Explore the Sombrero Galaxy

Way out in the direction of the constellation Virgo, some 31 million light-years from Earth, astronomers have found a most unlikely looking galaxy that is hiding a supermassive black hole at its heart. Its technical name is M104, but most people refer to it by its nickname: the Sombrero Galaxy. Through a small telescope, this distant stellar city does look a bit like a big Mexican hat. The Sombrero is incredibly massive, containing the equivalent of 800 million times the mass of the Sun, plus a collection of globular clusters, and a broad ring of gas and dust. Not only is this galaxy huge, but its also speeding away from us at a rate of a thousand kilometers per second (about 621 miles per second). Thats very fast! What is That Galaxy? At first, astronomers thought the Sombrero might be an elliptical-type galaxy with another flat galaxy embedded within it. This is because it did look more elliptical than flat. However, a closer look revealed that the puffy shape is caused by a spherical halo of stars around the central area. It also has that huge dust lane that contains star birth regions. So, its most likely a very tightly wound spiral galaxy, the same type of galaxy as the Milky Way. How did it get that way? Theres a good chance that multiple collisions with other galaxies (and a merger or two), have changed what may have been a spiral galaxy into a more complex galactic beast. Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope have revealed a lot of detail in this object, and theres a lot more to learn! Checking Out the Dust Ring The dust ring that sits out in the brim of the Sombrero is very intriguing. It glows in infrared light and contains most of the star-forming material of the galaxy — such materials as hydrogen gas and dust. It completely encircles the central core of the galaxy and appears pretty wide. When astronomers looked at the ring with the Spitzer Space Telescope, it appeared very bright in infrared light. Thats a good indication that the ring is the central star birth region of the galaxy. Whats Hiding in the Nucleus of the Sombrero? Many galaxies have supermassive black holes at their hearts, and the Sombrero is no exception. Its black hole has more than a billion times the mass of the Sun, all packed away into a tiny region. It appears to be an active black hole, eating up material that happens to cross its path. The region around the black hole emits a tremendous amount of x-ray and radio waves. The region extending out from the core does emit some weak infrared radiation, which could be traced back to heating activity fostered by the presence of the black hole. Interestingly, the core of the galaxy does appear to have a number of globular clusters swarming around in tight orbits. There may be as many as 2,000 of these very old groupings of stars orbiting the core and may be related in some way to the very large size of the galactic bulge that houses the black hole. Where is the Sombrero? While astronomers know the general location of the Sombrero Galaxy, its exact distance was only recently determined. It seems to be about around 31 million light-years away. It does not travel the universe by itself but does appear to have a dwarf galaxy companion. Astronomers are not quite sure if the Sombrero is actually part of a grouping of galaxies called the Virgo Cluster or maybe a member of a smaller associated group of galaxies. Want to Observe the Sombrero? The Sombrero Galaxy is a favorite target for amateur stargazers. It takes a little doing to find it, and it does require a good backyard-type scope to view this galaxy. A good star chart shows where the galaxy is (in the constellation Virgo), halfway between Virgos star Spica and the tiny constellation of Corvus the Crow. Practice star-hopping to the galaxy and then settle in for a good long look! And, youll be following in a long line of amateurs who have checked out the Sombrero. It was discovered by an amateur in the 1700s, a guy by the name of Charles Messier, who compiled a list of faint, fuzzy objects that we now know are clusters, nebulae, and galaxies.

Global Supply Chain Management Essay examples - 8909 Words

University of Applied Sciences and Arts Dortmund, Germany Faculty of Business Administration European Master in Project Management Operational Risks in Global Supply Chain Project Thesis Submitted by Kashif Shabab Submitted to Professor Dr. Jan-Philipp Bà ¼chler Summer Semester 2011 / 2012 Table of contents 1 Introduction 6 2 Global Supply Chain 7 2.1 Supply chain management: schools of thought............................................................8 2.1.1 The functional chain awareness school†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦....9 2.1.2 The linkage/logistics†¦show more content†¦There is wide acknowledgment in the literature that the complex supply chains are more vulnerable to risks. Paulsson (2004) gave a comprehensive review of the literature which has been published on supply chain risk in major logistics journals. The main purpose of this paper is to bring together the various concepts and insights from several disciplines primarily, supply chain management, strategy and international business management to propose risk mitigation strategies for global supply chains. This study further describes different procedures to identify, assess and manage operational risks in global supply chain. 2 Global Supply Chain The world is a global village now and there are many factors or combination of forces which are affecting the global economy such as globalization, global competitive pressure, reductions in costs and stock market has changed the ways to organize their production in global Supply chain. Due to these reasons, multinational corporations started to make strategic alliances at the global level and locating their parts of supply chain abroad at different locations. Global supply chain (GSC) is a worldwide phenomenon where corporations come together to form a network which adds value to the customer by processing raw materials or other input factors into products or services in order to meet the expectations and needs of the customers best (Lummus 1999). InShow MoreRelatedGlobal Manufacturing : The Supply Chain Management1502 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal manufacturing is a huge part of the modern day world we now live in. Without global manufacturing everyday items that play a big role in our society and our own personally lives would not be so readily available or non-existent in our lives. Globally manufacturing helps to secure a lower cost, a more readily and stable to the raw-materials it takes to make these items, having access to new and emerging markets, and communication to many different places for sales. Another term that goes handRead MoreGlobal Supply Chain Management Essay991 Words   |  4 Pagesprocessing are great business strategies that can severely stress a supply chain. The supply chain and supply chain management is a critical operations management element for any major company to succeed and remain competitive in the global market. The supply chain is one of many pieces critical to maximizing value to the end customer and requires close management to minimize external impacts. If a company is relying on another company to supply the raw materials needed for their production line, then impactsRead MoreGlobal Supply Chain Management And Logist ics Management1504 Words   |  7 PagesJaimini Patel 26th April,2016 Global Supply Chain Management means the sourcing and procurement, conversion and all logistics management activities through the planning and management of all activities. It’s also considers the co-ordination and collaboration with channel partners including suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service provides and customers across the world. Elements of the Global Supply Chain Management: Read MoreChallenges of Global Supply Chain Management1973 Words   |  8 PagesCHALLENGES OF GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Introduction Rapid growth of globalisation has enabled the developed countries to gather the motivation for making investment in developing countries. The developed countries nowadays are investing in different sectors of developing countries. 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Focus on the low-cost labor, offshore development and manufacturing. †¢ Preferable strategy in the early stage offsetting operations in Cambodia. †¢ Probing the market. o After establishing on the Cambodian market implement Flexibility strategy. †¢ Being a worldwide recognizable brand, the flexibility strategy is the must for the company. †¢ Develop products that are availableRead MoreGlobal Integrated Supply Chain Management Essay1112 Words   |  5 PagesModern global integrated supply chains couldn’t be global or integrated without a modern technological infrastructure to act as both supply chains connective tissue and nervous system. While modern supply chain executives are expected to have a grasp of modern business technology, the thought of actually making technology related decisions can be scary for even the most senior executives. So, what should supply chain managers expect their system software and hardware to do for their supply chain? InRead MoreGlobal Supply Chain Management Simulation Essay918 Words   |  4 PagesSummary of Global Supply Chain Management Simulation I enjoyed the Global Supply Chain Management Simulation (GSCM). It was exciting to be a Manager of the supply chain of a mobile phone manufacturer. I learned very quickly the pressures of running such a large operation. In this review, I will discuss lessons learned regarding conceptions shown in the simulation. I will explain how if completing the simulation again, what I would complete differently. In conclusion, I will talk about my key overallRead MoreRisk Management : A Global Supply Chain1796 Words   |  8 Pages Research Paper: Risk Management in a Global Supply Chain Week 7 Research Paper/TLMT441 D001 Sum 14 Jerry King/Student ID: 4074738 Professor Little â€Æ' Abstract Risk management is a critical component to the success of any supply chain, yet this is still an area that sees little forward movement. In many organizations, risk management is viewed more as a reactive department, only becoming operational when a significant disruption arises in contrast to being an active and continual departmentRead MoreGlobal Supply Chain Management : Apple Inc.1716 Words   |  7 Pages1. Introduction Global supply chain management is a complex business function that requires the company can manage multiple supply chain partners around the world. It is easy to identify that global supply chains can have more opportunities to meet specific challenges and risks comparing with domestic supply chains, such as culture shocks with suppliers and longer delivery time. Thus, the aim of this report is to analyse some global supply chain risks by using Apple Inc. as a case study. In the firstRead MoreRfid And Its Impact On Global Supply Chain Management1922 Words   |  8 PagesRFID and its impact on global supply chain management By Harshraj Mehta GMAY14CMM010 24th September, 2014 Table of contents: †¢ Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 †¢ Importance in supply chain management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 †¢ Obstacles and difficulties in implementing RFID in supply chain†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.6 †¢ Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 †¢ Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..7 Introduction: RFID or Radio-frequency identification is a technology

Sexual Ethics Essay Free Essays

1. There are a number of dilemmas in sexual ethics such as homosexuality, marriage and divorce and pornography. For instance homosexuality is a major problem within sexual ethics because homosexual sex cannot lead to reproduction. We will write a custom essay sample on Sexual Ethics Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now However sexual ethic it differs between denominations compared to government law. Therefore these issues are a concern to religious belief; different faiths have different view on homosexuality or marriage and divorce. Many religious beliefs do not encourage homosexuality in fact it is severely discouraged for example in the Islamic faith they do not allow this because there is no doubt that in Islam homosexuality is considered ‘sinful’. Homosexuality as far as Islam is concerned is a profound mistake (as are all sins if they are not intending to do wrong). For instance a quote from the Qur’an says â€Å"What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males, and leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are forward folk. † Qur’an 26:165. The references relate to gay sexual activities; lesbian practices are not mentioned in the Qur’an, neither is it mentioned in the bible. Christians are divided over the issue of homosexuality. Due to natural law homosexual sex cannot lead to reproduction therefore the marriage would be considered invalid, however then a marriage between an older couple or couples who infertile would also be invalid, therefore all homosexual acts and relationships are sinful so many believe homosexuality is contrary to God’s will. However the Roman Catholic Church teaches that homosexual should be treated with respect, compassion and sensitivity and no discrimination, they believe the feeling aren’t wrong but the actions are sinful because they contrary to the will of God. The scriptures of the bible suggest that the only sexual relationship that God approves of is one between married heterosexual partners. The creation narrative describe woman as being created especially for man: â€Å"a helpful suitable for him† (genesis 2:18). The Old Testament said â€Å"If a man lies with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death† (Leviticus 20:13) however there is still no mention on lesbian practices. Marriage is an important part of the Christian life a the purpose of Christian marriage is faithfulness to one another, many Christians teach than within marriage there is a natural hierarchy that reflects the relationship of Christ and the church. The Roman Catholic Church says â€Å"wives, in the same way be submissive to your husband†¦ Husband, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect† (1 peter 3:1, 7). Whereas the Church of England argues that the relationship is based upon Christ’s headship over the church and is about love and sacrifice, not domination and power. This argument originally started as the bible said â€Å"a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh† (genesis 2:24). On the other hand, in the Islamic faith marriage is only a way to make sex and having children legal and lawful, the belief also states in the eyes of Allah both members of the relationship are treated equally even though they have separate duties. Whereas the Christian views on divorce are that marriage is for life. People take vows for better or worse so if they meant that then there should be no divorce. For instance the Roman Catholic Church believe there shouldn’t be any divorce unless the marriage has not been consummated or they are willing to get a divorce with the permission from the pope. Whereas the Church of England except divorce but some more traditional vicars don’t allowed divorces to remarry in church, the bible believes divorce is not favoured by God: â€Å"Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate (Matthew 19:6) which means God joins them so the law cannot separate them. Even Jesus forbids divorce: â€Å"Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery† (Mark 10:11-12) However in Matthews gospel it say â€Å"anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery† (Matthew 19:9). Alternatively divorce in Islam is only when the male partner says Talaq 3 times can divorce the couple, however this banned in some countries which results in going to arbitration council and judicial intervention before the divorce is granted. . Due to the loss of faith in many denomination and cultures today, we as people no longer look to religion to guide our sexual ethics as we once did. It is no longer relevant because many people believe that anymore should be able to marry anyone they want, for example same-sex partners. The debate is still being waged between the church and government to offer this un ion. Many people believe if two people are happy together and want to join themselves in holy matrimony, then they should be allowed. Marriage has also undergone many changes as people are less likely to have a â€Å"traditional† wedding instead they are more likely to enjoy extended co-habitation. Also the concept of marriage has change because it is more of a legal act rather than a declaration of love to God. Whereas divorce is seen by the eyes of most people is all about the law rather than church. Church seems to have very little authority when a marriage has got to the divorce stage. A minority of people do still take guidance from the church and believe the once they have entered into holy matrimony then it is for life just as God ordained. In conclusion, like most of the civilised world I believe that the religious beliefs about sexual ethics are no longer relevant because civilisation has changed so much and people are willing to accept all that was once considered taboo by the church and are willing to open their mind about the change in religious beliefs and sexual ethics. How to cite Sexual Ethics Essay, Essay examples

Toy Safety and Mattel Toy I. free essay sample

In 1945, Ruth and Elliot Handler and Harold Matt Matson form a partnership called Mattel Creations in Southern California in a garage workshop that manufactured picture frames and dollhouse furniture. The worlds largest toy company, Mattel, Inc. , also known as â€Å"the worlds premiere toy company today and tomorrow,† designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes a variety of toy products all over the world. The companys products include a number of core toy lines, including Barbie dolls (which eventually became the best-selling toy ever), clothing, and accessories; Hot Wheels vehicles; Harry Potter, Batman, Superman, and Looney Tunes products; the American Girls Collection of books, dolls, clothing, and accessories; Fisher-Price infant and preschool toys, and toys based on Disney and Sesame Street characters; and games such as Scrabble and UNO. Mattels toys are produced in company-owned manufacturing facilities in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand, and independent contractors located in the United States, Europe, Mexico, the Far East, and Australia. The companys three main retail customers include Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , Toys R Us, Inc. , and Target Corporation. Throughout the years, Mattel continued to create and market popular toys such as Hot Wheels, merge with profitable manufacturers Fisher Price in 1993 and Tyco Toys, Inc. in 1997, partner with Disney, Sesame Street, and Nickelodeon, obtain licenses and rights to manufacture Cabbage Patch Dolls and Harry Potter merchandise, and acquire Pleasant Company (maker of American Girl brand) in 1997. Since 1945, the Mattel Company works hard to ensure it is considered a trustworthy company for children and the community. Mattel established the Mattel Childrens Foundation to make â€Å"a meaningful difference in the lives of children in need globally. † In 1997, the corporation formed the Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP), establishing Mattel as the first company to create a framework to ensure responsible manufacturing, assembly, and distribution is conducted through consistent standards on a global level. In 1998, Mattel began a unique $25 million multi-year donation partnership to the UCLA childrens hospital, renamed the Mattel Childrens Hospital at UCLA to assist and serve children from around the world with nationally recognized health care. With so much positive philanthropy projects, Mattel has not always been able to maintain an image of child-like and trustworthy purity. Mattel has experienced many criticisms for stealing ideas for toy-lines from children competing in toy invention competitions. In 1974, investigators revealed that company officials produced and issued false and misleading financial information to make it appear as if the company was continuing to successfully grow. And of course, Mattel has also had its share of recalls (the accurate number of recalls is debatable but it ranges from 17 to 28 recalls). But in August 1997, Mattel faced the biggest recall in the companys history. Brief Background There are two separate reasons why Mattel recalled 19 million toys from August to September of 2007. The fact that both recalls occurred at the same time makes this the biggest recall in the companys history. The first toy recall was due to defective magnets. The design of the toy magnets included parts with high-energy magnets typically used for industrial purposes that easily come loose and posed a threat to young children and infants who could easily swallow the magnets which could then adhere together in the digestive tract and rupture the stomach tissue. The strength of the magnets combined with Mattels poor design of the toys made the products a critical hazard for young children. Mattels website (http://corporate. mattel. com) lists 71 models and makes of toys that were recalled because of faulty magnets. The second toy recall was due to high levels of lead-based paint found on the surface of many toys. Mattel had previously given manufacturers in China a list of eight approved paint suppliers to use, but in order to reduce costs, subcontractors decided to employ unapproved suppliers. In some cases, the lead content was over 180 times the legal limit. Lead-based paint is dangerous for children because elevated levels create learning and behavioral problems, slow muscle and bone growth, hearing loss, anemia, brain damage, seizures, coma, and in some rare cases, death. Mattel recalled 91 models and makes of toys because of harmful levels of lead paint. China Since 1997, China has experienced many tribulations with the quality and standards of the products manufactured within the country. For instance, pet food, toothpaste, seafood, tires, and toys are just a few of the products recalled from homes in the United States because of serious, sometimes deadly, manufacturing inaccuracies. The business relationship between Mattel and China seemed to be a strong partnership. Mattel manufactured 65 percent of its toys in China, and before the recall, was a company others used as a model for successful global manufacturing. Mattel was criticized for placing too much faith in the partnership with China as well as careless inspections on the quality of the manufacturing sites abroad. Timeline In November of 2006, Mattel recalled Polly Pocket sets sold with magnets that posed a threat to children. In July 2007, a European retailer discovered high levels of lead content on various Mattel toys. Once notified, Mattel began an investigation and closed operations at the factories producing the toys. During the investigation, Mattel discovered millions of products available since 2003 that did not pass safety standards. On August 1, 2007, Fisher-Price recalled 1. 5 million toys due to high levels of lead-based paint 60% of which were all manufactured in China. After further investigation, Mattel recalled 18 million more products on August 14, 2007 because of the possible hazards of children swallowing faulty magnets. And on September 4, 2007, Mattel recalled another 848,000 toys due to high levels of lead-based paint. The U. S. Senate Committee began scrutinizing American safety standards for childrens toys and clothing and stated the possibility of creating new legislation to keep hazardous toys and clothing from children. Despite the fact that a larger number of toys were recalled because of faulty magnets and not lead-based paint, the framed communication made China appear culpable for the recalls in order to reduce reputational damage and the Chinese media stated that Mattel should be accountable for the mistakes rather than blame China. Mattel eventually listened and on September 21, the company issued an apology to China taking full blame for the recall crisis. Mattel also posted news releases and video interviews on the company website to keep the public informed. June 8, 2007 Mattel receives information on possible lead paint contamination June 9, 2007 CPSC deadline to report the problem June 10, 2007 Mattel fails to report problem to CPSC July 26, 2007 Mattel files full report to CPSC August 14, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 17. 4 million products September 4, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 850,000 toys with lead paint October 25, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls Go Diego Go! Rescue boats coated in hazardous lead paint November 6, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 155,000 choking hazard toys manufactured in Mexico OBJECTIVES Mattels management has expressed the overall company vision as â€Å"The Worlds Premier Toy BrandsToday and Tomorrow. † Management set five key company strategies: 1. improve execution of the existing toy business 2. globalize the brands 3. extend the brands 4. catch new trends 5. develop people The company also adapts its definition of truthfulness by:  · Collecting and disseminating all information about the recall to the public accurately, quickly, and efficiently.  · Reassuring the public, especially parents and retailers, that the company is devoted to producing safe toys and improving honest communication.  · Taking responsibility for the recall, solving the crisis, and maintaining a working relationship with China. CRISIS PLAN Mattel is known for their 100-page crisis plan and a well-planned crisis response infrastructure tested from 28 recalls since 2000. Mattel speaks with one voice, communicates consistently through a crisis, acts quickly, and responds with public apology and any other expectations. All steps of the plan are code of a successful crisis plan and response. When Mattel realized the company was facing a serious crisis, their first act was to contact the federal agency overseeing toy issues and product safety. When federal officials publicized the first Mattel recall, Mattels crisis management team instantly arranged for open communication channels with reporters from the top media outlets. The team sent e-mail alerts with the recall press release, invited reporters to a teleconference with company executives, and arranged for the media to interview key personnel employed with Mattel. The day of the recall, Robert Eckert, CEO of Mattel, met with reporters for television and phone interviews. Mattel established a help line, answered over 300 media requests in the United States, and placed full page ads in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal by the end of the week. Mattel also started an online movement to notify consumers about the recall with updates posted on a regular basis, chat rooms, message boards, and social media. Mattel has consistently been open with the media and consumers testifying new company policies with very high standards and quality and safety testing procedures, although carefully stating â€Å"no system can be perfect. † Mattel also made it clear that they are doing all that they can to assess the situation on the manufacturing level. Apology to China Mattel prematurely placed disproportionate blame on Chinese manufacturers encouraging China bashing in the media across the world damaging Chinas reputation. On September 20, 2007, Mattel issued an apology to China in a meeting with Li Changjiang, the Chinese product safety chief. In the apology, Debrowski states â€Å"Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys. † China accepted the apology saying â€Å"Mattel should value our cooperation. I really hope that Mattel can learn lessons and gain experience from these incidents, [and they should] improve their control measures† and anticipates that China will restore consumer confidence in products â€Å"made in China. † Result of Crisis Mattel appeared to handle the crisis by appearing to be up-front and open about the massive toy recall. Mattels homepage contains a dedicated bold red link to toy recalls containing information about recalls affecting all countries, what toys are being recalled, where to bring recalled toys, and defining Mattels three-point safety check system: 1. Mattel will make sure that manufactures only use paint from certified suppliers and they will test every single batch of paint from all vendors. If the paint isnt up to Mattels standards, it wont be used. 2. Mattel is increasing control on every level of the production process and conducting random inspections at all vender facilities. 3. Mattel pledges to test all finished toys vigorously before they reach the consumer. The toys must meet a series of strict safety standards before they are put on the market. Mattel assures customers that all venders are aware of these new procedures and Mattels strict enforcement of them. ANALYSIS Applying SCCT * Good o Public apology from CEO o Coupons offered o Stressed stringent inspection processes and company improvement * Bad o Placed initial blame on China, later making an apology to China o Stated media and government escalated the crisis Media Coverage Most of the media information that covered the Mattel toy recall discussed the lead-based paint recall and did not include the magnetic toy design flaw crisis which led to the China bashing products replying â€Å"Made In China should be viewed as a warning label. † Many media outlets reported the importance of China creating strict safety standards before putting more lives in danger. Media coverage of Mattel was very different since the focus was on Mattels timely apology and quick release of recall information. The fact that key Mattel executives spoke with the media provided a favorable reputation for the company. What China Has Done China continues to build manufacturing trust with the United States while improving problems within the country. US Regulatory Structure after the crisis The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is â€Å"charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agencys jurisdiction. â€Å" In order to ensure the safety of childrens toys, the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) stopped the use of lead paint in toy manufacturing. CPSC Chairman stated that the Work Plans â€Å"show significant forward progress in the agencys efforts to bring Chinese-made consumer products into line with the U. S. safety rules. This is an important signal from the Chinese government that it is serious about working with CPSC to keep dangerous products out of American homes. We will be looking for meaningful cooperation on the ground that means not just with the Chinese government, but also with industry at both ends of the supply chain. † The CPSC also plans to increase consumer product inspections manufactured for the United States and will review the plans effectiveness after one year to discuss and implement improvements. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act includes strict guidelines of Childrens product safety for: * Sec. 101. Childrens products containing lead; lead paint rule. * Sec. 102. Mandatory third party testing for certain childrens products. * Sec. 103. Tracking labels for childrens products. * Sec. 104. Standards and consumer registration of durable nursery products. * Sec. 105. Labeling requirement for advertising toys and games. * Sec. 106. Mandatory toy safety standards. * Sec. 107. Study of preventable injuries and deaths in minority children related to consumer products. * Sec. 108. Prohibition on sale of certain products containing specified phthalates. Personal interest as a mother During the Mattel toy recall crisis, I was in my third trimester with my first child. Imagine what went through my mind as a soon-to-be-new-mother already filled with angst. And so, a new Fleenor rule was born all products made in China were not welcomed and banned from our home. Easy enough I thought. Our son would have toys, clothing, food, and furniture made in the USA only easy enough I thought. So we discussed our decision with family and friends that all items with the â€Å"Made in China† label would be returned. Shopping became a difficult task because about 80 percent of toys, clothing, and furniture sold in America are made in China. I soon realized that I needed to shop online for specialty â€Å"Made in the USA† stores, find local artisans to build furniture and toys, and plan on entertaining my child myself with books, funny faces, and outdoor adventures. While I am still cautious of â€Å"Made in China† products, I am much more relaxed as I take responsibility in becoming an informed consumer through product recall email alerts from cpsc. gov, maintaining open communication with my childrens pediatrician, and still acting as the main entertainment source for my two children. What we learned Mattel dealt with the toy recall crisis precisely the way Coombs recommends companies to deal with image damaging crises. Mattels experience with recalls definitely ensured precise and smooth execution of their well documented crisis management plan. The company and CEO were visible, available, and publicly apologetic. And more importantly, Mattel told the truth and took immediate action to fix the problem allowing the company to focus on a positive solution and restoring the companys dependable reputation. It is often difficult to know exactly where and how consumer products are manufactured and how products are inspected in todays ever-changing global economy. The toy recall crisis also allowed us to realize that we are also facing an economic crisis with global manufacturing. While the United States is doing the best to ensure our safety through strict product regulations, we need to realize the difficult challenges we face when heavily relying on outside countries to manufacture such large quantities. â€Å"It would be far to easy to attribute this summers recalls to Chinas poorly regulated export manufacturers. Regulatory deficiencies, shoddy business practices, and the forces of globalization all play a substantial role in this catastrophe. There is enough blame to go around,† Representative John Dingell (D-Mich. ) said during the Sept. 19, 2007 hearings. Similar recalls The RC2 Corporation of Oakbrook, Ill. recalled approximately 1. 5 million Thomas and Friends train sets on June 13, 2007 because of high levels of lead-based paint used by Chinese contractors. The R2C Corporations recall was not as grand in scale as Mattels, but the company quickly posted an apology to consumers on the company website, terminated business contracts with manufacturers not complying with RC2 paint specifications, and employed a six-point safety check system. On February 6, 2007, Hasbro recalled 985,000 Easy-bake Ovens because young children could easily insert their hands in the over and get their hands caught and burned. Summary â€Å"I think Mattel handled the problem very well overall. Its a problem that isnt unusual for them to have. Product defects and difficulty with suppliers are pretty typical in their line of work and they took responsibility. They were willing to talk about it and understood the ramifications,† stated Paul A. Argenti, Professor of Corporate Communications at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. What should Mattel do now? Plan for tomorrow and be more conscientious using domestic and international manufacturers. Again, Mattel took responsibility for the entire recall, which not many companies are willing to be held accountable for Toyota is the best example today. Owning up takes courage and actions in good times and bad should express the companys character. Mattel should continue to identify possible problems, enforce strict manufacturing regulations to produce safe toys, reassure consumers that child safety and product safety is the bottom line, and collaborate with international suppliers and government agencies to ensure public well-being. Mattel has to be prepared for other problems and continue risk management audits. â€Å"There are always going to be problems. But if Mattel can lead the change for toy manufacturers to create a more responsible industry, they could become the hero. †