to be adopted by the people working in an organization. The managers have a responsibility to establish a culture which suits the needs of the workers and other stakeholders of the organization (Bridges, 1991). The implementation of innovations and technologies requires a process to ensure all the stakeholders respond to the new systems successfully. The process starts from acquiring knowledge about the new systems, forming attitude about it, adopting or rejecting the new decisions, implementing and confirmation. Until the decisions are implemented, all activities prior to this involve mental processes. The installation of the ideas into real sustainable process is the final stage which determines the success of the management to implement its strategies (Pierce and Delbecq, 1977). Corporate restructuring allows the managers bring changes within the organization to accommodate new and better structures which improve the performance of an organization. The need to globalize domestic markets has forced many organizations to adopt better structures to create new market opportunities, overcome threats from organizations and diffuse models of business that relate to globalization. To improve the costs and revenue structures of the organization, managers have developed variety of objectives to ensure all aspects of management are captured (Jones, 2002). Formalization within the organizational structure provides the procedures to be observed when conducting the various activities by the individuals working in the organization. Organizational hierarchy describes the jobs and the amount of freedom provided to the stakeholders of the organization (Cohn & Turyn, 1980). For the effective adoption and implementation of new technologies, the formal structures must be followed when performing duties within the organization. All systems of the organization should be properly coordinated to ensure the implementation of the new ideas is successful (Kim, 1980). Formal procedures are introduced within the organization to reduce stress which may originate from confusion that occurs when systems are not properly coordinated. Formal structures provide the lower level employees of the organization with equal opportunities to avoid discretion in the allocation of duties and rewards. The planning process requires the management to create a properly coordinated system that will bring about successful implementation of new technologies (Zaltman, Duncan & Holbek, 1973). The use of communication is expressed in the organizational hierarchy where formal communication procedures are established. All people must adhere to the communication structures that the management has established for effective operation of activities. The organizational chart provides the flow of authority, information and other resources. The managers restructure the organizational structure as need arises and provide new roles to different individuals. Restructuring the organization requires creating a proper system so that all individuals can adjust accordingly (Bakan et al n. d. ; Porter, 1985). The global recession that affected all global economies in the world forced many organizations to adopt new strategies to improve their performance as well as ensure the corporate survival in the global markets. Many organizations have restructured their systems to adapt to the new changes brought about by the effects of the recession. To reduce the increasing costs of production, managers are adopting a downsizing strategy (Harman, 2009). The reduction in sales volume in the global markets provides managers with the decision to create better systems and structures which improve the image of the organization in the global markets (Dewar and Dutton, 1986). Hitt et al (1994) established that over the last two decades, many organizations have carried out extensive re-structuring process to cope with the changing global markets. The media and communications industry has been characterized by increasing competition in both local and global markets. Organizations need to restructure their activities to accommodate the changes in the global markets. Gregory (1999) provides that â€Å"corporate downsizing has been implemented by a large number of American firms in an effort to become more flexible and responsive to increased competition. † The strategy to down size many organizations have not been responsive to the strategy of reducing the costs of production. The impacts of downsizing upon the employees of these companies have been worse. Cases of stress among the remaining employees have been reported by organizations which have used downsizing as a strategy to restructure their systems. Other negative impacts related to downsizing are reduction in career opportunities and reduction in the loyalty to the company by the employees. The loss of very important employees is another risk associated with downsizing organizations (Hitt et al 1994). Decentralization of authority is an important aspect when implementing better hierarchies which ensure the organization is successful in its efforts to create a better structure. Decentralization allows all members of the organization to participate in the decision making process. Employees are able to translate the decisions made by their managers into specific plans of actions. For effective communication, the management should introduce a decentralized system to ensure all members of the organization contribute towards the activities of the organization. Decentralization ensures that all decisions are implemented successfully by establishing different work centers where different individuals can contribute their ideas. Workers are ready to own decisions when they participate in the decision making as well as implementation process (Jones and Jennifer, 2003). Proper leadership strategies within the organization should be adopted when implementing the new technologies. Leadership refers to the ability of the management to influence the subordinates to contribute willingly to the goals of the organization. The managers should have the skills of influencing others to accept the new structures for the success of the organization. Managing change within the organization requires proper leadership skills so that the managers can influence their followers about developing new behaviors to adapt to the new systems of the organization (Robbins, 1998). To ensure the employees accept the new technologies, the management should ensure the employees are satisfied in the jobs assigned to them. Job satisfaction creates the willingness to perform duties without being forced and motivates the employees to improve their performance (Herzberg, Mausner and Synderman, 1959). Functional differentiation allows the management to introduce better systems within the organization. Kimberly and Evansisko (1981, pg. 693) define functional differentiation as a process â€Å"which represents the extent to which an organization is divided into different units, normally measured by the different number of units under the top management. † The extent to which an organization differentiations its structures determines the success in implementing technologies. The communication process is made efficient by a high differentiation of the processes. The top management has the role of ensuring all employees comply with the established rules for the efficient operation of the differentiated units of the organization (Baldridge and Burnham, 1975). To ensure employees are satisfied by the various duties assigned to them, the management should differentiate the organizations units and allocate jobs according to the skills and experience of the individual employees. The use of technology in different units should ensure that the subordinates are allocated the appropriate units to avoid conflicts (Ahls, 2001). Bibliography Ahls, B. , 2001. Organizational behavior: A model for cultural change. Ind. Manage. , 43: 6-9. Bakan, I. , Tasliyan, M, Buyukbese, T. , Eraslan, I. H & Coskun, M (n. d. ). Organizational communications: the role of information technology (it). Retrieved 5 June 2010 from; Baldridge, J. and R. Burnham, (1975). Organizational innovation: Individual, organizational and environmental impacts. Admin. Sci. Q. , 20: 165-176. Bridges, W. , 1991. Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. 1st Edn. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. , Massachusetts. Cohn, S. F. and R. M. Turyn, (1980). The structure of a firm and the adoption of process innovations. IEEE Trans. Eng. Manage. , 27: 98-102. Dewar, R. D. and J. E. Dutton, (1986). The adoption of radical and incremental innovations: An empirical analysis. Manage. Sci. , 32: 1422-1433. Dubrin, A. J. (1997). Essentials of management, South-Western College Publishing, Ohio. Evan, W. M. and G. Black, (1967). Innovation in business organizations: Some factors associated with success or failure of staff proposals. J. Business, 40: 516-530. Fariborz, D. , (1991). Organizational innovation: A meta-analysis of effects of determinants and moderators. Acad. Manage. J. , 34: 555-590. Gill, R. , (2003). Change management-or change leadership? J. Change Manage. , 3: 307-318. Harman, Chris Zombie (2009). Capitalism: Global Crisis and the Relevance of Marx / London: Bookmarks Publications. ISBN 9781905192533 Herzberg, F. , B. Mausner and B. B. Synderman, (1959). The Motivation to Work. 1st Edn Wiley, New York. Hitt, Michael A. , Barbara W. Keats, Herbert F. Harback, and Robert D. Nixon (1994). Rightsizing: Building and Maintaining Strategic Leadership and Long-Term Competitiveness, Organizational Dynamics, 23:2, 18-32 Gregory, Jannifer (1999). â€Å"Encouraging Organizational Learning Through Pay after a Corporate Downsizing†. M@n@gement, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 163-181. Jones, Marc T. (17 Apr 2002). Globalization and organizational restructuring: A strategic perspective. Thunderbird International Business Review, Volume 44, Issue 3 (p 325-351). Jones, R. G. and M. G. Jennifer, 2003. Contemporary Management. 1st Edn. McGraw-Hill, Irwin, California. Kim, L. , 1980. Organizational innovation and structure. J. Business Res. , 8: 225-245. Kimberly, J. R. and M. J. Evansisko, (1981). Organizational innovation: The influence of individual, organizational and contextual factors on hospital adoption of technological and administrative innovations. Acad. Manage. J. , 24: 689-713. Pierce, J. L. and A. L. Delbecq, (1977). Organization structure individual attitudes and innovation. Acad. Manage. Rev. , 2: 27-37. Porter, M. E. , 1985. Competitive Advantage. 1st Edn. Free Press, New York. Robbins, S. P. , 1998. Organizational Behavior. 1st Edn, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Rogers, E. M. , 1995. Diffusion of Innovations. 3rd Edn. , Free Press, New York. Saran, A. , L. Serviere & M. Kalliny, (2009). Corporate culture, organizational dynamics and

Conditions for Equilibrium - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1790 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/09/16 Category Technology Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? 1. Introduction When we say equilibrium, it is a state of balance. It is a condition where there is no change in the state of motion of a body. Equilibrium also may be at rest or moving within a constant velocity. A simple mechanical body is said to be in equilibrium if no part of it is accelerating, unless it is disturbed by an outside force. Two conditions for equilibrium are that the net force acting on the object is zero, and the net torque acting on the object is zero. Thus, the following objectives were emphasized in this experiment: to determine the equilibrant force using the force table and the component method, to determine the unknown forces using the first condition and second conditions for equilibrium, to locate the centre of gravity of a composite body, and to demonstrate rational equilibrium. 2. Theory Equilibrant is equal in magnitude to the resultant but oppositely directed. The first condition of equilibrium is when a body at rest or moving with uniform velocity has zero acceleration. The center of Gravity is the point where the weight of a body is assumed concentrate. The second condition of equilibrium is satisfied when the sum of all torques acting on an object about any axis equals zero. In activity 1, TA or the tension acting on the string is the weight of the pan A plus the weight added to it and multiplied to 9. 8 m/s2 TB or the tension acting on the string is the weight of the pan B plus the weight added to it and multiplied to 9. 8 m/s2 Experimental Equilibrant is the weight of the pan A plus the weight added to it. Theoretical Equilibrant= % Error = Exp. – Theoretical X 100 Theoretical In activity 2, the equation T1 T2 cos ? = 0 was used. From the equation, was derived to get the value of T2 where, T1 is the reading on the spring scale when the pin is exactly at the middle of the ring ? is the angle of the string makes with the horizontal Experimental Weight = T2 sin ? Theoretical Weight= % Error = Exp. â₠¬â€œ Theoretical X 100 Theoretical In activity 3, to check the results, the actual computation of center of gravity was used. Where XC and YC are the coordinates of the center of gravity of the circle, XS and YS are the coordinates of the center of gravity of the square, and are the coordinates of the center of gravity of the composite figure. In activity 4, the equation was used, where, X1 is the length of the cylinder used X2 is the length of the center of gravity of the cylinder. And X3 is the length of the cylinder minus the 5. 0 cm. 3. Methodology There are 4 different kinds of activity in the experiment to determine the conditions for equilibrium. The materials used were the following: Force table and accessories, force board, cylinder of unknown weight, spring scale, electronic gram balance, card board, aluminum bar, cylinder of unknown weight, and protractor. For activity 1, the group used a force table, its three pans and accessories. The three pans were weighed and l abeled as A, B and C. Pan A was hung at 30 degree mark and a 100g was placed on it whereas on pan B a150 g was placed and was hung at 200 degree mark. The group balanced the two tensions in the strings by placing weight on the pan C or adjusting its position in the force table to obtain the magnitude and position of the equilibrant. The theoretical equilibrant of the two tensions was solved using the component method. The group then computed the % error using the values obtained by the component method as your accepted value for magnitude as well as direction. Figure 1: Set-up for activity 1 For activity 2, a cylinder of unknown weight was suspended on the force board by means of two strings. A spring scale was then attached to one of the strings. One member of the group pulled the string horizontally until the pin was exactly at the middle of the ring. The reading on the spring scale was recorded as T1. Another member of the group measured the angle that the other string makes w ith the horizontal and solved for the tension T2 of the other spring and the weight of a cylinder. Percent error was computed after. For activity 3, the group used a circle of diameter 10cm and a square of side 10 cm from the card board. The circle and the square was weighed and recorded as Wc and Ws. The group determined the center of gravity of the composite figure by using the balancing method and composite method. In balancing method, a pen was placed in the middle of the composite figure wherein the plumb method, the group used a string with a coin at the end then hung it from any point and measured where it intersects on the composite figure. Figure 2: Balancing Method Figure 3: Plumbing Method For activity 4, the group first located the center of gravity of the aluminum bar by balancing it on a pencil. The cylinder used in activity 2 was hung 5. 0 cm from one end of the bar. Using the force board, the aluminum bar was supported by means of a spring scale on the end and a string on the other end until the bar assumes a horizontal position. The group used the second condition for equilibrium to determine the weight of the bar and the tension in the string. Percent error was also computed. Figure 4: Set-up for Activity 4 4. Results and Discussion Activity 1 TensionsMagnitude (N)Position( °) TA1. 310530 ° TB1. 7962200 ° Experimental Equilibrant0. 6241360 ° Theoretical Equilibrant0. 5545356 ° % Error13% Table 1: Results of Activity 1 Table 1 shows the magnitude and the positions of the equilibrants and the tensions acting on the pans. The theoretical equilibrant of the two tensions was solved using the component method. The % error was computed using the values obtained by the component method as the accepted value for magnitude and the direction. Some factors that contributed the 13% error in this activity were the accuracy of the force table and its accessories used. Activity 2 T1 (N)63 N ? ( °)44 ° T2 (N)8. 7 N Experimental Weigh t (N)6 N Theoretical Weight (N)6. 3 N % Error13. 2 % Free Body Diagram of ring Table 2: Results of Activity 2 Table 2 shows the different unknown forces acting on the cylinder using the first condition for equilibrium. Some factors that contributed the 13. 2% error in this activity were the accuracy of the spring scale used and the pulling of the string horizontally. Activity 3 Weight of Square= 8. 36 g Weight of Circle= 6. 94 g MethodCenter of Gravity X coordinateY – coordinate Plumb line Method105. Balancing Method9. 554. 5 Computation9. 545 Table 3: Results of Activity 3 Table 3 shows the x and y coordinates of the center of gravity of the component figure using plumb line method, balancing method and the actual computation. In balancing method, a pen was placed in the middle of the composite figure wherein the plumb method, the group used a string with a coin at the end then hung it from any point and measured where it intersects on the composite figure. The actual compu tation was written in the manual. Activity 4 Reading of Spring Scale (N)5 N Weight of cylinder (N)5. 3238 N Experimental Weight of bar(N)0. 7418 N Theoretical Weight of bar(N)0. 7977 N % Error7 % Free Body Diagram of bar Table 4: Results of Activity 4 Table 4 shows the different unknown forces acting on the bar using the second condition for equilibrium. One factor that contributed the 7% error was due to the person holding the string at one end to make the cylinder bar in horizontal position 5. Conclusion Different activities in this experiment were accomplished to understand more about the conditions for equilibrium. Based from the results obtained by the group in the different activities, the group was able to determine the equilibrant force by using the force table and the component method. The unknown forces using the first and second conditions for equilibrium were determined. Using the square and circle figure, the center of gravity of a composite body was located. Rota tional equilibrium was demonstrated because the sum of all of the torques equals zero 6. Application 1. State the first condition for equilibrium. If a body is in equilibrium, are there no forces acting on it? Equilibrium means the sum of all forces in all directions is equal to zero. It doesn’t mean that there are no forces acting on it. It just means that the forces that are acting on it are equal and opposite. 2. The Russell Traction system is used for a fractured femur. Identify the forces acting on the femur. If the weight hang is 5. 0 kg, find the force needed to immobilize the femur. What will supply this force? 3. What happens to the center of gravity of a person under the following situations? A. ) His upper right extremity is amputated. B. ) He carries all his books using the right arm only. )When ones upper right extremity is amputated, the center of gravity of the person would lean towards the right part of the body since the gravitational force on the remainin g arm will push the center of gravity towards the right. b)When a person carries his books using only his right arm, the pull of gravity on the book would push the center of gravity of the body towards the left. 4. Devise a way by which you could determine your center of gravity. If the object is irregular in shape, the center of mass is always located closer to the more massive end. Use felt pens to outline your partners body on a piece of butcher paper. Determine your partners approximate center of gravity by carefully cutting out the human outline and balancing it on your finger. Mark the center of gravity on your partners body with a piece of tape. Get a six foot piece of butcher paper and tape it to a flat wall. Outline your partners entire body while he is standing evenly on two feet. Mark their approximate center. Another way is to lie horizontally across the arm of a couch. The point where you are balanced is your center of gravity. 5. In general, the women’s cente rs of gravity tend to be lower than men’s. Can you explain why? Women’s centers of gravity tend to be lower than men’s because women have a bigger pelvis area. The skeletal structure of women make it so that their pelvis is bigger, since they will need the extra support come the time that they become pregnant, and their bodies support a baby. This means that the lower body of women is generally heavier in comparison to their whole body, as opposed to the lower body of men. This would make the center of gravity of women slightly lower, because more of their body mass is concentrated at the lower portion of their body. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Conditions for Equilibrium" essay for you Create order