General Motors Human Resources and Management

General Motors Human Resources and Management This report presents an analysis of the mission statement of General Motors as well as its key business processes. It also illustrates how the key business processes integrate with the information systems and our suggestions and recommendations to those processes that would better suit General Motors. The report also identifies the environmental factors which affect the company in terms of political, economic, social, ecological and technological factors and the impact that these factors have had on General Motors and the strategic diversity the company has had to adopt to accommodate these changes. Finally the report explores ways on how new information systems can help General Motors create great efficiency by automating and streamlining parts of its business processes. The report concludes by incorporating our recommendations of appropriate information systems for each department within the company. Introduction General Motors is the worlds largest automaker with 386,000 employees in over 50 years. Despite this sheer size, its auto sales have declined from about 60 percent of the U.S. vehicle market in the 1970s to only 28.3 percent today. This decline is attributed to stiff competition from Ford, DaimlerChrysler and the Japanese all of whom enjoy lower production costs, have a reputation for cars with better styling and quality than General Motors. General Motors adoption of a vertically integrated corporation which at one time manufactured up to 70 percent of its parts, as a power source of competitive advantage, enabled the company to build cars at lower costs than its rivals. However, over time, these policies worked in favour of General Motors competitors who were then able to make motor vehicles at much lower costs because they could purchase their vehicle parts from outside vendors and also bargain on pricing. For the past 15 years, General Motors has struggled to overcome the above legacy, inefficient product processes and thousands of outdated information systems that could not communicate with each other. Although the company has now become much leaner and more efficient by shedding off tens of thousands of workers, closing dozens of plants and squeezing costs of motor vehicle parts by scouring the globe for the lowest prices much still needs to be done. It is our recommendation that General Motors use Internet and other leading-edge information systems technology to reconstruct its entire value chain, transforming itself into a customer-focused business that provides many different electronic services to consumers as well as motor vehicles. Mission Statement General Motors mission statement states that GM is a multinational corporation engaged in socially responsible operations, worldwide. It is dedicated to provide products and services of such quality that our customers will receive superior value while our employees and business partners will share in our success and our stock-holders will receive a sustained superior return on their investment. We analysed the above mission statement using Druckers five questions namely:- What is our business? Who is the customer? What is the value to the customer? What will our business be? What should our business be? We arrived at the conclusion that there was a need to modify General Motors mission statement since the above questions were not fully exhausted. The current mission statement does not indicate that GM is a producer of motor vehicle; neither does it take into consideration the Global Sullivan Principle. As a marketing tool, it does not mention that it is dedicated towards providing products and services to customers who are targeted in 200 different countries. Our recommended General Motors mission statement should read as follows: GM is a multinational producer of motor vehicles engaged in socially responsible operations worldwide and committed to achieve the best in every facet of our business. Under the aspects of Global Sullivan Principles, GM is dedicated to provide products and services of such quality that our customers who are targeted in 200 different countries will receive superior value while our employees and business partners will share in our success and our stock-holders will receive a sustained superior return on their investment. Key Business Processes Key business process is defined as the execution of a series of activities that work together to produce a well defined set of products and services which leads to the achievement of a measurable business result. They also represent unique ways in which organisations coordinate work, information, and knowledge, and the ways in which management chooses to coordinate work. Integration between Business Process and Information Systems Although each organisation has its own set of business processes, many other business processes are cross functional, transcending the boundaries between sales, marketing, manufacturing, research and development. These cross functional processes cut across the traditional organisation structure, grouping employees from different functional specialities to complete a piece of work. Information systems can help organisations achieve great efficiencies by automating parts of these processes or by helping organisations rethink and streamline these processes. By integrating these processes, organisations can become more focussed on efficient management of resources and customer services. Suggestions and recommendations of key business processes Functional Area Business Process Manufacturing and Production Assembling the product, checking for quality, producing bills of materials Sales and Marketing Identifying customers, making customers aware of the product, selling the product Finance and Accounting Paying creditors, creating financial statements, managing cash accounts Human Resources Hiring employees, evaluating employees job performance, enrolling employees in benefits plan External Environment There are three factors which had made General Motors in this situation. Firstly, the United States economy is not progressing cost their U.S. sales projections for 2008 have been too rosy. GM had been expecting more than 16 million vehicles, including trucks and buses, to be sold this year (Taylor III 2008). Secondly, intense competition from their global competitors such as Honda, Nissan, and Hyundai which had produce better fuel efficient engines, stylish at a much lower price compared to any GM brands. Thirdly, the worlds fuel price had increased to USD 120 per barrel in the market had made consumers not to purchase vehicle and using public transport or smaller vehicle. In the United States, consumers want to abandon their less-fuel-efficient vehicles for smaller cars, and thats illustrated by all sorts of trends, said David Tompkins, executive director of industry solutions for Edmunds.com, parent of Auto Observer (Buss 2008) (refer appendix 2). 1.0 Strategic Human Resource Management Theory 1.1 Balance Score Card Balance Score Card is a performance measurement indicator that can be used to measure the financial and non financial situation in General Motors. There are four parts; financial perspective, internal business perspective, customers perspective, learning and growth perspective. Balance Score Card is like your cars dash board where there is indicator on as you drive, you can look at the dashboard to obtain real-time information such as how fuel, speed and the distance youve traveled or even any faulty system etc. Its known to help companies and implement the changes required to meet their business goals (Pangakar Kirkwood, 2007). The balance score card enables the companies to develop a more comprehensive view of their operations and to better match all operating and investment activities to long- and short-term strategic objectives (Punniyamoorthy Murali, 2008). The loss of USD38.7 billion is a huge financial loss which in fact will affect the internal business process, the customer, and growth of GM. The huge loss was largely contributed from deferred tax charges and drop in sales. Currently, the organization financial perspective appears to the share holder is in a decline where GM shares fell nearly 5 percent, or USD1.67, to USD34.48 (Bunkley N. 2008). Thus to manage this losses, thousands of workers are laid off from duty. This will affect their internal business process and may lead to dissatisfied customers. For example, usually General Motors takes 1 week to deliver a car to a customer. When they decided to retrench workers they will lose their competitive advantage where now it takes 2 weeks to deliver a car. This will cause dissatisfaction to consumers because they have to wait an extra week to obtain their vehicle. In the end, the learning and growth perspective cant be achieved because the lack of resources will disable them to co mpete in the turbulent environment result to decline in sales. To ensure that General Motors can effectively achieve its balance score card in the future, they must handle their external environment issue concisely. They have to improve thru their internal process and learning and growth to overcome their competition issue. General Motors have to come out with new design and technology to increase the product line. Research and Development expenditure have to be spent so that they could create better vehicle then their competitors. How to create better vehicle than the competitors? This can be accomplished by purchasing the technology from their competitors or similar industry. For example Proton had acquire Lotus in the year 1996 had made them competitive at that point of time. When this happen, employees will have to be train thus it can increase the knowledge of the workers. In certain cases, workers will be sent oversea for such training to acquire technology. Workers will be more effective and consequently increase productivity in General M otors. Like a well oiled machine, every part in the organization performs best when all of them work towards a common goal. All of the four perspectives in the balances score card works hand in hand thru their substantial objectives, measures and initiatives. As mentioned above, to make sure that General Motors can make profit to cover the huge amount of losses they must increase productivity, more expenditure on research and development etc. In General Motors case, financial perspective is the key strategy for the other three perspectives. For General Motors, the learning perspective can work together with the sales department to train and coach the sales staff or even developing new efficient production, training equipment. To improve on the customer scorecard they could do research by surveys from their existing customers on how to improve customer relationships. Customer retention is important factor ignite buyers to increase sales. It ensures repeat purchase, increase positive word of mouth and reduce cost to find new customers. Balance Score Card will ensure human capital development, improving employee satisfaction and increasing employee motivation (Kaplan Norton, 1992) in General Motors. Link of each perspective in the Balance Score Card (BCS) High Performance Work System High performance work system (HPWS) is also another method to explain the situation in General Motors. Autonomous work teams, open systems and performance-based pay are known collectively as high-performance work systems (Rouse, 2000). HPWS have also come to be known as high involvement work systems, flexible work systems and high commitment work systems (Aghazadeh Seyedian, 2004) In other words, they are simply work practice that can be deliberately introduced in order to improved organizational performance The main focus of HPWS is organizing work so that the employees participate in decisions that affect the everyday operations of an organization. There are three potential factors that can affect high performance work system in General Motors; retrenchment of workers, technology used and layout design. A worker is the key success to any organization. Retrenchment will cause General Motors to lose talented workers subsequently lose competitive edge. To survive in the changing environment, a company must rely on their workers creativity, ingenuity problem solving ability and strong team work. Workers are able to make their own decision on the best way to accomplish their work. The knowledge and skill shared will create a high performance work system. For example, an engineer in General Motors is developing a fuel efficient engine. Engineer A may need assistants from Engineer B, however when GM decided to retrench workers, Engineer A will face difficulty in developing the engine. Performance of employee can be boost thru team works. A study by Thompson, Baughan and Motwani indicates that company such as General Electricity, Proctor Gamble, Xerox Corporation had huge increase productivity as high as 250 percent and double their profit (1998). The use of technology is another feature in High Performance Work System. All managers in every department of General Motors must be able to identify the technology they use in their organization. The application of Human Resource Information System that can store information on workers that can assist managers in deciding which employee is performing and which is not. The use of technology without human operating it is also meaningless. Managers in General Motor must identify whether the qualified workers are able to operate the tools or not. Layout of General Motors production plants and office be required to properly design in order for them to increase workers performance and productivity. This involves careful job designing by HR managers. According to Aghazadeh and Seyedian, layout plays a role to ensure success by using space, people and equipment effectively, increasing the flow of information and materials, boost employees morale and utterly encourage flexibility (2004). Managers in General Motors may have to come out with proposals to change the existing layout to a improved, sustainable working layout. If all of the three factors are taken into account, General Motors can recover from their huge financial losses just and can avoid retrenchment of employees. Although to implement HPWS is costly, uncertain success and time consuming but in the long run this can benefit General Motors. Recommendation for Human Resource Activities Training and development programs should be given to employee to ensure increase in productivity. Offshore training in Japan car manufacturers to learn various methods to make better cars. Mangers are required to make research and human resource planning on the best methods to do a particular task. General Motors would have to find a partner to form a strategic alliance to recover from the huge financial loss. From this alliance, both companies are potential to learn from each other on the technology and trade secrets. Develop a module which to help retrench workers to find a new job. This will avoid them from paying more money for their compensation of retrenchments Outsource to countries like China or India. Cheap labors will benefit companies to recover them from financial loss. Create a reward programme where employees are rewarded by their managers based on their ability to work in a group Create a talk to all employees at least once in 3 months to explain the companys vision, strategy and objective. This will make employees feel a sense of belonging and may be able to work extra for the company. Competitor Analysis Sheer size and market share make new entrants an unlikely to be a threat Vertical integration of GM does not encourage purchases from suppliers hence they lose out on price bargaining Ford, DaimlerChrysler and Japanese manufacturers have better styling and quality; an approach which GM should consider adopting to sustain its competitive edge Cost of GM motor vehicles is perceived as being too high Buyers are nowadays inclined to buy sport utility and pickups which are not manufactured by General Motors GM enjoys a healthy product line and segmentation in pricing and functions Information Systems Using information systems at each part of the organization creates great efficiencies by automating and streamlining parts of the business. We recommend the following information systems at each department within General Motors: Human Resource Information Systems These are systems that maintain employee records, track employee skills, job performance and support planning for employee compensation and career development. LEVEL RECOMMENDED I.S. PURPOSE Operational Employee Records Track employee training, skills and performance appraisal Knowledge Career Path Designs career paths for employees Management Compensation Analysis Monitors the range and distribution of employees wages, salaries benefits Strategic Human Resources Planning Plans the long-term labour force needs of the organization 2. Finance and Accounting Systems These are systems that keep track of the firms financial assets and fund flows. LEVEL RECOMMENDED I.S. PURPOSE Operational Accounts Receivable Track outstanding debts Knowledge Portfolio Analyses Designs portfolios investments Management Budgeting Prepares short-term budgets Strategic Profit Planning Plans long-term profits 3. Sales and Marketing Systems These are systems that help the firm identify customers for its product or services. They also assist to develop product or services that meet customer needs, promote and sell them as well as providing ongoing customer support. LEVEL RECOMMENDED I.S. PURPOSE Operational Order processing Enters, processes and tracks orders Knowledge Market Analyses Identifies customers and markets using data on demographics, markets, consumer behaviour and trends Management Pricing Analyses Determines prices for products and services Strategic Sales and Forecasting Prepares 3-5 year sales forecast 4. Manufacturing and Production Systems These are systems that deal with planning, development, production of products and services and controlling the flow of production. LEVEL RECOMMENDED I.S. PURPOSE Operational Machine Control Controls the actions of machines and equipment Knowledge Computer-Aided Design Designs new products using the computer Management Production Planning Decides when and how many products should be produced Strategic Facilities Location Prepares and decides where to locate new production facilities In addition to the information systems mentioned here above, we also recommend the following office automation systems: E-mail System: Improve GMs internal and external communication, creating an effective and efficient service Word Processing System: Office system technology that facilitates the creation of documents through computerized text editing, formatting, storing and printing Document Imaging System: System that converts documents and images into digital form so that they can be stored and accessed easily by the computer Timesheet System: Enables employees to fill in the timesheet forms online so that management can approve and track the timesheet online. Conclusion Whilst it would be make a lot of business sense for a company like Ford to close down more plants and accept a smaller portion of the U.S. market this strategy would not work in favour of GM because then the company would produce and sell fewer vehicles, meaning less income for those big pension and health-care costs. GM has to maintain its cash flow to cover these costs until a future date when it is hoped that the elderly retirees diminish in number whilst also making improvements in quality, efficiency, design and brand appeal. Although GM has cut the time to assemble a vehicle from an average of 32 hours in 1998 to 24 hours in 2003, Japanese competitors are still faster in getting new models into the market. Hondas new vehicle development cycle is only 14 months and the company is working towards compressing development time down to 12 months. GM should look at this as a challenge to embrace and strategise with a view to improve its development cycle to match its competitors if not exceed them. Whilst these recommendations provided are meant to help GM sustain its market share, they cannot be fully appreciated until they have been put to test and the results obtained critically analysed to create room for adjustments where necessary and where applicable.

Zen Plastics Company

This report aims to examine partnership arrangements and clearly identify advantages and disadvantages in terms of entering the export market. Besides, it is necessary to have a competent understanding of how Zen Plastics would successfully go into the export market and what they do to achieve this. Critically look at Zen Plastics’ s structure to see if the exporting is a suitable strategy for the firm concerned. The partnerships that Zen Plastics could enter into In some countries Zen Plastics cannot sell directly to the end user but must use a local agent or representative.Thus, they should enter into some partnerships. It is possible for Zen Plastics to use manufacturer’s representative or sales agent in local area. In other circumstance, the foreign distributor may purchase the product from Zen Plastics and is always responsible for payment of the item being exported. Accordingly, joint ventures might be a common way for most of exporting companies when two business es in different counties get together to start a new venture. This method normally follows one route such as licensing, franchising, industrial co-operation and contract manufacture.As for Zen Plastics, licensing, franchising and contract manufacture would be the appropriate ways to be taken into account. The owner of the licence grants someone the rights to produce goods using that licence. The owner of the licence allows other manufacturers to use the character in return for payment of a fee. In a word, the licensor won the rights and the licensee buys the rights. A franchise operation comprises a franchiser and a franchisee. The franchiser owns the rights to the products and sells these to the franchisee. This is used by exporters to get into overseas markets that are protected by tariffs or other barriers.It involves the manufacturer placing an order for the production of agreed items in another country. The export facilitating companies that could assist Zen Plastics to enter f oreign markets With the assistance of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the people’ s Government, Zen Plastics can implement and carry out the state foreign principles, policies and relevant laws and regulations as well as the decisions made by Communist Party of China (CPC) and study and formulate working schemes and plans for key foreign affairs.To conduct investigation and study according to the needs in the process of economic and social development as well as the opening-up campaign and to provide proposals and suggestions for the decision-making. CHINA GROUP COMPANIES PROMOTION ASSOCIATION, it can help Zen Plastics correct evaluate the proposed market, research on size of target market, and then take further measures to plan. With the help of CGCPA, it can promote business cooperation and foreign matchmaking.They can investigate on the multinational business strategy formulation and implementation and the management of overseas companies to understand the s ituation and to exchange experiences as well. A new proper organization structure to assist Zen Plastics in its new venture Before Zen Plastics start exporting they must decide what their objective for exporting is. They must decide what type of work that needs to be done to accomplish the company profits or other objectives.There are many ways a company can create its structure. The most common are: Functional organization, Regional organization, and Product organization In the topical issue of environmental protection has become a global imperative to resolve the contradiction, Zen Plastics should seize the rare opportunities for the revolutionary era – the green plastics, it widely promotes the use of green plastics by making their own efforts depend on a new organization structure, which can assist Zen Plastics in its new venture.Summary With the help of the report, some relevant information about the various routes to the market place both direct and indirect can be prov ided. Besides, the advantages and disadvantages of each and organizational structure have been discussed, and apply it to the case study.

Profile of Christiane Amanpour

Christiane Amanpour, CNN Chief Intl Correspondent for 20 Years: Christiane Amanpour, one of the worlds most honored broadcast journalists, was CNN Chief International Correspondent for 20 years. Shes also said to be the worlds highest-paid correspondent. On March 18, 2010, ABC News named Amanpour as moderator for its Sunday morning The Week interview program, starting on August 1, 2010. She left CNN after 27 years. An Amanpour report validates a storys importance. Shes often given insider access where other reporters are neither welcomed nor allowed. Shes an authority on Islam with extensive Middle East and worldwide connections. Recently Notable: Commented Amanpour on March 18, 2010, Im thrilled to be joining the incredible team at ABC News. Being asked to anchor This Week and the superb tradition started by David Brinkley, is a tremendous and rare honor and I look forward to discussing the great domestic and international issues of the day. Amanpour was in the Baghdad courtroom on October 19, 2005 when Saddam Hussein made his first trial appearance, and at Husseins initial hearing in 2004. Time magazine has called her the most influential foreign correspondent since Edward R. Murrow. Personal Data: Birth - January 12, 1958 in LondonEducation - From age 11, attended two Roman Catholic all-girls schools in Great Britain. Graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of Rhode Island in 1983 with a BA in Journalism.Family - Married since 1998 to James (Jamie) Rubin, US State Department spokesman under President Clinton; one son, Darius, born in 2000. Growing Up Christiane Amanpour: Born to Iranian airline executive Mohammed Amanpour and his British wife, Patricia, her family moved to Tehran soon after her birth. Christiane led a privileged life in Iran, and then at British boarding schools. She studied journalism in London only because her sister backed out of attending and couldnt obtain a tuition refund. Her family fled Iran, and became refugees, in 1979 during the Islamic Revolution. Shortly thereafter, Amanpour moved to Rhode Island to attend college. Christiane Amanpours Early Career Years: While a student, Amanpour interned at the Rhode Island NBC affiliate WJAR. After graduation, she endured numerous network rejections because she lacked the right look. She eventually landed an assistants job on CNNs international desk in Atlanta. I arrived at CNN with a suitcase, with my bicycle and with about 100 dollars. She was transferred to Eastern Europe in 1986, during the fall of Communism. It was there that her reporting caught the attention of CNN brass. Christiane Amanpour as CNN Foreign Correspondent: Amanpour was elevated to CNN foreign correspondent in 1989, where she reported on democratic revolutions in Eastern Europe. She first attained widespread acclaim for her riveting coverage of the Persian Gulf War in 1990, followed by award-winning reporting of the conflicts in Bosnia and Rwanda. Based in London, shes reported from war zones in Iraq, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Rwanda and beyond. Shes also secured innumerable exclusive interviews with world leaders. Amanpour Exclusive Interviews, Partial List: 2003 British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac just prior to the War in Iraq2003 Mahmoud Abbas, first Palestinian Prime Minister2002 Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, in isolation in his Ramallah headquarters. (Arafat hung up on her after a shouting match.)2001 Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during the war against Afghanistan1999 Mikhail Gorbachev on the 10th anniversary of Communisms fall1997 Mohammad Khatami, new President of Iran Awards and Accolades, Partial List: On June 17, 2007, Amanpour was named by Queen Elizabeth as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, which is only one step shy of knighthood. Professional awards include:2000 Edward R. Murrow Award for Distinguished Achievement in Broadcast Journalism2002 Harvards Goldsmith Career Award for JournalismTwo Emmy news/documentary awardsTwo George Foster Peabody Awards for BroadcastingTwo George Polk Awards for JournalismCourage in Journalism Award, International Womens Media FoundationMajor role in two duPont awards and a Golden Cable Ace award given to CNN Interesting Personal Notes: While attending University of Rhode Island, she became friends and shared an off-campus house with Brown University student John F. Kennedy, Jr. They remained close friends until his 1999 death. Christiane Amanpour is described as modest, private and quite magnetic. Her reporting is unfailingly hard-hitting, accurate and insightful. Shes often pictured on-camera sans make-up and in an ever-present, unglamorous flak jacket. She was named 1997 Iranian Woman of the Year. Memorable Quotes: Remember the movie Field of Dreams when the voice said, Build it and they will come? Well somehow that dumb statement has always stuck in my mind, and I always say, If you tell a compelling story, they will watch. I think that as a country that is so powerful, so good in its values, so determined to spread values such as democracy, morality around the world...its absolutely vital...that the people of the United States get a look at whats going on outside. Its our role and its our job to be able to go to these places and bring back stories, just as a window on the world. I remember once doing a live shot from a so-called famine camp in Ethiopia---and actually in Somalia as well. I was showing a man and telling his story and explaining how ill he was, and it was a live camera. All of a sudden, I realized that he was dying. And I didnt know what to do, I didnt know how to break that moment, how to get the camera away, what to do that would not sully what was happening in real life. And then theres always the crying and the weeping that we hear.....children, women, even men. And these images and these sounds are always with me....---------------...a strange thing has happened, something I never expected. Sadly, (my) marriage and motherhood have coincided with the demise of journalism as I knew it and I dreamt that it would always be. I am no longer sure that when I go out there and do my job, itll even see the light of air, if the experience of my colleagues is anything to go by. More times than I care to remember, I have sympathized with too many of them assigned like myself, to some of the worlds royal bad places. They would go through hell to do their pieces, only to frequently find them killed back in New York, because of some fascinating new twist on killer Twinkies or Fergie getting fatter or something. I have always thought it morally unacceptable to kill stories...that people have risked their lives to get.

The Effect of Cyberbullying on Social Platforms - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 733 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/02/15 Category Society Essay Level High school Topics: Bullying Essay Cyber Bullying Essay Did you like this example? As a part of everyday life, Social Platforms has had an overpowering effect on people’s behaviors. Social Platforms have opened up exciting possibilities but there have been unethusiatic ones too. One is cyberbullying, the #1 cause of suicide around the world. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Effect of Cyberbullying on Social Platforms" essay for you Create order Cyberbullying is on the rise, and the impact is often underestimated. In 2012, for example, a 15-year-old girl named Amanda Todd committed suicide due to cyberbullying. At first, people thought it was just a case of a rebellious teen seeking attention but later realized cyberbullying played an important role in the teenager’s life. Despite the well-publicized suicide cases around the world, people still mistakenly think social media does not influence people to commit suicide. Cyberbullying affects people from any age, race or religion. It also affects their everyday lives. Many people feel embarrassed that they are going through a devastating time, in their lives. So, they feel suicide is the only way to stop everything they’re going through. For example, just last year an 18-year-old Brandy Vela shot herself in the chest in front of her family because she was constantly being attacked for her weight as a she became a target of cyberbullying. Society doesn’t realize that this is a major problem. Cyberbullying is more than just kids picking on kids. It’s a dangerous overgrown disease that needs to be cut from the root before we lose more innocent people. Social media is getting more popular as years pass, but so is cyberbullying. You basically see this unnatural behavior in everyday life even when you’re going through your favorite celebrity page and we so happen to check their comments section on a recent picture they posted. And all we see is people commenting disgusting things to someone they don’t even know personally is just disturbing. Cyberbullying gives other people power to sit behind a computer screen and anonymously or not say hateful things to people. Back in 2014, an Australian model-actress Charlotte Dawson committed suicide by hanging herself after constantly being attack on social media. Another celebrity recently attacked via social media was Selena Gomez after the famous designer Dolce and Gabbana initiated the attack by stating that she was â€Å"so ugly.† After those hateful statements, she checked herself into rehab for anxiety and depression. There is a consistent relationship between cyberbullying and depression among people all over the world. The weight of social media in our lives is too much to handle and people already have enough to face in their daily life to worry about hateful things people say to them. Society tends to forget that innocent lives are being lost every day because of cyberbullying. Another devasted case of cyberbullying is of a 12-year-old girl from Florida named Gabriela Green who in January committed suicide by hanging herself because she couldn’t take the pressure of being harassed. No one would think that a 12-year-old would be thinking about committing such a horrific act upon herself. Back in 2010, 15-year-old Phoebe Prince committed suicide by hanging herself after becoming a target of cyberbullying numerous times. The reality of cyberbullying is unbelievably different and unfortunately much more severe than we all imagine. Parents have an important role to play in helping their kids navigate social platforms safely. For example, parents should occasionally check their kid’s social platforms for any evidence of cyberbullying or any suspicious message. Secondly, parents should always talk to their kids about the harm social platforms can cause. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people around the world. People should take into consideration what they say and what they write on a daily every time they log in to any social media. To help prevent undesirable pain to others. People sometimes think that they do enough with teaching their kids to be good, but fail to talk to their kids about how hateful and harmful social platforms really are. The internet has been an amazing force for good, but it has caused undeniable suffering. We can all bring awareness to this delicate situation if we help each other instead of hurting one another. If someone is going through this situation or is having suicidal thoughts don’t hesitate to talk to someone or call The Suicidal thought line at 1800-273-8255. Together we can create an environment that limits the presences of cyberbullying and its negatives impacts on people.