Growing Global Concern over Poverty - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1464 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/04/16 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Poverty Essay Did you like this example? The growing concern of poverty is a prevalent issue that prevents many individuals from succeeding. Often, it is the economic, social and political barriers that limit ones potential to succeed. A lot of these barriers affect individuals of all ages; however, youth in Canada are the ones at the most significant risk from being affected by poverty. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Growing Global Concern over Poverty" essay for you Create order The focus of the paper is to identify and recommend solutions to the issues of poverty associated with youth in Canada. The reason why youth poverty has the most substantial risk is that youths will become a leading generation that will face more significant issues such as global warming. By tackling youth poverty at a young age, it is possible to decrease the amount of poverty and increase the average income of Canadians. To put Canadian youth poverty into perspective, one in five children live in poverty conditions and more than a third of food bank users across Canada were children in 2016 (Canada Without Poverty, 2017). It is vital that sociologists and healthcare professionals understand the income issues in Canada because it reflects the governments abilities to reduce economic inequality and the expensive medical treatments that are not covered (Siavash, 2018). If income issues were left as they are, the rich would only get richer as they would be able to afford healthcare and education for their offspring while the poor are left in a cycle of poverty. The cycle of poverty consists of a family impoverished for three generations and starts with the child born to a low-income family (Dubay, 2018). The lack of opportunity for advancement is the primary cause of this cycle as low-income families do not have access to the required resources to improve their living conditions ultimately affecting children (Dubay, 2018). Impact on Income Issues in Canada Income inequality in Canada is a significant issue that is particularly common among families facing poverty. To put it in a micro-sociological perspective, a youths development heavily relies on their family and environment. By increasing income within families, we can consistently improve living conditions for families as youths will be able to adopt greater attitudes, gain better grades and attend post-secondary education. This has been supported as many studies have identified a positive correlation between income and youth development (The Vancouver Sun, 1998). With the increase in income, families can provide more to their children as they will have greater access to resources and food which will support their development. There is also a negative correlation to the amount of income and healthy eating of Youth Canada. It showed that children of low income have poor diet quality characterized by low consumption of the four food groups and high consumption of the other food categ ories (St John et al., 2008). The income issues in Canada associated with youth development has its effect on each youth as they do not have the required resources for success. As youth are dependent, income is a responsibility of parents. If parents do not have a good job to support their child, the child will not be able to gain a proper education and will continue to struggle through poverty throughout their life. Parent-Offspring Conflict Theory Conflict is present in our everyday lives and can have positive or negative effects. The importance of a parent-child relationship and its connection to society and the health care system is critical. The parent-offspring conflict theory (POCT) which is a sub-type of conflict theory examines the role of parent-child relationship and the increasing number of siblings to an increase of conflict. How POCT affects individuals at a smaller scale is that when there are more siblings, there is more conflict. Parents use a mild form of eugenics where they tend to invest more into the siblings that they feel will be more successful. This results in one sibling gaining the most benefit and love by parents while other siblings are neglected and given low expectations of success. In low-income families, this is evident as they do not have enough money to support the income of many children and would rely on the most successful child to take care of them when they are older (Veigh, 2017). The the ory also identifies parental disruption which is a child living without biological parents (Schlomer, Ellis, Garber, 2010). Parentally disrupted families go through many processes that result in the unwillingness of parents to invest time, energy and resources into their children (Schlomer, Ellis, Garber, 2010). For example, parental deaths result in a loss of parental investment in children and divorced custodial parents who are commonly mothers tend to provide lower quality parental investment when compared to non-parental disrupted families (Schlomer, Ellis, Garber, 2010). This reflects society as low-income families tend to have more children. These children will grow up living either as low-income individuals or reliant on their parents for care. This will continue to keep the underachievers in poverty; however, the successful ones may also experience issues of income related to healthcare. As baby boomer parents enter their old age, there will be a need for increasing long-ter m care support for them. Parents often grow old and become dependent on their children for help. This puts a more significant financial strain on the child who may have a family of their own to support (Fogler, 2009). The increased costs result in older adults being discharged from community nursing homes as they end up in home-based nursings usually at their childs house (Fogler, 2009). The healthcare system should be looking over this as a decrease in older adults in proper nursing homes will leave more nurses unemployed while continuing to have a financial strain on the child of older adults. From this theory, I learned that the lack of income has its short and long-term effects that can reflect society and the healthcare system. The actions individuals make result in many children receiving inadequate support and more children growing up to low-income jobs. In the focus of healthcare systems, unless they make affordable long-term health care for adults, many of these low-income family children will have a financial strain on them as they would opt for home care which is more economical. This would leave many nurses unemployed with an increasing number of older adults being discharged from facilities due to financial reasons. Recommendations for the Future Canada should be taking many actions to reduce poverty within youths. To do this, they must combat this issue by implementing many strategies and policies at a family level. Current statistics by Citizens for Public Justice (2018) show that poverty in Canada is highest (47.4%) for children in lone-parent families which has gone down from 50% since 2015. Statistics like these need a significant drop to decrease the amount of poverty affecting youths. Canada should be looking more than just providing jobs as a way of reducing poverty; the jobs should have enough hours and pay to support the number of children within the family (Citizens for Public Justice, 2018). The government should be focused on meeting target goals on reducing poverty as itll help alleviate other economic consequences and allow for investments in other issues. Reducing poverty will also decrease health risks and break individuals free from the cycle of poverty. A policy that focuses on income, housing, health, food and education is what the Canadian government needs to reduce poverty (Millar, 2017). By doing so, the government will be supporting families and youths to improve their living conditions and create a better life for everyone as a long-term investment to society. Throughout the research and writing of this assignment, I have come to understand better the types of patients I may face in my nursing career. Each patient has a unique background from where they come from as many of them live in poverty. It is clear to me that having an active role in reducing income is essential for myself and society. Everything relating to the government is connected and can ultimately affect ourselves even though we are not directly affected. A lot of patients have a rough history and what nurses need to do is provide comfort and trust. Patients should be able to feel safe in the hands of nurses because many of them have gone through some form of neglect or abuse in their life. Nurses should be respectful of others and try to accommodate their patients best. Reducing income inequality will only benefit everyone as many children will be able to afford care for their parents in nursing homes, youths will be able to gain a proper education and families will live a more satisfying life by supporting their children. Canada still has a long way to go before they can cross reducing poverty off their list of goals. With the help of nurses, they can provide the love, and care patients need to assist them to adequately getting their life together.

What Are The Logs Through My Eyes - 2305 Words

directly I do feel I have earned the respect, knowledge experience and expertise that I bring to the organization. When I think â€Å"What are the logs in my eyes† in this situation I did honestly try to examine my attitude or actions that could have escalated the conflict with the individual. When I think that I only have had three interactions directly with her I am perplexed as to what the disposition is that is always combative. This unfortunately has really put a negative perception for me of this person and drives me to become more sensitive to the issue and potentially to any other interactions with her. We must not have any negative discussions with others when we have a conflict with another individual as this can just further escalate the situation and this is not how we glorify God. James 3:8b10 â€Å"but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison†. â€Å"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness†. â€Å"Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing† â€Å" My brothers and sisters, this should not be† (NIV). Conflict Starts in the Heart The Lord provides us with direction that conflict starts in the heart. Our conflicts were endured typically happen when we have selfish reasons to want our own ways and we choose the path to get what we want. The scripture talks about how our selfish desires are usually the reason for most of the conflict we encounter. What causesShow MoreRelatedReflection Paper On Nutrition1370 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout this class, we have been evaluating our diets and keeping track of our calorie intake through a dietary log. Before this nutrition course, I only had a general idea of what nutrition was. I have taken a health class back during high school and currently I am a nursing student. So far in nursing clinical, I have come across many older patients that have many special dietary needs based on their health status and chronic conditions that may have or had. Learning the importance of nutritionRead MoreStress Lesson Pl The Stress Reduction Technique Es say1073 Words   |  5 PagesManagement- Lesson Plan Name: (Last, First)_Yuchan Hu__ Fill out your lesson plan and PRINT. You will hand-deliver to me on 12/1. 1. What stress reduction technique did you choose to teach someone else? I chose the time management as the stress reduction technique to teach my roommate. 2. Why did you choose this topic? I chose this topic because I know that my roommate is a student who is confused by her procrastination. She often postpones complete learning tasks although she has free time andRead MoreThe Cottonwood Tree - Original Writing Essay964 Words   |  4 PagesTree My yard was full of all varieties of vegetation, but the most hated flora was the giant cottonwood tree that towered 100 feet away from the back of my house, and dandelions. The massive tree was lovely in my young eyes, but gave my mom the gift of extreme seasonal allergies. My father, being the type of husband that would bend over backwards for my mother, wanted to cut it down himself. He wanted to kill it. because that gosh darn tree hurt his beloved wife. With some negotiating my mom finallyRead MoreA Worn Path by Phoenix Jackson1085 Words   |  5 Pagesshowcase her undying devotion to her grandson by helping him in any way necessary. As she walks through a worn path her personality and characteristics are slowly revealed. Her determination, old age (wisdom), and her scattered thoughts help reveal to readers exactly what type of individual Phoenix Jackson really is. Her stream-of-conscience thoughts describe the changes she encounters as she walks through pine trees, crosses a s tream and meets a mysterious white man and his dog, and as she sits atRead MoreThere s No Place Like Home1127 Words   |  5 PagesThere’s no place like home When I was around eight years old, I remember living in my downstairs apartment playing with Lincoln Logs. Now, as we know, eight year olds have only one thing on their mind—play (or at least I did). So, to entertain me, my mom wanted me to watch a movie with her. And at that time, I wanted to try ANYTHING, so my mom was flipping channels when, just like every year around Christmas, â€Å"The Wizard of Oz† was on, and luckily, it had just started! However, being eight, andRead More Personal Learning Style Essay753 Words   |  4 Pageslearning their strength and weakness through their playtime. As adults we almost forget we have to learn how to learn to continue growth in our workplace, school, and in life. In our second week of online classes I learned strengths and weakness in my learning style with the aid of learning assessments, personality spectrums, and time management logs. In this paper, I intend to describe the various components of my learning style and out line a plan to improve my time management and study skills. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;ARead MorePersonal Learning Style763 Words   |  4 Pagesweakness through their playtime. As adults we almost forget we have to learn how to learn to continue growth in our workplace, school, and in life. In our second week of online classes I learned strengths and weakness in my learning style with the aid of learning assessments, personality spectrums, and time management logs. In this paper, I intend to describe the various components of my learning style and outline a plan to improve my time management and study skills. A big component of my learningRead MoreDescriptive Essay About My Love1627 Words   |  7 Pagesan average April morning, the streets still wet from yesterday s rain. In fact, it rained all through the night, and the smell of the rain from early morning still lingered in the air. I like the rain. I like the way it falls on your face as if each droplet was a golden drop of happiness falling from heaven. I like the way it lightly drizzles, giving my whole neighborhood a shower. The rain sweeps through all of Manhattan, cleansing everyone both physically and mentally. Rain is like a fresh startRead MoreFinding Our Way: A Short Story Essay929 Words   |  4 Pages He laid on fibers of what were once a strong oak. Termites must have ate the whole inside away. Nick sat on his knees and brushed off the bits of wood and dirt that covered him. He looked to the log and gave a chuckle. As he was getting up, something caught his eye. A leather bound book, in a clear plastic bag was in the broken log. Nick pulled the bag out of the log, and took the book inside. It appears to be untouched by the termites. He opened the book to see what was inside. As Nick beganRead MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbecks Of Mice And Men1031 Words   |  5 Pagesbelongings in the ranch, they had to make the most of their resources. There was no talking during the hike up the hill. The crackle of the sycamore leaves under the shoes of George and Lennie was the only sound that filled the air. George kept an eye out for the mob, as they surly now knew George was with Lennie. It was now dusk and they now approach the cave. Lennie, now tired, spot a river to the side of the hill and ask George beggingly,†George, can I please drink out of the river, I... I am

Strategic Supply Chain Management & Logistics -myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theStrategic Supply Chain Management Logistics for Speed. Answer: Introduction Organizations uses supply chain management system in order to maximize their efficiency and speed and optimizing the operational functionalities. Christopher (2016) stated that organization value speed in business as customer always prefers fast service. However, Stadtler (2015) argued that if an organization only considers on speed, the quality of the business operation might get compromised and thus efficiency is equally important. Thus, for maintaining both the speed and efficiency implementation of supply chain management system is required. The main function of supply chain management process is the storage and movement of both work- in- progress goods and final products fro manufacturing site to the point of consumption. In this business report, the supply chain management process and a plan for effective SCM strategies will be discussed. The organization hat is taken into consideration is Landmark Group in United Arab Emirates. The major operations of this group is retailing of apparel, cosmetics, electronics products, footwear and other home improvements. In this business assessment, the importance of effective supply chain management will be illustrated along with the link between SCM and business functions, key drivers for integrated SCM strategy and incorporation of information technology in the SCM. This business report will also address the role of logistics in supply chain management and procurement practices in supply chain. Effective strategies will also develop to improve the SCM and the benefit of overall business performance will also be elaborated. Lastly, explanation for how a well implemented supply chain improvement strategy will overcome the barrier of business functions will also b e addressed. Discussion Importance of supply chain management Importance of effective supply chain management in achieving organizational objectives Jacobs and Chase (2013) stated supply chain management directly or indirectly fulfills their demands and assure that they can get their products on time. Tayur et al. (2012) also highlight that the major stakeholders in SCM are manufacturer, marketers, warehouses, transporters, retailer and lastly the consumers. The prime aim of SCM is to maximize the overall value generated so that the supply chain profitability can be enhanced. Monczka et al. (2015) described that the difference in the amount paid by the customers to purchase the products and the total cost incurred to formulate the product is known as supply chain profitability. One of the major objectives that all organization desire to attain is looking for different sources of revenue and cost. In case of Landmark group they have implemented multiple business operation which ion incorporation with supply chain management attains the cost quality improvements and shortening the time for order and deliver it to the end customer, thus, attaining maximum profitability which on the other hand is a major organizational objective. Moreover, an efficient SCM can obtain a good understanding of business characteristics and provides flexible planning and control mechanism. SCM also reduces transportation cost or the resource that is given to third party provides which increases the overall annual revenue- another organizational objective. Link between supply chain management and business functions in an organization The basic link between these two factors is that maintaining SCM is a working approach of business function. Ahi and Searcy (2013) stated that the more effective is the SCM, the more efficient will be a company to obtain its goal. Moreover, SCM engage an organization in three levels- strategic, tactical and operational. Managing authority is liable to decide how the implemented SCM will work, while; tactical approach shows what features to be included in the SCM. Lastly, the organization also decides how the system actually works so that it can obtain the desired organizational aims. Process of organizational function can be witnessed from product development, where an organization plans for a new product launch when their old products get unnoticed. In such cases SCM plays a crucial role to set new product in the market. Sarkis (2012) furthermore includes that many company differential their other subsidiary which also handled by SCM of the parent company. In such context, the SCM i s closely related to obtain overall business functions. Lastly, SCM is associated with the external business environment and with the help of SCM; an organization can identify their position in market competition (Agus and Shukri Hajinoor 2012). Key drivers for achieving an integrated supply chain strategy in an organization Some of the key drivers for obtaining an integrated SCM strategy are procurement process and customer service management process. Walker and Jones (2012) stated in procurement process, the tactics with the supplier to maintain the manufacturing current management is required for new product development. In case of Landmark Group, it has an international presence and thus, these manufacturing details have to be taken on an international basis so that costumer demands and market competition in each territory can be identified. Monczka et al. (2015) describes that in some cases, collaboration with suppliers from other nation should be obtained so that they can take benefit from each other and the total time for satisfying the consumer need can be reduced. On the other hand, customer service management process refers to a situation where customer gets the real time information on product accessibility. Landmark Group utilizes approaches like- preserving the customer relationship by provi ding them accurate information regarding their products, verifying associated goals both for customer and organization and lastly producing optimistic feeling for future association by attractive product development. Effectiveness of supply chain management strategies Effectiveness of strategies used by Landmark to maintain supplier relationships Efficient management of the SCM is the important way to manage their suppliers. Landmark Group implements sourcing strategies, the way they managed and the way they exchange policies with other territories. Wisner et al. (2014) depicted that maintaining supplier relationships is crucial for being the customer of choice, fosters partnership based on trust, managing working capital and setting clear expectations and KPIs. It is also said by Chan et al. (2012) that effective strategies of Landmark for managing supplier relationships improve supply chain sustainability. Landmark Group understands the cost and value of the entire supply chain system. They always share the information of cost involved in raw materials and final products with the supplier. Johnson (2014) also highlight that the concerned organization also accepts accountability and plan sufficiently in order to request orders from suppliers. The prime reason for that is emergency handling of supplier management not always p rovide a positive result. Landmark Group spend equal time aligning incentives and penalties to the suppliers on achieving their goals and if they make any unnecessary halts. Utilizing information technology to create strategies to develop an organizations relationship with the suppliers Landmark Group utilizes many technologies which is used to develop relationship with their suppliers and that are- analyze the actual information about the market trends sales and orders. The managers also predict and respond rapidly changes in demand. All the suppliers are connected through digital technology like e-mails and spreadsheet via networks. However, the real-time data are not available with all the suppliers and thus in recent times; the technology of cloud is considered. This technology also allow the organization to forecast systems or inventory planning, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and online analytical processing systems in order to analyze history sales performance. Priem and Swink (2012) stated that the advantage of ERP system is that connecting order and purchasing system is easily achieved and thus all the suppliers can place and track their orders. All these IT allow the Landmark Group to develop an effective relationship with their suppliers IT in supply chain management Assistance of information technology integration of different parts of the supply chain of an organization Golicic and Smith (2013) stated that role of IT plays a crucial role in integrating different parts of the supply chain within the organization. The working departments where the IT technology integrates the business is as follows: Allocation network strategies Wieland and Marcus Wallenburg (2012) stated that allocating resources denotes the planning of the technology for maintaining the supply chain process. Landmark Group on the other hand use the technology for allocating resources to warehouses and retailer. Implementing of the IT in allocating resources and maintaining details not only make the process fast but reduce the total holding and logistics costs. Formulation source strategy The two major components of the SCM that are logistics and production costs are integrated through this IT system. Prajogo and Olhager (2012) depicted that retailer like Landmark Group make some production line so famous that they produce that production line to such an extent that the total cost for production gets reduced and they do not have to include new technology by investing extra financial resources. Stadtler (2015) argued that the heavy production on the other hand results in greater transportation cost but the production in small batches related to the high fixed but the balance between the two selected process. Evaluation source strategy The IT system that is incorporated in this context is inventory control system that stores the information of the stock, economic order quantity and other details like weight of the products, manufacturing and expiry dates of the edible products. This technology allows Landmark Group to reduce the holding and ordering costs and also helps in avoiding the adversity of over stocking and under stocking of products. Contribution of information technology in the management of the supply chain of an organization Jacobs and Chase (2013) stated that the information technology helps in maintaining all the real time details and then maintain the data accurately without any redundancy. However, the information technology helps in rapid procedure to information and provides customer service. The IT system manages all the detail of the customer and their orders that helps in fulfilling their demands in time. Fawcettn et al. (2013) also stated that it leads to the reduction in use of paper and manual work. All the automation technology helps the Landmark Group to maintain the files and track the orders effectively. Thus, there is an increase in productivity as due to automation technology all the order reached to their customer before time. Baltzan (2012) also stated that implementation of IT results in improved tracing and expediting approach also leads to reduce in cost. Moreover, implementation of IT results in competitive advantage through the POS system where all the billing and weighting proce ss scan be attained automatically. Effectiveness of information technology in managing the supply chain of an organization Sarkis (2012) stated that information technology offers many opportunity like it is comparatively less capital intensive which means that it saves lot of financial resources which on the other hand increases the annual revenue. The IT technology is also clean and environmental friendly which on the other hand enhance the CPD rating of the organization. Dyckhoff et al. (2013) on the other hand argued that electricity consumption might raise the problem of global warming but in this case also Landmark Group introduces the green IT technology system. Another benefit of IT technology is that the process can be maintained without bounding to a particular geographic location. The maintenance of IT technology does not need expensive infrastructure facilities and thus, not much cost is required for implementing IT system. It technology helps in obtaining better control on inventory at different level of supply chain management system. The IT system also keeps better utilization of manpower a nd avoids the process of stealing from inventory. Krajewski et al. (2013) depicted that with the help of IT technology; details about different supplier can be found from any corner of the world and then select a reliable supplier for business. Incorporation of the IT in SCM also results in reduction of lead times of the material supply and retrieval time of the documented information as sharing of information can be attain instantly. Role of logistics in supply chain management Role of logistics in supply chain management in an organization Traditionally, SCM is understood to be a process that involves in the process of transportation of products from one place to other. However, in recent times, Landmark Group utilizes the SCM for material management, channel management and distribution of the products. Material management The SCM allows the organization note all the required information that is needed for the management of products like the storage of the products and how many items are present in every slot of shipments. Ross (2016) stated that this is also known as management of warehouses, where the organization can acquire and arrange the store supplies, manage warehouse functions, ensures and updating goods receipt and record keeping for all material issues, returns along with the damaged products. Channel management SCM plays a crucial role in channel management where marketing channels for the promotion of the developed products is considered. The channel management also refers to the strategic partnerships with the suppliers and retail customers through effective communication technology. The channel management also contains technology leveraging in order to increase efficiency through cooperation of all parties, automatic order systems that furthermore decrease delivery lead times. Distribution of the products Winter and Knemeyer (2013) stated that the distributed management refers to movement of goods from supplier or manufacturer and fulfils the approaches of packaging, inventory, warehousing, logistics and supply chain. The SCM process should check the availability of the resources whether or not they are able to fulfill all the customer demands and then the product is transferred to one place to another. Incorporation of technology like barcodes and RFID technology, tracking of all the packages can be attained successfully. Procurement practices in an organization The Landmark Group follows procurement and Supply Chain (PSC) policies in order to support the approaches in the SCM that they are following. The prime objective of the organization is to produce and market food products that can fulfill the demand of customers and consumer prospect. Landmark Group opted for two kind of procurement strategies- Pre competitive and Competitive. Pre-competitive strategy This strategy deals with the association that Landmark Group developed with other nations. The concerned organization collaborated with local farmers so that they can get raw material not only in low process but also can get the fresh item for their hospitability. Moreover, they also developed partnership with local stores in order to offer their products to end-customers. Competitive strategy Landmark Group follows this strategy in order to attain the leading position in UAE. The competitive strategy deals to encourage the sustainable SCM practices for effective supply and mounting privileged contractor contracts. Factors that must be considered when improving logistics and procurement practices The important factors that ensures the civilization of logistics and procurement practices are- inventory management, warehouse, transportation, effective order processing, material handling and effective information system. Inventory management- The action of controlling ordering, storage and delivery of the products from storage system is known as inventory management. The availability of stock is evaluated in this process and thus, better management of stock leads to improve logistics and procurement practices. Warehouse- The effectiveness of the product and information flow in between the supply and beneficiaries results in better warehouse management which on the other hand improving logistics and procurement practices in Landmark Group. Transportation- Landmark Group uses a combination of different transportation modes like- sea freight for transporting their products to other nation, roads based on the feasibility of the used cargos. The company also have several distribution points nearly located to the final location like regional distribution centre (RDC), origin consolidated freight stations (CFS) and central distribution centre (CDC). Effective order processing- Implementation of IT system allow the organization to get the order from customer in real time and then fulfill the order through the effective transportation system. This process will also enhance the logistics and procurement practices. It can also be said that the information technology also enhances the quality of the SCM. Strategy to improve supply chain management Strategy to improve an organizations supply chain Some strategies that Landmark can use to improve their supply chain management are: Reduction in cost: All the process should be selected optimally so that the overall production cost can be reduced. Taken for instance, rather than hiring a third party provider for IT team in SCM they can also formulated in-house IT department, who can handle all the operational functionality of supply chain. Reduction in time: All the SCM operations should be implemented in such a way so that the total time for accomplishing all the tasks need lesser time. Regular and updated information should be communicated to each supplier so that they can collaboratively obtain al the organizational policies and objectives. Enhancement in quality: All the quality of the products should be enhanced and use of greener technology should also be incorporated so that people can prefer their brand compared to all other brands. The Landmark can also conduct customer survey so that exact demand can be identified. Benefit from supply chain improvement strategy overall business performance in an organization There are several reasons through which supply chain improvement strategy can improve the business performance. The improved strategy results in reduction in inventories that results in when the demands of customer arise, the organization produces the products.. This also leads in reduction of wastage of inventory. The improved system enhances the information sharing among the partners due to updated technology. The strategy also improves the customer service as everyone gets their required demand in time. Moreover, trust among partners can also be attained, which improves the partnership and both of them collaboratively work for attaining the organizational objectives. Thus, all the approach increased the organizational profitability. Overcome the barriers by implementing a supply chain improvement strategy Effective supply chain management system creates stronger connection with customers as the organization emphasizes on customer satisfaction. Warehouse and inventory management updates the required orders and then manufactures the desired order to fulfill the customer needs. The strategy also overcomes the barrier of complexity reduction as all the procedure is transparent with all suppliers and production will be done in a concise way. Moreover, it can also be said that by implementing the suggested supply chain improvement strategy, the organization can also attain improved internal collaboration as it provides incentives and other benefits to their suppliers for obtaining the organizational goals. The SCM strategy also offer practical interdependencies with the product design, supply chain management along with the sales, marketing and finance. Reference List Agus, A. and Shukri Hajinoor, M., 2012. Lean production supply chain management as driver towards enhancing product quality and business performance: Case study of manufacturing companies in Malaysia. International Journal of Quality Reliability Management, 29(1), pp.92-121. Ahi, P. and Searcy, C., 2013. A comparative literature analysis of definitions for green and sustainable supply chain management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 52, pp.329-341. Baltzan, P., 2012. Business driven technology. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Chan, H.K., He, H. and Wang, W.Y., 2012. Green marketing and its impact on supply chain management in industrial markets. Industrial Marketing Management, 41(4), pp.557-562. Christopher, M., 2016. Logistics supply chain management. Pearson UK. Dyckhoff, H., Lackes, R. and Reese, J. eds., 2013. Supply chain management and reverse logistics. Springer Science Business Media. Fawcett, S.E., Ellram, L.M. and Ogden, J.A., 2013. Supply Chain Management: Pearson New International Edition: From Vision to Implementation. Pearson Higher Ed. Golicic, S.L. and Smith, C.D., 2013. A meta?analysis of environmentally sustainable supply chain management practices and firm performance. Journal of supply chain management, 49(2), pp.78-95. Jacobs, R. and Chase, R., 2013. Operations and supply chain management. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Johnson, P.F., 2014. Purchasing and supply management. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Krajewski, L.J., Ritzman, L.P. and Malhotra, M.K., 2013. Operations management: processes and supply chains (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Pearson. Mathiyazhagan, K., Govindan, K., NoorulHaq, A. and Geng, Y., 2013. An ISM approach for the barrier analysis in implementing green supply chain management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 47, pp.283-297. Monczka, R.M., Handfield, R.B., Giunipero, L.C. and Patterson, J.L., 2015. Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Prajogo, D. and Olhager, J., 2012. Supply chain integration and performance: The effects of long-term relationships, information technology and sharing, and logistics integration. International Journal of Production Economics, 135(1), pp.514-522. Priem, R.L. and Swink, M., 2012. A demand?side perspective on supply chain management. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 48(2), pp.7-13. Ross, D.F., 2016. Introduction to e-supply chain management: engaging technology to build market-winning business partnerships. CRC Press. Sarkis, J., 2012. A boundaries and flows perspective of green supply chain management. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 17(2), pp.202-216. Sarkis, J., 2012. A boundaries and flows perspective of green supply chain management. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 17(2), pp.202-216. Stadtler, H., 2015. Supply chain management: An overview. In Supply chain management and advanced planning (pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Tayur, S., Ganeshan, R. and Magazine, M. eds., 2012. Quantitative models for supply chain management (Vol. 17). Springer Science Business Media. Walker, H. and Jones, N., 2012. Sustainable supply chain management across the UK private sector. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 17(1), pp.15-28. Wieland, A. and Marcus Wallenburg, C., 2012. Dealing with supply chain risks: Linking risk management practices and strategies to performance. International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 42(10), pp.887-905. Winter, M. and Knemeyer, A.M., 2013. Exploring the integration of sustainability and supply chain management: Current state and opportunities for future inquiry. International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 43(1), pp.18-38. Wisner, J.D., Tan, K.C. and Leong, G.K., 2014. Principles of supply chain management: A balanced approach. Cengage Learning.

What were the implications of Germanys reunification for France and how did Francois Mitterrand respond to it

Introduction Francois Mitterrand was born in France at a place called Jarnac in the year 1916. He rose to become the 21st president of France and the longest serving president that France has ever had. During his formative years, he was a student at the Paris University where he studied political science and law. During the Second World War, Mitterrand served in the French army as a soldier.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on What were the implications of Germany’s reunification for France and how did Francois Mitterrand respond to it specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He was discharged after he was injured during the war. Francoise Mitterrand was known to be a very controversial figure in France politics. However, regardless of this fact, he was able to be elected as the first left wing president of France leading through his Socialist party. Before his election as the French president, Mitterrand had h eld different ministerial positions for a long time. He had thus established himself as a political heavy weight in France. Mitterrand’s presidency was full of controversies, which were mostly unearthed after his retirement. It was revealed that, during his time as the president, he formed an anti-terror unit to monitor and obtain information from journalists as a way of keeping his family life secretive. This group was later found to have engaged in an illegal tapping and eavesdropping exercise as part of their duty to hide the president’s secrets. The paper presents the implications of Germany’s reunification for France showing how Francois Mitterrand responded to it. However, it will first offer the challenges that France encountered at the dawn of the reunification. The Challenges that France Faced in the Wake of German Reunification While under Charles De Gaul and Francois Mitterrand, France had developed into one of the strongest European economies. Howeve r, under the Gaullist policies, it was meant to be the strongest European power. Francois Mitterrand was working towards a European integration, which eventually became the European Union. The French people were opposed to German reunification because they felt that a fast unification, as it was happening in the year 1989-1990, would complicate matters for the French agenda in Europe (Sarotte 2011, p. 257). Eastern Germany was an impoverished nation under the communist policies that had held back its development for so many years. The Soviet Union was the main benefactor for East Germany. For some time, it had withdrawn its support to the nation. Even with the support that it was supposed to offer, its efforts in Germany were very poor thus making East Germany suffer the fate of many communist states (Larrabee 1989, p. 38). The economic and monetary unification that France was vouching for would therefore be jeopardised if Germany would be unified.Advertising Looking for disser tation on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Eastern Germany was so left behind in terms of development that even its housing structures were those of 1949. It would therefore require massive injection of capital to raise its status for the country to be integrated in the envisaged European Union. This matter was a great challenge to France because it would be more expensive to undertake the integration with East and West Germany as one nation. According to Blitz(2009), those fears were confirmed after the integration because, to date, the Western part of Germany that was previously the more prosperous of the two has always had to transfer funds for the development of the eastern part of Germany (p. 2). Such were the fears of the French people that an early integration would destabilise their plans for a unified European community. France’s opposition to Germany reunification was informed by the fact that the Soviet Un ion’s president Mikhail Gorbachev had informed it (France) that it would lead to a security risk (Tiersky 1995, p. 8). Gorbachev had indicated that the unification of Germany would lead to a coup de tat in the Soviet Union. It would lead to disintegration of the member states. According to Tiersky (1995), this case would pose a very challenging problem to the whole Eastern European block of countries as well as to France (p. 9). Therefore, France had to be very careful in its approach towards German unification. The prospect of security risks led to the French government opting for a distant approach towards German reunification, which was later on interpreted as being opposed to Germany’s reunification. The stability of the region and France’s domination of the regions both economically and politically gave France a good reason to have fear on the reunification (Newman 2010, p. 155). Although it cannot be rightly concluded that France was opposed to German reun ification, it can be rightly proved that France had great reservations on this issue. The prospect of the Eastern Europe collapsing posed a very great challenge to Frances’ economy as well as its security as Meirs (2002, p. 211) reveals. French leadership was seen to be divided on whether to support the reunification or not. The then French President Francois Mitterrand observed this move through the sent out mixed signals. President Mitterrand would verbally support the reunification. Nevertheless, his actions would relay a different message.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on What were the implications of Germany’s reunification for France and how did Francois Mitterrand respond to it specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This strategy was played out when Mitterrand would visit East Germany as a way of supporting its existence as well as visit President Gorbachev whose country (the Soviet Union) c ontrolled East Germany (Cogan 2011, p. 258). Although France was hesitant towards German unification, it was just a matter of time before the two countries were reunified. Mitterrand recognised that this would take place eventually, and was anxious for this reason that a unified Germany should be well integrated into the European Community before it was unified. The most challenging bit for France to cope with was the timing for the unification because France rather preferred a delayed reunification of the two countries though it did not have a plan for the same. The delayed reunification was based on France’s need to keep Germany in a certain control so that Germany does not have total control of its affairs and those of the region. The French people insisted that Germany joins the Euro currency when it is formed. The Bundesbank was an independent entity that had succeeded for a long time in controlling inflation by giving short-term interest rates thus making it a strong ba nk of influence within Europe. It was very independent of the government, a fact that made it a target of politicians who felt its interest rates were not appropriate (Morys 2003, p. 3). Thus, the main challenge that this condition faced was whether Germany would abide by it and thus the uncertainties (Jabko 2010, p. 324). France had for a long time resisted American influence in Europe. Mitterrand started leaning towards forming a strong relationship with Germany thus seeking to have control of the unification so that it happens according to his terms (Fitchett 1996). Belikins (2011) posits that the Americans supported the reunification. As France did, they opted for a slow process whose conclusion did not have timelines (p. 664). This issue was a challenge to France because it (France) hinged Germany’s reunification to some of its programs. Any uncertainties would mean uncertainties on its ambitious programs. According to Sarrote (2011), France did not have any underlying p roblems with German reunification. All it did was just to follow in the path of the other leader’s opinion. France did not need to have its own opinion on the issue. (p. 258). Another challenge that France faced was during the negotiations for a unified Germany.Advertising Looking for dissertation on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The then German Chancellor Helmut Kohl surprised everyone when he came out with a ten-point road map that was outside the negotiations being carried out. This case definitely threw France and other countries into a spin because that move was much unexpected and hence a challenge to France because it strived to have control of the situation. Being caught off guard was the least it expected (Ver Net 1992, p. 658). The devaluation of the mark would surely affect the franc (outflows of capital towards Germany plus increase of German exports towards France). France rushed to create the monetary union. Jacques Delors planned it in 1988. Apart from sharing economic power with Germany, France took the move with the hope that further political integration would ensue. Was German Reunification a Threat to Francois Mitterrand? Francois Mitterrand had modelled France along the Gaullist policies in that he wanted to make France the superpower of Europe. In doing so, he aligned France to America and therefore became America’s ally in Europe. Francois-led France was still living in the after World War II fear. One of the biggest fears was the emergence of Germany to its pre-war capabilities. The abilities of Germany were seen in the way the West Germany economy had been developed based on its strength that was equal to countries such as Britain and France. Mitterrand’s fears were that, if Germany was allowed to reunite, it would become even more powerful than before. Mitterrand had an ally to this case in Britain’s Margaret Thatcher who was also totally and openly opposed to the reunification of Germany. According to Blitz(2009), Mitterrand was fearful of Germany reunification where he was quoted in lately unclassified documents as having told Thatcher that a unified Germany would be much worse that the Hitler’s Germany.(p. 9).Its enemies had not forgotten Germany’s military prowess during the war. This knowledge did not escape Mitterrand w ho himself fought in the war as a prisoner of it at some point. Therefore, Mitterrand had genuine fears that Germany’s reunification was a threat that had to be controlled before it got out of control. To this fact, history was on his side. Thus, he had all the reasons to fear. Going back to the period after the First World War, European nations adopted an appeasement policy towards Germany, which had suffered war reparations disbursement as the then main aggressor. Germany took advantage of this situation to reorganise its military for further war thus leading to the Second World War. Therefore, Mitterrand worked against chances that could lead to the same mistake that led to the Second World War. Francois Mitterrand had come up with a grand scheme of how he envisioned the construction of Europe (Sarrote 2011, p. 258). The vision that Mitterrand had was the backbone of France’s foreign policy. France, being the major power then, did not want to cede that control to an other power, or have it diluted. According to the New York Times of 7th December 1989, Mitterrand is quoted after a meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev as saying that the reunification of Germany would pose a danger to the delicate balance in Europe (Neith 1989, p. 22). This balance simply meant it would interfere with the already set power structures in Europe. France had cut a niche for itself as a powerhouse in Europe. Mitterrand felt that this balance was going to be disturbed by the entry of Germany, which would equally be a powerhouse. In his address after meeting Gorbachev in Kremlin, Mitterrand stated that the unification of Germany was a danger to the European stability and that European stability was a priority (Neith, 1989, p. 22). Being the president of France, Mitterrand was individually threatened by the situation because it would water down his powers on the European stage. He therefore had to work hard to either stop or slow down the reunification. One of Mitterrandâ€⠄¢s goals for Europe was the integration of European countries in to a single block. This deliverable was Mitterrand’s dream as he was determined to see it materialise. This integration would be slowed down if Germany were to reunite because of the economic conditions of East Germany. How was the French Foreign Policy Affected by the Reunification? The reunification of Germany as it happened in the period 1989-1990 had so many ramifications to Europe because it led to the tipping of power balances in Europe. The French government was one of the most affected entities in the whole power play because of the central role it had given itself in the European affairs. Under Francois Mitterrand, France as the biggest power in Europe then bestowed on itself the onus of setting the agenda for Europe thus entrenching it in its foreign affairs policy (Meirs 2002, p. 196). The change in the situation led to a change in the French foreign policy, which was the backbone of Mitterrandâ€⠄¢s approach towards the leadership of Europe. Moisi (1981) finds that French foreign policy was to be at the forefront of Europe to provide leadership as much as possible (p. 349). This strategy had to change with the entry of a united Germany, which was going to hold sway in many matters that the French had monopolised long before. The French foreign policy had therefore to change and accommodate a unified Germany and the changes that it would come as a result. French foreign policy up to that point was that Germany should not be reunited because it would pose a threat to the European bloc of countries. This stance however had to change because Germany became reunited and had therefore to be accorded all the full respect. The French foreign policy on the integration of the European countries therefore had to change, with the process being done with the inclusion of a united Germany as Tiersky(1992, p. 136) reveals. German integration within Europe was the outmost priority of Franc e prior to the reunification. Only after releasing East Germany would the reunification happen, which would later on accommodate Germany when it becomes reunified. This policy had to change in that the reunification of Germany and the integration of Europe had to happen at the same time. France had to start viewing Germany as an equal partner with equal influence (Irondell 2008, p. 156). This view had to happen with a change of policy about foreign matters. Before the reunification of Germany, France had a lot of say in matters to do with Germany by virtue of it being one of the four powers that controlled Germany’s sovereignty. Germany’s reunification therefore changed matters when it came to interaction between the two countries because, from then onwards, they became equals. America too added a new dimension to the reunification equation when it started considering Germany ahead of France after a while because Germany had great financial muscles because of a strong mark. This perception however had to change after the integration of European countries into using one currency (Euro). The reunification of Germany was just part of a domino effect taking place in Europe especially with the collapse of the Soviet Union and other communist states because it would lead to freeing up of many other states that would join an integrated Europe (Sarrote 2012). At the same time, the European countries were moving into integration, which meant a new approach to the way things were to be handled at the foreign desk. The French foreign affairs policy was Gaullist in nature in that it put France at the centre of all European matters in terms of diplomacy as well as security. France therefore moved its focus away from Europe and started strengthening its tie with its allies outside Europe (Belkin 2011, p. 670). It moved its influence where it could be better felt by bringing its former colonies closer to it. This influence can be seen when France moved to stren gthen regimes it supported such as the Habyarimana regime in Rwanda and others in North Africa. This movement should be noted as a search for places where it could influence without so much competition (Vernet 1992, p. 657). The French foreign policy moved from being the leader to being the member but only after integrating the European countries to form a European commission. France changed the way it viewed other countries because it realised with time that it had lost its position as America’s most preferred ally due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, which led to the collapse of the cold war too. With this crumple, France usefulness had been diminished. Its importance on some crucial matters no longer counted. Thus, it had to reinvent itself. According to Belkin, France moved from its approach of pushing agenda on its own to adopt a policy that would allow it to influence the European Union in driving its agenda for Europe and the world at large. The change of approach here is the hand in glove approach whereby the European Union is used to drive France’s agenda on the big stage (p.672). How did this Development Fit in with France’s Plan to have an Integrated and Independent Europe? France powers, though partially diminished with the entry of Germany as an alternative power, remained a force to reckon with within Europe (Irondell 2008, p. 157). To consolidate its position within Europe, it spearheaded the formation of a monetary and economic union between countries in Europe. France led other countries to the formation of the European Commission, which brought European countries’ membership as an economic zone and an exclusive club. This strategy enabled France to retain some of its influence that was lost during the unification of Germany and the breakdown of the Soviet Union. France was still able to instil order in Europe by waving the admission carrot to non-member countries that wished to join the union or commission. Acc ording to Schaefer (2012, p. 175), France remained one of the leading countries in Europe politically because it was still strong economically and politically. The change in foreign policy did not therefore change much in France’s operations on the European stage because they were not drastic. The entry of Germany on to the European stage as a unified country can be viewed as having cut France’s powers to some extent. Previously, France had a so much say when it came to European matters. However, with the entry of Germany, this say became limited. It has to do with a shared platform of power because Germany was equally powerful. France’s plan to have an integrated Europe remained on course as planned because it was able to bring many European countries under the economic commission as well as under the European Union. This plan remained as it had been set before. It was therefore achieved. France’s change in diplomacy did not change its vision for Europe so much although it is known to have caused a change to its approach towards matters to do with Europe. Whereas it controlled everything previously, the entry of Germany led it to use its influence on other forums such as the European Union. According to Pyeongeok (2006),France took the earliest opportunity to commit Germany to a monetary union as a way of controlling the Germans (p. 113). The German mark had become one of the strongest currencies in Europe if not on the world stage. Therefore, if allowed to continue, it would greatly undermine the French people’s efforts to call shots on matters integration. In their smart way through their president Francois Mitterrand, the French citizens committed the Germans into entering the monetary union that would see all countries use the same currency. This strategy was in tandem with the French foreign policy of spearheading the European integration, which it was able to achieve. Although France remained economically strong, it co uld no longer call all the shots in Europe. It therefore had to work with Germany in putting the European house in order. France had to start working with Germany as a partner and more so an equal collaborate (Belkin 2010, p. 178). It had to pull the Germans on its side for it to achieve anything on the European stage because Germany was very strong politically and economically and that it was able to pull strings here and there even without the input of the French. Therefore, for France to achieve its European dream, it started working together with Germany. The Breakdown of the Soviet Union and subsequent disintegration of the communist regimes led to a shift in power from France. The entry of Eastern Europe states into the European Union further weakened France’s hold on to power because it simply empowered other nations from Eastern Europe at the expense of France. Although France had envisioned an integrated Europe, its vision was based on the opinion that it would be at the helm and control of other countries as it used before but now in an organised manner. This issue though did not happen entirely as France had planned, but still achieved the intended result. According to Belkin (2011), there was a shift in power when other Eastern European countries became independent to join the European Union (p. 672). The U.S, which was France’s greatest ally, also shifted its position in Europe by making new allies for strategic reasons. Previously, France was America’s best ally after the world war and during the cold war era because of France’s strategic placement on the European stage. This link had to change because the collapse of the cold war saw a great shift in alliances with former communist countries opening up to western ideologies by moving away from communism to capitalism way of governance (Belikin 2010, p. 202). This move affected France so much because it could not be viewed anymore as the focal point in the European mat ters. This perception however did not change France’s resolutions. It remained influential on the European stage. To date, France’s influence still looms large because many changes are dependent on France’s backing for them to happen. France remains one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. It therefore has veto powers to pull. This strategy has worked well for its foreign policy because many countries in Europe would always want it to be on its side when it comes to matters on the world stage. France’s seat at the United Nations has given it enormous powers to wield on the world stage. It has thus used its powers to influence the decisions of bodies such as the United Nations as well as NATO. This move has remained in tandem with its foreign policy of influencing the happenings on the European stage as well as on the world stage (Belkin 2010, p. 202). Although France had planned to have an independent and integrated Europe , it could not achieve all because of the power changes that happened later. For instance, Americans started moving away from France thus acquiring new allies from the former communist regimes for strategic purposes. This strategy can be viewed as a move to undermine France resolution for a unified Europe. Brown (1983) finds that, to the Americans, a unified Europe could be too powerful as it could have a lot of influence on world matters at the expense of America (p. 6). Therefore, America’s move to get new allies greatly undermined France’s wish for a unified Europe. France had viewed Germany’s reunification as a threat to Europe’s integration. The threat that was later to be discarded. Germany’s reunification later played a big role in the integration of Europe and the allayed fears that it could derail it. Although Germany was to be integrated in Europe, this union was to happen later on and not immediately. However as Sarrote (2012) puts it, t he success of Europe’s integration depended on Germany reunification. Europe’s integration could not work out without Germany’s involvement. However, according to Francois Mitterrand, he had hoped to rope in Germany later (p. 76). However, as things turned out, Germany’s reunification happened together with the supposed integration of the European Union. German’s reunification can also be seen as a blessing to France’s efforts to build a strong European community because, since Germany reunified, it has been able to take a big role on the European stage in matters to do with the integration of other European countries into the Euro zone. Germany’s entry into the big stage came with advantages of its partnership with France in ensuring a strong and integrated Europe. Germany eased some burden off France because France was initially taking care of so many things that were a bit strenuous to it. Germany’s cooperation with France s imply enabled it(France) to move forward its ideas on integration. Once the idea was sold to Germany, it became a common purpose now for the two countries to take care (Jabko 2010, p. 321). Germany has been a partner with France on matters to do with Europe. This collaboration should therefore be positively upheld from its reunification position. In the recent times, Germany has been at the forefront of leading the European world in terms of taking care of the financial crisis faced by other countries. Germany has been at the head during Greece financial meltdown where was looked upon to provide leadership as well as financial aid to the Greek economy. Francois Mitterrand’s Decisions His Opposition to German Reunification Francois Mitterrand was opposed to German reunification because of many reasons that he only knew about because he was never explicit in his opposition to the situation. In the many times he spoke in public, he was in favour of Germany’s reunification . However, in private, he voiced his views in total opposition of the same. Mitterrand’s opposition to Germany’s reunification can be attributed to two factors: personal pride as a French leader and outside pressure. Mitterrand as the French president had his pride in being the leader of the strongest western allied European power from where a lot of supremacy came in deciding the course of Europe (Tiersky 1992, p. 322). Therefore, his opposition to German reunification can be attributed to his own desire for self-preservation of powers that came with being a French president. Mitterrand pursued the Gaullist policy that sought to influence the course of Europe’s progress on the world stage. He therefore took it personally to fulfil that dream, which on the other hand was being threatened by the reunification of Germany (Cogan 2011, p. 258). Germany’s reunification would definitely tilt the balance of power to topple France from the top, which would be hur tful to the French leadership especially to Mitterrand. The second decision that made Francois Mitterrand oppose the Germany reunification was the post world war fear that almost everyone had about Germany. Both leaders and citizens feared that a united Germany would go back to reclaim its lost territory and assume its pre-war status. The fear of Germany falling back to its Hitler days could not be ignored (Pyeongeok 2006, p. 114). This revelation explains the mortal fear that not only he had on a unified Germany but also the fear that was shared by many other European citizens. The ability of Germany to cause chaos and destabilise the world peace was known. No world leader was ready for another world war if it was to come by Germany reunification. This position informed his decision to oppose reunification of Germany because of the threats it posed in case it was reunified. Although the thought of Germany going back into another war can be described as alarmist to some extent and a veil for Mitterrand’s opposition to Germany’s reunification, Mitterrand nevertheless used it successfully to woo Margaret Thatcher, the British prime minister, to his side of the viewpoint. His pursuit for Integration Mitterrand’s pursuit for integration was meant to place France at the top of the European table to enable France to dictate the pace of Europe’s development. Mitterrand had a grand plan for Europe’s construction. He could only implement it if he was in a position to influence the political and economic arena of Europe. He designed a plan for integration so that he would tie countries in Europe to a single economic block. From this point, he could therefore influence economic and political decisions made concerning Europe. This power led him to pursue policy of integration to the extent that he felt Germany should not be reunited then so that his policy is not derailed. America had come out as a strong country after the war. It was se en to be influencing so many matters that were then happening in Europe. This over reliance on America for directions seemed to upset Mitterrand who prided himself of being French. He therefore mooted the idea of integration to come up with a strong European block that would control the affairs of Europe from within it. Although integration was seen to be threatened by the German reunification, it eventually happened without a hitch. So much was Mitterrand’s pursuit of integration that he made sure it happened even after the reunification of Germany. This strategy according to the writer was more of a personal ambition than pressure from outside. Mitterrand’s Support for Reunification Mitterrand’s support for reunification was based on pressure from outside. Were it within his powers, Germany would not have reunified (Pyeongeok 2006, p.116). The reunification of Germany was based on so many factors held by the four powers that held Germans’ fate in their hands. The four major powers, which had a say in Germany’s sovereignty were America, Soviet Republic, Britain, and Russia. These four countries had divided Germany between them. The three capitalist nations controlled West Germany while the Soviet Republic controlled the East Germany. Therefore, any decision on the reunification of Germany would be decided by the four countries and that any opposition to the same would be required to have a majority support of the four countries. At the same time, he had the support of Gorbachev who was not so committed to the continued separation of Germany against the will of its people. Therefore, Mitterrand had to accept the fact and move with the tide. It can therefore be stated that Mitterrand’s decision to support the reunification of Germany was due to external pressures from what other countries were doing. The main person who had the key to the reunification was Gorbachev because he held the reigns of East Germany. Therefore, the moment he let go East Germany, nothing could stop the reunification. Thus, it was a matter beyond Mitterrand. Although it can be concluded that it was beyond Mitterrand to accept Germany’s unification, he also had a role that he should be credited with playing (Pyeongeok 2006, p. 116). He made sure that Germans dropped their Mark to join the use of the euro. This strategy was one of the conditions he set and agreed with Helmut Kohl who was the then Chancellor for West Germany. The initiative by Mitterrand to force Germans to drop the Mark was informed by the fact that the Mark had been used for a long time to determine the value of the Franc thus coming out as punishment on the French people. Therefore, it can be said that the decision to support Germany’s reunification was also based on its dropping of its currency and entering the currency union that used the euro. Therefore, it was not so much support as it was further integration and control of Germany’ s economic power since France had suffered from a strong deutschemark, which seemed to control the Franc. Conclusion In conclusion, Francois Mitterrand can be described as a smart leader who not only led his party and country for a long time but also one who left a very big impact on the politics and economy of Europe. Mitterrand had a grand plan for Europe that he hoped would make the European block the strongest political and economic block in the world. Although he did not make it to block the reunification of Germany, he took it within his strides by accepting the inevitable and using it to achieve his dreams of having a European union. The structures for the European Union as envisaged by Mitterrand are still at work. The union has taken in with an ongoing plan of admitting new members. References Belkin, P 2010, ‘France: Factors Shaping Foreign Policy and Issues in U.S French Relations’, Current Politics and Economics of Europe, vol. 21 no. 2/3, pp. 175-210. Belki n, P 2011, ‘France: Factors Shaping Foreign Policy and Issues in U.S- French Relations’, Congressional Research Service, vol. 1 no. 1, pp. 661-692. Blitz, J 2009, ‘Paris Feared New Germany after Reunification’, Financial Times, Sept. 8, p. 2. Bozo, F 2007, ‘Mitterrand’s France, the End of the Cold War and Germany Unification: A Reappraisal’, Cold War History, vol. 7 no. 4, pp. 455-478. Brown, F 1983, ‘France Between the U.S and the Soviet Union: Toward and Understanding of Mitterrand’s Foreign Policy’, American Foreign Policy Newsletter, vol. 6 no. 3, pp. 1-7. Cogan, C 2011, ‘Mitterrand France and NATO: The European Transition’, Journal of Transatlantic Studies, vol. 9 no. 3, pp. 257-267. Jabko, N 2010, ‘The Hidden Face of the Euro’, Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 17 no. 3, pp. 318-334. Irondell, B 2008, ‘European Foreign Policy: The End of French Europe?’, Journal of Eu ropean Integration, vol. 30 no. 1, pp. 153-168. Larrabee, S 1989, ‘Soviet Policy Toward Germany: New Thinking and old Times’ Washington Quarterly, vol. 12 no. 3, pp. 35-51. Meir, J 2002, ‘A Change of Course? Germany Foreign and Security Policy After Unification’, German Politics, vol. 11 no. 3, pp. 195-216. Moisi, D 1981, ‘Mitterrand’s Foreign Policy: The Limits of Continuity’, Foreign Affairs, vol. 60 no. 2, pp. 347-357. Neith, J 1989, ‘Foreign Affairs Desk’, New York Times, Dec. 7, pp. 21-23. Newman, A 2010, ‘Flight Risk: Unified Germany and Role of Beliefs in the European Response to the Financial Crisis’, Germany Politics and Society, vol. 28 no. 2, pp. 151-164. Pyeongeok, A 2006, ‘Obstructive all the Way? British Policy Towards Germany Unification 1989-90’, Germany Politics, vol. 15 no. 1, pp. 111-121. Sarote, M 2011, ‘Mitterrand, the end of Cold War, and German Unification’, Journ al of Cold War Studies, vol. 13 no. 4, pp. 257-258. Sarrote, M 2012, ‘Deciding to be Mars’, Policy Review, vol. 172 no. 1, pp. 71-83. Schaefer, B 2012, ‘Mitterrand, the End of the Cold War and the German Unification’, Central European History, vol. 45 no. 1, pp. 174-176. Tiersky, R 1992, ‘France in the New Europe’, Foreign Affairs, vol. 71 no. 2, pp. 131-146. Tiersky, R 1995, ‘The Mitterrand Legacy and the Future of French Security Policy’, Institute for National Strategic Studies, vol. 1 no. 1, pp.1-5. Ver Net, D 1992, ‘The Dilemma of French Foreign Policy’, International Affairs, vol. 68 no. 4, pp. 655-664. This dissertation on What were the implications of Germany’s reunification for France and how did Francois Mitterrand respond to it was written and submitted by user Kyr0n to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.