Harvard Business Review Lady Gaga (B) - 1893 Words

Lady Gaga is a singer, songwriter that has recently reached superstar status. Her footprint began within the music industry in 2008 and since then, she has become a household name. However, music is not the only entity that makes Lady Gaga a household name. Because her artistic nature goes beyond creating music, brands have sought her creative talent. She had a hand in designing headphones created by a legendary artist and producer (France, 2009), and has designed Polaroid Products like camera glasses and an instant digital camera (Lady gaga named, 2010). Lady Gaga also has a brand partnership with mobile telephone network operator, Virgin Mobile and is a contributor to the MAC Cosmetics’ Viva Glam advertising campaign (Vena, 2010).†¦show more content†¦They also must consider the risk of uncontrollable circumstances. For example, concerts canceled due to venue or weather issues. It is imperative to identify the target audience of Gaga and the current environment capa ble of promoting a steady growth for new Lady Gaga fans who will patronize seats for a new concert. Based on her popularity and ability to fill up â€Å"mega† venues during her Monster’s Ball Tour, Carter could look at additional venues that support larger crowds and consider cities that Lady Gaga has yet to perform. Section III: Secondary Problems While reaching superstar status within the music industry presents multiple challenges, activities behind the scenes are what makes or breaks an artist. The level of collaboration involved in producing an album or hosting a tour is equally critical as Lady Gaga remembering the words to her songs. With any success story, long hours and hard work are always involved. Lady Gaga would not want her team overworked, without rewarding results. Lady Gaga’s team has what it takes to have an off the charts album. HBR Case #2 5 They must first decide whether concert-ticket sales or recorded-music sales are more important in launching her new album and forwarding her music career. In a sense, Lady Gaga’s compelling image is congruent with her music, which led her career to skyrocket.Show MoreRelatedMarketing Mix Analysis, And s Growth Matrix3309 Words   |  14 Pages Executive Summary Beats By Dre has quickly become a global brand since its release in 2008. People have criticized their products, calling them overrated. Our goal today isn’t to review the products Beats has released, but to analyze the strategies Beats went through to become the best selling headphone company. It is important to understand the strategies companies have used to learn from not only their successes but also their failures. This report will address and highlight strategies suchRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. 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Nowadays, the most frequently used approach to make money forRead MoreSocial Media Business Model Analysis - Case Tencent, Facebook, and Myspace34799 Words   |  140 Pagesl Social Media Business Model Analysis - Case Tencent, Facebook, and Myspace Logistics Masters thesis Xiaoyan Hu 2011 Department of Information and Service Economy Aalto University School of Economics ABSTRACT The term of social media is becoming increasingly popular presently, the amount of social media users is growing dramatically, and the monetization of social media has been discussed in publications but not in details. Nowadays, the most frequently used approach to make money forRead MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 PagesStudent Work Assignments Case Study Teaching Notes 6 7 8 8 12 19 20 25 27 27 28 28 29 Chapters 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 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The Ambassadors of Law Enforcement The History of the...

The Ambassadors of Law Enforcement: The History of the United States Marshals There is a very rich history surrounding the United States Marshals; beginning with the lawlessness that spread throughout the land. On any given day, a western can be televised showing how the cowboys and other outlaws ran amuck and terrorized the people. The President decided it was time to do something about all of the crime and lawlessness that existed, hence, the U.S. Marshals Service. In 1790 the Marshals Service came to be, and so began the hunt for desperados and other murderous criminals and their reign. After the induction of the first United States Marshals by the President of the then United States, George Washington, the Marshals began†¦show more content†¦Marshals conducted the national census this was required by Congress. The census was to take place every ten years. Nowadays the census is still conducted every ten years; however this is no longer a duty held by the U.S. Marshals s ervice. More facts about the marshals is only time in the history of the United States that a President actually rode with the state militia and the U.S. Marshals took place in September of 1794, when George Washington led them to capture the Whiskey Rebels, this was a rebellion of farmers who used their extra grain to make whiskey and sale it. A new tax was imposed and a rebellion began. Naturally President Washington, and The Marshals, and the militia prevailed. Another duty that once belonged to the U.S. Marshals was to capture run-away slaves. Upon the passage of a law (The Fugitive slave law of 1850), the Marshals would hunt and capture run-aways and return them to their owners. If any marshal or deputy marshals was found to be negligent in performing his duties under this new law, they were imposed a severe financial penalty. In the â€Å"Old West â€Å"era the Marshals came in and with them they brought law and order. They captured, or killed outlaws such as Bill Doolin; t he founder of the wild bunch, Doolin and his gang were bank robbers, Doolin was killed by a U.S. Deputy Marshal. Other outlaws captured by the marshals were Billy the Kid and Ned Christie. These outlaw’s faces were plastered all over askingShow MoreRelatedPolice Patrols And Criminal Investigations Essay1878 Words   |  8 Pagesthe history of law enforcement operations as it relates to Police patrols and Criminal investigations. This assignment paper will determine the key law enforcement agencies that are responsible for enforcing laws related to Police patrol and Criminal investigations. I will explain at least one major change in law enforcement operations related to issues I have selected and provide one reason why the identified change was necessary. 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Social Psychology of Group Identity †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Social Psychology of Group Identity. Answer: Introduction Deviation as social behavior and delinquency as a constant phenomenon in society has been debated historically and its consequent social control. The conception of the natural crime of Rafael Garazo who in his book that gives the name to that nascent discipline "The Criminology" published in 1885, in which he commented referring to the dangerousness of the human being: Fear is the psychic, subjective activity, which progresses from a weakness to a lack of feelings of piety and probity, which makes it increase in degrees of danger and social maladjustment management (Gerstenfeld, 2006). Theories of Social Control Surge towards the 1960s several theories of control, which attempt to explain crime on the basis of pressures (situations of conflict, poverty and social repression, inequality combined with inciters as attractive objects for crime, subcultures that reinforce the delinquent attitude, influence of the media that favor criminal behavior and individual impulses or frustrations. "Reckless called this incomplete discourse the theory of containment, for that the individual had elements or forces that contain people so that they do not commit crime: self-control ability, education, attachment to moral standards and the construction of a good self-concept. Other theorists such as Sykes and Matza elaborated the theory of neutralization and drift, given that most young people do not rejects frontally the conventional social norms, when transgressed they can resort to a series of mechanisms of neutralization or exculpation: they deny the responsibility, for not being able to do it better; deny the victim disqualifying it, appeal to undue loyalties, defense of the need for their conduct, defense of a value, denial of justice; the "world does it," etc (Healey, 2006). The most widely spread and studied Theory of Social Control or Social Links of Travis Hirschi, formulated in 1969 in his book "Causes of Delinquency". After a field study on juvenile delinquency, based on information collected from the youth themselves, their parents, school and other people close to them, concludes that the genesis of criminal behavior would not be found in the acquisition of disvalor and criminal rules, but in non-existence - or rupture - with social ties that are contrary to delinquency: "Criminal actions occur when the attachment of individuals to society is weak or broken." Thus, Durkehim's postulates when he defined anomie as referring to "detachment from norms, loss of social solidarity management , weakening of collective consciousness, moral convictions, then generates social disintegration" (Inciardi, 2010). Theory of Consensus If we collect the above, we will have a series of positions, tendencies or theories that start from the thesis that moral and legal normative integration would guarantee social harmony; that individual and collective attachment to moral foundations, values, principles and legal norms, is essential to maintain a coherence in the social fabric. The positive differential association according to Sutherlan; containment forces such as education and the internalization of values as Reckless's contention theory states, in order to form an adequate self-concept that would dissociate us from or depart from criminogenic factors as Hirschi put it well in his theory of social bonds. In such a way that society as projected by Durkehim must be amalgamated with moral values as the only dykes of contention that would alienate the social individual from criminal behavior (Merino, 2013).This is called Theory of Social Consensus, a discourse that is postulated as the union of criter ia to establish the behaviors or behaviors conventionally accepted in the society, as well as the actions that must be criminalized. The social order is therefore based on consensus and the law represents the protection of the basic values of the whole national structure or system (status quo). Thus the State guarantees in pluralistic society a neutral application of laws, putting the general interests of society before individuals or groups. Criminology would then examine (as it has been doing) the causes of criminal behavior that separate certain people from the consensus. For these individuals are the minority elements of society that do not adapt to the guidelines that society and the state seek for harmonious coexistence, and consequently develop a pathological reality that must be repressed (Merino, 2013). The informal social control of crime has been an efficient mechanism until the mid-twentieth century, and given the social reaction: deprivation status, labeling or labeling approach, marked social injustices, wild differences in the redistribution of wealth , exploitation and class consciousness, this mechanism has worn away and there is only formal social control, a way in which the consensus society has taken refuge to keep distance with the stigmatized subject as a delinquent potential. It is through laws, prosecution management, police, courts and detention centers how control is exercised over individuals or social groups considered potential offenders, because of their social class stigma fundamental.IV. Theories of Conflict (Radical Criminology, Critical Criminology and New Criminology) The social control of criminal behavior within the framework of the class struggle, the confrontation between sectors and diverse social groups with conflicting or conflicting interests has been included. From Enrico Ferri in 1884 to Karl Marx at the same time: The first came to the conclusion that it was not poverty itself but the unequal distribution of wealth that determines the level of delinquency; and the second explained and quoted verbatim: "In the social production of his life men enter into certain relationships (Consensus theory, 2012). Necessary, independent of their will ... All these relations of production constitute the economic structure of society, the real basis on which a legal and political building rises and respond to certain forms of social consciousness. The productive type of material life ultimately determines the vital social, political, and spiritual process. It is not the consciousness of man that determines his being, but, conversely, it is his social being that conditions his conscience. "Marx's arguments have been projected forcefully throughout the twentieth century, and although he does not propose a program of criminal policy American authors such as Chambliss in 1975 and Quinney in 1972, also Taylos, Walton and Young in 1973 (The New Criminology), structured a Marxist criminological thought: they impel the latter as a premise: "Power uses all resources and mechanisms within its reach, including the law itself and justice, to strengthen and maintain its dominant position in society (Consensus theory, 2012). This would imply that non-dominant groups would become preferential objectives of legal control " The law is merely the ideological facade of universal armed justice to protect the powerful in the pursuit of their own private interest" In those seventies XX, arises within the framework of the theories of the conflict, new criticisms of Traditional Criminology, as an explanatory causal science paraphrasing Jimmy Steward; and a good number of criminologists are exposed to the analysis of social control and justice mechanisms as a paradigm of Critical Criminology, a new epistemological tendency of criminology, without implying a new science; because it is simply a vision of the problem of social conflict that adheres to the defense of the dominated classes as victims criminalized and repressed by the Criminal Law, instrument of the State and the dominant groups of the Society (Eagly, Baron Hamilton, 2010). Critical criminology considers that it is society and the mechanisms of social c ontrol, which criminalize and seek to maintain positions of social and political privilege. The tendency is to criticize this tendency to marginalize those who disagree with the ideology of those who hold power and manipulate criminal management, with consequent structural injustices. It also criticizes the position of Traditional Criminology to consider the offender as an abnormal and pathological individual; and not a normal citizen that social pressures or circumstances have influenced him as criminal factors and delinquency (Eagly, Baron Hamilton, 2010). Criminology Critical distance away from the formalism of the Classical School, in which the offender is simply the individual who violates the law, and who defines the offense with the formal logic that it is a legal fact; and the positivists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries on the analytical observation of the delinquent: The classics worried about crime, the positivists for the delinquent. Thus Critical Criminology seeks to make the analysis not of the individual, but of society, criminality, and even more of the structures of power. Some essayists argue that it is a question of passing from a micro-criminology to a macro-criminology, seeing the whole to observe as incident of in individuals; correct society, make it fair, correcting social inequalities. The method of this modern tendency is eminently sociological (Stroebe, Kruglanski, Bar-Tal Hewstone, 2012). It is interesting to observe that for critical criminology, the figure of social control is not merely a response to crime, but a factor generating deviant behavior. In short, this trend seems to mark that society or its dominant groups are by their hegemonic attitude criminalizing, defining or formulating the crime; and that the delinquent is the dominated. This seems to be the perspective of the two tendencies of Critical Criminology: the labeling approach and Marxist thought. Some Postulates of Conflict Theor ies Consider that crime is a function of existing conflicts in any society, without which such conflicts must necessarily harmful or dysfunctional. The social order of a plural society does not rest on a supposed consensus, but on dissent. Since conflict is inherent in society itself, conflict in the present era is antagonistic and conflictive; part of the dynamic evolution of the peoples.v Conflict is functional, since it generally contributes to positive social change; conflict does not express a pathological reality, but rather the structure and dynamics of the social process. Law represents the values and interests of the ruling classes, not the general interests of society. Criminal justice integrates the mechanism of social control and manage the application of the laws in accordance with the interests of the ruling classes. Deviant behavior is a reaction to the unequal and unjust distribution of power and wealth in society. To conclude I must again mention this Spanish author who does the following reflection on the theories of conflict: In general it can be admitted that the most positive contribution of theories of conflict lies in the critical demystification of the "consensual" paradigm. With remarkable realism they have emphasized that modern society is a plural society and therefore necessarily "conflictive". And that conflict can contribute decisively to integration and social change, as the consensus itself. A certain conflict can explain certain manifestations of criminality, that seems indisputable. Now every criminal fact must not be relegated to a conflict existing in the social system; this would be an unfounded generalization (Davies, Croall Tyrer, 2010). References Consensus theory. (2012). [Place of publication not identified]. Davies, M., Croall, H., Tyrer, J. (2010).Criminal justice. New York: Pearson Longman. Eagly, A., Baron, R., Hamilton, V. (2010).Social psychology of group identity and social conflict. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Gerstenfeld, P. (2006).Criminal justice. Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press. Healey, J. (2006).Criminal justice. Thirroul, N.S.W.: Spinney Press. Inciardi, J. (2010).Criminal justice. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Merino, N. (2013).Criminal justice. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press. Stroebe, W., Kruglanski, A., Bar-Tal, D., Hewstone, M. (2012).The social psychology of intergroup conflict. Berlin [u.a.]: Springer.

Belonging in Aboriginal Poetry Oodgeroo Noonuccals Essay Example For Students

Belonging in Aboriginal Poetry: Oodgeroo Noonuccals Essay The Dispossessed and We Are Going BY Rochester Peace was yours, Australian man, with tribal laws you made, Till white colonials stole your peace with rape and murder raid; Hello everyone, my names and today I will be exploring the particular aspect of Australian belonging or rather, not belonging, found In aboriginal poetry. The two poems where this lack of belonging Is evident are both by Codger Announced are The Dispossessed and We are Going. The dispossessed by Codger Announced gives a nihilistic representation of the past ND current treatment of aboriginals and insight Into the ever-present feeling of not belonging In Australian society. The poem Itself depicts the suffering and loss the aboriginal people were subjected to upon the arrival of the first fleet following though to present day Australia. Through Announcers insight, the reader is able to establish the fact that by treating the aboriginals the way they have been and are being treated, Anglo-Australia is ignoring many key Australian values such as equality, imitates and giving someone a fair go. Having been an aboriginal rights activist and acclaimed aboriginal poet, Codger Announcers approach is consequently a political one. Her Intention Is to give Insight Into the almost departed aboriginal culture as well as attempting to better educate White Australia on the subject of aboriginals. Now, lets look at some of the devices used in the poem The Dispossessed. The nihilistic attitude of not belonging In Australia Is represented throughout The Dispossessed, Illustrated by the authors use of Dalton. Announced uses powerfully aggressive words and phrases In an attempt to Illustrate the pain and suffering felt y the aboriginal people from the arrival of the English Colonists to Australias shores in 1788, all the way to present day Australia. Her use of this technique is evident in lines such as Till white colonials stole your peace with rape and murder raid; they shot and poisoned and enslaved The use of violent terms such as rape, murder raid, shot and poisoned really paint a negative picture of the settlement of Australia and the very sudden displacement of the aboriginal people through the Claiming of their lands and a subsequent absence of equality, rights and belonging. The title of his poem is, in itself, a use of diction. The title of the poem The Dispossessed or rather the word itself dispossessed with meanings such as evicted, robbed, expelled, stripped and homeless introduces the lack of belonging felt by Australian Aboriginals, exposing their and vulnerable state which positions the reader before Another device utilized by Announced to convey the deep feelings of loss of belonging felt by the aboriginals is Metaphors. Or rather, a particular metaphor found in line nine and in the concluding line of the poem. The heart dies in you depicts the effects of the arrival of the English fleet and how the displacement from their lands saw the aboriginal populations become so disconnected from the land and themselves. Slowly yet surely, as Australia was settled as an Anglo-dominated nation Aboriginals lost their cultural heritage which is represented in the poem or rather the metaphor as being their figurative heart their core beings and identities in Australia dying, forever lost to them. This metaphor also implies through the dying of hearts that the aboriginals, deprived of their culture, are slowly dying in the curative sense encapsulating the ever-present loss of belonging in a nihilistic perspective. The authors use of this metaphor twice helps to reiterate it as a core belief and message of the poem the author wishes to make that aboriginals are going. Now, I will analyses the representation of loss of belonging in Australia in both The Dispossessed and We are going. .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df , .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .postImageUrl , .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df , .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df:hover , .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df:visited , .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df:active { border:0!important; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df:active , .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u341ed323c0d9f97030ddfd15cfc469df:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Doll's House Externalizing Inner Problems EssayFirstly, Similarities. Both of these poems are written by Codger Announced and so both contain her political beliefs concerning Australian aboriginals. Both have similar nihilistic representations of the aboriginal ass of belonging with similar poetic techniques being used. For example, both poems contain powerful metaphors such as We are the strangers here now, but the white tribe are the strangers from We are Going and the heart dies in you. Both of these metaphors help convey Announcers representation of the loss of aboriginals belonging to the reader. Both poems contain the contradiction of several key Australian values such as imitates, equality and having a fair go. Whilst there are many similarities concerning these two poems, there is one significant difference mound in the Dispossessed and not We are going. And when hypocrisy is scorned and hate is counted shame, The only shall intolerance die and old Justice cease and white and dark as brother find equality and peace These lines, found toward the end of the dispossessed are a glimpse of a desired future, a hope and a hint of a positive outlook. For a brief moment Announcers predominantly nihilistic approach disappears in favor of an optimistic attitude creating one of the major differences between these two poems. Thank you for coming to listen to me today, and I hope you enjoy the rest of poetry week.

Corporal Punishment in America

Studies have indicated that over ninety percent of parents in America spank their children. This implies that almost every child in America is spanked by his/her parents at some point. Spanking has been defined as the utilization of physical force with the aim of making a child experience pain, but not injury (Henslin, 2007). Spanking is done with the aim of controlling or correcting the behavior of a child.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporal Punishment in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the 1960s and 1970s, there were several legislations passed in the U.S in order to prevent child abuse (Straus, 2009). These laws were adopted in good faith, but experts have argued that they institutionalized the primary cause of child abuse, which is spanking. This is because most of these legislations protected the right of parents to spank their children. Moreover, the laws prohibiting child abuse are not ap plicable in schools in most cases (Straus, 2009). Parents have justified the act of spanking their children by arguing that it is essential in maintaining discipline, and making children obey their orders. However, sociological studies have indicated that spanking is a deviant way of children’s upbringing (Straus, 2009). The opponents of such way of upbringing claim that spanking teaches children that violence is a norm, especially when used by strong people against those who are weaker than they are. In addition, children learn that hitting is the best way of solving problems. Spanking causes resentment in children that can interfere with their emotional development and capacity to learn (Straus, 2009). Spanking children repeatedly also makes them rebel against their parents, and sometimes behave in inappropriate manner even at school. Research has also shown that corporal punishment can cause deep-rooted psychological problems in a child, which occur when they become adults as they remember how they were punished by their parents (Straus, 2009). Experts have argued that the difference between spanking a child and abuse is seen in the psychological damage caused. If a parent regularly spanks a child, the last one begins showing psychological problems like sever aggression, low self-esteem, withdrawal, or anxiety as a result of having been abused (Marshall, 2002).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Whether used in an abusive or non-abuse way, studies have shown that spanking children can be linked to societal problems like criminal violence, poor performance at work, and depression. In addition, hitting children contradicts the human values (Marshall, 2002). Making corporal punishment illegal is a crucial step towards solving psychological, social and emotional problems caused by this practice. For example, several decades ago, people saw nothing wrong with hitting prisoners, servants, wives, and soldiers. However, after realizing that this practice undermines the values of humanity, it was condemned and forbidden (Marshall, 2002). Then, should America make spanking illegal? Until spanking is made illegal, it can be compared to playing with fire. The American society is always at the frontline in imposing sanctions on things that are likely to be misused like arms, drugs and nuclear materials (Marshall, 2002). Allowing parents to continue spanking their children is like providing them with weapons that they can constantly use to attack their children (Marshall, 2002). Statistics indicate that approximately two thousand children in America are killed by their parents every year while exercising corporal punishment. Furthermore, some researchers have found that sixty percent of cases of child abuse start as spanking (Marshall, 2002). Spanking also causes serious injuries to about 142,000 children in America every year (Marshall, 20 02). The extent of psychological damage this practice causes to children cannot be quantified, thus this practice should be prohibited by the law. References Henslin, J. M. (2007). Down to Earth Sociology: Introductory Readings. New York, NY: Free Press. Marshall, M. J. (2002). Why Spanking Doesn’t Work: Stopping This Bad Habit and Getting the Upper Hand on Effective Discipline. Washington, DC: Bonneville Book.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporal Punishment in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Straus, M. A. (2009). Beating the Devil Out of Them: Corporal Punishment in American Families and its Effects on Children. Brunswick, N J: Transaction Publishers. This essay on Corporal Punishment in America was written and submitted by user Kody D. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Apartheid Era Blacks Act No 67 of 1952

Apartheid Era Blacks Act No 67 of 1952 Definition: The Blacks (Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents) Act No 67 of 1952 (commenced 11 July) repealed early laws, which differed from province to province, relating to the carrying of passes by Black male workers (e.g. the Native Labour Regulation Act of 1911) and instead required all black persons over the age of 16 in all provinces to carry a reference book at all times. They were required by law to produce the book when requested by any member of the police or by an administrative official. The pass included a photograph, carried details of place of origin, employment record, tax payments, and encounters with the police. A special court system was devised to enforce the pass law – people appearing at such commissioners courts were considered guilty until they had proven their innocence. During the 60s, 70s and 80s around 500,000 Blacks were arrested each year, their cases tried (mainly uncontested), and in the 60s fined or sentenced to a short prison term. From the early 70s the convicted were deported to Bantustans instead (under the Admission of Persons to the Republic regulation Act No 59 of 1972). By the mid 80s, by which time almost 20 million people had been arrested (and tried, fined, imprisoned, or deported), the pass law had become increasingly difficult to enforce and it was abandoned. Repealed by the Identification Act No 72 of 1986. Also Known As: Natives (Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents) Act No 67 of 1952

The effects of smoking on an individual Research Paper

The effects of smoking on an individual - Research Paper Example r, the bottom line is, any form smoking is a danger to the human health and so this paper will discuss how smoking causes many dangerous diseases, also how it maximally affects women who smoke, including pregnancy complications, and finally how second hand smoke is also a dangerous aspect. A recent increase in smoking habits among young adults in United States is a major public health concern. It is estimated that more than 11 million young adults are currently smoking. Studies show that smoking initiations are highly at the ages of 18 and 19 years respectively with full addiction by the age of 20 to 22 years. (Wendt, 2008). Studies have shown that for those who are smokers, 72% in adulthood started when they were young adults and continued the habit to adulthood while only 7% of current adult smokers started later in their lives. Young adulthood is pivotal in establishment of smoking because dramatic changes in their lives, work settings, networks of social circles and living arrangements or school or college increases the risk of smoking. Then, while transitioning to professional career, marriage, parenthood or other occupational roles, this smoking habit will continue, even accentuating. Cigarette smoking is a one the major preventable causes for many diseases in the United States and throughout the world. Cigarette smoking causes more than 400,000 deaths annually through one disease or another. (Wendt, 2008). That is, although smoking does not directly kill, using various toxic substances like tobacco, marijuana, opium, etc, etc it will lead to various medical complications and disease, which will cut short lives. Smoking cigarettes using these substances generates smoke containing high doses of nicotine and other dangerous elements, and this smoke will enter the human body affecting the various organs leading to various diseases. (Wendt, 2008). The smoke and thereby dangerous chemicals will first enter the lungs and that where it will have a major impact.

Twelfth Night Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Twelfth Night - Essay Example Thesis statement: The analysis based on the two versions of the play Twelfth Night (the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare and the movie She’s the Man by Andy Fickman) proves that Shakespeare’s play revolves around the central character named as Viola, but Fickman provides ample importance to the play’s theme and presents the same in a different way. Analysis This section is broadly divided into four, namely: setting, character, theme, and literary/dramatic trope/irony. Setting In the play, Shakespeare makes use of the romantic atmosphere of Illyria to unveil the mistaken identity of the heroine/hero. Besides, the playwright utilizes the atmosphere of real Illyria to stimulate the imagination of the audience. During Shakespeare’s time, less was known about Illyria because the same was a distant area from England. Robert Owen Scott states that, â€Å"Shakespeare’s Illyria is a fairy-tale land populated with dukes, ladies, knights, and jesters † (21). To be specific, the playwright introduces an imaginary setting to the Elizabethan audience. This initiative is important because the aspiration to know more about distant lands was an important characteristic of the audience during Shakespeare’s time. One can see that Shakespeare was aware of the fact that less knowledge about a place can stimulate imagination. So, the land of Illyria is symbolic of the playwright’s attempt to entertain the viewers. Besides, romance is interconnected with imagination and an imaginary atmosphere is suitable to tell a romantic tale. Frederic Kolman states that, â€Å"This is a play about love, placed in a festive atmosphere in which three couples are brought together happily† (18). Shakespeare aims to provide a pleasant mood to the play because the same suits the romantic setting of the same. On the other side, Shakespeare makes use of the story of shipwreck to connect the twins (say, Viola and Sebastian) with the dr amatic atmosphere of Illyria. This is important because shipwreck can happen anywhere and there is high possibility for anyone to be entrapped in a distant land. So Shakespeare amalgamated imagination and reality by choosing a dramatic atmosphere as the setting of his play, i.e. Illyria. On the other side, the movie based on the play provides less importance to an imaginative land because director does not try to choose a distant land as the setting. One can easily identify the fact that choosing a distant land can reduce the scope of box-office success of a film because distance is not considered as important in the modern world. So, the director amalgamated the setting into the film’s plot, i.e. the rivalry between Cornwall School and Illyria School. In addition, rivalry related to sports is an important element of the setting and plot in the film. Still, the director exploits the scope of the setting because victory in soccer match is important for the players and those wh o support them. To be specific, the dramatic atmosphere of the setting in the play is not utilized in the film. Instead, the director makes use of the setting as a background to support the development of the film’s plot. Character In the play, Shakespeare makes use of the character Viola as the backbone of the plot. For instance, the whole play develops through the development of the character Viola from a castaway to the duchess of Illyria. Peter Grube makes clear that, â€Å"The social reality of the Elizabethan Age was obviously marked

Discusion board Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discusion board - Assignment Example The applications also enable management identify and correct any unforeseen challenges that may arise. Business processes are sources of competitive advantage. Business processes need to be unique and strategic to offer a competitive advantage. For instance, a business with processes focused on the creation of innovative products and services or those that portray a high sensitivity to customer queries and concerns tend to create a competitive advantage over their rivals. 2-How does Porters five forces shape industry competition and strategy? What are the implications? Do you agree with these five forces? Is there any other force that affects competition and strategy? What is the role of MIS in this framework? Understanding one’s business, specifically the strengths and weaknesses, is very important in facing rival competition. This is the basis in Porter’s five forces that shape industry competition and strategy. According to Porter, these five are; supplier power, buyer power, competitive rivalry, threat of substitution and threat of new entry. The five are centered in understanding the power that lies in a business and very useful in the analysis of the current positioning of a business, from a competitive point of view. Understanding this power, according to Porter, enables one to gain an advantage position by capitalizing on the strengths and improving weaknesses. For instance, in threat of new entry, the knowledge that competitors can easily penetrate the market and bring competition enables a business create barriers strong enough to keep off competitors thus maintain a competitive position. These forces shape the markets and industries businesses operate in. For inst ance, in competitive rivalry, having very few or no competitors at all offers a business competitive advantage in the industry it operates in. I agree with these five

What is inflation and how can it be controlled?

What is inflation and how can it be controlled? What is inflation? There are several meaning of inflation , we will discuss two definitions of it. First, The term inflation means a process with a continual increase in the general price level. As prices go up, individuals try to protect their purchasing power and take actions which inadvertently perpetuate the inflation. For example, employees may try to protect themselves from inflation by having their wages tied to the cost of living(Livingston, 2000) . As price rise, wages are forced up, which raises production costs, which raises selling prices, and so on, in a never ending cycle. Throughout history, inflation has occurred frequently. Second, Inflation is the term used to describe a rise of average prices through the economy. It means that money is losing its value. The underlying cause is usually that too much money is available to purchase too few goods and services, or that demand in the economy is outpacing supply(What is inflation, 2010) . In general, this situation occurs when an economy is so buoyant that there are widespread shortages of labor and materials. People can charge higher prices for the same goods or services. Brief history of inflation Increases in the quantity of money or in the overall money supply (or debasement of the means of exchange) have occurred in many different societies throughout history, changing with different forms of money used. For instance, when gold was used as currency, the government could collect gold coins, melt them down, mix them with other metals such as silver, copper or lead, and reissue them at the same nominal value. By diluting the gold with other metals, the government could issue more coins without also needing to increase the amount of gold used to make them. When the cost of each coin is lowered in this way, the government profits from an increase in seignior age (Kenneth, 1996) This practice would increase the money supply but at the same time the relative value of each coin would be lowered. As the relative value of the coins becomes less, consumers would need to give more coins in exchange for the same goods and services as before. These goods and services would experience a price increase as the value of each coin is reduced (Roger, 2002). From the second half of the 15th century to the first half of the 17th, Western Europe experienced a major inflationary cycle referred to as price revolution, with prices on average rising perhaps sixfold over 150 years. It was thought that this was caused by the increase in wealth of Habsburg Spain, with a large influx of gold and silver from the New World ( Walton 1994). The spent silver, suddenly spread throughout a previously cash starved Europe, caused widespread inflation ( Walton, 1994). Demographic factors also contributed to upward pressure on prices, with European population growth after depopulation caused by the Black Death pandemic. The adoption of fiat currency (paper money) by many countries, from the 18th century onwards, made much larger variations in the supply of money possible. Since then, huge increases in the supply of paper money have taken place in a number of countries, producing hyperinflations episodes of extreme inflation rates much higher than those observed in earlier periods of commodity money (Roger, 2002). The hyperinflation suffered by the Weimar Republic of Germany is a notable example. Causes of inflation There are many reasons that can cause inflation in goods and service. Based on the quality theory of inflation and quantity theory of inflation, inflation is a result of the amount of money people will be able to use that money to buy the goods they want and the amount of money supplied and exchanged. Another reason of inflation is Demand-pull inflation which means that the economy actual demands more goods and services than available. This shortage of supply enables sellers to raise prices until an equilibrium is put in place between supply and demand (inflation, 2010). For example, low employment rates against increase in demand. Secondly, The cost-push inflation also known as supply shock inflation( inflation, 2010). This Can take place when goods become harder to get the price increases as a result, people try to increase the amount of money they earn to maintain the change in price. Inflation can be made by the circulation of increase in the wages of employees and the increase in the producers cost which will lower the value of the money (Stiqall R. March 29, 2010). Effects  of Inflation The most immediate effects of inflation are the decreased purchasing power of the dollar and its depreciation. A second destabilizing effect is that inflation can cause consumers and investors to change their speeding habits. When inflation occurs, people tend to spend less meaning that factories have to lay off workers because of a decline in orders. A third destabilizing effect of inflation is that some people choose to speculate heavily in an attempt to take advantage of the higher price level. Because some of the purchases are high-risk investments, spending is diverted from the normal channels and some structural unemployment may take place. Finally, inflation alters the distribution of income. Lenders are generally hurt more than borrowers during long inflationary periods which means that loans made earlier are repaid later in inflated dollars (the effect of inflation on your money, March 19, 2009). Measuring inflation It is necessary to have some kind of an accurate measure of the increase in the price level. The most widely used statistic to measure inflation is known as the consumer price index (CPI). Other measurement is Producer Price Indexes (PPI), Commodity price indices and Core price indices. Consumer Price Index (CPI) A measure of price changes in consumer goods and services such as gasoline, food, clothing and automobiles. The CPI measures price change from the perspective of the purchaser. U.S. CPI data can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The three main CPI series are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Chained CPI for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) According to (Dubai Statistics Center, 2010) Consumer Price Index was 114.63 in the first half of 2009, and in the first half 2010 it was 115.36. The formula for calculating the annual percentage rate inflation in the CPI is, 115.36 114.63 ÃÆ'- 100 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ = 0.64 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 114.63 Producer Price Indexes (PPI) Families of indexes that measure the average change over time in selling prices by domestic producers of goods and services. PPIs measure price change from the perspective of the seller. U.S. PPI data can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For instance, (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010) stated that the U.S Monthly percent changes in the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods which is finished food, finished energy and finished core for October 2009 October 2010 is shown in chart 1 However, the Monthly percent changes in the Producer Price Index for Intermediate Goods which is intermediate food, intermediate energy and intermediate, for October 2009 October 2010 is shown in chart 2 Commodity price indices Index or average, which may be weighted, of selected commodity prices, intended to be representative of the markets in general or a specific subset of commodities, e.g., grains or livestock. Core price indices A measure of inflation that excludes certain items  that face volatile price movements.  Core inflation eliminates products that can  have temporary price shocks because  these shocks can diverge from the overall trend of inflation and  give a false  measure of inflation. Core inflation is most often calculated by taking the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and excluding certain items from the index,  usually energy and food products. Core inflation is thought to be an indicator of underlying long-term  inflation.   The challenge of measuring inflation There is no internationally agreed standard methodology of measuring inflation since such indices are generally used for national purposes, such as wage arrangements and price stabilization policies, and are frequently subject to heated discussions and social and political negotiations. Countries measure their rate of inflation in different ways, and include different components. This can make it problematic to make international comparisons. For instance, the European HICP differs from the US CPI in two major respects. First, the HICP includes the rural population. Second, and probably more importantly, the HICP excludes owner-occupied housing, mainly because the methods used to measure price changes for this component are controversial and difficult to calculate. Besides, in using CPI the purchasing habits of different people will vary greatly. For example, the purchasing of a family with children will be very different from that of an elderly couple or a single person with no chil dren. And this may not be an accurate reflection for a particular area. Furthermore, if the national average is used as the basis for wage negotiations or pension changes, then these might not accurately reflect the price changes for a particular group. Errors in collecting data could be very important because it reflects the accuracy of the results. For instance, it would be difficult to obtain the prices of all the goods bought by the household so it is necessary to take a sample item and measure it. Thus, sampling is likely to lead to some degree of inaccuracy. (Donald G. Jerome P. Ted G., 2004) How to Control Inflation Economists offer several ways to control or limit inflation.   The methods are primarily through setting monetary policy and price controls, though there are some less popular theories on stopping inflation. Those who suggest using monetary policy to stop inflation place an emphasis on the role of the central bank, like the U.S. Federal Reserve System, in setting that policy.   The Federal Reserve can use traditional methods such as setting high interest rates, using unemployment and declining production to slow or stop rising prices.  Ã‚   Even among those that believe monetary policy should be used to stop inflation, various theories abound as to how the policy should be wielded (Federal, 2010).   For instance, those who subscribe to Neo-Classical monetary theory want to see the money supply decreased, while Neo-Keynesians would rather reduce the overall demand through fiscal policy like higher taxes or lower government spending.   Neo-Keynesians focus on monetary policys role, especially as it relates to basic commodities inflation as outlined by Robert Solow.   Finally, supply-side economists believe that the exchange rate needs to be fixed so that the exchange rate is tied to a reference currency (gold, for instance).   They also believe that, in a floating currency regime, that there can be a reduction in marginal tax rates to that capital formation is promoted. Yet there is even a philosophical difference between those running the various central banks.   For instance, at the European Central Bank, the target is to control inflation when it gets too high rather than using symmetrical inflation as other central banks do.   The result is that the European Central Bank has come under great criticism for increasingly high unemployment rates. While some believe that changing monetary policy is the way to control or stop inflation, a few others subscribe to the idea that controlling prices is the best method.   Also, price supports are used to set minimum prices.   The price supports help to prevent deflation and to allow for the continued production of certain goods.   However, not many economists subscribe to the idea of using price controls as a way to control inflation, as there are many counterproductive effects. Using price controls to stop or control inflation means that shortages are created.   When shortages happen, the quality of production decreases and black market operations increase.   Also, price controls only work as long as they are in place, and when they are removed inflation often moves at an accelerated rate.  Ã‚   The exception to the criticisms of price controls is during times of war, when shortages are bound to happen anyhow.   The government needs to borrow more money at lower rates during wartime, and profiteering needs to be discouraged.   In World War II, price controls were used effectively both during and after the war to control inflation.   Yet sometimes the wartime price controls are continued too long after the end of the war, so people will over-consume the things that have price controls imposed.  Ã‚   A common example of price controls is rent controlled buildings.   These rent-controlled areas tend to remain so for decades, which allows owners to control the new building rate.   It maintains capital parity, and since inflation lowers the burden of a fixed rental price, allows renters to gain a net reduction in rental costs.  Ã‚   However, sometimes price controls do make a recession more efficient.   The recession and prices controls both complement one another, because the recession prevents the distortion of high demand while price controls lower the need to increase unemployment. The solution? In my opinion, there is no easy, painless solution. Those who bought houses they couldnt afford will lose those houses. The banks who end up with those houses will either go under (forcing the government to print money to cover the deposits lost), or will get bailed out (Bear Sterns). In about 3 or 4 years, the loans made at the peak will be done resetting, those homes that cannot be afforded will be lost, and stability will slowly return. The only thing that will muck up that return to stability is if we spend a lot of money helping people to stay in houses they cannot afford. If we really try to help them, they will end up bleeding the system until they cant bleed it any more, then they will lose their house. If we try to bail them out, we will ease the pain, but prolong the disease.

Euthanasia Should Be A Legal Option Essay -- Euthanasia Essays

Euthanasia is a controversial subject, not only because there are many different moral dilemmas associated with it, but also in what constitutes its definition. At the extreme ends of disagreement, advocates say euthanasia, also known as physician aid in dying, is a good or merciful death. Opponents of euthanasia say it's a fancy word for murder. There are reasons that would make a person lean toward the side of euthanasia, and there are also reasons that would turn someone away from euthanasia. The arguments against euthanasia include the church's view on the topic of suicide. The arguments in favor of euthanasia include the patients wish to have dignity. However, regardless of the patients wishes, suicide is against the law. If a person has a living will, it would allow the doctors to lawfully end any life preserving treatment. Without a living will this cannot be done. The decision to allow a patient to end his or her life is clearly not an easy one. The courts feel that unless there is a living will to state what the patient would want to be done, the authorities must try to save the patient. The law does not require that everything must be done to keep a patient alive. Some people feel that keeping a patient alive against his or her wishes is not only cruel and inhumane, but it is also contrary to law and practic e. However, for centuries now, physicians in training have been taking the ?Hippocratic Oath?. This oath is taken from the Greek physician Hypocrites who lived thousands of years ago. The ?Hippocratic Oath? imposes on two duties: to prolong life, and relieve suffering. The problems come about because these two duties are often in conflict. The question most of the time is to decide when prol... ...y four hours a day, and I knew my illness was incurable, I would probably want to put an end to that suffering. I would not want my family and loved ones around see me suffer. Also, I would want to die with as much dignity as possible. But then again, I am not in that situation, so I am not positive that is what I would want to do, you just have to be in the situation to make the best possible decision. Bibliography: 1. Friedman,Emily. Ethics Issues For Health Care Professionals. Baskerville: American Hospital Publishing, 1986. 2. Maguire,Daniel. Death By Choice. Garden City: Doubleday & Company,1984. 3. Reich,Warren. Quality Of Life. New York: Paulist Press, 1990. 4. Brody,Baruch. Life And Death Decision Making. New York: Oxford University Press,1988. 5. Chapman,Carleton. Physicians,Law,& Ethics. New York: New York University Press,1984.

Compensation and benefit programs Essay

Compensation and benefit programs for employees need to be an exceptional offer that is developed to attract and retain the best and talented employees. A merit pay compensation strategy is used for an incentive pay based on goals and achievements set by the employer. Compensations that are recommended for this company is a health benefit package that is managed by the employees. This package consists of medical, vision, and dental coverage. The medical insurance is PPO and HMO of choice. Dental coverage has a limit per person of $1500 of service a year. Vision has free yearly eye exam and discount cost on eyewear. This will make the employees feel proud and valued to work for this organization. Conclusion The fundamental purpose and the objective of the organization compensation are to provide equitable rewards that are appropriate for employees that highlight from their abilities, skills, and the contributions to the company. Employee compensation has key factors and strategies would help this company maintain satisfactory of the employees and the organization as a whole. A compensation structure and benefit strategy is analyzed for a medium size organization and market evaluation and position. The company strategy consists of cost, ability to pay, legal requirements, which motivate and maintain skilled employees. The plan has provided performance incentives and merit pay for the employees that are suitable for their employees. The laws of benefits and pay programs are provided so that the organization has proper and informed choices that would benefit the employer and employees. The compensation and benefit program is essential to new hires decision to remain employed for the company.

Reading and Writing Newspaper Articles ESL Lesson Plan

Reading and Writing Newspaper Articles ESL Lesson Plan Students often read newspapers for a wide variety of reasons, not least of which is to keep informed in English. As you know, newspaper writing style tends to have three levels: Headlines, leading phrases, and article content. Each of these has its own style. This lesson focuses on calling students attention to this type of writing style on a deeper, grammatical level. It ends with students writing up their own short articles with a follow-up listening comprehension opportunity. The Lesson Aim: Improved writing skills and understanding newspaper writing style Activity: Writing short newspaper articles Level: Intermediate to upper intermediate Outline: Use the provided example newspaper article, or take a newspaper into the class.Ask students to read the newspaper article and summarize the contents.Have students analyze the difference between the headline, leading sentence and article content in terms of tense usage and vocabulary in small groups (3 to 4 students).As a class, check that the differences between headline, leading sentence and article content are clear. Here is a short guideline to the main differences:Headline: Simple tenses, idiomatic, flashy vocabulary, no use of function wordsLeading sentence: Present perfect tense often used to give general overview.Article content: Proper tense usage, including a change from present perfect to past tenses to give detailed, specific information about what, where and when something happened.Once the differences have been understood, have students split up into pairs or small groups (3 to 4 students)Using the worksheet, small groups should write their own newspaper articles using t he headlines provided or come up with their own stories. Have students read their newspaper articles aloud allowing you to incorporate some listening comprehension into the lesson. FAKE VAN GOGH SELLS FOR $35 MILLION A fake painting supposedly by Vincent Van Gogh has been sold for $35 million in Paris. Paris June 9, 2004 Imagine this: Its the chance of a lifetime. You have the necessary cash and you have the opportunity to buy a Van Gogh. After purchasing the painting and placing it on your living room wall to show to all your friends, you discover that the painting is a forgery! Thats what happened to an anonymous telephone bidder who purchased Sunflowers in the Wind at the Peinture Company in Paris, France. The first (supposed) Van Gogh painting to have been auctioned since last years record sale of $40 million, the forgery was sold for $35 million. The painting had also been reported to be the last ever offered for sale, Britains Daily Times reported Thursday. Unfortunately, shortly after the masterpiece had been transferred to the buyers home, the Academy of Fine Arts released a statement saying that Sunflowers in the Wind was a fake. Upon further investigation, the report proved to be true. The unlucky buyer was forced to recognize that he or she had indeed purchased a forgery. Choose a Headline and Write Your Own Newspaper Article Newspaper Article 1 TRUCK CRASHES INTO LIVING ROOM Leading sentence: Provide your leading sentence. Article content: ​Write at least three short paragraphs about the incident. Newspaper Article 2 LOCAL COUNCIL: ACTION NOT PROMISES Leading sentence: Provide your leading sentence. Article content: Write at least three short paragraphs about the incident. Newspaper Article 3 LOCAL FOOTBALL PLAYER WINS BIG Leading sentence: Provide your leading sentence. Article content: Write at least three short paragraphs about the incident.

Quotes to Welcome Your Baby Boy

Quotes to Welcome Your Baby Boy So youre pregnant with a baby boy? Congratulations! The journey from pregnancy to childbirth, although arduous, is filled with untold joys and pleasures.  A baby boy is a unique bundle of joy. If youre expecting a boy, you might find a few tips on how to handle boys in these baby boy quotes: Mark Twain There comes a time in every rightly constructed boys life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure. Irish Proverb It’s the merry-hearted boys that make the best men. Ralph Waldo Emerson There was a never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep. Paul Walker If you spend any time with a man, you’ll realize that we’re all still little boys. Eric Berne The moment a little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is a sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or hear them sing. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow A boy’s will is the wind’s will, and the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts. Jenny De Vries A small son can charm himself into, and out of, most things. Charles Dickens A boy’s story is the best that is ever told. Anonymous What are little boys made of? Frogs and snails, And puppy dog tails, Thats what little boys are made of. *** To be in your childs memories tomorrow, be in his life today. Joseph Heller When I grow up I want to be a little boy. Maya Angelou If I have a monument in this world, it is my son. Plato Of all the animals, the boy is the most unmanageable. Alan Marshall Beck Boys are found everywhere- on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them, and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair, and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket. A boy is a magical creature- you can lock him out of your workshop, but you cant lock him out of your heart. You can get him out of your study, but you cant get him out of your mind. Might as well give up- he is your captor, your jailer, your  boss  and your master- a freckled-faced, pint-sized, cat-chasing bundle of noise. But when you come home at night with only the shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with two magic words: Hi, Dad! James Thurber Boys are beyond the range of anybodys sure understanding, at least when they are between the ages of 18 months and 90 years. Robert Baden-Powell A boy is naturally full of humor. Christina Aguilera There’s nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm. Johnny Depp Young boys should never be sent to bed; they always wake up another day older. Cyril Connolly Boys do not grow up gradually. They move forward in spurts like the hands of clocks in railway stations.

Grocery Market Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Grocery Market - Assignment Example IGD predicts that development of the UK grocery retail market will continue to be restricted by a combination of slow population growth, price competition and growth in the foodservice sector as an alternative channel. (Source from website http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/news/ng.asp n=61268-ASDA-reorganises-as) ASDA is a household name in the UK. It has a range of products from groceries to clothing to jewellery. Bought over by Wal-Mart Stores in 1999, ASDA is the UK's second-largest food retailer. It operates about 280 large stores (including 19 ASDA Supercenters and 10 standalone George clothing stores) and its focus is primarily on groceries and apparel. It also sells books and videos, household items and has a photo centre. It also offers ethnic take away meals. Its consolidation with Wal-Mart, has initiated a price war in the UK ASDA mirroring Wal-Mart's aggressive "price-rollback" program and converting stores to Wal-Mart's supercenter format under the ASDA-Wal-Mart banner. (Source from website http://www.hoovers.com/ASDA/--ID__90031--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml) It 'became part of the Wal-Mart family' - on 26 July 1999 for $10.8 billion". Since then, ASDA claims that it has gained one million new customers. It is converting some stores to Wal-Mart's super centre format under the ASDA-Wal-Mart banner. ... This price is on a daily basis and is not a sale or promotional price and customers come to ASDA knowing that they always have the lowest prices. ASDA states its purpose as "To make goods and services more affordable for everyone" It emphasizes that it wants to offer everyday low prices without compromising on quality and is on the lookout for new products and services that it can sell and in effect end up offering better value to the customer. (Source from website http://www.wherewomenwanttowork.com/evidence/evidence2.aspid=1220&qid=1&eid=890) Competitive Advantage Michael Porters Generic Strategies for competitive advantage states that, "For an organisation to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage, they should follow either one of three generic strategies" (Porter, 1980) Cost Leadership: In this strategy, the organisation tries to be the lowest cost provider in the business. This is achieved by keeping costs low right from production to the sourcing to labour costs. Huge volumes that compensate for the low margins and low cost achieve this. Differentiation: In this strategy, organizations try to differentiate their products. By allowing the customer to perceive a differentiated value to the product, the organization is able to command a better price leveraging this perception. For this strategy to work, their product needs to stand out from similar products. However substitute or copied products pose the danger of upsetting the value of the product. Patents also expire and then the competitive edge is lost. Niche Strategies: In this strategy, the organization caters to one particular segment and becomes well known for providing

Consumer Law Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Consumer Law Master - Case Study Example These are the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 and Unfair Contract Terms Act. In order to critically discuss how consumer law can protect the interest of the consumer, it is essential to analyze the case study. Duck visited the showroom of Swan and looked at a television set priced at 500. He asked Swan about the set. Swan replied: "It's a beautiful model, never used, a snip at 500." In fact some of the internal wiring was not properly connected and the set had been switched on and used as a display unit in Swan's showroom for three days prior to Duck's visit. In this situation, and according to the Trade Descriptions Act, Swan is subject to the criminal offence as the one who has provided his consumer with misleading information. According to the Act, the description to the consumer may be given verbally or in the written form, thus there is no possibility for Swan to be justified on the basis of the information having been given in the oral form (Budnitz, 2004). The Act makes the verbal statement, including misleading information, an offence and thus it is a criminal action. ... However, there is also a question about what descriptions are to be supposed as trade under the act and is there any possibility for Swan to avoid penalty in this relation. The Act includes the following types of descriptions into the trade descriptions category: quantity, gauge or size of the goods; manufacture method; composition; performance, strength and fitness for purpose, which means that the goods should be mechanically sound and unbreakable, etc. In the situation described, it is clear that the misleading information provided by Swan, is included into the paragraph relating to the performance, strength of the TV set, and the fact that it must be mechanically sound. Thus, knowing the problem of the TV set and the wrong connections inside it, Swan has intentionally committed an offence and is subject to the penalties according to the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. As far as it is known that the statement made is false, it is also supposed to be a criminal offence under the Act, and as Swan is not a simple employee but is supposed to be a manager, he can be sued and subjected to these penalties, however the Act presupposes that any person guilty of intentional or unintentional mislead bears responsibility under the law. The maximum penalty is equal to 5,000 per offence. This penalty is provided by the Magistrates' Court; as for the crown Court, the fine size is unlimited, while the person guilty of misleading the customer may acqu ire up to two years of imprisonment. It is possible that Swan may lose his consumer credit license, but according to the situation described it is supposed that he does not have this license, having an agreement with Chicken-Credit Ltd,

Inventory management at WAL-MART Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inventory management at WAL-MART - Case Study Example It also succeeded due to its global strategies. It became the first private-sector company in the world to have employed over one million personnel. It provides large spacious, wide, neat, brightly-lit aisles and shelves stocked with area for people to look around and provide a variety of goods. The average size of a Wal-Mart store is 107,000 square feet (www.walmart.com). Each store employs about 225 people. The employees are called associates as they hold value for the company (Frat Files). The stores feature a variety of quality, value-priced general merchandise, including (www.walmart.com): Wal-Mart operates each store, from the products it stocks, to the front-end equipment that helps speed checkout, with the same philosophy: provide everyday low prices and superior customer service. Lower prices also eliminate the expense of frequent sales promotions and sales are more predictable. Wal-Mart has invested heavily in its unique cross-docking inventory system. Cross docking has enabled Wal-Mart to achieve economies of scale which reduce its costs of sales. With this system, goods are continuously delivered to stores within 48 hours and often without having to stock them. This allows Wal-Mart to replenish the shelves 4 times faster than its competition. Wal-Mart's ability to replenish theirs shelves four times faster than its competition is just another advantage they have over competition. Wal-Mart leverages its buying power through purchasing in bulks and distributing the goods on its own. Wal-Mart guarantees everyday low prices and considers them the one stop shop. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT at WAL-MART Just-in-time inventory (JIT) is the concept of only carrying as much inventory as needed to supply to customers or consumers. Many companies are using JIT to reduce inventory costs and increase gross profits (Damiano, 2005). It makes more sense for companies to use their dollars elsewhere, rather than tying them up in inventory that is just sitting in a warehouse. Wal-Mart's inventory philosophy focuses on getting the good out of the shelves and into the customers hand in the quickest and most cost efficient way as possible and Wal-Mart is a paragon of such efficiency. JIT (Just in Time) is an inventory management technique invented by the Japanese. The first users of this technique are said to be the Toyota people and to this day, this technique is being effectively used by them. The concept behind JIT is that it optimizes the production process byreducing waste and keeping negligible inventory (Epps, 1995). Inventory has a holding cost in terms of keeping the excess inventory in warehouses whose rent has to be paid thus increasing the cost of the inventory. As a retailer, Wal-Mart has been able to achieve respectable leadership by using this technique to reduce the holding costs and decreasing wastages. The most important factor in having a Just-In-Time inventory system is to have the best logistics system in place. This includes having clear transport routes,

On a personal experience of cultural adaptation Essay Example for Free

On a personal experience of cultural adaptation Essay Adaptation, originally as a biological concept, is an alteration or adjustment in structure or habits, by which a species or individual improves its condition in relationship to its environment. Every creature on the earth, including human beings, has the essential and innate capacity of adapting to the outer environment. That is on the level of biological adaptation. The evolution of human beings makes them outmatch all the other creatures to develop their own language and culture, which is unique only among themselves. At this time, the adaptation of human beings could not only be confined in the scope of biological one. Cultural adaptation, at this point, is necessary and indispensable for the further development of human beings. The significance and importance can be represented especially when the cultural contexts or environments have changed no matter it is a change of international, intercultural, interethnic, inter-religion, or inter-region, etc. The term â€Å"microculture†, the counterpart of â€Å"macroculture†, can refer to a social group that shares distinctive traits, values, and behaviors that set it apart from the parent macroculture of which it is a part (Gollnick Chinn, 1998). The identity of microculture can be based on traits and values of different ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, socioeconomic status, geographic region, place of residence conditions, and so on, among which, geographic region and place of residence will be what I give my focus on in this paper. The change of geographic region and place of residence will evoke the change in psychology and behavior to adjust and adapt oneself to the new environments. 2. Cultural Adaptation 2. 1 Cultural Adaptation versus Biological Adaptation Human beings, like other living creatures in the world, also have biological and psychological needs. Other animals fill their needs primarily through biological adaptation, for example, a lion uses speed and sharp teeth and claws to capture and eat its prey. However, our human beings develop forms of knowledge and technologies that enable them to get the necessary energy from the environment and make life more secure. This knowledge and technology forms a core of culture that can be passed from generation to generation and group and group, so human beings adapt to their world culturally (Nanda Warms, 2002). Cultural adaptation has some distinct advantages over biological adaptation. Because human adapt through learned behavior, they can change their approach to solving problems more quickly and easily. However, creatures whose adaptations are primarily biological change slowly (Nanda Warms, 2002). Adaptation, coming being into one of the basic characteristics of culture, makes people develop to accommodate environmental conditions and available natural and technological resources (Gollnick Chinn, 1998). Culture, in fact, is the way human beings adapt to the world (Nanda Warms, 2002). 2. 2 The Definition of Cultural Adaptation From the aspect of sociology and anthropology, cultural adaptation is the long-term process of adjusting and finally feeling comfortable in a new environment (Kim Gudykunst, 1988). Immigrants who enter a culture more or less voluntarily and who at some point decide to adapt to the new cultural context experience cultural adaptation in a positive way. Cultural adaptation, especially intercultural adaptation is broadly used in the literature of intercultural communication studies, and according to Kim, it refers to the process of increasing the level of fitness of people to meet the demands of a new cultural environment. It deals with how sojourners or new immigrants experience the distress caused by mismatches or incompatibility between the host culture and the culture of birth (Fan, 2004). 2. 3 Models of Cultural Adaptation 2. 3. 1 The Anxiety and Uncertainty Management Model This model was put forward by communication theorist William Gudykunst. He stresses that the goal of effective intercultural communication can be reached by reducing anxiety and seeking information, the so-called uncertainty reduction (Gudykunst, 1995). The uncertainty can be classified into different types. Predictive uncertainty is the inability to predict what someone will say or do. Explanatory uncertainty is the inability to explain why people behave as they do (Martin Nakayama, 2000). In fact, some level of anxiety is optimal during an interaction. Too little anxiety may convey that we don’t care about the person. Too much anxiety causes us to focus only on the anxiety and not on the interaction. This model assumes that to communicate effectively we will gather information to help us reduce uncertainty and anxiety. The theory predicts that the most effective communicators are people who have a solid self-concept and self-esteem, have flexible attitudes (a tolerance for ambiguity, empathy) and behaviors and are complex and flexible in their categorization of others (Martin Nakayama, 2000). 2. 3. 2 The U-Curve Model This model, applied to many different migrant groups, is based on research conducted by a Norwegian sociologist, Sverre Lysgaard, who interviewed Norwegian students studying in the United States. The main idea is that migrants go through fairly predictable phases in adapting to a new cultural situation. The first phase is the anticipation or excitement phase. The second phase, culture shock, happens to almost everyone in intercultural transitions. During this phase, migrants experience disorientation and often a crisis of identity. Because identities are shaped and maintained by one’s own cultural context, experiences in new cultural contexts often raise questions about identities. The third phase is adaptation. In this phase, how much of the migrants should be changed and to what degree should he or she to adapt is what should be pay attention to (Martin Nakayama, 2000). 2. 3. 3 The Transition Model Culture shock and adaptation have been viewed as a normal part of human experience, as a subcategory of transition shock. Janet Bennett (1998), a communication scholar, says that culture shock and adaptation are just like any other transition, such as going away to college, getting married, or moving from one part of the country to another. Psychologists have found that in this model most individuals prefer either a â€Å"flight† or â€Å"fight† approach to unfamiliar situations. The first preference, the â€Å"flight† approach, is to hang back, get the lay of the land, and see how things work before taking the plunge and joining in. The second preference, the â€Å"fight† approach, is to get in there and participate. Migrants who take this approach use the trial-and-error method. Individual preference is a result of family, social, and cultural influences. An alternative to fight or flight is the flex approach, in which the migrant uses a combination of productive fight or flight behaviors (Martin Nakayama, 2000). 3. Microculture or Subculture Microculture, as a counterpart of macroculture, refers to these groups which exist within the context of a larger society and share political and social institutions as well as some of the traits and values of the microculture. It can also be called subsocieties or subcultures. These cultural groups are called microcultures to indicate that they have distinctive cultural patterns while sharing some cultural patterns with all members of the macroculture and their unique patterns will identity themselves as members of their particular group. Cultural identity is based on several traits and values learned as a part of the national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, socioeconomic status, geographic region, place of residence conditions and so on (Gollnick Chinn, 1998).

Popularity or Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Popularity or Education As a college student you run into a few conflicts. One of the most common of these is between education, and being socially accepted. These two statuses conflict almost every hour of the day. Should I go out and drink tonight even though I have an eight o’clock class? All my friends are going to Kansas City this afternoon, and I have a class. Which should I do? These are just a few of the dilemmas a normal college student runs into. I for one was out until two o’clock in the morning the night I decided to write this paper, so I know what I’m talking about. Being a college student takes a lot of your time. Classes and studying correctly leaves little time for anything else. The average student takes about fourteen hours a week, and should probably study that same amount of time to be completely prepared. If this were done all in one day it would be acceptable. Unfortunately, classes are spread throughout the week, and studying fills the hours in between. This however is not feasible for someone having the time of their life with their peers. I have not researched the average college student on their social lives, but I can relate my own experiences. Most of the time college students have to work in order to go to school, or just live on their own. Work hours vary with each person, from eight hours a week to forty hours a week, but they also take a substantial amount of free time from a college student. This, along with classes, study time, sleeping, and eating time, leaves little or no time to make friends, or even keep them. But young adults thrive on social interaction, so therefore a struggle is bound to happen. To become socially accepted requires many things. First you must have time to mingle. This is done in many social settings, such as bars, parties, dorm rooms, and sport events. Once at these events, you must keep up interesting conversations, partake in activities, and meet new people. Once these connections have been made, they do require some upkeep. You cannot expect a good friendship to come from occasional conversations. A good friend is made by time spent together. During this time connections are made. Along with general social interaction, most students partake in extra-curricular activities. These can be Greek organizations, Residence council, Intramural sports, and various clubs.

Professional Essay -- Teachers Teaching Education Essays

Professional I remember when my sister and I would play school with our friends. It was one of the best experiences that I had. It was this experience that helped me make up my mind about being a teacher. Now as I move through the different stages in the educational program, I have determined that I have developed certain beliefs. By teaching and working with children, people can see my beliefs. My philosophy towards education is progressivism. Progressivism can be found in my views about public schools, my teaching methods, and my curriculum. First, my view towards public schools comes from my own experiences, as a student and from my observations. The main purpose of education is to teach students knowledge that will help them out in the world. Education is important because times change, and as people, we need to have the knowledge that will help us survive. I want to teach knowledge of the past and present for they can prepare for the future. An example is that the students, from my first observation, were very curious about the war that is happening. They kept asking the teacher questions. Because of this she discussed with them other wars which America and other countries have fought and compared them to the war that is happening now. Now they can come to their own conclusions. Students can look at school as a challenge for them to master, not as a burden. As they move through the grades, they will build upon the knowledge they learned from me. Another objective of public schools is for students to realize that they are important not just as a class, but as an individual. As a teacher, I want my students to know that they have a voice in what we do as a class. Chi... ...on plans I notice that some part of my views have changed. I have gained a newfound respect for teachers. At my first placement all I had to do was just observe the classroom. I helped with lessons, and I graded papers. But during the second placement I had to play the role of the teacher. For this observation I had to teach 2 lessons. I went through the whole process. I did the research, paper work, and teaching the lesson itself. I now know how teachers feel about the process. It is hard work for a 15-minute lesson. The teachers do this for 7 subjects per day. Some people think teaching is an easy job, but they don’t know the whole process of teaching. Now I have a taste of all the views of education: student’s view, an outsider’s view, and finally a teacher’s view. The placements have been very educational for me. I can’t wait for my next placement.

Best Buy Failure in China (International Business) Essay

In the world today, there are many companies getting involved in international business, and developing to become a multinational company. Why do these firms want to take the multinational route? One of the dominant frameworks to explain the existence of these multinational companies is the Ownership-Location-Internalisation (OLI) paradigm (Dunning & Lundan 2008). Running an international business is different from running a domestic business. International business requires you to recognise and understand the cultural differences between countries. Failing to recognise and understand this difference could possibly lead to many difficulties, or worse still, failure. In this essay, I will be discussing the difficulties that Best Buy Co. Inc. faced, and its eventual failure due to the lack of understanding of the cultural differences in its host country, China. The rise of China has matured into hope for the entire consumer electronics industry. The country’s 1.3 billion consumers and their fast increasing buying power have transformed China into the world’s largest consumer electronics market, a market opportunity that multinational giants cannot afford to neglect (Chen & He 2005). As such, Best Buy was just one of the many multinational companies that tried to enter the Chinese market. Best Buy Co. Inc. Best Buy is a multinational retailer of consumer electronics from the United States and operates in the United Kingdom, Canada, Turkey, Mexico, China as well as its home country. Started as the Sound of Music in 1966 as an audio specialty store by Richard M. Schulze, it was later changed to Best Buy Co., Inc. by the board of directors in 1983 and is now the leading consumer electronics retailer in the United States (Pederson 2004). Best Buy sells consumer electronics as well as a wide selection of related merchandise such as music, mobile phones, computers, computer software, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, video games, digital cameras, video cameras as well as home appliances. The multinational used a two-track approach to enter the Chinese market. The consumer electronics giant first opened a sourcing office in Shanghai in 2005 and began its efforts to expand into the Chinese market in May 2006 by foreign acquisition. The multinational invested $108 million to obtain a majority stake in China’s fourth largest consumer electronics retailer, Jiangsu Five Star Appliance (Bloomberg 2006). Soon after in December 2006, the company used the greenfield mode of entry and opened its first â€Å"Best Buy† store that followed their own US business model, in Shanghai’s busy Xujiahui shopping district. By imposing a US business model, Best Buy intended to convince fastidious Chinese customers with helpful and dependable service in clean, pleasant outlets. The chairman and general manager of Best Buy China, Lu Weiming declared that they were confident with the store model they had, which will differentiate them from competitors and consequently help them win the consumers’ heart (Kurtenbach 2006). The company later opened another eight stores, which increased the total number of â€Å"Best Buy† stores in China to nine. Problem Identification According to the China Daily on March 21, 2011, Jiangsu Five Star Appliance continued to expand. However, Best Buy’s expansion was slow and was not running as smoothly as anticipated. â€Å"The multinational brought in a Western business model and it failed to sufficiently attract the Chinese clients and customers,† said Chen Can, a senior analyst from Analysys International (China Daily 2011). Best Buy’s business model in the US, where the brand markets itself as delivering a better service than competitors, did not go well in China. After being in the Chinese market for five years, the company only managed to open nine stores, capturing less than one per cent of the Chinese market as according to analysts. Failing to catch on in the Asian country, the company decided in February, 2011, to close its headquarters along with all its nine stores (Birchall, Strauss & Waldmeir 2011). Causes of the problem Even though the company opened a sourcing office in 2005, the multinational still had a lot to learn about the Chinese and the way they did business. â€Å"The lesson we learned is that we got too far ahead of the Chinese consumer in how business is done in China,† said Brian Dunn, Best Buy’s Chief Executive (Groth 2011). He said the company’s mistake had been to open big box stores with fixed prices that were staffed entirely by Best Buy’s blue-shirted employees (Jopson & Waldmeir 2011). Clearly, Best Buy entered the Chinese market in 2006 with a lack of knowledge of the local consumer’s culture. International strategy is a strategy where the firm uses the core competency, which it developed at home, as its main competitive weapon in the foreign market (Sumantra & Nitin 1993). This is the strategy which Best Buy used. The company did not enter China with the intention to hire local talent who knew how to be successful in China. Rather, it entered the country intending to create talent that knew how to be successful in the United States (Adam 2011). When the multinational first entered the Chinese market, many people hoped that it would successfully replace the prevailing, yet widely criticised Chinese business model that focused on price-centred competition (Ni 2011). Imposing their core competency in the US model, the company offered â€Å"a concept ahead of the consumer,† said retail analyst Paul French of Access Asia which was based in Shanghai (Macleod 2011). Best Buy provides a premium shopping experience for its consumers, to which the Chinese consumers were ultimately not willing to pay for (Jopson 2011). Consumers in China are generally different from consumers in the United States. Wei and Salil (2010) stated that the Chinese consumers have a higher cognitive age perception, lower levels of physical health status and lower life satisfaction levels as compared to their American counterparts. Eastman et. al. (1997) conducted a study and found that there were statistically significant differences between the two, such that Chinese consumers were more materialistic than those in the United States. Eastman’s research was later backed up by Schmitt’s (1999) studies. In addition, Schmitt found that the Chinese consumers were more brand conscious and would go shopping with brands as a key influencing factor. The cross-cultural study above is just one of the reasons as to why Best Buy failed to attract consumers in China. For instance, the company’s store in China generally divides up electronics and other large-ticket items by category (Birchall, Strauss & Waldmeir 2011). However, the Chinese are inclined to put more faith in brand names than consumers in the US do. Due to this reliance on brands as a deciding factor, the Chinese consumer would generally prefer items in the store to be categorised according to their make rather than function. Another cause of the company’s failure in attracting Chinese customers lies in the fact that all sales staff in the store were the company’s direct employees who donned the ubiquitous blue Best Buy uniform. This was a stark difference to the scene in typical Chinese outlets, where consumers were accustomed to subsections of electronics stores being manned by the manufacturer’s own employees, who were also able to offer specialist knowledge (Jopson 2011). At the same time, Best Buy’s market research showed that Chinese consumers liked to try out new products. While this was true, what eventually happened was that the Chinese shoppers would first go to Best Buy to try out products, before promptly marching across the street to one of the other Chinese retailers and buying the said product for less (Adam 2011). This was partly due to the pricing in Best Buy stores, which was based on a fixed-price policy (Jopson 2011) and only served to push the Chinese consumer even further away. As stated by Montlake (2006), bargaining is a way of life in China. Chinese consumers like bargaining and they are used to negotiating with the salesperson to get a discount, which was not an option in Best Buy. Not only is bargaining not an option, the prices at Best Buy were also set at a premium as it followed the company’s US model of offering high-quality service and a better shopping experience to consumers, such as the opportunity to try products before making a purchase. However, that did not seem to suit the immature Chinese market very well (Ni 2011). Purchasing decisions made by Chinese consumers are determined by price and not service (Birchall, Strauss & Waldmeir 2011). At the same time, Chinese consumers had the perception that Gome and Suning, two of Best Buy’s biggest competitors, were able to under cut Best Buy’s prices significantly (Adam 2011). Chinese consumers care more about price than service (D’Altorio 2011). The Chinese do not penny-pinch and save because they like to, but because they have to. They voluntarily tax themselves so as to protect against the absence of a welfare safety net. If a Chinese consumer gets old, he will need that money to survive, since state pensions remain inadequate. As his parents age, he will need to support his elders, especially since he is likely to be their only child, a result of the country’s one child policy. This reality is what perpetuates and engenders the low-cost, bargain basement Chinese retail environment (French 2007). To top it off, Best Buy’s choice of a Chinese name left many consumers pondering over its decision. A country steeped in traditions and superstitions, many Chinese consumers commented that the company’s Chinese name, â€Å"Bai Si Mai†, was a bad one as it literally meant â€Å"to buy after thinking 100 times† (Ni 2011). Overall, the company’s business model, like its Chinese name, showed a lack of understanding for the Chinese culture. It tried too hard to educate Chinese consumers about high-end service value when lower prices were typically the only value that motivated them to make quick decisions. The consumer electronics giant’s overconfidence in transforming the Chinese consumer philosophy finally hurt its performance in the Chinese market. Maintaining only a small market presence in China, Best Buy not only failed to please its consumers, but its suppliers too, who did not receive many orders from the company (Ni 2011). Proposed Solutions There are huge cross-cultural differences between the US and China. Therefore, one change I will make if I was Best Buy is to take up a multi-domestic strategy instead of the international strategy adopted by the company. Multi-domestic strategies involve a high degree of customisation to the local market place (Hout, Porter & Rudden 1982). This is important, noting the huge cultural gap between the China and the US. Hill, Hwang and Chan (1990) also stated that a multi-domestic strategy is based on the belief that national markets differ widely with regard to consumer preferences and taste, competitive conditions, operating conditions and social structures. According to organisational capabilities theory, in order to leverage its competitive advantages in the foreign market, an enterprise must understand its business environments and adapt its operation modes to the host country (Xu, Hu & Fan 2011). This is also in line with the multi-domestic strategy, to which Anne-Wil (2002) has highlighted the need of multi-domestic companies to deal with markets where products tailored to local circumstances are required; and to be able to do so, companies need to be well aware of the local market and be well-integrated into it. This can be easier achieved by acquiring an existing company that possesses a knowledgeable work force and good connections in the local market. As such, the mode of entry decided upon by a multinational is a critical and strategic decision. To support the multi-domestic strategy and aligning with conditions in China, I will still first enter the Chinese market using foreign acquisition. Foreign acquisition involves having to invest in a local firm and in this case, I will be investing in Jiangsu Five Star Appliance. Acquiring Jiangsu Five Star Appliance will create access to local resources as well as knowledge of the Chinese retail environment within a much shorter span of time (Cristina & Garcia-Canal 2004). Acquisition is also a more effective way of exploiting foreign resources and markets as compared to joint ventures or licensing, as supported by the transaction cost theory (Hennart 2010). Tapping on the knowledge and expertise of Jiangsu Five Star Appliance, I will then use the greenfield method, which is the setting up of a new company legally independent from parents, to set up a Best Buy store in China (Cristina & Garcia-Canal 2004). By using a multi-domestic strategy, the management seen in the greenfield approach will be more similar to that of acquisitions (Anne-Wil 2002). The consequent Best Buy outlets will then be managed and accustomed to the Chinese market. For instance, as most Chinese consumers shop by brands, the store will therefore be segregated by brands rather than product category. Sections of the store will also be rented out to brand manufacturers and their designated areas will be staffed with their own sales team, so that consumers can receive specialised knowledge as well as bargain for a lower price. The store will not be carpeted or provide services like allowing consumers to test out the product before purchase. This is to prevent the Chinese consumers from having the perception that the store is pricier as compared to competitors, especially since China is a highly price-conscious market. As French (2007) aptly stated, â€Å"win on price and you win, period†. It is therefore of utmost importance to have a lower price as compared to competitors. In order to provide lower prices, I will acquire the real estate, instead of renting or leasing the property like my two biggest competitors Gome and Suning do. This will provide me with a great advantage as I can lower rental prices for the manufacturers, who can then pass the accumulated savings down to the Chinese consumers. Noting the Chinese aversion to inauspicious names, I will also conduct sufficient research and preparation into choosing a Chinese name for the store before its opening. Instead of using a direct sound conversion of the brand name like â€Å"Bai Si Mai†, I will translate the brand name by meaning instead, such as â€Å"Zui Hao Mai†. This literally means â€Å"best buy†, and doubles up as a call that encourages consumers not to miss out on a deal. Conclusion In conclusion, China is a huge and growing market with tonnes of opportunities that multinationals cannot afford to neglect. However, there is a huge cultural divide between China and countries from the west like the United States. Entering the Chinese market will require multinationals to recognise and understand the cultural difference between their homeland and the Chinese market. Best Buy failed in China due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of cross-cultural differences. Although the company chose the correct mode of entry by first using foreign acquisition followed by the greenfield approach, it failed because it adopted an international strategy thinking that Chinese consumers will welcome the same offerings that reflect its core competency in the US — value-added service. Thinking it could import its success in the US to China by focusing on the same areas, Best Buy’s targeted service approach failed to take off in a climate governed by financial sensitivity. While focusing on providing consumers with a great shopping experience, the company failed to consider a fundamental portion of the retail environment — price, which affects Chinese consumers much more than service. To improve on this situation, I would first enter the Chinese market through foreign acquisition, so that I may gain access to knowledge about the culture in China before starting on the greenfield route. However, instead of using an international strategy, I will opt for the multi-domestic strategy by adapting my operations towards the needs of Chinese consumers. This would circumvent the issues that led to the company’s downfall in China. Due to the country’s rich traditions, its people are habitual and tend to shy away from the unfamiliar. Should Best Buy have chosen to use a multi-domestic strategy, it would have realised the need to customise its offerings in accordance to local tastes and might have gone on to capture a larger share of China’s consumer electronics market. Reference List Adam, M. 2011, ‘Bye-Bye, Best Buy (China): You had it coming’, Adam Minter of Shanghai Scrap, 22 February, Viewed 22 August 2012, Anne-Wil, H. 2002, â€Å"Acquisitions versus Greenfield investments: International strategy and management of entry modes†, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 211-227. 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