Procurement Outsourcing Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Procurement Outsourcing Strategies - Essay Example Additionally, the Wonderful Widgets Company gets to act as a management hub that executes the finalized strategies for the product. This reading focuses on the series of strategic initiatives that explain the perceived impact of forming strategic alliances in procurement and outsourcing. The impending questions regarding the issues with outsourcing this particular case scenario is what risks are involved, and whether the outsourcing strategies should depend on the product characteristics, for example, the clock speed. As the Supply manager, the tasks involved entail the identification and development of an effective procurement strategy that aids in lowering or reducing the monthly operational costs (Rosenfield, 2012). The final decision pertaining to procurement is also dependent on the business operations involved with the company. Streamlining the business processes is essential in enacting and implementing an appropriate procurement service that works in favor of the business goals in terms of minimizing the operational costs. The selection of a strategic source for the manufacturing components would aid the company in taking advantage of any classified duty rates or even if the company is eligible to participate in special trade programs. The dynamics of the transit costs ought to be calculated to determine the inventory carrying costs, the freight, duty and brokerage or insurance costs (Rosenfield, 2012). Subscribing to premium freight services that require paying higher percentages can prove to be expensive to the company’s operational costs. This is common for shipment of premium goods which uses carrier insurance. Consolidating the goods and components expected by the company from multiple suppliers helps in minimizing transport costs for the business. The variable transit times for goods from different suppliers results in higher payments for the company. Since the company

College and the Workforce Essay Example for Free

College and the Workforce Essay Most people dream about the opportunity to be able to attend college. They dream about what their college campus is going to look like, who their roommate is going to be, what kind of parties they are going to go to, and what they are going to major in. However, when the time comes to begin the college process, there are many people who give up on their dream about going to college for reasons such as; they think they do not need it or because it is too expensive. Even though college is expensive, it prepares you for your future because many careers require a college education and college offers many different opportunities outside of the classroom. The main thing college prepares you for is your future. It helps you be able to choose a career path you want to pursue. Currently, many careers require some sort of higher education. This is why college is so important. Another reason college is important is because choosing a major is a big decision. Moore and Shulock (2011), along with California State University, believe that students will be more successful if they â€Å"require students to declare a major program of study after a certain amount of time or accumulation of credits, and assign students faculty advisors in their declared major programs† (p.18). Countless students change their majors over and over again before they find the right one for them. A student has the opportunity to discover various types of classes to get a feel for what might be the right career path for them before committing himself or herself to a major. However, if a student changes their major frequently throughout their college career, more time and money is added onto their schooling. They do not want to go out into the workforce and jump around from job to job, because they may be looked down upon. In the work environment, they may be  seen as unstable, unreliable, and unable to commit, even if that may not be the case. Another benefit of going to college is that they learn numerous things, even outside of the classroom. They learn how to make new friends, how to get along with people, learn how to socialize in the proper settings, and also learn how to relax, have fun, and enjoy themselves. These are important skills not only to have in their personal lives, but also to have in the workforce. They will always have to meet new people and learn to get along with all types of people in different environments, even if they may not be people they like or agree with. Students have to learn to set aside their personal differences so that they can show their professionalism. It is also important to know how to socialize properly. There are certain situations where using casual conversation in a professional setting could be appropriate, but there are other times they would want to maintain their professionalism. For example, they would not want to greet a new client by saying, â€Å"Hey! What’s up bro?† They need to learn how to differentiate the social situation from the people who are in that social situation. It is also important to relax, have fun, and enjoy yourself. This can be key in the workforce because they want to enjoy the work they are doing, but they do not want it to completely over power your life. They should be able to find the balance of discipline and fun in doing your job. Committing to College Once a person decides to commit to attending college, they need to come up with a personal plan that fits their style of learning. There are many different skills that help them become a master student. Some of these skills include; time-management, organization, communication, and having a positive attitude. Time-management is one of the most effective strategies a person can have. It is important because in order to be a successful student they need to stay on top of their schoolwork, and not procrastinate. Managing their time can also help them in the real world because they are learning to balance out everything that needs to get done. Organization is additionally another central aspect to being successful. They should keep their workspace neat and clean, whether it is a laptop, desk, or just a  notebook. Having a clean space can help a student be more successful. Communication is also a key factor when becoming a master student. It is important to communicate with their peers and their professors. They need to ask questions, speak up if they have concerns, and always take the initiative. It will show that they care about their grades and their success. Finally, it is important to have a positive attitude. It is very easy for things to go wrong, or not the way they want. What they need to remember is that they should keep a positive attitude. Someone who sees the glass as half full is going to enjoy life a lot more then the person who sees the glass as half empty. Cox (2012) said, â€Å"motivated people are happy people† (p.142). Once they set their mind to accomplish something, such as a college degree, they become a happier person because they have goals they are working toward. Conclusion College can be a fun, yet scary step in a person’s life. Even though it may be expensive, college offers the student a chance to explore who they are and who they want to be. College also offers them opportunities and skills that they are able to apply in the professional world. Once a person decides that college is the right decision for them, there are many skills that they are able to develop to help them become a master student. References Cox, B. (2012). College Students, Motivation, and Success. International Journal of Learning Development. 2(3), 139-143. doi:10.5296/ijld.v2i3.1818. Moore, C., Shulock, N., California State University, S. (2011). Sense of Direction: The Importance of Helping Community College Students Select and Enter a Program of Study. Institute For Higher Education Leadership Policy. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=14sid=81a06a850563430ba39210e85133be18%40sessionmgr112hid=109bdata=JnNpd GU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d##db=ericAN=ED524216.

The Hilton Hotel And Resorts | Marketing Mix

The Hilton Hotel And Resorts | Marketing Mix According to Philip Kotler marketing strategies are the combinations of all important marketing goals into a comprehensive plans, it should be from marketing research and its centre of attention should be right marketing mix to achieve maximum profit and sustainability for the organisation. Hilton Hotel and resorts is a Hospitality industry founded by Conard Hilton in 1919 in Cisco, Texas (U.S) and has 540 hotels worldwide. Its first brand was opened in Business travel and leisure travel are the two marketing emphasis the company is focusing on. Hilton Hotel and Resorts are mostly located in city centres, near airports etc for the easy access for the customers. This assignment is on Hilton Hotel (HHonours) near Heathrow Airport; with in Heathrow area it has three branches. Easy access from all terminals Heathrow central and terminal 5. It has partnership with different airlines and car rental companies. It just 6 minutes walk away from T4 and 10 minutes away by courtesy shuttle bus from T5. Hilton London Heathrow Airport hotel Exterior (http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hilton-london-heathrow-airport-LHRAPTW/index.html) Marketing: Marketing in Hospitality industry is one of the main elements to increase profits and success of the business and it is playing very important role in hospitality. It helps the organisation to get success through understand their customers, what they want, their needs; priorities and demand from the organisation and what are their expectation level from customer service point of view, leisure and infrastructure etc. It is really easy these days through internet. The organisation can also put surveys on internet, blogs, websites, social media, etc. For example Hilton hotel is available on face book where anyone can like, comment and post their views and also customers can check their updates, offers etc. http://xzamcorp.com/quality-blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Facebook-Hilton-Hotels-Resorts.jpg (https://www.facebook.com/hilton) Marketing Mix Marketing mix is a mixture of four fundamentals product, price, place and promotion. That actions used to satisfy the wants of an organisations target market and at the same time achieve its marketing objectives. (Stanton) 1994. http://www.marketingteacher.com/image/content/mmix.gif Product- this feature of marketing mix is including planning, developing and producing the right category of products and services in the market by an organisation. In short words what is the quality of the product, size of the product? How is it looks like, design of the product, value of the product, about packaging, testing and range etc? Product of Hilton Price- To fix a right price of product is a most difficult task. Price of the product should be reasonable and affordable so organisation can sell their product easily and successfully in the market. There are lots of steps between set the right price for example: determination of unit price of the product, pricing policies and strategies, discounts, credits, cost, terms of delivery, payment, competitive price credit policy etc. Price of Hilton hotel Place- It is called distribution channels, storage and warehousing, coverage channel, inventory management, selection channel, distribution logistics etc. Management of organisation is responsible to choose and deal with distribution channels so customers can get the product at right place at right time. They should develop physical distribution. Wholesalers and retailers are most important channels which are used for physical distribution of goods. Place for Hilton hotel Promotion- the fourth p is promotion it does include determination about direct marketing, sales promotion, advertisements, publicity, exhibitions, public relations activity etc. Most important tools are advertisements and sales promotion which are used to promote the sale of products of organisations. Promotional activities are free distribution of sample of product, contests etc. These types of tools are expressive which does help to beat the competition in the market to organisation. Advertisements are used to communicate and pass the information to customers and consumers about the features of product through television, internet, newspapers and magazines, radio, billboards, banners and posters etc. Limitations Doing advertisements or promotion is expensive tool but there is lots of advertisements on the television and internet so people can get fed up thats why mostly people ignore the advertisements on television they just skip the channels when the advertisements comes in front of them. Some people do not read the advertisements on newspapers and magazines. Promotion about Hilton Branding- branding is a unique name and identity of the company. It is a procedure of mark and stamp to the product with identify look, design and logo etc. So customers and consumers can get idea about the features of product from the name, look, logo, mark and design. Brand name or design should be attractive, which can attract to the customers. From brand name customers can recognise the product. When they give a symbol or name to the product organisation should always keep in mind there is lots of competitor in the market. Brand should be like that which is no one can copy it easily. Customer loyalty- it is about to encourage the customer, attract towards brand, buy the product often and in extra amount. It is about satisfaction level of customers, confidence, and their needs and wants. Organisation should build relationship with customers using e-market via email, messaging on mobile phones, so customers can stay keep in touch with them. Organisation should give points to the customers on loyalty cards. They should show to customers to care for them what are their choices and what they do not want. Network and customer relationships marketing strategies- Marketing take place in public relationship. For an organisation should have good and strong relation with society to fight the competition in the market. They should build strong network into the market with stakeholders. Now a days every organisation have customer care department to sort out the problems of customers and they have call centres as well as they have online customer care facility via internet so customers can call them or email them regarding their problems. In an organisation network and customer relationship is how does effective staff deals with customers and employers with employees. Hilton Hotel company appreciates the value of its staff and uses internal marketing to retain them and make them feel valued. At the Hilton organisation management realises that the companys team member added value and quality to the business. In fact it is the people working for the organisation that makes the Hilton hotels corporation such an international success. A hotel is an actual physical product, but a lot of the experience of visiting a hotel relates to the service offered by its staff to the customers. At Hilton hotel organisation management realises that staff treat customers with about same degree of respect as they themselves are treated by their employers. If staff are not treated and valued well they in turn will not respect or treat customers very well. Obviously this is very bad for an organisation..The Hilton hotel corporation invests a lot of time and money in its staff. It takes training and staff development very seriously. It involves staff in all aspects of it s marketing plans and strategy so that everyone knows what is going on and how they make contribution. Organisation gives rewards to its staff for effort with awards and promotion. It includes its staff by allowing them access to extranet which is also share with its business partners. Management offers a comprehensive befits packages to its staff, including: medical, dental and vision care coverage, life accident and disability insurance, the Hilton stock purchase plan, the flexible work arrangement. Other benefits including vacation and holiday pay plus and special privileges when staff stays at Hilton hotels. At the Hilton group management really try to retain good staff and do everything possible to make working for the Hilton hotel organisation rewarding and satisfying experience. Marketing communication activities and strategies-marketing communication is a way which is used by an organisation to change the behaviour of stakeholders towards product. They present to product into the market in such way, people can get information about the product from designing, promotion, exhibitions, advertisements, newspapers, magazines, mobile phone marketing etc. Marketing communication can be develop by direct marketing and indirect marketing. Personal selling, sales promotion, advertising, public relations these are all marketing communication. Those all tools are used for communication about product, which tells to public about the features of product. Organisation use marketing communication to achieve the market objectives and target sales. Communication is messages between one person to other person and in marketing it is between seller and buyer. E-marketing- e-marketing is an internet marketing, which is also called as an online marketing, web-marketing. Now a days every organisation use electronic technology for advertisements to gain the objectives. Technology plays a vital role for an organisation such computer based technology. Organisation create their websites, they send information about products online. Internet offers unique opportunities for organisation and customers to communicate with each others. It is a good way to build relationship with each other. Companies do promotion by direct email, advertisements on internet, by text messaging on mobile phones as well. People can know about the organisations and their manufactured goods to visit on their websites through internet. Organisation can do advertisements through social media for example: face book, twitter etc. On other hand some people do not trust on online information. These types of people prefer to go to the organisation personally so they can get information about the product from someone face to face. Guerrilla marketing activities and strategies- this type of strategy is a weapon for marketers and it is not very expensive it is low cost strategy. Guerrilla marketing is a unusual methods of promotion. This type of marketing does not focus on sales just focus profits, on primary success. It does expect highest results from minimum resources. But sometimes these methods of marketing represent the false image of brand, which is not good to get success for an organisation and survive for long time in the future. Viral marketing- it is blog marketing, forum marketing, email marketing and article marketing. This type of marketing is passed from one person to another person for example messengers are used for viral marketing. Social media is the best way for viral marketing. Public relationship strategies:-Public relation strategies are one of the promotional Mix (advertisement, personal selling, sales promotion, corporate image and Exhibition). According to Bill bernbach:- People cant believe you if they dont know what you are saying and they cant know what you are saying if they dont listen to you, and they wont listen to you if youre not interesting. Any news, planning, presentation, job advertisement etc organisation wants to give to public and any feedback organisation want from public different media such as speaker opportunities (conferences, seminars, public forums), trade show support (press appointments, private demos), public launch, magazines, newspaper, (articles, report), TV, internet, PR blogs (such as face book, twitter, online Pr) etc. Public relationship is a relationship of sharing information relation to organisation not only between organisation and customers; it is also with employees, staff, consumers, general public, competitors etc. Public relation plays a vital role and its essential to make public aware and up-to-date about new policies, procedures, jobs, vacancies etc. Marketing and marketing communication theory Conceptual frameworks Recommend marketing and customer loyalty strategies that would secure and/or enhance the organisation competitive advantage.

Class Distinctions and Internal Struggle in the Works of James Joyce Es

Class Distinctions and Internal Struggle in the Works of James Joyce      Ã‚  Ã‚   In the early twentieth century, Ireland, and more specifically Dublin, was a place defined by class distinctions. There were the wealthy, worldly upper-class who owned large, stately townhouses in the luxurious neighborhoods and the less fortunate, uneducated poor who lived in any shack they could afford in the middle of the city. For the most part, the affluent class was Protestant, while the struggling workers were overwhelmingly Catholic. These distinctions were the result of nearly a century of disparity in income, education, language, and occupation, and in turn were the fundamental bases for the internal struggle that many of Joyce's characters feel. Torn between the life they lead and the one they dream of, these people are reflections of the harsh setting in which Joyce himself spent his life. Although Joyce never explicitly explains why his main characters in "A Little Cloud," "Eveline," "Counterparts," and "The Boarding House" are so deprived, it is clear that they are at an unfair disadvantage in some way. He uses them to spotlight and protest the hardships that so many people of Dublin were forced to endure simply because of their religion and its effects on the other aspects of their lives.    The Irish-Catholics of Dublin in this era were overwhelmingly poverty-stricken, especially when compared to the English people who controlled the government and businesses. In fact, in 1914, the same year that Dubliners was first published, "74,000 people in Dublin lived in one-room tenements, and about 56,000 more in two-room tenements; and this 130,000 people represented 42 per cent of Dublin's citizens" (Cahalan 178). Even a noted employe... ...Handbook. Ed. James R. Baker and Thomas F. Staley. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Pub. Co., 1969. 120-24. Joyce, James. "The Boarding House." The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 332-37. ---. "Counterparts." Dubliners. New York: Viking Press, 1968. 86-98. ---. "Eveline." The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 329-31 ---. "A Little Cloud." The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 337-45. Ledden, Patrick J. "Education and Social Class in Joyce's Dublin." Journal of Modern Literature 22.2 (1998): 329-36. Ryan, Ellen Bouchard, Howard Giles, and Richard J. Sebastian. Attitudes Toward Language Variation: Social and Applied Contexts. London: Edward Arnold, 1982. Torchiana, Donald T. Backgrounds for Joyce's Dubliners. Boston: Allen & Unwin, 1986. Walzl, Florence L. "Patterns of Paralysis in Joyce's Dubliners." College English XXII. (1961): 226.

Grill case Essay

In this case, we can appreciate the Sunset Grill at Blue has operational failures on management of capacity and demand which should be considered to solve to get success. Also it explains how the Sunset Grill at Blue was a restaurant which his aimed was to provide affordable meals that appealed to the entire family during their vacations. This restaurant offered breakfast items and lunch menu through the day. The franchisor of this restaurant always was focused on how he could save waiting time to the client when they come to eat in the restaurant instead of customer’s satisfaction. For this reasons, the owner evaluated important points about the service he has on the restaurant. First, he had a strict police of no-substitutions plates even when they brought the wrong plate and he knows that was bringing complains from the customers. In addition, the franchisor thought that maybe he could reduce items from the menu. Also, he realized they have more clients during the weekend and for that reason he decided to hire one runner staff who just delivers the food from the kitchen to the tables, allowing serves to serve customers more efficiently. No concern for the client No waiting area The Sunset Grill was not able to making a special area for the clients give them a place more comfortable at the restaurant if they need to wait. As the case mentioned, the client had to wait around 40 to 50 minutes to get the table and order their food. The lack of this waiting area, was affecting directly to the clients. They could be losing some of them because they can find another place without waiting that time. Also, nobody wants to wait 50 minutes for a table on an uncomfortable place. No customer feedback â€Å"The relationship with the customers is of paramount importance because it is a source of innovation and differentiation† (service management, operations strategy, Information Technology, Fitzsimmons. J, 7th edition ). The franchisor of Sunset Grill shows he didn’t have any relationship with the clients in order to get feedback to improve the restaurant. He focused his business on reduce the time to their clients, instead of worry about client’s satisfaction. The first point the owner of a company or business should do, is create a close relationship with the customer in order to give them what they need or what they want.

Enzyme activity essays

Enzyme activity essays Introduction: Within each of our body cells are thousands of enzymes. These enzymes are proteins, or chains of amino acids that are responsible for chemical reactions. Enzymes are also called organic catalysts. A catalyst is a substance that speeds a chemical reaction without getting changed much itself. The catalyst well be using in this experiment is Hydrogen Peroxide or H2O2. Objective: To demonstrate the activity of enzymes under different conditions. 3) Chicken liver (fresh, boiled, frozen, and vinegar soaked) Procedure: 1) grind up a chunk of fresh liver. 2) Scoops up all the ground material and place it into another test tube containing about a half-inch of fresh H2O2. 3) Repeat step the steps using the boiled, frozen, boiled and vinegar soaked liver. 4) Repeat the same procedure, using small chunks of organic materials that are available at your or the teacher s demonstration table. Results: Q: What happens when raw liver is placed in H2O2? Catalase Activity in Various Substances Amount of Bubbling Rating by Number Conclusions: Q: How do we know that Catalase was present in our living materials? @ Because no chemical reactions could take place without them. Q: What effect does grinding have on our Catalase activity? @ It allows the H2O2 to start breaking it down faster. Q: What effect does freezing have on Catalase activity? Q: What effect does boiling have on Catalase activity? Explain. @ It doesnt allow much activity to occur because the enzymes in the live ...

Free Essays on Happy

Loving something is loving it from the very first time you experience it. This is true with â€Å"backyard sports†; sports like football, baseball, basketball, soccer, or any other of the activities that children play in the yard. Playing these sports as a child is fun. No one is considered â€Å"inferior† if they loose, no one tries to harm the other team, and no one is made to play. These games are played for recreation, not because someone has too. Children can run around all day, rack up a score of 89-87 not caring about illegal contact or a particular strike zone, and for one moment, forget who they are when they score a touchdown, run, or goal, visioning what a dream it would be to play professional sports. Today, professional sports have become attached from this reckless abandonment of â€Å"backyard sports†. Regulation has changed the game. It has changed it in a way where, the professionals do not have the mentality of â€Å"just a game† anymore. It has become war, business, and to most a way of life. Regulation get started at an early age is sports. From the moment a child gets his first coach, the meaning of the game has changed. Now, the goal is not only to have fun, but to have fun taking pride in winning. When a child plays a game in a youth league there are now several rule enforcers that did not have to be dealt with before. The referees, the coach, and the fans change the meaning of playing of the game. The child is not there for himself anymore. He now has to please the referee by obeying the most particular rules, his coach by giving 110% towards a winning effort, and the fans by making them proud and entertained at the same time. When a child has moved onto the next step of youth sports, such as a select or high school team, injuries are no longer an excuse not to play the game. Competition is now better, so everyone that makes that team made it because they would make the team better. If one of... Free Essays on Happy Free Essays on Happy Loving something is loving it from the very first time you experience it. This is true with â€Å"backyard sports†; sports like football, baseball, basketball, soccer, or any other of the activities that children play in the yard. Playing these sports as a child is fun. No one is considered â€Å"inferior† if they loose, no one tries to harm the other team, and no one is made to play. These games are played for recreation, not because someone has too. Children can run around all day, rack up a score of 89-87 not caring about illegal contact or a particular strike zone, and for one moment, forget who they are when they score a touchdown, run, or goal, visioning what a dream it would be to play professional sports. Today, professional sports have become attached from this reckless abandonment of â€Å"backyard sports†. Regulation has changed the game. It has changed it in a way where, the professionals do not have the mentality of â€Å"just a game† anymore. It has become war, business, and to most a way of life. Regulation get started at an early age is sports. From the moment a child gets his first coach, the meaning of the game has changed. Now, the goal is not only to have fun, but to have fun taking pride in winning. When a child plays a game in a youth league there are now several rule enforcers that did not have to be dealt with before. The referees, the coach, and the fans change the meaning of playing of the game. The child is not there for himself anymore. He now has to please the referee by obeying the most particular rules, his coach by giving 110% towards a winning effort, and the fans by making them proud and entertained at the same time. When a child has moved onto the next step of youth sports, such as a select or high school team, injuries are no longer an excuse not to play the game. Competition is now better, so everyone that makes that team made it because they would make the team better. If one of...

Free Essays on Memories Of The Alhambra

Memories of the Alhambra The novel, Memories of the Alhambra, by Nash Candelaria tells the story of a man’s search for the roots of his heritage. The novel takes place some time shortly after World War II. The main characters of the novel are Jose Rafa, his wife Theresa Rafa, and his son Joe Rafa. Given that the Rafas are members of a minority culture, people in a social hierarchy, with inferior power and less secure access to resources than majority groups, they experience all types of discrimination that shapes their lives. The majority culture influences a person’s life choices through discrimination such as language barrier and the assumptions that people who are born in a minority culture will always have a lower status than those people in a majority culture. As a minority living in a majority culture, Joe Rafa, much like his father Jose Rafa, was never proud of his Mexican heritage. When Jose Rafa was in school, he was extremely embarrassed and ashamed when the teacher asked him about his nationality. Similarly, Joe Rafa had the same predicament; Joe hated his heritage because in school he got into many fights because other kids would be derogatory and call him names like â€Å"Dirty Mexican (84).† Joe’s parents had to transfer Joe to a parochial school for discipline. Fortunately, Joe was able to use this to his advantage; under the loving care of his new teachers, Joe realized that knowledge was the real power. Because Joe was a minority existing in a majority world, Joe learned to be quiet, but smarter. Joe recognized that in order to become better then the majority, he needed to be the smartest student in the class; he must beat them at their own game, in their own field. When Joe came to understand the meaning of dili gence and in! telligence being the true power, his school career blossomed. He became an honor student and found a group of friends with whom he could relate. In this case, being a minority gave Joe th... Free Essays on Memories Of The Alhambra Free Essays on Memories Of The Alhambra Memories of the Alhambra The novel, Memories of the Alhambra, by Nash Candelaria tells the story of a man’s search for the roots of his heritage. The novel takes place some time shortly after World War II. The main characters of the novel are Jose Rafa, his wife Theresa Rafa, and his son Joe Rafa. Given that the Rafas are members of a minority culture, people in a social hierarchy, with inferior power and less secure access to resources than majority groups, they experience all types of discrimination that shapes their lives. The majority culture influences a person’s life choices through discrimination such as language barrier and the assumptions that people who are born in a minority culture will always have a lower status than those people in a majority culture. As a minority living in a majority culture, Joe Rafa, much like his father Jose Rafa, was never proud of his Mexican heritage. When Jose Rafa was in school, he was extremely embarrassed and ashamed when the teacher asked him about his nationality. Similarly, Joe Rafa had the same predicament; Joe hated his heritage because in school he got into many fights because other kids would be derogatory and call him names like â€Å"Dirty Mexican (84).† Joe’s parents had to transfer Joe to a parochial school for discipline. Fortunately, Joe was able to use this to his advantage; under the loving care of his new teachers, Joe realized that knowledge was the real power. Because Joe was a minority existing in a majority world, Joe learned to be quiet, but smarter. Joe recognized that in order to become better then the majority, he needed to be the smartest student in the class; he must beat them at their own game, in their own field. When Joe came to understand the meaning of dili gence and in! telligence being the true power, his school career blossomed. He became an honor student and found a group of friends with whom he could relate. In this case, being a minority gave Joe th...

Bluegrass performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bluegrass performance - Essay Example The music has long been influenced through jazz by the African-Americans and other migrants (Nemerov, 2009). Traditional acoustic stringed instruments are used to play bluegrass music. Instrumentations such as mandolin and five-string banjo accompanied by harmonica and Dobro (resonator) were used in the ancient traditional dance bands and influenced the current bluegrass bands. The currently flat picking style of playing the guitar evolved from the ancient thumb and finger picking (Cantwell, 2002). This was introduced by Earl Scruggs who influenced the three-finger pick. Despite the recent introduction of new grass due to electronic versions and new instruments such as harmonica, traditional instruments are still used and culture maintained. The theme of bluegrass music revolves around narratives about the people who first developed the music. The vocals in the music are a representative of the hardships that people of Appalachia in the ancient days and other rural areas went through living with limited financial resources. However, the currently evolving music includes interpersonal tensions, resistance to changes like the mountaintop coal mining and laments on love that was lost are part of the theme. The Appalachia railing of roads is also an integrated theme as performed by ballads like Nine pound hammer, form John Henry legend and Wreck of the Old 97. The vocal harmony, apart from instrumentation displays Bluegrass music as a cultural product. The high lonesome sound style represents the hardships that the ancient Appalachia people used to go through living with less financial resources. The style includes dissonant sound on the highest produced by two to four parts (Olson, 2006) . The baritone voice in the stack played in the 1950s by the Stanley brothers is still played and some parts added to the traditional parts. Currently, museums are

The USSR's Voracity for Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The USSR's Voracity for Power - Essay Example The two powers distrusted each other. America resented Joseph Stalin’s dictatorship and communism in the USSR. The USSR, also referred to as the Soviet Union also distrusted America for not accepting them into the international community. They were also unhappy with America’s delay to participate in the World War II, leading to the death of many Russians. Therefore, even though the Soviet Union and the United States fought during the Word War II as allies, they had only joined hands to fight a common enemy, the Nazi Germany. The major cause of the Cold War was the move by the Soviet Union to try and gain power and influence in East European countries. After the World War II ended, the Soviet Union separated itself from the Western allies. The Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin initiated aggressive policies in order to gain influence in east European countries. The United States intervened to stop the Soviet Union’s expansion, and this resulted in the Cold War. Afte r Stalin’s death, the Soviet Union was taken over by Khrushchev and later by Brezhnev. These leaders implemented various foreign policies. This discussion explores the Soviet Union’s voracity for power and influence as the chief cause of the Cold War, and the impact of Khrushchev’s and Brezhnev’s foreign policies. Origination of the Cold War Before World War II began, the United States and the Soviet Union had several differences. Firstly, the two nations supported different types of governments. The United States supported democracy while the Soviet Union favoured communism. There were also economic differences whereby the United States supported world free trade. However, the Soviet Union was against international trade as the Russians felt it would bring in influences from the west that would threaten their dictatorial system. Moreover, when Europe was weakened in World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States were the most influential powers and each of them wanted to control the other. When the World War II ended, the distrust between the Soviet Union and the United States was heightened by the domination of the USSR in Eastern Europe and the confrontational and domineering attitude of the United States to international matters, as well as their possession of an atomic bomb (Painter, 1999: 15). The Soviet Union had gained considerable influence in Eastern Europe even before World War II ended. The Red Army was in control of some parts of Eastern Europe by 1944. The Soviet Union also obtained the control of eastern Germany and obtained a new border line with Poland at the Yalta Conference in 1945. Towards the end of the war in 1945, the Soviet Union actively dominated the eastern European control and influenced the elections to ensure communist domination in their governments. Moreover, communists in these countries took charge of the most significant ministries of Military and Defence. The Soviet Union also influenced Wes tern Europe’s post-war elections in countries like France and Italy in 1946 (Phillips, 2001: 123). Stalin consolidated the Soviet authority in east European countries and used the Soviet Union’

MGT 671 LEADER PROJECT INTERVIEW PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MGT 671 LEADER PROJECT INTERVIEW PAPER - Essay Example Finally, during the early part of the first quarter of year 2000, the company was able to gain business eligibility by completing all the necessary documentations necessary for its operations. Shortly thereafter, the first flight of JetBlue Airways took to the skies. The company then proceeded to add more routes as it expands its business operations. Before the year 2000 ended, the company reached a major milestone by reaching a million customers serviced while at the same time earning $ 100 million revenue for the year. All these have been achieved prior to the company’s first anniversary and shortly afterwards the company has flown about 2 million customers (JetBlue Corporate History 2011). The company further expanded its operations as the delivery of its Airbus units continues giving the company about 20 units of operational crafts. The company’s massive fleet continues to grow when in 2003 the company was able to receive its 50th Airbus. As such, a new hangar compl ex was needed and acquired at JFK International. The company grew rapidly and operations expanded extensively necessitating the additional order of 65 more airbuses and 100 more Embraer 190 aircrafts. In flight entertainment was improved further the following year and by the early half of 2004 the company already has on its laurels the honor of flying 25 million passengers. In just five years, the company was able to secure its 71st airbus and was subsequently awarded the prestigious Diamond Certificate of Excellence Award from the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). Also, JetBlue was able to receive its Embraer 190 aircraft, the first airline to have such a unit. Furthermore, the company was able to acquire a bigger hangar and is also able to secure a partnership with American Express to integrate credit card payments with their operations. The company further improved its in house entertainment and was even able to pioneer in-flight email and even instant messaging services. In 2008, J etBlue even became the official airline of the Red Sox and the following year even became the official airline partner of the New York Jets. All the while, the company is introducing innovations of the jet liner service and is also expanding its routes. With all these achievements and despite breaching the top 50 in just half a decade, JetBlue was not yet a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) . After a decade, JetBlue established its office in the bustling city of New York and was officially included into the folds of the IATA. Brief Biography of Robin Hayes – EVP, Chief Commercial Officer Mr. Robin Hayes joined JetBlue last May 2008. He was appointed to the commercial side as the Chief Commercial Officer handling the airline’s marketing strategy including sales and revenues as well as the network of the airline. His appointment gave him an Executive Vice President position, a title he also had before he left his previous company (JetBlue Airwa ys, Press Release May 2008). Prior to joining the JetBlue, Mr. Robin Hayes was with British Airways also as an EVP. JetBlue is banking on the experience Mr. Hayes had when he was with British Airways to help their company surge forward faster. No less than JetBlue’s CEO, Mr. Dave Barger, highlighted the vast capabilities of Mr. Hayes emphasizing on the years that he had in the industry as well as the knowledge that he amassed from his

19th foreign policy of 'partnership' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

19th foreign policy of 'partnership' - Essay Example USA sought to have superior authority and did what was best in its own interest. This is best manifested in Roosevelt’s aggressive policies as he was looking to impose its dominant supremacy in a world filled with danger. Roosevelt’s attitude and aptitude was the manifestation of the American philosophy itself at that time. Roosevelt firmly believed in progressivism, a concise change that Americans must embrace in order to be supreme. However, this was contradictory as the US picked Salvador Allende, only because they wanted a leader that was handpicked by them. This was due to the fact that picking a Democratic leader could have been risky for the United States in its conquest to keep fighting communism. The reason Castro was always deemed as more of an enemy than a friend for United States is because of his close ties with communism. It was no surprise that Castro was well-aware of his authority, power, and his close ties with Russia. The American policy of containment continued to extend in local premises, which meant to remove Castro at any cost.   From Kennan’s perspective, an ideologist and a propagator of Democracy- it was a dangerous policy as it flared tensions between two superpowers. It also initiated the ruthless intention of the USA to build up arms and support dictatorships to fight anti-communism. The ultimate goal went from containment to overthrowing a regime. However, policy was a success as it did halt Soviet expansionism as democracy prevailed.   The risks that were implemented with this policy were too high compared to the benefits and could have been potentially

Understanding the New Digital Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Understanding the New Digital Economy - Essay Example The rapid development brought about in the areas of technology has also boosted up one crucial factor which cannot be ignored when it comes sustainable and continued economic growth (Gumah & Jamaluddin, n.d.). This crucial factor can be commonly referred to as the communication process. In relation to the above fact, communication can be considered as a vital factor contributing to the social and cultural development of an economy. Through the effective use of communication, multiple business processes has come up and are expected to flourish in the later years. More specifically, the entire concept of globalization can be stated to have been dependent on technology. As for the current marketing trend, the entire business world has turn digitised. At present, people across the world can be widely seen to be eager to perform digital or online marketing with the sole purpose of saving both time as well as money. Although the concept of digitization is not so old but it has got a great perspective in terms of acting as an economic development factor (Gumah & Jamaluddin, n.d.). Digitization in general can be seen to be promoting trade which in turn benefiting the economy in myriad ways (Gumah & Jamaluddin, n.d.). The main objective of this discussion is to evaluate and understand the new digital economy. This topic also includes sub parts such as understanding of the aspects which have directly or indirectly contributed towards transition of traditional economy into a new digitised economy. This section will comprise of the thoughts and ideas of few authors who seem have quoted in context to this topic. As per the Strategy Dynamic Global SA (2013), technology have helped multiple nation in segregating their ‘ previous economic stance’, ‘education system’ and ‘social obligations’. This group also quoted that the

Conduct an external environment analysis for a company (sainsburys) of Essay

Conduct an external environment analysis for a company (sainsburys) of your choice assessing the impact of the external environm - Essay Example Sainsbury’s is a leading retail chain in the UK with interests in banking and financial services is the third largest in the country. The family owned business had grown to become the largest grocery retailer in the UK and pioneers in self-service supermarkets. The company listed in the London Stock Exchange has a very large family of shareholders, and it is a constituent of FTSE 100. After a brief downfall, the company has reemerged with greater vigor in the new millennium. BBC news (2001) stated â€Å"The figures represented the third quarter in a row of sales growth "significantly better" than in 2000†¦ Sir Peter, credited with revitalizing the Prudential in the mid-1990s, has been working the same trick at Sainsbury's after replacing Dino Adriano as chief executive early last year†. External environment and HR Policies and Practice There are several tools and concepts for the analysis of the external environment in relation to a company. ... with regard to corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental protection, ethical and demographic factors are increasingly relevant in the macro environmental analysis. Apart from the shareholders, there are number of stakeholders in a company which includes community as well as it provides necessary infrastructure and human capital for an organisation. Moreover, it is important to note that an organisation is also a part of the community. The analysis of Sainsbury’s is made with the theoretical background of PESTLE in this paper. The human resources policies and practice need to take into account the important points with reference to the external environment discussed under PESTLE analysis discussed, for exploiting the opportunities available and to avoid the threats from the external environment. PESTLE Analysis PESTLE analysis covers the macro environmental factors, and an organization's internal environment, strengths or weaknesses are not covered in this analysis. Morris & Jones (1995, p. 73) observed â€Å"To the extent that firms are adjusting their HRM practices to reflect turbulence in the environment, it would seem the HRM function is in fact becoming a more strategic function†. Therefore, the HR policies and practices are not restricted to ‘personnel’, but refer to the strategic role of HRM in the business for its sustainable development. Political   Increase in food prices, partly due to government policy to encourage bio fuels in various countries which has brought down the area under cultivation of food crops, is a cause for concern to the consumers and the industry. The allegation of price fixing is a serious impediment to the growth. Poulter (2008) stated â€Å"Supermarkets and big brands could face fines of more than ?300million after claims

19th foreign policy of 'partnership' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

19th foreign policy of 'partnership' - Essay Example USA sought to have superior authority and did what was best in its own interest. This is best manifested in Roosevelt’s aggressive policies as he was looking to impose its dominant supremacy in a world filled with danger. Roosevelt’s attitude and aptitude was the manifestation of the American philosophy itself at that time. Roosevelt firmly believed in progressivism, a concise change that Americans must embrace in order to be supreme. However, this was contradictory as the US picked Salvador Allende, only because they wanted a leader that was handpicked by them. This was due to the fact that picking a Democratic leader could have been risky for the United States in its conquest to keep fighting communism. The reason Castro was always deemed as more of an enemy than a friend for United States is because of his close ties with communism. It was no surprise that Castro was well-aware of his authority, power, and his close ties with Russia. The American policy of containment continued to extend in local premises, which meant to remove Castro at any cost.   From Kennan’s perspective, an ideologist and a propagator of Democracy- it was a dangerous policy as it flared tensions between two superpowers. It also initiated the ruthless intention of the USA to build up arms and support dictatorships to fight anti-communism. The ultimate goal went from containment to overthrowing a regime. However, policy was a success as it did halt Soviet expansionism as democracy prevailed.   The risks that were implemented with this policy were too high compared to the benefits and could have been potentially

Conduct an external environment analysis for a company (sainsburys) of Essay

Conduct an external environment analysis for a company (sainsburys) of your choice assessing the impact of the external environm - Essay Example Sainsbury’s is a leading retail chain in the UK with interests in banking and financial services is the third largest in the country. The family owned business had grown to become the largest grocery retailer in the UK and pioneers in self-service supermarkets. The company listed in the London Stock Exchange has a very large family of shareholders, and it is a constituent of FTSE 100. After a brief downfall, the company has reemerged with greater vigor in the new millennium. BBC news (2001) stated â€Å"The figures represented the third quarter in a row of sales growth "significantly better" than in 2000†¦ Sir Peter, credited with revitalizing the Prudential in the mid-1990s, has been working the same trick at Sainsbury's after replacing Dino Adriano as chief executive early last year†. External environment and HR Policies and Practice There are several tools and concepts for the analysis of the external environment in relation to a company. ... with regard to corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental protection, ethical and demographic factors are increasingly relevant in the macro environmental analysis. Apart from the shareholders, there are number of stakeholders in a company which includes community as well as it provides necessary infrastructure and human capital for an organisation. Moreover, it is important to note that an organisation is also a part of the community. The analysis of Sainsbury’s is made with the theoretical background of PESTLE in this paper. The human resources policies and practice need to take into account the important points with reference to the external environment discussed under PESTLE analysis discussed, for exploiting the opportunities available and to avoid the threats from the external environment. PESTLE Analysis PESTLE analysis covers the macro environmental factors, and an organization's internal environment, strengths or weaknesses are not covered in this analysis. Morris & Jones (1995, p. 73) observed â€Å"To the extent that firms are adjusting their HRM practices to reflect turbulence in the environment, it would seem the HRM function is in fact becoming a more strategic function†. Therefore, the HR policies and practices are not restricted to ‘personnel’, but refer to the strategic role of HRM in the business for its sustainable development. Political   Increase in food prices, partly due to government policy to encourage bio fuels in various countries which has brought down the area under cultivation of food crops, is a cause for concern to the consumers and the industry. The allegation of price fixing is a serious impediment to the growth. Poulter (2008) stated â€Å"Supermarkets and big brands could face fines of more than ?300million after claims

Freak Dancing Essay Example for Free

Freak Dancing Essay Freak dancing, the newest dance craze, is now posing problems around schools all around the nation. This sexually stimulating dance is definitely sending a negative message to both children and parents. Freak dancing is completely appalling and must be banned from all school-related activities immediately. Freak dancing, also called grinding, is getting out of hand. The sexual movements and body contact in the dance is promoting inappropriate behavior. This type of dancing is occurring in schools everywhere. Freak dancing has even spread to middle schools now. That is too young of and age to be dancing in such a sexual way. School is supposed to be a safe, nurturing environment that teaches kids to be respectful of each other. How in the world is freak dancing respectful when there are boys and girls are rubbing against each other? There are even girls who go around and freak dance with multiple boys. It doesn’t only promote sex, but prostitution too. This day and age in our society is when sex is the most prevalent, even more than the time of the Baby Boomers and freak dancing isn’t helping to reduce it. Freak dancing is the most suggestive type of dancing there is and it isn’t like only Lady Gaga does it. This suggestive dancing clearly has an impact on kids’ lives. If a kid sees many people freak dancing at a school dance then they will be tempted to do it just to fit in. As more and more kids dance this way it could eventually get worse and worse. Freak dancing is almost like sex, but with clothes on. Sex is already a problem in society today. As the generations have gone by, there has been more sex in a generation than the one before it. It’s a problem because it causes desire and lust which ultimately lead to rape, sexual abuse, and abortion. Freak dancing is a prevalent problem in society today and it is a must to eliminate it from schools to reduce influence of sexual behavior in a learning environment. The less Freak dancing there is, the less of a chance kids will be tempted to behave sexually.

Ford motors and counterfeiting in the chinese automotive industry

Ford motors and counterfeiting in the chinese automotive industry Ford Motor Company (Ford) is an auto company that manufactures and sells autos and parts globally. Similar to many other corporations, Ford has invested manufacturing efforts in China, because China is now the worlds largest auto manufacturer and auto market. Given this huge opportunity, there are numerous companies looking to reap financial profits by producing counterfeit parts. The global counterfeit auto parts market was estimated at $16 billion in 2008  [i]  . For Ford, counterfeiting not only represents lost financial sales but also brand degradation and product liability risks. While robust growth in auto sales may be fueling the fake components market, the battle against manufacturers and distributors of counterfeit auto parts, specifically Ford auto parts is not new. Ford has been waging an ongoing aggressive campaign against counterfeiters since the early 1980s. Despite its efforts, there continues to be a battle as according to the automaker, counterfeit and pirated auto parts remains a problem that is putting the publics safety at risk and costing about $1 billion US annually. Since joining the WTO, the Chinese government has been placing increasing emphasis on intellectual property rights (IPR) to help encourage foreign investment in the country. However the strength of these IP laws and enforcement has not been robust as penalties are weak and do not deter counterfeiters. As Ford continues to invest and grow within China, we propose the following recommendations to address the counterfeiting issue. First, Ford should refine its internal firm strategies through security packaging innovations and a certification process, increasing education to consumers, aligning employee incentives through benefits and penalties, and continuing with the inspections. Next, Ford needs to pursue external political and legal strategies with key stakeholders, such as the industry coalition, insurance partners, the Chinese government, and the WTO. These strategies should focus on aligning incentives to develop more robust policies around counterfeiting penalties and enforcement. 2 Overview of the Counterfeit Automotive Industry in China For decades, piracy and counterfeiting problems have affected the economy. The global market for counterfeit car parts is estimated to be worth approximately $16 billion USD in 2008 (which accounts for roughly 3.2% of the global counterfeit market) and is growing roughly 9-11% per year.  [ii]  As the counterfeiting and piracy market is becoming more and more attractive to organized crime (it offers similar profits with a significantly lower probability of prosecution and penalties), criminals are making significant investments in counterfeiting. Counterfeiting and piracy activities have flourished in developing economies and gradually diminish as emerging markets achieve higher levels of prosperity and global integration. Today, industrial counterfeiting and piracy run rampant throughout emerging markets such as China. It is in fact, the worlds largest offender of IP theft and industrial piracy. According to MEMA, China is responsible for the exportation of 80% of the counterfeit goods seized at U.S. borders.  [iii]  The E.U. also estimates that 5-10% of all replacement auto parts in circulation are counterfeit.  [iv]  Furthermore, a recent study by the Commercial Times found that 56% of auto users in China have found counterfeit parts on their vehicles. Several unique characteristics make the Chinese market distinct from other counterfeiting regions. With Chinas sheer size and growing integration into the global supply chain, counterfeiting and piracy issues originating from this region have become a global problem (affecting not only local Chinese companies but also multi-nationals). Given significant socioeconomic disparities among different regions within China, the progression and convergence towards a middle income will likely be slower, fostering an environment in which counterfeiting and piracy will thrive for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, Chinas customs and traditions have historically accepted industrial piracy further stimulating growth. As the counterfeit market in China grows, increased investment has allowed counterfeiters to strengthen the sophistication of their operation. Counterfeiters now have inside information on new vehicles and specification changes before the new car is even on the market. Counterfeiters can produce exact copies of products, packaging and documentation and sell it under a competing brand name. In 2004, General Motors (GM) filed a lawsuit against Chinas Chery Automobile Company for the alleged piracy of its Spark vehicle to create a replica branded Cherys QQ. GM showed that the two vehicles were nearly identical with respect to exterior body, interior design and key components. (See Exhibit 1). In a study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Coalition against Counterfeiting and Piracy, counterfeit part sales are costing Ford about $1 billion per year. However, it is the physical dangers and risks associated with using or installing counterfeit parts that may be the most costly. Counterfeit auto parts are a huge consumer safety problem with serious potential to injure auto technicians and end-consumers. In addition to severe financial and safety implications, counterfeiting destroys the brand reputation of legitimate companies. Legitimate companies are often blamed or brought to court to take responsibility for the negative repercussions of counterfeit products. With China surpassing the U.S. to become the worlds largest auto market (achieving sales growth of 46% to 13.6 million), it will be difficult for auto original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to ignore the Chinese market particularly since by entering the Chinese market, significant advantages may be leveraged (e.g. inexpensive labor, rapidly growing emerging market).  [v]  Currently, roughly 800 foreign auto parts suppliers operate in China, including most of the top 50 multi-nationals. And as the Chinese auto market continues to grow, instances of IP theft are likely to increase as well. It will become even more important for large multi-nationals such as Ford to take action and to protect itself from IP risks. 3 Impact of Counterfeiting and Piracy on Ford Motor Company in China A Background on Ford Motor Company in China Ford began manufacturing autos in the early 20th century. With $146.3 billion in revenues in 2008, Ford is now one of the worlds largest makers of cars and trucks. Its brands include Ford, Lincoln and Mercury and Ford receives more than half of its sales outside of North America.  [vi]   In the Asia-Pacific region, Ford operates under several investment holding companies including Ford Motor (China) Co., Ltd., Ford Motor Research Engineering (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., Ford Automotive Finance (China) Co., Ltd., Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd., Changan Ford Mazda Engine Co., Company and Jiangling Motor (Stock) Co., Ltd. Roughly 9% of 2008 global sales may be attributed to the Asia-Pacific region which includes China. Ford sold slightly more than 300,000 units in China in 2008 and 2009 sales exceeded 440,000 vehicles (annual growth of 32%).  [vii]  In China, Ford has several joint ventures including joint ventures with Jiangling Motors Corp and Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co. These joint ventures provide it with three shared production platforms in China and also share factories in Nanjing and Chongqing. With China overtaking the U.S. as the worlds largest auto market last year, Chinese auto factories are running at full capacity. According to Ford, the two facilities it has with Changan Automobile Co. will not be able to accommodate expected future demand based on current growth expectations. Accordingly, it plans to open a $490 million factory in Chongqing in 2012, producing up to 150,000 vehicles per year and increasing total capacity to 600,000.  [viii]   B Detailed Assessment of the Political and Legal Issues Relating to the Counterfeit Auto Industry I Overview of the Political Landscape in China Although China has moved from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented one, the Communist Party of China (CPC) still maintains political power. Having a one-party system makes the CPC susceptible to civil unrest that could threaten its power and, as a result, the CPC has been hesitant to take action that threatens local economies for fear of unrest. But as an emerging country with the worlds third largest economy on the frontier, China is struggling to balance the need to support local economies with a growing need to protect IP rights for both multinationals and domestic firms. Yet despite a reputation for considerable corruption, demonstrated by its 2009 corruption perception index score of 3.6, and a ruling CPC that often ignores counterfeiting since it supports many local economies, China still manages to attract multinationals such as Ford due to its potential for new customers and windfall profits.  [ix]   China and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Admitted to the WTO in 2001, China agreed to implement various measures that would liberalize its trade regime. Among these measures was the WTOs Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement). This agreement guards against counterfeit products by addressing minimum standards of IPRs protection, domestic procedures and remedies for enforcement of these rights, and dispute settlement procedures among WTO members.  [x]  However, despite these IPR protections, counterfeiting still represents about 8% of Chinas $10 trillion economy.  [xi]   To address this growing problem, in 2007 the U.S. asked the WTO to intervene, claiming that Chinas enforcement of IPR laws was so weak that it failed to limit the production of counterfeit products. Specifically, the U.S. argued that weak penalties for infringers and Chinas practice of allowing counterfeiters to sell goods seized by Chinese customs officials, provided that the fake labels were removed, provided little financial incentive for counterfeiters to cease production.  [xii]  In 2009 the WTO ruled that China breached trade rules by ignoring piracy and counterfeiting, yet it upheld Chinas criminal law on IPR; without strengthening Chinas criminal law and enforcement of IPR, it is likely that counterfeiting will continue to be problematic.  [xiii]   Conflicting Incentives for the Chinese Government Despite Chinas laws that aim to protect IPR, the Chinese government faces opposing incentives in cracking down on counterfeiters. Specifically, China must balance the economic benefits local economies enjoy from counterfeit products with the growing need to protect the IPR of foreign and domestic companies.  [xiv]  Because counterfeiting supports many local economies and millions of people, any crackdown on counterfeiting could result in serious economic losses. As this action would not be well-received, Chinese politicians are even less apt to prosecute counterfeiters or focus on strengthening enforcement of IPR laws. On the other hand, China must strengthen these laws and enforcement mechanisms if it hopes to continue attracting multinationals.  [xv]  However, many multinationals are so intent on entering the Chinese market, given its sheer size and potential profitability, that they are willing to operate in an environment with little IPR protection. As a result, the Chine se government has very little incentive to crack down on counterfeiters or greatly strengthen enforcement of IPR laws. Fords Risks in China and its Current Strategies Given this political landscape, Ford faces considerable risk in China. With three assembly plants in China, Ford has already encountered problems with counterfeit parts, claiming that counterfeiting costs the company $2 billion a year in sales.  [xvi]  Exhibit 2 Despite some multinationals willingness to live with Chinas lax IP protection, Ford has taken steps to protect against the growing problem of counterfeit auto parts and vehicles. Specifically, Ford has been using undercover intelligence to identify counterfeit producers and raid Chinese factories.  [xvii]  While these raids have prevented thousands of counterfeit products from entering the market, penalties still remain weak; the few offenders sentenced to prison can reduce their terms for $30 a day.  [xviii]  Despite Fords efforts and commitment to protecting its brand, this weak enforcement discourages any meaningful lawsuits and provides little deterrence to counterfeiters. Ford must develop strategies to work with the U.S. and Chinese governments to better protect against counterfeit products. II Overview of Intellectual Property Rights in China Chinas Current IP Environment Since joining the WTO, the Chinese government has been placing increasing emphasis on IPR to help encourage foreign investment in the country. Most recently, the Chinese State Council established a task force known as the Intellectual Property Executive Conference to look into IP-related issues. Chinas new auto policy released this year stresses the need to protect the intellectual rights of auto companies and bans the sale of auto products that violate these protections. China is also a party to many international agreements to protect IP (including the World Intellectual Property Organization and Paris Convention, among others). For example, China joined the Madrid Protocol in 1995, which requires reciprocal trademark registration for member countries, which now include the United States.  [xix]   The Chinese government has also established special IP courts to handle cases of IPR infringement more efficiently. In addition to having these specialized courts in some cities and provinces, Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin have also established IP courts within the Intermediate Peoples Court. In 1992, the Supreme Peoples Court established an IP division as well. This increase in the legal systems capacity to handle alleged IP theft has been used to facilitate highly publicized campaigns, including activities such as raids and educational programs. Enforceability of IP Laws China has made significant progress on the legal and regulatory front, but despite stronger statutory protections, IP theft remains a major problem, as evidenced by the widespread existence of counterfeit products.  [xx]  In reality, IP laws are rarely enforced, and it is even rarer that those who are caught stealing, cheating, counterfeiting and pirating go to jail. Because China is a large country with some political decentralization, enforcing IP laws and regulations in China is a major challenge.  [xxi]   Several institutional factors undermine the enforcement of IP laws, including Chinas reliance on administrative instead of criminal measures to combat IPR violations, corruption, local protectionism, limited resources and training available to enforcement officials, and lack of public education regarding the economic and social impact of counterfeiting and piracy. At the most basic level, without adequate education with regard to IPR, there is little awareness that infringement is a crime. Furthermore, the fragmented nature of political authority in China and, more specifically, decentralized corruption exacerbates the lack of enforcement. For example, when counterfeiters have connections with local government or law enforcement officials, this may provide an easy cover for their counterfeiting activity. Local officials may create obstacles during investigations and assist local counterfeiters by letting them hide their production lines in safe places. Chinas fragmented legal system contributes to the problem as well. Protection of IP in China follows a two-track system. The first and most prevalent is the administrative track, whereby an IPR holder files a complaint at the local administrative office. The second is the judicial track, whereby complaints are filed through the court system. However, determining which IP agency has jurisdiction over an act of infringement can be confusing. Jurisdiction of IP protection is diffused throughout a number of government agencies and offices, with each typically responsible for the protection afforded by one statute or one specific area of IP-related law. There may be geographical limits or conflicts posed by one administrative agency taking a case, involving piracy or counterfeiting that also occurs in another region. Chinas courts also have rules regarding the scope of potential orders. In most cases, administrative agencies cannot award compensation to a rights holder. They can, however, fine the infringer, seize goods or equipment used in manufacturing products, and/or obtain information about the source of goods being distributed. China was also required to provide IP remedies through criminal enforcement for commercial scale piracy and counterfeiting, under the enforcement provisions of TRIPs. Chinas laws and regulations stipulate that IP administrative authorities and Customs may transfer egregious IP infringement cases to police and prosecutors for initiating criminal investigation. However, despite these criminal provisions, most IP cases continued to be handled through the administrative system. Foreign rights holders have considerably less success in encouraging criminal prosecution of IPR violations. When jail sentences are handed down, Ford officials in Taiwan say that those few offenders sentenced to prison can reduce their terms for $30 per day. Lawsuits are also often a waste of time, due to local protectionism. In 2003, Toyota lost a closely watched case in China against the countrys biggest private carmaker whose brand logo was nearly identical to Toyotas.  [xxii]  In the end, although interna tional pressure may have succeeded in getting Beijing to establish IPR laws and regulations, the enforcement of IP, as with most policy in China, falls within the domain of Chinas complex bureaucracies and local government officials. Outsourcing vs. Ford manufacturing To operate in China, Ford had to form a joint venture with a quasi-governmental partner: Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co. in China.  [xxiii]  Fords other partner in China, Jiangling Motors Corp., makes commercial vehicles, including the popular Ford Transit van.  [xxiv]  These joint ventures are one of the biggest risks automakers face as they expand in China due to the danger of IPRs violations. The Chinese made no secret that part of their strategy in forming joint ventures was to begin to learn about the auto industry and how they can produce cars. Ford produces all of their vehicles in their own three plants in the country. However, they now source many of their component parts, which increases the risk of counterfeiting since the company has transferred production of certain parts from their own plants to third-party operations in China and India.  [xxv]  There are other issues that come with operating in a rapidly developing country. In China, factories are at risk of unscheduled shutdowns because of power shortages. Ford also faces political risk. Although the danger of nationalization or outright confiscation of Fords assets may not be high, China may not always have the best interests of foreign multinationals at heart. Despite these concerns, Ford is not shying away from the fast-growing Chinese auto market. Ford currently operates two plants in China, and it broke ground for a $490 million plant in September of 2009. The factory will make the next-generation Focus compact car, which Ford plans to sell globally. Its current plant in Chongqing makes the Ford Focus, Ford Mondeo and Ford S-MAX. Its plant in Nanjing, in eastern China, makes the Ford Fiesta.  [xxvi]   In order to set up operations in China, Ford was also required to establish research and development facilities alongside its manufacturing operations to help build the countrys technical know-how. Ford has taken steps to boost their Chinese design capabilities, which also benefits domestic Chinese companies. For example, Fords China design team is putting its own spin on the upcoming Ford Fiesta (tailored for the Chinese market). Fords Current Strategies Fighting counterfeiters is a key priority at Ford, and it has stepped up countermeasures worldwide. Ford, GM, and DaimlerChrysler formed a global industry network in 2001 to work with law enforcement agencies and governments to strengthen patent and trademark protection laws and impose criminal penalties to prevent counterfeiting.  [xxvii]  The problem is especially acute in the Middle East, where many counterfeit Ford parts made in China are shipped and sold alongside genuine parts.  [xxviii]   Ford admits it was late in its efforts to protect its IPR abroad. However, the company is now very active and has even established its own brand protection team. The unit has led a number of raids, which have led to prosecutions. Ford recently raided a Chinese factory and turned up 7,000 sets of counterfeit brake pads destined for Egypt, each stamped with a replica of Fords blue oval. A legitimate set of pads would cost the equivalent of $47 in Egypt; the phony ones might cost $30.  [xxix]   Furthermore, as a brand Ford is trying to make everything as sophisticated as possible. It has security features in the parts packaging itself and spends time on brand awareness and training exercises so people can better identify fakes. The company says this is critical to long term public awareness and stopping sales of counterfeit products.  [xxx]   III Overview of Product Liability Product Liability All auto manufacturers, including Ford, are exposed to product liability lawsuits related to the sale of autos or parts to the public, especially in litigious countries. Ford has the most exposure in the U.S. given the extremely litigious environment and its large sales. According to the Restatement (Third) of Torts: Products Liability a user or bystander in the U.S. can sue for injuries related to a defect or malfunction of the product, and, in some instances, a defective design or a failure to warn. Even though Ford does not manufacture and sell the counterfeit Ford parts it increases its exposure if the parts are believed to be manufactured by Ford and then cause accidents and injuries. Ford could be sued and incur substantial attorneys fees and possibly even settlement costs. Ford would then have to prove that the product was not manufactured or sold by them, and even if Ford is successful it will still face attorneys fees, damage to its brand, and wasted corporate resources. Product Liability History and Severity Product liability lawsuits can take years to defend, result in millions of dollars of fees and settlements, and severely damage a brand. Ford has faced product liability lawsuits in the past such as the Ford Pinto case in the 1970s that cost it millions and the Ford Explorer rollover related lawsuits in the 2000s. Ford manufactured the Pinto throughout the 70s and due to a faulty gas tank the cars often caught fire during rear-end collisions. The most notable Ford Pinto case (versus Grimshaw) cost Ford $6.5 million in 1981.  [xxxi]  Ford has faced many other product liability lawsuits throughout its history. Fords Current Strategies Ford recognizes its exposure to insurable risks including product liability related to the manufacture and sale of autos and parts. Given the critical nature of risk management Ford maintains a Global Risk Management Committee (GRMC) that makes risk related decisions and is headed by the Chief Financial Officer. Ford chooses to manage and protect against product liability risks through a combination of self-insurance and product liability insurance.  [xxxii]  The self-insurance is typically in the form of a calculated monetary fund setup to may attorneys and claims. The product liability insurance would provide Ford with attorney support and claims/settlement payments in the event of an insurable claim. Ford also has a Sustainability, Environment Safety Engineering (SESE) Team that works to prevent faulty products from being sold and to ensure Ford complies with safety and environmental regulations. They also provide technical analysis to corporate counsel on product liability lawsuits when needed.  [xxxiii]   Finally, Ford has created a Global Brand Protection group to protect consumers from counterfeit products threatening user safety. This group is tasked with: preventing the distribution of and removing counterfeit parts from the marketplace, ensuring that the companys trademarks are used appropriately, and maintaining the integrity of the sale and distribution of original equipment parts.  [xxxiv]   4 Recommendations China has quickly become the worlds largest auto maker, surpassing the US in 2009  [xxxv]  . Due to its immense scale and rapid growth rates, China is an important strategic market for Ford from a production and sales perspective. Despite the political and legal issues and risks Ford faces in China, the company cannot simply withdraw its operations from China. Ford must engage in market and non-market strategies to help manage the counterfeit problem in this market. Recommendation 1: Refine Internal Firm Strategies As mentioned previously Ford has started to invest in internal strategies, such as raids and setting up the Brand Protection Group, to help address counterfeiting. We recommend that Ford continue to refine these strategies as well as incorporate additional internal firm tactics. From a product perspective, Ford has noted that there are security features in the packaging of the auto parts and that consumers should use reputable dealers and repairers, inspect parts and packaging closely in case they spot something and if they are concerned to ask that only original parts are used or call the auto maker.  [xxxvi]  We recommend that Ford continue to invest in its packaging to help dealers, repair shops, and consumers detect fake products. The company could consider implementing a certification program where only legitimate Ford plants and OEMs are able to put a Pre-Approved by Ford label on its products. Additionally Ford needs to employ efforts to minimize spare factory capacity in these production facilities and to increase monitoring from U.S. Ford managers. In conjunction with product-related tactics, Ford needs to educate its customers (e.g. dealers, auto-body shops) and end-consumers and bring this issue to light. Because counterfeiting auto and auto parts drastically affects consumer safety, Fords customers and consumers should have a strong commitment to help prevent counterfeiting once they are aware of the issue. These educational efforts can be spearheaded by the Global Branding Team and be implemented in various public relations and marketing efforts. Most consumers may not be aware that counterfeit autos and auto parts exist and are responsible for associated safety risks. One campaign can highlight how counterfeit auto parts can lead to injuries and fatalities. The campaign can then empower consumers to ask for Ford parts only when having their autos repaired. This will encourage customers to seek out Fords legitimate replacement parts and be wary of counterfeit products. Ford also should implement tactics to educate and incent their employees, critical stakeholders. In conjunction with educating consumers, the Global Branding Team can utilize the same resources to educate its employees. This knowledge can help increase employees commitment to prevent counterfeiting and can also create a culture of pride related to high quality production and safety. Ford ca

Needs Analysis: The Who, What, When and Where of Training Essay

Needs Analysis: The Who, What, When and Where of Training In a nutshell, (needs) analysis is the planning we do in order to figure out what to do. Allison Rossett, 1999 Needs analysis is the systematic basis for decisions about how to influence performance (Stout, 1995). This is where it all begins -- establishing relationships, exploring strategies, and defining solutions. The key is to seek the gap between the current situation and the desired situation and then to focus resources where they're most needed. The analysis must determine root causes. For example, a question about why something doesn't or won't work is just as critical as what people do and do not know. Needs assessment then is a study conducted to determine the exact nature of an organizational problem and how it can be resolved. That needs assessment becomes the basis for wise recommendations about instruction and supporting organizational strategies, and for enlisting support throughout the organization. Managers are often in too much of a hurry. They implement a solution which is sometimes, but not always, the correct intervention. This can prove to be an expensive error. The largest expense for human resources programs, by far, is attributable to the time spent by the participants in training programs, career development, and organization development activities. In training, costs due to lost production and travel time can be as much as 90-95% of the total program costs (Gilbert, 1988). There are two ways to learn of training needs. The first method takes the proactive approach. An instructional designer goes into the system and searches for problems or potential problems. The goal is to make the system more efficient and ... ...nowledge Management Meets Analysis. Training and Development, 53, pp. 62-68. Rossett, Allison (1997). That was a great class, but†¦ Training and Development, 51(7), pp. 18-24. Rossett, Allison (1995). Needs assessment. In G.J. Anglin (ed.), Instructional Technology: Past, Present, Future (2nd edition) (pp. 183-196). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. Rossett, Allison (1991). When performance and instructional technologists talk: Dialog about impact, change and personal growth. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 7(2), pp. 71-80. Rossett, Allison (1989). Assess for success. Training and Development, 43(5), pp. 55-59. Steadman, S.V. (1980). Learning to Select a Needs Assessment Strategy. Training and Development, 30, pp. 56-61. Stout, D. (1995). Performance Analysis for Training, Niagra Paper Company, Niagra, WI

Prejudice in Heart of Darkness: Racism is a Relative Term Essay

Heart of Darkness: Racism is a Relative Term Racism is a relative term. While many people argue that Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, contains the theme of racism, they tend to ignore the fact that this novel was written around the turn of the century. During this time period it was accepted practice to think of a black man as savage because that was how the popular culture viewed the African American race. If someone called a black man "savage" today, that someone would be considered a racist. Of course, this turn of the century view of blacks is inexcusable but it was the accepted norm of the time. The problem is that modern critics tend to apply modern thinking to all novels, including those written in a specific time period with beliefs different from today. These critics do not incorporate the context of the novel and simply rage forward with a directed, ignorant viewpoint, arguing from a more civilized stance. The definition of a racist has changed a great deal since the early 1900s, and we must consider this when analy zing any piece of literature. The problem arises when modern thinkers assume that we must continue to build on our ever-expanding knowledge instead of looking into the past and trying to relate to the accepted views of the time. To try to see racist tendencies in a text we need to know the definition of racism. The definition we use today is as follows: A racist apprehends that th... ...), Heart of Darkness. London. Penguin Popular Classics (1994). Nationalencyklopedin 15 PAS-ROJ (1994), Engstrà ¶m, Christer (red.). Hà ¶ganà ¤s. Bokfà ¶rlaget Bra Bà ¶cker. Works Consulted Cox, C. B. Conrad: Heart of Darkness, Nostromo, and Under Western Eyes. London: Macmillan Education Ltd., 1987. Guetti, James. 'Heart of Darkness and the Failure of the Imagination', Sewanee Review LXXIII, No. 3 (Summer 1965), pp. 488-502. Ed. C. B. Cox. Watts, Cedric. A Preface to Conrad. Essex: Longman Group UK Limited, 1993. Notes: 1 Nationalencyklopedin 15 PAS-ROJ (1994), p. 431 2 Conrad, Joseph, Heart of Darkness (1902), p. 7 3 Conrad, Joseph, (1902), p.25 4 ibid, p. 73 5 ibid, p. 51

Novel Nicholas Nickleby Essay

Mr Squeers is one of Charles Dickens’ very vivid characters and one that plays an important role in the novel Nicholas Nickleby. He is owner and headmaster of Dotheboys Hall which is set in Greta Bridge in Yorkshire. Dotheboys Hall is a boarding school for disabled and illegitimate children. It is an all-boys school and Mr Squeers runs the school with extreme cruelty together with his wife, who is equally cruel. The children are sent there because they are disabled in some way and their families did not want them. Mr Squeers has very cunning ways and his only aims are to benefit himself. His main aim is to make money and he does this very well by being sneaky and taking short-cuts in the keeping of his school. He tries to put as little money as possible to Dotheboys Hall whilst getting as much money out as possible. Another of his objectives is to have the instant obedience that he desires. He wants a school where he has ultimate power over the boys so that when he asks something of them they do it immediately – with no question. He tries to obtain this instant obedience in school by regularly beating the boys with a cane. Mr Squeers sees his school more as a business than a school-learning environment. â€Å"This is our shop, Nickleby†. This quote shows that he is treating the school as a business because his primary objective is to make money. He does not really care about the boys’ education, just as long as he turns over a nice profit. As Mr Squeers is owner of Dotheboys Hall he decides how to teach the boys or not, as the case may be. Mr and Mrs Squeers deeply dislike all of the boys in their school, except their own children. In fact they perceive the boys as â€Å"their natural enemies†. Clearly, if they see the boys like this then they are not fit to run a school but as it is their own school, they can do as they like. Mr and Mrs Squeers both hate the boys. â€Å"The only difference between them is that Mrs Squeers wages war against the boys openly whilst Mr Squeers tries to cover his rascality†. I think Mr Squeers tries to cover his rascality because he knows that he is not treating the boys very well and should not be doing this. However, don’t be fooled! Mr Squeers hates the boys as much as his wife but Mrs Squeers doesn’t really look for an excuse to beat them – she just enjoys doing it. All of the boys at Dotheboys Hall are terrified of Mr and Mrs Squeers and live in fear of the dreaded cane which they both use to mercilessly beat them. At the Hall, the boys don’t get much freedom and think what they are told to think. They dare not argue or answer back to Mr Squeers as they are kept too weak and undernourished. It is clear that the boys are scared of him because of the amount of times and the violent manner in which Mr Squeers uses the cane.

Building a ‘Beauty Brand’ Veet India Essay

Building a ‘Beauty Brand’ Veet India – Beyond Hair Removal Executive Summary The solution attempts to address the transition of Veet from a hair removal brand to a true beauty brand. Starting with a study of the depilatories market in India and Veet’s growth over the years to create a platform, the results of the primary research have been presented. The primary research was a combination of questionnaire based research and PAPIs (paper aided personal interviews). The brand awareness of Veet was measured through both recognition and recall of the brand. The salience for the competitor brands like Anne French and Fem were also analyzed. Responses were gathered to identify the preferred usage locations of hair removal products. The product attribute associations, both positive and negative, were measured. An assessment of the brand personality was also undertaken by means of projective market research techniques. A combination of the strong functional values along with the emotional benefits was used to identify the key categories that were suited for brand extension. Elimination of product categories were based on reasoning related to inappropriate associations as well as data on market dynamics achieved from secondary research. Finally, three extensions in two phases have been proposed with a market potential study for each. Highlights of the communication strategies have also been proposed. The recommended strategy aims to initialize the transition of Veet as a true beauty brand in the coming years. Contents Executive Summary2 Introduction3 Hair Removal Market in India3 Veet in India6 Veet – Brand Image6 Primary Research & Data Analysis7 Research Overview7 Data Analysis8 Brand Equity, Brand Personality & Possible Extensions12 Brand Equity12 Brand Personality Model12 PossibLe Extensions13 RoadmaP & Positioning16 Brand Extension plan16 Positioning In New Segments17 Conclusion19 Introduction Personal care sector covers segments like hair care, body care, baby care etc. In India this sector is currently valued at around INR 320 billion and is posting robust growth year-on-year. Veet is player in the niche depilatories segment within this market. Hair Removal Market in India Hair Removal or depilatories segment in India is relatively niche segment. It is valued at around INR 4 billion which means its contribution to the personal care market is a modest 1. 27%. While the market size is small the segment has tremendous potential and has been seeing robust growth year on year. As seen above, the segment was a ‘late bloomer’ showing exponential growth in 2004-05 and in 2006-07. Over the past few years year on year growth has stabilized around 19%. To better understand the nuances of this segment one must look at target consumer segments as well as the competing brands in this space. Brands in Depilatory Segment The brands dominating this segment are: Anne French dominated this category as the first mover and the only player for almost 4 decades. Anne French’s product positioning was primarily functional showing usage and highlighting product attributes. The entry of Veet in 2004 changed the face of the market with player moving from product centric, functional adverts to emotional benefits. Veet’s entry and new positioning strategy also explains the 60% y-o-y growth spurt in 2004-05. Currently Veet is the market leader in hair removal creams with a market share of around 34. 1%. Fem is the market challenger with its presence in hair removal creams and bleaching products. Target ConSumer Segments The penetration of hair removal products is relatively low with the young, single, educated and urban women being the prime users. * With a 68% category penetration there is enormous untapped potential in the segment. However this potential can only be realized with category expansion. * Increasing urbanization and more women entering the main stream white collar work force Growth in consumer base is on the cards

What is the Difference in Customer Service Communication between Hong Essay

What is the Difference in Customer Service Communication between Hong Kong and Australia in Clothing and Accessories Retail Industry - Essay Example Sales personnel and their customers were observed as they deal with each other during the sales process. Likewise, a survey was also conducted to support the observations. It was found out that Hong Kong sales personnel rush to close a deal while Australians take their time. During closing time, their Australian counterparts rush to go out of work premises while Hong Kong personnel tend to stay behind and close more deals. Likewise, when it comes to expression, smile is frequently used by Hong Kong sales ladies, while a regular distance when standing was observable among Australian staff. These differences are necessary to provide an insight in dealing with sales personnel from different countries or culture. The topic of this research is to find three main differences in customer service communication between Hong Kong and Australia in clothing and accessories retail industry. It will try to establish that there are unique practices among retail or sales personnel when it comes to handling customer needs or requests when purchasing at clothing or accessories retail shops in Hong Kong and in Australia. This research will describe the differences in the three main elements of non-verbal communications that shall deal with kinesics, chronemics, and expression (Darn, 2005) when interacting with customers. Kinesics pertains to body, facial, hand and arm movements that are used to communicate and the scientific study pertaining to it. Chronemics pertain to the sense of time as in punctuality and the studies that surrounds it. And expression pertains to the facial condition that represents the human emotion. 1.4. Background and Literature Review It has been acknowledged that there are generally accepted non-verbal communication understood cross-culturally (Shen, 1996). As for retail shops, service quality perception (Smith, Boton and Wagner, 1999) give importance on the communication process of which sales personnel deal with

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 19

Research paper - Essay Example The initial interaction of culture and marketing appears at this level where the language and symbols used must be meaningful to the market in question. It therefore follows that the marketer must use the symbols that are synonymous with the particular culture Bryan, (2013). Marketing does not only involve presenting a product to the consumer, but also entails designing the product to meet the customer’s wants. For a product to satisfy people, its design, style, use and any other marketing activities must be culturally acceptable. Culture features in all marketing activities ranging from promotion, pricing, distribution channels, packaging of products and styling. The interaction between market forces and the culture of the market is responsible for success in marketing. It’s important to note that the way in which human beings satisfy their wants, the amount of a commodity they consume and the way they consume the product is all a function of their culture. Marketers play two roles in a market. They extend all their efforts to satisfying the cultural demands in the market as well as act as agents of change whenever the idea or product marketed is innovative. The usage of a new product in a market is the beginning of change in the people’s traditions making the marketer an agent of change. It’s therefore very crucial for a marketer to study cultural differences between societies and identify the important aspects that he/she should focus on. The influence of culture on a market of commodities can be demonstrated by the examples below, Michael, (2007). According to Brian, culture affects nearly every portion of our lives from birth till death. These effects have very remarkable consequences in the market of products (2013). For example in Chinese culture, it’s considered to be good luck to be born in the â€Å"year of the dragon†. This leads to an increase of birthrates