Tariff and Non-Tariff Barriers free essay sample

The tariff also helps protect jobs in the industry that has eliminated the foreign competition but a negative impact is felt because it causes the consumer to pay more for a product that is imported (Hill, 2004). If a country it prone to levy tariffs on items that an organization may need, it would increase the risk of doing business while located in that company. By having a Country manufacture Or produce product that can be done for less elsewhere is not a wise utilization of resources and in turn harms global trade.When foreign countries can enter a home country and sell product for less, people usually see this as a great trade opportunity. However, if that product is manufactured in the home country then the home country not only loses revenue from sales on that product but the economic impacts can run even deeper. With no need to manufacture that product companies will no longer need to purchase the raw materials or hire the employees necessary to maintain the demand. We will write a custom essay sample on Tariff and Non-Tariff Barriers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page To eliminate this from occurring or to impose a type of trade restriction on a foreign country tariffs and non-tariffs are utilized.General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATE) was succeeded by the World Trade Organization monitors tariffs and promotes free trade Hill, 2004). Tariffs can protect the local industries that face competition from imported goods by imposing tariffs. Tariffs are effective and widely used to protect the local industries from foreign competition (Sarcastic, 2006). However, this protection comes with an economic cost, where consumers have to pay a higher price to imported goods, which effectively lowering their buying power and leads to inefficient allocation of resources.Tariff is a tax applied to an import and is one of the oldest trade policies in effect. This tax is generally revenue for the host countrys government. There are two types of tariffs; specific tariff and ad valor tariff (Hill, 2004). A specific tariff applies a set tax to a certain import. If a specific tax of fifty cents were applied to wine then the government WOUld gain 50 cents from every bottle coming into the United States without regard to the price of the wine. An ad valor tax is applied at a fixed percentage of the value of the import (Sarcastic, 2006).If there were a 1. 5% tax levied against the wines, then three dollars would be gained in tariff revenue on each 200-dollar bottle of wine and only here cents on the two-dollar bottle. Non-tariff trade barriers are other mechanism that is used by the government to further protect the domestic industries. One of the examples of Non-tariff trade barrier is domestic content requirement. Domestic content requirement not only protect the local industries, it also helps the supporting industries to prosper and gain a larger market share.Non-tariff barriers are restrictions imposed upon countries such as voluntary export restrictions, antiquating and subsidies, quotas (Hill, 2004. Voluntary export restrictions (EVER) is when a country limits the number of product being exported to a certain country in order to gain favor or to diffuse a situation in which trade tensions are running high. A second type of barrier is a quota. Quota is another form of tariffs where the government restricts the quantity of goods that can be imported into the country.It is usually combine with the use of import taxes, whenever a firm imports a certain goods and it exceed the quota amount, higher tax will be imposed on the remaining goods (Hill, 2004). Quotas not only increase the rice of imported products but it can also affect the price of domestically manufactured products. If the product that is under the quota criteria is used to manufacture the domestic item then it too in turn will cost more to manufacture and this cost is then translated in the price to the consumer.The third type of non-tariff barrier is antiquating. Dumping is when a country sells a product in a foreign country for less than it would sell in its own country (Understanding the WTFO, 2006. ) When products are introduced to a market in this manner it will do harm to the local businesses. GATE and WTFO legislation support antiquating when it can be shown that the local economy has suffered a loss. The last type of non-tariff is a subsidy. A subsidy is a payment to a domestic industry by their government (Sarcastic, 2006).Subsidies aide the domestic businesses by enabling them to compete against foreign markets in their home country and by helping them export so that they can compete in the global trade system as well. Agricultural businesses are the most common industries that receive subsidies (Hill, 2004). Subsidies benefit domestic industries by making it more competitive but the cost is kicked up by taxes paid into the government by the citizens Of that country. Import licenses are other effective trade barriers.Instead of setting a quota, government would only have to control the number of licenses issued. Under the import-licensing scheme, importers are required to obtain license for each and every shipment they intend to import. Exchange rate is another issue that might form a trade barrier ONTO, 2006). Global financing can be a risky venture. Tariff can make it very difficult to accurately judge whether or not to approve a risky venture. A financing institution must take a thorough look at all sides of the puzzle.If the financing institution is expecting a certain amount of goods to export or import, it must take into consideration that tariffs can oftentimes caused those numbers to fluctuate. It is very important to manage the risks associated with tariff barriers. These barriers can restrict the profit level of any company and cause a surplus of good that a company will have to count as a loss. Global trade is most effective when a country utilizes its resources most efficiently.Countries that can produce products at lower price than other countries can manufacture and export that product while importing product in which it may not be as efficient in producing. When all countries participate in free trade, it stimulates the global economy. When barriers are imposed upon countries it limits the amount of trade can result in retaliation and the consumer is left to pay higher prices. Sometimes restrictions on imports and exports are instituted to protect consumers or the environment. But oftentimes tariffs are used to keep out competitive products that may be available for a reduced cost.

Free Essays on Art And Law

In today’s society artist feel that they should have free reign that would entitle them to create anything they feel necessary and depict whatever they desire without any regard to the content, imagery, or morality of their work. They believe it would hinder their work to have limitations placed upon them and their artwork. They hold the opinion that they should be able to express themselves in anyway, and anywhere. In my opinion artists have lost the ability and the want to create things pleasing to the eye, mind, and soul. Artists of this day and age feel that they are above the law because what they create is done all for the sake of art. Artists seem to have no ethic when it comes to their work. They create thing simply for the reaction. When commissioned to create a piece of art they get upset when limits are put on them. They are given a grant to create a piece of art and guidelines to follow and they become upset when they are told that they did not meet the guid elines because they chose to go off on their own path of expression. Not only do standards come with money but as citizens we all have standards to live by. The United States has law that prohibits certain content from being displayed in public, but some artist only seem intent to push the envelope when it comes to these laws. Just as censorship and the creation of art viewed as obscene exist today, it existed in the past. Some felt it was necessary to prevent the viewing of obscene art because even thought it had artistic value, the obscene content exceeded the artistic value. In the middle of the eighteenth century, the king of Naples initiated an excavation of the ancient city of Pompeii, Rome. In 1748, the first intact fresco and a skeleton were discovered and it became clear that this was a remarkable archaeological site, unlike any previously unearthed remains of the ancient world (Douzinas and Nead 203). Among these amazing finds were sexually expl... Free Essays on Art And Law Free Essays on Art And Law In today’s society artist feel that they should have free reign that would entitle them to create anything they feel necessary and depict whatever they desire without any regard to the content, imagery, or morality of their work. They believe it would hinder their work to have limitations placed upon them and their artwork. They hold the opinion that they should be able to express themselves in anyway, and anywhere. In my opinion artists have lost the ability and the want to create things pleasing to the eye, mind, and soul. Artists of this day and age feel that they are above the law because what they create is done all for the sake of art. Artists seem to have no ethic when it comes to their work. They create thing simply for the reaction. When commissioned to create a piece of art they get upset when limits are put on them. They are given a grant to create a piece of art and guidelines to follow and they become upset when they are told that they did not meet the guid elines because they chose to go off on their own path of expression. Not only do standards come with money but as citizens we all have standards to live by. The United States has law that prohibits certain content from being displayed in public, but some artist only seem intent to push the envelope when it comes to these laws. Just as censorship and the creation of art viewed as obscene exist today, it existed in the past. Some felt it was necessary to prevent the viewing of obscene art because even thought it had artistic value, the obscene content exceeded the artistic value. In the middle of the eighteenth century, the king of Naples initiated an excavation of the ancient city of Pompeii, Rome. In 1748, the first intact fresco and a skeleton were discovered and it became clear that this was a remarkable archaeological site, unlike any previously unearthed remains of the ancient world (Douzinas and Nead 203). Among these amazing finds were sexually expl...

10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions

10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions 10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions 10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions By Mark Nichol Writers should take care when determining which word among two or more synonyms or near synonyms to employ, because the sense of a word can be subtly or significantly different from that of a similar term, as the following examples illustrate. 1. Childish/Childlike Childish refers to immature behavior characteristic of a child, while childlike pertains to more positive qualities such as innocence and curiosity. 2. Illegible/Unreadable Something that is difficult to read because the text has been damaged or obscured is illegible or unreadable, but the latter term may alternatively refer to the poor quality of the content. 3. Incomparable/Uncomparable Incomparable is used as an intensifier to mean that the person, place, or thing so described is so excellent that no other person, place, or thing can compare; uncomparable, meanwhile, means that something about the person, place, or thing prevents it from being compared to someone, someplace, or something else. 4. Inequality/Inequity Inequality has a quantitative connotation; inequity implies an inequality borne of injustice or unfairness. However, inequality also has this sense in sociological contexts, as in references to gender or racial discrimination. 5. Inexplicable and Unexplainable These words are nearly identical in meaning, but inexplicable has developed a unique connotation of an illogical or irrational quality, as in references to odd behavior or supernatural phenomena. 6. Invaluable/Valuable Something valuable has value; something invaluable has value that, because of its quality or intangible importance, cannot be quantified. 7. Lonely/Lonesome Lonely and lonesome are nearly synonymous, but while lonely simply means â€Å"desiring companionship,† lonesome can have a slightly different connotation, one that is more existential or philosophical although, contradictorily, it is also more colloquial. Lonesome is also sometimes used to refer to a desolate landscape, as in â€Å"the lonesome prairie.† 8. Melted/Molten Something that has melted has, often because of heat, changed from a solid state to a liquid state; something that is molten is presently in a liquid state due to melting. The connotation is of extremely hot liquid, such as steel or lava, and the term also refers figuratively to a glowing quality. 9. Misinformed/Uninformed Someone who is misinformed has received erroneous information, whereas someone who is uninformed lacks information. 10. Nauseating/Nauseous Someone or something that is nauseating causes nausea; someone who is nauseated is experiencing nausea. This distinction is often not observed in colloquial writing, but careful writers maintain it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. ProgrammeAwoken or Awakened?35 Synonyms for Rain and Snow

Tylenol Recall Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tylenol Recall - Research Paper Example and Drug Administration regulator supervised the removal of five Tylenol products from the shelves after consumers complained that Tylenol bottles had a moldy like odor. Some of the consumers reported experiencing stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting after taking pills from those packages. (fda.gov). On that same year, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulator issued a press release statement expanding the recall that included all Tylenol arthritis pain drugs. According to the ABC news network, a further 54 million bottles and packages of pills were pulled from the shelves across the country that year. To the consumers, the Tylenol recall came as a relief especially since they had complained a year earlier about the products’ packaging (abcnews.go.com). On one of the news report aired on the ABC news network, the complaints are reported to have started back in the year 2008 but it is only after the FDA intervened that Johnson and Johnson reacted extensively. The following year, there was a massive voluntary recall by Johnson & Johnson Company under the FDA supervision. The recall saw McNeil consumer Healthcare, a child company of Johnson and Johnson, take actions to compensate its customers. According to the FDA press statement, a consumer who had purchased Tylenol arthritis pain medicine were requested to stop taking the pills and seek either refunds or replacement from the company. After pulling millions of bottles from the shelves , the government began a series of criminal investigations. In a federal court case in Philadelphia dated 10th march, 2015, McNeil settled for a criminal fine of 20 million dollars following an incidence that dates back to 1st May, 2009. A consumer had reported finding foreign materials in an infant Tylenol medication. Investigations later confirmed the materials to be harmful. Many of the widely products were pulled from the shelves affecting its millions of users. For example, Tylenol arthritis medicine was one the

Common Pool Resources - Privatization or Collective Action Assignment

Common Pool Resources - Privatization or Collective Action - Assignment Example Regulating the manner in which oil is produced will ensure that it is well preserved and it can be effective as a pool resource. Privatization will ensure that oil production can specialized in accordance to its requirement as a pool resource. Oil can only be refined or obtained in particular areas and regions, which adds to the ideology of the resource being produced and refined through privatization. It implies that specialization (based on regions) is the best course of action for production (Ramanadham, 1993). Therefore, oil as a resource should be privatized. Forests require a collective effort. I say this because the general state of global forests is abysmal. This is a prime reason as to why individuals must do the best they can to ensure that the forest are preserved and developed to ensure that they are wiped out. Privatization would be inadequate because forests are required on a global scale and their maintenance cannot be done a few companies (Ramanadham, 1993). Developing a forest will take time and cannot be carried out by a few companies. Since forests can be developed in numerous areas, in contrast to oil, making it a collective action is the best measure of ensuring the pool resource does not run

Rights of Children Essay Example for Free

Rights of Children Essay Childrens rights are defined in numerous ways, including a wide spectrum of civil, cultural, economic, social and political rights. Rights tend to be of two general types: those advocating for children as autonomous persons under the law and those placing a claim on society for protection from harms perpetrated on children because of their dependency. These have been labeled as the right of empowerment and as the right to protection. One Canadian organization categorizes childrens rights into three categories: Provision: Children have the right to an adequate standard of living, health care, education and services, and to play and recreation. These include a balanced diet, a warm bed to sleep in, and access to schooling. Protection: Children have the right to protection from abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination. This includes the right to safe places for children to play; constructive child rearing behavior, and acknowledgment of the evolving capacities of children. Participation: Children have the right to participate in communities and have programs and services for themselves. This includes childrens involvement in libraries and community programs, youth voice activities, and involving children as decision-makers. [15][16] In a similar fashion, the Child Rights Information Network, or CRIN for short, categorizes rights into two groups:[17][18] Economic, social and cultural rights, related to the conditions necessary to meet basic human needs such as food, shelter, education, health care, and gainful employment. Included are rights to education, adequate housing, food, water, the highest attainable standard of health, the right to work and rights at work, as well as the cultural rights of minorities and indigenous peoples. Environmental, cultural and developmental rights, which are sometimes called third generation rights, and including the right to live in safe and healthy environments and that groups of people have the right to cultural, political, and economic development. Amnesty International openly advocates four particular childrens rights, including the end to juvenile incarceration without parole, an end to the recruitment of military use of children, ending the death penalty for people under 21, and raising awareness of human rights in the classroom. [1] Human Rights Watch, an international advocacy organization, includes child labor, juvenile justice, orphans and abandoned children, refugees, street children and corporal punishment. [19] Scholarly study generally focuses childrens rights by identifying individual rights.

The Consumer And The Gimmick :: essays research papers

The Consumer and the Gimmick Today there are many factors that hurt the music industry. One factor involves the way we push musicians into allowing the industry to popularize one good song thus forgetting the rest of the album.   We the consumers have somehow been satisfied with just one good song from one mediocre band.   Perhaps there is a simple formula for disaster.   First the song is played on the radio and then the video is constantly on MTV, thus causing us to get tired of the music.   It's as easy as that! We sit and whine about not hearing enough from our favorite band, but once they come out with new music we smother ourselves in it. We then get sick of it and are left looking for something new to fulfill our cravings. This is when we, the monster consumers of music, decide to take our interest to the next hit song. It's not all our fault. You have to put at least some blame on the bands themselves. They feel that it is part of their job to indulge our wants.   We as lovers of what these songwriters do are appalled and disgusted by hearing anything but the best from our favorite bands.   Once we have what we want it's not long before we want more.   This is because we consume the musicians' talents like a fast food happy meal.   We open the box, take out the toy, throw away the contents, and then bitch about being hungry.   When we do this we always say, "It's a cool song, but they are a one hit wonder."   We the hungry consumer do not give the bands a chance to show their true musical talents. One example involves the group Verve Pipe and their hit song "The Freshman." This songs LP was out in December. No one noticed it until halfway through the month of March.   "The Freshman" was played every thirty minutes on the radio and fifteen times a day on MTV. This in my opinion results in the complete overplay of one bands hit song.   Now we consider them a "One hit wonder."   The Verve Pipe has more good music, but who is to say that anyone will ever hear it? Another thing that hurts the industry is the reliance on gimmicks. Finding  Ã‚   talent in a band that relies on gimmicks is as easy as lifting a three-hundred pound man above you head.   Sure for some it is easy, but for others it's damn near impossible.   A few bands that rely on gimmicks are Marilyn Manson and basically any rapper you can think of off the top of your head.

Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer’s Day Reflection

In Shakespeare’s sonnet, â€Å"Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day,† Shakespeare compares a warm summer’s day to the woman he loves. In the beginning two lines of the poem, he makes his first comparison saying â€Å"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate,† meaning Shakespeare is not sure if he should compare the woman he loves to a summer’s day because she is more lovely and more constant.He explains in the next two lines about how summer has flaws like the rough winds shake the beloved buds of may and that summer is to short, and he makes the point that the woman should not be compared to a summer’s day because in his eyes, she has no flaws. After, Shakespeare also explains how everything beautiful will loose beauty eventually due to nature’s course.In the two lines following to those above, he explains how her beauty and youth will never fade because he will always find her be autiful, no matter what effects nature’s course has on her. Showing his love for this woman, Shakespeare elaborates in his poem that Death will never claim her for ‘his’ own because she will always be his. Notice how Shakespeare makes death look like another person and how he explains how no one else could ever have her.That’s a perfect example of his unique figurative language. With the final couplet, â€Å"So as long as men can breathe and eyes can see, So long lives this and gives life to thee,† Shakespeare shows his true affection and his declaration of love for the woman he loves. It changes the pace of the poem by explaining that she can never die because she will live on forever in this poem, not comparing her to a summer’s day.

When You Shouldnt Go Global

Running head: VETTING GLOBALIZATION STRATEGIES When You Shouldn’t Go Global; Vetting Globalization Strategies Table of Contents Executive Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Case Overview †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 SWOT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Situation Analysis†¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 STAB Principles †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Christian Values †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 Recommendations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 Executive Summary It has been argued that companies who have experienced some level of failure when trying their hand at cross-border ventures have simply attempted the leap under misguided information. It is argued that such failures are in direct result of inadequately vetting their globalization strategies. We offer an in depth discussion surrounding the globalization issue and the necessary strategies, followed by recommendations we believe could help reduce the prevalence of globalization failures. We open our discussion with a 2008 case study urging the company considering globalization to ask themselves a series of revealing questions. Providing real life examples, we go on to highlight several underlying pressures and challenges often associated with the process of globalization. An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, often associated with a firm who is not prepared for globalization, is performed. The often intimidating global climate and several mixed assumptions surrounding globalization are discussed across a multitude of service industries. We continue by presenting three of Sun Tzu’s principles, as cited in The Art of Business, as we argue ways in which they are instrumental to any successful globalization venture, providing examples of firms who have historically and successfully applied the three principles. Several Christian values and how they are intertwined within the structural framework of a successfully globalized firm mentioned, noting the importance of a functional mission statement and several key characteristics to be explored before attempting the cross-border venture; ensuring global readiness. Finally, we offer several recommendations that we conclude are vital in addressing globalization preparedness, suggesting that with additional research, insight, and after fully vetting the related risks and rewards, the frequency of globalization failures would be significantly reduced. Case Overview Marcus Alexander and Harry Korine (2008), argue that many companies do not take the time to ensure that their globalization strategies were not â€Å"deeply misguided. † Believing that many of these failures could be avoided, Alexander and Korine (2008) recommend the company pondering globalization ask themselves three questions: 1. Are there potential benefits for our company? 2. Do we have the necessary management skills? and 3. Will the costs outweigh the benefits? Among the arguments made by Alexander and Korine is that which encompasses the pressures surrounding the globalization process. Alexander and Korine (2008), argue that companies going global in relation to various marketplace pressures are making serious mistakes, subsequently forced to undo their international investments, often involving the firing of senior management teams. Alexander and Korine (2002), offer up examples of failed strategies such as Dutch financial-services firm ABN Amro, Daimler-Chrysler, and AES – a U. S. based energy firm that despite operating in 29 countries on five continents, struggle to bring added value. The authors relate the struggles of deregulated industries to a â€Å"glocal† problem. That is to say that many â€Å"customer expectations, operating environments, and management practices of a globally standard service can vary greatly depending on location,† in example, citing the standardization of electricity flowing over power grids (Alexander & Korine, 2008, p. 107-109). Every industry has its own challenges with globalization. Issues within the service industry, such as Starbucks, for example, have been that profit margins are equivalent to about half of that which can be expected domestically. In the IT industry the protection of intellectual property rights has caused many companies to simply leave countries like India, while the failed integration of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler is a perfect example of a failed globalization strategy in the manufacturing industry (Alexander & Korine, 2008). In discussing some of the strategies that did work, such as GE, and Renault’s alliance with Nissan, Alexander and Korine caution against focusing on these success stories. Stating that that while many companies are planning rapid expansion, they are underestimating the management challenges. Their final point is that the landscape of players is very different than that of the global landscape of 30 years ago. Today’s successful global behemoths, according to Alexander and Korine (2008), are more diversified â€Å"both in type and international footprint. † Meaning, such companies possess a greater diversity in the types of subsidiaries they own and operating in more countries than ever before. SWOT Analysis – When you Shouldn’t Go Global Strengths Reduced financial, political, currency, and exchange risk- Foreign investment involves all of these risks. By refraining from foreign investment we avoid these risks. Simplicity of operations- Setting up and maintaining foreign investments complicate operations. Refraining from going global keeps operations more simple. Protection of intellectual property- It is very difficult to protect intellectual property in foreign countries. By keeping all activities domestic, one is adding a layer of protection to intellectual property rights. Weaknesses Loss of economies-of-scale and economies-of-scope- This according to Alexander and Korine is what is not being fully realized by going global, and therefore may not be that significant of an issue in many industries. Loss of first-mover advantages- Choosing not to go global may mean making the irrevocable choice to give up the first-mover advantage. This is usually a very small window and a one-time opportunity. Foregoing additional revenue sources- For a company that has no additional potential revenue sources domestically, going global may be the only opportunity to gather additional revenue. Foregoing market growth- For companies wishing to expand market reach, the choice to forego going global will limit their market penetration. Opportunities No financial investment- Refraining from foreign financial investment frees-up those funds for investment in domestic activities. No use of other resources- Refraining from going global frees-up all resources (human, etc. ) for use in domestic activities. Threats Loss of market share to competition- Should one’s competition be successful in going global, they may be able to offer similar products at much lower prices thus forcing you out of the market. The competition may also offer superior products at higher prices, and capture the market, via the use of superior technology. Loss of talent to competition- In many fields, such as high tech and engineering, the worldwide competition for talent is fierce. Failure to go global often means failure to secure talent. Loss of learning opportunities- Since globalization can take the form of joint ventures. There is also the threat of the loss of learning from a joint venture partner that should be considered. Situation Analysis Since the seventh century business have possessed the desire to operate internationally however, those considered truly global, did not start appearing until the past century. With growing stories of globalization successes, follow just as many testaments to failures. Despite the growing number of failed attempts the overwhelming pressure to conduct the ultimate border-less business has become increasingly enticing. Most large companies founded 20 years ago feel battered by numerous external forces pushing them towards globalization. Driving forces such as the removal of political and regulatory barriers to global trading and investment and the ability to conduct business 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world, draw these business behemoths one step closer to customers in emerging economies (Alexander &Korine, p. 106). Deanna Julius (1997), lists in her article titled Globalization and Stakeholder Conflicts; a corporate perspective), three primary, macro-level forces, driving the need for change as; how companies are organized, how goods and services are produced and how they are bought by and delivered to customers. Alexander & Korine (2008), mention that while many of the companies that have rushed to globalization have benefited, or at the very least have not suffered irreparable damage, some are witnessing major fallout from the move. The authors suggest that while companies often fail from misguided global strategies and an unanticipated level of execution, they could have avoided such failure by seriously addressing if potential benefits even exist in going global, if their management possess the necessary skills and the most logical one, will the costs of going global outweigh the benefits? Alexander & Korine (2008), argue that most companies fail to ask themselves these questions due to previously held false assumptions regarding the virtues of globalization and seduction from the stock market. As previously mentioned, deregulated industries such as those who provide water, power, and mail service are among those experiencing global failure. Alexander & Korine (2008), suggest that deregulated industries are operating under the misguided assumptions as well. The greatest assumption being that, going global will save them money, given they will be sharing resources across their international operations. When in reality, the costs to enter the foreign markets end up outweighing the assumed benefits (Alexander & Korine, 2008, p. 107). Managerial fads are suggested to undermine rational behavior from within a company, thus resulting in sloppy thinking that distracts management from more imperative tasks associated with global success. Properly servicing global customers from a national perspective contributes too many failures given, much attention must be afforded to a mix or global and local factors simultaneously. Global manufacturing companies are said to fail due in part to the complexities related to the integration tactics necessary grow and compete better, resulting in costly delays and thus failures (Alexander & Korine, 2008, p. 110). STAB Principles Win All without Fighting – Capturing Your Market without Destroying It The goal of business is to survive and prosper over a long period of time. Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War, described the strategy in achieving this long term prosperity as an offensive one in which a company must take all under Heaven intact, â€Å"Thus your troops are not worn out and your gains will be complete (McNeilly, 1996, p. 11). McNeilly (1996), utilizing Sun Tzu’s principles in his book The Art of Business, adds that, by taking all under heaven intact you will capture your marketplace thus ensuring your company’s survival and prosperity. However, your desired markets must be defined as such and nothing less than commitment in achieving market dominance must be displayed (McNeilly, 1996, p. 1). Application of Sun Tzu’s principle, win all without fighting – capturing your market without destroying it, as cited in McNeilly (1996), has been useful to many of today’s leading companies, including global cement producer, CEMEX. Cemex’s CEO Lorenzo Zambrano has applied Sun Tzu’s technique when expanding his cement company in Mexico and abroad. By the year 2000, CEMEX had become the world’s third largest cement company. In Cemex’s quest for market dominance they switched to a strategy of growth through acquisitions. In the late 1980’s large firms were considering expanding their operations into Cemex’s Mexican territory. Realizing the imminent threat CEMEX decided to unify its Mexican operations by acquiring two of Mexico’s large cement producers, affording CEMEX access to Mexico’s central market and bolstering its exporting capabilities, making CEMEX Mexico’s largest cement producer and a threat not to be competed against. While CEMEX won all without fighting, they gained market dominance in Mexico, later fueling their geographic expansion (Ghemawat, 200, p. 155). Deception and Foreknowledge – Maximizing the Power of Market Information Foreknowledge, as described in Sun Tzu’s third strategic principle, is not projecting what will happen in the future, based on past occurrences or merely conducting a trend analysis. Foreknowledge and maximizing the power of market information is to; gain firsthand knowledge of your competitions strengths and weaknesses, know their capabilities, culture and mindset, and obtain a deeper understanding of who their decision makers are and what their future goals and plans are (McNeilly, 1996, p. 0). As Sun Tzu stated in The Art of War, as cited in McNeilly (1996), regarding foreknowledge â€Å"What is called foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits, nor from Gods, nor by analogy with past events, nor from calculations. It must be obtained from men who know the enemy situation. † In order for a company to succeed on a global scale not only do the ins and outs of their competition need to be understood and plotted against, they must also know themselves; their own weaknesses, strengths, people and plans as well as the market in which they will be entering. A corporation lacking this level of foreknowledge should reconsider entering global markets until they better know themselves and their competition. Before Wal-Mart swept our nation, Sam Walton gathered vast amounts of information on his competitors, large and small, before he ever brought competition to their territory. In fact, before Wal-Mart took on then behemoth value retailer Kmart, it was the smaller, local mom and pop retailers that were seized up. Walton learned about the smaller retailers value chains and distribution methods, through foreknowledge, he attacked their weakest points, where they could not afford to compete, in costs and deceptfully defeated them where they did not expect it; in their own small, rural towns. Defeating the smaller retailers gained Wal-Mart the necessary market share to then surround urban Kmart. Wal-Mart, knowing that Kmart’s operating costs was on average 5% higher than theirs attacked Kmart at its cost structure, and won. Kmart was just not able to get under Wal-Mart’s five point advantage in operating costs (McNeilly, 1996 p. 25). In 2009, after waiting for a new government with a more ‘hopeful’ political environment and a well paired partnership with local market-savvy grocery retailer, Bharti, Wal-Mart utilizes foreknowledge and deception to enter India’s market. Historically however, Wal-Mart has been unsuccessful in several global markets such as Japan due to their inability to adapt to local markets and tastes (Consumer Goods, 2009). As McNeilly (1996), notes in summary, you must learn everything you can about your competition, not merely the facts, but you must also learn about its culture, market, mindset and capabilities. Possibly additional foreknowledge in these areas could be of great use to Wal-Mart. Character Based Leadership – Providing Effective Leadership in Turbulent Times Character based leadership is not only desirable but it is an attribute than often separates the globally successful firms from the rest. When a company first tries its business hand and people skills at cross-border trading, most of the times are turbulent ones and without effective and transparent leadership, going global can quickly escalate from intimidating to downright terrifying. When we think of character based leaders, often people like Chrysler’s Lee Iacocca, Steve Jobs (Apple), The Snyder family (In-N-Out burger), Dan Cathy (Chick-Fil-A), Eric Schmidt (Google) and Jim Skinner of McDonalds come to mind, but McNeilly (1996) reminds us that not only are leaders of this caliber unique, they can also be hard to find. It is of no coincidence than that we can more readily recall companies operating under less than character based leadership, faster than those with it. Companies like Nike, BP, Exxon (Valdez Oil spill) and even Carl’s Jr’s current CEO Andy Puzder, come to mind. Sun Tzu stated in The Art of War, as cited within McNeilly (1996), â€Å"The general who in advancing does not seek personal fame, and in withdrawing is not concerned with avoiding punishment, but whose only purpose is to protect the people and promote the best interests of his sovereign, is the precious jewel of the state†¦few such to be had. McNeilly (1996) suggests that leaders of this caliber are desirable given they put the needs of others before theirs, they have strong and well developed characters. Becoming such a leader is not easy and will require much sacrifice to: â€Å"Build your character, not just your image; lead with actions, not just words; Share employee’s trials, not just triumph s, motivate emotionally, not just materially, assign clearly defined missions to all, avoiding mission overlap and confusion and the make your strategy drive your organization; not the reverse† (McNeilly, 1996, p. 119). Jim Skinner, CEO for McDonalds and winner of the 2009 CEO of the Year award is greatly admired and willingly followed by his employees around the world and thus a great example of a character based leader attributing to McDonald’s global successes. Skinner, who began his career with McDonald's in 1971 as a grill cook was named CEO in 2004, at a tumultuous time for the company. Skinner acted quickly to turn the company around and in result between 2004 and 2008 McDonald’s revenues climbed 41. 1 percent in four years, and net income jumped by 81 . 3 percent (Top Executive, 2009). The top nominees for CEO of the year are judged by such criteria as; leadership, integrity, ability to outperform and for their commitment to employees. It was no surprise to those who knew and worked with Jim Skinner that he had excelled in every category. After receiving the award, Skinner acknowledged the support his leadership team, along with the entire McDonald's system, stating â€Å"Together, our franchisees, employees and suppliers make up what we call our three-legged stool, we succeed only when all three legs of that stool are strong, aligned and performing at the highest levels† (Top executive, 2009). In closing, Skinner noted that while the challenges of leadership have grown more complex in the multifaceted business climate, holding fast to fundamental principals will serve today's global business leader well (Top Executive, 2009). The character based leader of today’s successful global firm provides effective leadership in turbulent times, Sun Tzu refers to this as ‘moral influence’ stating in The Art of War, as cited within McNeilly (1996), â€Å"By moral influence I mean that which causes people to be in harmony with their leaders, so that they will accompany them in life and unto death without fear of mortal peril. Skinner possesses moral influence among his employees, an important principle that will undoubtedly advance McDonalds in global markets around the world. Christian Values At the minimum, companies poised for global success, will adopt a mission statement. Ideally, these companies will have a statement of values. One organization that is not on ly global, but transnational – World Vision International has a statement of values that serves as moral compass in decision making and strategic planning. It states that WVI’s values are to â€Å"Bring a Christian, community-based, child-focused HIV and AIDS response, reflecting God’s unconditional love for all people and the affirmation of each individual’s dignity and worth† (World Vision International, 2009, p. 2). It is these types of clear statements of vision that removes the guess work from the Christian Business Praxis model. Additionally, companies need to look at the characteristics of their organization and the values their leadership possesses to determine whether or not the decision to global is in the best interest of the organization. Some examples are: Benevolence- For many organizations benevolence is the primary reason for going global. This was certainly the case of bicycle manufactures and APU alumni ACIRFA, who after going on mission to Africa saw a need for transportation and found a way to meet that need. Stewardship- Stakeholder theory, which seems to dominate most modern business decision making, indicates that it is unethical to go global without first considering the impact on all of your stakeholders. Clearly, one’s shareholders are his or her primary stakeholders. However, one must be mindful of the fact the fact that the organization is also the steward of its employees. And, to that end the organization has a duty to plan responsibly and minimize risk to those employees. As such, it is important for organizations to ensure that they are balancing potential profitability with the potential of not serving some of those under their care. Collaboration- This is a particularly useful skill if an organization is considering joint ventures. If, however, the organization has found that that the leadership of the organization or the organization as a whole is particularly weak in this area this is an indicator that a joint venture is not ideal. Integrity- The challenge associated with integrity (assuming that your organization possesses a great deal of integrity) is that one doesn’t know the off-shore partners and vendors one’s organization will be dealing with. New relationships will need to be established, and with that trust will need to be cultivated. Management skill- For every ounce of management skill it takes to manage domestically it takes a pound to manage off-shore. This is because there is an entirely new set of challenges and risks. There are language barriers in many cases. There are currency fluctuations, political risks, supply chain issues, and a whole host of challenges that one may not have realized existed even with extensive due diligence. Passion- The type of passion we are addressing here is the type associated with buy-in. If all members of the executive management team have not bought-in to the idea of going global it is going to be very difficult to have a great deal of success. Leadership must be passionate about going global. They must be excited, and they must be convinced that this is the future of the organization for global efforts to be successful. Preparation- Preparation is the key to success in going global. It may be fine to start out by simply exporting a few items. However, as demand increases, organizations will find that the need for strategic planning and preparation will also increase. Should a company wish to enter into either a joint venture, licensing agreement or build facilities off-shore, extensive due diligence involving outside consultants will be necessary. Zest- As we have suggested, going global is not for the faint-at-heart. Leaders have to be willing to take risks, and moreover leadership should invigorate others. Going global is not an easy task, great planning and preparation are integral. There will be many challenges and many hurdles and in many cases there will be more reasons to quit than stay the course. Therefore, zest is a prerequisite for going global. Recommendations Before making the decision to go global, heed Alexander and Korine’s advice, and ask three questions of your organization: 1. Are there potential benefits for our company? 2. Do we have the necessary management skills? and 3. Will the costs outweigh the benefits? The answers to those three questions will give the organization a starting point from which to determine if going global is in the best interest of the organization as a whole. Next, ask the operational questions- Is going global necessary for the growth and/or survival of our organization? Is globalization worth the various risks involved? Can effectively and protect our intellectual property in a cost efficient manner? Will the complications surrounding operations be overwhelming? What do we stand to lose if we don’t go global and if we don’t who within our competition will? What possible ramifications exist at the expense of not going global? Are we losing out on a learning opportunity by not going global? Is there unsecured talent out there that we may miss out on by not going global? Then ask the company, how much the above is worth in terms of opportunity cost? If we don’t utilize our time and resources in going global, how then will we allocate said resources to growth? Then ask your company the values questions- Is going global a responsible and ethical management decision? Can we trust that we will find people of integrity in the global economy to do business with and if so, do we possess the necessary passion and zest to be successful at such as risky cross-border venture? In addition, have we well prepared, and will we continue to be, throughout every step of the process? After asking the above questions we recommend conducting a detailed SWAT analysis where all possible risks and rewards involved with going global are fully vetted, then establish that all Christian perspectives are clear and present and finally, if the decision to go global is made, go forward while applying Sun Tzu’s Art of Business principles. In conclusion, Alexander and Korine (2008), suggest that we should not expect the influx of globalization failures to stop or improve any time soon. Making the valid point that, companies in a variety of industries will continue on in their reckless pursuit of global strategies, activists will continue to cause change and disruption and less than character based leaders will stand behind flawed globalization strategies, all the while, customers will always be demanding select attention. While it is undeniable that globalization is a seductively daunting opportunity with promises of increased power and unlimited benefits looming about the mere thought and that while even the best and brightest leaders, heading up the most well prepared companies may eventually succumb to its pressures, make the cross-border transition and possibly fail at it, keep in mind- sometimes to fail is necessary to succeed. References Alexander, M ; Korine, H. (2008). When You Shouldn’t Go Global. In Bartlett, C. A. ; Beamish, P. W. Transnational Management- Text, cases, and readings in cross-border management. 6thed. p. 105-112). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Consumer goods: Wal-Mart cashes in. (2009). Business India Intelligence, 16(12), 3-4. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com Fraser, R. (2006). Marketplace Christianity: Discovering the kingdom purposes of the marketplace. 2nd ed. Kansas City: MO: New Grid Publishing. Ghemawat, P. (2000). The Globalization of CEMEX. In Bartle tt, C. A. ; Beamish, P. W. Transnational Management-Texts, cases and readings in cross-border management, 6thed. (p. 146-166). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Julius, D. (1997). Globalization and Stakeholder Conflicts: A corporate perspective. International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-). Globalization and International Relations (Vol. 73, No. 3, p. 453-468). McNeilly, M. (1996). Sun Tzu and the art of business: Six strategic principles for managers. New York: Oxford University Press. World Vision International. (2009). Global hope initiative annual report 2009. Retrieved from http://wvi. org/wvi/wviweb. nsf/0CF6565756AEA942882575590061CEAC/$file/ Hope_Annual_Report_Exec_Summary_2009. pdf 2009 chief executive of the year. (2009). Chief Executive, (242), 68-70. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/212098908? accountid=8459

Family in the Media Today Essay Example

Family in the Media Today Essay Example Family in the Media Today Essay Example Family in the Media Today Essay Example The media has been credited with spreading numerous ideologies that have shaped the definition of life both in the United States and beyond. This means that the media in one way or another is a reflection of the societal norms as perceived and believed by the people. While some people would argue that the media shapes the thoughts of the people, it is evidently arguable that the society is reflected upon by the media. The media has to be able to sell and to do this; they must appeal to the audience by being relevant in whatever they do. Television Illustrating Family The fact that the media industry has grown in leaps and bounds over the decades implies that they have so far been doing the right thing. This only ascertains that the media is a reflection of the society such that whatever ideas are prevailing in the media must be the ideas that prevail within a given society. Over the years, the American media has undergone a number of changes with regards to their presentation of the family. Initially, families comprised of loving parents and obedient children. The father figures back then may have been, in some cases, unorthodox so to speak, but they loved and provided for their families to the best of their abilities. The mothers, on the other hand, were always the loving and caring kind, with unlimited patience and enough good advice to go around. Today, however, the typical family as represented in the American media is flawed with all sorts of challenges. Most programs even go ahead to show broken homes with divorced parents and fights about child support and custody among other things. The question thus stands is whether it is the society that has changed or simply the media has adapted a different perspective on the concept of the family. This paper will argue that the society has changed and that today’s families are not like those that our parents were brought up in. The media thus simply reflects on what the society has become, and the evident changes with regards to how families are presented can actually be traced back to the real life settings in today’s families. This paper will be based on a number of secondary sources on how the media has been representing families over the past couple of decades. The Media as a Reflection of the Society In â€Å"The Changing Face of the American Family†, Tim Stanley explores the phases that the American media has taken the definition of family. At first, the family as shown in The Cosby Show was a situation in which the father was the head of the family and had to remain unchallenged by the rest of the members. In this show, the media clearly stepped out of the societal norm of love and acceptance regardless of the actions or circumstances into a zone where the father knew best and was thus always right. While it could be argued that the media instilled this type of parenting in the American population, it would be insincere to say that the attitude came from the media. It was a strict form of parenting that did exist but was considered traditional since the media was showing more of liberal methods of parenting and definitions of the family as a shelter of love and acceptance. The family in this 1984 sitcom is a loving family headed by a working father who wants the best for his family (Stanley 9). This is in more ways than one a perfect family, where everyone lives by the rules, and in the end, they are all happy. â€Å"When Is Mommy Coming Home? A Content Analysis of Spillover in Parenthood† by Barbara Prince considers the effects of modern day parenting on the children and on the parents as well. In the article, the author cites that as children watch more TV and parents spend more time at work, the life as shown in the media is becoming more realistic than not. The study uses the TV series Parenthood to prove this fact, with the help of real research on working parents and their families. In this study, it is established that the story in Parenthood actually happens in the lives of the American people today. This simply means that while parents are out working, the children have to be entertained with stories that they can actually relate to. The media thus plays to the experiences of their audiences just so they can make profits and get good ratings. Basically, the media in this case is useful in mirroring the society and giving the people a version of the truth as they know it (Pri nce 32). Parenthood is a TV series that shows just how parents live their lives, trying to balance work and family and often failing at one if not both. This show presents a modern day family where parenting is inadequate in all senses of the word. â€Å"A Modern Family: The Performance of Family and Familialism in Contemporary Television Series† by Jennifer M. Fogel speaks of a devotion to protect the conservative image of the family even when the definition does not work so well in real life. The media is seen to bring out the undertones of conservativeness, unconditional love and comfort within the nuclear family as well as some kind of restricted mannerism that indicates an inclination towards perfection. While this author argues that the media today represents the consciousness of the society with regards to how people would like a family to be, she also contends to the idea that the TV shows often bend towards reality by giving the story as it should be (Fogel). This could possibly be because the shows need to appeal to the audience by being relevant to their experiences, and they should be able to somehow relate to the actors. This article argues that while the families in today’s media are mostly flawed wi th too much drama and conflicts, they have some subconscious undertones of the old-time families. This may be a way of showing that even in the changing face of the social construction of a family, the initial foundations of unconditional love, comfort and some level of conservativeness remain intact, even if only with a light touch. In Beneath Family Role Portrayals: An Additional Measure of Communication Influence Using Time Series Analyses of Turn at Talk on a Popular Television Program by James Honeycutt, Lynn Wellman and Mary Larson, the authors contend that the TV programs are used to teach families about communication among other things. The authors argue that while these programs have to be appealing and relevant to the audience, if they are to get good ratings, they are often used in such a way that they are also informative and educative to the audience by applying a lot of relevant techniques. This function of the media is found in the fact that families spend more time watching TV than having actual conversations, and thus it is important for them to find some useful lessons in the media. This article brings out the possibility that the media shapes the lives of the people, but it can also be understood to imply that the media is tailored to suit the needs of the audience (Honeycutt, Lynn and Larson 5 4). In a case where the media is used to teach communication to the families, it must have been that the families have been found wanting in the way that they communicate with each other. This would imply that the needs of the family are established before the media is used to meet these needs. In this way, the needs of the society shape the actions of the media. All these articles and studies agree to the idea that the media is only a reflection of the society with regards to what people believe, or want to believe. The media thrives on the ability to make sales and impress the audience, and it is thus compelled to be relevant to the audience in whatever subject they choose to pursue. In one way or another, the media is defined by the society such that whatever is seen in the media and accepted by the masses is a true reflection of what the society considers as normal and right. The thoughts and opinions reflected in the American TV shows are thus a representation of the attitudes of people with regards to the subject in question. Family in the Media In the past, the family was defined as a haven of perfection. It was all about keeping up appearances, obeying the elders and basically playing by the rules. The children were expected to do right by their parents while parents were always right. Generally, the society created a notion that family equaled perfection, and it is no wonder that it was considered as a pivotal aspect in defining individuals. In one way or another, the family was a great place to be, and every member of the society was groomed to be a part of this once they became adults. Rather than striving to attain happiness, people lived to start families and be ‘perfect’ as families had come to be defined (Neuhaus 770). Perfection was the key aspect, and no one wanted to be left out. At the same time, however, people had to deal with other pressures including working and being parents. As a result, these pressures, especially amongst the working families, may have contributed to the change in the family configuration. Gradually, families became conflicting with numerous flaws and kinks that tainted the notion of perfection and thus the ideal family crumbled to pieces. As the idea of perfection was swept away by the constraints of modern living along with the need to adopt modernist attitudes, the family was strained with family ties being put to the test and often crumbling under extreme pressures. The masses stopped associating families with perfection and rather began to accept the challenges that were experienced in daily living. This is what the new definition of a family became: a unit that has flaws and challenges but often stuck together at the end of it, all due to understanding and loyalty. This new definition was thus embraced and propagated by the media too as it suited all the different circumstances that families had to go through. There were instances of betrayal by family, conflicting loyalties, forgiveness and sometimes lifelong rifts that became irreconcilable. These experiences eventually dictated the definition of a normal family in the American society. Initially, family shows were those like The Cosby Show, with perfect families where the father was a good provider struggling to make ends meet, the mother a homemaker with a social life and the children all trying to be rebellious and yet respectful and obedient to their parents. However, as this situation changed, the shows also changed. From the perfect families, TV shows started embracing the changes in reality too by presenting families that in any way could not be considered perfect. There came shows such as My Wife and Kids, The War at Home, The Modern Family among others. All these shows present an image that can be considered more realistic based on the family setting today. While often sticking to the concept of a nuclear family, these shows bring out the conflicts in both the nuclear and extended settings. In The War at Home, the nuclear family has numerous challenges, and the children are in their teenage years. Then there is a younger aunt who adds on to the drama and co nflicts in the story (Kosovski and Smith 854). Generally, the story revolves around the drama that a normal family goes through, implying that normalcy in a family setting is all about being true to oneself and often communicating in such a way that one is transparent and yet accommodating of the other members. Considering the media as a mirror of the society, it can be stated that the image of a family as portrayed in the media today is a result of the social constructs on the family as developed gradually over the years. The more parents became drawn away from their families in search of financial stability and successful career paths, the more the fabric of the family unit as defined by the society became torn and in some cases irreparable (Brancato 55). In addition, for some reason, there came a time when the number of children born out of wedlock, often to unwed mothers, spiked. These single-parent families further contributed to the questioning of the definition of a family. As different opinions on the subject surfaced, more and more changes became evident with regards to the social norms. People started seeing the family in a more realistic light where the parents may not always be present, they would not always be on good terms, and the children would not always be as obedient. The se became the norms of family life as defined by the society, implying that the even the moral fabric was changing and that it was okay for parents to have differences and for children to stand up for themselves from time to time. The media as we know it today is a means through which the society speaks out, expressing the various opinions and attitudes towards a variety of issues. In an ideal world, the media is an exact reflection of the people and their thoughts and beliefs. The world may be far from ideal today, but the media remains steadfast in its role as a mirror of society. Even with the manipulation of the corporate sector, the media still has to conform to the ideals of the society in order to get good ratings and sell their brands. This is why most media houses strive to air programs that are relevant and informative to their audiences without being boring. The entertainment is fused with education and realistic representation with the purpose of reflecting what the society would consider as acceptable. Initially, the family was a picture-perfect setting, but there came too much pressure with modernization and globalization that changed this picture. People thus needed to see programs that reflecte d the real family settings and spoke to their situations. Their experiences needed to be reflected by the media houses, and these houses saw the need and met it. It is for this reason that the TV shows also had to change and embrace a more realistic outlook that is both modernist and constructionist with regards to the norms and values as dictated by the society.

Bovine Spongy Encephalitis (BSE) in Japan

Bovine Spongy Encephalitis (BSE) in Japan The essay aims to investigate the issue of Bovine Spongy Encephalitis (BSE) in Japan, with particular emphasis on the meat traceability system adopted by the Japanese regulatory authorities and its implications for the Japanese food markets, its beef industry, and the hospitality industry. Presumably written in late 2005 or early 2006, some three years after BSE reared its head in Japan, the essay attempts to trace the events that led to the BSE scare in Japan and the responses adopted by the state and industry to cope with market and customer apprehensions. Essays, on specialised subjects like these, need to have reader friendly, grammatically correct structures that guide curious lay people through the complexities of unfamiliar issues in sequential logical steps; such efforts should be well researched, evidence clarity about the subject at hand, make good use of language skills and engage reader interest in the main and allied themes. BSE, better known as mad cow disease, emerged first in the UK in 1986, its manifestation in cattle being associated with a number of logical, as well as fanciful theories that included (a) force feeding of cattle, animals that are normally herbivorous, with meat or bone meal from semi-sterilised cadavers, and (b) import of meat meal, contaminated with human meat, from India (Jones, 2001)! Related to the presence of a misfolded protein called Prion in the brain tissues of cattle, BSE is known to make the brain of a cow a bloody mass of spongy tissue, followed by the certain death of the affected animal (Jones, 2001). Worryingly it is also known to infect humans who consume BSE tainted products (Jones, 2001). The disease first showed up in commercially reared livestock in the UK, and has since then been associated with more than 150 human deaths in the UK alone; its occurrence in the United States led to panic in Japan, a major importer of US beef, and thereafter to a number of protective and regulatory steps by the Japanese for ensuring the safety and quality of beef consumed in the country (Nottage, 2004). Whilst such background information would have been particularly relevant for establishing the importance of the topic, especially in light of the levels of global panic generated by the outbreak of BSE in the early 2000s, there is little of it in the essay; the author preferring to commence the study directly with the detection of the first BSE case in Japan in 2001 and the events that followed. With much effort having been given to providing technical details about Creutzfeldt – Jakob disease, (CJD) and its new variant, in the appendices to the essay, some elementary information about Prion, established to be the root cause of BSE, the substantial loss of human life, and the worldwide concern that arose, post the emergence of the disease, would have helped in driving home the need for governments to adopt stern regulatory measures and in putting the Japanese regulatory efforts in their proper p erspective. Ford’s book on the risks posed by BSE to mankind, which has otherwise been included by the author in the references, provides a graphic account of the dangers of BSE and the essay would have been well served by the inclusion of some of the highlighted risks.

Project Planning and Management for Fire Company Essay

Project Planning and Management for Fire Company - Essay Example Formulation of the business strategies involves strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation. Various evaluation techniques include SWOT, STEEL PEST, and PISTEL. PISTEL helps in simple evaluation and is easy to use and understand. Fire is one of the most important facilities in our daily lives; it provides energy for transformation of goods to more usable and sellable products. It is also used for generation of electrical energy and other forms of energy that help in the manufacturer of goods and services. The great saying that fire is a useful servant but a bad master holds. Uncontrolled fire leads to destruction of property, loss of lives as well as causing major and minor injuries on the victims. To counter the negative effects of fire, various methods have been adapted by man, first is the insurance against the effects of fire. This insurance policy guarantees compensations if such losses occur. The insured person is compensated for loss of life, loss of property and any other loss that he may experience during the fire outbreak provided it is stipulated in the policy. Secondly, the company or individual may also install protective mechanism that helps suppressing the fire when it occurs. ... If the fire fighting company does not have enough facilities to fight with the fire, or if the staff are not well organized, or if other circumstance delay their response. Their services might be affected and this may lead cancellation of the contract and loses by the fire company. The fire firm must be well managed for it to be successful in its operations (Ash & Burn, 2002). The development of a strategic plan is very important in the overall success of the fire company. Careful evaluation need to be done by the firm to ensure that it offers very good services to its clients and also stimulate its employees to perform well. For the company to perform well, it must first develop it mission, vision and objectives clearly. The firm then must work towards fulfilling these goals. To archive these goals the firm must develop plans and policies which will aid it to archive the set goals. STRATEGY FORMULATION This is the first step is the formulation of the strategy, to formulate this strategy the following are necessary. Situation analysis This is the evaluation of the nature of the situation around the geographical area where the company wishes to establish the business. For the fire company the is need to evaluate if there are companies or individuals which need fire protection services, the events of previous fire outbreaks are also necessary as they help during the marketing stage of the service and fire fighting equipment. For example selling of fire fighting equipment and offering fire protection services in a town with numerous fire outbreaks is very profiting. The company management needs to carry out this situational analysis's in order to evaluate the feasibility of the project. The size of the market is also paramount during situational