Noodle Express Business Proposal Essay

1. Overview of the Business Noodle Express is a noodle shop that offers Healthy Noodles. All the ingredients are prepared fresh and ready to cook. The noodles contain protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The way we prepare the noodles is different from the usual way on how it is prepared here in the Philippines. The idea of this is originated from a noodle shop in Thailand. We serve noodles on the spot while the customers observe and wait for the food they have ordered to be served. The noodles are served fresh and hot to the customers immediately. We don’t use preservatives but we use fresh ingredients in making it. The business follows the Thai vendor that is used in selling noodles to the people. They use mobile stalls to wheel their locations every day. Noodle Express goes to the customers and not them to come to us. We make and serve the noodles as they wait. 2. Target Market Our target market is the people living in small areas. One of the basic needs of a person is food. We cater noodles to the people in any places particularly the low class. Mobile stalls are used to sell noodles to the consumers. Instead of people going to shop to eat, we use mobile stalls for us to go to them. The advantage of our business is that we let customer chose the flavor they want. In Thailand, most of the noodles they are selling are spicy while here in the Philippines, people want a different taste. The noodles benefits for all because it is not only healthy but also affordable and cheap as well. 3. SWOT analysis Strength Why do we consider Noodle Express a healthy business? All the ingredients are fresh and natural. It contains Carbohydrates (noodle), proteins, (meat), vitamins and minerals (vegetables). It is affordable and is beneficial to all especially when our target market is the low class. The noodles contain fresh ingredients and are not preservatives. Weakness Opportunities One of the advantages is that noodles are easy to sell. It is affordable for all. Customers can pick the flavors they use by adding sugar, vinegar or even spices on their noodles. Since Noodle Express uses mobile stalls as vendors, the business can easily go to different locations to sell the noodles to other consumers. It is not just the mobile stalls but the business also puts up a shop for people to come and eat. Threats 4. Conclusions and Recommendations Our business is affordable, cheap and the best thing of all, healthy. People can afford it since we offer a cheap price for them to buy. Noodle Express is a successful business since it is beneficial for all. We go to the customers and they go to us. Not only that it is fresh, but it is also a healthy food that people could eat. Noodles are healthy especially when the ingredients include more fresh veggies.

Abercrombie & Fitch Guys Stripped in Singapore Essay

Concept Branding: How A&F used branding in the new market- Singapore. Brands convey the information to customers and then induce loyalty. Good brands create distinct brand personalities and trigger emotional associations that help the customers connect with brands. This article will analyze A&F’s branding strategies Summary Abercrombie & Fitch, the brand that is well loved for its American-style, cool, casual and trendy clothing, is now aggressively expanding into Asia. Before its grand opening in Singapore, 40 muscular half-naked men stood outside the still unopened store. The alluring smiles and eyes, free hugs, and photo shoot caused a stirring riot. In addition, A&F launched the giant four-floor advertisement at a traffic-heavy shopping area, the muscular topless man wearing extremely low-slung jeans caught people’s eyes in Singapore. See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay It is not the first time A&F has done a marketing campaign like this. It has been a standard practice for all its flagship stores in recent years. However, these â€Å"hot guy† strategies exploded in Singapore. The Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore claimed that the ad is in contradiction of its â€Å"code of decency†, and the giant ad, which is charged as â€Å"lewd and inappropriate†, was ordered to be removed. News of the ad’s possible suspension provoked Singaporean to comment furiously. People were discussing the topics like: â€Å"Is A&F too sexy for Singapore?† â€Å"Is this ad too indecent for Orchard Road?† Eventually, since many Singaporeans supported A&F, the billboard is now safe and sound on Orchard Road. Analyze A&F is good at marketing campaigns and possesses a strong brand personality: sexy and young. A&F did the campaign like it usually does, but the promotions in Singapore had great success since it occurred different contexts and conflicts of culture. A&F triggered people’s emotion and created the special experiences that helped the company to connect to its customers. The Singaporeans who had joined the campaign were excited to share the photos and comment on social media. Those actions induced more and more people to respond and be attracted by A&F. Otherwise, the controversy of the campaign in Singapore is an opportunity for the Singaporeans who are unfamiliar with A&F to know the brand, and it provokes a desire to walk in the stores to satisfy their curiosity. However, there are so many disparities in the clothing preferences between Asian and American: physical shapes, sizes, styles and cultures. Indeed, A&F did an excellent job on catching Singaporeans’ eyes with its opening. But the question is, does masculine image really match the Asian market trend? I am concerned with how A&F maintains its sales for long term via the sexy image in the conservative market. Furthermore, the apparel competition is fierce in Singapore. Competitors for A&F included western brands which are ambitious with Asian market as well as Asian brands which are familiar with the market. Conclusion and Recommendation A&F cleverly built up its brand image and conveyed information through the controversy in Singapore. However, except for the opening campaigns, in order to enhance its brand loyalty, I suggest A&F do more events to focus on Asian customers. For example, use more Asian models on catalogues to show the customers that American style outfits are also fit and look good on Asian people’s body shape. Meanwhile, A&F should do more events to collaborate with celebrities or magazines to lead the new fashion trends in Asia. Last but not least, I suggest A&F conduct more marketing research to understand Asian purchase behaviors and fashion points. Thus, A&F can do some adjustments on the products to fit the Asian consumers’ needs. How â€Å"hot† could A&F be in Singapore? Well, definitely not only the topless hot guys, but also with the right marketing strategies.

Coca-Cola Is Everything: SCM, CRM, Collaboration, You Name It

If we told you that Coca-Cola has operating units in 50 countries around the world, you probably wouldn’t be surprised. If we told you that Coca-Cola had been in business for almost 125 years, you probably wouldn’t be surprised. So, you tell us†¦ how many different beverages does Coca-Cola produce? 100? 500? 2,000? Are you surprised yet? Worldwide, Coca-Cola produces an amazing 2,800 different beverages.When an organization is that big, has that sort of worldwide presence, and boasts what is perhaps the most well-known brand ever, you can bet that a multitude of IT systems are constantly churning in the background, not only keeping the organization running, but also keeping in running ahead of the competition. To support internal collaboration efforts, Coke created something it calls its Common Innovation Framework, a Web-based system that combines project management capabilities with business intelligence.Using the Innovation Framework, anyone from any of the oper ating units worldwide can search for, find, and apply concepts, strategies, development successes, and marketing approaches that have been used elsewhere in the organization. For example, when introducing Georgia teas in Australia, the Coke people Down Under can research what marketing strategies worked well in related countries such as New Zealand.As Jean-Michel Ares, Coke CIO, explains it, â€Å"Once you’ve aggregated that pipeline of innovation, the object is to assess and prioritize the best allocation of resources in the organization. † Beyond internal employees, Coke is reaching out with new and innovative IT steps. Recently, it rolled out a new line of software services based on hundreds of business processes to its extended family of bottlers. These software services each perform a specific common business function and run within SAP's ERP software and are delivered by Coke's IBM-hosted data centers.The goal is to create a standardized business and technology p latform across all Coke bottlers, most of which are independent franchises. (There are some partly owned by Coke. ) If Coke and all its bottlers are speaking the same language, so to speak, and using the same technology, then supply chain management applications will be more efficiently streamlined. Standardization in this case equates to saving money by reducing expenses associated with supply chain activities.And even beyond its extended family of bottlers, Coke is using technology to create loyalty and engage more with its customers. Its award-winning Web site, My Coke Rewards at www. mycokerewards. com, is the second most popular consumer packaged-goods site, behind only www. kraftfoods. com. My Coke Rewards attracts some 300,000 visitors per day. Offering everything from magazine subscriptions to electronics as prices (just look under the cap), My Coke Rewards has reconnected Coke with its loyal drinkers.The site has teamed up with pop culture crazes such as American Idol, socc er, and auto racing to bring even more customers into the fold. You can even find Coke-labeled songs through iTunes. 1) Describe the various IT-enabled initiatives discussed in this case study. 2) Describe two different forms of e-collaboration in this case study. For each, articulate the benefits to Coke. 3) What sort of business intelligence could Coke gather from its My Coke Rewards Web site? How could it use this information for customer relationship management activities? Coca-Cola Is Everything: SCM, CRM, Collaboration, You Name It If we told you that Coca-Cola has operating units in 50 countries around the world, you probably wouldn’t be surprised. If we told you that Coca-Cola had been in business for almost 125 years, you probably wouldn’t be surprised. So, you tell us†¦ how many different beverages does Coca-Cola produce? 100? 500? 2,000? Are you surprised yet? Worldwide, Coca-Cola produces an amazing 2,800 different beverages.When an organization is that big, has that sort of worldwide presence, and boasts what is perhaps the most well-known brand ever, you can bet that a multitude of IT systems are constantly churning in the background, not only keeping the organization running, but also keeping in running ahead of the competition.To support internal collaboration efforts, Coke created something it calls its Common Innovation Framework, a Web-based system that combines project management capabilities with business intelligence. Using the Innovation Framework, anyone from any of the oper ating units worldwide can search for, find, and apply concepts, strategies, development successes, and marketing approaches that have been used elsewhere in the organization.For example, when introducing Georgia teas in Australia, the Coke people Down Under can research what marketing strategies worked well in related countries such as New Zealand. As Jean-Michel Ares, Coke CIO, explains it, â€Å"Once you’ve aggregated that pipeline of innovation, the object is to assess and prioritize the best allocation of resources in the organization.†Beyond internal employees, Coke is reaching out with new and innovative IT steps. Recently, it rolled out a new line of software services based on hundreds of business processes to its extended family of bottlers. These software services each perform a specific common business function and run within SAP's ERP software and are delivered by Coke's IBM-hosted data centers.The goal is to create a standardized business and technology pla tform across all Coke bottlers, most of which are independent franchises. (There are some partly owned by Coke.) If Coke and all its bottlers are  speaking the same language, so to speak, and using the same technology, then supply chain management applications will be more efficiently streamlined. Standardization in this case equates to saving money by reducing expenses associated with supply chain activities.And even beyond its extended family of bottlers, Coke is using technology to create loyalty and engage more with its customers. Its award-winning Web site, My Coke Rewards at www.mycokerewards.com, is the second most popular consumer packaged-goods site, behind only www.kraftfoods.com.My Coke Rewards attracts some 300,000 visitors per day. Offering everything from magazine subscriptions to electronics as prices (just look under the cap), My Coke Rewards has reconnected Coke with its loyal drinkers. The site has teamed up with pop culture crazes such as American Idol, soccer, and auto racing to bring even more customers into the fold. You can even find Coke-labeled songs through iTunes.1) Describe the various IT-enabled initiatives discussed in this case study. 2) Describe two different forms of e-collaboration in this case study. For each, articulate the benefits to Coke. 3) What sort of business intelligence could Coke gather from its My Coke Rewards Web site? How could it use this information for customer relationship management activities?

Three stages of Emerging Markets in a financial crisis Essay

Three stages of Emerging Markets in a financial crisis - Essay Example Mismanagement of financial liberalization and globalization becomes the major culprit as was evident in Mexico in 1994 as well as many East Asian countries in 1997 (Myeconlab, 2011). In the United States, we sow the seeds of a financial crisis in the emerging market countries as those countries liberalize their financial system. This is done by doing away with restrictions on the financial institutions and markets domestically and opening up the economies to flow of capital and financial firms from other nations. A currency which is fixed against the US dollar becomes subject to a speculative attack, where the speculators engage in the massive sales of the currency. Currency crisis sets in as currency sales floods the market and supply outstrips demand which leads to the value of currency collapsing. Interest rates get high, uncertainty increase and asset prices fall. The emerging market economies denominate several debt contracts in foreign currencies leading to a currency mismatch. The domestic currency depreciation increases the value of debts relative to assets which leads to the decline of the net worth of a firm. This decline then increases adverse selection as well as moral hazard problems. Investment also declines as well as economic activity. Therefore to prevent financial crisis in emerging market certain policies are considered including improving prudential regulation and supervision, limiting currency mismatch as well as seq1uencing financial

Employee Rights to Privacy at the Workplace Essay

Employee Rights to Privacy at the Workplace - Essay Example The issues of privacy at workplace started off with the use of telephones at the workplace for communication. Mainly meant to achieve the purpose of having employees interact with each other as well as with the outside counterparts, after much debate it was deemed acceptable for employees to use the office phones for personal use, as long as it did not affect workplace efficiency (Gant 127). Body Faster communication, efficient paper-less correspondence, and least costly for the employers, the internet was made a regular feature of the work environment within no time. Internet was not limited to e-mail correspondence too. Organizational Researchers would go online to gather information about competitors, maintain an online presence, and interact with the customers for feedback and suggestions. It has become imperative in today’s day and age to maintain an online presence, thus the initial e-mail correspondence limitation was replaced with round-the-clock internet connectivity at workplace. This gave birth to a new management issue; Ensuring that the employees do not engage in useless surfing while at work (Smith 40). Social networking has gotten almost everyone hooked onto remaining connected with close ones at all times. It is indeed a complex situation to be in as far as managing such a workforce is concerned. Employee monitoring and surveillance goes as far as fixation of cameras behind every desk and installing devices that determine the rate of wiggling on a chair, and whether it breaches the basic employee privacy protection rights, is another debate altogether (Ciocchetti 2). Since our topic is narrowed down to two major technological facilities at workplace, the telephone and the internet, clarifying the two mediums of communications and the purpose they are meant to achieve, needs to discussed first. The Telephone, like mentioned earlier, is a basis of fast and cost effective vocal communication from and within the workplace. A lot of thought we nt into allowing personal calls to be made and it was declared acceptable after sometime. However, cameras installed at workplaces are likely to bring into light any employee who is idling on the phone excessively. The employers are expected to trust the employees not to indulge in inappropriate activities on the phone and, thus, they generally refrain from overhearing or recording calls. This practice is not applicable to every organization due to the difference in nature of work for each. Where small advertising firms can have their employees talking about campaign designs, the central bank of any country can have its employees disclosing important information of policy changes that were discussed in a meeting. The latter will try to hamper such leak of confidential information by making it known to their employees that all phone calls are strictly screened and monitored. The internet, however, is a completely different ballgame. Transfer of information can be discreet and quicker , employees could indulge in cyber stalking which could lead to any form of harassment and a downfall in productivity, using of resources for activities that may bring a bad name to the organization like illegal downloading, embezzlement etc., the possibilities are endless. In a world where every organization goes head to head with each other on the maximum utilization of available resources, the focus has shifted from overall performance to hourly productivity. This means that organizations require their employees to refrain from activities that bring down their productivity level by wasting time (Kesan 289). On the other hand, it is

Supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Supply chain management - Essay Example However, such a move could not cope with increasingly seasonal demand patterns, along with short-term variations resulting from weather, political instabilities in cocoa producing nations, and aggressive marketing campaigns (Slack, Stuart, & Johnston, 2010, p.57). The intricacies in terms of processing, production and transportation, is mirrored by the multilayered makeup of the chocolate industry, whereby there are discrete product markets within the various stages in the supply chain. This then generates massive implications in terms of transportation, legal disputes based on competition laws, and unbalanced exportat requirements, especially when defining pertinent product market within the chain (Waters, 2003, p.60). For instance, the chocolate market is widely perceived to be distinct from the consumer chocolate products, which is then categorized into numerous product segments. The goal is not just to control the constancy of the chocolate products, but also to influence it, and they have made dependability as an important external aspect, when it comes to consumer service. The changes that are occurring along the chocolate supply chain are mostly driven by the developments towards branded consumerism. In this industry, public perception is focused on the responsibilities of key chocolate brands. Therefore, the companies have to contend with their level of direct publicity to social plus developmental matters in cocoa-producing nations. This shift should be based on the premise that operations management within a strategic level entails performance objectives being linked to the interests of the chocolate operation’s stakeholders (Slack, Stuart, & Johnston, 2010, p. 56). In this case, they connect to the company’s responsibility to their consumers, suppliers/famers, their shareholders, employees, as well as the wider society (Slack, Stuart, & Johnston,

Joan of Arc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Joan of Arc - Essay Example She participated in various war affairs for the separation of France from the powers of the English. She had a very persuasive personality as she was quite determined towards her aims and objectives and she was able to gather support of several individuals to fight for her cause (Twain XII). She was quite obviously an inspiring leader who led from the front and she participated in battles with great bravery and fearlessness. She did not depend on taking measures that were manipulative in nature; rather she was blunt and believed in action that was quite direct in nature. She faced life and death like a strong rock; she did not turn her back against her own army and instead fought to death when she was burned (Bunkers 89). Another great achievement of this Saint was the liberation of the region of Paris from the control of the English rule. During the battle she was badly injured and taken as captive by the Burgundies who were from the French race but were in support of the English rule. Later she was sold by this race of France in exchange of huge amount of money. She was regarded by her contemporaries as a heroine for her heroic activities during war and with her heroic nature she was able to persuade and lead others into attaining her objective of freeing France from the control of the English. For example during the war she was very seriously injured as an arrow slit through her neck, still she continue to be the in charge of the field and she kept fighting. Saint Joan of Arc has proven to be of utmost importance in current society than she was during her era. She was quite high in integrity and was very truthful which quite a missing element of current society is. This part of her personality was clearly highlighted by several literatures as they stated that Joan of the Arc was a person who always used to speak in a truthful manner even if the people liked it or not (Peterfy 159). Meeting

Painting of Jackson Pollock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Painting of Jackson Pollock - Essay Example A new, interactive and creative activity catches my attention for nearly a half an hour. Finally I give up and sink deep into the exciting world of colors, dots, lines and circles. Think and thin, short and long, bright and dull†¦ These colorful shapes are seducing the mind by the opportunity of becoming expressive, independent and original for at lest a few fun moments.Thought the first impression is that the activity of painting on the computer is just another entertaining experience, a second look makes me realize how cool our age is – the age of advanced technologies that allow any average individual to become, for at least some minutes, an artist. It’s so strange – a seemingly simple computer application makes the tired brain think of such great things as world progress, global development and even the essence of being. Dots – large and small, lines – straight and wavy, shapes†¦ And an inexpressible joy of creation.

Religious Values in War and Peace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religious Values in War and Peace - Essay Example Most often, a war that is based upon religious ideology will not end until one faction subjugates the other. Religious ideologies that are in conflict more than likely will never find true resolution and peace. Two very different places in the world where this is in evidence is in Northern Ireland and Israel. These two places have been host to factions who are in constant conflict with each other. Generations pass and yet the conflict continues because it is not the individuals that are in conflict, but belief systems. According to Brinkley, â€Å"Staunch belief in something greater than ourselves is an essential building block in the construction of a personal reality† (83). When a personal reality is violated, a reactionary violence can be the result. In believing so strongly in the right of one doctrine, the acceptance of others who don’t share that doctrine can threaten the reality that has been created through a system of beliefs. The very existence of other avenues of thought can be perceived as a threat to a way of life. The rise of the modern secularized state has helped to minimize the number of conflicts that arise because of religious belief. Up until the rise of the ideologically founded political system of the United States that firmly situated the acceptance of faith as a personal choice, rather than a state dictated set of national beliefs, most nations were built on a foundation of religious, political and warfare structures in which exclusionary policies promoted conflict. The needs that a civilization had for religious sacrifices were one of the first causes for war in history. The Aztecs based much of their warring on the need for human sacrifices and the Maring based their cyclical warring on the need for pigs to sacrifice to their gods (Wade 128). There is an innate conflict within the Christian religion between the promotion of war for its cause and the desire for peace as is interpreted through the teachings of

See the pix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

See the pix - Essay Example This is an indication that though I may exhibit charisma, I am not a highly charismatic person. To a far extent therefore, charisma is not entirely important to my leadership effectiveness. Rather, I would want to use other means such as being persuasive through actions and words to effect my leadership obligations. I would depend on charisma only when the going gets very though and it has to be used as a last resort. As far as my preferred type of power is concerned, I scored very high points on referent than rewards, which suggests that my power system is based on people’s desire to identify with me rather than getting them to deliver tasks in exchange for reward. Babou (2008) also notes that transactional leaders are those who relate power to reward, punishment and conditions to get their followers accomplishing task. Since this contrasts with my own description, there is every indication that my leadership skill is more transformational than transactional. Based on the five basis of power, I am more comfortable using legitimate type of power. The reasons that can be attributed to this in relation to my leadership style are enormous. Fundamentally, I am a person who deals with people rather than task. This means that I should be able to guide my actions and interactions with personal and empirically accepted legitimate principles. This would ensure that my day by day interactions with people do not fall out of order. In the absence of such principles, people who come around are clearly going to abuse the freedom around me. My conflict handling style is collaborative. This means that in the midst or event of a conflict, I would rather want to be seen present with all people and stakeholders involved in trying to resolve the issue. I would not want to delegate powers into the hands of third party mediators. Rather, I would want to be involved myself. In relation to my leadership style, I would

Prayer in School Essay Example for Free

Prayer in School Essay John Knox Press, 1996. 45-218. In this book the author gives an epic description of the controversy surrounding the debate on prayer in public schools. It touches on the legal aspects as well as the interpretation of among other articles the first amendment. Alley uses history and preceding events to bring out his argument against prayer in public schools terming the practice as an abuse and harassment of the minority by the majority who are keen on imposing their own definition of faith. He asserts that the law on first amendment religion issues has adequately and consistently clarified the differences that exist between church and state. He cited some cases such as Barnette, McCollum, Everson, Engel and Schempp to mention but a few as having set precedence thus preventing future conflict. However, one reads anti Christianity overtones which bring up the question of objectivity due to his obvious bias. He has successfully presented one side of the debate with a personal tone. The book strongly opines that any form of religious inclinations in public schools is incompatible with the constitution as well as with the principle of democracy. Murray, J. William. Let us pray: A plea for prayer in our school. New York: William Morrow Co, 1995. 11-97. In the first pages of his interesting book, Murray tells of his atheist past that was directed by his mother Madalyn Murray and how he, as a 14 year old was a plaintiff against the Baltimore School system. The suit led to the Supreme Courts decision that outlawed public school prayer and bible reading. Murray later converts to Christianity and embarks on a mission aimed at undoing the ‘damage’ done by his past. He becomes a strong proponent of prayer in Schools arguing that this is the one way of rooting out the moral decay in the society. Among other arguments, he presents the debate as conflicting discomforts. ‘The discomfort of minority faiths or nonbelievers at hearing prayer in school versus the discomfort of Protestant Christians at being prohibited from public prayer’. He allows that the drafters of the constitution are misinterpreted by those who claim that they intended to eradicate prayer from public institutions. Rather, he cites influential figures such as John Locke and Tocqueville as strong believers in the value of prayer in providing positive guidance to the society. His recommendations are however weak since the freedom he seeks could be confused with what is provided for in the constitution. Again the founding fathers he cites are understood to have given us the current laws and so his enlisting them undermines his very argument. Cookson, Catharine. Regulating Religion: The Courts and the Free Exercise Clause. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. 54, 67-75. In this book, Catherine Cookson delves into the issues of the law and the authority of state as laid down in the constitution on one hand and the obligations of conscience on the other. She embarks on a project to provide the solution for a recurrent problem. She examines the history of the Christian tradition as well as more contemporary political development of religious freedom (186). Her argument on the free exercise clause is vivid and thought provoking as she seeks the balance between the majority’s right to religious expression and public prayer and the minority’s discomfort arising from that kind of expression. U. S Department of Education. Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. Available on-line at: http://www. ed. gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance. html Accessed on 12. 04. 07. This article deals with the legal aspect of the debate on prayer in schools. The article endeavors to provide information on the current state of the law concerning constitutionally protected prayer in the public schools, and therefore spell out the extent to which prayer in public schools is lawfully protected. The Case against School Prayer. Available online at: http://209. 85. 135. 104/search? q=cache:RTckL_PUwSEJ:ffrf. org/nontracts/schoolprayer. php+prayers+in+schoolhl=enct=clnkcd=1gl=ke. Accessed on 12. 04. 07. In this article the author delves into the arguments against school prayer. The author advances the argument that prayers are private and yet there is nothing private about a public school. Therefore the two are incompatible and should not mix. He/She asserts that public schools cater for students with varying backgrounds and religious inclinations and they should not be subjected to rules that promote one form of religious expression. According to the author of the article, Public prayer leads to discrimination of the minority and a denial of their right to worship. The article refutes the claim that prayer in school has any value in checking societal excesses. The conclusion calls for total separation of church and state arguing that this is one way of preventing divisiveness in the society. Works Cited Campbell, Ted A. Christian Confessions: A Historical Introduction. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996. Questia. 12 Apr. 2007 http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=87116157. Cookson, Catharine. Regulating Religion: The Courts and the Free Exercise Clause. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Questia. 12 Apr. 2007 http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=104449729. Murray, J. William. Let us pray: A plea for prayer in our school. New York: William Morrow Co, 1995. U. S Department of Education. Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. Available on-line at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html Accessed on 12.04.07

Freud vs. Jung Essay Example for Free

Freud vs. Jung Essay Carl Jung met Freud in 1907 and the two men talked â€Å"virtually without a pause for thirteen hours† Each was captivated by the other’s genius and passionate interest in psychology, and they began a close correspondence in which they exchanged letters as often as three times a week. (Bridle, Edelstein 2010)Both men are famous psychoanalysts with unique approaches to personality. At one point they shared many of the same theories and had a deep friendship. However, Jung developed several new theories and disagreements with Freud. After years of friendship the pair parted in 1913. The three main areas of personality which Jung disagreed with Freud on was the role of sexuality, temporal forces that influence personality and the unconscious. My views are split with these two, I just believe that they had shared so much of the same beliefs but eventually they had to branch of in some way because that is how they get their recognition. Two powerful men in the field of psychology had to have a different view in order to fulfill their â€Å"ego. † The theories of Freud and Jung branched off from sexual to Jung’s analytical approach in a deeper meaning. Freud believed in Self awareness and Jung was more into self realization. In which Freud was more focused on the unconscious when Jung branched off into exploring more towards the conscious mind. Freud is known as the father of the unconscious and he developed psychotherapy along with the idea of the id, ego and superego. Jung accepted the idea of the unconscious but he elaborated it by labeling two levels: the personal and the collective unconscious. Jung also developed Analytical Psychology and the terms introvert and extrovert. Freud firmly rejected religion and Jung incorporated things like religion and art into his theory. Freud felt religion was an escape and a fallacy, which ought not to be propagated. His faith was fully in the minds ability to access its unconscious thoughts. Jung conversely believed that religion was an important place of safety for the individual as he or she began the process of individuation, exploring and accepting all parts of the self (wiseGeek, 2013). In 1914 Jung broke with Freud to develop his own school of psychology, which emphasized the interpretation of the psyche’s symbols from a universal mythological perspective rather than a personal biographical one. (Bridle, Edelstein, 2010) This is kind of where I broke up with Jung and his approach as well because I don’t really believe in the mythological perspective and I do think it is very complex and I believe it is just simpler then this. Although, some things I do agree with both Psychoanalysts and they did shape the way for others and also shaped the way for other approaches in the field. Like B. F. Skinner and Abraham Maslow. My favorite thing about Sigmund Freud is the Psychoanalysis. Which is Freud’s’ innovative treatment method in which the patient is encouraged to speak freely about memories, associations, fantasies and dreams and which relies on Freud’s theories of interpretation. (†¦Bridle, Edelstein, 2010)I love this because it is still used in the field of psychology and is actually relevant to my life because for my bipolar disorder and PTSD I use both medication and I talk to people using what is now called psychotherapy. It really does help in my case because talking to someone about my problems is just as helpful as the medication they give me to help me sleep and function in life. References wiseGEEK (2003-2013) www. wisegeek. com/what-are-the-primary-differences-between-freuds-and-jungs-theories-htm Was ist das Ich? Susan Bridle and Amy Edelstein 1991-2010, EnlightenNext magazine Http:www. enlightennext. org/magazine/j17/wasist. asp.

The rationale rights based approaches

The rationale rights based approaches This essay will discuss about the rationale, shortcomings and potentials of rights based approaches to development as a subject. The objective of this essay is to explore the above mentioned in detail as this is believed to help all those involved in development work and to add to the existing debates in this area. The other reason is to clarify this theorisation for actors in the field be it NGOs and government or international agencies dealing with development to really understand what rights based approaches entail. Rights based approaches to development has become so popular for the past decade, with development agencies and national governments understanding it and implementing it in a diverse of ways. As Hickey put it â€Å"Some development professionals remained committed to the approach, while others were frustrated at the lack of progress in realising its apparent potential. Some academics and activists expressed continuing scepticism and argued that the rights based approach was one more example of northern hegemony†.(Hickey etal,2009:9) It is against this backdrop that discussing about the shortcomings and potentials of rights based approaches is appropriate. The discussion is hoped that it will help governments and NGOs to take into account the shortcomings and potentials in their development work. The essay focuses on the rights based approaches in generally, for there is need for self reflection so that actors can understand both the negative and positive side of rights based approaches for it to be a helpful tool on the ground rather than theory. This point was emphasised by Hickey saying â€Å".neither praise nor damn rights based approaches to development, and to instead work toward a more balanced understanding of both potentials and pitfalls of such approaches. We hope that this measure assessment will avoid the antagonisms with other new approaches to development for example social capital, participation, in which reasonable disagreements have become running battles, entrenching increasingly polarised positions, clouding attention to facts on the ground and preventing the productive synergies that should develop between opposing views.†(Hickey etal, 2009:209). To address the issues highlighted in the above paragraphs the essay will deal with the rationale of rights based approaches followed by a discussion on the current debates which will help to highlight the shortcomings and potentials. A comparative analysis with other approaches to development will be looked at and a discussion about the shortcomings and potentials which will be followed by a conclusion. Various definitions has been put forward to describe what a rights based approach is. As stated in the Human Rights Reference Book, â€Å"Human rights to development can be defined as a conceptual and analytical approach to development cooperation, which is based on the standards and principles of human rights and which aims to incorporate these standards and principles in all planning and implementation of development cooperation †(Sepulveda etal 2004:03) Others define a rights based approach in what it does to a situation. As stated in Ball, â€Å"A Rights based approach helps to uncover the root causes of under development, conflict and even natural disasters such as famine.†(Ball 2005:278).In relation to this essay, the definition as propagated by Sepulveda in the Human Rights Handbook will be used or referred to. For the proper understanding to the readers, there is need to define as well what development is and which definition is applied in this contexts as rights based approach focuses on the way in which development is being approached. The preamble to the Right to Development Declaration states that, â€Å"Development is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and political process, which aims at the constant improvement of the well being of the entire population and all individuals on the basis of their active, free and meaningful participation in development and in the fair distribution of benefits resulting there from.†[1] This definition will be the one referred to in this essay since it cover so many things and it is a consensus from all the nations which fall under the United Nations. Having stated the objective of the essay, given the definitions of development and rights based approach the essay will now discuss the rationale behind having rights based approach to development. In order to highlight the shortcomings and contributions the fundamental reasons for using a rights based approach to development will be discussed. It is my view that from the past development projects were not incorporating human rights in their agendas. Human development and human rights were seen as separate fields altogether. However it was realised that all the two frameworks are there to promote and secure the peoples dignity and also freedoms. As stated by Nyamu-Musembi, â€Å"A rights based approach adds an element of accountability and culpability, an ethical or moral dimension to development. It therefore, demands a shift from viewing poverty eradication as development goal to viewing it as a matter of social justice, as the realisation of a right and fulfilment of a duty.†(Nyamu-Musembi, 2005:42) However in relation to NGOs, adopting rights based approach is based on the fact that it is moral right, and widely accepted perception that it brings contributions to traditional approaches which will be discussed in the essay. It was also believed international-wide by authors and professionals that development should have a consideration for rights. It is the writers view that human rights and development are more effective together than either one on its own. And this reason of combining a rights based approach to development was confirmed by Theis as he stated that â€Å"Combining human rights, development and activism create a more effective approach than any of them on their own. A rights based approach has a greater chance of achieving results in the fight against injustice, inequality, poverty and exploitation†. (Theis, 2004:13). The realisation by actors in development was to the effect that not all was being done to realise the rights of people and there was need for some comprehensive approach to tackle issues as poverty and address the inequalities involved and this can be done through legal means. Petit said â€Å"Development practitioners have to begun to recognise the limits of their technical and micro-project approaches in tackling the root causes of poverty. They have recognised the need to address deeper structures of inequality and exclusion and to confront these at the legal and political as well as social, cultural and economic levels.†(Petit, p92) Also according to Gready the realisation of links has led to the issue of rights in development as he stated that â€Å"Recognition of the fundamental links between rights, denial, impoverishment, vulnerability and conflict has led to the incorporation of rights- based approaches into the funding strategies, policy formulations and practice of a diverse range of actors.†(Gready P etal.2005:1). The other reason for adopting a rights based approach to development was that it uses different lens for the analysis of problems which development seeks to address. The committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights have summarised or explained the above statement as follows â€Å"The real potential of human rights lies in its ability to change the way people perceive themselves vis-a-vis the government and other actors. Rights framework provides a mechanism for reanalysing and renaming â€Å"problems like contaminated water or malnutrition as â€Å"violations† and, as such, something that need not and should not be tolerated..Rights make it clear that violations are neither inevitable nor natural, but arise from deliberate decisions and policies. By demanding explanation and accountability, human rights expose the hidden prioritise and structures behind violations and challenge the conditions that create poverty†[2] Having looked at the rationale for using rights based approach it is important for this essay to discuss some of the debates which are existing in this field to clearly show the potentials and shortcomings of rights based approach. There has been a debate that human rights based approaches re-politicise development through NGOs work and it is still topical. This was about humanitarian principles applied by international agencies namely impartiality, independence and neutrality which are considered to be political values. Most writers have agreed that development can be re-politicised by human rights based approach especially in relation to to the identification of needs. As Nyamu -Musembi and Cornwall expressed that â€Å"Whereas a needs based approach focuses on securing additional resources for delivery of services to marginalised groups, a rights based approach calls for existing resources to be shared more equally.assisting the marginalised people to assert their rights to those resources, thus making the process explicitly political†(Nyamu-Musembi etal 2004:2). This debate is now looked at to see if it can highlight some shortcomings or potentials of using a right based approach. In this case I will try and analyse whether being political in the sense portrayed is bad for development. It is my personal view that it is necessary part for rights based approach to be political as this can bring public awareness and include naming, shaming for the governments and development actors for the rights violations. It is my contention that using other methods was leaving behind the issue of power relations that exist in society and this causes them not to look at the root causes of the problems. Others argue that human rights based approaches are a new form of imperialism used to provide an increasingly intrusive attack on sovereignty, democracy and political debate. Some argue that this issue of cultural imperialism stems from the origins or foundation of human rights which is mainly western in nature. But others also defended the position by arguing that the universal aspect of rights is necessary for it adds legitimacy and that human rights based approaches involves both sides of universality and cultural relativism. Looking at this debate I find it to portray a potential of rights based approach to development. Those who support human rights based approaches are happy and felt that putting development within the confines of the law is good for it creates a point of accountability, that is obligations and rights or duties mainly on states and all the actors involved in development programmes. As pointed by Gready that â€Å"The value -added of rights based approach can be sought through direct applications of the law, but more particularly through indirect and strategic uses of the law.†(Gready 2008:78) However there are some who are so sceptical about using the law where there are inequalities and existing power relations which are different. The existing debates are showing potentials and rationale of human rights based approaches as perceived in the development circles. To real engage in the debate as to whether rights based approach have any potential or has some shortcomings, a comparative analysis will be done with other traditional approaches which were used and in this case sustainable livelihoods and needs based approaches or charity. In relation to sustainable livelihoods it can be said that they can complement each other but it deals with the impact of entitlements whilst rights based deals more with what entitlements the marginalised people should have and focus more on the long run effect. This can highlight the potential made by rights based as compared to sustainable livelihoods approach. Another approach to be discussed is needs based, in which case it is mainly based on needs and even selective as to which needs are more important and will be addressed. Looking at a rights based approach it can be compared to a needs based and be found to be better for it addresses the root causes of the problem since rights are indivisible it deals with the situation as it is. A needs based approach no one has obligation and duty unlike in a rights based approach, it entails binding and moral obligations on the actors like government. The other fact about needs based approaches is that like sustainable livelihoods, it focuses on the short term just to address the needs but a right based looks at the long term. I strongly believe that rights based approaches to development has improved the situations and contributed a lot to development as a subject. In a rights based approach the subjects are empowered to claim for their own rights. A table inspired by Save the children will be dra wn to show this comparison, summarising the differences between rights based and needs based. It is not disputed that these are good contributions made by rights based approaches to development Inspired by Save the children and created by the author The comparative analysis has been done by various authors among them Jonsson from UNICEF stated when comparing needs based and rights based approaches to nutrition, â€Å"..the essence of the differences is that in the former beneficiaries have no active claims to ensure that their needs will be met, and there is no binding obligation or duty for anybody to meet these needs. In contrast, a rights based approach recognises beneficiaries as active subjects or claim -holders and establishes duties or obligations for those against whom a claim can be held.†(Jonsson 1999:49) From the above comparative analysis with other approaches or perspectives to development it can be safely concluded that human rights based approaches contributed significantly to development as a subject and has the potential of driving development works in a better direction for the betterment of the marginalised groups. After having dealt with a needs based approach to show the contributions made by rights based approach another comparative analysis is done with a charity based approach. This approach has been criticised because it give the impression that a problem has been solved, but it does not deal with the root causes as well and it does not give the beneficiaries the opportunity to make decisions. Rights based approach is rapidly trying and replacing this charity based to overcome the shortcomings. The table below also shows the different between charity and rights based approach to development Inspired by (Lisndstorm -Sarelim and Mustaniemi-Laakso.2007) and created by the author From the above table 2 it can be said the rights based approaches have contributed significantly to development as a subject. Despite the theoretical strength of this approach, it is also not free from shortcomings. The following section will explore the shortcomings of the approach without a specific context and juxtapose it with the potentials which will be grouped into four categories namely political, conceptual, organisational and strategic challenges and ideological as well as implementation. All this is done to address the issues as to whether rights based approaches have really contributed or is it is just a failure. Conceptual It can be said that rights based approaches sometimes suffer a number of conceptual difficulties, especially in the economic social and cultural spheres. As can be supported by John Farrington, â€Å"The difficulty of systematically incorporating a time frame in the consideration of right, so that for instance they do not illuminate environmental issues such as the appropriate rate of depletion of non-renewable resources. The difficulty of conceptualising an appropriate balance between rights and responsibilities and also the difficulty of defining when cultural specifications override wider good should require suspension of normal rights. The difficulties in resolving tensions among different levels at which rights are conceived†, (Farrington,2001:3) There is a progressive potential though, rights based approach did position development as being for everyone and not really focusing on the so called poorest people in society. It also gives some political issues into development in the issues be it problems and solutions. Organisational and strategic challenges Rights based approach can be said that it gives an organisation a hard time in that rights are indivisible, so they cannot prioritise since all rights are equally important and this is really difficult when the organisation has only limited resources to address the issues at stake. Another issues that in the process the staff is engaged in the politics at a greater stage than with other approaches. This can be against foreign policy and the organisations may compromise the humanitarian principle of neutrality and this can be dangerous to the staff. On the other hand it can be said the approach is a potential in that this is a holistic approach and can help the development agencies to deal with the root causes of the problem which in some situations would be authorities. It gives a clear planning to organisations. Political A rights based approach can be said to have a shortcoming in that it put on the state, as a duty bearer all the burden. And another contentious issue is of taking matters to the courts, in these instances it will be on individual basis and this undermines or destroys the collective struggles. Rights based approach in some instances might be too confrontational a method or a strategy and this takes away or removes the other approaches of negotiation. Again it can be regarded a potential as it gives and impose obligations also creates duty bearers. It makes the beneficiaries or rights holders to participate in programmes and play a role in the decisions that affect their lives. Its again strengthens the principle of equality and citizenship. Ideological Rights based approach can be said to be supporting the neoliberal agenda or ideas by emphasising on individualism. And the approach does not sometimes take into account different contexts and some ideas may not be good for a certain group of environment, they just applied equal everywhere. On the other hand it can be said rights based approach put development so as to address inequalities and fight discrimination of marginalised groups and address power relations through development on how to distribute resources. Rights based approach needs adequate resources to be implemented and this sometimes offer a major problem for there can be financial constraints After exploration of the potentials, shortcomings and the rationale for rights based approaches in a bid to address the issues as a way of self criticism within the approach, it is noble to provide some suggestion so as to take forward the goal and securing more progressive forms of development. Though it has been discussed that rights based approaches re-politicise development, it can be said that it is necessary for development actors to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and marginalised. Also when rights based approaches is focused, there is need to be defined and conceptualised well since there is room for diverse interpretation. I t is also suggested that there is need for self reflection of the rights based to understand the potentials and shortcomings as this will help to move this tool of human rights based approach from being theory into practice, or from theoretical arguments to evidence based arguments. Conclusion Rights based approach is here to stay and be implemented in development projects, however as highlighted in the essay it has made tremendous contributions to development as a subject by bringing into board the issues of accountability, duty bearers, participation of the citizens and dealing with the root causes of the problem. It again tries to address the inequalities from the power relations that exits in society. Like any other approach it also suffers shortcomings from the way it can be implemented, different contexts, political and ideological differences that exist as some portray it as a form of cultural imperialism and some sort of western hegemony. This writer was aware of the existing talks with regard to the approach and have decided to do a rundown of the approach looking into the contributions that has been made and also the shortcomings as a way of helping the various actors involved in development to know more about the approach so as to appreciate it as it is and work ing towards improving on the shortcomings highlighted. It was also intended to add to the existing debates as to whether rights based approaches have failed or not. References Ball O.2005 â€Å"Conclusion†, in P Gready Reinventing development? Translating rights-based approaches from theory into practice (PP278-300) Farrington J.2001, Sustainable Livelihoods, Rights and the New Architecture of Aid, Number 69, June 2001, The Overseas Development Institute. London Gready, P 2008 â€Å"Rights based approaches to development: What is the value added? Development in practice- oxford p74 Hickey S. and D Milton (eds) 2009 Rights Based Approaches to Development, Exploring the Potential and Pitfalls. Kumarian Press Jonsson U.1999 Historical Summary on the SCN Working Group on Nutrition, Ethics, and Human Rights.SCN News 18 July, special issue on Adequate Food: A Human Right:49-51 Lundstrom-Sarelin, A and M Mustaniemi-Laasko 2007 Human Rights Based Approach to Development; what is it all about? HRBA in development cooperation: change from needs based to rights based† 27. 09.2007 Nyamu -Musembi C and A Cornwall2004 â€Å"What is the rights based approach â€Å"all about: Perspectives from International development agencies, Sussex, England. Institute of Development Studies. Nyamu -Musembi.C2005 â€Å"An Actor-oriented Approach to Rights in Development†, IDS Bulletin, Volume 36 Number 1, January 2005 pp42. Petit Jand J Wheeler, Developing Rights? Relating Discourse to Context and Practice. Institute of development Studies Sepulveda M,T Van Banning D.Gudmundsclotter,C. Chamoun and WJM.Van Genungten(eds) 2004 Human Rights Reference Handbook, University of Peace. Theis J 2004 Promoting Rights Based Approaches, Experiences and Ideas from Asia and the Pacific. Save the children Sweden. Keen Publishing. Declaration on the Right to development, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in resolution 41/128 of 4 December 1986. CESCR (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) 1999 International Technical Assistance Measures (article 2).CESCR General Comment Number 2.Geneva.CESCR.

Web Accessibility: How Improving Online Communication for the Blind Aid

Many businesses struggle in today’s sluggish economy. According to ShopperTrak’s National Retail Sales Estimate, total retail sales for Christmas week 2010 dropped 4.1 percent and foot traffic in brick-and-mortar stores fell 6.1 percent (Christmas Week Retail Sales). To increase sales, companies must look for new marketing ideas and revenue streams. Two ideas are using Web advertising and creating online storefronts— ‘click-and-mortar’ stores versus ‘brick-and-mortar’ stores (Journal of Interactive Advertising 2002). Companies also target the massive â€Å"Baby Boomer Generation† to appeal to larger audiences. Businesses increase their Web presence effectively and efficiently by creating sites that appeal to the aging Baby Boomers and to all visually impaired people. They create these sites by using Web accessibility. The term visually impaired describes people reporting difficulty seeing even while wearing corrective lenses as well as those who are blind, according to the American Foundation of the Blind (Facts and Figures). The World Health Organization (WHO) divides vision into four categories: normal vision, moderate visual impairment, severe visual impairment, and blindness. Low vision includes individuals having â€Å"moderate visual impairment† and â€Å"severe visually impairment.† The low vision category includes legally blind individuals; the Braille Institute defines a legally blind person as someone who â€Å"central vision acuity† is 20/200 or less even with corrective lenses, such as glass or contact lenses. Low vision and blindness comprise the spectrum of visual impairment. The WHO states that glaucoma, cataracts, and â€Å"uncorrected refractive errors, such as myopia and astigmatism, are the major causes of visual impairment worldwide. ... ...C/q/id/53349/t/2>. Steinfeld, Charles. â€Å"Understanding Click and Mortar E-Commerce Approaches: A Conceptual Framework and Research Agenda.† Journal of Interactive Advertising. 2.2. Spring 2002. Print. Tim Berners-Lee: Bio. World Wide Web Consortium, 30 April 2010. Web. 10 April 2011. . United States. Census Bureau. Americans With Disabilities: 2005. Washington: GPO, 2008. Print. 29 USC. Sec. 794d. 1998. Print. US Web Retail Sales to Reach $249 Bln by '14-Study. Reuters, 8 March 2010. Web. 7 April 2011. . Vision Loss Rate Expected to Double as Boomers Age. SeniorLiving, n.d. Web. 8 April 2011. . World Health Organization, April 2011. Web. 6 April 2011. .

Disabled Clients Are Fellow Citizens? Essay -- essays research papers

Disabled clients are fellow citizens? Developments in the Disabled Peoples Movement have brought disability to the fore as a civil rights issue in Britain. Growing numbers of politically active disabled people have generated an awareness of how their rights as citizens are denied by discrimination and oppression. Out of this has emerged the concept of `independent living'. A philosophy encompassing the full range of human and civil rights necessary for disabled people to be equal members of society. Underpinning this are four key beliefs: that all human life is of value; that anyone, whatever their impairment, is capable of exerting choices; that people who are disabled by society's reaction to physical, intellectual and sensory impairment and to emotional distress have the right to exert control over their lives; that disabled people have the right to participate fully in society (Morris, 1993:21) The focus of this essay is the potential conflict between this philosophy and the policies and practices of social work. In particular, contrasting interpretations of the client/social work relationship will be examined with regard to their capacity to foster these ideals. There is ample evidence that disabled people are poorly housed, less well educated and generally receive less in the way of life-enhancing opportunities when compared to their non-impaired peers (Finklestein (1991). For example, they are four times as likely as non-impaired people to be unemployed, while those who do work receive wages on average 20% lower (RADAR, 1994). Most disabled people, therefore, rely on benefits. Furthermore, those benefits fail to allow for the extra expenses incurred as a result of disability (Cohen, 1996; Thompson, 1996). Thus it is poverty and poor quality of life resulting from discrimination which creates the need for social work intervention. Becoming a client, Davies (1981) suggests, is seen as a `sign of having given up' and as `a mark not only of failure but of shame' (p. 35). This not only further marginalises disabled people from mainstream society, i.e. separates those who are "clients" from those who are not. It also, according to Barton (1993), maintains a.. Cul... ...nd peach, H (eds) (1989):"Disablement in The Community"; Oxford University, Oxford. Payne, M (1991):"Modern Social Work Theory: A Critical Introduction"; Macmillan, London. Smalley, R (1970):"The Functional Approach To Casework Practice"; in Roberts, R., and Nee, R (eds) (1970):"Theories of Social Casework"; University of Chicago Press, London. Thompson, N (1993):"Anti-Discriminatory Practice"; Macmillan, London. Journals. Barton, L (1993):"The Struggle For Citizenship:The Case of Disabled People"; in Disability, Handicap and Society, Vol. 8(3), p 235-248. Cohen, R (1996):"The Poverty Trap"; in Community Care, p 26-27, 1-7 August. George, M (1996):"Figure it Out"; in Community Care, pullout feature, August 1-7. Morris, J (1996):"Where to Now?"; in Community Care, p 25, Sept 26-Oct 2. Oliver, M (1989a) Book Review of Hunter (1988) in Disability, Handicap and Society, Vol. 4(1). Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (1994):"Unemployment" in Donellan, C (ed) (1994). Thompson, A (1996):"The Fight For Rights"; in Community Care, P 14-15, 18-24 July.

Ray Carvers collection Where Im Calling From :: Ray Carver Essays

Ray Carver's collection "Where I'm Calling From" After reading more than a dozen of Ray Carver’s short stories from his collection Where I'm Calling From, I have to ask the question, "Where was Carver calling from?" On the surface, his stories seem very simple. They are about people with average jobs such as hotel managers, waitresses, salesmen, and secretaries, who live unsophisticated, mediocre lives. Below the surface, however, there is always more to be discovered if the reader is willing to put forth a little bit of effort. Carver obviously put a lot of thought into his stories. The least that we, as readers, can do is scratch the surface a little, or better yet, dig deep into his words to see what he is really trying to say to us. This is a task that is easier said than done. One story that does not seem quite as difficult as some others to interpret is "They’re Not Your Husband." Carver actually tells us quite a bit about Earl and Doreen if, once again, we are willing to look for the hidden clues. Earl is a salesman who is currently unemployed. He is looking for work, and he does find a sales job, but not a paying one. When he overhears two of his wife’s customers commenting on her "fat ass" (Magee), and saying, "Some jokers like their quim fat" (Carver 45), Earl realizes who his next sales pitch will be aimed at. Not wanting to be considered a joker, he decides to "sell" Doreen on the idea of losing weight (Magee). Using his sales tactics, Earl cautiously presents his "product" to Doreen. At first she is surprised because he has never brought up her weight before, but Earl is able to convince her that she should go on a diet without upsetting her. "‘All right,’ she said. I’ll try. For a few days I’ll give it a try. You’ve convinced me"’ (Carver 47). After hearing this, Earl replies, "I’m a closer" (Carver 47). Earl feels that he has successfully closed the deal but if we keep digging, we see something more. John Magee, in his article on "They’re Not Your Husband" for The Explicator, says, "Drop the c from 'closer’and 'loser’ emerges, which is what Earl is" (2). Earl is a loser because he thinks that the way his wife looks says something about him. He hopes that if he can successfully help Doreen begin to look better, he may start to feel better about himself.

Aims and objectives Essay

This paper provides a context for this special edition. It highlights the scale of the challenge of nursing shortages, but also makes the point that there is a policy agenda that provides workable solutions. Results An overview of nurse:population ratios in different countries and regions of the world, highlighting considerable variations, with Africa and South East Asia having the lowest average ratios. The paper argues that the ‘shortage’ of nurses is not necessarily a shortage of individuals with nursing qualifications, it is a shortage of nurses willing to work in the present conditions. The causes of shortages are multi-faceted, and there is no single global measure of their extent and nature, there is growing evidence of the impact of relatively low staffing levels on health care delivery and outcomes. The main causes of nursing shortages are highlighted: inadequate workforce planning and allocation mechanisms, resource constrained undersupply of new staff, poor recruitment, retention and ‘return’ policies, and ineffective use of available nursing resources through inappropriate skill mix and utilisation, poor incentive structures and inadequate career support. Conclusions What now faces policy makers in Japan, Europe and other developed countries is a policy agenda with a core of common themes. First, themes related to addressing supply side issues: getting, keeping and keeping in touch with relatively scarce nurses. Second, themes related to dealing with demand side challenges. The paper concludes that the main challenge for policy makers is to develop a co-ordinated package of policies that provide a long term and sustainable solution. Relevance to clinical practice This paper highlights the impact that nursing shortages has on clinical practice and in health service delivery. It outlines scope for addressing shortage problems and therefore for providing a more positive staffing environment in which clinical practice can be delivered. Keywords: nurses, nursing, workforce issues, workforce planning Go to: Introduction The world has entered a critical period for human resources for health. The scarcity of qualified health personnel, including nurses, is being highlighted as one of the biggest obstacles to achieving health system effectiveness. In January 2004, the High Level Forum on the Health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reported, ‘There is a human resources crisis in health, which must be urgently addressed’ (High Level Forum on the Health MDGs, 2004, p. 4). Later in the same year, the Joint Learning Initiative reported that ‘There is a massive global shortage of health workers’ (Joint Learning Initiative 2004; executive summary, p. 3). In 2006, the World Health Organisation devoted the whole of the World Health Report to the negative impact that human resources shortages was having on global health care (WHO 2006). Against this backdrop of growing concern about shortages of health personnel, this paper focuses on one of the most critical components of the workforce: nurses. As such, it provides a context for the other papers in this special edition of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. These other papers focus in detail on specific nurse workforce issues and priorities facing policy makers and researchers in Australia, Canada, Japan, the USA and elsewhere. They emphasise the need to develop a better understanding of the specific dynamics in organisational and country level nursing labour markets if policy makers are to be well informed about the judgements they must make about what will be effective policy solutions for the nursing workforce. This paper provides a broader perspective, highlighting the scale of the challenge of nursing shortages, but also making the point that there are many common challenges and a policy agenda that points to workable solutions. Go to: Nursing and the global health workforce challenge WHO has estimated there to be a total of 59 ·2 million fulltime paid health workers worldwide in 2006, of which about two thirds were health service providers, with the remaining third being composed of health management and support workers (WHO 2006). WHO also calculated a threshold in workforce density below which consistent coverage of essential interventions, including those necessary to meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), was very unlikely. Based on these estimates, it reported that there were 57 countries with critical shortages equivalent to a global deficit of 2 ·4 million doctors, nurses and midwives. The proportional shortfalls were greatest in sub-Saharan Africa, although numerical deficits were very large in South-East Asia because of its population size (WHO 2006, p. 12). WHO also highlighted that shortages often coexist in a country with large numbers of unemployed health professionals: ‘Poverty, imperfect private labour markets, lack of public funds, bureaucratic red tape and political interference produce this paradox of shortages in the midst of underutilized talent’ (WHO 2006, p. xviii). WHO concluded that the shortage crisis has the potential to deepen in the coming years. It noted that demand for service providers will escalate markedly in all countries – rich and poor: ‘Richer countries face a future of low fertility and large populations of elderly people, which will cause a shift towards chronic and degenerative diseases with high care demands. Technological advances and income growth will require a more specialised workforce even as needs for basic care increase because of families’ declining capacity or willingness to care for their elderly members. Without massively increasing training of workers in this and other wealthy countries, these growing gaps will exert even greater pressure on the outflow of health workers from poorer regions’ (WHO 2006, p. xix). Nurses are the main professional component of the ‘front line’ staff in most health systems, and their contribution is recognised as essential to meeting development goals and delivering safe and effective care. One difficulty in making an accurate global estimate of numbers of nurses is the definition of  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœnurse’. Different international agencies, at different times, have developed different definitions, some related to educational level, some to years of training. The primary focus of this paper is on registered nurses, but this focus is hampered by the absence of a clear definition for some data sources, and the overall lack of a single universal definition of ‘nurse’. To give one indication of the size of the nursing workforce world wide, the International Council of Nurses reports 129 national nurses’ associations representing 13 million nurses worldwide (ICN 2007). This section of the paper provides an overview of nurse:population ratios in different countries and regions of the world. The data must be used with caution. The country level data collated by WHO which is reported in this paper may in some countries include midwives under the broad category of nurses; for some, it is also likely that the data may include auxiliary and unlicensed personnel. There can also be varying interpretations relating to the calculation of the number of nurses – some countries may report working nurses, others may report all nurses that are eligible to practice; some may report ‘headcount’, others may report full time equivalents. The analysis presented below should therefore be taken as illustrative of a broad pattern of regional variations, rather than an accurate representation of each country. Current initiatives by international organisations such as WHO, ILO and OECD to agree to standard definitions and improve the collection of count ry level HRH data should improve the current unsatisfactory situation.

Custom Fabricators Case Solution

I. Problem: How can Custom Fabricators, Inc. (CFI) prevent a possible business takeover of the Mexican suppliers and at the same time, ensure long-term profitability? II. Assumptions: 1. The case is set on the current year. 2. The Mexican suppliers will win the bid and production will move to Mexico. 3. In case CFI would switch to contract manufacturing, the contracted volume of units that they will produce is within the range of their production under lean manufacturing. 4. Orleans would shoulder the cost of shipping products from Mexico to CFI only. III. Alternatives: Based on the opportunities of CFI, the group has identified three alternatives for the company to implement: a. Work closely with Mexican suppliers This involves establishment of effective communication lines (e. g. through Internet, video conferencing), assigning a representative to monitor quality of products to be shipped, sending quality control machines to Mexico or asking Orleans to require the Mexican suppliers to conduct quality check before shipment. b. Differentiate product and/or expand market This involves developing more advanced products (e. . touch-screen elevator control panels) or expanding its target market (e. g. instead of just supplying control panels for elevators it can also create ones for ATMs, safety vaults etc. ) c. Switch to contract manufacturing This means instead of producing outputs only when Orleans needs it, CFI would now have a fixed production per month that they would need to deliver. IV. Analysis: First, let us identify the major is sues in the case. Currently, CFI has several strengths that help them establish a competitive advantage. First is the company’s proximity to the construction site and to the Bedford plant which serves as its supplier as it was able to keep the transportation costs minimal. Another one is its customer intimacy. Because CFI knows exactly what Orleans needs and when to provide it, it is able to cater to their customer’s demands in time with good quality products. Having been in the business for over 15 years, CFI was also able to set up efficient operations which helped them on becoming a lean manufacturer. It also has loyal and skilled employees that are satisfied in their job. Lastly, its business has also been profitable with a high profit margin of almost 30%. However, the company also has several weaknesses that we must take into consideration. First, CFI is a private company which means it has limited financing options and relies heavily on its revenues as generated by its operations. Also, because it wants to maintain its good relationship with its employees it could not reduce labor cost. Because of Orleans’ increasing efforts to reduce costs, the company faces the threat of having the production of raw materials moved to Mexico because of the cheaper labor costs there. If that would happen (and this paper assumes that it will), CFI might have problems with shipping back items that are not of par quality in addition to possible problems in communication. Moreover, there is also the threat of competition as Orleans might look for other suppliers in Mexico to continue to lower costs and since CFI couldn’t lower its costs anymore, Orleans might just source totally from Mexico. Now, let us analyze each of the alternatives. The first one is to work closely with its Mexican suppliers. Through this, CFI will be able to ensure the quality and secure shipment of units to their company. It would also lessen chances of error in production and delivery and decrease waiting costs for the unit replacements. However, there is the uncertainty of soliciting cooperation from the Mexican suppliers and sending a representative or a quality control machine in Mexico is costly. Moreover, the Mexican suppliers might gain knowledge of CFI’s efficient production process which increases the risk of business takeover. If CFI will differentiate its product, it would be able to lessen its dependence on Orleans as it would be able to get more customers and therefore generate more income. Also, there is a lesser risk of business takeover as their product will increase competitive advantage as it was able to provide more value for a small additional cost. This can also be related to the alternative of market expansion as its differentiated product could open new market opportunities for them. However, it should also be considered that this alternative requires more investment in R&D and other equipment. Also there are risks of market failure and having problems in meeting demand due to its limited capacity. Lastly, we have the alternative of switching from lean manufacturing to contract manufacturing. This would help CFI develop economies of scale and receive fixed income or stable inflow of revenues. Because of this, it will be able to better allocate its resources and might even reduce labor costs as it would generally need less workers. CFI can also use its excess capacity to cater to other customers or work on other products. However, this can also be a factor against them because Orleans might be reluctant to have it as a contract manufacturer thus increasing the risk of CFI being replaced by a Mexican supplier. In addition to that, this alternative also comes with termination costs and decrease in competitive advantage. V. Plan of Action: After analyzing the position and the possible alternatives of CFI, we created an action plan that takes into consideration the long-run costs and benefits of each option and its technical, operational and economic feasibility given the current capacity, resources, and opportunities of the company. Based on the analysis, CFI could undertake several alternatives but each should be implemented at the right time. Here is the proposed action and contingency plans for the company: Short-term (1-2 years) Assuming that the production of raw materials will move to Mexico, the best immediate action that CFI could undertake is to work closely with the Mexican suppliers. The company might not be able to lower its costs anymore but they could still ensure that the products that they create are still of good quality and are able to meet the demand. Moreover, we see that it is unlikely for Orleans to eliminate CFI in the supply chain as it would be more costly for them to look for new Mexican suppliers considering that they already established a good business relationship and developed the efficiency caused by over 15 years of working together. Long-term (More than 2 years) To address the issue of ensuring long-run profitability knowing that CFI couldn’t compete with Mexican suppliers in terms of cost, it can try to differentiate its products to enhance its competitive advantage. Since the company has a high profit margin and loyal workers that produce when there is only a demand for it, it could use these as additional investment in R&D and be used to cater to other consumer demands. Because of this, it would be impractical for Orleans to eliminate CFI in the supply chain as they would get more value from it that they couldn’t just get anywhere easily. Moreover, CFI could also see get an opportunity to expand its market for its unique selling proposition therefore increasing its profitability.

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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