Film Analysis Proposal The Other Son

Introduction The Other Son is a poignant film about two boys, Joesph (Jules Sitruk) and Yacine (Medhi Dehbi), 18 years of age, who discover that they had been accidentally switched shortly after birth.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Film Analysis Proposal: The Other Son – Directed by Lorraine Là ©vy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The film exposes the sensitive issues and the consequences for the boys and their families as a result of this switch (â€Å"The Other Son† par. 2). The film centers around this distressing tale of these two young men and their families, one from Isreal and the other from Palestine, bringing into focus the impact of international Israeli-Palestinian conflict in their lives. Shot in Isreal and the West Bank, the film is a complex story of the effects of the accidental child switch which throws the lives of two families completely out of order. Film Description ‘ The Other Son’ is a story about two young boys who discover that they are not the real children of their parents (Lubitow par. 1). Joseph an eighteen year old Arab Muslim musician from Israel, lives in Tel Aviv with his Jewish parents, mother Orith (Emmanuelle Devos) father Avon (Pascal Elbe) commander of the army in Israel. In a routine blood test for an obligatory service in the Israeli army, Joseph discovers that his blood group does not match with either of his parents (â€Å"The Other Son† par. 1).Advertising Looking for proposal on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Further tests by doctors confirm that Joseph is not the biological son of his Jewish parents. Joseph’s parents are shocked by this news. Upon further investigations, it is found that the hospital where Joseph was born, had been attacked by a missile, leading to chaos and confusion at the time of Joseph’s birth. The con fusion had resulted in a switch between two children Joseph and Yacine, born to Orith a Jewish mother, and Leil a Palestinian mother respectively. When the biological truth surrounding the mystery of the two switched boys is finally revealed, the parents are informed about the mistake. Both boys’ parents face the dilemma whether or not to reveal the truth to their children and the best possible manner of dealing with the shocking news (Lubitow par. 3). This unusual setup of child switches explores the ramifications and turmoil parents face when they find out that their child was actually someone else’s. Despite attempts by the parents to conceal the reality from the boys, the boys eventually are exposed to the brutal truth. The film reveals some serious emotional issues associated with the incident. Both fathers strongly resist the disclosure of the truth to their boys and prefer to withhold their true identities.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Film Analysis Proposal: The Other Son – Directed by Lorraine Là ©vy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The fathers are hurt by the incident and wish to bear the pain quietly rather than bearing the likely public shame and embarrassment from the disclosure of the news (Lubitow par. 3). The mothers, on the other hand, face a different dilemma altogether. They strongly desire to get to know their real children, hold them, hug and kiss them. The boys’ sisters are thrilled and excited to know that they have ‘new’ brothers! Dynamics within the families change radically as the older brother of Yacine, Bilal refuses to acknowledge Yacine as his brother and turns against him, developing a sudden hatred for him (Lubitow par. 3). A change in identity initiates a sudden and drastic change in the lives of these two families, who had been leading an otherwise quiet and normal life. The film is a fine depiction of the pe rsonality and identity issues resulting from an accidental switch of infants at birth. Struggling to adapt to this drastic turn of events, both boys, Sitruk and Debhi give some fine performances. Through the dilemma faced by the boys, the film deals with a myriad of issues such as overcoming prejudices, conflict and hatred for races. In an attempt to overcome the curiosity of their real families, the boys overcome their prejudices about the Israeli Palestinian conflict and cross borders to better understand their roots (Lubitow par. 4).Advertising Looking for proposal on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In doing so, they undergo several human emotions such as jealousy, hatred and a deep sense of longing to be with their original families. However, they finally overcome their negative feelings and strike a beautiful relationship with one another. Entrenched in a dramatic family drama, the film deals with some impending global concerns of racial conflict and prejudices surrounding the Israel-Palestine issue. Topic Description The topic for my film analysis will be the racial prejudices which arise due to international conflicts. As soon as the couples find out the truth that their boys are not their real children, there is a change in their attitudes, especially the fathers who feel that exposing the truth about their sons’ real identity would be shameful and insulting. Yacine’s brother Bilal begins to hate Yacine as soon as he learns that he is born of Jew parents. Both families, which were leading quiet normal lives are suddenly confronted with the issue of racism and prejudices which were otherwise absent in their lives. Thesis Human beings are heavily prone to prejudice and issues such as anger and hatred based on international conflicts such as the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Works Cited Lubitow, Adam. 2012. Movie Review: â€Å"The Other Son† Throwing The Switch. Web. â€Å"The Other Son† n.d. Web. This proposal on Film Analysis Proposal: The Other Son – Directed by Lorraine Là ©vy was written and submitted by user Kaylynn Hebert to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Modernizing Liturgical English

Modernizing Liturgical English Modernizing Liturgical English Modernizing Liturgical English By Maeve Maddox A reader writes: In church, our liturgy has traditionally used a phrase such as Thou Who sittest at the right hand of God the Father to refer to Jesus, singular. As we have changed over from using the King James Bible translation, we have also gradually changed from use of thee and thou and the est forms of the verbs in the liturgy. I believe, then, that we should be singing You Who sit at . . . but those in charge have written You Who sits at . . . It disturbs me (only slightlyI know the intended meaning regardless of the word used) every time I sing it. Am I correct or just being picky? I dont think the reader is being picky. It makes sense that if editors are going to modernize a 16th century idiom, the changes ought to reflect standard modern usage. In the year 2009, you sits is not standard usage, neither spoken nor written. The confusion with the passage quoted lies with the word who, which may be either singular or plural: The man who is sitting on the wall can see the lighthouse. The men who are sitting in the tree can also see it. In the liturgical quotation above, who refers to singular thou. Thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father translates as You who sit at the right hand of God the Father. Personally I object to changing the old verb forms in liturgical use. When a student wants the most up-to-date translation, obviously the King James Version is not the one to rely on. If encouraging religious feeling is the goal, however, I cant think of anything more beautiful and stirring than a reading from the KJV. Most of the tongue-twisters can be avoided by substituting the sound /s/ for the -eths. Thats very likely what many of the original readers of the KJV did anyway. A.C. Baugh points out (A History of the English Language), that Shakespeare used both the eth and -s forms for third-person verbs, as in this passage from A Merchant of Venice (c. 1597): The quality of mercy is not straind, It droppeth as a gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blessd; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:†¦ Baugh quotes Richard Hodgess A Special Help to Orthographie (1643) in which the writer notes the disconnect between how verbs are written and how they are pronounced in ordinary speech: Howsoever wee use to Write thus, leadeth it, maketh it, noteth it, raketh it, per-fumeth it, etc. Yet in our ordinary speech (which is best to bee understood) wee say, leads it, makes it, notes it, rakes it, per-fumes it. Its refreshing to seein the 17th century, as in the 21stthe standard written dialect at odds with the standard spoken dialect. An Unexpected Question About You O Second Person Singular, Where Art Thou? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†Best Websites to Learn EnglishList of 50 Compliments and Nice Things to Say!

English MOTIF THEME Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English MOTIF THEME - Essay Example As a result of the shame she has brought on her family, the girl is sent off to Mexico to live with her cousins before the baby is born. The information provided in the story regarding the girl and the man she fell in love with, as well as what happens to her and what she can expect in her future, is all presented in piece-meal format, leaving more to the reader’s imagination than is actually spelled out within the text. This motif of telling the story in small pieces helps to illuminate the way in which the young girl is forced to live her life – understanding only small pieces of her own story at a time. The motif of broken pieces is applied to several elements of the story including the development of the main characters. The girl is revealed to the reader through small revelations made throughout the story. From her introduction, the reader is able to deduce that she has become pregnant out of wedlock while still under the care of her elders, but little else is known about her. That she is not too proud is demonstrated in her willing admission that she is bad and follows in a long line of bad behavior, but despite this admission, the reader is not given a very deep glimpse into the reasons why she thinks herself bad other than that she has thought about sex before. Her innocence is also illustrated rather than stated in her gullibility to the man’s statements and in her belief that love is like magic and will transport her into another, more glamorous world. It is almost halfway through the story before the reader is given a name for the girl, Ixchel, but it remains unclear whether this is her true name or a magic name she’s given herself as the consort of the Mayan king and even furth er before we gain an understanding of her age as she is pulled out of eighth grade when her uniform becomes tight. There is actually more information provided in the text about the man who seduces her than there is about the girl. The

Individual business report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Individual business report - Coursework Example In this regard, the report intends to delineate an effective business plan for Oblako to successfully establish its own independent airline service. The proposed business plan incorporates a number of effective steps and strategies that can enable the organisation to establish its sustainable position in the competitive industry. The proposed plan outlines major aims and objectives of the venture with respect to the current environment of the Ukrainian airline business industry. In order to facilitate to achieve the desired aims and objectives, the proposed plan also explores the current industry environment through the help of competitor analysis framework. Moreover, it also demonstrates an effective marketing plan along with coherent financial information that has been estimated to help in establishing long-term sustainability of Oblako Airlines in the Ukrainian aviation industry. Oblako Airlines (Oblako) has positioned itself as one of the major new players in the competitive airline industry of Ukraine. The Ukrainian airline industry is driven by a rising competitive pace as it is witnessed that there are a number of vital competitors operating in and around Ukraine which are from neighbouring countries such as Belarus, Russia, Romania, Moldova, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The competition has raised due to the rising trend of the demographics especially their increasing income level. Therefore, it is highly essential for Oblako to execute a competitive strategy to cope with the rising pace in the Ukrainian airline industry. In terms of legal structure of the venture, it will be a partnership between two individuals wherein the risk and profit would be shared by both of them. The proposed business plan for Oblako would be highly focused on building a strong brand position with the aim of maintaining a competitive pricing strategy. Moreover, providing highest level of airline services along with improving

CIS U2 206 Research Assigment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CIS U2 206 Research Assigment - Coursework Example Lastly, the world entity covers all other users by granting all-account authorizations. Authorizations are dual arithmetic values. The arithmetic value 100 endows file-reading authorizations, 10 endows file-writing authorizations, and 1 endows file-executing authorizations (Perrin). One can combine these values to form a series of authorizations for a particular entity. Listing authorizations requires access to a file’s authorization settings, where the -1 option for the viewing command offers data that entails listing authorizations. Changing authorizations for every entity requires the â€Å"chmod† command (Perrin). Overseeing security at the file-level in a UNIX system needs one to maintain file authorizations as stringent and limiting as possible without limiting the system itself. This measure requires a user to refrain from limiting the UNIX system itself from accessing files in an undesired manner. As a result, one should leave file authorizations outside the home paths of the user account at default (Perrin). Learning how to use UNIX file authorizations ultimately enables one to understand UNIX security

Toyotas Innovation Management and Success Factors

Toyotas Innovation Management and Success Factors   Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Background The primary reason for choosing this research topic is my genuine interest in cars and my intention to work in the automobile industry. And there could not be a better topic than to study the most significant change at the top which is the emergence of Toyota as the global leader. Although a lot has been written about Toyota, but this dissertation will study it from a different perspective, i.e. innovation management and critical success factors. Toyota Motors Corporation (TMC) has become one of the biggest car manufacturers of the world from a humble start seventy years ago (Toyota, 2008). Toyotas has been one of the most phenomenal success stories in the ultra-competitive automobile industry and can be a great benchmark for any company. The company has posted record annual earnings for almost a decade and has become the most profitable car manufacturer on the planet. And in the market that matters the most, the USA, its unbroken sequence of record sales stretches back even further. Fifty years ago, the Big 3 US carmakers (GM, Ford, Chrysler) dominated the industry, both in the US and worldwide. Now Toyota is set to overtake GM as the worlds largest carmaker, ending 70 years of dominance (BBC, 2007). Toyotas success is even more remarkable given the problems elsewhere in the industry (see Appendix 1). GM and Ford are cutting thousands of jobs and closing plants, while Toyota is building one new plant each year. Ford in parti cular has found the going tough and a $12.7 billion deficit in 2006 coupled with significant losses among its subsidiaries signals the most miserable year of the companys existence. As GM and Ford have racked up huge losses in the past few years, their financial ratings have shrunk. Toyota is now worth 10 times as much as GM on the stock market. So how has Toyota managed to buck the trend so dramatically? (Strategic Direction, 2007) Toyotas success with U.S. customers begins with the appeal of its cars and trucks, which are prized for their quality and durability, ease of operation, and thoughtful features such as controls that are intuitive to operate. Since demand is high and inventories typically low, Toyota, unlike Detroit, sells cars with skimpy marketing incentives, which protects its margins and boosts resale prices (Taylor, 2003). Moreover, Toyota does its homework thoroughly. For instance, the company closely monitors economic and demographic developments and regularly sends its researchers out in the field to interview those who matter most people who buy the cars. Keeping its ear to the ground ensures that the automaker remains best positioned to anticipate evolving customer preferences and future trends. Others carry out similar functions, so what makes Toyota different? How can a Japanese company be best at knowing what does the American car buyer want? This dissertation attempts to find out these factors from a different perspective; innovation. The competitive advantage that many Japanese firms had gained in their respective industries came not from advantages in â€Å"hard† technology †¦ but from the way they manned the same technology †¦ Toyota attained holistic integration of technology with people, organization, product and strategy †¦ the difference lay in their socio-technical system (Liker and Meier, 2006). 1.2 Aims and objectives of research The aim of this dissertation is to establish the factors leading to Toyotas success over GM in the US automobile market. In order to achieve this aim, the following objectives have been set:- To review critically the body of literature of innovation theory in explaining Toyotas success. To identify the changing critical success factors where Toyota gained the advantage. To study other factors and theories (like national competitive advantage) which led to Toyotas success. In order to achieve these aims and objectives, literature review is carried out in the next chapter which critically evaluates the theory surrounding this topic and then refined research questions are developed which will be answered by collecting secondary data. 1.3 Structure of dissertation This dissertation has been divided into five chapters. They are organised as follows: The first chapter describes the background of this research, a brief introduction about Toyota and this dissertations structure. It also mentions the aims and objectives of this dissertation which are broad but get refined at the end of chapter two. The second chapter critically evaluates the literature studied for this dissertation including innovation theory, critical success factors and other factors. It forms five propositions at the end of that chapter which are more refined research questions. Chapter three describes the methodology and discusses how the research is conducted to achieve the objectives set earlier. This chapter reviews the various factors of research design like research philosophy, paradigm, strategy and approach. It evaluates the options available and justifies the options chosen by the author. After methodology, research findings and discussion are presented in chapter four. Here secondary data is presented and used to test the propositions formed at the end of chapter two. Chapter five finishes this dissertation with conclusions and recommendations. And finally, the author shares his learning experience in the reflections section. Chapter 2: Literature Review This part of the dissertation will start with reviewing critically the body of literature in innovation theory and changing critical success factors in context to the automobile industry in general, and Toyota and GM in particular, to help explain the formers success over latter in US market. Besides these two theories; some other theories like national competitive advantage, lean etc are discussed in the third section. This chapter will end in forming research propositions based on the theories reviewed. Although this chapter is primarily designed to review general theory concerning automobile industry, the author has cited particular examples about Toyota and GM in some places as seen relevant to stress the point. 2.1 Innovation Innovation is defined in Oxford dictionary as ‘†¦ something established by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. In todays competitive world, innovation essentially can provide companies new ways to beat the competition. â€Å"Innovation process involves the exploration and exploitation of opportunities for new or improved products, processes or services, based either on an advance in technical practise, or a change in market demand, or a combination of the two. Innovation is therefore essentially a matching process† (Fagerberg et al, 2006). ‘†¦ not to innovate is to die wrote Christopher Freeman (1982) in his famous study of the economics of innovation. Certainly companies that have established themselves as technical and market leaders have shown an ability to develop successful new products. Innovation is defined by Myers and Marquis (1969; cited by Trott 2005) as not a single action but a total process of interrelated sub processes. It is not just the conception of a new idea, nor the invention of a new device, nor the development of a new market. The process is a combination of all these things acting in an integrated fashion. A new idea is normally the starting point for innovation. It is neither innovation nor invention; it is merely a concept or thought. The process of converting these ideas into a new product or service is invention. To convert that to a successful profit generating offering in a market is exploitation. And this complete process is innovation. Innovation has long been argued the engine of growth. Schumpeter (1934, 1939 and 1942; cited by Trott 2005) was among the first economist to emphasise the importance of new products as stimuli to economic growth. He argued that the competition posed by new products was far more important than marginal changes in the prices of existing products. For example, a car manufacturer can achieve far more growth by introducing new, efficient cars or new features than just slicing down prices. Fane et al. (2003) studied the Schumpeters view in detail. Schumpeter employed innovation to explain Kondratievs â€Å"long waves† in business cycle theory, those of 54 to 60 years duration, and the nature of the economic growth processes. The Kondratiev/Schumpeterian view gained increased popularity at the end of the 20th century. Innovation, for Schumpeter, was not the same thing as invention innovations may be copied and may not be protected by â€Å"intellectual property rights†, or IPRs, (with the exception, perhaps, of trade secrets) while inventions are protected for a specified period of time by IPRs such as patents and copyrights. Innovations for Schumpeter reflect: the introduction of â€Å"new methods of production† or a change in current production functions; the creation of â€Å"new forms of organisation†; the discovery of â€Å"new sources of supply†; or the opening of â€Å"new trade routes and markets†. Further, he identifie d the source of innovation as the consequences of the actions within a capitalist system of the entrepreneur seeking competitive advantage in the quest for profit. Another theory argues that sustained economic growth arises from competition among firms. Firms try to increase their profits by devoting resources to creating new products and developing new ways of making existing products. There have been many economists supporting the argument that innovations could be associated with waves of economic growth as mentioned earlier. Albernathy and Utterback (1978) contended that at the birth of any industrial sector there is radical product innovation which is then followed by radical innovation in production process, followed, in turn, by wide-spread incremental innovation. Some firms develop a reputation for innovation and it helps propagate a virtuous circle that reinforces a companys abilities. Trott (2005) views this concept as a specific example of Porters (1985) notion of competitive advantage. Porter argued that those companies who are able to achieve competitive advantage that is, above-average performance in an industry sector are able to reinvest this additional profit into the activities that created the advantage in the first place, thus creating a virtuous circle of improvement, or competitive advantage. The success or failure of a firm depends on a strategic competitive advantage. Competitive advantage can be achieved by delivering the product at lower cost or by offering unique benefits to the buyer. It can take many years for a company to build a reputation for being innovative, but once it has done so, it attracts further creative people leading to further leaps in innovation. But the company also has to provide the right atmosphere f or that by encouraging creativity and willingness to accept new ideas like Toyota does. Marketing also plays a very important role in the innovation process as it helps in finding out what customers want. This is crucial as success in the future will lie in the ability to acquire and utilize knowledge and apply this to the development of new products which meets and exceed the target customers expectations. But recent studies by Hamel Prahalad (1994) and Christensen (2003) suggest that listening to your customer may actually stifle technological innovation and be detrimental to long term business success. While sustaining or incremental innovation may appeal to existing customers as they provide improvements to established products; disruptive innovations tend to create new markets which eventually capture the existing markets. For example, the launches of video CDs have made the VHS cassettes obsolete. 2.1.1 Models of innovation There are two schools of thought over what drives innovation; market-based view and resource-based view. The market-based view argues that market conditions provide the context which facilitate or constrain the extent of innovation activity. This of course depends on the firms ability to recognise opportunities in the market place. The resource based view of innovation considers that a market-driven orientation does not provide a secure foundation for formulating innovation strategies for markets which are dynamic and volatile; rather a firms own resources provide a much more stable context in which to develop its innovation activity and shape its markets in accordance to its own views (Wernerfelt, 1995). 2.1.2 Types of Innovation Innovation can be divided into following types (adapted from Trott, 2005): Product Innovation: The development of a new product. E.g. A new car model. Process innovation: The development of a new manufacturing process. E.g. lean manufacturing, flexible platform sharing. Organizational innovation: A new venture division; a new communication system; introduction of new procedures. Management innovation: TQM systems; Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) which are explained in details later. Production innovation: Quality circles; Just In Time (JIT) Environmental Innovation: These are the authors views (see section 2.1.6). Among the various types of innovations mentioned, the author will discuss some crucial management and environmental innovations which will help in tracing down the factors behind Toyotas success. 2.1.3 Management Innovation 1: Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM can be defined as: An effective system for integrating the quality development, quality maintenance and quality improvement efforts of the various groups in an organization so to enable production and service at the most economical levels which allows for full customer satisfaction (Feigenbaum, 1986). An effective TQM approach demands all the employees in an organization to be involved. It regards quality as the responsibility of everyone and not limited to a manager or a particular department. Quality and employee improvements are therefore inextricably linked and should be part of a continuous cycle. TQM is an ongoing process of continuous improvements and incremental innovations. The impact of small, relatively easy to achieve improvements can be very positive. Much of the improvement in the reliability of cars over the past twenty years has been attributed to a very large number of improvements initiated by thousands of employees in all the manufacturing companies involved (Trott, 2005). Toyotas commitment to quality can be appreciated by this example. If there is even a small defect like a seatbelt not fitted properly, the workers can pull a cord and stop the production line until the problem is resolved. Workers at the Toyota plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, pull the cord 2,000 times a week and their care is what makes Toyota one of the most reliable, and most desired, brands in the US. In contrast, workers at Fords brand-new truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, pull the cord only twice a week indicating the legacy of generations of mistrust between shop-floor workers and managers (Schifferes, 2007). Toyotas relentless cost engineering creates efficiencies that Detroit can chase but not match. Its philosophy of continuous improvementrethinking the thousands of steps that go into building each modelallows Toyota to constantly trim material costs and production time. For example, the company lowered the base price of its 1997 Camry by 4%, after taking steps that included streamlining the front-bumper assembly from 20 parts to 13 and reducing the number of steel body fasteners from 53 to 15. Such improvements enable Toyota to assemble a car in 21 hours, vs. 25 for Ford, 27 for Chrysler and 29 for GM (Greenwald et al., 1996). (See also appendix 4) However, in pursuit of continuous improvement, there could be some stages where a radical change may involve complete withdrawal of a procedure leading to potential job losses for the employees. So the employees would be reluctant to pursue that idea. The very feeling of process ownership by the employees may obstruct radical change, i.e. TQM may not support major innovation (Giaver, 1998). 2.1.4 Management Innovation 2: Quality Function Deployment (QFD) QFD is another important management innovation. Making design decisions concurrently rather than sequentially requires superior coordination among the parties involved marketing, engineering, operations and most importantly, the customer. Quality function deployment is a structured approach to this problem that relates the voice of the customer to every stage of the design and delivering process. It promotes better understanding of customer demands and design interactions. For a company to achieve its own quality goals it must include and consider the quality programmes of its suppliers and customers. Identifying the causes of uncertainty, determining how this affects other activities in the supply chain and formulating ways of reducing or eliminating the uncertainty is essential to the management of all the processes involved. Here is an example to illustrate this. McDonalds built a restaurant in Moscow. To achieve its required and expected level of quality and service, the company set up an entire supply chain for growing, processing and distributing the food. McDonalds made sure that all parties along the whole chain understood its expectations of performance and closely monitored performance (Upton, 1998). The QFD approach requires trust between all parties. As in the modern world, the competition between organizations effectively becomes competition between supply chains. Only by innovating within the organizations supply chain, in terms of product and service, will the organization survive. 2.1.5 Management Innovation 3: Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) This is a completely opposite approach to that of incremental innovation preached in TQM. Slack et al. (2004) defines BPR as ‘The fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed. This approach is quite similar to that of Peters (1997) who suggests total destruction of company systems, hierarchy and procedures and replacing them with a multitude of single-person business units working as professionals. He argues that small modest improvement enshrined in TQM detracts effort from the real need to reinvent the business, i.e. ‘Incrementalism is an enemy of innovation. He argues that a radical approach is the only way organizations can be sufficiently innovative to survive in the twenty-first century. But BPR is criticised as one of the major downsizing tools common in 1980s and 1990s. The combination of radical downsizing and redesign can mean the loss of core experience from the operation. If taken too far (e.g. if the short term improvement was achieved at the expense of support for RD expenditure) the resulting organization could become hollow and die. Also, the core business has to be sound otherwise BPR is akin to ‘flogging a dead horse (Trott, 2005). So, an organization has to take care that their core knowledge is passed on and they do not suffer due to BPR. 2.1.6 Environmental Innovation The author has found a gap in literature in the form of environment innovation. It is not limited to any product or process innovation, but it is the holistic process companies have to follow to keep pace with the changing environment (also see section 2.2.1). Companies round the world are making more fuel efficient cars and alternative fuels to reduce the burden on fossil fuels. GM has realized this a little late and now their full attention is towards environmental innovation. This is because fancy designs and add-ons are not sufficient to compete in the environment-conscious market. Auto makers are under pressure to produce more efficient cars that use less fuel and thus pollute less, in part because petrol prices have soared in recent years in the US, but also because they will soon be required to do so by law. In December 2007, US President George W Bush signed an energy bill that will force the industry to cut average emissions from all vehicles. By 2020, the average must have been slashed by 40% to 35 miles per gallon, and the industry is convinced they will be able to deliver though it will not come cheaply (Madslien, 2008). Today, a fuel called biodiesel, which is derived from vegetable oil, is used throughout Europe. While it has been used in the United States in fleet vehicles for decades, only recently has it become more widely available to the general public. With the worlds oil supply declining and the increasing effect of greenhouse gases on global warming, the push for alternative-fuel vehicles will only continue to grow. In addition to increased production of the types of vehicles discussed here, the next step in alternative-fuel vehicles is fuel cells. A fuel cell vehicle is essentially a hybrid vehicle that is powered by an electric motor, which gets its power from a fuel cell stack rather than an internal combustion engine. There are only a handful of fuel cell vehicles in use today because the technology is still being developed. In addition, there are relatively few fueling stations with hydrogen, the fuel used to power the fuel cell stack. The U.S. Department of Energy, the agency that oversees a federally funded program to pursue fuel cell development, will decide by 2015 whether fuel cell technology is viable. Even if the decision is made to move forward, hybrid vehicles and gasoline-powered vehicles—as well as those powered by diesel and ethanol—will most likely remain in use for many years (JDPower, 2008). 2.2 Critical Success Factors Critical success factors are those product features that are particularly valued by a group of customers and, therefore, where the organization must excel to outperform competition (Johnson et al., 2006). A firm needs to have the threshold capabilities and core competencies to meet the critical success factors. Threshold capabilities are the bare minimum required for an organization to be able to compete in a market without which, an organization cannot survive. The threshold levels rise over time as critical success factors change and as new competitors enter the market. So a company has to keep on reviewing and improving its threshold capabilities just to stay in the market. But this is not sufficient to create competitive advantage. That can only be achieved by unique resources and core competencies which the competitors cannot imitate. Whereas unique resources are those resources that critically underpin competitive advantage and core competencies are the activities and processes through which resources are deployed to achieve competitive advantage. So, even if a company has unique resources, without having the requisite core competencies, it cannot achieve competitive advantage. Lynch (2003) refers to CSFs as KFS or Key Factors for Success. Lynch states that KFS are those resources, skills and attributes of the organisations in the industry that are essential to deliver success in the market place. There are endless issues that can be explored by an organization, but due to limited time and resources, it is better to narrow them down to KFSs and focus the resources on the most important matters. KFS are common to all organizations in an industry but they do vary from industry to industry. They are dependent on customers expectations, quality of competition and corporations own resources and skills. The author agrees with Lynchs view of the need to concentrate the organizations resources to KSFs. But the author also feels that they are not easy to pin-point and measure. Moreover, an organization should also create new CSFs through innovation and invention. For example, the creation of digital cameras completely changed the CSFs in that industry. Another point of view is provided by Sousa et al. (1989), who call it shared experience view. The shared experiences school maintains that the area of business strategies is amenable to research aimed at finding nomological statements. It is believed to be possible to find out how different strategy types are linked to business success under various conditions. This school can be called the shared experience school, because it builds on the expectation that, if experience on business strategies is shared, it becomes possible to build up general, empirically based theoretical knowledge, which then can guide the selection of business strategy. For this school, business success is governed by causal relationships, which exist as an objective truth, and which gradually can be uncovered by research. 2.2.1 Strategic Drift and Scenario Planning. Johnson et al. (2006) describes strategic drift as the stage where strategies progressively fail to address the strategic position of the organisation and performance deteriorates (see figure 2 below). For example, GM find themselves far behind in the environment innovation sector. Therefore, the organization needs to understand and address the contemporary issues that are challenging them. The figure shows environmental change and strategic change. An organization has to keep pace with the changing environment via incremental changes and when required, transformational changes. If it fails to do so, the organization is at the risk of completely failing. Johnson et al. (2006) provides a possible solution to prevent these risks through scenario planning. Scenarios are detailed and plausible views of how the business environment of an organization might develop in the future based on groupings of key environmental influences and drivers of change about which there is a high level of uncertainty. While it is not possible to correctly predict the future, but it is valuable to have different views of possible futures. Managers should form multiple, equally plausible futures and develop contingency plans for each scenario. They have to do so by limiting the number of assumptions and uncertainties to minimum by focussing on factors that are uncertain but can have a high impact. Such scenario planning will no doubt consume some resources currently, but it can prevent huge losses in the future by limiting the number of shocks and surprises and help create a pro-active organization which moves with the changing environment. 2.3 Other Factors 2.3.1 National competitive advantage: Porters Diamond It is argued that some nations provide better environment to foster innovation than others. Porter (1990) devised a diamond to explain the four main factors helping a country build and maintain competitive advantage These are: Porters Single diamond framework 1. Factor conditions: These include the human resources; physical resources such as land, water mineral deposits, infrastructure etc; nations stock of knowledge resources such as scientific, technical and market knowledge which can affect the quantity and quality of goods and services and finally, the cost of capital and availability. Although Japan was low on natural resources, they more than made that up with their excellent human resources. Morita (1992; cited by Trott 2005) argues that ‘you will notice that almost every major manufacturer in Japan is run by an engineer or technologist. However in the UK, some manufacturing companies are run by CEOs who do not understand the technology that goes into their own products. Indeed, many UK corporations are headed by chartered accountants whose major concern is statistics and figures of past performance. How can an accountant reach out and grab the future if he or she is always looking at last quarters results? Therefore, it is i mportant for an innovative firm to have the right leadership at the top who can guide the firm into the future. 2. Demand conditions: These include the composition of demand in the home market, size and growth rate of home demand, ways through which domestic demand is internationalized and pulls a nations products and services abroad. The demand for cars in Japan was low, so Toyota ventured into US shores to feed their ever-growing ambitions. 3. Related and supporting industries: These include the presence of internationally competitive supplier industries which can create advantage through speed and efficiency. Also related industries which are internationally competitive can create value when competing or by complementary products. Toyota was competing in Japan with the likes of Honda and Nissan who themselves, were very effective in their production methods. Moreover, Toyotas JIT was successful due to efficiency of their suppliers and their ability to keep up to Toyotas high standards. 4. Firm strategy, structure and rivalry: This includes the way in which firms are managed and choose to compete; companys goals and their employees motivation and the amount of domestic rivalry and the creation of value in the respective industry. Apart from the above four main factors, two other variable play an important role. 1. The role of chance: Some unexpected, odd events can sometimes nullify the advantage of competitors and change the entire competitive position of a market. These could be new inventions, political decisions, wars, drastic changes in economy, oil price surges and major technological breakthroughs. Toyotas innovations like JIT, lean manufacturing, TPS and hybrids were all responsible for its meteoric rise among soaring oil prices and environmental concerns in the USA. 2. The role of government: Government can influence all four of the major determinants through actions like subsidies, policies, regulation of market, product regulations, tax laws and antitrust regulations. While some countries like Japan, provided extensive support and subsidies to promote industrial innovation, others such as United States, have aimed to create positive effects in the economy by letting the market achieve the most efficient allocation of resources with minimal possible intervention. The so-called Chicago school paradigm for promoting competitiveness and innovation, which created a belief in the free market to maximise innovation and productivity has, for more than two decades, been the dominant perspective in the United States (Rosenthal, 1993). Critique of Porters Diamond Although Porter diamond provides us a useful tool to study national factors in competitive advantage, it has some shortcomings according to Rugman et al. (2003). First, it was constructed on the basis of aggregated data on export shares for ten countries: Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and West Germany. And it took only case studies from four industries. Therefore, it cannot be applied in every case without modification. Second, it fails to accept the notion that sometimes governments action can end up protecting a domestic industry excessively and in turn, make it less competitive internationally. Third, it considers chance as an important factor but it fails to acknowledge that it very hard to predict any such events and therefore not possible to include in an organizations strategy. Although a solution to this problem is scenario planning. (See page 14) 2.3.2 Lean and Multiple-project approach Michael Porter, could encapsulate the lean manufacturing strategy as being one which comprised (amongst other things) â€Å"a wide line of models offering multiple features†, based on â€Å"standard products† with a â€Å"wide range of options† (Porter et al., 2000).

The Official Puerto Rican Language :: Language Spanish Culture Essays

The Official Puerto Rican Language "The attempt by conquerors to impose their language on the conquered is a recurrent historical theme" (Morris 162). In 1493 the Spanish conquistadors arrived on the island of Borinquen where, there was an attempt by the Spanish to impose their language on the native population of Taino Indians. The Tainos believed that the Spaniards were gods and so were willing to learn all that they could from them. The virtual annihilation of the Taino population in the short period after the Spanish arrival caused by the importation of illnesses the Tainos were not immune to as well as their horrid working conditions as slaves. After close to 400 years of rule on the island the Spanish language was adopted to be the official Puerto Rican language. Today the Spanish language is the number one identifying factor of Puerto Ricannness, meaning that when Puerto Ricans are asked what is Puerto Ricanness, the number one answer is language. As demonstrated by Nancy Morris in her book, Puerto Rico: Culture, Politics, and Identity. Since 1898 Puerto Ricans have given the Spanish language enormous importance as part of their culture and history because of American colonization of the island. The United States attempt to Americanize the island by way of enforcing their language and history in public schools on the island has continually been rejected by Puerto Ricans. The Americans made no attempt to learn Spanish in order to understand Puerto Ricans because of their belief that Puerto Ricans were inferior. "In U.S. eyes the first problem Puerto Ricans faced was their Spanish blood. In the United States this heritage is called the Black Legend and is the basis of prejudice focused, not on the color of skin, but on cruelty of behavior" (Fernandez 13). Perhaps the competition between the Spain and the United States for global domination during the late 19th Century may have lead to a disliking of the Spanish culture. U.S. attempts to Americanize the island may have also been influenced by the competition between the countries. Competitive nature getting the best of the U.S. and making them so competitive they would try to convert an island to demonstrate the superiority of the English language and the American culture. In Ferrà ©s’ novel this unwillingness by the Americans to learn the Spanish language and try to improve conditions on the island are clearly depicted by several characters. For instance, The typical governor is described as:

The Precepts of Ptah Hotep

Precepts of Ptah Hotep Even though The Precepts of Ptah Hotep is one of the oldest documents in the world, the precepts are still relevant to social customs today. To be more specific, the 19th precept is one that I agree with and believe is beneficial to everybody. It states: â€Å"Be not of an irritable temper as regards that which happens at your side; grumble not over your own affairs. † I believe this precept is beneficial because it focuses on being positive and not on being negative, and it shows respect to yourself and to others.Precept number 19 tells us not to focus on the things that go wrong with our lives and not to complain. It's saying to let things go and to not dwell in the past. This precept ties into the whole reason for social codes. Social codes, like The Precept of Ptah Hotep, are meant to be followed; and as Collin said, if for some reason one is broken by a person, that person should be able to fix it, to make up for the wrong they have done by not grum bling about it, but instead working to fix it. This precept is very much like the well known saying â€Å"Hakuna matata† used in the popularDisney movie, The Lion King. The saying means no worries and is used in the movie to tell a character not to dwell in the past and be sad about things that he cannot change, but instead to be happy about the present. If you do dwell in the past and grumble about bad things that have happened to you, people will not want to be around you because of your negativity. It is disrespectful to only talk about the bad things that you have experienced when you are around other people. If you can never let things go, you will not be fun to hang out with and will end up alone. ink this precept is very beneficial to everybody because it relates to how you treat others and yourself, which I think is a very important thing to understand how to do respectfully. It is important to me because it is something I believe I can do better at. For example, if I have a soccer game and we lose, I usually try not to dwell on the fact that we lost, although sometimes I can't help it. There isn't really any point in getting myself or my team down that we lost because it won't help anyone do better in the next game. It would be a very disrespectful thing to bring not Just myself, but others own into the dumps.The smart thing to do would be to congratulate my team for trying, and to Just focus on getting better. I believe that the 19th precept from The Precepts of Ptah Hotep is one of the most important. It not only stresses respect for the individual and the majority, but also on being positive. I think that everybody can improve on letting things go and instead of complaining, trying to improve things. People can benefit by following precept 19 by being more fun to be around and making yourself and others happier. The Precepts of Ptah Hotep By ccbb43

Specsavers Company Success

Specsavers Company Success The Reasons for Selecting Specsavers for Analysis The main purpose of the presentation is to consider one of the companies which is rather successful at the market and to conduct its deep analysis. One of the main reasons why we have chosen Specsavers for analysis is that this company functions in a highly competitive environment and has managed to occupy the markets of different countries, e.g. Spain, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, New Zeeland, etc.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Specsavers Company Success specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, the existence of substitute facilities is also rather high but the company manages to remain one of the leading corporations in the opticians’ sphere. Before getting down to creating a presentation, a thorough research had been conducted and it was found out that Specsavers was considered to be most trusted brand in Britain in the field of opticians. Having 39% or market share, the company was awarded with the Best Retail Advertising Campaign in 2010. All these reasons encourage us for considering the main ideas of the company success for better understanding of marketing facilities which help the company become a market leader within a relatively short period of time (the company was founded in 1984 and now it has about 1,500 stores in many countries of the world). The Marketing Challenges and Opportunities Having conducted a research, it is possible to conclude that we have learnt much about marketing challenges and opportunities. It is obvious that to run such specific type of business (connected with healthcare) the company should follow some legal acts and regulations. The inability to do it properly would not give the company an opportunity to achieve such high results. We also got to know that such innovative technologies as contact lenses and eye surgery are unable to substitute the traditional method for improving human sight. It is obvious that there are two main reasons for this, the positive image of the company and the successful advertising campaign. Thus, it is possible to conclude that having strong rivals which base their business on the innovative technologies, the company still may be successful if marketing and management are perfectly organized. Means of Marketing Evaluations and Judgments Making marketing evaluations and judgments about Specsavers functioning we used a number of means of company evaluation, like PEEST analysis, SWOT analysis, and Porter Five Forces. Getting down to close consideration of each of these means, the following information should be identified. PEEST analysis, being an extended variant of the PEST analysis, is important for consideration of the company’s competitive environment, current and future. This can be the part of the strategic management process which is very important while constantly changing environment which is mostly uncertain (Worthington Britton 2 009, p. 7).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More SWOT analysis is necessary for considering the company strengths and their use for competition, for identifying the company’s weakness and searching for appropriate methods either to protect the company or to make the company’s weaknesses their priorities. Moreover, SWOT analysis is also aimed at identifying the company’s opportunities which should be used and the threats which the company should try to eliminate (BÃ ¶hm 2009). Porter Five Forces are direct at analyzing company’s competitive forces. These competitive forces are really important within the industry environment as they provide the company with the information about threats and opportunities it has (Hill Jones 2009, p. 43). It is natural that the types of analysis mentioned above are not the only ones and it is possible to condu ct more research, like Boston Consulting Group Matrix, stakeholder analysis, value chain management, the analysis of porter generic strategies, etc. Future Recommendations It is obvious that the company functions in a highly competitive environment where the threat of substitutes is mediocre, but, still, it strongly increases. That is why, it is natural that innovative technologies should be highly developed. Online marketing is one of the greatest opportunities the company should use. Living in the computerized world, more and more people do purchases online, which is rather convenient. Home delivery should be also perfectly organized. In this case, the company will remain in the industry as one of the most trusted and convenient services in the opticians field. The number of sales is going to increase as soon as the company implements online purchase as well as online consultation centres and delivery facilities. One of the best ways to evaluate this innovation is to create a ques tionnaire and locate it on the company’s website offering the visitors to answer a few questions about their desires and wishes. This will help the company understand whether their customers want this service to be implemented or not. Lessons from Working in a Group First of all, it should be mentioned that work in group has both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, each member of the group is assigned to searching for specific information and conducting specific task. This is much easier rather than when one should perform all the tasks.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Specsavers Company Success specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, different people have different visions and it is sometimes rater difficult to agree on a point. Second, the difficulties may be created on the basis of a number of leaders. It is good when there is one leader in a group and he/she organizes the whole work . But, when there are two or more leaders, it seems rather difficult to work. It is better to come across all debating questions at once, as we did, to avoid the problems at the final stage of the work when the assembling of the material should be provided. I also get to know that while working in group, it is important to consider the opinion of each member of the group and only then outline the work and divide the information which should be considered between the group members. Conclusion In conclusion, it should be mentioned that the work which has been provided is useful in two main directions. On the one hand, we tried to work together and understood that if to plan work carefully and to divide the tasks according to personal abilities and desires, much more information may be considered. On the other hand, even if one member of the group searches for some specific piece of information, he/she gets to know other facts while the discussion. That is why, it seems that more infor mation is considered within the restricted period of time. In addition, considering different marketing and management principles on the basis of the specific company, it seems that the practical skills are obtained, not only bare theory. Moreover, some students understand better one side of the problem, other students catch another one and the discussion is also one of the ways for searching the new ways for problem decision. Reference List BÃ ¶hm, A. 2009. The SWOT Analysis. MÃ ¼nchen: GRIN Verlag. Hill, C. Jones, G. 2009. Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach. Stamford: Cengage Learning. Worthington, I. Britton, C. 2009. Business Environment. London: Pearson Education.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Shark Facts

Shark Facts There are several hundred species of sharks, ranging in size from less than eight inches to over 65 feet, and native to every marine environment around the world. These amazing animals have a fierce reputation and fascinating biology. Fast Facts: Sharks Scientific Name: ElasmobranchiiCommon Name: SharksBasic Animal Group: FishSize: 8 inches to 65 feetWeight: Up to 11 tonsLifespan: 20–150 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Marine, coastal and oceanic habitats worldwideConservation Status: 32% are Threatened, with 6% as Endangered and 26% as Vulnerable on a global basis; 24% are Near Threatened Description A  cartilaginous fish  has a body structure formed of cartilage, instead of bone. Unlike the fins of bony fishes, the fins of cartilaginous fish cannot change shape or fold alongside their body. Even though sharks dont have a bony skeleton like many other fish, they are still categorized with other vertebrates in the Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, and Class Elasmobranchii. This class is made up of about 1,000 species of sharks, skates, and rays. Sharks teeth don’t have roots, so they usually fall out after about a week. However, sharks have replacements arranged in rows and a new one can move in within one day to take the old one’s place. Sharks have between five and 15 rows of teeth in each jaw, with most having five rows. A shark has tough skin that is covered by dermal denticles, which are small plates covered with enamel, similar to that found on our teeth. Stephen Frink/Iconica/Getty Images Species Sharks come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and even colors. The largest shark and the largest fish in the world is the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), which is believed to reach a maximum length of 65 feet. The smallest shark is thought to be the dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi), a rare deep-sea species which is about 6 to 8 inches long. Habitat and Range Sharks are found from shallow to deep sea environments, in coastal, marine and oceanic environments the world over. Some species inhabit shallow, coastal regions, while others live in deep waters, on the ocean floor and in the open ocean. A few species, such as the bull shark, move easily through salt, fresh and brackish waters. Diet and Behavior Sharks are carnivores, and they primarily hunt and eat fish, sea mammals like dolphins and seals, and other sharks. Some species prefer or include turtles and seagulls, crustaceans and mollusks, and plankton and krill in their diets. Sharks have a lateral line system along their sides which detects water movements. This helps the shark find prey and navigate around other objects at night or when water visibility is poor. The lateral line system is made up of a network of fluid-filled canals beneath the shark’s skin. Pressure waves in the ocean water around the shark vibrate this liquid. This, in turn, is transmitted to jelly in the system, which transmits to the shark’s nerve endings and the message is relayed to the brain. Sharks need to keep water moving over their gills to receive necessary oxygen. Not all sharks need to move constantly, though. Some sharks have spiracles, a small opening behind their eyes, that force water across the shark’s gills so the shark can be still when it rests. Sharks that do need to swim constantly have active and restful periods rather than undergoing deep sleep like we do. They seem to be â€Å"sleep swimming,† with parts of their brain appearing less active while they remain swimming. David Jenkins/Robert Harding World Imagery/Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring Some shark species are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. Others are viviparous and give birth to live young. Within these live-bearing species, some have a placenta just like human babies do, and others do not. In those cases, the shark embryos get their nutrition from a yolk sac or unfertilized egg capsules filled with yolk. With the sand tiger shark, things are pretty competitive. The two largest embryos consume the other embryos of the litter.   While nobody seems to know for certain, it has been estimated that the whale shark, the largest shark species, can live up to 150 years, and many of the smaller sharks can live between 20 and 30 years. Some sharks actually lay eggs while others give birth. Cludio Policarpo / EyeEm  / Getty Images   Sharks and Humans Bad publicity around a few shark species has doomed sharks in general to the misconception that they are vicious man-eaters. In fact, only 10 out of all the shark species are considered dangerous to humans. All sharks should be treated with respect, though, as they are predators, often with sharp teeth that could inflict wounds (especially if the shark is provoked or feels threatened). Threats Humans are a greater threat to sharks than sharks are to us. Many shark species are threatened by fishing or bycatch, which lead  to the deaths of millions of sharks each year. Compare that to shark attack statistics- while a shark attack is a horrifying thing, there are only about 10 fatalities worldwide each year due to sharks. Since they are long-lived species and only have a few young at once, sharks are vulnerable to overfishing. Many are caught incidentally in fisheries targeting tunas and billfishes, and a growing market for shark fins and meat for restaurants is also impacting different species. One threat is the wasteful practice of shark-finning, a cruel practice in which the sharks fins are cut off while the rest of the shark is thrown back in the sea.   The shark fin trade is one of the threats humans pose towards sharks.   IN2 Focus Media/Getty Images   Conservation Status The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed over 60 species of pelagic sharks and rays. About 24 percent are classed as Near Threatened, 26 percent are Vulnerable, and 6 percent Endangered on a global basis. About 10 are classed Critically Endangered. Sources Camhi, Merry D. et al. The Conservation Status of Pelagic Sharks and Rays: Report of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group Pelagic Shark Red List Workshop, Oxford, IUCN, 2007.Kyne, P.M., S.A. Sherrill-Mix, and G. H. Burgess. Somniosus microcephalus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T60213A12321694, 2006.Leandro, L. Etmopterus perryi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T60240A12332635, 2006.Pierce, S.J. and B. Norman. Rhincodon typus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T19488A2365291, 2016.Shark Facts. World Wildlife Fund.Simpfendorfer, C. Burgess, G.H. Carcharhinus leucas. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T39372A10187195, 2009.

Marketing (South East Asian Region) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing (South East Asian Region) - Essay Example The business venture can prove to be successful if the company takes couple of distinct steps in the planning process for the foreign market. Such key steps for success in any foreign market are (John R. Darling et.al, 2004): In order to assess and analyze the market potential market research proves to be handy tool. The phenomenal growth in the number of marketing research departments suggests that this technique is being rapidly accepted by the business community. Marketing research itself comprises of studying the; Most of the theories of internationalization have their roots in industrial organisation and economics (from Coase in 1930s through Bain in 1950s to Williamson in the 1970s) and most of these theories were developed as a direct consequence of US MNCs desire to explore the markets of Europe and elsewhere. Since then the world has changed a lot with Asian nations like India taking a big lead in IT sector and China in manufacturing sector. The dominant change in the world economy is of course is the globalisation of markets. This phenomenon is a result of the convergence of the advances in technology, transport processes and production techniques. Globalization of markets and international competition are requiring firms to operate in a multicultural environment. People from different cultures may vary in convenience orientation not only because of time pressures but also because of the value placed on physical or mental comfort. For example, the oil rich consumers or Arabian Gulf coun tries place less value on time and more on high levels of comfort, as their oil wealth fuels convenience-driven demand. But in Southeast Asian nations money and time are more valued than the comfort. Southeast Asia comprises of huge developed markets like Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, besides other significant markets like Vietnam and Myanmar. Southeast Asian markets have made tremendous efforts in restructuring recovering, and strengthening their economies since the 1997 crisis. This recovery is very much visible in the stock market indices of these nations. For example, Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI), Singapore's Straits Times Index (STI) Thailand Index (SET) and Indonesia's Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite Index (JCI) have been on an upswing throughout the year 2006. These nations led by China and India are being termed as Asian tigers as a tribute to the consistent performances in their economies. Though there are country specific issues affecting the entry modes and the extent of entry by any MNC, still the overall environment appears to be investment

Galileo's Daughter underlying devotion to her father Essay

Galileo's Daughter underlying devotion to her father - Essay Example Since all the three of Galileo’s children were illegitimate, he knew it would be difficult to marry them off, which is why he sent two of his daughters to convents, to become nuns. Born Virginia Galilei, Galileo’s eldest daughter was a great source of support and encouragement to him. She later assumed the name of Suor Maria Celeste, at the San Matteo Convent, Arcetri. Evidently, she couldn’t retrieve information about the outside world and her correspondence with her father allowed her to learn and obtain news from outside. Galileo’s daughter was of brilliant intellect and often offered suggestions and advice to her father, when he seemed in a chaotic mindset or demoralised. The letters have been written using endearing terms and portray the great love and respect that Maria Celeste had for her father. The discussions revealed the deep interest she had in her father’s scientific work, wherein she often offered her opinions. Besides this, they also discussed extensively on health remedies and other family issues. In these pages, Maria Celeste is revealed as lively, insightful, ingenious. In the convent, she served as an apothecary, having learned the trade from "the nuns and visiting doctors who staffed the convents infirmary" (p. 325). Sobel speculates, however, that she learned to read and write in Latin and Italian under her fathers tutelage. Indeed, "no one at San Matteo surpassed her in language skills. Even the abbesses sought her out to write important letters of official business" (p. 325). In Sobels view, it is Suor Maria Celeste --- far more than her cloistered younger sister or her wayward, undisciplined brother --- who met Galileos match in intelligence, insight, devotion, and wit.