Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Why Do We Have Dreams - 790 Words

The reason behind dreaming has still not been scientifically proven, but there are many theories and religious beliefs as to why people dream at night. Theorists, such as Sigmund Frued, devoted their time to peoples dreams and observing them while they dream and sleep. These scientists have discovered that people are most likely to dream during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep than any other stage because the mind is more aware then. There are theories that say that dreaming can predict the future, show past memories, or is just pure entertainment while sleeping. Theorists have been trying to determine the cause behind our dreaming when we sleep for thousands of years. In ancient civilizations, the people believed that dreams were messages sent to them from the gods. Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, Sigmund Freud believed that we dream to make sure that we are able to sleep through the night. Scientists have begun to do more studies on the brain while a person is sleeping and have been trying to find a reason as to why we dream. Sigmund Freuds theory about dreams says that the humans mind is made up of three parts: Id, Ego, and Super-Ego. The Id, which we are born with, is the part of the mind that acts on instinct and makes sure that we are satisfied. The Ego, which we develop as toddlers, brings us to reality and shows us that other people have feelings and needs too. The Super-Ego, which is developed by age five, is the portion of our mindShow MoreRelatedDreams: Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud Essay1174 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Dreams are a series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.† This is the true definition of what dreams are according to Free Dictionary.com. Although many people are unaware of how dreams actually work there are two psychologists that have been able to pinpoint the true meaning of dreams. These two men are Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. There are many different perceptions on how people dream, what dreams mean, and why peopleRead MoreDreaming from Various Sources1456 Words   |  6 Pagesthe usefulness of dreams. This paper will also take time to explain what a dream is, when dreams happen, and what their potential purposes may be. To start this paper, we first must understand what a dream is. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a dream is a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep. Dreams take the things we see during our waking hours and translate them into unique, sometimes horrifying, and possibly meaningful ways. Dreams could also be representationsRead MoreDreaming Is Something We ve All Experienced While Sleeping1565 Words   |  7 Pagessleeping. Our dreams are produced by an altered state of consciousness, in which images and fantasies become mixed with reality. We all experience dreams that range from the pleasant and the not so pleasant or nightmares. Dreaming is still largely a mystery to science, as experiments are conducted to figure out why we dream and how dreams function. We do know one thing for sure, that everyone dreams unless in the rare case they are prevented by meditation or a brain injury. Dreams occur in twoRead MoreThe Purpose of Dreams1235 Words   |  5 Pages Dreams are a very ponderous things. Simply saying, dreams are a stream of images, sounds, and the actions of something; like a movie. But never have dreams been able to be explained. The Greeks and Romans claimed that dreams were signs from their gods and had prophetic magic (www.scientificamerican.com). Even though the purpose of dreams has not been discovered, a huge movement in the study of dreams occurred at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1952, scientists in Chicago discoveredRead MoreInformative Speech on Dreams Essay1666 Words   |  7 Pagesaudience on dreams Intro: Can you remember the last dream you had? Maybe you could fly or were falling down an endless dark tunnel. Perhaps you were awakened by a horrific dream in the middle of the night. If any of you are like me you experience vivid dreams. I would like to start by share one of my dream experiences with you all. About two months ago I had a dream that my boyfriend was cheating on me, now I know all you girls and guys can relate to this. I wake up in the morning with my dream stillRead MoreAmerican Dream : Resources And Competency Are Recipes For Success Essay1587 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Dream: Resources and Competency are Recipes for Success American Dream as defined by Merriam-Webster online as â€Å"an American social ideal that stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity.† What is the American Dream to you? Is it having a stable and a high-paying job? How about owning a beautiful house, car, and bank account? Perhaps, your definition of the American Dream is being the founder and owner of a multi-billion dollar business empire that has businesses in everyRead MoreDream Should Be Seen As A Prophecy1137 Words   |  5 Pageshistory there have been many theories about dreams. One of them was that dream should be seen as a message coming from outside individual, mostly from God like creatures. And another theory is that dream should be seen as a prophecy, being able to tell us what awaits for us in the future. These theories are prescientific so today we don t view dreams this way. Freud then came along and proposed that dreams reflect a conflict between the unconscious desires and the conscious mi nd. So, dreams are mostlyRead MoreThe United States And The American Dream1451 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States has always been known for having the American Dream, which is why many people come here to see what it is all about. In the last few years, many people do not know what the American dream is turning into because of the decline of jobs and different social structures are obstructing this dream. Many people are working multiple minimum wage jobs these days to try and make ends meet because they do not hold the skills or the qualification to work anywhere else that pays better. TheRead MoreDreams And Dreams1729 Words   |  7 Pagesinterpretations and true meanings of dreams has expanded and has varied over centuries and cultures. Many of the earlier studies were based on culture’s and the interpretation of dreams, but also used as a form of prophecy, inspiration, and guidance. Many people still believe this such, people today beliefs and theories have opened u p to a more vast interpretation, they are made up of; dreams are rare brain activity, dreams allow people to reflect on themselves, or that dreams are too massive to be correctlyRead MoreTaking a Look at Sleep Paralysis690 Words   |  3 Pagesbetween the state of rest and awakening; often seeing troubled things. Since when I was young I would have some experiences with sleep paralysis. Due to the unusual experiences, I became interested to research the topic and took my time to read about it more. Sleep paralysis, occurs with the most normal sleeper, so it’s possible it can happen to you. What I’m really trying to get across is, why not educate yourself with it now, so you’ll be more aware when it does happen. Sleep Paralysis can be

Monday, December 16, 2019

Coke Wars Case Study Free Essays

Coke Wars Case Analysis: Competition, Strategy, and Implications Webster University Summer 2012 INTRODUCTION The rivalry between Coca-Cola Pepsi can be deemed as legendary, â€Å"the top soft drink competitors in the world spend millions of dollars yearly to try and convince you that their version of soft drink is better† (Dotson pg 1). Over the past century, it seems they have feuded over everything from who has superior taste, to the pursuit into space, and more recently over NASCAR and the social media race. Regardless of who is ahead in the competition, the battles between Coca-Cola Pepsi demonstrate important strategic adaptations that the corporations must execute so as to thrive in the constantly changing realms of customer satisfaction, business environments and technology. We will write a custom essay sample on Coke Wars Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper will: 1) review the strategic issues presented in the â€Å"Coke Wars† case through the use of the Strategic Management Model as applied to both Coca-Cola Pepsi; 2) highlight fundamental strategies tactics so as to analyze the inherent competition between both corporations; and finally 3) discuss implications of concepts presented in the case for the middle manager so as to grasp lessons learned for future application. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT MODEL (SMM) The text describes strategic management as â€Å"the set of decisions and actions that result in the formulation and implementation of plans designed to achieve a company’s objectives† (Pearce, Robinson pg 3). With this definition in mind then, the Strategic Management Model can be considered as a very useful framework by which managers plan and implement business strategies. More importantly, in today’s global business environment â€Å"firms need perfect processes that respond to increases in the size and number of competing firms; to the expanded role of government as a buyer, seller, regulator, and competitor in the free-enterprise system; and to greater business involvement in international trade† (pg 3). Furthermore, while â€Å"businesses vary in the processes they use to formulate and direct their strategic management activities†¦the basic components of the models used to analyze strategic management operations is similar† (pg 9). In reaction to internal and external environmental business/economic pressures Coca-Cola Pepsi have manipulated the SMM in various ways so as to remain viable/powerful competitors in their respective industry. Coca-Cola Model Application According to the Coca-Cola Company’s Annual Report 2011, they are â€Å"the world’s largest beverage company†¦with more than 500 nonalcoholic beverage brands†¦own the world’s top five nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands†¦products bearing their trademarks, have been sold in the United States since 1886, and are now sold in more than 200 countries† (pg 1). Coca-Cola’s report to shareholders reveals that they are continuing to remain competitive in the beverage/snack industry due to a multitude of intelligent strategic decisions. When analyzing Coca-Cola from the Strategic Management Model perspective one can determine that while the internal/external environment will always remain unpredictable, the development of viable plans/processes can assist a corporation in remaining flexible and responsive to necessary change. Coca-Cola’s Mission is â€Å"to refresh the world†¦inspire moments of optimism and happiness†¦create value and make a difference† (Annual Report Mission, Vision, and Values). Their current goals are â€Å"to use company assets—brands, financial strength, unrivaled distribution system, global reach and the talent and strong commitment of management and associates—to become more competitive and to accelerate growth in a manner that creates value for shareholders† (pg 1). Overall, the mission statement is quite powerful and accurately â€Å"describes the company’s product, market, and technological areas of emphasis in a way that reflects the values and priorities of the strategic decision makers† (Pearce, Robinson pg 10). With respect to Internal Analysis, the corporation has identified its â€Å"operating structure as the basis for financial reporting† and is broken down into 7 different operating groups (Annual Report pg 2). The method for financial reporting is important because this is where/how investors and executives alike assess the â€Å"quantity and quality of the company’s financial, human, and physical resources†¦and contrasts company’s past successes and traditional concerns with the company’s current capabilities† (Pearce Robinson pg 11). Coca-Cola’s Annual Report is well designed, informative, and relatively easy to read as well. An important internal analysis factor of note is that of leadership—CEO’s and Board members alike must adequately analyze the direction/vision of the corporation so as to not become â€Å"fixated upon past glories†¦instead embracing new opportunities† (Ward pg 3). The External Environment that the company experiences is one full of pressures to include: extreme competition, distribution system management challenges, and social responsibility struggles. Additional competitive factors include those of â€Å"but not limited to pricing, advertising, sales promotion programs, product innovation, increased efficiency in production techniques, the introduction of new packaging, new vending and dispensing equipment, and brand/trademark development protection† (Annual Report pg 8). Concerning Strategic Analysis and Choice, Coca-Cola can be considered as â€Å"effective at building sustainable competitive advantage based on key value chain activities and capabilities† (PR pg 11) and have identified their bottling operations as equity method investments. The â€Å"investments are intended to result in increases in the unit case volume, net revenues and profits at the bottler level, which in turn generate increased concentrate sales for the company concentrate and syrup business†¦when this occurs both the corporation and the bottling partners benefit from long-term growth in volume, improved cash flows, and increased shareholder value† (AR pg 7). The Long-Term Objectives should reflect areas such as â€Å"profitability, return on investment, competitive position, technological leadership, productivity, employee relations, public responsibility, and employee development† (PR pg 11). According to the provided case materials, the company has strong goals for the future and â€Å"has transformed into a more innovative, risk taking company†¦becoming more adventurous in responding to changes in the beverage market for healthier alternatives† so as to respond to customer desires, technology, and competitive environment (Ward pg 3). Coca-Cola’s Generic Strategy is that of differentiation, making their products superior to those in the industry, â€Å"by stressing the attribute above other product qualities, the firm attempts to build customer loyalty† (PR pg 158). Their Grand Strategies can be defined as concentrated growth, market development, product development, innovation, vertical integration, turnaround, and strategic alliances. Coca-Cola is increasingly globalized and their Generic and Grand strategies seem to be creating valuable success for the corporation â€Å"and is transforming into a more innovative, risk-taking company† (Ward pg 2). Short Term Objectives for the corporation involve effective marketing strategies that appeal to existing customers and new clientele as well. They have embraced social media, the health craze and more recently the 2012 Olympics to successfully reach an increasingly global audience. In fact, â€Å"Coke’s strongest performance has been experienced in emerging markets in Russia, China, and Brazil, and has also improved its position in North America and Europe as well† (pg 3). Action Plans are incorporated and employed globally by executives and managers alike at Coca-Cola and those plans are laid out in the Annual Report. Everything from distribution systems, bottling methods, responses to competition, raw material acquisition, and investment plans are outlined which provides exact methods by which the corporation plans to remain a viable player in the industry. In sum they plan to â€Å"use the Company’s assets—brands, financial strength, unrivaled distribution system, global reach and the talent and strong commitment of management and associates—to become more competitive and to accelerate growth in a manner that creates value for shareholders† (Annual Report 2011 pg 1). Functional Tactics used by the corporation to achieve short term goals and attain competitive advantage include adoption of marketing strategies that appeal to not only health conscious customers but to a global audience. In fact â€Å"Coke is bringing out mid-calorie versions of some of its brands like Sprite and Fanta, and is teaming up with Grammy award winner Mark Ronson for its 2012 London Olympics anthem† (Hernandez pg 1). Additionally, Coke â€Å"continues to focus on selling soft drinks globally and even vows to rebuild Coke sales in the US market† through focusing upon non-carbonated sports drinks such as PowerAde, Aquarius, and Fuze (D’Altoro pg 2). Coca-Cola absolutely has Policies That Empower Action as demonstrated by the information contained in the Annual Report and via their website: â€Å"Work Smart: Act with urgency, remain responsive to change have the courage to change course when needed, remain constructively discontent, and work efficiently† (Coca-Cola Website pg 2). The â€Å"work smart† mentality allows for decisions to be made whenever possible at the lowest level of the corporation. Organizational Structure is segmented into the following areas: â€Å"Eurasia and Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, Pacific, Bottling Investments, and Corporate† (Annual Report pg 2). Coke is predominantly organized into an international area structure that allows for operational efficiency and regional competitiveness. However Coca-Cola faces the additional struggle of remaining socially responsible to societies and environments in which it operates and has faced several legal implications with respect to human rights issues in South American Bottling plants (FRONTLINE). Nonetheless Coca-Cola reiterates that â€Å"despite the volatile environment, the company and its bottling partners have maintained operations and worked to provide safe, stable economic opportunities† for the people in nations that they operate in (FRONTLINE). Strategic Control and Continuous Improvement is facilitated by Coca-Cola’s organizational structure, leadership, and 2020 Vision campaign. In fact their website reiterates that in order â€Å"to continue to thrive as a business over the next 10 years and beyond, they must look ahead, understand the trends and forces that will shape their business in the future and move swiftly to prepare for what is to come† (Coca-Cola Website). This statement reveals that the corporation is committed to â€Å"detecting changes and making necessary adjustments†¦in strategy that allows their organization to respond more proactively and timely to rapid developments that† inherently affect ultimate success. Pepsi Model Application Much like Coca-Cola, Pepsi’s Mission statement is very clear, concise and purposeful â€Å"Captivate consumers with the world’s most loved and best-tasting convenient foods and beverages through the use of its strengths: Brand Image, Positioning, Innovation, Distribution Capabilities, Productivity Focus, Human Capital and Purposeful Performance† (Pepsi Annual Report). Pepsi also reiterates that being socially responsible is of utmost importance and â€Å"commitment to do right for the business by doing right for people the planet† effectively creates a â€Å"catalyst for business growth and innovation, enabling them to be financially successful and globally responsible† (Pepsi Annual Report). As covered in the Letter to Shareholders the CEO, Indra Nooyi, reveals the Internal Analysis of Pepsi Co. to be that of â€Å"strong progress and on a core basis net revenue was up 14% for 2011† (Pepsi Annual Report). This success was due to improvements n the following areas: â€Å"investment in emerging markets, brand management, research and development, differentiation, efficiency and global operating structure to fully leverage the scale of PepsiCo† (Pepsi Annual Report). PepsiCo is most certainly proud of their improvements and strategic focus but also realizes that the creation of â€Å"an adaptive team and culture— one that can continually renew itself and thrive on change†¦performing today while transforming for tomorrow† is necessary for success into the future and believes that their â€Å"best days are yet to come† (Pepsi Annual Report). Pepsi experiences similar External Environmental conditions to that of Coca-Cola. Intense competition, globalized marketplace, social responsibility, and economic conditions all affect the strategies that PepsiCo decides to implement. Additionally, Pepsi must allocate its attention to not only the beverage industry but to their global snack line as well; which while designed to be complimentary can prove to have possible negative effects when considering the volatility of each of these industries. The Strategic Analysis and Choice, that Pepsi has selected, much like Coca-Cola can be considered as effective. In order to gain a sustainable competitive advantage Pepsi is â€Å"pursuing specific strategic investment and productivity initiatives to build a stronger, more successful company through global brands, innovation, and advertising/marketing campaigns† (Pepsi Annual Report). As mentioned earlier, the following areas are of importance in Pepsi’s strategic analysis/choice: Brand Image, Positioning, Innovation, Distribution Channels, Productivity, Human Capital and Social Responsibility. As the report outlines, Pepsi’s Long-Term Objectives support increasingly globalized operations, global brand recognition, public responsibility, and industry leadership in beverages and snacks. In fact Pepsi was the first to realize the customer shift to healthier lifestyles and responded before Coke â€Å"to changes in the beverage market as consumers shifted from fizzy drinks to healthier alternatives† (Ward pg 3). Furthermore â€Å"Pepsi’s new strategy: Better-For-You Products—comes down to health concerns and being socially responsible where†¦lifestyles have changed†¦and Pepsi has modified its products† (D’Altorio pg 1). Pepsi’s Generic Strategy, like that of Coca-Cola, is that of differentiation. This is why the Cola Wars have been so pervasive and prevalent—they both are striving to make their products superior to those of the competition. Their Grand Strategies can also be identified as concentrated growth, market development, product development, innovation, vertical integration, turnaround, joint ventures, divestiture and strategic alliances. Additionally, Pepsi is becoming more globalized in nature and their Generic and Grand strategies reflect this: â€Å"they are a $66 billion global powerhouse focused upon two complementary businesses with attractive growth margins and returns—global snacks and global beverages† to achieve global nutrition achievements worldwide† (Pepsi Annual Report). Pepsi’s Short Term Objectives are focused upon investment in their global brand management and streamlining distribution methods so as to attain measurable efficiency. In fact last year three brands—Diet Mountain Dew, Brisk and Starbucks ready to drink beverages—had each grown to more than $1 billion in annual retail sales, expanding PepsiCo’s portfolio of billion dollar brands to 22† (Pepsi Annual Report). Their distribution methods remain largely â€Å"unmatched†¦and in 2011 they successfully changed distribution for Gatorade products in the US in the convenience and other channels from a warehouse-delivered-go-to-market system to DSD, in order to more efficiently serve customers† (Pepsi Annual Report). Much like Coca-Cola, Pepsi’s Action Plans are employed globally and specific intentions are revealed in the Annual Report. The difference is however that Pepsi has two industries upon which it has to contend with: beverages AND snacks. Their action plan for 2012 and beyond stresses five imperatives: â€Å"1) build and extend macro-snacks portfolio globally; 2) sustainably and profitably grow its beverage business worldwide; 3) build and expand the nutrition business; 4) increase and capitalize on the high coincidence of snack and beverage consumption; 5) ensure prudent and responsible financial management† (Pepsi Annual Report). Functional Tactics used by Pepsi so as to achieve its short term goals/competitive advantage include marketing strategies and socially responsible business practices that reach a more global audience. Adopting the responsibility of â€Å"Global Nutrition† demonstrates Pepsi’s commitment to a healthier population and have â€Å"developed new strategies with new soft drinks which will catch on to part of the public that is the new health craze† (Dotson pg 2). The development of products such as Gatorade G2, which is low in calorie than the regular sports drinks, and Propel demonstrate that Pepsi in focused upon innovative products that cater to the health conscious customer needs/wants. As revealed by the Annual Report, Policies That Empower Action for Pepsi begins with the â€Å"Power of One concept†¦operating as one company to connect with consumer†¦innovating globally, delighting locally†¦ and performance with purpose† to achieve sustained growth and success. While Pepsi has many difficulties to confront with respect to competition, multiple industries, and internal/external economic stressors; they are continuing to adapt to their environments and reiterate that â€Å"the challenge to renew a successful company is one that they embrace† (Pepsi Annual Report). Pepsi’s Organizational Structure is segmented â€Å"into four business units: 1) PepsiCo America’s Foods; 2) PepsiCo America’s Beverages; 3) PepsiCo Europe; 4) PepsiCo Asia, Middle East, Africa† (Pepsi Annual Report). Pepsi’s structure allows for certain control and efficiencies both nationally and globally in the beverage and snack industries. In addition Pepsi has standardized the reportable segments of each business so as to allow for appropriate analysis and competitive advantage measurement by region. With respect to Strategic Control and Continuous Improvement, Pepsi’s organizational structure, leadership, and Power of Pepsi campaign reveal that the corporation is committed to remaining a sustainable competitor well into the future. Furthermore, â€Å"as they look ahead they are positioning their company for sustainable growth by building its brands around the globe, bringing innovative products to the marketplace, capitalizing on the coincidence of consumption of snacks and beverages, unleashing the full potential of its global scale and ensuring that PepsiCo continues to be a best place to work† embodies ways in which Strategic Control and Continuous Improvement are going to be accomplished. ANALYSIS IMPLICATIONS FOR MIDDLE MANAGERS The strategic models that each corporation adopts are similar but produce different levels of success for each organization. Both Coke and Pepsi have adopted aggressive marketing strategies and have struggled amongst one another to develop superior products and attain customer share maximization. Competition, while at times can be frustrating for the organization, in this case has allowed for the creation of better products and increasingly globalized operations resulting in inherent successes for both organizations. The Cola-Wars have been existent for quite a while, but as this point in time it can be said that Coca-Cola is the leader in the beverage industry segment â€Å"Pepsi was knocked into third place behind Coca-Cola and Diet Coke†¦Coca-Cola sold 1. 6 billion cases of regular soda and 927 million cases of diet soda, while Pepsi sold only 892 million cases† (WIKIPEDIA). However, Pepsi is still remaining competitive globally through the realization that there are other industries upon which to capitalize and ensure sustainability into the future. In fact, â€Å"as far as Pepsi is concerned the cola wars are over and needs to focus on convincing investors that it has the right focus in the new health kick† (D’Altorio pg 2). While Pepsi is focusing upon â€Å"Global Nutrition† they still need to realize that â€Å"carbonated beverages still produce much of the company’s sales and are still a key to Pepsi’s financial health† (D’Altorio). Into the future both Coca-Cola and Pepsi will prove to be viable competitors as revealed by their strategies/mission statements contained in their Annual Reports. The real key however, will be whether consumer demand remains in the carbonated beverage industry†¦if the tides somehow change, Pepsi will emerge as the victor due to their diversification strategy†¦one that has crossed channels and decided to create advantages with both beverages and snacks. The Cola Wars bring up important implications for middle managers in the form of strategic analysis, implementation, and adaptation. Organizational success depends ultimately upon the ability of the organization to connect with consumers by providing an array of options so as to meet consumer desires, needs and lifestyles and these principles are largely motivated by corporate leadership and direction. Furthermore, the talent of employees must be empowered by management so as to execute goals and objectives effectively. A corporations’ assets —brands, financial prowess, distribution systems, global influence and the talents of employees must be effectively employed so as to become more competitive and to influence accelerated growth in manners that create value for customers, shareholders, and the company itself. CONCLUSION The Coca-Cola/Pepsi â€Å"conflict has raged on for decades† and has even been dubbed as the â€Å"Battle of the Century† but has revealed in the process two corporations that have been successful in adopting strategies and processes so as to survive in the constantly changing, volatile business and economic environments representative of the current times. Coca-Cola and Pepsi will continue to face challenges into the future in the realms of economics, technology, and an increasingly globalized business environment. In effect, the corporation that is able to effectively exploit the new social media front of marketing strategy into the future will most likely end up as the frontrunner in most any industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Coke and Pepsi are amongst a multitude of companies buying into social media’s ability to strengthen their brands†¦consumers are 55% more likely to recall ads that include social media components than non-social ads†¦consumers today are incredibly empowered and what used to work to get their attention now needs a bit more thoughtfulness† (USA TODAY). This paper: 1) reviewed the strategic issues presented in the â€Å"Coke Wars† case through the use of the Strategic Management Model as applied to both Coca-Cola Pepsi; 2) highlighted fundamental strategies tactics so as to analyze the inherent competition between both corporations; and finally 3) discussed implications of concepts presented in the case for the middle manager so as to grasp lessons learned for future application. Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi are on the right track as far as determining appropriate strategies to thrive in the environments in which they operate but the challenge into the future will be the appropriate analysis and adaptability in which to adequately respond to customer needs, economies of scale, and the dynamic business environment. CASE STUDY MATERIALS/REFERENCES 1) Frontline. Coca-Cola’s union troubles in Columbia; http://www. pbs. org/frontlineworld/fellows/colombia0106/; Retrieved: 3 July 2012. 2) Coca-Cola Annual Report. http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/investors/annual_other_reports. html http://www. hecoca-colacompany. com/ourcompany/mission_vision_values. html 3) PepsiCo Annual Report. http://www. pepsico. com/Investors/Annual-Reports. html; Retrieved 4 July 2012. 4) Wikipedia. The Cola Wars; http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cola_wars; Retrieved 2 July 2012. 5) Terhune, Chad. Coca-Cola trying to renegotiate its syrup contract with bottlers; â€Å"Soda Rebellion: A Suit by Coke Bottlers Exposes Cracks in a Century-Old System; Serving Wal-Mart Is at Issue, But Spat Shines Spotlight On Local Businesses’ Role; The Brownes’ 84-Year History†; Wall Street Journal (Eastern edition). New York, N. Y. : Mar 13, 2006. p. A. Document URL: http://proquest. umi. com. library3. webster. edu/pqdweb? did=1001778801sid=2Fmt=3clientId=30323RQT=309VName=PQD Copyright (c) 2006, Dow Jones Company Inc. 6) Ward, Andrew. Can Coca-Cola recover? ; â€Å"Last Stand of Coke’s Old Guard Don Keough, 79, Seeks One More Year on the Board†; Financial Times; London, England; 19-Apr-2006. 7) Ward, Andrew. Can Coca-Cola recover? ; â€Å"Coke on Upward Path†; Financial Times; London, England; 20-Apr-2006. 8) Pearce, Robinson. Management and Strategy; MNGT 5650; Webster University St Loius, MO; McGraw Hill: Copyright 2012. 9) Dotson, Horace. Pepsi vs Coke: The Battle of a Century; Yahoo; http://voices. yahoo. com. Retrieved: 07 July 2012. 10) Diaz, George. NASCAR Cola Wars Spark Frosty Fireworks at Daytona; http://articlesorlandosentinel. com/2012-07-06/sports/os-george-diaz-daytona-coke-pepsi-0. Retrieved 06 July 2012. 11) Hernandez, Karin. Pepsi vs. Coke: The Cola Wars. http://seekingalpha. com/article/600021-pepsi-vs-coke-the-cola-wars. Retrieved: 06 July 2012. 12) Snider, Mike. Social Media is Latest Front of Cola Wars; USA Today 30 April 2012. http://www. usatoday. com/tech/news/story/2012-04-30/pepsi-coke-social-media/54631902/ Retrieved 12 July 2012. How to cite Coke Wars Case Study, Free Case study samples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Uniform Crime Reports free essay sample

National Incident Based Reporting System and the National Crime Reporting Survey are all major crime reporting systems here in the U. S. There are advantages and disadvantages to each reporting crime systems towards the law enforcement, victims, and criminals. There is a unique history on how it became and how it all started. These are poplars systems that will keep growing, but may fade in the background as other reporting systems may take its place.Uniform Crime Reports (CUR) include official information about criminal events that has been provided to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from the law enforcement agencies that the said crime was first reported to. I-JAR programs has their advantages, citizens are notified of certain crimes in the area. For citizens who want to know crime rates in their area this is a good benefit. Mothers who are concerned for their children may also see crime rates in certain schools and neighborhoods hillier are walking through to get to school. We will write a custom essay sample on Uniform Crime Reports or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, this program is not always accurate which a down-side Is. Law enforcement agencies only report crimes that have been notified to them. Sexual assaults are reported more frequently then breaking and entering and robberies says statistics. There are disadvantages with I-JAR programs on how they define and report cases of people who are raped. When its a case of a man raping a women its only reported, but not when Its a man raped or same sex rape Is not reported In the program. Uniform Crime Reports free essay sample Uniform Crime reports, National Incident Based Reporting System and the National Crime Reporting Survey are all major crime reporting systems here in the U. S. There are advantages and disadvantages to each reporting crime systems towards the law enforcement, victims, and criminals. There is a unique history on how it became and how it all started. These are poplars systems that will keep growing, but may fade in the background as other reporting systems may take its place. Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) include official information about criminal events that has been provided to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from the law enforcement agencies that the said crime was first reported to. UCR programs has their advantages, citizens are notified of certain crimes in the area. For citizens who want to know crime rates in their area this is a good benefit. Mothers who are concerned for their children may also see crime rates in certain schools and neighborhoods children are walking through to get to school. We will write a custom essay sample on Uniform Crime Reports or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, this program is not always accurate which a down-side is. Law enforcement agencies only report crimes that have been notified to them. Sexual assaults are reported more frequently then breaking and entering and robberies says statistics. There are disadvantages with UCR programs on how they define and report cases of people who are raped. When it’s a case of a man raping a women it’s only reported, but not when it’s a man raped or same sex rape is not reported in the program.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Ray Bradburys Science-fiction Novel Fahrenheit 451 Has Literary Eleme

Ray Bradbury's science-fiction novel Fahrenheit 451 has literary elements that strengthen its interpretation. The theme of this novel is the significance of a person's independent thought. The literary movement of this piece of literature is Romanticism. Through the use of Guy Montag, an emotionally distressed individual who realizes the importance of independent thinking, Fahrenheit 451's theme and literary movement are better understood. The theme of Fahrenheit 451 is the importance of an individual's independent thought and the individual's creative ability. Guy Montag never thought about what he did because he was told what he did was appropriate for society, and also he is happy with his role in society. He felt like that until he met Clarisse McClellan, a 17 year-old girl that society calls a mental case because she questions society. She ?teaches? Montag about the past when society did not fear the firemen. When he talked to the his colleagues they laugh at him because they believe what their handbook says. ?The only action these characters take is to maintain their status quo-the way things are. In contrast, Clarisse, Montag and Faber are individuals who wonder about their world and, in the case of Montag and Faber, are able to make attempts to change things? (Telgen 145).He had been taking the books at some of the midnight runs he had, but never really wanted to find out what is written in them until after he found out that Clarisse died. A person that helped Montag expand his creativity was Professor Faber. He was a man that Montag remembered he had met when he needed someone else's guidance to do the right thing for himself. Professor Faber tells Montag about how society has depended on technology for many things and that Shah 2 technology threatened the development of the mind. ?In Bradbury's novel, education's emphasis on technology leads to a culture where people understand how things are done but never bother to wonder why things are done? (Levy 1314). This type of education does not encourage the persons with unique abilities to look into depth and find a reason for why things are done. ?School is shortened, discipline relaxed, philosophies, histories, languages dropped, English and spelling gradually gradually neglected, finally almost completely ignored. Life is immediate, the job counts, pleasure lies about after work. Why learn anything, save pressing buttons, pulling switches, fitting nuts and bolts (Bradbury 55-6). This is the quote that Captain Beatty, Montag's boss, said to Montag when Montag was not sure about being a fireman. Novels have many aspects that influence the author in determining the type of plot they should include. The literary movement of Fahrenheit 451 is Romanticism. It has six different characteristics: 1) emphasizes individualism, spontaneity, and freedom from rules; 2) shows a solitary life, not a life in society; 3) shows a belief that imagination is superior to reason; 4) reflects a devotion to beauty; 5) shows a love and worship of nature and fascination with the past, especially with myths and the supernatural; 6) shows a passionate love of country (Donnell 2). Montag emphasizes disposition, whimsical tendency, and salvation from regulations by changing his belief about community after being a fireman for 12 years. ?Bradbury has been called a romantic, and his romanticism often surfaces in the themes he investigates: the conflict between human vitality and spiritless mechanism, between the creative individual and the conforming group,...? (Paradowski 356). Clarisse McClellan and her family showed a life not within the standards of society and also they are people that remain alone and not associate with society. We had some false alarms on the McClellans, when they lived in Chicago. Never found a book. Uncle had mixed records; antisocial. The girl? She was a time Shah 3 bomb. The family had been feeding her subconscious, I'm sure, from what I saw of her school record. She didn't want to know how a thing was done, but why. (Bradbury 60) What Captain Beatty said about the McClellans proves they were considered outcasts. Professor Faber shows the confidence that imagination is greater to understanding. This was proven by the quote, ?The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us? (83). This means that the only things that is needed is the information provided in books that help explain the items that are not explained by the reason. The plot and theme are captured more thoroughly through the use of distinct characters and their points of

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

GDP a good measure of social Well-being Essays

GDP a good measure of social Well-being Essays GDP a good measure of social Well-being Essay GDP a good measure of social Well-being Essay In order to examine economic growth or analyze the wealth of a country, it is necessary to have a way to measure the size of an economy such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Economists usually measure the size of an economy by the amount of stuff it produces. This makes sense in a lot of ways, mainly because an economys output in a given period of time is equal to the economys income, and the economys level of income is one of the main determinants of its standard of living and societal welfare. GDP is the most closely watched economic statistic because is it thought to e the best single measure of a social well-being. The definition of GDP is composed of four parts. Firstly, we have to take into consideration the market value of the products. Froyen (2009) states that in order to gain the market value of the product we have to times the number of products produced the market by the prices they are traded at. For example, each unit of product A is 5$ and product B is 2$ so the market value of 20 product A and 40 product B is 5$x20+2$x40=180$ Secondly, GDP is calculated using the values of the final goods and services and therefore does not take intermediate goods into ccount. A final good or service is the product brought by the user at its end stage whereas an intermediate good could have gone into the production of a final good. For instance, bread is a final product that it brought by the consumer but flour could have been brought by the producers of the bread in order to make the bread. Another factors that makes up GDP is that the product has to be made within the confidences of country which is basically summed up by the D in GDP. For example, if a Viet Nam retailer manufacturers his products in Viet Nam then it becomes part of VN GDP but if it is produced and sourced from China then it does not. Finally, GDP as measured in a given time period as mentioned earlier which is usually annually or quarterly. GDP can be measured in two ways the expenditure approach which is the total spent on goods and services or the income approach which is the money earned by producing goods and services. This is called the circular flow model of expenditure and income. : Source: N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Macroeconomics _ Chapter 10_ Page 197 Another point worth mentioning is social well-being, a state of affairs where the basic eeds of the populace are met. This is a society where income levels are high enough to cover basic wants, where there is no poverty, where unemployment is insignificant, where there is easy access to social, medical, and educational services, and where everyone is treated with dignity and consideration. Many attempts have been made to quantify social well-being. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a country is commonly defined as the total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given year. The fact that it is measured regularly and quite onsistently in practically all countries of the world allows a direct comparison of the standard of living in individual countries. The frequent measuring also makes it possible to quickly recognize changing trends. So that GDP can tell us how the country is doing in general, especially when GDPs are compared between countries. A higher GDP will probably infer that the country is doing better than a country with a lower GDP. It can use to determine whether an economy is growing faster or slower than in the previously measured period and to compare it with other economies in the world. For example, a higher GDP will probably infer that the country is doing better than a country with a lower GDP. As we have seen, GDP measures both the economys total income and the economys total expenditure on goods and services. Because the production of goods and services indicates that people are working, earning money, and making a living, an increasing GDP shows an increased economic activity, meaning more funds for social programs, and more income that people have to increase their own standard of living. It means that the higher the GDP, the better the economy and, therefore, the better the quality of life. Nevertheless, the catch is that the high GDP may be from the extremely large profits of a few rich firms, while everyone else is living pretty badly. Therefore, its still better to use GDP per capita as a form of comparison. GDP per capita is when they divide the total GDP by the number of people in that country. A rise in GDP per capita will also translate into a rise of productivity. The reason for that is the more you produce, the more you sell. It gives you an idea of what the people are engaged in. GDP per capita can be used as an indicator of standard of living as well. One can conclude that having a higher GDP per capita will be interpreted as having a higher standard of living. GDP per person seems a natural measure of the social well-being of the average individual. However, as a measure of the standard of living in a country, GDP has its limitations and shortcomings. Because of the imperfect of GDP, the first Human Development Report introduced a new way of measuring development by combining indicators of life expectancy, educational attainment and income into a composite human development index, the Human Development Index. The breakthrough for the HDI as the creation of a single statistic which was to serve as a frame of reference for both social and economic development. But throughout its time in use, the HDI has been criticized for a number of reasons. Although the HDI is a constant measure but it never can take out a whole picture of human development. Some of the questions to be posed to the HDI index is: this is the measurement of the standard of living of standards or measure the level of living? Or it measures the quality of life? There are only three dimensional edges are measured in the HDI: health, academic and living tandard. In addition to this, it has a profound distinction of HDI between countries and regions in the world. For example, some countries have the same HDI but theirs income level are quite difference. GDP is not, though, a perfect measure of social well-being. Some things that contribute toa good life are left out of GDP. But its still a good measure. Although it doesnt say much about the individuals well-being, education, health, , it does help economists understand how the country is doing. If a country has a thriving GDP then they are sure to be wealthy and with wealth comes etter tech medicine and opportunities to the citizens of the nation. While GDP may not indicate the quality of life of any one person, it is quite obvious that countries with a higher GDP than others have much better quality of life across the board. GDP growth can indicate a strengthening economy, more Jobs, and as a result, more income for individuals. If each person is making a significant amount of money in relation to where they live and cost of living then in theory they should lead a better standard of living. They would not have the financial burden which causes so much tress in todays world. For instance, G. Gregory Mankiw examined international datal: Country Real GDP per person (2007) Life Expectancy Adult Literacy (% of population) Internet Usage (% of population) United States $45. 592 79 years 63% Germany 34. 401 45 Japan 33. 632 67 Russia 14. 690 15 Mexico 14. 104 76 93 18 Brazil 9. 567 72 19 China 5. 383 73 9 Indonesia 3. 843 71 92 7 India 2. 753 3 Pakistan 2. 496 54 Nigeria 1. 969 4 Bangladesh 1 . 241 0. 3 Source: Human Development Report 2009, United Nations. Date on real GDP, life expectancy, and literacy are for 2007. Dara on internet use is for 2005.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Conventional Letter Salutations in English

Conventional Letter Salutations in English Conventional Letter Salutations in English Conventional Letter Salutations in English By Maeve Maddox A reader asks if a letter salutation can include more than one honorific. For example: Dear President Dr. Turner The short answer is, â€Å"not in English.†    The conventional letter salutations in English are these Dear Mr. Adams Dear Mr. and Mrs. Adams Dear Ms. Adams Dear Margaret Adams Dear Harry  (if you know the person well) Dear Dr. Adams Dear Dr. and Mrs. Adams When the name is unknown to the sender, the following are common salutations: To Whom It May Concern Dear Finance Officer Dear Editor Dear Sir or Madam The conventional English honorific for a man is  Mr. For a woman, even if her marital status is known, the preferred form is  Ms. For a medical doctor or a person with a PhD, the appropriate honorific is  Dr.    Note: British usage does not put a period after these abbreviations.    If the sender knows the recipient’s name but not the sex, a gender-neutral solution is to use the first and last name: Dear Cory Simpson Other languages have other conventions, including the practice of using more than one honorific. For example, in German, when addressing a professional like a doctor or a lawyer, a writer may use two honorifics: Sehr  geehrte  Frau  Rechtsanwltin  Fischer. (literally, â€Å"Very honored Madame Lawyer†)    Sehr  geehrter  Herr  Doktor  Strauss  (literally, â€Å"Very honored Mr. Doctor Strauss†) Foreign letter-writing conventions tend to creep into English in the context of foreign affairs. For example, I found the following usage on sites written in English: Dear President Dr.  Jakaya  Kikwete- Open letter to the president of Tanzania, published on the Greenpeace site.    Dear President Dr. Fischer- open letter to the president of Austria, published on the Human Rights Watch site. Such usage is not idiomatic in English. The writer must choose one title: Dear President Kikwete or Dear Dr. Kikwete Dear President Fischer, or Dear Dr. Fischer It’s up to the sender to decide which title is more desirable in the context. Related posts: How to Format a US Business Letter Starting a Business Letter with Dear Mr. â€Å"Dear Sir† and Other Business Conventions Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Talking55 Boxing IdiomsStarting a Business Letter with Dear Mr.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Cathedral by Raymond Carver Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Cathedral by Raymond Carver - Essay Example Narrator seems uncomfortable and disturbed with Robert because he is blind. He feels that he is superior compared with the blind man. The narrator’s opinion and attitude towards blind man is largely contributed by his perception of blind men from movies. He feels that it is strange for Robert not to wear dark glasses yet his eyes looked weird. Narrator is so much disturbed by the fact that Robert cannot perfectly use his eyes to see instead of concentrating on the Robert’s understanding and ability to clearly think and feel things deeply (Carver 186-190). 2. The narrator is unable to describe cathedral perhaps because he is not religious and therefore cathedrals are meaningless to him. Inability to describe cathedral shows that the narrator lacks insight and self-awareness thus leading him to a journey to self-realization as he realizes the limitations of his outlook. Although the narrator can literally see things, he does not pay much attention to what he does with his eyes. He does not understand what being blind entails particularly due to the fact that Robert understands what cathedral looks like even without visual knowledge. 3. The blind man tells the writer to close his eyes while closing his eyes so that he can deeply understand and concentrate what he is doing by having a true sight with the real meaning lying within vision. Robert hopes to teach the narrator a way of looking inward to gain deeper understanding of himself and to see excellent reality. He realizes the depth in genuineness that disturbs the narrator by quietly listening to him while he struggles to describe cathedral. The narrator seems to enjoy the experience of closing his eyes while drawing cathedral. The newfound knowledge and understanding makes him believe that the experience was a very important aspect in his journey to self-realization. Narrator feels that his inner eyes that are based on his mind but not literal

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

How does online shoppers' behaviour differ from traditional shoppers Essay

How does online shoppers' behaviour differ from traditional shoppers (see full queation attch on folder) - Essay Example This essay examines the various factors that influence the differences between traditional shoppers and online shoppers, namely, price awareness or sensitivity, size preference, brand perception or loyalty, economic and non-economic motivations, information availability, impulsiveness, and the buying process. Contents Page Section Title Page Number I. Introduction 5 1.1. Problem Statement 6 1.2 Research Rationale 6 II. Review of Related Literature 7 2.1.Differences between Traditional Shoppers and Online Shoppers 7 2.2. The Buying Process 8 2.3. Impulse Buying 9 2.4. Information Availability and Search Costs 10 2.5. Non-Economic Motives 15 2.6. Economic Motives 19 2.7. Brand Loyalty and Size Preference 21 2.8. Price Awareness/Consideration 23 III. Conclusions 24 I. Introduction In reaction to the rapidly changing and enlarging online business activities, scholarly studies on electronic commerce, or e-commerce, is increasing dramatically, as well. A wide range of research topics has b een studied by scholars from a variety of disciplines. Digital technology has generated new ideas and led to major transformations in people’s communication, interaction, and behaviour. The concept of ‘e-commerce’ mainly denotes the process of information exchange and transactions between commercial entities and consumers (Kim et al., 2002). E-commerce provides retailers new ways of reaching consumers and penetrating markets previously inaccessible. A particular area of research on e-commerce is the difference between consumers’ behaviour online and in traditional shopping contexts. In spite of the dramatic increase of online businesses and well documented rivalry between traditional and online stores, there is a surprising lack of empirical research on behavioural differences between online shoppers and traditional shoppers. According to Close (2012), research subjects on this field are primarily interested in identifying disparities in shoppers’ p urchase behaviour and decision-making processes, and providing interpretations of the discovered behavioural differences. 1.1. Problem Statement Traditional shopping and online shopping have numerous differences, as well as similarities. Online shopping could offer interactive activities, convenience, and expediency, and the traditional or, also referred to as brick-and-mortar, shopping could offer customers actual experience with products and/or services and a more relaxing shopping environment (Hoyer & MacInnis, 2008). Both online and traditional stores are exerting considerable efforts enhancing their services. This essay investigates how online shoppers’ behaviour differs from traditional shoppers. In order to provide a comprehensive analysis of the issue, this essay examines the various factors that influence the differences between traditional shoppers and online shoppers, namely, price awareness or sensitivity, size preference, brand perception or loyalty, economic and non-economic motivations, information availability, impulsiveness, and the buying process. 1.2. Research Rationale This investigation is carried out due to the continuous expansion of e-commerce, which, consequently, influences consumer behaviour. It is important to understand the behavioural differences between traditional shoppers and online shoppers, especially for marketers and entrepreneurs, because such differences are indicative of the strengths and weaknesses of each shopping medium. II.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Two Treatises of Government Essay Example for Free

Two Treatises of Government Essay In chapter V of The Second Treatise of Government by John Locke, he begins by explaining that God has given earth to all man in â€Å"common†. Meaning everyone equally owns all of the earth and its fruits. How can we humans, fairly distribute this land? What gives one man the right to a deer over every other person on earth? Labor, Locke states â€Å"The labor that was mine removing them out of that common state they were in, hath fixed my property in them†(13). This meaning that once you put work and physical labor into some sort of land or animal, it is then yours to own out of the common land. For example, a man sees a deer on the side of the road and uses his weapon to kill it. He has used his recourses and skill to take that deer out of the common and made it his property. The same can be said for land. You work on the land and use it to grow crops. Therefore, the crops are yours. Locke follows up this view he has by saying you can only take so much, because then you will be taking for spoils. â€Å"Nothing was made by god for man to spoil and destroy. † (Locke 14) I believe this is the part we as habitants of this earth have disregarded. In today’s world, we constantly spoil land and recourses. For a little money, we are willing to ruin habitats to the point of extinction or complete eradication. I feel as if Locke wrote this as a warning, stating, yes you may own all land that you labor on but do not spoil it. What makes us as humans ignore this? Greed is a very powerful thing and if we allow man to own all land in which he works in, what is to stop him from abusing it to receive riches? There wouldn’t be a need to spoil the land for riches, if gold didn’t have such a high value in society. Locke is very much aware that the balance can be broke fairly easy. At the end of section 50 he states â€Å"But since gold and silver, being little useful to the life of man in proportion to food, raiment, and carriage, has its value only from the consent of men, whereof labor yet makes, in great part, the measure, it is plain, that men have agreed to a disproportionate and unequal possession of the earth, they having, by a tacit and voluntary consent, found out, a way how a man may fairly possess more land than he himself can use the product of, by receiving in exchange for the over plus gold and silver, which may be hoarded up without injury to any one; these metals not spoiling or decaying in the hands of the possessor† (23). After stating what he believes is the best way to distribute land, this is his way of warning us how easily this balance can be broken. He means to show everything he explained doesn’t matter because we have allowed value to be given to something, which cannot feed man and does not spoil in the hands of man. Therefore, unbalancing nature and allowing certain men in power to posses a disproportionate amount of this earth only because they own more gold and silver. By us as a society agreeing blindly to give gold such high value, we have changed the ways of life from wanting to obtain cattle, land, and natural goods. To in turn only chasing gold and silver (money). This only hurts the earth that has been given to all men in common by God. It allows men with wealth and power to spoil lands and destroy habitats only because they choose to obtain absurd amounts of gold to let decay and spoil in their hands. Take for example all the animals, which go extinct by allowing certain men with enough money to go out with multimillion-dollar machines and completely wipe out forests. Which is as Locke states given to all men in common. So what is Locke’s purpose in making us realize this? Its feels like a warning, letting you see the way earth should really be distributed and then by explaining how gold has ruined that. It plants a thought in your head that makes one wonder if we truly are equal and if the earth truly does belong to us all in common. It seems like land it’s only owned by those who have been successful in obtaining gold in one form or another. Even if it means spoiling the land that belongs to all humans in common, not to just them. I believe Locke was way ahead of his time. He is predicting how the world is in a society where gold and silver are the important possession. The combination of the way Locke believes land should be distributed, and the value we have agreed to give gold in society. Locke states â€Å"Right and convenience went together; for as a man had a right to all he could employ his labor upon, so he had no temptation to labor for more than he could make use of†(23). Here at the end of Chapter V is where Locke believes if we as men only take what we need to survive it would be highly convenient and the distribution of land would work out perfectly. We all know in the world we live in today that will never happen. Man will take as much as he desires till the land is too spoiled to take anymore. These two separate views on property that we as a society have agreed to live under only hurt us further. The combination of them is what causes a heavily unequal society. That is why we see some men own enormous amounts of land and property, while others don’t even have a box to sleep in. Bibliography Locke, John. The Second Treatise of Government and a Letter Concerning Toleration. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 2002. Print.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

College Sports - Todays Athletes are Privileged Perverts, Rapists, Thie

College Athletes - Privileged Perverts, Rapists, Thieves, Frauds, and Liars    In America today athletic events play an important role in the reflective perception and financial standing of any given community. It is for this reason that the individuals involved in these events are also of significance to the community. Due to the esteemed and very influential role placed on athletes they are often times given privileges that would not normally be given to them if they were not athletes. These privileges are given in order to recruit the athletes, and once recruited to maintain their status on the team so that, in turn, the team's status is not adversely affected. To understand the importance of the role of an athlete one must first examine the role of the athletic event in which the athlete participates and the level of importance placed on this event. Many communities see the local college athletic teams as a reflection of their society. It is therefore important to the community members that their team represents them in the best way possible. Due to American society being of a competitive nature, the basis on which democracy is built, the way a team's representation is judged is by its level of play. If a team is successful in its competitive meetings with other teams it asserts itself into a superior position over those teams. This in turn creates a sense of pride in the community because the team that represents them has beaten the teams that represent other communities. This develops a greater fan base and more support than if a team was to lose "because people aren't going to come watch a losing team" (qtd. in Suggs A42). This support is important to the team because this is where the team receives the majority o... ...ic ability and performance is based primarily on the athletes that participate in the athletic programs. In order to recruit and retain the best athletes for their college athletic programs coaches and colleges alike have made many exceptions and broken many rules. The preferential treatment of athletes is just one of the areas where these exceptions have been made. No matter the area where the exceptions are made these variances from the societal norm are brought about by the high demands and expectations placed on athletic teams to represent their community through success in competitive endeavors. Again, a team's level of success determines its level of community support and therefore determines its survival due to its need to be self-sufficient. Unfortunately the exceptions made and privileges given are often at the expense of the average student, the non-athlete.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Elements of Small Business Environment

THE ELEMENT OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Entrepreneurship Individual Assignment THE ELEMENT OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Entrepreneurship Individual Assignment NGUYEN THAI HA B0074 – BA505 ETR401   |   LECTURER: MR. NGHIAHT NGUYEN THAI HA B0074 – BA505 ETR401   |   LECTURER: MR. NGHIAHT CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION of ENVIRONMENT II. INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT III. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT 1. Task Environment 2. General Environment IV. CONCLUSION V. PREFERENCES I. INTRODUCTIONIn order to start up or become effective, each new and current companies have to use a number of elements within the environment to gauge the path by which they ought to steer. So what is environment? â€Å"Environment is the sum total of forces outside of the entrepreneur and the firm† According to BRIE, the entrepreneur have to create a â€Å"Boundary within the environment, setting firm apart from the rest of the environment†. The Resources, says, knowledge, money are gathered from the environment. It is also at the core of Exchange because Exchange is the firm/entrepreneur dealing with the atmosphere – buying, selling, trading, etc. Similar article: KFC Macro EnvironmentIn short, a firm’s operation activities always involves with environment or environmental factors. It’s divided into 2 elements: Internal and External Environment. The Task & the General Environment are subset of External Environment. II. INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT In accordance with the definition of Internal environment in the text book, â€Å"Internal environment are the people & groups within the boundary of firm, including the owners, managers, employees, and board members of the firm†. Understanding the Internal context is essential to confirm that the risk assessment approach meets the needs of the firm and of its owner.It is the environment in which the firm operates to achieve its objectives and which can be influenced by the firm to manage risk. The internal context is considered having more factors than just all members involved * Internal stakeholders: owners, managers, etc. * The policies, vision, mission and strategic plan in place to achieve them Vision and mission are vitally important to a business because of the direction, guidance and purposes, even inspiration they give to both employees and entrepreneurs. * Perceptions, value and culture Culture factor inside the firm can make or break the business.At best, the corporate culture can be a competitive advantage; at worst, it can be a significant drag on business results. â€Å"Companies with an adaptive culture that is aligned to their business goals routinely outperform their competitors. Some studies report the difference at 200% or more†. Mostly, it is the owner, entrepreneur who shape business culture. The leaders who are able to shape their culture â€Å"have a strong understanding that creating thriving, high-performance culture aligned with their company’s mission, vision and values is vital strategy for success†.HP (Hewlett Packard) coped with some problems few years ago and was forced to change its culture. Eac h staff has to point out their own personal and professional objectives for a year and are encouraged, supported to meet the goals. After the change, HP no longer loss in productivity despite shorter working time and increase in staff retention rate. * The capabilities in term of resources & knowledge: people, physical assets, technologies, etc. * Standards and reference models in system, enterprise, software engineering * Structures: governance, roles, etc.III. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT A business has to interact to what happen outside internal environment to fulfill Exchange in BRIE model. It is External environment surrounding the business operations and the internal environment of business. External environment may include Task Environment which can be called Micro Environment and General Environment or Macro Environment. 1. Task Environment – Micro Environment a. Element of Task Environment The microenvironment is made from components that are close to the company and directl y impact the business.For examples: * Publics group â€Å"can have an  actual or potential interest in or impact on an  organization’s ability to achieve its objectives†. Publics can  be: * Media publics: carry news, features, and editorial opinion * Local publics: neighborhood residents and community organizations. †¦ * Customers: Company must study its customer markets closely since each market  has its own special characteristics. Customers can be B2C, B2B or B2G * Suppliers: Provide the resources or input needed for the business to produce goods and services that play key roles in â€Å"value delivery system† for customers.Suppliers can leave huge impact on business due to supply shortage or the bargaining power of suppliers * Competitors: A company has to face with wide range of competitors and secures its strategic competitive advantages over competitors by technologies or selling point of the products or wipes out the marketplace. †¦.. W almart case will serve as an example. â€Å"Walmart’s Micro environment would be very much focused on immediate local issues, local public. It would consider how to recruit, retain and extend products and services to customers.Walmart should pay close attention to the actions and reactions of direct competitors: local markets, etc. Walmart would build and nurture close relationships with key suppliers for pricing factors and time of delivery. † b. Porter five forces Task environment elements also appear in Porter five forces which is a framework for industry analysis and business strategy development. It derives five important forces that determine the competitive intensity and therefore, the attractiveness of a market. 5 typical factors have direct impact on the business. . General Environment – Macro Environment The General Environment can be described by PESTEL model. It refers to all forces that are part of society, affect business and micro environment. * P olitical factors include: * Government’s stability * Social policies: welfare, etc. * Trade regulation: EU & WTO, etc. * The Government set the laws, regulations and policies that can promote or limit the individuals and organizations in a society * Economic factors: * Economic growth * Unemployment rate * Interest rate†¦ Economic factor can effect purchasing power and spending patterns. â€Å"Element like interest rates affect a firm’s cost of capital and therefore a business grows and expands. Exchange rates affect the export and import goods in an economy. † * Social factors: * Demographics Demographics studies population patterns: sizes, age, sex, occupation, ethnicity, etc. Those patterns are investigated for companies to change various strategies to adapt to these social trends, such as recruiting staff or design suitable products for each segmentLet take an example of age changing structure in US: * Generation Y: born 1980 – 1995 -> technology wise, optimistic, confident, sociable, flexible and changing in its fashion, style consciousness   * Generation Z: born after 1995 -> life with internet, phones,†¦ communicate through social media rather than personally meeting * Technological factors: R&D, automation, etc. This factor can affect cost, quality and lead to innovation of a business. * Environmental – Eco factors: Climate, energy consumption, waste disposal, etc.Awareness of the potential impacts of climate change affects how companies operate and the products/services they offer. There is a strong connection between a healthy economy and a healthy environment. Business should build environmental sustainable strategies for a life-long span. * Legal factors: Antitrust law, consumer law, employment law, etc. Legal factors can shape the way companies operate and interact with employees, customers, etc. IV. CONCLUSION In summary, elements from environment have undeniable vital impacts on the business.Therefo re, entrepreneur should be prepared carefully with full analyzed information from those elements to help their business be able to survive and develop. V. REFERENCE Jerome A. Katz, Richard P. Green II. Ed. 2011. Entrepreneurial Small Business. 3rd Edition. China: The McGraw Hill. Jerome A. Katz, Richard P. Green II. 2011. The element of the small business environment. China: The McGraw Hill. Ch. 2. Figure 1. Jerome A. Katz, Richard P. Green II, 2011. Four elements needed to get your business started. Entrepreneurial Small Business Figure 2. Jerome A. Katz, Richard P. Green II, 2011.The organization’s environment. Entrepreneurial Small Business Figure 3. The planning context environmental scan. Available at: http://www. publicsafety. gc. ca/prg/em/emp/emp-2010-11-eng. aspx [accessed on 20 March 2012] Figure 5. Michael Porter’s 5 forces model. Available at: http://business-fundas. com/2011/michael-porters-5-forces-model/ [accessed on 20 March 2012] Figure 6: Pestel analy sis. Available at: http://pmmagsmartech. blogspot. com/2011/10/pestel-analysis. html [accessed on 20 March 2012] Culture Shaping [e-journal]. Available at: http://www. senndelaney. com/cultureshaping. tml [access on 20 March 2012] Company culture [e-journal]. Available at: http://management. about. com/cs/generalmanagement/a/companyculture. htm [access on 20 March 2012] Emergency Management Planning Guide 2010-2011 [e-journal]. Available at: http://www. publicsafety. gc. ca/prg/em/emp/emp-2010-11-eng. aspx [access on 20 March 2012] Marketing Micro and Macro Environment [e-journal]. Available at: http://www. scribd. com/doc/22543929/Marketing-Micro-and-Macro-Environment [access on 20 March 2012] Porter five forces analysis [e-journal]. Available at: http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Porter_five_forces_analysis [access on 20 March 2012] Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z [e-journal]. Available at: http://suite101. com/article/veterans-baby-boomers-gen-x-gen-y-and-gen-z-a185353 [a ccess on 20 March 2012] What is PESTEL framework? [e-journal]. Available at: http://www. businessmate. org/Article. php? ArtikelId=16 [access on 20 March 2012] PEST analysis [e-journal]. Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/PEST_analysis [access on 20 March 2012] Market environment [e-journal]. Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Market_environment [access on 20 March 2012]

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Retail Information System Essay

1. What are the benefits of 7-Eleven’s Retail Information System? 1) Increase sales opportunities and gain profits i) Retail Information System can amass information about customer demand, pricing, and interest in new products, such as Diet Pepsi, Zero Coke, Slurpee. Analysis of the data shows which items are selling well in which stores, which items customers are most interested in, seasonal demand for items and which items are most profitable to sell in the first place. Then, 7-Eleven can depend on the above data to order the exact quantities of products & get the maximum of profit. ii) Insights gleaned from the data also help 7-Eleven develop new products such as its fresh-food offerings that attract new customers and increase transaction size. For examples, now some 7-Eleven have the fast food counter to sell the fast food like fish ball, dumplings. It is very popular and meets the needs of the market. 2) Reduce excess inventory Through the Retail Information System, management uses this information to identify sales trend, improve product assortment, eliminate slow-moving products from inventory, and increase same-store sales by stocking products that are high in demand. It can avoid the excess inventory and save the inventory cost includes the expensive rental expenses. 3) Easy to control the inventory Retail Information System provides store managers with information on daily, weekly, and monthly sales of each item to help them determine which items to order the exact quantities they need for their stores. Managers use this information plus their on-the-spot knowledge of the neighborhood to make final order decision. Further, 7-Eleven’s orders for fresh food items are aggregated at 7-Eleven headquarters and transmitted to fresh food suppliers and bakeries for preparation and delivery the next day. It reduces the product spoilage and save the unnecessary costs. 4) Increase the competitiveness of the market 7-Eleven uses the information that they can get the respond to the needs of the customers. By tracking and analyzing its data, it knows its customers as intimately as it did when store owners talked to each customer face-to-face. Understand the customers’ need then increase the sales thus increase the competitiveness of the market. 2. Which of the strategies does the Retail Information System support? Retail Information System supports the strategies of Strengthening customer and supplier intimacy. 7-Eleven through the system to analyze the data shows which items are selling well in which stores, which items customers are most interested in, seasonal demand for items and which items are most profitable to sell in the first place. These information can give it to suppliers then they can determine to import which products from the wholesale, which season import which items, which items would import more to get most profitable. Further, these data can also give it to supplier to develop new products such as its fresh-food offerings that attract new customers. Moreover, the system consolidates these orders and transmits them to suppliers for preparation and delivery the next day of food & drink. It can reduce the transportation costs. Through making transactions in general easier and more user friendly for both customers and suppliers, the intimacy of the firm and customer/supplier will increase. This offers great incentive for both customer and supplier to continue doing business with 7-Eleven. Use information systems to develop strong ties and loyalty with customers and suppliers. It also discovers unsuspected problems, detect unrealized potential, and create a dynamic synergy with customers. They often merge their operations with those of their customers. In the integration of their operations, suppliers become more than merely useful. To tighten long-term relationship and create brand loyalty with customers and suppliers, including increasing switching costs. In conclusion, Strengthening customer and supplier intimacy lead to win-win situation.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Locke, Hobbes, Machiavelli Essay Essays

Locke, Hobbes, Machiavelli Essay Essays Locke, Hobbes, Machiavelli Essay Essay Locke, Hobbes, Machiavelli Essay Essay Nicolo Machiavelli, John Locke, and Thomas Hobbes are philosophers that have changed and influenced the lives of many people. Their specific interpretations of each of their beliefs on the best methods to run a successful government, and their evaluations of a human beings’ natural state are key to developing a more desirable government. In the film, Lord of the Flies, directed by Harry Hook, many key ideas of all three philosophers are present. John Locke’s beliefs are portrayed throughout the film, Lord of the Flies. Locke specifically states that â€Å"all men are naturally in†¦a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature†, thus suggesting that all men are neither good nor evil and that one learns one or the other as one grows (Locke 445). He goes on to say that this â€Å"state of nature† must always have â€Å"a law of nature to govern it† (Locke 446). The state of nature of human beings is a recurring theme and example in the film. When the abandoned boys first appear in the film, natural law and the state of nature are already present as the boys begin to come together and choose a leader. At the beginning of the film, the boys start off with a clean slate and as the film progresses they slowly learn and become either good or evil. Thomas Hobbes believed that â€Å"during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that conditions called war†¦as if of every man, against every man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hobbes). In Lord of the Flies, the belief that men are inherently evil is portrayed quite clearly as the boys begin to perform evil and savage-like acts. The boys believe that there is a monster that inhabits the island that they must hunt down before it gets them. This central belief is the root of their evil, as they begin to act like savages, only caring about hunting down the beast, and not thinking or caring about anything else. As their savagery progresses, the boys eventually end up killing Simon, but think only twice about it, passing it by and forgetting it quite easily. Director, Harry Hook, portrays that without a strong government telling them what to do, the boys have almost completely forgotten who they are and believe that they can do anything they want, including even killing those who annoy them. Nicolo Machiavelli conceived that leaders who are â€Å"feared† rather than â€Å"loved† are the most effective of them all (Machiavelli 1). The character, Jack, establishes himself as someone to be feared and followed early on in the film. Jack punishes those who fail to act according to his rules and procedures thus exuding a position of power and authority over the other boys. Jack can be portrayed as Machiavelli’s ideal leader who â€Å"so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal† does not mind â€Å"the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise† (Machiavelli 1). John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Nicolo Machiavelli all had specific perceptions on the ideal and perfect government system or leader. These three philosophical interpretations of government and human nature present themselves neatly in the film, Lord of the Flies. Though in the film the boys do become savages and result to even killing each other, at the end of the film they are discovered by other humans and stop in their tracks, realizing their mistakes and inhumanity, thus giving the viewer hope that there may be hope for the human race.

Monday, November 4, 2019

An Analysis of Macy’s

An Analysis of Macys R.H. Macy such as tea bags, the Idaho baked potato, and colored bath towels that would get the attention of people forever. Macy’s also was the first retailer that would be the first to hold a New York City liquor license which would eventually increase their sales. By 1902 the store had become so large it relocated to Herald Square with over a million square feet, becoming the largest store in the world. On December 19, 1994, Federated Department Stores Inc. (now known as Macy’s Inc.) acquired R.H. Macy & Co., creating the world’s largest premier department store company (Macy’s Inc.). Before renaming as Macy’s Inc., Federated Department Stores had 400 stores and over 157 specialty stores throughout 37 states. Macy’s is known for their Thanksgiving Day Parade that began back in 1924 as the Christmas Parade. Celebrating its 75th birthday in 2001, the tradition has long lived for 84 years and has millions of viewers. R.H. Macy and Co., took out newspaper ads that would promise â€Å"a surprise New York will never forget† and to this day the parade is a piece of America (New York City Vacations). Macy’s is now currently known worldwide as one of the largest retailers selling men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, accessories, shoes, and beauty. It also operates www.macy.com, an online website you can also purchase merchandise from. The company operates over 800 department stores and furniture stores across 45 states including the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico under the names of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s (Macy’s Inc.). Its corporate offices are located in Cincinnati and New York. The red star that’s with the company name was adopted as Mr. Hussey’s representing a symbol of success. Macy’s Shares are traded under the symbol â€Å"M† on the New York Stock Exchange. According to Wikinvest, the stock price as of March 23, 2010 was 21.83 a share. Macy’s corporate vision reflects the â€Å"Spirit of America† in a sense that the past aspects that made our nation the way it is today are the same aspects that has shaped Macy’s in becoming such a valued industry. A belief in the promise of the future with the energy and determination to get us there. A belief that our heritage mirrors the optimism, inclusion and integrity that provide for both stability and growth. A belief that taking advantage of the right opportunities will continue to lead us to success in all that we do.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Rules, Rights and Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rules, Rights and Justice - Essay Example Parliament is normally influenced by public opinion and social changes into making laws through Acts of parliament. There are various origins of Acts of parliament, which are caused by the variations in public and social opinions. Consequently various Acts of parliament are enacted, laws established to ensure a peaceful cohabitation of the people with its environs. Most of these will be addressed in this paper to find out the numerous ways the public can affect establishment of laws. Origin of Acts of Parliament There are different origins of Acts of parliament in England and Wales. Some of these include; national emergency crisis, manifestos of parties, the law commission, royal commission and the private members bills. The party manifestos refer to those lists of reforms promised by political parties when there is a general election. They do guarantee they would implement if they are elected into parliament. In other terms, party manifestos are simply pre-election promises. The Act s of parliament may be obtained from the pre-election promises on which the elected government made to the public (Block 2, 2012; p. 93). Nationwide emergency, crisis or fresh developments which arise during the reign of a government might force the parliament to establish an Act to deal with the crisis. For instance, the Anti-Terrorism, crime and Security Act 2001 was brought up to respond to the latest circumstances concerning the terror attack on September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington. The main objective of the 2001 Act was to cut down on financing for the terror groups, ensuring the departments and agencies in the government had authority to gather and share important information needed to deal with terror threats. In addition, the 2001 Act had the aim of expanding police jurisdiction and accessibility to appropriate forces and pass on to UK’s anti-terror authority (Block 2, 2012; p. 95). The royal commissions at times submit their report to the parliament with rec ommendations for laws which may be assumed as part of the government lawmaking process. Royal Commissions are recommended committees enacted by the State even though officially selected by the Crown. The commission conducts an investigation for any subject the government might see fit to refer to. These are normally used for political issues that are not related to any party or for matters the government deems to be perceived as addressing in a non-party political manner (Block 2, 2012; p. 101). A recommendation from the law commission is also another source of Parliamentary Acts. The main aim of creating the law commission was to establish recommendations concerning any subject of the law that the commission might feel necessary to have reforms. Thus the commission is mandated with the accountability of keeping all the regulations under the review with the objective of reform and development. The work of the commission is wide-ranging in the sense that it proposes the changes to th e law inclusive of the necessary reforms. The private member bills are also another source of the Acts of parliament. This is a situation where the individual members of parliament are able to initiate their own laws otherwise known as the Private Member’s Bill. One good example of the successful private member’s Bill which was signed into legislation is the Marriage Act 1994. This was initiated by Gyles Brandreth, Chester’

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Systems Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Systems Thinking - Essay Example The task undertaken by every employee in different tiers could vary in nature and hence the activity transfer across two levels need not be identical. Or the rate component in the system is varying. The auxiliaries refer to the actual or nature of work undertaken by the employees that decides on the influence of the rates with the levels. The system refers to the organized collection of activities or smaller systems referred to as subsystems integrated to produce a larger goal. The inputs that go into a system might be different and these inputs are subjected to certain processes, which leads to outputs and hence contributes to the overall goal of the system. Hence, if an organization is considered for example, the system of organization includes various sub-systems of minor organizational functions like accounting, administration, production, marketing, sales etc. Thus, if any one part of the system is disturbed it would be reflected in the overall performance of the system and it is referred that a system is systemic. The income and wealth can be related to a single system loop. From an organizational perspective the wealth rises when revenue from sales increases. The increase in sales occurs when the organization achieves higher production rate coupled with identification of newer markets, innovative product desig ns and finally better sales performance. These activities are possible only when the organization is able to employ and retain better talents with better salary and incentives for performance. Thus higher salaries have resulted in higher production and higher revenue generation and thus increased wealth for the organizations. On the other hand, if the wealth of the organization could experience a beating if the income to employees are not given proper attention. Lowered income or reduced perks and incentives would lead to dissatisfied group of employees that would either result in increased agitations or lowered production which results in lesser revenue and lowered wealth of organization. The causal loop in this category is shown in Figure 1. Firm WealthIncome of employees Productivity of firms Figure 1: Casual loop diagram for an organization This could be understood in detail by comparing the example of digging of minerals from the ground with manufacturing of cars. The digging of minerals is set of separated processes that have hardly any influence on the other. On the other hand the manufacturing of cars have a different approach. The manufacturing process represents the system and the minor activities in it refer to the sub-systems. Any small disturbance to the sub-systems would detail the smooth run of the system and it the systemic nature of the manufacturing process could be easily understood. While in the case of mining operations even if a small volume of the mined objects are not properly lifted, it is not to cause any serious disruption of the entire activities. Thus the mining operation doesn't represent a system model because of its nature of operations. Further, digging minerals is an exploratory work. The results are unknown and it is subjected to large extend of corrections in the whole process. Even if ex ploration is undertaken for a significant depth it is not necessary to attain the desired level of resource base. Thus clearly distinguishable

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Suburban Sprawl (Environmental Issue) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Suburban Sprawl (Environmental Issue) - Essay Example These hazards being talked about refer not to only to body health issues but a rapid jump in mental health issues, prompting the former vice president of the U.S Al Gore to comment that the urban spread is like â€Å"cookie-cutter monster.†(Brooking Inst, 1998). While supporters of urban lifestyles contend â€Å"consumers prefer lower density neighborhoods and that sprawl does not necessarily increase traffic.† (Moore, Henderson, 1998). Nevertheless there is evidence that urban sprawl is one of the primary contributing factors to the specter of inner city degeneration. By pulling economic resources out of communities that are already existing and diffusing it into new and unconnected developments away from the current core, older communities get neglected and are led to ruin. These new developments are subsidized heavily to create newer roads, water and sewer infrastructure, new schools and enhanced spending on police and fire protection. While urban spread directly inf luences new lawns using ever more water and the use of chemical fertilizers as well as pesticides, it displaces native plants, which have not needed constant watering. It could be concluded that Sprawl wastes tax payers’ money With the population of the world exceeding 6 billion already and progressing toward doubling by the 22nd century, it is estimated that 95% of the new inhabitants of the planet earth will be living in urban areas. When compared to the fact that only 15% of the world lived in urban areas as recently as 1990, the task to manage urban sprawl is both vital and urgent. If not the exponential growth in urban dwellers combined with Socio-economical, geopolitical factors, with the certainty of limited land availability and in -efficient planning is certain to create cities that devour land used for other purposes historically directly influencing equally important aspects such as food security. Combating urban sprawl has two major forms of endeavor both, which i nclude detailed planning. â€Å"The first, the French/British/European tradition, considers urban planning a matter of public health and focuses on strong land- use regulation, public-sector investment, and civic design. The second tradition, born in North America, focuses on zoning and subdivision regulations within a context of strong private property rights† (Calthorpe, 2001)). Peter Calthorpe a New Urbanism thinker and architect illustrates the differences in these two styles by flavoring the European model a more ecological model and the North American planning model a more mechanically motivated model. The European model appears to be the antecedent to the concept called smart growth, and the other of developing efficiencies through zoning. The search for solutions to urban sprawl has given birth to various special-interest groups that promote a concept termed SMART growth at all levels federal, state, and local government. This might look nostalgic with a promotion of return to the city lifestyles of the last two centuries. Living in smaller apartments or smaller land plots with the emphasis on limiting transportation to bicycles or simply walking. Smart growth can be defined as the prevention of urban sprawl through meticulous planning with associated restriction to

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Opportunities and risks of FDI in China

Opportunities and risks of FDI in China China, the worlds biggest and most populated country, which has fourth largest area in world. There is not a single aspect in which china is running behind. All the sectors for China are really working fast with fastest growing rate of economy of any major nation. The countrys GDP ratio is so high, economic structure is working good, social and cultural aspects for business and country is bilateral. But when it is not always true, that all the countrys can enjoy success rate much than failure. There are some sections where China needs to look after like, education, health and safety and environmental crisis. As it is a developing country, there are chances of increasing their business prospective in very huge sense with our developed or developing country. According to the news, China and the rest of the world have become closely interconnected with its large territory and population which guarantees the environmental impacts on all over the world. From the point of view of world, they try to increase these impacts by means of the trade and investment which fuels Chinas rapid economic growth. From the business sector aspect, the trade was negligible before 1980s and even FDI in China was nevertheless negligible till 1991. But the way they are accelerating their fast moving economy which is almost exponential. In economic terms there was 40-fold increase in international trade between 1978 and 2003. Therefore, there are several aspects we need to look at in order to find out the success ratio for Chinese Economy. In following article, we have tried to cover the main aspects of the Chinese strengths and weaknesses, as well as other factors such as political, legal and investments and so on. According to the analysis and research we did, the important aspect for Chinese government are legal, political, motivation and obstacles for multinational firms to invest in the country, sectors or industries likely to attract FDI and what are the reasons, there can be possibility of bigger risk for foreign companies which would like to enter in this country and how can these risks be reduced and so on. The political/legal environment: A very good aspect of global marketing is legal/political features. A binding of rules and regulations with their own principles of state and nations is known as International Law. There are two different characteristics, the first is a law which belongs to an individual in a country and that particular law only exists to certain amount of degree that an individual nations are willing to relinquish their rights. The second law is, lack of truly comprehensive international legal system, which has an adequate international judicial and administrative framework for the countries legal system. If we talk about international business, than it will also relate political decrees which are made by government for different home and host countries. There can be different measures which government would like to consider maintaining enough funding and operating smoothly in host country. Host governments take measures like taxations, ownership controls, operating restrictions or expropriation. Whereas for home country government, they take measure like make deal with eligible and approved parties, in order to avoid frauds and to grant an export licence, or withdrawal of export guarantee cover. Availability of the legal or political system as if like, ideology, nationalism, stability and international relations out of which the main features are best described to know legal and political implications: Expropriation: This can be the main possibilities of investor which may try to reduce their risk of doing business in the country. There are certain points which need to be considered while doing business in China. The country should try to make the business transactions so easy, as in case of local supply infrastructure which will help the people to believe in new entrants of the company with similar tastes, whereas it will reduce any adverse action/damages for the host country. In a way, this can be benefitted to both home and host country. Host country should try to make rapid depreciation of assets and repatriation of funds, if in case, there are uncertainties occurring in China, due to which the company has to wind up, it will also helpful for the company to stand with the loss if they are occurring. For the assets and funds they can be transferred at manipulated prices. For Chinese market, whenever any new company or MNEs wants to enter, they should try to invest as much as they can in order to maintain the stability of the market status, as well as they know the tastes of Chinese people which might be helpful for the host countries companys. To maintain the local stock market rates at the same levels, the company has to retain the control of critical inputs. That means, whenever they share any market share with higher price, needs to maintain the prices of those markets shares within the country. Even to make it low prices in order to earn profit, the company needs to maintain their cost of products to certain limit. Incentives: There are different aspects of providing incentives to motivate their workers, employees, public and for their own benefits. There are many countries which try to reduce their own potential risk of promoting their products, brands or advertising its products in different markets. Therefore, many countries try to reduce perceived risk of advertising or promoting inward investment as they are not tied with sharing, during the condition of tax breaks, free posts, free trade zones etc. this type of barriers affects the countries economy, as for example government tries to attract mobile investor, or considering the scheme for poor local skills which might be withdrawn once capital has been accumulated. It is same in the case of incentives which depend on feasibility of incentives compared to real return on investment? Assessing political vulnerability There are political aspects of economy, which create helplessness for the host and home countries business and its growth. Following are some the crucial aspects which we found out are the main features to make the companys profit or loss in host country. Even Chinese economy could not deny to these aspects: For a new MNEs entering in to any new market, needs to create good relations with its legal, political, CSR and environmental aspects, as in case of its own home country. The products should be good in quality, sensible to consumers, and trustworthy relationship with customers industry. Company needs to keep in mind the area and location of it growth. In order to reduce miscommunication, code of conduct, health and safety and good operating services. Promotions of the products, brands and services are much more important for success. Therefore, visibility of the firm is must, in a way advertising the products in host country gives huge public entrance with competitors. As we have discussed different political and legal aspect of host countrys in order to work out strategy accordingly. Contribution to the host country, that means, giving charity, investing in shares or stocks, merging, partnerships, joint ventures, providing employment, good salaries to employees, motivation, incentives, and pensions to the current workers and so on, it is important to bring up a good goodwill in host country. Localization of operations, in order to reduce import-export duties, getting cheaper rates of raw materials, cheap labor, etc. Marketing implications After discussing the internal implications, we can also describe briefly the main external implication which might be the reason for failure in host country. International law on marketing operations is multitude or crowded. Price controls/decisions- taxation, value added systems, resale price value/maintenance, price freezes after certain level in inflation. Distribution- channel of retail or wholesale agents or distributors, physical distribution or manufacturing the products on your own, insurance policies for products, brands or patents. Product decisions- includes designs of products, healthy and safety measure for using that product, overall performance measurement, packaging, labeling and warranty of the products. Promotion- advertising for the products and its services is must, product restriction includes within which age group the product can be used to reduce dangers with peoples life, and sales promotion for products gives better results. The most important market research- collection of details which are required by local public, tastes of particular brand, stock valuation, storage capacity for delivering goods to different areas and transmission of data to its local branches. Reasons for sectors and industries which are more likely to attract FDI in China: What is FDI? FDI means a multinational or transnational firm which engages in Foreign Direct Investment and owes its controls with value-added activities in more than one host country. The most used and widely accepted by data collecting agencies such as organization for Economics Co-operation and Development (OECD), UNCTADs Division on Investment, Technology and Enterprise Development (DITE) adjoined with national governments and supranational entities. There are main points for the development of Chinese economy which are mentioned below: 1. There has been a positive development trend for Chinese economy, as the economy provides a huge entrance for FDI. In this situation and circumstances, the growth of global economy will rise slowly but the highly developed countries like US and Japan will grow slowly as Chinese government guide lines describes expansion of internal demand, implement of positive financial policy and steady monetary policy which will try to accelerates the adjustment of economic structure in Chinese economy. From this aspect further expansion is possible which will open outside world and will run actively and steadily to promote the reforms which will be in favor of Chinas situation as well as its legislation of market economy, it will boost the overall quality and benefit of economy to run smoothly, which will maintain a strong bond with home and host country with its individual growth. 2. With stable political situation, Chinese economy has encouraged FDI as a part of its main entry policy. For certain period of time, the government itself was taking part to consider foreign direct investment in China which resulting made continuous efforts in improving or growing FDI investment. It was also protecting legal rights and interest of foreign investors. 3. After having FDI in China, foreign firms were attracted to start its business in order to earn like the foreign investors. Even some of the firms who invested experienced success in China. Since last 20 years of Chinas restructuring and strengthens of foreign investors in investing in Chinese Economy increase confidence of every individual to make first choice for every firms, MNEs or joint ventures to work in China or start Business in China. 4. Broad Market Potential: As now we all have an idea that China has got highest population with highest growth rate like developed country. The economy is fast growing, and domestic market of its services and products are massive. This is all because of Chinas consistent political environment; low labor cost with high quality of work, whole range of industries, and return on investment is good and so on. In a way China exhibits strengthen and charismatic attraction to an number of foreign firms and enterprises or MNEs. Motivation and obstacles for MNEs to invest in the China: Market size and growth MNEs need more space to wide-spread their rapid growth and they have comfortable market environment in China. E.g. Tesco Cheap labor cost As China is highly populated country and in this country people are ready to work at any cost, the concerned to earn money for their normal standard of living. Exchange rate The huge difference is currency rate. For example, if US wants to start a business than it will double profitable from the budgeted cost for starting a new business, as they can export- or can get each and every raw materials from China at cheaper rates. High investment return As we have studied, FDI has improved the economical level of China; therefore we can say every country is dreaming to start its ventures in China due to this reason, as before we earn profit we can earn money from the investment itself. E.g. shares, funds and charities Government incentive Policies Local government system is quite compatible to motivate and encourage business to do in China, though is not in case of internal motivation but when it comes to business, the different policies are benefitted for outsiders. E.g. free trade zones, loans, etc. Political stability Rules and regulations are not frequently changing with government; therefore it will be benefitted for new MNEs to enter as they dont have to think about any new shortcuts to enter or any other changes with its business working structure and strategies. Part of companys globalization strategy As we know that china is booming with all the aspect all over the world, that means if the countrys economy is booming, there are chances of new entrants to hit the set targets and run business successfully rather than home country. E.g. Wal-Mart Serving as an export platform Being a mediator China serves all the main countries its varieties of goods, technologies and cheap labor. E.g. watches made in China and sold in USA/India with a brand name, as well as toys. Chinas advanced technology This point is not much used by any MNEs as we all have idea about Chinese technological power, what sort of machinery they use for manufacturing and production. Therefore, for MNEs they dont have to worry about its production of goods, as it can be made with cheap labor, materials but with consistent quality. Chinas weak Indus. infrastructure Infrastructure doesnt really matter as the people in China want to adopt western trend, but they are facing constraints while adopting it. The reason might by cultural. Obstacles for MNEs firms to invest in Chinese environment: Political stability This factor can be weakness, as there is no improvement in political aspect of country so there are no chances of MNEs to innovate something new, or nothing such which is beneficial to MNEs Unsatisfactory foreign trade policy Trade, tariffs, subsidies- aid and loans, custom valuation. Whereas regarding the quotas, MNEs needs to consider- Buy Local Legislation, standards and labels, specific permission required, administrative delays, reciprocal requirements, restrictions on services. These factors are not up to certain limit to satisfy the Foreign firm. Regulations not strictly implemented Legal and illegal actions can take place while doing new business or continuing business. The laws which a business man is bound to follow, which are not being followed properly to maintain sustainability of economy. Unsatisfactory banking system The rates for interest, return on investment and etc., are not too enough for MNEs to get its return with double profit. Even the facility of banking is not sufficient for the new company to enter in China and provide every information/database. This can be the important aspect to be a huge obstacles as employees of the companys who has got bank account will not get up to the mark information, resulting failure. The development of business related industry China is huge in area, so in order to increase GDP, China is out sourcing too much to get the companies in to China for employment, high standard of living, good infrastructure etc. Low productivity Because of cheap labor and materials there are chances of doing fraud with public by providing them duplicate products and earn profit. Risks for entering in to market and how to reduce the risks in host country: Risk is such a big factor, which will consider by every firm, organization or enterprise as hindrance towards success. Even in here, there are different aspects of risks, which includes social, economical, political, legal, environmental and technological. But there are certain features which are the main to consider while you enter in host country. Some of them have been discussed below: Build strategies to recruit and train capable managers: In this case, there are many graduates from Chinese business schools, but they are lacking necessary skills like team leading, managing targets and so on. Chinese universities have formed partnerships in order to get successful and efficient employees to work within the companys environment and its management curriculum. They are providing trading promises for future employment by doing partnership with MNEs. firms are being trained properly, capable and intelligent Chinese student to get jobs in host countrys company. Safeguard intellectual property rights: Confidentiality is much more important while starting a new business in host country. Therefore foreign companies need to be cautious while transferring any important or proprietary information regarding its business growth or its development in china. There are chances of information being stolen and privacy for business strategy, budgets, and employees details can be hacked. Firms can pursue legal action for its patent but they are finding difficulties to maintain within Chinese border. With the help of technological development firms are being operated with creative solutions like existing computer code, alliances with Chinese partners, and joint ventures for production and patents for local public use. Some of the firms have found the solution for their problem, an opportunity of greater chance of influencing Chinese policy and enforcement strategies, which will help a lobby to speak for many parties or it can be a representative for one. Understand the competition. To bit the cut throat competition, Chinese are not competing home countries companies but they are also challenging host countrys company. They work on strategy which emphasis on production of high value added products, which resulting in to increase in amount of production or benefitted for foreign firms over Chinese companies. From the Chinese companys opinion, they are not aware about particular design, marketing strategy or any new distribution channel system. Therefore they are required to have experience for the same. Diversify risk: Corporate governance and strategy in China is very crucial as the elements of RD, production and supply chains are not present or not concentrated in any one Chinese province or region or overall Chinese border. Develop strategies to maintain CSR: After being followed first step, employees and local workers are being trained by foreign firm, as well as they invest for their education and in philanthropy/return firms will support host countrys charities which might be helpful for them to construct strong political relations locally. More or less Chinese communities are sensitive, therefore to perceive anything as corporate efforts to change the infrastructure and development of its country, according to western prescriptions. Have an exit strategy: All over the world, everyone is aware that China is emerging economy and everybody praises that. It will be the most attractive market with new development and emerging strategies within next few years. After all this compliments and comments, the long term perception is more likely uncertain. The reason is they dont have political institutions like India, to minimize/reduce long-term risks of sweeping political change. So it is worth to be secure for long-term profits, as if it prematurely cashes in its chips and moves out. So its better to have an exit strategy as plan B, if plan A doesnt work.