Archive for August, 2011

Automotive Industry – The Fascinating History

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

It is usually fascinating to take phone development of products that we rely on so unconsciously in our lives. None is much more exciting than the good reputation for the automotive industry. History credits a French engineer named Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot for building the first automobile in 1769. This vehicle was a lot more like a military tractor with three wheels than what we all know of as a car. The engine ran on steam and could only run for fifteen minutes at any given time. The steam engine evolved as various inventors could obtain patents as well as in 1806 the trend started with cars operating with car engines which ran on gasoline.

A brief history of the automotive industry truly came old in 1903 when Henry Ford started a vehicle empire in a converted factory. His company became mostly of the to outlive the Great Depression. In 1914 Ford started producing cars in bulk by creating what we know as assembly lines. It was the point where the car began its popularity. The U.S. dominated the all over the world ’till the end of The second world war in 1945. At that time nations that were technologically advanced for example Germany and Japan were able to gain momentum and become serious competition within the automobile industry.

The success observed in the history from the automotive industry is because of three basic factors; price, quality and depreciation. Cars have always continued to get more expensive. A car such as a Cadillac Seville, as an example, retailed for approximately $20,000 in 1989. That same car in a model produced just five years later retailed at $36,000. The quality of cars continues to evolve too. They are truly built to last. The depreciation of recent cars continues to remain consistent. You may expect an automobile to get rid of about 28% of their value as soon as it is driven off the dealership lot.

A brief history from the automotive industry would not be complete with no check out the future. With the trend of manufacturers to produce “green” vehicles we’re visiting a rush of hybrid and hydrogen cars with many new and innovative ideas awaiting production. The goal would be to produce a vehicle that is environmentally safe while still cost effective and affordable. Cars that we only dream of today are determined to become a reality tomorrow.

History Of Industry Superannuation Funds

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

The very first superannuation funds began shortly before Australia became a nation when New South Wales began a pension of �26 annually culled from the state’s general revenue; Victoria and Queensland soon did likewise. For a long time superannuation was available only to a small number of people, but over the past century they’ve evolved to become accessible to all Australians. Now everyone is able to benefit from them in life and in retirement more than ever before. Industry super funds played a pivotal role in causing this fundamental shift.

Unions within the 1970s began to demand that employers be required to contribute to their workers’ superannuation funds. Just before that time, only 39%of Australians had super funds, which lucky few were wealthy, white collar workers like upper and middle-level managers or public servants. While several blue collar professions in the 60s and 70s were able to procure super funds on their own, it had not been before 1980s the law started to change.

In 1986, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) successfully fought for that National Wage Case, also it became mandatory for a superannuation contribution as high as three percent by employers to employees who’re included in an Award. The ACTU fought for other terms with regards to super funds: they wanted the chance for workers to become trustees of super funds, for that employee’s capability to take the super together whenever they change jobs or leave the job before retirement, and the availability of life insurance to be purchased through one’s super.

Then in 1992, the Superannuation Guarantee was put in place through the Keating Government, making it mandatory that employers bring about their employees’ superannuation fund if they earned more than $450 per week and were between the ages of 18 and 65. Additionally, it deliver to a gradual rise in the minimum percentage employers can contribute, leveling off at 9% in 2002.

In 1997, the federal government amended top of the age limit to 70, helping the amount Australians can stow away in their superannuation funds and encouraging individuals to work longer. New legislation has meant that from 2005; employees had the liberty to choose which super to be a person in.

The ACTU continues to push for improvements in superannuation funds for all Australians. The union is arguing in favor of a rise from the minimum superannuation rate in the current 9% to 12% by 2012 and to 15% by 2015.

Australians are better prepared for their retirement than in the past, but that doesn’t mean the issue has been solved. Inflation, extended life span, and improvements in healthcare means Australians will need more money to live on after they retire compared to the last century. Michael Dwyer of First State Super told The Australian in March 2010 that the retirement coffer around $660,000 a couple of and $460,000 for a person is exactly what is required to live comfortably, which most people’s superannuation funds when they retire will miss these figures. Those making between $40,000 and $120,000 annually are most in danger of retiring with no big enough amount of money.