Department of commerce paper

Department of Commerce
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Name:
Course:
Professor Name:
(December, 2012)
Table of contents
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Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc343860050 \h
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History of the department  PAGEREF _Toc343860051 \h
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Mission Statement and its justification  PAGEREF _Toc343860052 \h
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The departments options in perceived times of challenge  PAGEREF _Toc343860053 \h
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The principle regulation  PAGEREF _Toc343860054 \h
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How the agency is managed  PAGEREF _Toc343860055 \h
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Critical regulation issues  PAGEREF _Toc343860056 \h
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Conclusion  PAGEREF _Toc343860057 \h
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References  PAGEREF _Toc343860058 \h
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Introduction
The US economy has been the global leader for several years now. From the start of this century there have been several concerns regarding whether the country can continue to be the global leader. According to Taylor the country remains the superpower of the world, having the world number one companies, the most skilled workforce, and most probably the best educational system as we speak now. However, the citizens have been hit by a lot of challenges which includes loss of jobs, falling incomes, competitiveness in the global market, and stagnant growth in the economy. The truth of the matter is that if the trend continues then the generation to come will not enjoy the quality of living standards as we are experiencing now. Regardless of the challenges the United States can still remain competitive and offer its citizens with better lives if better policies and commitment is adhered to effectively (Taylor, 2008).
These gains of the United States have been mostly achieved through the department of commerce. It is one of the main federal executive departments that ensure that the US economic development and technological enrichment is achieved in the country (Taylor, 2008).
This paper therefore seeks to understand the departments mission(why it exists ), the agency’s regulatory justification, its role in perceived economic, social and other problems facing the country, the agency’s statutes and regulation, how the agency is managed and finally some of the critical challenges that the agency is currently facing.
History of the department
This department was created in the year 1903 when the congress established the department of commerce and labor. Its main purpose was to investigate and report the operations of the corporations that were engaged in interstate commerce. Its first secretary was G. B. Cortelyou. According to Bowers in 1913 the lobar division in the department was raised to a department by its own, however the functions of the department of commerce was enriched to include which so the secretary of the department receiving a cabinet rank. The office of patent and trade marks was transferred to commerce from interior department. The national weather service and civil aeronautics were added to his department in 1940. The public roads administration also became part of commerce department after federal works agency was dissolved. In 1965 the economic development administration was created as the following year having the bureau of public roads transferred to the newly created department of transportation. Lastly 1970 the national oceanic and atmospheric administration was created (Bowers, 1988).
Bowers says it responsible for taking of censuses, promotion of American business at home and abroad, establishing standard weights and measures, and issuing patents and registering trademarks. The agencies that fall under this department includes; the Economics and Statistics Administration (comprising the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis), the Bureau of Export Administration, the Economic Development Administration, the International Trade Administration, the Minority Business Development Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Patent and Trademark Office, and the Technology Administration (comprising the Office of Technology Policy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Technical Information Service) (Bowers, 1988).
Mission Statement and its justification
As said earlier the department’s mission is to ensure economic growth. It ensures there is job creation and the living standard is enhanced through creating an environment that promotes economic growth, sustainable development and technological competition. It is obligated to collect economic and demographic data for business and government decision making, help in setting industrial standards and issuing of trademarks and patents. Its head office is in Herbert C. Hoover Building in Washington DC (Taylor, 2008).
It is also the department’s obligation to ensure there is a continuous improvement of the living standards of the American people through uplifting economic development and innovation. It supports the business in several ways; issuing trademarks and patents, collecting economic and demographic data, involving the environment condition for business, ensuring a progress in technological and scientific resource. It also promotes US exports through its assistance in international trade agreements and not forgetting its role in formulation of telecommunication and technology policies. The head of the department is trusted with over $6.6 billion budget and more than 40, 000 employees (Taylor, 2008).
Taylor says the department achieves its goals through partnering with businesses, universities, the communities and the all the workers. It is a department that touches the lives of ordinary citizen in many ways through its role in trade, technology, business development, entrepreneurship, economic deployment, research and stewardship to the environment.
Ensuring competitiveness at the global market for the American businesses, the department of commerce, works tirelessly in opening new market for American goods and services thus protecting its global economic position. At home it ensures the business and the entrepreneurs are give good environment for growth and competition through the set policies. It ensures that the new technologies that are developed moves faster and smoothly to the market place to enhance innovation and research development. It does not matter were the businesses are in the life cycle but the department ensures the best is achieved for each single American business locally and abroad (Taylor, 2008).
It is also the responsibility of the department to ensure effective management and monitoring of the countries resources and asserts hence improving the environmental and economic health. The countries oceans, marine life, the public safety and security are ensured through weather monitoring, foresting, and preservation of resources. Other vital roles of the department include; conducting constitutionally mandated census which ensures democracy is protected in the country (Taylor, 2008).
The departments options in perceived times of challenge
The way to prosperity is no always easy and smooth. There are mountains, valleys, bumps and rivers. This has been the case for the American government as a whole. Particularly the department of commerce has been faced by tough times, over and over in different times and they have been able to overcome the challenges. It has survived these scenarios through different roles it has adapted in reference to each oncoming challenge; economic, social or even political (Bowers, 1988).
The economic challenges that have threatened the Americas progress according to Bowers includes; security, economic depressions, tough competition from labor intensive countries, and entry of substandard products in the local and global market. Through the department of commerce, the American government has been able to achieve thus uplifting the citizen’s living standards. The department works hand in hand with the private sector to boost prosperity and business competitiveness. Also through the cooperation with the private sector the government has ensured support for innovation by providing the necessary building blocks (Bowers, 1988). For instance, Federal government has provided funding and support for basic research, funding that has been important to many of the major innovations of the 20th century
A good example is on the effect of recession. The U.S. manufacturers have been facing both cyclical and structural recessions. The most recent recession in the business cycle—a downturn that first began to be felt in 2000— hit U.S. manufacturers and their workers hardest. Output fell 6 percent in manufacturing even though the recession was relatively shallow overall. Employment fell by 2.6 million jobs in manufacturing, accounting for all of the net job losses from the fourth quarter of 2000 through the third quarter of 2003. It was the work of the department to ensure this is rectified (Bowers, 1988).
The Commerce Department led the roundtables which included the Commerce Department’s local Export Assistance Centers and private sector District Export Councils. They listen on the discussions and ensured follow-up action with any companies needing information or assistance. In addition, they set up a Web site to gather and disseminate information regarding the initiative as broadly as possible.
Socially the federal government through its executive department of commerce has ensured that America has remained the world’s leader in education. Quality workers are trained well In the American collages and university that enhance innovation and creativity in the private sector. In fracture is key to business development and the department has ensured this is up to standard ranging from good roads, rail lines to broadband internet network.
The above challenges and others have been deal with through the following key policies in the department of commerce.
Government’s continuous support to research
The department has ensured its role in innovation through the support of researc...