Thursday, October 31, 2019

International financial markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

International financial markets - Essay Example Bonds and stocks are types of securities, and they are each related to a different set of circumstances that govern the relationship between investor and investee. Financing through stocks and bonds is a delicate matter for a company because it impacts on the firm’s rate of return as well as financial risk. Financing through equity usually has a higher cost of capital, because equity holders are entitled to a pro-rata share of the profits. Theoretically, therefore, stockholders’ expected returns have no limit. However, since the stockholders are not entitled to any returns if the company incurs losses, then there is no default risk associated with equity. On the other hand, debt capital entails a cost of interest to the borrower-firm. Interest rates associated with long-term debt are lower than the cost of equity to the firm, because debt is contracted at a fixed rate and is therefore limited to that rate, even though the firm earns much higher rates of income. There is a risk, however, associated with the possibility of default. Even if the firm incurs losses, its obligation to pay interest on its debt is fixed, therefore its in ability to meet with interest payments may incur for it costly penalties. The nature of the firm’s business affects the firm’s ideal capital structure – that is, the proportion of the needed capital it may finance through debt and through equity. The following are examples of industries and their average debt and equity ratios. It may be noted that companies in the same business do not necessarily have the same capital structures. For instance, in the consumer non-cyclical industry, Starbucks is financed entirely by equity, while Kellog relies slightly more on debt financing rather than equity. Raising money from the bonds market. Large corporations could raise money through the bonds market. The process involves the underwriting of the bonds float by either one or several

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

New Venure Creation Exam Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

New Venure Creation Exam Questions - Assignment Example Adapting to change: it can be much more adaptable to adjustment than larger and more compound organizations. Because of this, SMEs questionably have a better opportunity of enduring difficult economic states and they are quicker at recovering from crises. In defeating the declines, these companies are able to exploit and encourage competition, which is vital for putting the present economic lethargy behind. Such adaptability in turn brings more equilibrium to the economic development of the UK and warrants that local communities partake in stimulating development (Blackburn, 2012). Partnership with larger businesses: Even though these two key benefits in the current climate, one of the main obstacles to achievement for SMEs is a weakness in linking and partnering with big businesses. A couple of years ago, small business proprietors felt deserted by the UK regime but this state is gradually changing. A support from firms like Fujitsu meant that small businesses would interchange skills and receive mentoring and management from more skilled players. Many of these firms begin as small, start-up initiatives - limited people with great ideas and the ambition to understand them, whose symbols are now internationally recognized. Small businesses comprises 99 per cent of all firms in the UK and can be actual initiators of economic development, creating job prospects for local communities and creating income. But in order to keep the force developed, the regime must support the joint efforts. (Blackburn, 2012) This has been associated with the Business angels increasing their funding to SME. Business angels are high net worth personnel that finance small developing businesses through a parity stake. They have been an important source of finance for SMEs for the last decades of years. This has been possible by such individuals giving funding to SME to facilitate their smooth running. The other

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Impact of Imperialism on India

Impact of Imperialism on India Throughout history, many nations have implemented imperialism to enforce their will over others for money, protection and civilization. India was no exception. Since its discovery, Europeans were trying get a piece of Indias action. In many cases England was the imperial, or mother country. Since India was put under imperialism, a great deal of things changed, some for the good, mostly though for the bad. Between 1640 and 1949, India was ruled by two periods of imperialism, both of which effected India in a very profound and permanent manner. The first period of European control was between 1740 and 1858. During this period the British East India Company controlled the Indian sub-continent under the guise of economic imperialism, when in fact the manipulation of Indian affairs was much more political than let on. When it was founded in 1600 by Queen Elizabeth I, the East India Companys main purpose was to break into the Indonesian spice trade which was dominated by the Dutch. But after colonizing a post a Madras in 1640, the company was re-chartered to include such rights as coining money and act as government to British subjects at the East India Companys posts. As well, the British government also gave the company the right to make was or peaceful arrangements with powers who were non-Christian. This control expanded with the founding of a port at Bombay in 1668, and the founding of Calcutta in 1690. Then in 1756, a young employee named Robert Clive, who had been named lieutenant-governor in 1755, was sent to take back Calcutta from the Bengal nawab. He accomplished this in January of 1757. Then later that year, Clive lead a group of 950 European and 2,000 Indian soldiers(sepoys) against a group of 50,000 Indians lead by a degenerate nawab at Plassey. The victory of the English forces over the local resistance brought Bengal under the effective political control of the East India Company. Although a puppet nawab was left in control of the area, Clive was granted the right to extract land revenue from most of eastern India. Throughout this whole period, the company slowly found its privileges being revoked, until in 1858, the Sepoy Rebellion, or the Indian Revolution, finally brought an end to the rule of the East India Company in India when it was revealed the cause of the rebellion was the use of beef and pork fat to grease rifle cartridges, which are taboo to the Muslims and Hindus. This Revolution brought the rule of the East India Company to an end. The second period of English imperialism started in August of 1858 when the British monarchy assumed direct control of India from the East India Company. This established a full colonial government, where British officials run the countrys affairs, in India. This is known as colonial imperialism. This period was one of major change in Indian life and culture. While the East India Company tried respect local customs and learn local languages, the colonial government tried to impose British culture on India. . . encouraged the Indian people to abandon their traditions and learn to speak, dress and live like Europeans. This came to a head in 1877, when Queen Victoria was recognized as the Empress of India. The colonial government felt it was their duty to civilize the people of India, feeling I am a little bit better than you, therefore my presence is necessary. This all began to end in 1885 with the formation of the Indian National Congress, made up of middle-class Indians who were kno wn as the congress. This congress campaigned for free education for both sexes, more Indian representation in government, and other reforms. But then in the early 1900s, nationalists began to reject British rule and petition for its end in India by boycotting British goods and publishing books which restored peoples pride in Indias ancient heritage. The nationalist leader, Mohandas Gandhi, is perhaps best known for his method of passive resistance to help the struggle of India. Then finally in 1949, the partitioning of the British controlled lands into the independent countries of Pakistan and India brought an end to English rule in the Indian subcontinent. Throughout the rule of the British in India, the effect of the colonial and economic imperialism impacted the sub-continent in the form of many economic and social changes. On the economic side, many Indian goods were sold overseas by the East India Company, but the government of England saw India as a large base for British goods, as well as a source of raw materials. This lead to British officials discouraging Indian industry, as well as encouraging the production of export crops rather than food crops. In this way cotton was produced in India, processed in England, and thin sold back to the Indians. This change in food supplies killed millions of Indians from famine in the 1800s. Then when the British government took direct control, the construction of railways, canals, and roads, especially the opening of the Suez canal in 1869 opened the interior of India for trade throughout Europe and Asia. With the construction of the telegraph lines in India, exports from India jumped tremen dously. However, all of the profit went to the colonialists, plunging most Indians into poverty. The social changes included the introduction of health care and hospitals, which, while curing diseases and improving the general health of Indians, created such a tremendous population explosion that famine resulted in some regions. As well, the creation of British educated professionals and business people created a new upper-class in India changing the rule of class in India forever. All of these changes, while under the guise of helping the natives, only served to help the colonists and leave the Indians feeling inferior, as though Indians are only hewers of wood, and drawers of water All of these changes in Indian culture and economy forever changed the destiny of the Land of India. While many changes may have been good in retrospect, they were only meant to help the colonizing British. Overall, the colonization of India had nothing but a negative effect on its people and culture. Perhaps one day people will realize that imposing one culture on another is not only wrong, but it is destructive to the natural course of a countrys history.

Friday, October 25, 2019

We Need Less Television and More Play Essay -- Media Entertainment Ess

We Need Less Television and More Play In today’s world, society’s focus is not getting out in the environment and enjoying nature. The focus is television, cell phones, the internet, and any other means of technology available. Our society needs to stop indulging in technology and start enjoying nature again because too many people are glued to the television several hours a day, planning their day around usage of a computer and/ or their television shows, health concerns are on the rise for these constant viewers who don’t participate in other activities, and all of this absorption of the information age is separating us from nature. We are indeed an information economy, which has many good aspects to it, but we should not be shutting out nature from our lives. The average child watches approximately 3-5 hours of television per day (Department of Education, University of Maine). Our two year olds are watching approximately 3 hours of television pre day! Why are they watching so much? What ever happened to going to the park, playing red rover- red rover, hopscotch, or even TV- tag? The answer lies in the parents of these children. There was a study done to show the reasons why parents do not limit the amount of television their children watch. The most commonly mentioned reasons for which parents are not limiting television are because they need to get work done, they do not want their children to get bored, and that television never hurt their brain so why would it hurt their child’s. The truth is, if television is watched enough it does hurt your child’s brain, impacting neurological development. Thinking skills, imagination, attention span, reading abilities, and speaking skills in a child decrease the more they wa... ...on the brain. Going out in nature, playing games, and going places will allow our future children to develop and will give them the opportunities that they will not have if they spend their lives in front of the television. WORKS CITED: Anderson, Chris and Runciman, Lex. (1995). A forest of voices. Mountain View: Mayfield Publishing Company. Willow Computing (2000). LimiTV, Inc [Electronic version]. Retrieved March 29, 2004, from http://www.limitv.org/ Wellsource Incorporated (2003). Health plus: Watching too much television? [Electronic version]. Retrieved March 30, 2004 from http://vanderbiltowc.wellsource.com/dh/Content.asp?ID=907 American Psychological Association (2004). Public Affairs: Violence on television- What do children learn, what can parents do? [Electronic version]. Retrieved May 5, 2004 from http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/violence.html

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Panera Bread Company: Rising Fortunes? Essay

Maxis Berhad, with its consolidated subsidiaries (together, ‘Maxis’), is the leading mobile communications service provider in Malaysia with over 11.4 million mobile subscribers as of 30 June 2009. Maxis was granted licences to operate a nationwide GSM900 mobile network, a domestic fixed network and an international gateway in 1993. It commenced its mobile operations in August 1995 and launched its fixed line and international gateway operations in early 1996. Since its establishment, Maxis has been providing a full suite of services on multiple platforms to fulfil the telecommunications needs of individual consumers, SMEs and large corporations in Malaysia. Maxis’ mobile service is offered on a postpaid basis under the Maxis brand and via a prepaid format under the Hotlink brand. The use of these two distinct brands, underpinned by synergistic values, has enabled Maxis to develop its prepaid business successfully while maintaining growth in its postpaid segment. Maxis has also pioneered and led the Malaysian market in delivering innovative mobile products and services. It was the first to launch 3G services in Malaysia as known as Maxis3G in July 2005, and in September 2006, it became among the world’s first to use HSDPA, a high-speed upgrade of its 3G network, to provide wireless broadband services. It was the first operator to bring the BlackBerryâ„ ¢ and Apple iPhoneâ„ ¢ smart phones to Malaysia. The company in April 2009 unveiled the first commercial NFC-powered service in Malaysia. Maxis provides enhanced postpaid packages to corporate and SME customers, based on its highly successful consumer postpaid plans. These plans are custom-made to meet the needs of enterprises, especially improved communications within and beyond their compound. Maxis’ international gateway services include termination of traffic into Malaysia from international telecommunications companies, supporting Maxis’ own outbound international direct dial (IDD) traffic, collecting international transit traffic and bandwidth leasing services. Mission A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide  decision-making. The mission of this Maxis company are : Today * Malaysia’s leading mobile communications service provider Tomorrow * The nation’s premier integrated communications service provider Vision Defines and describes the future situation that a company wishes to have, the intention of the vision is to guide, to control and to encourage the organization as a whole to reach the desirable state of the organization. The vision of the company is the response to the question of what do we want our organization to be? Corporative values are the answer to the question of what we believe into and how we are. The vission of Maxis Berhad is : To bring the future to our customers’ lives and businesses, in a manner that is simple, personalised and enriching, by efficiently and creatively harnessing leading-edge technology and delivering a brand of service experience that is reliable and enchanting. Objective An end that can be reasonably achieved within an expected timeframe and with available resources. In general, an objective is broader in scope than a goal, and may consist of several individual goals. Objectives are a basic tools that underlying all planning and strategic activities. They serve as the basis for policy and performance appraisals. This is what Maxis stands for : Simple * We aim to keep everything we do as simple as possible. For example, customers understand what it is we are telling them because we do it in a way that is straightforward and easy to understand. We make things simple for everyone, including ourselves. Keeping things simple also means that everything we say is said in a clear direct tone of voice that is friendly and human. Trustworthy * Trust is crucial in every successful relationship and this is true between customers and Maxis, just as it is true between the company and its  employees. All good relationships are built on trust which inspires confidence, and, assurance, conviction and reliance. To be trustworthy is a way of life. Creative * Creativity defines us and therefore differentiates us from our competition. It inspires not only our communication style, but also how we answer the phone, design our stores, and deal with challenges. Creative runs through everything we do and everything we say, it’s in our DNA. Brave * To lead people into new territories we have to be brave. We have the courage to try new things, to take the occasional calculated risk, to go where our competitors have not been. It ensures that we stay at the forefront and that our customers benefit from new and better ways of doing things. It means doing the right thing, rather than the easy thing. It means having the courage of our convictions. Brave is the quality of a true leader. Strategy Given this context within our corporate strategy, in 2011 we reviewed our existing activities and identified new initiatives to create a CR strategy with three pillars. Developing and enriching our community, customers and partners, creating a great place to work and, Advocating environmentally friendly practices. Maxis’ CR initiatives are governed by our CR Philosophies, which prescribe that the initiatives are aligned to our corporate strategy and CR Mission and create value to all our stakeholders. That is, the initiatives must have a positive impact that can be shared across Maxis, our stakeholders and the nation. 1. Developing & Enriching Our Community, Customers & Partners * Being a customer-focused organisation, with a large and complex supply chain, we are uniquely positioned to touch the lives of many people. Our ambition is to make this contact an enriching experience for everyone. Simply by providing telecommunication connectivity to remote and rural communities, we can drastically improve people’s lives. But our reach goes further than that. We can offer better products and services to customers who have a choice of service providers. We can build and develop the communities in which we operate, through our Cyberkids Programme initiatives and scholarships. And,  we take very seriously our responsibility to positively influence our supply chain so that it is healthier, safer and more sustainable. 2. Creating a Great Place To Work * At Maxis, we have always said that our employees are critical to our success. We regard leadership as an essential part of our business, especially to fulfil our goals to be the premier integrated communications service provider in Malaysia. Therefore, we invest significantly in leadership development and training, as well as nurturing the talent of our employees. We value the diversity that colleagues bring, with individuals able to see things with different perspectives and fresh ideas. We have measures in place to ensure that our workplaces embrace this diversity. We think also that it is important to get the fundamentals of employment right: health and safety, and benefits and rights. 3. Advocating Environmentally Friendly Practices * Our sector is evolving rapidly and a significant challenge for us is to keep ahead of the technology curve, whilst understanding and evaluating the sometimes unknown impacts of new products and services. We have to balance the demand for innovation with the responsibility to do no harm. In addition, we are committed to driving efficiencies in our operations in order to reduce our carbon footprint and to manage waste effectively. We also want to advocate this to our partners and customers. GENERAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS External Analysis The external analysis is critical for a firm to understand to be able to realize the opportunities and threats that exist in the industry they are competing in to help achieve a strategic competitiveness. The external analysis consists of a general environmental analysis, industry analysis, five forces analysis, industry competitor’s analysis, and the key success factors for the industry. General Environment Analysis In order for a company to effectively compete in an industry, an analysis of its specific industry must be undertaken. This is done to provide the firm with a description of the elements in society that directly effect the industry and the direction managers must take to implement appropriate strategies to survive. This study is commonly referred to as the general environmental analysis. It primarily consists of five primary factors, which are political/legal, economic, socio cultural, ecological, and technological or also known as STEEP Analysis. These five sections describe the external environmental factors a firm must understand to effectively compete in a specific market. 1. Social cultural Forces * The sociocultural dimension is especially important because it determines the goods, services, and standards that society values. The sociocultural force includes the demographics and values of a particular customer base. Age, gender, and income are examples of commonly used demographic characteristics. * Maxis contributions is to the development of Malaysia must also go beyond paying statutory levies and the jobs their provide. Maxis have to address long-term strategic issues affecting the nation’s ability to grow. They are proud that Maxis is taking an active role in stemming the brain drain, which poses a threat to their progress as a society. Maxis scholarships, aimed at their employees’ and customers’children, are designed to encourage young Malaysians to reap experience abroad, then come back to share those experiences and contribute to the future of their nation. * Maxis provide full coverage to markets across Malaysia, including Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak (both in Malaysian Borneo). Together with our subsidiaries, Maxis provides a full suite of communications services on multiple platforms to meet the growing needs of individual subscribers, families, small and medium enterprises, large corporations and the Malaysian Government 2. Techological Forces * Technological forces influence organizations in several ways. A technological innovation can have a sudden and dramatic effect on the environment of a firm. First, technological developments can significantly alter the demand for an organization’s or industry’s products or services.  Technological change can decimate existing businesses and even entire industries, since its shifts demand from one product to another. * Maxis was also the first telecommunication service provider to introduce a range of smartphones to Malaysia including the BlackBerry and the Apple iPhone. In 2010, Maxis set an industry milestone by building the largest 3G network with 76 per cent population coverage and by signing the landmark High Speed Broadband Access (â€Å"HSBA†) agreement with Telekom Malaysia Berhad as well as the infrastructure share agreement with Tenaga Nasional Berhad. As at 30 June 2011, Maxis 3G footprint coverage was at 81 per cent of the country’s populati on. In comparison with global mobile operators, Maxis is a leading provider of non-voice services. 3. Economic Forces * Economic forces refer to the nature and direction of the economy in which business operates. Economic factors have a tremendous impact on business firms. The general state of the economy for an example depression, recession, recovery, or prosperity, interest rate, stage of the economic cycle, balance of payments, monetary policy, fiscal policy, are key variables in corporate investment, employment, and pricing decisions. * In 2010, Maxis invested more than RM80 million in network coverage, widening our footprint over remote areas of Sarawak, enhancing network quality in towns and suburbs in Sabah, and expanding broadband coverage to industrial and commercial areas in north Borneo, which is an underserved frontier. * During 2010, Maxis invested RM1.44 billion to build upon the significant modernisation first begun in 2009, expanding the reach and capacity of ournetworks and support infrastructure. Overall, Maxis capital expenditure was RM482 million in the first half of 2011. 4. Ecological Forces * Ecological economics is a transdisciplinary field of academic research that aims to address the interdependence and coevolution of human economies and natural ecosystems over time and space. It is distinguished from environmental economics, which is the mainstream economic analysis of the environment, by its treatment of the economy as a subsystem of the ecosystem and its emphasis upon preserving natural capital. * Maxis efforts to  reduce our carbon footprint began with modernisation of end-to-end network equipment for better energy efficiency. Additionally, Maxis have adopted more energyefficient DC rectifiers and outdoor shelters which are innovative systems to manage heat in existing shelters and to drive down energy deployment. Maxis have also drawn on renewable energy solutions such as solar to replace diesel powered remote base stations and their have advocated network-sharing, with over 54% of our base station sites shared with other operators. Maxis efforts have been supplemented by tree-planting. 5. Political-Legal Forces * Political and legal forces are two of the three most important aspects for a business, with social forces being the third. Politics is a changing scene, and the rules and laws will change not regularly but often enough. Political forces are governments and unilateral bodies that decree certain rules, regulations, laws or restrictions with regards the way a country is run. * The Group’s Code of Business Practice declaration applies to all officers and employees who are required to affirm on a yearly basis their commitment to observe the Code of Business Practice. It also provides guidelines for the manner in which all employees should conduct themselves in the workplace while performing their daily duties for Maxis and as a Maxis employee. TASK ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS A corporation’s scanning of the environment should include analyses of all relevant elements in the task environment. Managers need to consider the competitive environment, also referred to as the task environment or industry environment. The profitability of the firm and the nature of competition in the industry are more directly influenced by developments in the competitive environment. Industry can be defined as a group of firms producing a similar product or service. The firm interacts with a more specific environment, the industry. Four main components that exert influence on industry are suppliers, competitors and potential substitutes, potential entrants and buyers. Michael Porter’s Approach to Industry Analysis The ‘five forces model’ developed by Michael E. Porter, has been the most commonly utilized analytical tool for examining the competitive environment. It describes the competitive environment in terms of five basic forces such as threat of new entrants, bargaining power of the firm’s suppliers, bargaining power of the firm’s customers, threat of substitute products, and intensity of rivalry among firms. 1. Threat Of New Entrants * New entrants is newcomers to an existing industry. They typically bring new capacity, a desire to gain market share, and substantial resources. Entry barrier is an obstruction that makes it difficult for a company to enter an industry. Economies of scale, product differentiation, capital requirements, switching costs, access to distribution channels, cost disadvantage independent of size, government policy are examples of entry barriers. * New technology as we know communication technology are very fast and various (MMS, Mobile Portal, VAP, and 3G), compete by new entrants for examples Celcom and DIGI. Maxis come with Hotlink club and brand identity for teenagers. Maxis also come with 8 region of same rate calling rate 0.65 cents. 2. Rivalry Among Existing Firms * Rivalry is amount of direct competition in an industry. Intense rivalry is related to the presence of the following factors which are number of competitors, rate of industry growth, product or service characteristics, amount of fixed costs, capacity, height of exit barriers and diversity of rivals. * Competition on price with another company Digi, Celcom, Internet phone.Compete also with the coverage and wide of services offered. IT take placed for Maxis to create a web that manage Hotlinkclub.com. provide customer loyalty by type of free services and activities. Besides that is Merge with TimeCel to come with more wide coverage. 3. Threat Of Substitute Products Or Services * Substitute products which is products that appear different but can satisfy the same need as another product. The existence of products outside of the realm of the common productboundaries increases the propensity of  customers to switch toalternatives. Its includes buyer propensity to substitute, relative price performance of substitute, buyer switching costs, perceived level of product differentiation, substandard product and quality depreciation. * For example reduce demand of Maxis services compete with Digi with new technology (internetTv and 3G). Besides that, internet charting and conferencing free service make Maxis enforced to reduce the service charge. Maxis improve the price by provided some free services like free sms and free football result. 4. Bargaining Power Of Buyers * The bargaining power of customers is also described as the market of outputs and the ability of customers to put the firm under pressure, whichalso affects the customer’s sensitivity to price changes. Buyers can affect industry through their ability to force down prices, bargain for higher quality or more services, and play competitors against each other. * Price of SMS forced down from 0.60 cents to 0.01 cents. In fact, Maxis provide wide coverage in Malaysia by merge withTimecel. Maxis have a high technology server and satellite technology upgrade to capture the wide range of communications services. 5. The Bargaining Power Of Suppliers * Suppliers can affect an industry through their ability to raise prices or reduce the quality of purchased goods and services. The bargaining power of suppliers is also described as the market of inputs. Suppliers of raw materials, components, labor, and services(such as expertise) to the firm can be a source of power over the firm,when there are few substitutes. * Price raised charge for satellite provided by Telekom. Maxis request more variety of services like MMS, 3G, mobile conferencing using more type of server at manyplace from northern Malaysiato the southern. SWOT ANALYSIS A SWOT analysis generates information that is helpful in matching an organization’s or a group’s goals, programs, and capacities to the social environment in which they operate. It is an instrument within strategic planning. SWOT analysis can be understood as the examination of an  organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and its environments opportunities, and threats. Maxis Berhad started their operations in the year 1995 being the leading mobile communication service provider in Malaysia with more than 11.4 million mobile subscribers up to date. (Maxis Berhad, 2011) SWOT is the acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats where it will be used to assess the business as it is important for companies to analyze SWOT on their companies. It will also be analyze in this report on how the strengths will be used to overcome the weaknesses as well as the opportunities overcoming the threats. Strengths and weaknesses will be analyzing on the company’s internal factors whereas opportunities and threats will be analyzing on the company’s external factors. 1. Strengths There are several main telecommunication in Malaysia comprising Digi, Celcom, U-Mobile and Maxis. As compared to the above competitors, Maxis’ strength is that Maxis had a wider coverage in most towns around Malaysia and also covers north-south highways. Also, compared with other competitors, the customer service quality is better in terms of efficiency. Maxis is one of the pioneer telecommunication companies apart from Celcom and has the latest technology HSDPA(3.5G) or Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) . 2. Weakness Competitors gain market share. Celcom has been rather aggressive over the past one year, and is expected to continue with this momentum. We are cognizant that Maxis’ market share may come under pressure. However, we think Maxis has turned the corners, and is on track to winning back subscribers and revenue market shares, now that it had reverted to the more popular 30-second charging blocks. Besides that, Maxis does not offer triple play of mobile, broadband, and pay TV. Growing enterprise business may entail more capex, and Maxis can only selectively grow its enterprise business. 3. Opportunities Young demographics that is data hungry. 32% of the Malaysian population is under 15 years old, which is a prime target for broadband services over the next 15 years. New mobile devices, for example iPhone (â€Å"4G†) and recently  launched iPad drive demand for broadband services. Under-served broadband population offers great growth opportunities. Selective enterprise opportunities as Maxis build backhaul capacity mainly for wireless broadband it can target some of the lucrative enterprise business using the same backhaul network. Potential for triple play if tie-up with content provider or broadcaster. 4. Threats Digi’s launch of the iPhone last week could put further pressure on Maxis. Aggressive broadband promotions by wireless competitors, including WiMAX players. ARPU under competitive pressures. Adjustments to interconnect rates may pressure Maxis’ earnings as the company is a net receiver of calls.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Mcdonald’s History

McDonald’s Bar-B-Que, was a â€Å"Drive-in Restaurant† in 1940 which was conceptualized by Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald’s. Drive-in concept was a new and unique idea to adapt which caught everyone’s attention (Our Company, 2011). The initial mascot of the famous fast food restaurant was â€Å"Speedee. † â€Å"Speedee† was a hamburger-headed man wearing a chef’s hat (McDonald’s, 2011). However, running a restaurant is not a piece of cake, thus, by 1948 they made alterations in their menu by reducing the available food items and calls itself a â€Å"self-service drive-in restaurant. The new nine items presented in 1948 were: hamburger, cheeseburger, soft drinks, milk, coffee, potato chips and a slice of pie (Our Company, 2011). In the following year potato chips were replaced by French fries along with additional ‘triple thick milkshakes. ’ In 1954, enters a new significant character for McDonald’s, Ray Kroc. He was fascinated by the profitable new concept by the brothers whom produced best quality product, on the contrary to providing a small menu in a small restaurant. At the same time the Dick and Mac McDonald’s were in search of an agent to help them begin nationwide franchising (Our Company, 2011). Their vision turned into reality by the help of Ray Kroc. In 1955, Kroc opens a McDonald’s in Desplaines, Illinois which brought in a lot of cash for the corporation (History, 2011). And by the end of 1950s they managed to open 100 McDonald’s restaurant. Following decade started, the 60s, McDonald being itself, so successful, opened a Hamburger University in Illinois. During this year they created McDonald into a proper restaurant with indoor seating (Our Company, 2011). They received their first TV commercial hit via their new mascot Ronald in 1966. In the following year, 1967, McDonald’s goes international and today, 2011, it has restaurants in 118 countries all around the world. It is now known to be the world’s largest hamburger fast food restaurant serving more than 52 million customers daily (History, 2011). And Thailand ranked as number 28 by nation master manages to have approximately 88 McDonalds’ restaurants (Food Statistics, 2011). In 1985, the first McDonald’s restaurant opened in Amarin Plaza, Bangkok, Thailand. McDonald provides protein-full menus including: chicken, pork, beef and seafood. Throughout time McDonald’s in Thailand has embraced the early-morning working culture and started Big Breakfast. Moreover, they also present customer favorites such as McNuggets, burgers, fried chicken and ice cream (History, 2011). Although, McDonald’s in Thailand follow strict 5 operating principles or philosophy you may call it which includes QSC & V. These letters represent: Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value. McDonald’s main focus is to produce 100% total customer satisfaction. However, focusing on the 5 figure formula to operate McDonald’s successfully; firstly, quality, is regarding the food presented to the customers. For example, McDonald’s consistently provides their customers with healthy, best standard and tasty products. Secondly, service embraces the efficient and friendly service available at McDonald’s. Their focus on service makes sure that McDonald’s can maximize customer satisfaction offering full help via provided techniques and training. Thirdly, cleanliness was first magnified by Ray Kroc back in 1955. From that day till today, McDonald’s makes sure they present themselves cleanly. Cleanliness in a fast food restaurant has to deal with a clean kitchen, dining area, rest rooms and the exterior. Lastly, value is all about the experience you pay for and prices of the products at McDonald’s. The experience they allow you to have is the environment, fine service and enjoyable food (QSC&V, 2011). Reference http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcd_history.html?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Foregin Exchange Risk

Executive Summary Foreign exchange (FX) risk is the risk that profits will change if FX rates change. FX risks present complicated transfer pricing issues. Under today’s system of floating FX rates, currencies often move dramatically over short periods. In one two-day period in 1998 the yen/U.S. dollar exchange rate moved nearly 20 percent. Empirical studies demonstrate that FX volatility can significantly affect companies’ profits. Multinational businesses face several types of FX risk, including financial, translational, transactional and economic FX risk. We focus here on economic risk, also known as operational or competitive FX risk. Economic risk arises, for example, when a multinational business incurs costs in one currency and generates sales in another. Profits may decrease if the cost currency appreciates against the sales currency. Under today’s system of floating FX rates, currencies often move dramatically over short periods. In one two-day period in 1998 the yen/U.S. dollar exchange rate moved nearly 20 percent. Empirical studies demonstrate that FX volatility can significantly affect companies’ profits. Multinational businesses face several types of FX risk, including financial, translational, transactional and economic FX risk. We focus here on economic risk, also known as operational or competitive FX risk. Economic risk arises, for example, when a multinational business incurs costs in one currency and generates sales in another. Profits may decrease if the cost currency appreciates against the sales currency. FX risk could affect Multinational businesses competitive position in the following ways: - Initial loss of sales as lower-priced Japanese products enter the market. - Reduced gross margins after reducing prices to compete with the Japanese products; and - Further loss of sales if Acme’s cost structure prevents it from matching prices for the Japanese products Background on... Free Essays on Foregin Exchange Risk Free Essays on Foregin Exchange Risk Executive Summary Foreign exchange (FX) risk is the risk that profits will change if FX rates change. FX risks present complicated transfer pricing issues. Under today’s system of floating FX rates, currencies often move dramatically over short periods. In one two-day period in 1998 the yen/U.S. dollar exchange rate moved nearly 20 percent. Empirical studies demonstrate that FX volatility can significantly affect companies’ profits. Multinational businesses face several types of FX risk, including financial, translational, transactional and economic FX risk. We focus here on economic risk, also known as operational or competitive FX risk. Economic risk arises, for example, when a multinational business incurs costs in one currency and generates sales in another. Profits may decrease if the cost currency appreciates against the sales currency. Under today’s system of floating FX rates, currencies often move dramatically over short periods. In one two-day period in 1998 the yen/U.S. dollar exchange rate moved nearly 20 percent. Empirical studies demonstrate that FX volatility can significantly affect companies’ profits. Multinational businesses face several types of FX risk, including financial, translational, transactional and economic FX risk. We focus here on economic risk, also known as operational or competitive FX risk. Economic risk arises, for example, when a multinational business incurs costs in one currency and generates sales in another. Profits may decrease if the cost currency appreciates against the sales currency. FX risk could affect Multinational businesses competitive position in the following ways: - Initial loss of sales as lower-priced Japanese products enter the market. - Reduced gross margins after reducing prices to compete with the Japanese products; and - Further loss of sales if Acme’s cost structure prevents it from matching prices for the Japanese products Background on...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Traditional Vs. Roth IRA Your Ultimate IRA Guide

Traditional Vs. Roth IRA Your Ultimate IRA Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips IRAs, or independent retirement accounts, are tax-advantaged savings accounts that help you save money for retirement. There are two main types, traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs, and they work in slightly different ways. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about traditional and Roth IRAs and help you decide which type of account is better for you. Before delving into the differences, let’s go over what you need to know about independent retirement accounts in general. What Is an IRA? An IRA is a type of savings account designed to help you save for retirement. IRAs offer a major tax advantage wherein your money is only ever taxed once. In a brokerage account, your money can be taxed twice. An IRA is made up of financial products like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. The money you contribute will slowly grow over time as a result of annual compound interest. Typically, savings in IRAs grow at a rate of 5% to 7% each year. While this growth won’t look like much at first, it can add up significantly over the decades. If you start saving in your twenties rather than your thirties, you’ll see a huge difference in returns. When it comes to saving for retirement, you’re much better off the earlier you start. While you can start contributing to an IRA at any time, you must abide by an IRA contribution limit. Read on to find out how much money you can put each year into your IRA. By putting your money in a protected environment, it can grow significantly bigger over time. How Much Can You Contribute to an IRA? Whether you have a traditional IRA or Roth IRA, you can only contribute up to $5,500 per year. This was the IRA contribution limit for 2015 and 2016. It could change in years to come due to inflation. If you’re over 50 years old, then you can contribute $1,000 more for a yearly total of $6,500. This extra $1,000 added to the IRA contribution limits is considered a â€Å"catch up† contribution to help out those who didn’t max out their limits in earlier years. Most people contribute to their IRAs via automatic monthly payments. You can put in as much or as little as you like, but you’ll see the greatest long-term benefit by contributing up to the $5,500 limit. Now that you have a general sense of IRAs and how they help you save for retirement, let’s look closer at the differences between a traditional vs. a Roth IRA. People 50 and over can contribute an additional $1,000 per year to catch up as they round the bases toward retirement. Roth vs. Traditional IRA: How Are They Different? The major difference between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA has to do with how your money is taxed. By learning about the different tax structure, you can figure out which one is more advantageous to you, depending on your age and financial profile. The second difference when you look at Roth vs. traditional IRA has to do with when you can withdraw money. Consider the tax and withdrawal rules for traditional IRAs, followed by the tax and withdrawal Roth IRA rules. Tax Advantages of a Traditional IRA Traditional IRAs allow your money to grow completely un-taxed until you take it out. You contribute pre-taxed money, which grows in your account until you withdraw. While your money is tax deductible when you contribute to a traditional IRA account, it’s taxed normally when you withdraw. You’ll pay all the taxes that you didn’t pay before, but you may find that you’re saving money on taxes overall. Why? You may be in a lower tax bracket when you retire than you were when you were working and contributing money to your IRA. Traditional IRA Withdrawal Rules When you contribute money to a traditional IRA, you can’t touch it until you’re 59  ½ without penalty. If you withdraw money before, then you’ll have to pay a hefty 10% penalty. It’s recommended that you take out about 4% of your savings per year during retirement. Some accounts also have required minimum withdrawals (RMDs) that compel you to take out a certain amount of money once you hit 70  ½. Even if you’re still working at age 70  ½, you’ll be required to start withdrawing money from your IRA. the amount of the RMD varies by individual and is calculated based on your account balance and age. When you contribute to a traditional IRA, your money is basically kept under lock and key until you’re 59  ½. Tax Advantages of a Roth IRA While traditional IRAs are taxed later, Roth IRAs are taxed now. In other words, you contribute money that’s already been taxed to a Roth IRA. You don’t get any tax breaks for your contributions, but you won’t have to pay any taxes when you withdraw. Basically, a Roth IRA works in the exact opposite way of a traditional IRA. You pay taxes when you contribute and not when you withdraw, whereas with a traditional IRA you pay taxes when you withdraw and not when you contribute. Roth IRA Withdrawal Rules Roth IRA rules are more flexible than those of traditional IRAs about when you can withdraw your money. You can take out money from a Roth IRA at any time without penalty as long as you’ve held the account for at least five years. Technically, you can only withdraw money you’ve contributed without penalty. You can’t touch any earnings on your contributions until you retire. Roth IRAs also don’t have any RMDs, so you’re not required to take out your money once you surpass a certain age. With a Roth IRA, you could withdraw all your funds after five years to buy that pleasure yacht you’ve had your eye on. But, you probably shouldn’t. Traditional IRA vs. Roth Ira- Which One Should You Choose? Given the difference between Roth IRA rules and traditional IRA rules, which account would be more beneficial to you? The answer to that question largely depends on your age and current tax bracket. Younger people typically benefit more from a Roth IRA. They have plenty of time for their money to grow until retirement, and they’re usually in a lower tax bracket than they will be in 10 or 20 years. If you’re in your twenties and your tax bracket is 20% or lower, then you’ll probably benefit from a Roth IRA. People who are older and/or in a high tax bracket will probably do better with a traditional IRA. They can contribute more money, since it’s not taxed, and pay taxes when they’re in a lower tax bracket after retirement. To see how tax brackets affect your savings in an IRA account, consider the chart below. If your tax rate is lower in retirement Traditional Roth Current tax rate 25% Tax rate in retirement 15% Annual investment $5,500 $5,500 After-tax value in retirement* $613,313 $598,444 *Based on moderate growth (around 8% annual return) over 30 years If your tax rate is higher in retirement Traditional Roth Current tax rate 25% Tax rate in retirement 33% Annual investment $5,500 $5,500 After-tax value in retirement* $505,593 $598,444 *Based on moderate growth (around 8% annual return) over 30 years If your tax rate goes down in retirement, then you’ll have more money from a traditional IRA. If your tax rate goes up, then you’ll end up with more savings from a Roth IRA. A secondary factor to consider when deciding between a traditional and Roth IRA is your financial self-control. As you read above, the two types of IRAs have different withdrawal rules. Will you be able to resist withdrawing money from a Roth IRA before retirement? Since there’s no penalty for withdrawing after five years, you’ll need to set limits on your spending so you don’t end up splurging on a luxury vacation to Fiji with your hard-earned money that was supposed to go toward retirement. If you don’t have clear cut answers to either of these considerations, then you might consider opening both types of IRAs. Choosing between a traditional IRA and Roth IRA requires that you consider the balance between your tax bracket and years until retirement. Can You Choose Both Types of IRAs? If you’re unsure which account is more advantageous to you, then you could consider setting up both a traditional and a Roth IRA. If you start to see real advantages to one over the other, then you could roll your money over to one account. Before opening both types, you should carefully consider the implications of taxes. If you opt for the Roth IRA, then you’ll have to pay taxes on any money that you roll over from a traditional IRA. This money would have otherwise grown untaxed until you withdrew it at age 59  ½. You should also note that opening both types of accounts won’t increase your yearly contribution limit. If you choose both types of IRAs, then the $5,500 limit applies to both. You can only contribute $5,500 collectively to your retirement savings accounts per year. Choosing both types of accounts is unnecessarily complicated for the majority of people. You should only do so if you’ve done some serious calculations and feel that it would be financially beneficial to you in the long term. For most of us, choosing one type of account based on our age and current tax bracket is the better way to go. Once you’ve chosen your type of IRA, how do you get about setting up an account? If you're having trouble deciding between types of IRAs, you could hedge your bets and open both. How to Set Up an IRA There are a number of IRA providers with whom you can set up an account. Most require a minimum investment up front, but some are a lot lower than others. When you set up an account, you can either set it on auto-pilot or take a hands-on approach to choosing your investments and designing your portfolio. Below are six recommendations for the best IRA providers, but first, let’s go over the factors you should consider when choosing an IRA provider. What to Look for When Choosing an IRA Provider The best IRA providers offer some or all of the following: Low account fees Low account minimums Good customer service and educational resources for new investors Low fees for trading stocks (this mostly applies to people looking to take an active approach to building their portfolio) If you fall in the majority of people who want someone else to manage their account, then you should look for a managed account or a target-date fund. In these types of account, you’ll pretty much only have to set your estimated date of retirement. A broker will do the rest. Now that you know what to look for in an IRA account and provider, check out the suggestions for the top six IRA providers. When choosing an IRA account, you should look for low account fees and low account minimums. Best IRA Providers for 2016 Based on the factors listed above, these six providers rose to the top for their low account fees, strong customer service, and other offerings. TD Ameritrade - popular provider with strong resources and support for new investor. TD Ameritrade doesn’t require any minimum balance, and it has a large selection of funds to choose from. One downside is that its trade commission fees are higher than usual at $9.99. TD Ameritrade, then, is a better choice for the new or hands-off investor, but not as popular among active traders. Vanguard - another popular low-cost provider with a $0 minimum balance. Vanguard is especially strong when it comes to target-date funds, where you set your date of retirement and don’t have to do much else. E*Trade - a provider with a large selection of funds and no account minimums. E*Trade stands out for its user-friendly website. Wealthfront - this provider manages accounts of up to $10,000 for no fee. Wealthfront, then, is good for the average investor who wants to take a hands-off approach. Betterment - like Wealthfront, Benefit is appealing to the hands-off investor. It tends to cater to people with large balances of $100k or more. Options House - best for active traders. Options House has a lower than average per trade fee of just $4.95. Once you’ve decided between a traditional and Roth IRA and chosen your provider, how do you open your account? When it comes to choosing an IRA provider, you've got options. Delicious, delicious options. How to Open an IRA Account Opening an IRA account is an easy, online sign-up process. Just head to the website of your chosen provider and fill out the IRA application. You’ll enter personal information, including your social security number and employment information. Most providers offer a different kinds of accounts, so you'll choose the one you want to open. Here's an example from TD Ameritrade's "Open New Account" page. Source: TD Ameritrade You’ll also indicate how you’ll fund the account, e.g., through automatic monthly transfer from your bank account. You can also transfer money from an existing IRA or 401k (an employer-sponsored retirement account). Depending on your funding choice, you may need your account and routing number or the account number of a separate account. The best way to make the most of your IRA is to deposit money on a monthly basis, to max out your annual contribution limit, and to start as early as you can. If you start saving in your twenties, then you could have a savings account with hundreds of thousands of dollars by the time you retire. In closing, let’s go over the key points you need to remember about IRAs. Opening your IRA account is the first step toward a secure retirement! Saving for Retirement in an IRA: Key Takeaways When it comes to saving for retirement, it’s never too early to start. Because your money grows in an IRA, you’ll see significantly more earnings the longer your money is invested in the account. IRA accounts are especially beneficial because of their tax advantages. Your money will only ever be taxed once, either when you withdraw it, as in a traditional IRA, or when you contribute it, as in a Roth IRA. Both accounts have advantages, and the one you choose should largely depend on your age and current tax bracket. While you should figure out which account will maximize your savings, in truth, you can’t go wrong with either. Both are tax-advantaged accounts that will help you save up money that you’ll rely on later in life. By opening and contributing to an IRA, you invest in your future and let your money work for you. What's Next? What is ROA, and how can looking at it provide you with helpful investment information? We discuss the meaning of ROA (return on assets) and how you can use it in this article. Not ready to open up an IRA but still looking for ways to save? Try the 365-day penny challenge!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Analysis of Price Setting, Poverty and Obamacare

Analysis of Price Setting, Poverty and Obamacare Question : 1 Nike’s charge a price Considering the Nike’s charging a price of a Air Jordan Basketball Shoes, economically we shall have to discuss about the price determining factors that why and how the Nike’s and under what circumstances is defining the price. The followings are the factors which can influence the Nike’s price determination: Cost of Product: This means calculation of all costs including procurement of raw material, manufacturing, distribution, labor, and other miscellaneous expenses. If the rate is not inclusive of break-even there would be trouble. So Nike while fixing the price must have notice the cost. Profit Margin: After measuring the cost, the business wants the profit taking as to what extant there should be the earning. So that it may influence the Nike’s strategy while determining price. Market Demand: It plays also a vital role as in case of less demand the price shall be lower while in case of high demand the price shall be high. Demand & Supply concept affects the price determination. Experience & Market Credibility: This is also a known factor to the price determination because the credibility in the market gives the seller sound position and the buyer trust the goods produced by well experienced and well reputed manufacturer so that they also influence the price determination factor. Market Competition: In case of excess of business rivals, there is a strong competition occurs in the market so that the prices are to be determined in a way to attract the buyer maximum. [1] The all above factors generally influence the price determination therefore we can say that Nike can charge the price as it may has considered the above factors. Its cost & profit margin as well product demand may influence and would demand the price that Nike is going to fix. Que: 2 Explain in detail what is being done to combat poverty? But also add why poverty is so hard to define and ultimately solve. Th e poverty is a state of person in which is becomes unable to meet his necessities from the resources available to him. The necessities include, food to maintain the hunger, education, healthcare facilities, shelter to reside, clothes and the means to live and improve. It is a hard task to define and measure the poverty since past because the growth rate of the population is increasing with a high margin than the growth in resources. All around the world especially the third world countries are facing this problem more. The United Nations has been planning and working to reduce the poverty in collaboration with IMF, World Bank and other financial institutions. A statistical figure printed by â€Å"One Day’s Wage† show that the 2.4 billion people around the world have been living on less than $ 2/day and approximately 1.2 billion are living on less than $ 1.24. (Extreme Global Poverty) [2] . About 3.4 million people die every day because of water related disease and appr oximately 768 million people have no access to clean water. The number of dead due to HIV/AIDS is 11,700 while 61 million children having the age of primary education are not attending the schools. In every minute at least one women is being die due to pregnancy or labor complications. 29.8 million People are enslaved. (The World Bank Survey and One’s Campaign). Strategy of One day’s Wage is to get the donation of one day from the individuals at global levels to combat the poverty and provide the aid to the people.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Humn Resourse Mngement 'The World is Flt' Essay

Humn Resourse Mngement 'The World is Flt' - Essay Example Minford & Riley (2005) suggested that the supply side reforms of the 1990s and 2000s have transformed the way in which the UK labour market operates. The latest date retrieved from statistical analytical repot show that in the last year, the UK has experienced crashing share prices and other economic uncertainties brought on by the threat of war with Iraq. These economic adversities, however, have not been reflected in the overall performance of the UK labour market which shows that the employment rate has been rising and unemployment decreasing in the last year. In fact, for the three months ending in June 2005, the employment level was estimated to be 27.92 million, the highest level since records began in 1984 (Minford, Riley, 2005:12) . In view of above, extensive research is needed in the area of labour market in search for the ways of mazimizing its efficiency and productivity. One of the ways that has actually been least reviewed in the literature is outsourcing and its effects on the labour market. Three key questions re ddressed. First, wht is the extent of outsourcing nd re there differences between firms in the use of such prctices Second, why do firms outsource Finlly, wht is the impct of outsourcing mintennce work on firm performnce In mny cses the move to outsourcing is prt of wider drive for flexibility, so the rticle begins by reviewing the literture on lbour flexibility nd outsourcing. fter brief section deling with methodologicl issues, the rticle reports the extent nd rtionle for outsourcing mongst smple of ustrlin firms. These findings re then benchmrked ginst the prctices of Jpnese firms operting in ustrli. The pper concludes by ssessing the impct of outsourcing on enterprise performnce.I. Literture Review 2. Lbour flexibility nd outsourcing The theme running through mny of the new pproches to mngement is the development of more flexible workforce. The serch for improved flexibility hs becomes employers' new frontier in the mngement of lbour. Flexibility cn hve vriety of menings (Brunhes, 2000), but fundmentlly three forms of the concept cn be distinguished (Hrrison nd Kelley, 2004, pp. 213-214). Functionl flexibility is the bility of the enterprise to redeploy lbour to cover new work tsks or new production methods. The second form is wge flexibility, in which the enterprise ttempts to link wge pyments to productivity nd product demnd. Finlly, numericl flexibility is the bility to djust lbour inputs to product demnd. These forms of lbour flexibility hve been well documented in industrilized ntions (see Hrrison nd Kelley, 2004, p. 214). In UK, for exmple, the introduction of enterprise

General Background for business plan Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General Background for business plan - Thesis Example She considered the idea that construction litigation is in need of forensic experts in terms of mitigating claims for damages and other construction management services, and from there she founded CSI. The Owner & Management Team: Lily Iftner CSI is currently owned by Lily Iftner, a licensed civil engineer. She is also the brainchild of the business whose background includes a four-year experience in a construction site wherein she served as an insurance investigator. With motivation, she started her own business wherein she becomes one of the expert witnesses in terms of structure damages, and legal disputes in construction methods and materials. Because of the growing demand and changes in the industry, she needs to hire diverse construction professionals in order to deliver quality research, inspection, analysis, and report. The management team is composed of professionally licensed forensic engineers, particularly civil engineers with hands-on experience about scientific and prof essional structural issues. CSI Seattle Services CSI services are all about research, inspection, analysis, and report of construction and structural deficiencies in compliance with the standards and laws applicable. They serve in order to mitigate claims for damages in a quality and cost-effective way. ... CSI also presents sets of solutions so that clients can select the best possible solutions with corresponding evidences. They are also a â€Å"strong advocate of continuing education and community involvement, and maintain active participation in local construction industry organizations† particularly in Seattle (â€Å"Who We Are†). THE BUSINESS: Business Description According to Winkler and Chiumento â€Å"construction litigation can arise from any number of sources including delay claims, construction defects, professional liability allegations (errors and omissions), mechanics’ liens, personal injury, property damage, and insurance, subrogation, or professional bond claims† (179). Based on industry expert, construction litigation is growing and in demand considering that it now takes $5 billion USD in conflicts resolution and these costs are increasing 10% each year (Michel). This quantitative data is such an advantage for CSI considering that their cli ents would settle on larger amounts just for this dispute prevention and resolution. Definitely, the groundwork of this business is trust. The more the clients trust the business the better, for they will continue to seek the services the business offered. Value Proposition (s) Competition is always present in almost all business industries nowadays. And in order to survive, the business must develop value propositions which will create a strong gap between the company and the competitors. Value Proposition 1: CSI employed construction professionals who are highly equipped with experience and academic credentials - To have skillful employees suitable for the business, CSI developed specialized training and professional development which is

Various Hazards in the Various Industries Assignment

Various Hazards in the Various Industries - Assignment Example It is important to highlight that this paper or assignment delves into the discussion of the various hazards to the various industries. It is again worth noting that the paper presents what does not happen in real life but are rather hypothetical. In the paper, the following sectors of economic development have been selected for the presentation. The construction industry, manufacturing, transportation, and the mining industries were the chosen industries in question. The hazards range from environmental to human (Steve, 2004). In the construction industry, there are various hazards that the people who work there could possibly fall victims of. A good example is a case where the construction materials fall on the worker probably because there was an earthquake, collision from a machine or any other form of vibrating machine. These can cause some danger to the people and any other form of life in the surrounding (Steve, 2004). In the manufacturing industry, the hazards that can possibly be associated with the industry are the cases where the manufacturers at some point can decide to introduce a harmful substance into the products that they manufacture. These could be quite hazardous to the life of the consumers of the products affected by these kinds of acts (Steve, 2004). Another industry that can as well affected by the hazards is the transport industry. Under this, the hazards can arise when there are mechanical breakdowns in the various media of transport and even the poor modes of transportation in the areas. Poor weather conditions can also be potential causes of the hazards that are associated with the industry in hand (Steve, 2004). It is also important to note that the mining industry is the most affected. The miners underground can suffocate while they are underneath due to the insufficient air supply as well as the high temperatures.   The land above them similarly is quite dangerous to their lives as it can be triggered due to the isostatic adjustments and the magma movement in the mantle that is a result of the conventional current in the mantle too (Steve, 2004).

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Why you cannot prepare a tax return showing these deductions unless he Assignment

Why you cannot prepare a tax return showing these deductions unless he can provide the receipts - Assignment Example The IRC Section 274 prescribes strict and specific documentation requirements for all business expenses claimed for travel purposes. Due to this prescription, the receipts will be required to fully substantiate your travel deductions (Pope, Anderson, Kramer, & Bandy, 2007). It is against the federal law to complete tax returns without the back up documents to verify the reported information. Moreover tax returns are prepared under the penalty for perjury and therefore it is equally vital to confirm all the details in the process of completing the tax returns. In view of this, i am under the standards prescribed in the IRC Section 6694, which demands that I prove the documented information before I prepare the tax returns for you. The fact that the reported figures cannot be adequately substantiated due to the absence of receipts, the benefits associated with some of these large deductions will be lost. As a matter of fact, there is a high probative value in these contemporaneous records of which it is for your own advantage that you avail them before the tax returns are

The Embalming Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Embalming Process - Essay Example In this way, most of the blood is replaced by a fluid that will better preserve the corpse. This process usually requires about two gallons of the embalming fluid, which is a "mixture of formaldehyde and or other chemical-and water" ("What You Should Know"). The embalmer must ensure that the fluid circulates through the body, using both a mechanical pump and manually massaging the corpse to do so ("Embalming"). Then end effect is the presence of embalming fluid in the veins and arteries of the body. Having completed the arterial embalming, the next step for the embalmer is cavity embalming. During this step, "a tocar-a long, pointed, metal tube attached to a suction hose-is inserted close to the navel" ("What You Should Know"). The purpose of this is to remove some of the gases and liquids within the chest cavities. These cavities are then filled with a formaldehyde based fluid, again with the aim of preserving the insides of the corpse ("What You Should Know"). The third step in the embalming process is hypodermic embalming. This involves the "injection of embalming chemicals under the skin as needed" ("Embalming").

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Various Hazards in the Various Industries Assignment

Various Hazards in the Various Industries - Assignment Example It is important to highlight that this paper or assignment delves into the discussion of the various hazards to the various industries. It is again worth noting that the paper presents what does not happen in real life but are rather hypothetical. In the paper, the following sectors of economic development have been selected for the presentation. The construction industry, manufacturing, transportation, and the mining industries were the chosen industries in question. The hazards range from environmental to human (Steve, 2004). In the construction industry, there are various hazards that the people who work there could possibly fall victims of. A good example is a case where the construction materials fall on the worker probably because there was an earthquake, collision from a machine or any other form of vibrating machine. These can cause some danger to the people and any other form of life in the surrounding (Steve, 2004). In the manufacturing industry, the hazards that can possibly be associated with the industry are the cases where the manufacturers at some point can decide to introduce a harmful substance into the products that they manufacture. These could be quite hazardous to the life of the consumers of the products affected by these kinds of acts (Steve, 2004). Another industry that can as well affected by the hazards is the transport industry. Under this, the hazards can arise when there are mechanical breakdowns in the various media of transport and even the poor modes of transportation in the areas. Poor weather conditions can also be potential causes of the hazards that are associated with the industry in hand (Steve, 2004). It is also important to note that the mining industry is the most affected. The miners underground can suffocate while they are underneath due to the insufficient air supply as well as the high temperatures.   The land above them similarly is quite dangerous to their lives as it can be triggered due to the isostatic adjustments and the magma movement in the mantle that is a result of the conventional current in the mantle too (Steve, 2004).

The Embalming Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Embalming Process - Essay Example In this way, most of the blood is replaced by a fluid that will better preserve the corpse. This process usually requires about two gallons of the embalming fluid, which is a "mixture of formaldehyde and or other chemical-and water" ("What You Should Know"). The embalmer must ensure that the fluid circulates through the body, using both a mechanical pump and manually massaging the corpse to do so ("Embalming"). Then end effect is the presence of embalming fluid in the veins and arteries of the body. Having completed the arterial embalming, the next step for the embalmer is cavity embalming. During this step, "a tocar-a long, pointed, metal tube attached to a suction hose-is inserted close to the navel" ("What You Should Know"). The purpose of this is to remove some of the gases and liquids within the chest cavities. These cavities are then filled with a formaldehyde based fluid, again with the aim of preserving the insides of the corpse ("What You Should Know"). The third step in the embalming process is hypodermic embalming. This involves the "injection of embalming chemicals under the skin as needed" ("Embalming").

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Papa johns Essay Example for Free

Papa johns Essay Fried Oysters cassia salt, seaweed salad 11. 95 39. 95 cup of clam chowder, steamers, mussels, chourico, corn on the cob, steamed 1-1. 25 lb. lobster (larger sizes available please inquire) Crispy Montauk Calamari 12. 95 Baked Stuffed Lobster add 6. 00 Shrimp Wontons 10. 95 steamed or fried with seaweed salad Wood Grilled †¢ regular †¢ spicy †¢ Rhode Island style (hot peppers and garlic) †¢ Thai style (pineapple and peanuts) Sriracha Popcorn Shrimp 9. 95 shrimp scallop buttery cracker stuf? ng comes with choice of two house sides or opt for two premium sides for an addi onal 1. 50 each kettle corn, sriracha mayo Bang Bang Cauliflower kung pao 5. 95 Warm Spinach and Feta Dip 6. 95 whole wheat pita chips Beef Lettuce Wraps 8. 95 kimchi, scallion ginger sauce Chowders Salads New England Clam Chowder cup 5. 25 bowl 7. 50 Lite Clam Chowder cup 5. 25 bowl 7. 50 Swordfish Tuna* cooked medium rare Faroe Island Salmon Arctic Char Bluefish Rainbow Trout Shrimp Sea Scallops Haddock Marinated Steak Tips* 29. 95 29. 95 25. 95 25. 95 19. 95 19. 95 22. 95 Market Price 23. 95 18. 95 add a skewer of scallops 8. 95 or shrimp 6. 95.selections based on quality and availability Fish Chowder cup 5. 25 bowl 7. 50 Lobster Bisque cup 7. 50 bowl 11. 50 authentic creamy bisque garnished with lobster House Salad 6. 50 cherry tomato, shaved carrot and sunflower seeds, creamy romano peppercorn dressing or tomato balsamic vinaigrette Wedge Salad 9. 95 blue cheese, bacon, tomatoes and blue cheese vinaigrette Classic Caesar Salad 6. 50 romaine, garlic croutons, shaved romano, creamy dressing chnut/fram/pbdy/sshore dinner 111213 *Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness. More information about the safety of consuming raw food is available upon request. Legal Classics Legal’s Signature Crab Cake Combo 29. 95 one jumbo lump crab cake, grilled shrimp and scallops mustard sauce, seasonal salad Legal’s Signature Crab Cakes two jumbo lump crab cakes, mustard sauce, seasonal salad 28. 95 Baked Stuffed Shrimp Casserole jumbo shrimp, buttery crabmeat stuffing, choice of one house side 25. 95 Nutty Atlantic Salmon almond encrusted, sauteed in a lemon caper butter sauce, mushroom ravioli and spinach 25. 95 Shrimp and Garlic sauteed with tomato, scallions and mushrooms, tossed with fresh pasta 22. 95 Lemon Caper Grey Sole lemon beurre blanc, jasmine rice, sauteed spinach 26. 95 Anna’s Baked Boston Scrod 21. 95 seasoned crumbs, roasted tomato, jasmine rice, seasonal vegetables (cod or haddock depending on landings) Wood Grilled Assortment* 27. 95 chef’s choice of three fish (can be cooked medium rare), shrimp, scallops, choice of two house sides Jasmine Special steamed shrimp and broccoli over jasmine rice with melted monterey jack cheese (available with brown rice) 22. 95 Cioppino lobster, scallops, shrimp, calamari, littlenecks, mussels and whitefish in a light tomato broth 27. 95 Vegetarian Box (vegan friendly, contains nuts/peanuts) 19. 95 sesame soy stir-fried vegetables, Thai red coconut curry sauce, cashews, tofu and brown rice, with Shrimp 25. 95 or Scallops 26. 95 Seafood Casserole 26. 95 scallops, shrimp, lobster, whitefish and cheese baked with sherry garlic butter or cream sauce, choice of one house side Surf Turf Crispy Fried french fries and cole slaw Creekstone 6 oz. filet, smoked shrimp butter, choice of two house sides. Fisherman’s Platter 27. 95 shrimp, scallops, calamari, clams whitefish Grilled Shrimp, Scallops Filet* 40. 95 New England Fried Clams 24. 50 Baked Stuffed Shrimp Filet* 40. 95 Creekstone 6 oz. filet, smoked shrimp butter, choice of two house sides Steamed 1 1. 25 lb. Lobster Filet* 44. 95 whole-bellied, sweet petite Fish Chips regular or spicy 16. 95 Creekstone 6 oz. filet, smoked shrimp butter, choice of two house sides Shrimp 22. 95 Wood Grilled Creekstone 8 oz. Filet Mignon* 33. 50 Sea Scallops Market Price smoked shrimp butter, choice of two house sides *can be undercooked upon request Marinated Grilled Chicken 21. 95 broccoli, mashed potatoes, lemon chive butter sauce House Sides french fries onion strings brown rice broccoli cheese cole slaw (1. 95) a la carte house sides 4. 50 Crispy Fried Fillets †¢ Cod 21. 95 †¢ Haddock 23. 95 †¢ Sole 26. 95 Premium Sides seaweed salad jasmine rice mashed potatoes baked potato jalapeno cheddar polenta sauteed kale 1. 50 honey yogurt, roasted peanuts roasted mushrooms 1. 50 con? t shallots, herb oil, garlic butter. Flavors roasted root vegetables 1. 50 black pepper orange caramel sauce a la carte premium sides 5. 50 everything spice cajun spice chettinad spice red onion jam shandong sauce lemon chive butter smoked shrimp butter Please note: Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy. *Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness. More information about the safety of consuming raw food is available upon request. chnut/fram/pbdy dinner 111213.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Analysis of Profitability Ratios

Analysis of Profitability Ratios If a company shows good profitability then the shareholders can expect good profit distribution on their investment. For this purpose we should also examine the dividend payment history of the company in order to make a reliable estimate of profit distribution. So far as the Spectrum Manufacturing Company [SMC] is concerned, its profitability is decreasing. The reasons of the decrease in profitability are: Decrease in sales Increase in interest expenses Increase in the amount of depreciation [may not be a concern, since it is non cash expense. Further increase the depreciation will ultimately decrease tax liability] The disadvantages of using above ratios are that these ratios may not provide an accurate estimate of the company profitability if used individually. The ratios calculated above should be used with other techniques in order to get more accurate and reliable estimate of the company financial position. The above ratios also ignore the impact of items which may result in low profitability but may increase share holders wealth maximization. For example, depreciation charged and interest expenses paid will ultimately decrease the tax liability of the company resulting in more profits available for distribution. The are many methods to calculate the leveraging of the company some considers long term debt while others considers both long term and short term debt of the company so this ratio should be calculated as per the requirements. The ratio of ROCE ignores the impact of risk taken by the company. We may use RROCE [Risk Adjusted Return on Capital Employed] in order to get a more reliable estimate. The following additional techniques and tools can be used for the analysis of SMC: Cash Flow Analysis [Liquidity Ratios] Peer Group Comparison Inventory turn over ratio Average collection period Price earning ratio Taxation structure of the countries where the company wants to enter Exchange rate risk. The Board of Directors are the agent of shareholders (Principal). It is the responsibility of the BOD to act in the best interest of shareholders. But there are chances that the BOD may not act in the interest of shareholders due to some potential conflict of interest. The conflict of interest may arise due to difference in goals and objectives of BOD and shareholders. However different techniques can be used to reduce the chances of conflict of interest such as profit participation, performance based remuneration etc. The dividend policy is related with the profit distribution of the company. The investor would like to invest in a company which has a good dividend policy. The dividend policy is normally affected by the stage of business and future expansion plans. The dividend policy is important due to the following reasons: The dividend policy plays an important role in attracting the investors High dividends may result in higher share price of the company [market capitalization] Distribution of dividend in the form of cash shows good liquidity position of the company. The debt financing is normally encouraged due to the fact that the interest expenses are deductable for taxation purposes while the dividend paid to share holders is not considered as an expense for taxation purposes. Three main sources of financing: Debt Financing from financial institutions Subscription money from shareholders Subordinated debt form sponsors Government Grants

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen Essay -- Lies Teacher Told Loe

James Loewen wrote the book ?Lies My Teacher Told ME? to help the students of the United States become aware of their true history. This book attempts to show how and why American history has been taught the way it has without regard for the truth. Mr. Loewen had compared twelve different history textbooks they are: The Great Republic, The American Way, Land of Promise, Rise of the American Nation, Challenge of Freedom, American Adventures, Discovering American History, The American Tradition, Life and Liberty, The United States ? A History of the Republic, Triumph of the American Nation and The American Pageant. Loewen has argued his cases for Heroification, Euorcentrism and the first settlers, and Racism in our history. He has done this knowing fully that most people do not want to know the harsh realities of our nations past. The United States has tried to maintain a positive image throughout history. Unfortunately, it has many skeletons in its closet that need to come out to heal this great nation on many levels. If the public at large new the real role of racism in our nations infancy and how men tried to pursue their way of thinking as opposed to what is good for the country they would be ashamed at what the United States has stood for in the past. Heroification is a degenerative process that makes people into heroes regardless of any type of character flaw they may possess. It appears that Mr. Loewen?s greatest concern about heroification does not revolve around who gets chosen for the history books but what actually happens to them after they do. He cites two examples of people that had led colored lives but in our textbooks show them as people we should strive to become like. These two people are Helen Keller and President Woodrow Wilson. (Lies?19) Mr. Loewen feels that heroification has distorted the lives of Keller and Wilson and that we can no longer think straight about them. He does not just think this of these two but many other people throughout history. When it comes to Keller we think of someone who, throughout her entire life has struggled to overcome her disabilities. I feel that no one would dispute this but in reality Miss Keller was a radical Socialist for most of her life. This in itself is not so bad but her condemnation of the country into which she was born to and lived in could be considered treasonous. (Lies?20) President W... ...ime of the author rather then accurate historical facts. (Lies?293) Textbooks are being written this way and history is being taught this way to show people how they should act and strive to be. This relays to the student what is deemed acceptable to everyone and what is not. When it comes to a student remembering historical lessons they normally do not remember what is being taught to them unless they are moved by it. (Lies?301) So what is the result to a society where our students are being taught this way? The number one result is that students do not know the true history of their country nor do they remember what they were taught in class. This is a sad conclusion but Mr. Loewen feels it is an accurate one given responses to questions he has asked his students throughout the years. What can we do to change this and reeducate the people out there? Sadly I feel nothing can be done for those of us out there who are not truly aware of this misinformed way of teaching. But, our c hildren need not be sheltered from our true history, rather they should learn all that has happened so we can prevent the atrocities from reoccurring again. (Lies My Teacher Told Me ? James Loewen)

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Pain of the Okies Exposed in The Grapes of Wrath Essay -- Grapes W

The Pain of the Okies Exposed in The Grapes of Wrath      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Dust bowl was an ecological and human disaster in the Southwestern Great Plains regions of the United States in the 1930's. The areas affected were Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. The poor handling of the land and years of drought caused this great disaster (Jones "History"). During this time the "Okies"--a name given to the migrants that traveled from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, or anywhere in the Southwest or the northern plains to California--encountered many hardships. These hardships are brilliantly shown in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Scholars agree, "The most important fact about the dust storms was not scientific but human: their tragic effect upon people seeking livelihood on the stricken Midwestern farms" (French 4). Steinbeck believed society was inhumane to the Okies and through his novel we can account for how the Okies were treated. By looking at Steinbeck's own personal background and information from historical commentaries we are be tter able to grasp his reasoning for writing the novel because he understood what it was like to grow up as a farmer, and an outsider. More importantly, however, we are able to share in his compassion for the Okies.   Ã‚  Ã‚   To fully understand Steinbeck's reasoning for writing the novel it is important to look at his family and where he grew up. John Ernst Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas California. His parents were middle-class people who played many roles in the community and cultural life. His father worked as a manager of a flourmill, and his mother taught in a one-room rural school (Swisher 13).   Ã‚  Ã‚   As a child John Steinbeck was shy, and kids often teased him ... ...tions. Reading this book can help us comprehend how close their present is to our past.       Work Cited French, Warren, ed. A Companion to The Grapes of Wrath. New Jersy: Augustus M. Kelley, 1972. Hinton, Rebecca. "Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath." Explicator 56 (1990). 11 Sept. 2000<http://ehostvgw1.ep...20%22%Grapes%20of%220Wrath%22%20&fuzzyTerm=> Jones, Andrew. "Charity of the Poor." Analysis of The Grapes of Wrath. N.D. Accessed: 7 Sept. 2000 <http://www.ultranet.com/~gregjonz/grapes/irony.htm> Jones, Andrew. "History of the Dust Bowl." Background History for The Grapes of Wrath. N.D. Accessed: 7 Sept. 2000<http:///www.ultranet.com/~gregjonz/Dust/dustbowl.html> Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking, 1967. Swisher, Clarice,ed. Readings on John Steinbeck. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1996.    The Pain of the Okies Exposed in The Grapes of Wrath Essay -- Grapes W The Pain of the Okies Exposed in The Grapes of Wrath      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Dust bowl was an ecological and human disaster in the Southwestern Great Plains regions of the United States in the 1930's. The areas affected were Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. The poor handling of the land and years of drought caused this great disaster (Jones "History"). During this time the "Okies"--a name given to the migrants that traveled from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, or anywhere in the Southwest or the northern plains to California--encountered many hardships. These hardships are brilliantly shown in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Scholars agree, "The most important fact about the dust storms was not scientific but human: their tragic effect upon people seeking livelihood on the stricken Midwestern farms" (French 4). Steinbeck believed society was inhumane to the Okies and through his novel we can account for how the Okies were treated. By looking at Steinbeck's own personal background and information from historical commentaries we are be tter able to grasp his reasoning for writing the novel because he understood what it was like to grow up as a farmer, and an outsider. More importantly, however, we are able to share in his compassion for the Okies.   Ã‚  Ã‚   To fully understand Steinbeck's reasoning for writing the novel it is important to look at his family and where he grew up. John Ernst Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas California. His parents were middle-class people who played many roles in the community and cultural life. His father worked as a manager of a flourmill, and his mother taught in a one-room rural school (Swisher 13).   Ã‚  Ã‚   As a child John Steinbeck was shy, and kids often teased him ... ...tions. Reading this book can help us comprehend how close their present is to our past.       Work Cited French, Warren, ed. A Companion to The Grapes of Wrath. New Jersy: Augustus M. Kelley, 1972. Hinton, Rebecca. "Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath." Explicator 56 (1990). 11 Sept. 2000<http://ehostvgw1.ep...20%22%Grapes%20of%220Wrath%22%20&fuzzyTerm=> Jones, Andrew. "Charity of the Poor." Analysis of The Grapes of Wrath. N.D. Accessed: 7 Sept. 2000 <http://www.ultranet.com/~gregjonz/grapes/irony.htm> Jones, Andrew. "History of the Dust Bowl." Background History for The Grapes of Wrath. N.D. Accessed: 7 Sept. 2000<http:///www.ultranet.com/~gregjonz/Dust/dustbowl.html> Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking, 1967. Swisher, Clarice,ed. Readings on John Steinbeck. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1996.   

Friday, October 11, 2019

How Cultural Environment Impacts the Marketing

How cultural environment impacts the marketing Culture Culture as described by Herks, M. cited by Rai University (n. d) â€Å"culture may be viewed as the sum total of man’s knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, loves, customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society†. It is the totality way of life for a man. The other definition by Hofstede (1980) cited by Jones, D. & McCarthy, J. (2004) states that â€Å"culture as the collective programming of the mind which distinguished the member of one human group from another†. Culture can be different from one group to another and can distinguish the way of living of the human from such groups. As different societies have different cultures as believes and values, these eventually shapes the people living and growing in that society (Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. 2008). A culture of a certain society for example can shape the way of clothing for that society. People growing and living in that society will have a belief and value on the certain type of clothing. A Masai tribe from the northern part of Tanzania for example maintains their culture of wearing, where they wear a single peace of red or blue drafted sheet by wrapping it around their whole body. Marketing According to Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2008) marketing can be defined as â€Å"the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return†. Marketing involves identify and satisfying customer needs and hence building strong relationship with such customers. Norris, B. 2006) describe marketing as a process of analyzing and identifying potentials buyers, attracting potential buyers, convincing or persuading them to accept and buy the products. Cultural impact on marketing As already described on the above paragraphs, cultural environment shape the way people do things which in turn has an effect on the marketing activities. Let’s take clothing as a case to analyze the impact of culture on marketing. Culture has a big influence on types of clothing that are used by different societies. The people in India have their specific type of clothing that has been built from their culture. If as well we look at Muslims societies, Chinese societies, the Masai societies, they all have their type of clothing that they believe in and have been adopting for years which is different from one another. It is imperative that marketers understanding these cultural environment before starting to conduct their marketing activities. According to Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2008), marketers â€Å"needs to predict the cultural shift in order to spot new opportunities or threats†. This implies that there need to be an understanding of the existing culture that can help in predicting the shift. If for example a company producing shirts and trousers intend to extend its market to the masai region, it will need an intensive effort to persuade the people in masai region to abandon their culture and accept the new product. Marketers in this case may face great criticisms and oppositions from those who are supposed to be the potential buyers. On the hand it would take less effort to market same products in areas where there are cultural shift or no cultural restrictions on types of clothing. Reference: Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2008) ‘Principal of Marketing’ 12th Edn. Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Norris, B. 2006) ‘What is Marketing? ’ [online] available from: http://www. briannorris. com/whatismarketing. html (accessed June 1, 2008) Jones, D. & McCarthy, J. (2004) ‘A model for Assessing Cultural Impacts on International Buyer-Seller Relationships for Key Accounts of Hotel Companies’ vol 28-425, [online] available from: http://jht. sagepub. com/cgi/reprint/28/4/425 (accessed June 1, 2008). Rai University (n. d), ‘lesson 8: Cultural environment and its Impact on International Marketing’, [online] available from: http://www. rocw. raifoundation. org/management/bba/InternationalMarketing/lecture-notes/lecture-08. pdf (accessed June 1, 2008).

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Summary on “Violence, Older Peers, and the Socialization of Adolescent Boys in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods”

I will be writing a summary of the journal article â€Å"Violence, Older Peers, and the Socialization of Adolescent Boys in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods† written by David J. Harding (2009), who argues that, â€Å"cross-cohort socialization by older neighborhood peers is one source of socialization for adolescent boys† (Page 445). He uses primary data collection from 60 adolescent boys in three Boston neighborhoods to â€Å"understand the causes and consequences of these interactions and relationships† (Harding, 2009, Pg. 445).In the journal article â€Å"Violence, Older Peers, and the Socialization of Adolescent Boys in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods† by David J. Harding, Harding (2009) suggests that disadvantaged neighborhoods influence how adolescents make romantic and educational decisions. Adolescents are also more likely socialized with the more accessible older people in the neighborhood who don’t have a job, and work on the streets. The young peo ple feel that socializing with older men in their community that work in the â€Å"underground† economy helps with navigation through the dangerous streets and the older men influence their decision.The social isolation theory â€Å"argues that lack of participation in the mainstream labor market isolates residents of inner-city communities from middle-class social groups, organizations, and institutions† (Wilson, 1996, pg. 446). That theory, according to Harding (2009), suggests that kids in communities that are have high unemployment, don’t experience a life that is organized around their families work place, so some don’t feel like they need to join the work force in the future for a source of income.They see their community make a living on the streets. One hole in the social isolation theory is that it does not address that in inner-city neighbors, people do, in fact, share some of the same ideals as other social classes such as the desire to get mar ried and the importance of education (Harding, 2009). In ghetto-cultured neighborhoods, even decent families are competing with their child’s peers when it comes to influencing their decisions on sex, crime and school.Adolescents look up to young men who are higher ups in the neighborhood due to their success in the streets (Harding 2009). Violence in inner-city neighborhoods is also a way to move up in the social totem pole of the community showing your masculinity and earn respect. Harding suggests his own theory; he had a methodology for primary data collection. He interviewed 60 adolescent boys between the ages of 13 to 18 in three ghetto locations in Boston.In his investigations, he found that violence in disadvantaged neighborhoods is rarely random or accidental; it is directly related to interpersonal relationships and on going conflicts (2009). Another observation was, â€Å"the younger adolescent boys of Roxbury Crossing and Franklin struggle to cope with the ever-p resent threat of violence, relationships with older peers are one strategy for securing at least a measure of protection†¦By contrast, adolescent boys in Lower Mills face a much lower threat of victimization.Their social lives are not structured by strong neighborhood identities that restrict social networks or the use of geographic space, so strategies for reducing the threat of victimization are less necessary† (Harding, 2009, Pg. 452). In Harding’s investigations, he takes note that there is big distinction between neighborhoods. He gives the example of a kid named Marcus that has a neighbor who owed him $4, but since he didn’t want to fight his neighbor, he threatened his neighbor’s friend that lived in another neighborhood to get his money back.There is a large amount of respect between people in the same neighborhood and big rivalries between different neighborhoods (2009). Parents in Lower Mills don’t have to worry about their children g etting jumped or fighting. They go to the park and have a good time. On the other hand, parents of children in Roxbury and Franklin are constantly worrying about whether their children are getting involved with dangers on the streets. Neighborhood identity has a lot to do with violence (Harding, 2009).Violence is a defining characteristic of impoverish neighborhoods and it structures kids lives and socialization (Harding, 2009). According to Harding, â€Å"With respect to social organization theory, this article shows how the failure of a community to control violence can have spillover effects in other domains through the impact of violence on the age-structure of peer networks† (2009, pg. 462). References Harding, David. (2009). Violence, Older Peers, and the Socialization of Adolescent Boys in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods. American Sociological Review. 74, (3), 445-464.