World War II Turning Points in the Pacific

World War II Turning Points in the Pacific Following the attack on Pearl Harbor and other Allied possessions around the Pacific, Japan swiftly moved to expand its empire. In Malaya, Japanese forces under General Tomoyuki Yamashita executed a lightning campaign down the peninsula, forcing superior British forces to retreat to Singapore. Landing on the island on February 8, 1942, Japanese troops compelled General Arthur Percival to surrender six days later. With the fall of Singapore, 80,000 British and Indian troops were captured, joining the 50,000 taken earlier in the campaign (Map). In the Netherlands East Indies, Allied naval forces attempted make a stand at the Battle of the Java Sea on February 27. In the main battle and in actions over the next two days, the Allies lost five cruisers and five destroyers, effectively ending their naval presence in the region. Following the victory, Japanese forces occupied the islands, seizing their rich supplies of oil and rubber (Map). Invasion of the Philippines To the north, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, the Japanese, who had landed in December 1941, drove US and Filipino forces, under General Douglas MacArthur, back to the Bataan Peninsula and captured Manila. In early January, the Japanese began attacking the Allied line across Bataan. Though stubbornly defending the peninsula and inflicting heavy casualties, US and Filipino forces were slowly pushed back and supplies and ammunition began to dwindle (Map). Battle of Bataan With the US position in the Pacific crumbling, President Franklin Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to leave his headquarters on the fortress island of Corregidor and relocate to Australia. Departing on March 12, MacArthur turned over command of the Philippines to General Jonathan Wainwright. Arriving in Australia, MacArthur made a famous radio broadcast to the people of the Philippines in which he promised I Shall Return. On April 3, the Japanese launched a major offensive against the Allied lines on Bataan. Trapped and with his lines shattered, Major General Edward P. King surrendered his remaining 75,000 men to the Japanese on April 9. These prisoners endured the Bataan Death March which saw approximately 20,000 die (or in some cases escape) en route to POW camps elsewhere on Luzon. Fall of the Philippines With Bataan secure, the Japanese commander, Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma, focused his attention on the remaining US forces on Corregidor. A small fortress island in Manila Bay, Corregidor served as the Allied headquarters in the Philippines. Japanese troops landed on the island on the night of May 5/6 and met fierce resistance. Establishing a beachhead, they were quickly reinforced and pushed the American defenders back. Later that day Wainwright asked Homma for terms and by May 8 the surrender of the Philippines was complete. Though a defeat, the valiant defense of Bataan and Corregidor bought valuable time for Allied forces in the Pacific to regroup. Bombers from Shangri-La In an effort to boost public morale, Roosevelt authorized a daring raid on the home islands of Japan. Conceived by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle and Navy Captain Francis Low, the plan called for the raiders to fly B-25 Mitchell medium bombers from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8), bomb their targets, and then continue on to friendly bases in China. Unfortunately on April 18, 1942, Hornet was sighted by a Japanese picket boat, forcing Doolittle to launch 170 miles from the intended take-off point. As a result, the planes lacked the fuel to reach their bases in China, forcing the crews to bail out or crash their aircraft. While the damage inflicted was minimal, the raid achieved the desired morale boost. Also, it stunned the Japanese, who had believed the home islands to be invulnerable to attack. As a result, several fighter units were recalled for defensive use, preventing them from fighting at the front. When asked where the bombers took off from, Roosevelt stated that They came from our secret base at Shangri-La. The Battle of the Coral Sea With the Philippines secured, the Japanese sought to complete their conquest of New Guinea by capturing Port Moresby. In doing so they hoped to bring the US Pacific Fleets aircraft carriers into battle so that they could be destroyed. Alerted to the impending threat by decoded Japanese radio intercepts, the Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester Nimitz, dispatched the carriers USS Yorktown (CV-5) and USS Lexington (CV-2) to the Coral Sea to intercept the invasion force. Led by Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, this force was soon to encounter Admiral Takeo Takagis covering force consisting of the carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku, as well as the light carrier Shoho (Map). On May 4, Yorktown launched three strikes against the Japanese seaplane base at Tulagi, crippling its reconnaissance capabilities and sinking a destroyer. Two days later, land-based B-17 bombers spotted and unsuccessfully attacked the Japanese invasion fleet. Later that day, both carrier forces began actively searching for each other. On May 7, both fleets launched all of their aircraft, and succeeded in finding and attacking secondary units of the enemy. The Japanese heavily damaged the oiler Neosho and sunk the destroyer USS Sims. American aircraft located and sunk Shoho. Fighting resumed on May 8, with both fleets launching massive strikes against the other. Dropping out of the sky, US pilots hit Shokaku with three bombs, setting it on fire and putting it out of action. Meanwhile, the Japanese attacked Lexington, hitting it with bombs and torpedoes. Though stricken, Lexingtons crew had the ship stabilized until fire reached an aviation fuel storage area causing a massive explosion. The ship was soon abandoned and sunk to prevent capture. Yorktown was also damaged in the attack. With Shoho sunk and Shokaku badly damaged, Takagi decided to retreat, ending the threat of invasion. A strategic victory for the Allies, the Battle of the Coral Sea was the first naval battle fought entirely with aircraft. Yamamotos Plan Following the Battle of Coral Sea, the commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, devised a plan to draw the remaining ships of the US Pacific Fleet into a battle where they could be destroyed. To do this, he planned to invade the island of Midway, 1,300 miles northwest of Hawaii. Critical to Pearl Harbors defense, Yamamoto knew the Americans would send their remaining carriers to protect the island. Believing the US to only have two carriers operational, he sailed with four, plus a large fleet of battleships and cruisers. Through the efforts of US Navy cryptanalysts, who had broken the Japanese JN-25 naval code, Nimitz was aware of the Japanese plan and dispatched the carriers USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Hornet, under Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance, as well as the hastily repaired Yorktown, under Fletcher, to the waters north of Midway to intercept the Japanese. The Tide Turns: The Battle of Midway At 4:30 AM on June 4, the commander of the Japanese carrier force, Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, launched a series of strikes against Midway Island. Overwhelming the islands small air force, the Japanese pounded the American base. While returning to the carriers, Nagumos pilots recommended a second strike on the island. This prompted Nagumo to order his reserve aircraft, which had been armed with torpedoes, to be rearmed with bombs. As this process was underway, one of his scout planes reported locating the US carriers. Hearing this, Nagumo reversed his rearmament command in order to attack the ships. As the torpedoes were being put back on Nagumos aircraft, American planes appeared over his fleet. Using reports from their own scout planes, Fletcher and Spruance began launching aircraft around 7:00 AM. The first squadrons to reach the Japanese were the TBD Devastator torpedo bombers from Hornet and Enterprise. Attacking at low level, they did not score a hit and suffered heavy casualties. Though unsuccessful, the torpedo planes pulled down the Japanese fighter cover, which cleared the way for the American SBD Dauntless dive bombers. Striking at 10:22, they scored multiple hits, sinking the carriers Akagi, Soryu, and Kaga. In response, the remaining Japanese carrier, Hiryu, launched a counterstrike that twice disabled Yorktown. That afternoon, US dive bombers returned and sunk Hiryu to seal the victory. His carriers lost, Yamamoto abandoned the operation. Disabled, Yorktown was taken under tow, but was sunk by the submarine I-168 en route to Pearl Harbor. To the Solomons With the Japanese thrust in the central Pacific blocked, the Allies devised a plan to prevent the enemy from occupying the southern Solomon Islands and using them as bases for attacking Allied supply lines to Australia. To accomplish this goal, it was decided to land on the small islands of Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tamambogo, as well as on Guadalcanal where the Japanese were building an airfield. Securing these islands would also be the first step towards isolating the main Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain. The task of securing the islands largely fell to the 1st Marine Division led by Major General Alexander A. Vandegrift. The Marines would be supported at sea by a task force centered on the carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3), led by Fletcher, and an amphibious transport force commanded by Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner. Landing at Guadalcanal On August 7, the Marines landed on all four islands. They met fierce resistance on Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tamambogo, but were able to overwhelm the 886 defenders who fought to the last man. On Guadalcanal, the landings went largely unopposed with 11,000 Marines coming ashore. Pressing inland, they secured the airfield the next day, renaming it Henderson Field. On August 7 and 8, Japanese aircraft from Rabaul attacked the landing operations (Map). These attacks were beaten off by aircraft from Saratoga. Due to low fuel and concerned about further loss of aircraft, Fletcher decided to withdraw his task force on the night of the 8th. With his air cover removed, Turner had no choice but follow, despite the fact that less than half of the Marines equipment and supplies had been landed. That night the situation worsened when Japanese surface forces defeated and sank four Allied (3 US, 1 Australian) cruisers at the Battle of Savo Island. The Fight for Guadalcanal After consolidating their position, the Marines completed Henderson Field and established a defensive perimeter around their beachhead. On August 20, the first aircraft arrived flying in from the escort carrier USS Long Island. Dubbed the Cactus Air Force, the aircraft at Henderson would prove vital in the coming campaign. In Rabaul, Lieutenant General Harukichi Hyakutake was tasked with retaking the island from the Americans and Japanese ground forces were routed to Guadalcanal, with Major General Kiyotake Kawaguchi taking command at the front. Soon the Japanese were launching probing attacks against the Marines lines. With the Japanese bringing reinforcements to the area, the two fleets met at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on August 24-25. An American victory, the Japanese lost the light carrier Ryujo and were unable to bring their transports to Guadalcanal. On Guadalcanal, Vandegrifts Marines worked on strengthening their defenses and benefited from the arrival of additional supplies. Overhead, the aircraft of the Cactus Air Force flew daily to defend the field from Japanese bombers. Prevented from bringing transports to Guadalcanal, the Japanese began delivering troops at night using destroyers. Dubbed the Tokyo Express, this approach worked, but deprived the soldiers of all their heavy equipment. Beginning on September 7, the Japanese began attacking the Marines position in earnest. Ravaged by disease and hunger, the Marines heroically repulsed every Japanese assault. Fighting Continues Reinforced in mid-September, Vandegrift expanded and completed his defenses. Over the next several weeks, the Japanese and Marines battled back and forth, with neither side gaining an advantage. On the night of October 11/12, US ships under, Rear Admiral Norman Scott defeated the Japanese in the Battle of Cape Esperance, sinking a cruiser and three destroyers. The fighting covered the landing of US Army troops on the island and prevented reinforcements from reaching the Japanese. Two nights later, the Japanese dispatched a squadron centered on the battleships Kongo and Haruna, to cover transports heading to Guadalcanal and to bombard Henderson Field. Opening fire at 1:33 AM, the battleships struck the airfield for nearly an hour and half, destroying 48 aircraft and killing 41. On the 15th, the Cactus Air Force attacked the Japanese convoy as it unloaded, sinking three cargo ships. Guadalcanal Secured Beginning on October 23, Kawaguchi launched a major offensive against Henderson Field from the south. Two nights later, they nearly broke through Marines line, but were repulsed by Allied reserves. As the fighting was raging around Henderson Field, the fleets collided at the Battle of Santa Cruz on October 25-27. Though a tactical victory for the Japanese, having sunk Hornet, they suffered high losses among their air crews and were forced to retreat. The tide on Guadalcanal finally turned in the Allies favor following the naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 12-15. In a series of aerial and naval engagements, US forces sank two battleships, a cruiser, three destroyers, and eleven transports in exchange for two cruisers and seven destroyers. The battle gave the Allies naval superiority in the waters around Guadalcanal, allowing for massive reinforcements to land and the beginning of offensive operations. In December, the battered 1st Marine Division was withdrawn and replaced by XIV Corps. Attacking the Japanese on January 10, 1943, XIV Corps forced the enemy to evacuate the island by February 8. The six month campaign to take the island was one of the longest of the Pacific war and was the first step in pushing back the Japanese.

Political Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Political Theories - Essay Example Every society is made up of groups of individuals that have certain hopes and aspirations; every state is made of people that want to find a way to find solutions for their growing needs and desires to achieve things and make a living for themselves as well as to support their families. This however sometimes is at the cost of others and thus a proper political, social as well as economic structure needs to be set in place in order to avoid conflicts among people. A certain amount of competition and conflict is allowed because it only helps to push the psychology of a human being and help him find unique ways to do things in a better manner; however, if stretched, this can lead to the existence of a majority group that begins to gain all the benefits of resources and services. Individuals often know what is best for them and thus they come together in order to make decisions which they feel would be fit for everyone else. They think for others and often try to come up with ideas that would suit the lifestyle of most people within that particular society. This refers to rule or policy formulation on a political basis and gaining power for a purpose; in order to serve the needs of the people. However, this power sometimes may not be distributed in an even manner; causing problems within that society and having a certain section impose its influence upon the others because of the excess of power. Since the inception of the idea of democracy within a state, various theories have been developed in order to find out the best possible manner in which democracy is to be executed among the people. Some societies try their best to establish a clean political scenario within which people can live peacefully with each other, sharing resources and producing goods and s ervices in a very harmonised manner. However, within some societies, this distribution may become haywire and concentrated within the hands of a few individuals. This obviously might not be good for the general benefit of the entire state, however might help a few individuals gain a lot, thus leading to an overall growth in the entire income structure of the state. The economy is thus divided on the basis of both sociological as well as political perspectives in order to counter these issues and move towards prosperity. Political life can be measured through sociological variables and this helps to understand the class model of the society very easily. There have been a number of philosophers and thinkers who have been able to base their theories on class and model structures within a political economy. Nonetheless, the Marxian philosophy or theory of class structure of state has had the greatest impact on political sociology and his most dynamic work may be found in economics. Ever y political system is made up of individuals who react to their sociological surroundings and determine the political life. In the present day, three theories have been used greatly – the Marxist, Pluralist and the Elitist theories that deal with different (as well as similar) ideas of democracy. This paper helps to analyse the similarities as well as the differences among these three ideas, as well as the path that led up to their establishment in the modern day and age. It also aims to focus on the political system that prevails in the United Kingdom and the course that the same took over time in order to become what it is today. According to Karl Marx, people entered into social relationships with one another; their conduct was largely determined by the way they behaved around each other as well as the reactions to the actions of other people in their surroundings. People moulded their beliefs and ideas according to the needs and wants of the people within their external e nvironment and thus the political system was loosely based on the economic scenario of demand and supply. Marx’s theory talked considerably about competition and conflict that was created due to economic production; he said that men and women could only be free within a society

The Effects of Pain-Relief Methods on Low-Risk Childbearing Women Thesis

The Effects of Pain-Relief Methods on Low-Risk Childbearing Women Delivered by Midwives - Thesis Example It is a well-known framework in the practice of midwifery that normal processes of pregnancy and birth can be facilitated through education, health care, and supportive information. These would involve both the clients and their families and would need physical care, emotional and social support, and involvement of family members taking into account the cultural values and personal preferences regarding health care (Begley, 2002, 310-317). Therefore, not only continuity of competent clinical management and care, but also there are important components of holistic care of the individual and promotion of health education. Since midwifery is all about empowering the women to join in the decision-making process and urging her to speak for herself, the patients' experiences are important in building a theory about a particular health condition. Pregnancy is a natural phenomenon while its management is not. Care of the mothers during the intrapartum period is crucial since this takes care of the mother and the baby at the same time. Immense development in the healthcare front and its related knowledge has changed the scenario in maternity and child health in the developed world (Eberhardie, 1998, 149-152), where evidence-based regulations and guidelines work in the hospital setting as well as in the community to serve the pregnant laboring mothers with the best possible care, even though it is delivered by the midwives. On the contrary, in the undeveloped and underdeveloped world, the picture is different, due to many reasons. The state and government and politics play a large role in policy making, and there is a diminished priority to such issues (Carr, 2003, 393-397). Developing care is a derivative of the education and knowledge of the midwives who offer care, whether it is in the hospital or in the community. If state nursing and midwifery education system is not modernized, there is a high chance that despite a good intent, the care by the midwives would be aff ected, and ultimately, the standard of care and satisfaction with care would be reflected through the perceptions of the patients. Latendresse et al. (2005) speculate that the quality of midwifery care contributes to shorter and easier labor, which may, in turn, reduce the risk of complications (Latendresse et al., 2005, 386-391). This practice could have an advantage not only by reducing maternal mortality and morbidity but also in terms of value for money which is a critical factor for all countries (Bernis et al., 2003, 39-57). Whatever may be the country of the mother, any mother passes through latent, active, and transitional phases of the different stages of labor, and these psychological changes have the great impact on the laboring mother, and these usually intensify as the labor progresses. These comprise a means of evaluation of a woman's progress in labor and how she is coping with the demands being placed upon her by labor and the environment within which she is laboring.

Strategic Position Of The Google Corporation Commerce Essay

Strategic Position Of The Google Corporation Commerce Essay This individual case study analyzes the strategic position of the Google corporation in its market and references some of the competitive forces as described by Michael Porter (1980). The analyses will also include some of the axioms from Sun Tzu and the art of business by Mark McNeilly (1996). Bernard Girards book on The Google Way (2009) was used primarily for this case study. Investor relation websites along with internet articles supplemented the review of Google and to present financial numbers for market comparison. Google is arguably one of the most innovative and interesting companies today in their industry. Their beginning can be seen as the classic Silicon Valley company formation. Two friends from Stanford University, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, had a vision to make an impact on the information technology industry. To be more specific their mission was to organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful  [1]  (Girard, 2009). But Google is anything but the typical company in reference to their strategies for going public and how the organization operates. The mid to late 1990s the computing technology world was racing towards advancements and the founders of Google took advantage of this. Prior to this date, computer technology was more expensive for less in relation to storage, components, processing, and performance. Computers and the internet were still limited to a narrow group of people which included universities, government and researchers, along with only a small population fortunate enough to afford this technology. The mid 1990s experienced more rapid advancement in information technology including the World Wide Web, faster processors, upgraded memory, accelerated graphics cards, more storage, and user friendly operating systems (Windows). That affect made personal computing a household name. A large factor in this was price per technology. As Bernard Girard (2009) points out, Asia was emerging as technology manufacturers at the same time advancements in computer components were maturing, yielding lower prices for computing technology. The phenomenon allowed the Google founders to capitalize on the market conditions which were favorable to them as it applied to building the computing power they needed to accomplish what they set out to achieve. Not only were they becoming the new entrant  [2]  into the information technology industry, but the competitive force principle that Michael Porter (1980) describes that gave Google favor in the market from their start was the bargaining power of suppliers  [3]  (Porter, 1980). To create their massive database and sophisticated algorithms based on artificial intelligence (AI), they would need talented programming people as well as the highest technological computer components which there were plenty of, limiting the bargaining power of the suppliers. There was also no shortage of venture capitalists at that time willing to invest in the next Silicon Valley start up. According to Entreprenuer.com in a 2007 study of the top one hundred venture capital firms in the United States, found that approximately half of them were located in California (Girard, 2009). This made it easier for Google to obtain the capital necessary for their ideas from the financial perspective. Public Offering When it came time to open Google up to Wall Street in 2004, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin along with new their new partner Eric Schmidt made a tactical move to improve their companys position  [4]  at its initial public offering (IPO). Analyzing the methods of an IPO, they decided to use the OpenIPO in lieu of the standard public offering. As Girard (2009) explains, the OpenIPO resembles the Dutch auction where the seller sets a bid price and the number of shares, and allows the investors to bid what they think is the fair price. In the end, all winning bids will pay the exact same price regardless if some of the bids were higher, which is in contrast of the typical Wall Street IPO which allows investment bankers to manipulate the system in their favor. The OpenIPO strategy gave Google the credibility, confidence, and favorable public opinion from the start. Market and Financial Position Google was not formed yet when the World Wide Web took off in the mid 1990s. The internet search market was shared by Magellan, InfoSeek, AltaVista, Yahoo, Inktomi and Northern Light (Web Search Engine, n.d.). Although Google formed in 1998, its search engine (and main component) started to gain market share in the year 2000  [5]  through its unique technology and basic home page design. In 2002 Google was ahead of both Yahoo and MSN by a half of a percent to a percent in the market (29.2%6). By May 2003, Google had fifty-five percent (55.2%  [6]  ) of the global search engine market share with Yahoo at a distance second (21.7%6). As recent as March 2011, Googles claim on the search engine market is nearly two-thirds even though Microsoft has been gaining as of lately mostly due to its Bing search engine and Yahoo which is included in the Microsoft statistics from their partnering (Parr, 2011). Googles financial position is very strong. In terms of revenue, the company grew from eighty-six million in 2001 to over twenty-nine billion dollars reported (unaudited) in 2010  [7]  (Google investor relations, n.d.). Google has managed to increase their revenues every year within that time and the majority of that comes through advertising. For example in 2010, twenty-eight of the twenty-nine billion dollars were logged in under total advertising revenues7. Many dot com (.com) companies did not last in the market and faded after the early 2000s, and if they did, struggled thereafter. Google however has proven to be a profitable company. In 2001 their net income was just under seven million dollars while earning four cents per share outstanding  [8]  (Google investor relations, n.d.). They have since grown to a net income of eight and a half billion dollars and impressive earnings per share of twenty-six dollars8 (Google investor relations, n.d.). Though competition in the technology world is fierce, Googles financial figures still far outweigh its two closest competitors in the information technology web services industry, Yahoo and Chinas Baidu. To date Googles total revenues are greater than Yahoo and Baidu by twenty-three and twenty-eight billion dollars respectively  [9]  . Research and Development A large factor in the success of Google comes from its commitment to research and development. Google spent over three billion dollars ($3.7 bil) towards research and development8 (Google investor relations, n.d.) . Compare that to Yahoo, according to their investor relations site, who report just over a billion dollars in 2010 for product development (up from only two hundred million in 2009), and Baidu who only allocated just over seven hundred million towards research and development9. One of Googles policies in human resource management is not only to acquire who they think is of great innovative talent, but to allow them some space to be creative. This is what is known as the twenty percent rule (Girard, 2009). Google is so committed to research that they allow their people to have twenty percent of their time to work on research and not be devoted full time on specific projects. This is not a typical policy in most organizations. The Sun Tzu and the art of business axiom that applies to Googles theory towards innovation is Deception and Foreknowledge, Maximizing the Power of Market Information.  [10]  (McNeilly, 1996). The principle refers to staying connected to what your competition is involved in to be able to better respond to what your market is dictating at the time. If ignorant of the conditions of mountains, forests, dangerous defiles, swamps and marshes he cannot conduct the march of an army.  [11]  (McNeilly, 1996) This is especially important in information technology because it is more dynamic than most other industries. As Bernard Girard (2009) points out what sets Google apart from the typical company when it comes to the attitude towards development, is that it stays connected to the world around them for ideas that can be placed into motion. One of the policies pertaining to this is the building of networks in their Silicon Valley area to listen to what other companies are doing and what may be the next start up new entrant on the horizon (Girard, 2009). They also encourage their employees to stay connected to their alma maters and other university students to stay in touch on new ideas in the market. Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Google is a large corporation whose strength relies on its current technology and innovation. They have dynamic leadership in founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who have the vision and the means to put it forward as they have demonstrated from its inception in 1998. An obvious strength is their current financial position. They are in good position monetarily to invest in new technologies and combat legalities and new services. As stated in the previous section, most of their revenues are generated through advertising. What set Google apart from the competition when it launched its search engine was the model they incorporated. It is known as the cost-per-click strategy which was a system that allowed advertisers to pay what they thought their ads were worth which mathematically was translated in search rankings (Girard, 2009). Google gave advertisers a visual way of tracking the effectiveness of their marketing dollars. This was a breakthrough because before Googles method, it was difficult for companies to track their marketing efforts whether it was on the web, or even in other media outlets such as print and television. In an indirect way, Google became a substitute product or service  [12]  , referring to Porters force driving industry competition, in relation to advertising venues besides the internet. Google offered companies a more fair way to judge what they thought they should price their advertisements as well as the ability to view their effectiveness. For marketers, this information can be priceless and a better opportunity than blind ads. Another one of Googles strength is its algorithm that runs its page ranking search engine. It is different from the typical methods of other engines because its objective is to rank pages not only by its word content but also uses artificial intelligence for relevance. Their search engine algorithm approach can be viewed as avoiding strength and attacking weakness  [13]  . Instead of following methods and theories of the status quo web engines, they developed a unique system that has revolutionized internet searching today. Weakness It is hard to fathom weakness in a company of this magnitude, but no organization is without them. The obvious is the possible loss of key members which can include anyone from the executive management team to its software engineers. The information technology market is very competitive because it relies heavily on scientific and mathematical talent that is not easy to come by if you measure it against all disciplines overall. Key production employees may opt to leave to other organizations for better offers or start up their own technology company. Googles enormous growth could possibly be a weakness. With that in mind other companies that are competing to regain a part of that large share that Google currently owns. An example is Microsofts Bing Maps feature birdseye view which is direct competition with Google Earth for usage as it refers to the threat of new products and services from competitors. They will also have to combat new companies that will enter the information technology arena looking to capitalize on the rewards Google has discovered. One such company that has developed a new computational knowledge search based on natural language and new algorithms is Wolfram|Alpha, the very company that produced the software Mathematica (About Wolfram|Alpha, 2011). Such a company could prove to be the direct competition for Googles search engine market because of its ability to match the sophistication of the algorithms that drive both organizations search engines. Technological Position Google puts stock in innovation. As mentioned, they encourage collaboration and creativity. This is evident from the technology they are able to house. According to author Bernard Girard (2009), Googles data house, which is built on a very powerful software platform, may consist of approximately four hundred and fifty thousand (450,000) microcomputers. There in house intranet known as Moma, is extremely powerful and acts as their enterprise wide application which reveals numerous statistics about their operations as well as an open view of all of their research and development. Googles technological arsenal is stocked well enough to compete against rival companies. Advancements and Emerging Markets Some of Googles advancements in the market include their web browser Chrome, which is one of the fastest, the popular Android mobile operating system, and their Gmail service. The Gmail service has emerged as of the more popular email systems today that offer an extraordinary amount of free space. They accomplished this through by leveraging their cloud technology which is also emerging today. They also plan to offer almost all personal and workstation computing applications through the cloud technology which would directly compete against Microsoft. One example is the current research and development of the Google Chrome OS (operating system) which is intended to run exclusively on computers specifically manufactured from Googles partners (Google Chrome OS, n.d.). Google has even partnered with the company GeoEye to launch a satellite for higher quality imagery for their Google Earth service in 2008 (Google. n.d.). They have also entered the renewable-energy market with their subsidiary, Google Energy, and invested in a wind project in the state of North Dakota (Google. n.d.). Another market that Google is experimenting with advantageously is the broadband service. They have an agreement to install the Google fiber optic system which will offer broadband at ultra high speeds upward towards one hundred times faster than normal broadband according to Google. They are also beta testing a free home wireless service under the name Google TiSP. International Policy One of the negatives that always need to be dealt with in reference to large corporations is its position in the international community. Antitrust laws can be used to limit the power one company may have. Googles already has had a negative experience abroad in relation to China. According to contributor Steven Levy (2011), Google had a rough relationship with China due to the countrys censorship policies which were contrary to Googles views and style. Googles service was also different over there because it had to adapt to the possibility of turning over data to the Chinese government, something they wanted to avoid. As Levy (2011) explains it got so bad that even Googles policy for their employees to take twenty percent of their time towards independent ventures was not well received in Chinas culture. This is an example of not only are there different and possible unique laws a corporation may have to abide by, but also a different lifestyle and culture may hinder how a company ma y run its operations. Evaluation Answering the question about how Google can improve market share is a difficult one. Google is basically competing against itself in its own industry. This is why they expand in all directions to gain share and enter other markets. Their market share can improve greatly with the success of their ultra high speed broadband service experiment. Ultra high speed connection for everyone, even in outlying rural areas is the future. Google has the technology, resources and ability to deliver this. Another possible market Google would have the capability to enter is the smart appliance industry. This emerging technology uses programmable features in appliances that would allow control for household energy usage. The industry is still new, but a company such as Google could make an impact because of its software programming talent, internet dominance, and its new broadband technology. Googles management is very progressive. According to Girard (2009) they took liberties to install a collaborative environment to be able to connect its employees to each other as well as to the outside world (universities, other companies) to better react to the changes in demand from customers and emerging technologies. For example users were becoming more frustrated with internet explorer in the late 1990 and early 2000s. Google responded with the Chrome web browser to take market share. When email services were cheap on storage, they answered with Gmail. Now the public has been demanding more speed for the rich applications across the internet and Google is responding with an ultra high speed service. A couple of laws that Google needs to stay on top of are privacy laws and antitrust laws. One law in particular, The Patriot Act, may impact Google in a negative way because there are laws that all companies have to abide by, which may mean handing over of information when requested. This could have effect on usage and market share due to how the public may perceive the giant corporation. Antitrust laws can affect Google because of its growth and size. Google has a history of buying companies to acquire different technologies which included KeyHole, DoubleClick, Aardvark, and YouTube to name a few (Google. n.d.). Laws that prohibit monopolies may impede Googles quest to grow further in certain markets. Conclusion One would have to ask the question, will Google be able to sustain its own growth? Information technology is a broad field that covers many aspects of the industry. Googles corporate strategy judging by the amount of services it offers and the ones it is trying to breakthrough makes it an aggressive company that likes to stay on top of innovation and market share. Growing too fast can be an achilles heel at some point, because a company can end up spreading itself too far while ignoring advancements and changes it might need for its main services.

Technology and Education Essay -- Teaching Education Essays

Technology and Education The use of technology in schools has a great effect on not only students, but teachers as well. Today, we mostly think of technology as computers, but it is much more than that. In fact, one of the first technologies used in the classroom was the chalkboard. Most students today use technology throughout their school day. Uses for technology can be found for every subject matter a student has. Some of the most widely used tools are found in the English and Language Arts classes. Writing on word processors allows students to cut-and-paste, save their work, and use spell checkers and thesauruses. With technology students are also given advantages in learning how to read. Reading programs use drill-and-practice techniques to help with reinforcing young students’ reading skills. Technology is also used in science education. Scientific hardware such as handheld computers, thermometers, and sensors allow for out of class experimentation. Students are now able to telecollaborate with other students, and scientists, from places all around the world. This communication with others allows for the understanding of experiments. Social studies education also includes the use of technology. Databases are used to organize information, which if done by hand could take hours longer to accomplish. Online archives and simulations [1] are also used. One of my favorite technologies used in the social studies field is the ability for students to go on virtual fieldtrips. According to Ryan and Cooper (2004), these â€Å"provide a wealth of opportunities to extend learning† (p. 192). Mathematics education also uses technology to aid students. Tutorial software can provide instruction to stude... ...in the classroom. (p. 1) This five-phase study [2] concluded with the results supporting Grimes’ and Smith’s (2004) â€Å"supposition that dollars spent on technology professional development increased a teacher’s integration of technology into the classroom† (p. 5). There are so many aspects of technology that positively affect students, teachers, and the educational system. I can’t imagine my life without my own personal uses of technology. I check my email regularly, use my graphing calculator in math class, search the World Wide Web for information, and I’m using a word processor right now. I am going to school to become an elementary school teacher and I am excited to be able to use these sources of technology to help teach my students. I’m sure by the time that I am a teacher, my students will be teaching me a thing or two about computers and technology. Technology and Education Essay -- Teaching Education Essays Technology and Education The use of technology in schools has a great effect on not only students, but teachers as well. Today, we mostly think of technology as computers, but it is much more than that. In fact, one of the first technologies used in the classroom was the chalkboard. Most students today use technology throughout their school day. Uses for technology can be found for every subject matter a student has. Some of the most widely used tools are found in the English and Language Arts classes. Writing on word processors allows students to cut-and-paste, save their work, and use spell checkers and thesauruses. With technology students are also given advantages in learning how to read. Reading programs use drill-and-practice techniques to help with reinforcing young students’ reading skills. Technology is also used in science education. Scientific hardware such as handheld computers, thermometers, and sensors allow for out of class experimentation. Students are now able to telecollaborate with other students, and scientists, from places all around the world. This communication with others allows for the understanding of experiments. Social studies education also includes the use of technology. Databases are used to organize information, which if done by hand could take hours longer to accomplish. Online archives and simulations [1] are also used. One of my favorite technologies used in the social studies field is the ability for students to go on virtual fieldtrips. According to Ryan and Cooper (2004), these â€Å"provide a wealth of opportunities to extend learning† (p. 192). Mathematics education also uses technology to aid students. Tutorial software can provide instruction to stude... ...in the classroom. (p. 1) This five-phase study [2] concluded with the results supporting Grimes’ and Smith’s (2004) â€Å"supposition that dollars spent on technology professional development increased a teacher’s integration of technology into the classroom† (p. 5). There are so many aspects of technology that positively affect students, teachers, and the educational system. I can’t imagine my life without my own personal uses of technology. I check my email regularly, use my graphing calculator in math class, search the World Wide Web for information, and I’m using a word processor right now. I am going to school to become an elementary school teacher and I am excited to be able to use these sources of technology to help teach my students. I’m sure by the time that I am a teacher, my students will be teaching me a thing or two about computers and technology.

Animal Research as an Integral Part of Society

As Doctor Zola-Morgan stated in a speech to animal right activists, â€Å"I†ve seen the impact of the animal rights movement. I believe this is an attack on science of the worst kind. If we allow it to prevail it will take us back to the dark ages.† Too much of the public has come to think of medical researchers as â€Å"tormenters rather than healers.† The good is overlooked and the bad is exploited. Although many people think that animal research is morally wrong, animal research should continue because it is critical to continued progress in human health and alternatives to research animals are not available. Animal rights activists feel that animal research is immoral. They do not see where we as human beings see or feel that we are the dominant species. They often assert that research with animals causes severe pain and that many research animals are abused. The activists do not feel the need to put the animals through such pain. Many of the experiments are replicated also which causes an unneeded demand for animals to perform experiments. Experiments which have already been proven are still being experimented with. However, animal research is an integral part of today†s society when thinking of how much progress we have gained in human health with the use of animal experimentation. To date some forty-one Nobel prizes have been awarded to scientists whose achievements depended on laboratory animals. Vaccines against polio, diphtheria, mumps, measles, rubella, and smallpox would not have been possible without such experiments. There also would not be such important techniques such as open heart surgery, brain surgery, coronary bypass, microsurgery to re-attached limbs, organ transplants, and correction of congenital heart defects. The list goes on about the medical advances that required animal research. Insulin to control diabetes and medications important in the management of asthma, epilepsy, arthritis, ulcers, and hypertensions are a few more to add to the list. To take animal research away would also be to halt our society†s advancement of more procedures and more medicines to enhanc he better living of humans. In addition, there are no alternatives to animal experimentation that can give the same results that it can. In certain research investigations, cell, tissue, organ cultures, and computer models can be used at least in the preliminary phases of the investigation. However, in many experimental situations, culture techniques and computer models do not capture the â€Å"physiological complexity† of the whole animal. Some examples of where animals are necessary in research include the development of a vaccine against HIV and improvement of methods to relieve mental stress and anxiety. These challenges can only be addressed by research with animals. Computer models and cultures cannot get the whole body effect of an experiment. Humans are the only alternatives to animals for this and when faced with this alternative, most people prefer the use on animals as the research model. Animal research is necessary to maintain our society†s well being. Many people think it is morally wrong but when the advantages are considered with the disadvantages, the good outweighs the bad. Animal Research is necessary to continued progress in human health. If other methods were available they would be given a fair chance but for now only animal experimentation works best. If all of the advances in human health were taken away our society would still be in a primitive age. Animal research has taken us out of that age.

Prostitution Should Be Decriminalized and Legalized

Prostitution is typically described as the particular behavior of trading sexual relations for financial profit. People who perform such activities are called prostitutes. Prostitution is one of the most controversial subjects in the United States. In addition, it has caused controversy cross-culturally and historically, which has many individuals reexamining the logistics of it. As a matter of fact, prostitution is normally seen as the wrong way to earn a living, dishonorable and disgrace for a person who has lead to many health problems, and social issues being faced by women. Prostitutes may be of either sex, but throughout history the majority has been women, who have usually entered prostitution through force or under economic stress. Prostitution is the worlds oldest profession and it has been deemed socially immoral and unacceptable due to predispose or religiously beliefs and cultural reasons. In the 21st century many countries have adopted changes to either curb or legalize prostitution. Whilst it is deemed morally or religiously wrong to support the trade, it is also impossible to eliminate it completely. Many may argue it is a violation of human rights and degradation of women. This is true to some extent but the argument is by criminalizing it, will it eradicate the underlying manifested problems that can never be eliminated? Probably not. Therefore many developed countries have adopted measures to decriminalized prostitution. The approach taken is to provideShow MoreRelatedThree Reasons Why Prostituiton Should Not Be Leagalized in China1758 Words   |  7 Pages　　 As one of the oldest jobs, prostitution has a long history to be repeatedly decriminalized and internalized by different countri es. In Sumerian Records, the earliest record established in 2400 BC, prostitution had been legalized and supported by government. 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NeverthelessRead MoreDiscussing The Legalization Of Prostitution1604 Words   |  7 Pages04/19/2015 Discussing the Legalization of Prostitution To better discuss the legalization of prostitution there’s a need to know its definition. Legalization of prostitution is where prostitution becomes controlled by the government and becomes legal under specific conditions. Legalization may include prostitution-specific controls chosen by the state, which could include licensing, registration, and mandatory regular health checks ups. Prostitution has been legalized in Netherlands, Germany, Iceland, SwitzerlandRead MoreLegalizing Prostitution : Home Run Or Strikeout?1266 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Terregrossa Legalizing Prostitution: Home Run or Strikeout? Worldwide the prostitution industry is worth $186 billion. In the United States the industry is worth $14.6 billion, and is known as one of the oldest â€Å"trades† practiced today. However, since prostitution is illegal the conditions for the workers are usually horrible, with many of them contracting STDs and being treated terribly by their bosses. So what would happen if we legalize prostitution? In the United States, the federalRead MoreVictimless Crimes Not To Be Decriminalized Essay1120 Words   |  5 PagesVictimless crimes, the illegal act(s) that involves consenting adults and lacks a complaining participant, have been the topic of heated debate for some time now (Kendall, 2014). This debate centers primarily on the question as to whether these acts should be crimes at all. The arguments take several forms. One of the controversies involves the importance of personal freedom versus society’s idea to uphold moral standards. A second issue addresses the proble m of the conception of harm. People who