Seminar Unit 6 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seminar Unit 6 - Research Paper Example of accessing and holding an idea yet to be manifested and have the familiarity of the inventive process, discipline, strength of will and enthusiasm to sustain that vision via the entire creative course and at the same time lead others into the materialization of that vision. Creativity is about appreciating the concepts overriding the creative process, which governs our creative deeds. Visionary leader is able to associate the entire globe as it is and the environment that will be influenced by that vision. It is important to study leadership because it is a fundamental element of human conditions. Leadership deals with managing people, therefore, leaders need to understand the traits of employees. Leadership is an art because it can be developed and enhanced. This is because it is easy to study leadership skills and techniques (Denhardt, 2012). The leadership I posses is transformational style because this type of leadership advocates for what would be referred to us intellectual stimulation. Offering a room for creativity free from many red tapes predisposes leader’s followers to a greater level of confidence. As a leader, it is better to be feared because it is easy to exert control, make popular decisions, and give

The financing of the UK healthcare system

The financing of the UK healthcare system Since the recession, the UK debt and deficit has been at an all time high, where by the end of 2009 UK debt was reported to be  £950.4 billion, equivalent 68.1 gross domestic product (GDP) and the deficit was  £159.2 billion, which equated to 11.4% GDP (Figure 1).1 With that in mind it is a fact that all public sectors will be facing spending cuts to reduce the governments debt and deficit. Since the NHS receives its funding from the government, it is logical that it will face spending cuts too. Therefore, it is significantly important to use economics as one of the determinants in the allocation of already limited healthcare resources. Figure 1. Shows the UK government debt and deficit as percentage of GDP, from 2006 until the end of 2009.1 Economics is concerned with efficiently allocating the limited available resources, between alternative uses, to achieve maximum effectiveness.2 There is an ever increasing number of different technologies and medical interventions that cannot all be used to treat illnesses. The limited resources in the healthcare services, means decisions on resource allocation have to be made carefully so that maximum effectiveness can be achieved. In order to efficiently allocate resources, one has to consider the economic evaluation of the different alternatives before implementing the one that is the most effective and cost-effective.3 Health economics is used to improve peoples health, which is how it differs from normal economics, in that it is not about analysing consumers demand and supply, but analysing benefits of medical interventions in relation to their costs. In health economics it is also more difficult to measure health outcomes in comparison to financial outcomes in financial economics. Outcomes of healthcare interventions are usually measured in quality adjusted life years (QALY).3 Patterns of financing healthcare There are two methods of financing healthcare, which are public financing and private financing.4 Public financing of healthcare raises capital through taxation of the public (Table 1). The NHS is funded mainly through public financing. Private healthcare is where the capital is raised through the patients using the health services. The patients either pay themselves or are usually insured, so the insurance company pays their healthcare bills (Table 2). The healthcare system in the USA raises capital through private financing.5 Table 1. Describes the different methods and sources of public financing in healthcare Sources of Public Financing Description of Financing General Tax Revenues e.g. UK, Italy, New Zealand Finance is raised by taxation the cost of raising funds is low General taxation pays all the bills so patients do not Low cost per capita Two types of general taxation Regressive Falling more on the poor than rich people Includes tax on items such as tobacco, alcohol and recreational events etc. Progressive Falling more on the rich than poor people Includes tax on luxury products purchased by the rich Deficit Financing Raised by, issuing bonds with long term low interest repayments and bilateral or multilateral aid loans Borrowing and spending funds that are repaid over a period of time Deficit financing supplements general tax revenue It is used on the development and expansion in healthcare infrastructure Earmarked Taxes Tax on a particular product such as lottery and gambling for particular services such as healthcare Social Insurance e.g. France, Germany and Austria The state acts as insurer Financed by employer and employee payroll deduction Social insurance is based upon collective risk of insurance group Government might also contribute to social insurance Public Healthcare Insurance e.g. Canada, Taiwan and South Korea Uses private sector providers but payment made by government run insurance programmes. Capital expenditure are financed from tax revenues It is cheaper and much simpler to administrate than the American for-profit insurance. Wealth is transferred only from low to high risk groups, not from those with high income to low incomes Table 2. Describes the different methods and sources of private financing in healthcare Sources of Private Financing Description Private Health Insurance Social device in which a group of individuals transfer risk to another party in order to combine loss experienceby : Risk Pooling Risk Funding System of third party payments has the effect of: increasing demand Increasing of prices Inefficient allocation of resources Employer Financed Schemes Employers directly finance healthcare for their employees focusing on accident prevention and occupational health. They pay for private sector health services Employ medical personnel directly Provide necessary facilities and equipment Employees families are also covered. Community Financing It is voluntary in its nature Payment for healthcare is made by members of the community Resources are controlled directly by the community Direct Household Expenditure Health expenditure constitutes a large share of GDP through People buying more health services People buying higher quality health services Government services charge fees from users Raises household costs causing inequity A study produced by the world health organisation concluded that in healthcare services that were publicly funded, the expenditure was lower. This was as a percentage of GDP and per capita. It also concluded that the population as a whole gained better health outcomes, universal standards were in place and costs of treating illnesses were reduced by increase emphasis on preventative primary care.6 Healthcare systems in UK and USA In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) was developed in 1948, where for the whole population healthcare was free and it is paid for by taxation, which means people would pay for it according to their means, not their needs.7 The NHS is wholly funded by the government, through various methods such as taxation and national health insurance (Table 1). Only 1.3% of the total NHS expenditure is provided through charging patients, the other 98.7% is funded by the government, where 90.3% of that comes from taxation and 8.4% comes from national insurance.8 In the UK, only 11.5% of the population purchase supplementary private health insurance, whereas in the USA over 67% of the population have health insurance.9 10 In the USA the healthcare system is not funded by the government but rather by public and private health insurances. Private insurance which is mostly employment based, funds 67.5% of the healthcare budget and the rest is funded by public health insurance. The healthcare system in the USA is funded by the demand for good health, whereas the NHS is funded by the supply of healthcare. There are various programmes of public health insurance that are used to fund healthcare in the USA. These programmes include medicaid which helps the poor, medicare which helps the elderly and the disabled, state children health insurance plan which aims to help poor children and finally other plans such as those that are offered to the military. Although these public health insurances are in place to provide help to the poor, elderly and disabled, 45.7% of Americans do not have health insurance.10 The differences between the healthcare systems in the USA and the UK also differ in terms of health outcomes, availability and costs. In 2009 the total health expenditure in the USA was 15.7% of GDP in comparison to only 8.4% of GDP in the UK. Tables 3, 4 and 5 are demonstrate the differences between the two healthcare systems.11 Also, even though the USA has much higher health expenditure than the UK it still has a lower life expectancy at birth (78.8 years) compared to the UK (79.5). Table 3. Compares the healthcare expenditure of the USA and the UK healthcare systems in 2007.11 Indicators UK USA Total expenditure on health, % GDP 8.4 16 Total expenditure on health, Per capita US$ PPP 2992 7290 Public expenditure on health, % total expenditure on health 81.7 45.4 Public health expenditure per capita, US$ PPP 2446 3307 Out-of-pocket expenditure on health, % of total expenditure on health 11.4 12.2 Out-of-pocket expenditure on health, US$ PPP 343 890 Table 4. Compares the healthcare resources of the UK and USA healthcare systems.11 Indicators Year UK USA Practising physicians, density per 1,000 population 2007 2.5 2.4 Practising nurses, density per 1,000 population 2007 10 10.6 Medical graduates, density per 1 000 practising physicians 2006 37.7 26 Hospital beds, density per 1,000 population 2007 3.4 3.1 Acute care beds, density per 1,000 population 2006 2.8 2.7 Psychiatric care beds, density per 1,000 population 2006 0.7 0.3 MRI units per million population 2007 (e)  8.2 25.9 CT Scanners per million population 2006 (e) 7.6 32 Table 5. Compare health and disease in between the UK and the USA. Indicators of Health UK USA Life Expectancy at Birth (years) 79.5 78.8 Mortality Rate Under 5 (per 1000) 5.7 7.8 Maternal Mortality (per 1000) 8 11 Disease Diabetes Hospital Discharges per 100,000 72 197.9 Cancer Hospital Discharges per 100,000 994 563 Acute Myocardial Hospital Discharges per 100,000 153 277 The comparisons above show that increasing funding does not mean that the quality of health would improve. The USA spends much more capital on healthcare than the UK, but they still have a higher mortality rate for children under the age of 5. The table above demonstrate the fact that in NHS, the funds received are spent much more effectively than the healthcare system in the USA, showing that more effective resource allocation decisions are made and hence better health outcomes are achieved. Also due to the lack of health coverage in the USA, around 45,000 people are killed every year.12 Such figures do not exist in the NHS as healthcare services in the UK are free for everyone. Other means of showing how the NHS is better than the health service in the USA, is that in the UK, patients are treated in accordance to their illnesses regardless of their social class, whereas in the USA more income means better treatment, which of course only benefits the rich. Also administration charges in health services in the USA which are publicly funded such as medicare and madicaid cost much more than the services in the NHS making it less readily available to all the poor, elderly or disabled. The importance of application of economic evaluation in the NHS, to provide decision makers with robust information to guide resource allocation decisions. The definition of economic evaluation is that it is a comparative analysis of two or more courses of action in terms of both their costs and consequences.13 Hence in healthcare it can be thought of as a framework to assess the benefits and costs of each alternative method of healthcare intervention. The limited resources such as people, equipment and facilities in the healthcare, provide a helpful framework where alternative uses of the available resources can be compared. Economic evaluation in healthcare aims to maximise the outcomes from available resources through aiding resource allocation.13 There are three types of economic evaluations. These include cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), cost-utility analysis (CUA) and cost-benefit analysis (CBA). Although these terms characterise different types of analysis, they do share some similar components, which include a stated perspective, a comparison group, and evidence of effectiveness, evidence of costs and a method of combining both costs and effects collectively. The differences in the analyses are the ways used to measure and value health outcomes. When the health outcomes of comparative interventions are established to be the same, then a cost-minimisation analysis (CMA), which is a sub-component of CEA is used, and only considers the inputs. This analysis aims to decide which intervention is the cheapest method of attaining the same outcome.13 Resource allocation decisions in the NHS are very important because demand for healthcare exceeds the recourses that are available, which gives health authorities many challenges to face. Due to the acknowledged resource constrains in the NHS, economic evaluations have become a recognised part of policy making.14 In England, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is in charge of providing the national guidance for promoting good health and the treatment and prevention of ill health and provides clinical guidance to improve the quality of healthcare.15 In order to do that, the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of comparative healthcare interventions are required to be considered. There is a large increase in procedures and technologies for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Therefore, there are many alternatives of treatments and prevention of illnesses with variations in efficiencies and quality of care. Rational priorities in healthcare cannot be set for current and new resources. Hence, NICE would consider whether the resources available are being used in the best way possible to maximise efficiency. Technology appraisals are recommendation by NICE on the use of existing and new treatments and medicines within the NHS, such as surgical procedures, medical devices etc. which the NHS is legally obliged to fund. These very important recommendations, are based on evidence of how well the treatments and medicines work (clinical evidence) and how well they work in relation to their cost (economic evidence), (i.e. does it represent value for money?).16 Discuss the principles and an appropriate method for conducting an economic evaluation of breast cancer screening The breast cancer screening programme aims at detecting breast cancer at an early stage in women between the ages of 50-64, who are at a significantly increased risk of developing the neoplasm. An economic evaluation of the breast cancer screening program would need to compare to cost-effectiveness of the programme and of the treatment that would follow, with the cost-effectiveness of symptomatic detection of breast cancer and the appropriate treatment that would also follow. One would have to calculate the QALY of both the screening program and symptomatic detection, in order to achieve a quantitative measure of the benefits of the two interventions. In order to calculate QALY one would need to work out the quality of life during the disease stage and multiply it by the duration of the disease stage. This would provide a quantitative measure so that two interventions aimed at the same disease can be compared. Then one would need to calculate the costs of each intervention. Both of these would provide the cost effectiveness of each intervention and would show which is more cost-effective.3 Evaluate the rationale of the screening programme targeted to women aged between 50 and 64 in the UK. It is established now that breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, where 45,700 women and 277 men were diagnosed with it in 2007. Over the last 25 years, the incidence of incidence of female breast cancer rose by 50%. It is much more common in women over the age of 50 were 8 out of 10 women diagnosed fall in that age group.17 16,000 cases of breast cancer were detected in 2007/2008 through the NHS breast screening programme, and it is estimated that 1,400 lives are saved every year because of this programme. Approximately 2 out of 3 women with breast cancer survive more than 20 years with the disease. Where before 5 out of 10 women survived beyond 5 years now it is 8 out of 10 women. The graph (Figure 2) below illustrates the decreasing mortality of women diagnosed with breast cancer in comparison to the past. The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed the increased chance of survival. Approximately 9 out of 10 women diagnosed with stage I breast cancer survive longer than 5 years, whereas only 1 out of 10 women diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer survive beyond 5 years. Although so many lives are saved each year due to the screening programme, there were still 12,116 deaths from breast cancer in 2008 and 99% of these were in women. Therefore, it is crucial to detect breast cancer as early as possible to increase the chances of survival and the quality of life. In addition, detecting breast cancer at an early stage and treating it would be more cost less than the long term treatment of women diagnosed with later stages breast cancer.18 The reason the screening program is for women between the ages of 50-64 is that this age group have a much higher incidence of breast cancer in comparison to younger age groups. The average age of menopause is 50 and this is the when the breast become less dense and cancer can be detected much easier. The compliance in the age group of women over 64 years old is low; therefore it would increase costs and decrease the benefit of the screening program making it less cost effective. Figure 2. Demonstrates the age-standardised (European) mortality rates of breast cancer patients in the UK from 1971 until 2007. Conclusion In conclusion this report has discussed the different patterns of financing healthcare (Table 1 2). The health system in the USA was compared with the NHS in terms of financing, availability and cost. It was determined that the NHS has a lower health expenditure as percentage of GDP than the USAs health expenditure. However, the effective use of these recourses through guidance provided by NICE after taking into account economic evaluation of the different available resources makes the NHS a better healthcare provider than the USAs healthcare system. The importance of economic evaluations that are used to provide robust information to the NICE committee to aid in policy making decisions that are concerned with the allocation of the scarce resources of the NHS have been discussed. Also the principles and an appropriate method for conducting an economic evaluation of breast cancer screening was illustrated in this report. Finally, the importance of the breast cancer screening programme for women aged between 50-64 years was examined and the report demonstrates why the screening programme is so important and why this age group has been chosen for screening.

End-user Training Benefits Essay example -- Technology, Training

Many of our customers vary in skill-sets. Some end-users are knowledgeable working with specific software and different hardware components. Although most customers comprehend the basics, many of them have not received any formal training in basic computer operations. Authors Thomas and Rutter suggest that employees are aware of their lack of skills and would prefer more training. Both state â€Å"†¦. respondents were aware of their skills shortage and clearly highlighted that training †¦.on skills were of greatest need† (292). As customers become more knowledgeable in software and hardware basics, they gain a deeper understanding of how technology and software work collectively. For the customer who didn’t understand that the monitor was powered off, training will provide her with the skill-set to understand how computers function. The fact that she couldn’t see anything on the computer screen should have been an indicator that the monitor’s power was off. If she receives training on basic computer literacy and additional software skills, there is a chance that the call to IS Support would not have been dialed. Furthermore, interruptions in workflow could have been prevented, thus keeping work production continuous. Additional training will not only educate our customers, but will encourage them to learn more. As customers become motivated, Desley believes that they will become more productive and the obtainment of new technical skills will assist them in the development of their careers (2765). If employees begin to understand and develop a desire to learn more, ICT will not only be used to increase performance, but will produce greater job satisfaction and build user confidence. However, if end-users aren’t confident in their abil... ...ng. A third recommendation is to provide in-house training offered by IS Specialists who support the software and accompanying hardware. At CHS, IT Support teams are given specific software applications to support. Because we directly work with the customer, most teams know their customer base and work with them regularly. Furthermore, IT specialists understand the customers’ use of the software and recognize the services that the software helps users achieve. Much like their customers, these IT Support Specialists are in-house employees and the cost to implement training is low or none at all. Additionally, IT Supports pre-established relationship with customers allow a more comfortable and relaxed environment for both the trainer and end-users. Additionally, trainers will have a better understanding of user issues because support has been provided in the past.

Writing Sentences and Paragraphs

The Journey to Medicine I want to be a Medical Administrative Assistant at Vanderbilt hospital to honor my late sister and my parents. When I was 18 years old my sister Debbie died from cancer. The majority of my childhood and teenage years were spent in hospitals and the majority of my parent's money went to paying the doctors. During this period of my life I thought medicine was doing more harm than good. Because I was older at the time of Debbie's death my perception about medicine changed and I became motivated to find out why medicine costs so much and why some procedures cost more than others?So I studied hard, became Valedictorian of my class, earning a full scholarship to Vanderbilt University and now I'm ready to become a member of the Vanderbilt hospital community. It would be a great honor to secure one of the three Medical Administrative Assistants positions. The Perfect Fit. Megan you are an excellent organizer, you can flexible in your assignments, you work well with ot her people and you always find creative ways to get the work done. Mr. Braxton, the boss of PhreeRide, is looking for an assistant and you would be perfect.The company employees several hundred writers of all types and it also distributes magazines like Kaptur, the one you like so much. The boss is a work oriented gentleman but he will allow for creative solutions as long as the projects are completed on time. He would love to know about your multitasking abilities with Late Eats and how you always treated customers with respect when you worked at Diamonds. Megan, I will mention you to my boss and when you apply for the position don't be afraid to tell the interviewer that I recommended you.

International Joint Ventures

AR50126 Assignment Name: Mizanur Rahman In submitting this assignment, I certify that all this material is my own work, except where I have indicated otherwise with appropriate references. 0. 0 0. 1 Report on the ‘Sandford’ Joint Venture in East Timor Date: 30th September 2011 For: George Jackson From: Mizanur Rahman 1. 0 Executive Summary Freemantle Construction operates in a domestic environment against ever increasing competition in a saturated market, trying to maintain market share during economic downturn. In contrast Sandford has a strong international presence in the hotel/leisure industry and is looking at diversification to improve their competitive advantage and compliment their current offerings. The opportunity presented by this Joint Venture (JV) will assist both Sandford and Fremantle in entering a new market. It will be challenging mainly because of the fact that both firms are from different industries and may have different goals/objectives along with differing management styles. Furthermore, the JV’s first project is situated in the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste (DRTL), which will have its own complexities to contend with, be it government/business policies or technology/skills shortages etc. The JV will have to consider a decision making processes throughout the partnership, which could be difficult, with each firm’s needs possibly being different. For a successful JV, the partners need to be honest, trustworthy, committed and focus on what will be best for the JV rather than on their own needs. Beamish (2008) quoted that firms enter JVs in order to create new products/services and enter new/foreign markets. This is the key benefit to this JV, whilst there are many risk factors to consider, the rewards will possibly outweigh this but only if all the obstacles and opportunities are correctly assessed and an appropriate strategy is agreed and implemented. 2. 0 Introduction This report was commissioned by Mr Benny Garstead. The objective was to recommend an appropriate ‘Diversification Strategy’ and identify ‘Opportunities and Obstacles’ that will be encountered by the ‘Sandford & Freemantle’ JV in the DRTL. Page 1 of 8 AR50126 Assignment Name: Mizanur Rahman 3. 0 3. 1 Diversification via JV What form of JV Prior to engaging in a ‘Diversification’ strategy both firms will have to agree on the type of JV to be implemented for this project, integrated where profit/loss is shared against an agreed percentage, or non-integrated where profit/loss is not shared. The benefit of an integrated system is that it requires capital investment from all partners and this signifies commitment and can enhance the chances of success. These decisions along with objectives and how to manage the JV will have to be agreed prior to engaging the JV. Pearce (1997) indicated that JVs can become very demanding if the partners have differing objectives. The reasons behind the JV are simple, both parties contribute to the overall scale/skills pool, thus being in a position to penetrate new markets. However local knowledge in respect of the newly formed DRTL will be lacking. This gap will need to be filled, possibly with local partners/advisors if the JV is to be successful. . 2 Diversification Theory Ansoff’s (1965) idea of diversification (see matrix below) highlights that this is when firms enter new markets with new products. The new product here is the combined offering of both firms, in a completely new market. Berry (1975) alternatively states that ‘Diversification’ is an increase in the number of industries a firm is active in. There are numerous other definitions, but in essence it is based on de sire for growth, by expanding a firm’s existing offering with other products/services etc. which can be directly or indirectly related to current offerings or be completely unrelated. The notion that this JV needs to be identified separately from both firm’s existing operations, by diversifying, could improve competitive advantage by providing focus in a niche market, where one service compliments/leads on to the other and thus being able to provide a tailored/total solution to the DRTL, where many international/domestic firms will be vying for the same business. Page 2 of 8 AR50126 Assignment Name: Mizanur Rahman 3. 3 Why Diversify By integrating into related markets (related diversification, infrastructure hotels/leisure = revenue from building & tourism), Freemantle can enter into another market, which could boost their current position and secure cash flow to survive the current downturn. Rather than downsizing, they could potentially increase their turnover, albeit growth not necessarily means more profit. Sandford will also greatly benefit by being able to complement Freemantle’s offering by following on with the required tourism facilities. This type of synergy is called ‘Horizontal Diversification’. A diversification strategy is simply a ‘growth’ strategy and in this instance could be seen as ‘differentiation’. Porter (1985) states in his ‘Generic Strategies’, firms looking for competitive advantage through ‘differentiation’ must consider the additional costs incurred in re-branding, promoting etc. and the chances of recovering these, also the method is not unique and could be replicated by other competing firms. On a positive note Rumelt (1982) developed, from earlier studies of Chandler (1962) and Wrigley (1970), categories for various diversification strategies nd from this, related diversification on average outperformed other diversification strategies. Furthermore, it was found that these firms had a natural advantage by expanding their skills into related areas. In general drivers for Sandford & Fremantle’s choice to diversify would be based on: i. ii. iii. iv. v. Sandford’s desire for growth Freemantleâ₠¬â„¢s need to escape a stagnant market Both need to acquire the skills in the construction/tourism sector Both desire to spread risk Both desire to access a virgin market 3. 2. 1 Advantages & Disadvantage The principle advantages for this JV are: ? ? ? ? ? An increase in value/wealth to the firms, which would not be possible on their own. Economies of scale would be increased, assisting entry into the new market. Construction costs for Sandford would decrease. Economies of scope can be exploited by Freemantle delivering the required infrastructure and then the related tourism/leisure facilities. Provides movement away from declining activities for Freemantle. Spreading risk from interests in one area, as well as the risks involved in international JVs (IJVs). The Principle disadvantages could be: ? ? Slowing growth in its core business, if focus is shifted. Potentially would add to management costs by implementing a separate team to run the JV. Loss could be incurred during market c onsolidation process resulting in some parts of the business being subsidized by other profitable parts. Page 3 of 8 AR50126 Assignment Name: Mizanur Rahman ? ? Diversification across national boundaries could result in the firms having to deal with varying political/legal requirements of the different countries in which the JV firms have controlling interests. May result in failure when there is a mismatch between core competencies/experiences. Freemantle’s lack of international experience and Sandford’s lack of local knowledge/influence. 4. 0 4. 1 Obstacles and Opportunities for the DRTL project Virgin Market The DRTL is a diverse country ecologically and culturally due to its multitude of linguistic and ethnic inhabitants, built up over its history from settlements to colonisation. The DRTL have to deal with many critical issues from the lack of infrastructure, as virtually everything will have to be rebuilt from ruins left from the war. Despite the lack of facilities and the major task ahead, according to Moghe (2001) the success of the country lies with proper infrastructure, security, efficient policy and the ability to make clients and investors feel that they are on ‘neutral territory’. One point to note is that there will be mass influx that will occur from foreign firms looking to capture some market share during construction, along with the firms that will remain and operate businesses (i. e. hotel/leisure and tourist facilities). Aditjondro (2001) criticised this, as it would force the DRTL into a new form of colonisation, an economic one, thus resulting what could be viewed as simply an outpost for globalisation. 4. 2 Globalisation Society today is very global and thus making our domestic markets more competitive. This encourages firms to venture across international boundaries in order to offset seasonal fluctuations (i. e. construction during winter periods) through increased opportunities and ultimately be spreading their risk across various options. The choice to go global has many risks and potential obstacles to consider from cultural/language barriers to economic, legal and political risk. Cartwright and Cooper (1996) underline that compatibility issues may arise from IJVs due to differences in national culture, managerial styles. The proposed JV provides a gateway for international expansion, which maybe a comfortable area for Sandford but Freemantle need to fully assess their capability/competence in a foreign market by fully assessing the risks. 4. 3 Risk Bettis & Hall (1982) successfully demonstrated the link between risk and reward performance and diversification strategies. In their study they calculated return on assets to measure risk and reward performance. The result found a negative risk Page 4 of 8 AR50126 Assignment Name: Mizanur Rahman against return for related firms, which suggested the opportunity to simultaneously reduce risk and increase return. However, a detailed risk/reward analysis needs to be conducted to ensure that the JV is not affected by any change. Areas for consideration (UK & USA ‘v’ DRTL): Culture: Currency: Economy: Government: Legal: Labour: Language: Marketing: Transport: Technology: Homogeneous ‘v’ Heterogeneous Uniform ‘v’ Uniform (? /$) Relatively Stable ‘v’ Variable & unpredictable Stable ‘v’ Maybe Unstable Free movement of goods ‘v’ possible legal restrictions Skilled workers available ‘v’ Impossible to source Generally Single Language ‘v’ Different Languages/dialects Many media streams with little restriction ‘v’ Fewer media Several competitive options ‘v’ inadequate Latest ‘v’ Outdated An appropriate level of competency/ability and motivation is required amongst the staff, for a firm to operate effectively on the international scene. The varying strengths and weakness of both firm’s skill base would need to be fully analysed, in order to compile a competent/capable team. Thus providing a balance of all necessary attributes and improving the chances of success. 4. 4 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) DRTL is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country will still be very fragile and under the watch of the UN. Also the population may not trust outsiders as they have repeatedly been under forced control, so gaining trust for a successful JV will be imperative and thus a robust CSR policy needs to be agreed and implemented. If the CSR policy is not followed, the firm’s image be ruined, causing failure abroad and potentially back home. The JV cannot claim to be an ethical setup if it ignores unethical practices linked to its operations e. g. : ? ? ? ? Use of child labour and forced labour Production that effects the livelihoods of indigenous people Violation of the basic rights of workers Ignoring health, safety and environmental standards An ethical business has to be concerned with the behaviour of all businesses that operate in the supply chain – i. e. ? ? ? ? Partners Advisors Suppliers Sub-contractors The sticking point is if any of the above is required to be ignored, either to progress the project or to make profit. The decision needs to remain ethical to maintain long term success. Page 5 of 8 AR50126 Assignment Name: Mizanur Rahman 4. 0 Conclusion The capability/capacity of the existing construction industry in DRTL, like many developing nations, will be in its infancy (World Bank, 1984; Kirmani, 1988; Wells 1986). For success local knowledge will be a necessity. Although there are several strategies available for IJVs, diversification strategies provide firms with high growth potential in international markets (Capar and Kotabe, 2003). Diversification may be a fast track growth solution but if an appropriate strategy is not applied and the management fail to understand the JV, then serious financial impact is inevitable not only to the JV but also the parent firms. Available competencies and capability need to be assessed; also the product that is being provided needs to have resonance with the new market. Hence extensive research rather than internet based research needs to be conducted at ground zero. Are the firms ready for an IJV, or are there skills gaps that need filling? 5. 0 Recommendations The recommendations are, but not limited to: 1. Conduct a thorough PESTEL analysis on the DRTL situation. 2. Conduct a SWOT analysis of the JV in DRTL. 3. Agree on the percentage level of profit/loss sharing for an integrated JV. 4. Agree the JVs Objectives, Decision Making Protocols. 5. Review competencies and capabilities of senior management and assemble the correct team. . Implement a CSR policy. 7. Network with DRTL decision makers and appoint a local partner or advisor. 8. Engage with the community. Once the above has been achieved then the JV can start prospecting for work. (2020 – 24 Citations = 1996 words) Page 6 of 8 AR50126 Assignment Name: Mizanur Rahman Bibliography Aditjondro, G. J. (2001). East Timorese becoming guests in their own land [online]. Indonesia: Jakarta Post . Available from: http://members. canb. auug. org. au/~wildwood/febguests. htm [Accessed 27 September 2011]. Ansoff, H. I. (1965). Corporate Strategy:An Anylytical approach to business policy for growth & expansion. New York: McGraw-Hill. Beamish, P. W. (2008). Joint venturing. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. Berry, C. H. (1975). Corporate Growth and Diversification. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Bettis, R. A. , Hall W. K. (1982). Diversification Strategy, accounting determined risk, and accounting determined return, Academy of Management Journal, 25, pp. 254-264. Carpar, N. , Kotabe, M. (2003). The relationship between international diversification and performance in service firms, Journal of International Business Studies. 34, pp. 45-355. Cartwright, S. , Cooper, C. (1996). Managing Mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances: integrating people and cultures. 2nd ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Haendel, D. (1979). Foreign investments and the management of political risk. Colorado: West View Press. Hill, W. L. (2005). International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace. International ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Kirmani, S. S. 1988). The Construction Industry In Development: Issues And Options, Discussion Paper, Report INU 10, February, World Bank. Moghe, C. G. (2001) A framework for East Timor's economic planning [online]. Indonesia: Jakarta Post. Available from: http://www. thejakartapost. com/news/2001/02/22/a-frameworkeast-timor039s-economic-planning. html [Accessed 27 September 2011]. Pearce, R. J. (1997). Toward understanding joint venture performance and s urvival: A bargaining and influence approach to transaction cost theory. Academy of Management Review, 22(1), pp. 03–225. Phatak, A. V. (1989), International dimensions of management, 2nd ed. Boston: PWS Kent Publishing Company. Porter, M. (1985). referred to in Hancock M. R. (2008) â€Å"Strategy in Construction† (ICM Module 6 work file. p. 2. 6, University of Bath. Ronen, S. (1986). Comparative and Multinational Management, 4th ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc. Rumelt, R. P. (1982). Diversification Strategy and Profitability, Strategic Management Journal, 3, pp. 359-369. Page 7 of 8 AR50126 Assignment Name: Mizanur Rahman Scullion, H. 1992), Strategic recruitment and development of the ‘International Manager’: Some European Considerations, Human Resource Management Journal, 3, pp. 57-69 UN (2010). East Timor Country Brief [online]. Australia. Available from: http://www. dfat. gov. au/geo/east_timor/east_timor_brief. html [Accessed 25 September 2011]. Wild, J. J. , Wild, K. L. & Han, J. C. Y. (2000). International Business: an Integrated Approach. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. World Bank (1984). The construction Industry: Issues and Strategies in developing Countries, Washington D. C. : World Bank. Page 8 of 8

Latin Imperative Verbs

Latin Imperative Verbs Normally, the imperative mood is used for direct commands (orders): DormiGo to sleep! English rearranges the word order of the declarative sentence, if its necessary, and replaces the period with an exclamation point. The Latin imperative is formed by removing the -re ending of the present infinitive: dormire without the -re is dormi. When ordering two or more people, add -te to the singular imperative. When telling more than one person to go to sleep, you say: DormiteSleep! For the plural imperative of 3rd conjugation verbs, the e before the dropped re is changed to an i. Thus, the plural imperative of mittere to send is: mittiteSend! but the singular imperative is: mitteSend! There are some irregular or irregular-seeming imperatives, especially in the case of irregular verbs. The imperative of ferre to carry is ferre minus the -re ending, as predicted: ferCarry! in the singular and FerteCarry! in the plural. The imperative of the verb nolo is used to form negative commands. To say dont in Latin, you ordinarily use the imperative of nolo with the infinitive of the other verb.Noli me tangere.Dont touch me! Present Imperative of Nolo Singular: noliPlural: nolite More On the Negative Imperative You can also use other constructions. For instance, for the prohibitive imperative dont hurry you would say ne festina. More Imperatives There are also less common passive and future imperatives. For the verb to love amare, the passive imperative singular is amare and the passive imperative plural is amamini. Both passive imperatives translate as be loved. For deponent verbs (verbs that are passive in form and active in meaning), the imperative is passive although the meaning is active. The future imperatives for amare are amato, in the singular, and amatote, in the plural. This isnt a form we differentiate in English. In a sense, English imperatives are future imperatives because the person giving the order is asking that something be done in the near or distant future. Memento Remember! is the future imperative of the verb memini to remember. Esto be is another relatively common Latin future imperative. Its plural is, as predicted, estote.

How to learn to listen to music, not just hear it

How to learn to listen to music, not just hear it To learn to listen to music, not just hear it. You need the right room, the right equipment, the perfect volume, the perfect spot, and (of course), the embracing of the music. After you have all the proper tools, you can sit and enjoy the music.The first consideration is to listen to music in a comfortable chair. I would highly recommend a good quality Lazy Boy recliner. Now, you need to find the best room to put that chair in, so you can listen to you music. The room can be any normal room with four walls but, the room can't be wide open. For example, it can't be an unfinished basement with concrete walls and a cement floor. The sound will not be able to bounce off the walls and give the effect as if the sound is coming from behind you, as well as in front of you (the surround effect).The lens of a compact disc drive and its associate...A good room to listen in, is a typical family room with sheet rock walls and four ninety degree corners.The second consideration is placement of spe akers. The corners of a room are the perfect spot for your speakers. You shouldn't position them flush against the wall, but put the back of the speaker into the corner, so each side of the speaker is against each wall. For this reason, the bass is extended (louder), and the tweeters, mid-range, and woofers give you their undivided attention.Where to sit is simple, but it takes some easy calculations to find the perfect spot. There is a common rule for a person to experience the full effect of the music. In order to do this, measure the distance between the two speaker cabinets. If the speaker's cabinets are placed twelve feet apart from each other, divide twelve feet...

What To Do If You Find A Baby Squirrel

What To Do If You Find A Baby Squirrel Grey squirrels are abundant in many parts of the United States. And it is right around now that these frequently spotted mammals are having their babies. Grey squirrels have babies twice a year - in the early spring  and the late summer. So it is that time of year again when baby squirrels may be just making their first  appearances or even venturing from their nest.   Grey squirrels typically have three to four babies in each litter. By four weeks of age, the babies  eyes open and by six weeks, the young are making their way out of the nest. By the time they reach eight or nine weeks of  age, baby squirrels are no longer nursing and are generally able to survive on their own in the wild. So its a short window in which baby squirrels rely on their mothers to survive. But despite their  mothers best intentions during this period, it doesnt take much - a storm, a downed tree, or  prowling house pets - to seperate a young baby squirrel from its mother.   What should you do if you find a baby squirrel in need of help? For starters, you should assess whether or not the squirrel is injured. Is it bleeding or does it  appear to have broken bones? Do you see any wounds? Was the squirrel being attacked by a cat? If you answered yes to any of these questions, contact your local wildlife emergency center as soon as possible.   If youre not sure whom to call, start with your local animal shelter or police station. They should  have contact information for your nearest wildlife hospital or rehabilitation center. If the squirrel is not injured, and it looks like it weighs around a half a pound or so, it may just  be old enough to survive on its own. A good rule of thumb is that if the squirrel is old enough to run  from you, it is old enough to take care of itself.   If you do decide to pick up the squirrel in order to evaluate it, be sure to wear thick leather gloves  before handling. Even baby squirrels can have a strong bite! According to the Wildlife Center of Virginia, if the squirrels tail is fluffed out and it weighs more than 6.5 ounces, it does not need human intervention in order to survive. If not, the squirrel may still need to nurse and be cared for by its mother.If you can locate the nest, place the baby in a box with an open lid at the base of the tree where the nest is located, If it is cold out, add a bag of warmed rice or hand warmers to the box to keep the baby warm while it waits for its mother. Check back frequently to see if the mother has found and relocated her baby. If not, call a wildlife rehabilitator to reassess the situation. Whatever you do, do NOT attempt to bring the baby squirrel home and raise it as a pet. While they may seem cute and cuddly as babies, squirrels are wild animals and it wont take long before they need to get back out into the wild. But too much time around humans could make it more difficult for a squireel to survive on its own. When in doubt, call your local wildlife rehabilitators and they can talk you through the situation and  help you assess whether or not human intervention is needed. In many cases, nature can take care of itself and the baby squirrel can survive just fine without your help. But if help is needed, there are teams of professional and volunteer rehabilitators that can assist a young animal in getting back on its feet.

Generating Theory from Practice nursing as disipline Essay

Generating Theory from Practice nursing as disipline - Essay Example Therefore, a scientific and philosophical paradigm of nursing practice is presented further on, representing previous and modern approaches to nursing practice. The outline of the paper is the following: A. Introduction B. General discussion 1) What is nursing? 2) Scientific paradigms in nursing; 3) Reflective practice in nursing; 4) The role of theory in nursing practice; 5) A correlation between theory and practice in nursing; 6) Reflective practice as experience application; C. Conclusion What is nursing? It has been often claimed that nursing is a practical human science. The meaning of the word â€Å"practical† should be better interpreted. Further consideration about â€Å"practical† aspect of nursing is correlated with the study conducted by Bishop and Schudder (1990). These scientists underlined that â€Å"practical† meaning of nursing implies a constant acquisition of required knowledge by nurses. In spite of the majority of works considering nursing as a practical aspect, a theoretical aspect of nursing is also worth being considered. We tent more to the works by Jean Watson (1985), Newman (1986) and others who correlated nursing with science. Philosophical background of nursing was shaped under the influence of phenomenology and such philosophers as Heidegger, Dilthey and Foucault. In order nursing could be positioned as a scientific field, it is relevant for nurses to enrich their philosophical and intellectual background and develop â€Å"various models of thinking† (Munhall 1992, p. 371). Currently, there is a need to develop knowledge among nurses. On the one hand, knowledge should be generated in the process of practicing, but on the other hand knowledge should be viewed as a temporary phenomenon. In the course of time knowledge is being developed under the influence of external factors. Thus, knowledge gaining in practice should be made in dynamics and it requires a personal development and self-perfection of a nurse . Generally, nursing is usually correlated with the field of human science. Nursing practice has been developed under the influence of current scientific tendencies, and is currently being considered as a complex knowledge. Nurses meet complex situations and it is on their behalf to solve these problems. Experts have introduced a new term of â€Å"intuition† in nursing. Moreover, nursing knowledge development would be considered on the background of reflective practice. Scientific paradigms in nursing Further on, it is necessary to consider possible paradigms involved in nursing learning. The most widely applied paradigms are the following: â€Å"positivist, post-positivist, interpretive and critical theory research paradigms† (Long and Johnson 2000, p. 459). Feminist philosophy is also applied in nursing knowledge development. All these paradigms and approaches are directed on imputation a status of a scientific and professional nature to nursing. With this respect, s ome writers would argue that it is thus necessary to introduce qualitative researches and terminology of positivist research into this field, because â€Å"there is nothing to be gained from the use of alternative terms which, on analysis, often prove to be identical to the traditional terms of reliability and validity† (Long & Johnson 2000, p. 30). For nurses, as well for other researchers, it is necessary to achieve positive research results in case their research strategies are valid.

Cell phone health risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cell phone health risk - Essay Example h the exposure of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) to human and other organisms, which releases microwave energy that goes into the users hands and head (Szmigielski and Sobiczewska, 353). The EMFs are scientifically known to affect and induce biochemical changes in plants. Further, the exposure to the microwave energy released by the cell phones right on the side of the head has raised concern of a possible change of health status for humans. Nevertheless, other studies have indicated that the levels of exposure to the microwaves are relatively low, such that they may not pose serious health risk to the cell phone users. The findings by the United States Government Accountability Office have concluded that the scientific studies undertaken so far have not shown any adverse effect of the exposure to the Radio-Frequency (RF) energy from the use of mobile phone (GAO, 1). Thus, the major question that arises is; does the use of cell phones pose any adverse health risks to the users? The fact that cell phones emits Radio-Frequency (RF) energy, which is a form of electromagnetic radiation that can be absorbed by the tissues close to where the cell phone is placed is not in contention (LaBerge, 30). However, the point of dispute has been the level of the Radio-Frequency (RF) energy that is released, and its potential to influence the health of the user adversely. One theory has however been developed in regard to why the scientific studies undertaken that far have not been able to prove that there is adverse effects on human health associated with the use of cell phones. According to a scientist, Dr. Devra Davis, the major reason why such research has not been able to prove the relationship between mobile phone use and the development of cancer, is because the development of cancer takes an average of 10 years of mobile phone use to show (LaBerge, 30). Furthermore scientists have observed that the amount of the Radio-Frequency (RF) energy released by a cell phone devise

Nursing informatics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing informatics - Research Paper Example It is used in the management of the records of the patients. The data pertaining to a given patient can be safely stored and retrieved with ease when required. The technology can also be used to diagnose a patient based on the records that have been obtained. Thus, technology is generally necessary for the diagnosis, treatment, and the management of patients in a health institution (Cleveland Clinic, 2011, para.1). The success of the application of modern information technology in a given health care institution is not obvious. The management of such institutions needs to define and develop an appropriate strategy for integrating the modern technology into their system. A good patient care will be achieved if the use of technology is supported by the processes of the institution and the cooperation among the workers in the institution (Cleveland Clinic, 2011, para.3). The nurses in the health care institutions need to be conversant with the applications of the automated systems in va rious tasks. There is need to develop a joint passion for the profession and the learning of new technology. Thesis statement The application of information technology in nursing practice will be successful in improving the quality of services to the patients if the processes of the health center are well organized and if there is good coordination between the health workers in the organization. 2. Informatics in nursing The practice of nursing involves handling very vital pieces of information relating to the patients’ health that are necessary for proper service delivery (Ball, 2000, p.7). The management of the patients in a given health care institutions is made easier of the records of the patients are available and in an organized manner. The health history of a given patient can be traced and this will help the clinician in making the appropriate diagnosis (Berner, 1999, p.5). There are also pieces of information relating to the nursing practice. These include the proce dures, guidelines, and policies that are applicable in the practice and in a given institution. The nurses would want to obtain these pieces of information from their seniors or communicate them to the other nurses within the institution. There would also be a need to communicate to the patients in certain instances. The way the information is stored, how it can be retrieved, and how it can be communicated to other people will determine its effectiveness. The confidentiality of information is of particular significance in the nursing practice. Besides, the patients should be involved in designing for their care. There is a need for an effective communication between the patient and the nurses. Thus, the information needs to be kept in a secured system that is protected from unauthorized users and from where it cannot be destroyed. There is need to have an organized system that allows for an easy retrieval of information from a large chunk of information. The communication medium nee ds to be fast and efficient and neither should it tamper with the contents of the information. The use of modern technology in these applications is necessary (Berner, 1999, p.139). By using these modern systems, it is easy to organize enormous data so that the retrieval of the required piece of information

Mechanical Behaviour of Polypropylene Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mechanical Behaviour of Polypropylene - Essay Example These differences mean that the materials react differently with agents from the environment. Therefore, manufacturer must be in a position to appreciating these differences to avoid the production of plastic materials and products with premature failures commonly referred to as nasty and cheap. The plastic containers adopt the pseudo-elastic design methodology, which involves substitution of appropriate Poisson’s ratio and values of Modulus (that depend on temperature and appropriate time). The substitution involves using elastic standardised strain solutions, which depends on the geometry of the part and the load configuration. The method is appropriate for experimenting and investigating the design failures for polypropylene tanks. Some of the successful approach involve analysing the stress to the 4th order of the linear differentiation (Lewis and Weidmann, 1999a; Lewis and Weidmann, 1999b). The equation takes into consideration the transition between the vertical and the horizontal dimensions as well as the thickness. The manifestations of these transitions are accounted when the wall of the tank increases through radial expansion. The phenomenon can be described as stress concentration. The method involve assessing the strength parameters based on general values like stability (buckling, kinking), deformation (excessive bends), and strain or stress. Most failed tanks will fail at the welded construction at the joint level. Therefore, the best approach is to adopt a limiting stress criteria, which will aim to provide conservative alternatives to the problem (Lewis and Weidmann, 1999a; Lewis and Weidmann, 1999b). The design of the tank is very important. The hydrostatic pressure increases linearly and proportionally with the tank’s height. This means that the most appropriate strategy of resisting the pressure is by increasing the tank thickness. The same principle is applicable when constructing the walls

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Globalization - Essay Example Misunderstandings are common, and these can have serious consequences ranging from the failure of business operations to the needless suffering of individuals caught in a culture far removed from that of their birth, and even to war and destruction when nations fail to come to a workable understanding of each other’s aspirations. This paper examines two ways in which communication theory and cultural studies can be helpful in preventing cross-cultural miscommunication. The first is the discipline’s potential to clarify and explain the role of ritual in human interactions, and this is explored using the example of health services which have to operate in one particular culture, but deal with clients from multiple different cultures. The second is the process that can be called â€Å"clarification of values† which underpins intercultural understanding, and this is explored using example of business relations between China and the Western world which includes Europe and America. The paper aims therefore to demonstrate on a small and then on a larger scale, the value of two aspects of communication theory and cultural studies in the modern world. ... Such extreme distinctions underpinned ideologies like colonialism and slavery which privileged white, western ideas above other types of culture. In the twentieth century, studies such as those of Adorno and Horkheimer observed the cataclysmic world wars, the horrors of Fascism, and the rise of capitalist consumerism and rightly concluded that Western culture was capable of untold atrocities. This brought into question all the former assumptions about the superiority of Western elitist cultural assumptions. They concluded that the alliance of financial interests with cultural expression had resulted in a commodification of culture into what amounts to an industry. The effects of this were seen as negative, dragging culture down into a lowest common denominator and marketing it to make money: â€Å"The result is the circle of manipulation and retroactive need in which the unity of the system grows ever stronger.† (Adorno and Horkheimer, 1999, p. 33) In a way this line of thinki ng can be seen as reaction against the elitist view of culture that had prevailed in the previous century. More recent cultural theorists have formulated a more positive view of culture, seeing it as a multi-faceted quality of human behaviour that is far from unified, and holds the promise of continued development and renewal due to the interaction of many different cultures. The work of bel hooks, for example, redefines the complacent elitism of dominant beliefs in America at the time of the civil rights movement as â€Å"white supremacist capitalist patriarchy† (hooks, 1999, p. 235) and promotes the ideal of â€Å"cultural diversity† (hooks, 1999, p. 239) which instead of supporting dominant

English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

English - Research Paper Example Opposite gender becomes a source of distraction for the pupils in high schools, therefore, single sex schools provide more focused environment to the students by removing their object of distraction. Education is a process which entails transference of knowledge and practices, development of skills and learning of new concepts through innovative and strategic skills of the educator (Burner, p.9). Thus, beneficial teaching entails successful transference of knowledge with the development of quality person along with prominent accomplishments of the learners. The teaching strategies applied and environment impacts adversely or optimistically on the learner, which means either it supports the learning style of the child or it hinders that process. Hence, this process essentially takes place in a specific environment developed by the educator. Therefore, the choice of educator in developing such an environment for the learners impacts hugely on them. Parents and teachers chose and set en vironment for their children, which supports their learning style. ... Therefore, it promoted their participation and rights for higher education, which consequently resulted in admittance of girls in the same schools. The co-education was new and it was considered most beneficial for both girls and boys to learn and prosper; academically. Thus, co-education system is largely prevalent and active in the most parts of the world for teaching both girls and boys. Only in US majority of the schools only offer co-education school system and only a smaller percentage of schools offer single sex school system. In the recent years USA has faced serious decline over quality public education and lower high school graduate rate due to increased drop outs. Thus, government of America emphasized on developing a new policy or strategy, which would fully support the learning of its youth for its technological and educational development. According to study, American graduation rank has declined to 18th position among the developed countries, which is extremely low tha n before (Foster, p.2). Therefore, educators and policy makers have been considering single sex option for all public schools due to its impact on the academics of individuals. The notion which never came under research before was how male and female students impact on each other in an educational setting. In 2008, US Department of Education proclaimed that single sex schools benefit girls to pursue their carrier in mathematics or science as they minimize distractions, which consequently results in improved attention span and achievement record. However, in 2001 a law was passed against single sex schools, which clearly stated that if the single sex schools are equally available for both genders then such an education system can be approved

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Globalization - Essay Example Misunderstandings are common, and these can have serious consequences ranging from the failure of business operations to the needless suffering of individuals caught in a culture far removed from that of their birth, and even to war and destruction when nations fail to come to a workable understanding of each other’s aspirations. This paper examines two ways in which communication theory and cultural studies can be helpful in preventing cross-cultural miscommunication. The first is the discipline’s potential to clarify and explain the role of ritual in human interactions, and this is explored using the example of health services which have to operate in one particular culture, but deal with clients from multiple different cultures. The second is the process that can be called â€Å"clarification of values† which underpins intercultural understanding, and this is explored using example of business relations between China and the Western world which includes Europe and America. The paper aims therefore to demonstrate on a small and then on a larger scale, the value of two aspects of communication theory and cultural studies in the modern world. ... Such extreme distinctions underpinned ideologies like colonialism and slavery which privileged white, western ideas above other types of culture. In the twentieth century, studies such as those of Adorno and Horkheimer observed the cataclysmic world wars, the horrors of Fascism, and the rise of capitalist consumerism and rightly concluded that Western culture was capable of untold atrocities. This brought into question all the former assumptions about the superiority of Western elitist cultural assumptions. They concluded that the alliance of financial interests with cultural expression had resulted in a commodification of culture into what amounts to an industry. The effects of this were seen as negative, dragging culture down into a lowest common denominator and marketing it to make money: â€Å"The result is the circle of manipulation and retroactive need in which the unity of the system grows ever stronger.† (Adorno and Horkheimer, 1999, p. 33) In a way this line of thinki ng can be seen as reaction against the elitist view of culture that had prevailed in the previous century. More recent cultural theorists have formulated a more positive view of culture, seeing it as a multi-faceted quality of human behaviour that is far from unified, and holds the promise of continued development and renewal due to the interaction of many different cultures. The work of bel hooks, for example, redefines the complacent elitism of dominant beliefs in America at the time of the civil rights movement as â€Å"white supremacist capitalist patriarchy† (hooks, 1999, p. 235) and promotes the ideal of â€Å"cultural diversity† (hooks, 1999, p. 239) which instead of supporting dominant

Individual Reflective Report Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Individual Reflective Report - Term Paper Example The merits of the proposal can be attributed to the thorough research that was done about coming up with the topic and engaging the team members with it. The idea screening and market research questionnaire were well thought out. The questions addressed the key points around the Clarks footwear; its demand, market niche, target audience, and pricing. In the market niche and target audience, I think we should have included examples of advertising fashion magazines like ELLE, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan as a marketing strategy for the company. This is because the age of the target audience is 18-35 and people in this age bracket read these magazines. Furthermore, celebrities who wear these shoes, for example, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift and Rihanna are a great pull to the social and electronic media marketing strategies. We should have mentioned the social media sites that have been integrated with Clarks for marketing purposes. For example, Clarks is associated with Facebook and Twitter w hich has been incorporated into their proprietary website to promote the brand (Clarks.co.uk, 2014). The SWOT analysis was well done with the main points about the business coming out clearly. However, we could have expounded on the threats column by mentioning the rival companies and then comparing the prices of their products. Under Strengths, we should have included the reason why the shoes are of high quality that is having them made in Vietnam. The other strength we should have incorporated is that the product has increased the number of their Directly Operated Stores that is a defensive strategy by taking the volume share control in the market. In the weakness section I believe most of the facts were left out, For example, we left out that a big chunk of income has always been got from retailers who have a tendency to give the same experience to consumers without showing the dissimilarities between the brands they sell. Also, Clarks have margins that are squeezed, as the selle rs often tend to move the low price pressure onto Clarks (Cps.gov.uk, 2014).

Family System

Family System Identifying Information:    Mr. Gil Buckman is 35 year-old European American Man. He is Married with 3 Children living in the home. The Buckmans are expecting a baby in February. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Presenting or Identified Problem:    Mr. Buckman is seeking services to help strengthen his family system. His primary concern is that his son Kevin age 9 is having difficulty in school and suffering from an emotional disturbance. Mr. Buckman feels Kevins struggles are a direct result of his parenting skills. Mr. Buckman is also struggling with a decision that must be made regarding his career. He wants to ensure his family stability but making partner may cost him time with his family. He would like to find another job but with a baby on the way he does not feel this is an option. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Medical History:    There are no known health risks. The Buckman family appears to be quite healthy. However, Gil reports that his father drinks quite heavily, mostly on special occasions and might possibly be an alcoholic. Kevin is seeing a psychiatrist for his emotional needs. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Immediate Family System:    The Buckman Home consists of the Client Gil Buckman, his wife Karen Buckman, and their 3 children Kevin, Taylor, and Justin. Karen is a 34 year-old, European American mother to Kevin age 9, Taylor Age 6, and Justin age 3. She is also expecting a baby. All of the children are the biological offspring of Gil and Karen and share their Ethnicity. The Spousal Subsystem Gil and Karen have difficulty communicating at times. Gil resents Karen for not telling him about the pregnancy sooner. Karen thinks Gil is blaming her for getting pregnant. Women have choices, Men have responsibility. They maintain a healthy sex life and mutual belief systems. (Pellebon, 2009) Sibling Subsystem: Kevin Taylor and Justin have petty arguments and antagonize each other. Kevin resents having to care for his younger siblings and often replies why do I have to do everything? when asked to help his siblings. (Pellebon, 2009) Parent/Child Subsystem: Gil is a doting father. He tries to rectify his own relationship with his father by being a better parent. He communicates well with his kids, keeping an open dialogue. He has a very macho type relationship with Kevin, while he is more nurturing with his daughter Taylor. Karen admits that they were more overprotective with Kevin when he was younger and less anxious with Justin. (Pellebon, 2009) Parent/Grandparent Subsystem: Gil and his father have a strained relationship. Gill is bitter that his father was neglectful. Frank realizes he has made mistakes and is reaching out to Gil. Frank also feels his son is a better father than he was. Recently hes been learning to communicate with Gil. He previously was more partial to Larry. (Pellebon, 2009) Extended Family System not in home:    Mr. Buckmans Grandmother age 88 lives with his Parents Frank age 64 and Marilyn age 63. Grandma has been uprooted since the visit of Frank and Marilyns youngest son Larry and his son Cool. The Buckmans are of European American Descent. Cool Buckman is bi-racial. His ethnicity is both European and African American. Gil has an older sister Helen, who is a single mom to Julie and Gary. He has a younger sister Susan who is married to Nathan and they have a daughter named Patty. The youngest sibling discussed earlier is Larry. The Buckman family is enmeshed with open dialogue. Family roles are clear with the occasional diffuse boundary. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Peer Relationships and Impairment:    Mr. Buckman is deeply rooted in his family. They have limited community involvement, Gil coaches his sons little league and Karen babysits children in the neighborhood. He has strained work relationships due to his lack of socializing in order to be with his family. His work and family responsibilities dont allow much free time for social networking. This can cause a deficit in support systems. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Environmental Factors:    Gil works outside the home. Karen stays home with the children. They live in a two story suburban home located in a very clean middle- class neighborhood. The home is modern and well furnished. Little financial struggle yet maintain a moderate budget. Gil and Karen seemed very chaotically connected to Gils family. They get along with their neighbors and the community. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Educational/ Vocational/ Employment History and Impairment:    Mr. Buckman chose to college instead of taking over his fathers business. He works in financial firm. His need to help his son is taking away from his ability to perform well in employment (Grazer Howard, 1989) Legal History:   Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Buckman does not have a criminal record nor has he sought legal services or been sued. His younger brother has a gambling addiction and has been involved with illegal racketeering. His niece Julie was arrested for panhandling. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Resources:   Ã‚   Gil Buckman sought services to help with his son, so he and his immediate family would be the Client System. However the extended Buckman Family are so enmeshed that it is hard to separate them. Therefore we will consider them to be a Target System. There is a tremendous transference of intrinsic and extrinsic energy between these two systems. Extrinsically, they spend a great deal of time with each other, helping with family events and combining resources such as serving dishes. Also they share in the responsibility of caring for Grandma. Intrinsically, their emotional responses add to the support the family provides. There are few boundaries in what is acceptable conversation. (Pellebon, 2009) The School and Child Psychologist would be the Action System in helping with Kevins emotional needs. However it is met with resistance from Gil, who fears the stigma of special education and feels responsible for causing the tension. He believes he has the potential energy to solve the problems within his own family subsystem. His intrinsic attempts to be there for him emotionally and mentally have proved futile. So he moved toward a more extrinsic approach by spending money on a psychiatrist and spending time coaching his sons baseball team. At this point Mr. Buckman feels he has exhausted these resources and seeks services elsewhere. (Pellebon, 2009) Special Circumstances:    The Buckman family has no religious affiliation. There are also no known physical or mental health problems. There appears to be a great deal of tension within the family and Kevin suffers from an emotional disturbance. Frank Buckman has been known to abuse alcohol. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Life Area Impairments:    Gil feels his fathers drinking causes some embarrassment at weddings and family fucntions. However no one has intervened. They make light of it and go on. Kevins emotional issues have put a great deal of added pressure on the family. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Cognitive Affective and Behavioral Functioning:   Ã‚   Gil is college educated and quite intelligent. Has strong cognitive abilities but does not handle stress or tension well. He becomes very irritable and irrational. He raises his voice to his family and uses a negative tone. He does not have much confidence in his parenting skills as he has resentment toward his own father. Mr. Buckman is generally content except when dealing with family or work. He tries to be nonchalant until he feels his ability to handle responsibilities is threatened. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Positive Reinforcement: Frank knows Larry is gambling and gives him money to help covering his losses. He is reinforcing the behavior to gamble; even when Larry loses he is rewarded with more money from his father. (Pellebon, 2009) Negative Reinforcement: Nathan did not allow Patty to attend preschool and limited her time with Gils kids. He believed that removing these social influences would increase her ability to learn and maintain her extreme intelligence. (Pellebon, 2009) Positive Punishment: Grandma notices Gil is tense and arguing with Karen. So she tells a story of her first roller coaster ride using it as metaphor for life. She in a sense scolds Gil for getting upset hoping to stop his ranting. (Pellebon, 2009) Negative Punishment: The family shares extrinsically, giving and combining resources but when Larry comes for a visit they are guarded with their money. They believe withholding money from Larry will stop his erratic spending behavior. (Pellebon, 2009) Respondent Conditioning: Gil felt abandoned by Frank. Frank would take him to a baseball game every year and leave him with an usher leaving him feeling abandoned by his Dad. Even as an adult baseball games trigger sad memories and feelings of abandonment. (Ashford, LeCroy, Lortie, 2006) Habituation: The Buckman family learns to bond and communicate by the routine of tucking the children into bed every night. Saying goodnight and I love every night creates a habit of showing care and affection. (Ashford, LeCroy, Lortie, 2006) Modeling: Gil spends time with his kids and communicates with them in order to model good parenting skills. He hopes that by being a good parent that his kids will grow up to be good parents. He was not aware that his father was also observing and learning to be a better parent. (Ashford, LeCroy, Lortie, 2006) Vicarious Learning: Karen learns that her sister-in-law Susan would give her husband Nathan oral sex in the car when he would get tense. Later when in the car with Gil when he is tense she attempts to calm him down in the same manner. (Pellebon, 2009) Strengths and Weakness:    Gil Buckman is very motivated to make a positive impact on his family. He doesnt cope well with stress. However he is eager to implement change in his life. He lacks self control yet he is resourceful and goal oriented. He is assertive, and willing to preserve in order to meet the needs of his family. Mr. Buckman gets along well with others, yet has limited ties to his community. What little involvement he has is positive, he has effect peer relationships. (Grazer Howard, 1989) Multidimensional Assessment: Mr. Buckman has the capabilities to utilize resources provided to him. He has adequate means to meet the needs of his family. His readiness to implement change will assist him in his preparation to care for Kevins emotional problems.

Police Work And Related Fields :: essays research papers fc

Police Work and Related Fields CO-OP Christmas exam 1. The working conditions of a police officer can vary from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  easy to stressful situations where the officers life and the lives of others are threatened. The officer must deal with these situations in the way they feel is best but sometimes the officer cannot deal with this situation on their own and they have to call in backup witch can help them deal with the situation. CHANGING IN THE WORK PLACE In these times of change many work places are finding it necessary to change the ways in which they do business. The RCMP for example are moving into a more community based policing. This makes the police more accessible to the community. In this new system the RCMP try to solve the problem if they are repeatedly called to the same home for domestic disputes they will stay for how ever long it takes to find the route of the problem, where as if they were to encounter the same situation their policy was to arrive in two minutes and stay for 20 minutes. This new program is the starting stages and already it has had great reviews and great public support, as it brings the police closer to the community. Another part of this community based policing is that there are crime prevention comities that are run by various community groups that have monthly meetings with the police. A police officer starts their career with on the job training and then they move on to become a constable where they must be able to relocate to any part of the country where they are positioned. In order for an officer to advance tier career they may have to switch divisions where their careers may excel. The work values for a police officer is to uphold the law, patrol assigned areas and maintain public safety. They also participate in public information groups and safety programs. 2. The nature of the work is always changing as crimes are becoming more and more sophisticated, as well as there is no set times that any crimes will happen so their jobs are always different. The job of a police officer is always different as they could be talking to various groups on any number of topics. They could also be testifying in court in relation to an investigation they participated in. Officers may also take calls on situations in which they can provide counselling to the caller until help arrives or provide necessary numbers of shelters and food banks. 3. The outlook in this field is good although an officer could go through the

Puzzle of King Tuts Inner-Coffin as Recreational Activity :: King Tutankhamun History Essays

Puzzle of King Tut's Inner-Coffin as Recreational Activity The King Tutankhamun jigsaw puzzle consists of 1000 individual, cardboard pieces which fit perfectly together to form a 13.75 X 38.5 inch portrait of his inner-coffin. It serves a dual purpose, not only as a two-dimensional replica of King Tut's coffin, but also as a form of recreational activity. The fun lies in methodically assembling the pieces together to create a desired image. Its intended consumer ranges from kids to adults. The puzzle can be found in the gift section at the UCSD bookstore. The bookstore is located in the middle of a college campus, primarily dependent on the patronage of college students. As its name suggests, it mainly sells textbooks for college courses, as well as clothing, school supplies, and assorted gifts. While the puzzle functions as an entertaining diversion, the actual inner-coffin of King Tutankhamun served a much more significant role. The discovery of this historical artifact offers a glimpse into the lifestyle and beliefs of the Egyptians. The Egyptians were deeply religious people, incorporating religious ideology into their everyday life. They believed in an inner-spirit, called the ka, which persists long after a person's death. With this in mind, they went to great lengths to ensure that the ka of a departed king enjoyed a comfortable, luxurious after-life existence, as it was crucial to the well-being of the Egyptian state. So, when King Tutankhamun died in 1327 BC., they lavished his tomb with funerary decorations and expensive furnishings. They paid particular attention to the quality and extravagance of his inner-coffin, where his remains reposed. The marked difference in the function and significance of the jigsaw puzzle and King Tut's actual coffin is reflected in the monetary value placed on each item. The inner-coffin is made of several hundred pounds of solid gold which theoretically reproduced the bodily and facial features of King Tutankhamun. However, the level of accuracy to which it was done is not known. Colored enamel and semi-precious gemstones decorate its surface, as well as very finely incised linear designs and hieroglyphic inscriptions. The king is depicted as holding a crook and a flail, both symbols closely associated with Osiris, the god of the dead. Taken together with the coffin's historical significance, it is worth several million dollars. While the average consumer may not have the purchasing power to afford such a luxury, he or she can trot over to the UCSD bookstore and buy a jigsaw puzzle depicting its likeness for a scant $11.

One Cannot Escape Big Brother Essay

In 1984, by George Orwell, society is portrayed as having lost all traces of individuality, creative thought, and love and humanity. This â€Å"Negative Utopia† depicts the possibility of the future despair of the human race whilst warning readers of the dangers of totalitarianism. The overlying mood in 1984 is the bleakness of the future of the human race. The main character though, Winston Smith, is caught in this society that is dedicated to conformity with a mind full of intelligence, individuality, and rebellious thoughts. Winston is targeted by the government from the beginning because of his continual thoughtcrime as well as his rebellious actions with Julia. However, in a society as bleak and desolate as Orwell has depicted, Winston’s actions against the Party and Big Brother were essentially futile. Throughout the novel, Winston believes that though society forces him to conform on the outside, he can still fight the system with his thoughts and by being with Julia in secret. He believes that his own individuality reveals that there is at least a small sliver of hope for humanity, but this is not so. Syme even questions Winston, â€Å"How could you have a slogan like ‘freedom is slavery’ when the concept of freedom has been abolished?† (pg.47). There is so much moral decay within the Party, Winston is wasting his breath and energy by trying to bring down Big Brother; it is too great, and he is too small, despite how intelligent he may be. In Orwell’s fiction society, there is no hope, no potential light for the future. Society is too far gone, as shown through aspects of life such as telescreens, Hate Week, the Hate Song, and Newspeak. The government has molded the people of Oceania’s minds into the ideal citizen: unfeeling, lacking any creative thought, love, or uniqueness. The citizens who slip by and do possess these qualities will be vaporized at some point and Winston knows this throughout the novel. Yet he still believes that in some way, he may be of help to the Brotherhood, even though he is not even sure of its existence. One thing that separated the government of 1984 from any modern day government is that when someone was a traitor, or made some attempt to overthrow the government, they were not punished, but rather â€Å"cured†. In the novel, O’Brian, who is a symbol Big Brother, states, â€Å"We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it must be of your own free will. We do not destroy the heretic because he resists us: so long as he resists us we never destroy him. We convert him, we capture his inner mind, we reshape him. We burn all evil and all illusion out of him; we bring him over to our side, not in appearance, but genuinely, heart and soul. We make him one of ourselves before we kill him.† (pg. 318) This portrays how Big Brother essentially ensures its own success by turning their enemies into supporters of their cause rather than persecuting them. Winston had no chance to take down Big Brother because when he was caught, he would not even become a legacy, or a shining light for others to follow suit; he would become nonexistent, a changed man who would be taught to love Big Brother. By not voicing his true opinions about the Party, Winston would have continued to know the truth behind it. However, because he did, O’Brian and other Party members â€Å"cured† him, and molded his mind into what they wished it to be. By going against Big Brother, Winston became a clay mold of the ideal fascist citizen. Winston had no chance of being happy in the world set by Orwell. He was too intelligent to go through life without questioning Big Brother, and the irony exists in the fact that that was ultimately his intellectual demise. However, if Winston had just lived in acceptance of the fact that society was so horribly corrupt, and turned away from the atrocities of civilization, he would have been much better off. He would not have been tortured, he would not have had to experience the betrayal of O’Brian, and he would not have gained then lost Julia. In today’s world, it is perhaps better to have loved and lost; but in Orwell’s 1984, one never truly gained anything because Big Brother was always watching. Orwell says in the novel, â€Å"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever† (pg 271). No amount of rebellion could possibly stop this metaphorical boot from crushing humanity. Winston could have saved himself from a lifetime of even more hurt and despair if he had just kept to himself and turned away from the evils of Big Brother. After all, the slogan â€Å"Big Brother is watching you† (pg 2) was not just a saying for the people of Oceania: it was a sad truth. Thus, Winston would have been much more fortunate given the circumstances if he had not gone against the Party.

Global Business

Global Business Assignment Elecdyne Student ID: 11071850 Name: Qingyuan Lin Submission Date: 09/01/2013 Word account: 2585 Contents 1. 0 Introduction3 1. 1 Background3 1. 2 Objective3 2. 0 STEEP table analysis4 3. 0 Country Analysis6 3. 1 country select and compare6 3. 2 Porter’s Diamond Theory7 3. 3 SWOT analysis8 3. 5 Summary of data13 3. 6Discussion13 4. 0 Type of method to internationalize13 5. 0 Conclusion15 1. 0 Introduction 1. 1 Background Elecdyne is a Tokyo corporation founded in 1990, which dedicated themselves to markets a series of televisions, CD Players, DVD players, MP3 players to their wide range of domestic customers.In recent years, with the deepening of domestic electronics market competition, the company's profit declined in the last two years, and now it is facing the uncertain outlook. Moreover, the company has to confront the chief designer leaving, growth of technological licenses fees and loss of product price advantage. It is evident that Elecdyne doe s not have the capacity to afford the license fees and recruit new R;D graduates. In order to relieve the internal and external crisis of the Elecdyne, the board of Elecdyne has decided to go international. As the European Commission (2010) views that a immediate elation between internationalisation and increased SME performance: international activities strengthen development, improve competitiveness and sustain the long-term sustainable development of companies. With regard to Elecdyne, the management team focuses on the production cost reduction, license for patent technology and market access; and cultural diversity and uncertain risk will be also considered. Though the company has never touched with overseas markets, all of the top management teams have learnt foreign language, and some of them held the oversea university diploma.But what is certain is that the Elecdyne will get the chance to redevelop its business in the globalization. 1. 2 Objective The objective of this repo rt is to analyse the global environment for the electronics industry by using the STEEP and SWOT theory for the three potential countries. The three considerable countries compared in this report are China, Thailand and the United States respectively. The report based on data comparison and pragmatic theoretical analysis, to determine the most suitable country and the optimal way to enter new markets. . 0 STEEP table analysis In order to analyse the environment of Elecdyne more thoroughly, the STEEP table will be utilized. As Venture Navigator (2008) mentioned, The STEEP model is a tool to help the user think about the broader issues that have an influence on the industry or service field as a holistic study, including five main factors: Socio-cultural factors, Technological environment, Economic environment, Ecological environment and Political factors. The following diagram illustrates a comprehensive business environment of the Elecdyne.Socio-cultural factors| 1. As Weil (2008) e xplains that after 2008, electronic products are consisting in our lives ubiquitously. People who likely to choose the electronic products to acquire external information from their Mobile phones or television. 2. Favourable population structure, rising discretionary incomes of consumer, and developing more relevant lifestyles is expected to facilitate the global consumer electronics industry. (Lucintel, 2012) 3. With the proliferation of broadband, accessing the media has become easy and rewarding for consumers.And suppliers of the electronics are constantly updating their technology innovation to keep up with consumer requirements. (ALTERA, 2012)| Technological environment| 1. With regard to electronic, technological innovation has become indispensable to adapt new marketplace competitions and cater to consumer preferences. (Accenture, 2010) 2. According to Accenture (2012) reported Smartphones and tablet PC are the â€Å"star† in electronics products market, and consumers use the virtual network to access a great deal of information. 3.With the striction in the electronics industry, producers are under enormous pressure to create new products. Since product development cycles shorten, the electronics industry is still pumping out better products. | Economic environment| 1. As Weil (2008) views the electronics industry has weathered the most recent economic recession with relatively effortless, especially when compared to other industries. 2. With the Consumer Electronics Association reports global spending on technology facilities will exceed $1 trillion in 2012, increasing by 5% over 2011’s figure of $993 billion. CEA, 2012) 3. According to Weil (2008) mentioned, Jim Feldhan said enterprises see tremendous value in electronics, and the electronic products become an extremely popular consumption product. | Ecological environment| 1. There are thousands of scrap electronic products are dumped in landfills or burned in smelters, and these discar ded electronic products have potentially serious damage to adjacent resident. (GREENPEACE, 2012) 2. Through regulation, enterprises will be required to get more used electronics back, which will improve the recovery ratio and reuse more devices. SCRC, 2012)| Political factors| 1. According to European Commission (2012) mentioned, the investment policy of European Union (EU) is emphasized to providing entire investments with legal certainty and a reliable, predictable, impartial and proper regulated environment in which to conduct their business. 2. With Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows have increased dramatically, the investors look at stable, predictable macro economic policy, an effective and honest government and intellectual property protection. 3.As International Trade Administration (2012) views Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have proved to be one of the best ways to enter into foreign markets for American exporters. Trade Agreements reduce trade barriers to U. S. exports, and protect U. S. interests. | 3. 0 Country Analysis 3. 1 country select and compare 3. 11 China As BBC News (2012) reported China's Economic expansion accelerated remarkably in the 1990s due to mass privatization, reforming and the opening up of the country to overseas investment. A large number of multinational corporations crowded into this world factory to take advantage of its cheap labour force.To this day, the government of China has claimed that it welcomes foreign investment. Especially China gives incentive to investors to invest in higher value-added industry, including high-tech research and development, advanced manufacturing, and select modern services sectors. (State, 2011) 3. 12 France As the big EU member states, the French possess remarkable technology, broad market and good infrastructure, and central location in Europe. The French government affirms foreign investment is a positive method to create employment opportunities and stimulate growth.Investment regulati ons are unconstrained, and a large number of financial encouragement are available to foreign investors. In addition, the French government also utilizes fiscal subsidies and tax concessions to attract the attention of investor to France's underdeveloped regions. Preferential policies are available equally to French and foreign investors and eligibility requirements are the same. (State, 2012) 3. 13 The United States (US) The US owned the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world. Not only do foreign investors have the freedom to make economic decisions within the U.S. economy, but also enjoy relatively low levels of regulation and taxation. Moreover, the US provides a foreseeable and transparent legal system, excellent infrastructure, and the most profitable consumer market. (AmCham, 2012) To compare with Japan, China own cheap labour power and attractive investment incentive; France has an investment preferential policy as well as remarkable technology; in add ition to above, the US offers an impeccable legal system, excellent infrastructure and the most profitable consumption market. 3. 2 Porter’s Diamond TheoryPorter's diamond model, which offers a comprehensive way to realize the competitive position of a nation in the global competition scale. And business leaders may use this model to assess in which counties to invest, and to assess which countries are most likely to be able to continue growth and development. Porter's model includes 4 determinants of national advantage, which are shortly described below: Factor Conditions For the company, the Highly skilled workforce is the key success factors. Since it will affect the development of the company.The sufficient linguistic abilities of the staff could make the operation become more effective. Cheap labour and minimum wages can greatly reduce the cost of production. Demand conditions The per capita disposable income will directly affect the demand of market. Whether the product s cater to customer requirements, it will impact the company’s performance. Related and Supporting Industries The existence or non-existence of internationally competitive supplying industries and supporting industries. Firm Strategy, Structure, and RivalryIn different nations, management structures, working attitude, or interactions between companies are shaped diversely. This will offer advantages and disadvantages for special industries. 3. 3 SWOT analysis Previous suggested by Albert S Humphrey in the 1960s, SWOT analysis is an effectively useful instrument for all sorts of situations in business and organizations to understand and make decisions. The management team could use the SWOT analysis in order to fully use the advantage and opportunities as well as weaken the threat.The detailed strengths and weakness of factor is formulated in following table. (Businessballs, 2004) Strength| Weakness| * The brand of Elecdyn has 20 years experience in producing electronics * Exp erienced employee (could speak English), some of them have a broad education background * Producing a range of electronic products * Low cost production * Elecdyne owns abundant experience competing in a large and strongly competitive market, which proves the competitive capacity ofElecdyn| * Lack of key innovation * 5% cut down on price * No growth in the last two years, and lead to key employees leaving * Increasing expenses of technological licenses * Unable to recruit R;D graduates * Lake of experiences to manage an overseas business * Elecdyne is currently at a loss . This means that the limited financial resources. | 3. 4 Weighting table – Opportunities and threats Factor weighting| Japan| Other countries| 1 to10| 0| -10 to 10| Ps: 1 = not important, 10 = very important 10 = worse than Japan, +10 = better than Japan PEST table Political| Japan| China| France| The US| Source| Corporation tax % 6| 40. 69(0)| 25. 005*6=30| 33. 333*6=18| 40. 001*6=6| Nationmaster| Political | Japan| China| France| The US| Source| Tariffs % 7| 0(0)| 10-10*7=-70| 6-6*7=-42| 5-5*7=-35| WTO| Political risk medium/long term 5| 1(0)| 2-2*5=-10| 10 *5=0| 10*5=0| ONDDA| Political stability 7| 86. 42(0)| 46. 83-6*7=-42| 82. 22-1*7=-7| 72. 84-2*7=-14| ONDDA| Regulatory quality 6| 76. 62(0)| 45. 88-6*6=-36| 85. 702*6=12| 87. 42*6=12| Global innovation index| Total| | -128/5=-25. 6| -19/5=-3. 8| -31/5=6. 2| | Economic| Japan| China| France| The US| Source| GDP growth rate % 4| -0. 80(0)| 9. 28*4=32| 1. 71*4=4| 1. 81*4=4| CIA| GDP per capita(USD) 5| 39578. 07(0)| 2634. 71-10*5=-50| 23016. 85-4*5=-20| 37691. 00-1*5=-5| CIA| Minimum Hourly Wage ($) 10| 11(0)| 2. 256*10=60| 17-4*10=-40| 15-3*10=-30| Minimum- wage| Working hours(per week) 6| 40 hours(0)| 40 hours0*6=0| 38. 4 hours-1*6=-6| 40 hours0*6=0| Prospects| Economic| Japan| China| France| The US| Source|UnemploymentRate % 6 | 4. 6(0)| 6. 52*6=12| 9. 24*6=24| 94*6=24| CIA| Interest rate 8| 0. 00(0)| 6. 00-6*8=-48| 0. 75-1*8=-8| 0 . 25-1*8=-8| Tradingeconomics| Market size Ranking 8| 4(0)| 22*8=16| 7-4*8=-32| 14*8=32| Global innovation index| Disposable income $ 8| 23,458(0)| 3,384-10*8=-80| 27,7893*8=24| 37,7089*8=72| OECD| Inflation Rate% 4| -0. 30(0)| 5. 50-5*4=-20| 2. 30-2*4=-8| 3. 10-3*4=-12| CIA| Total| | -78/9=-8. 66| -62/9=-6. 88| 77/9=15. 4| | Social| Japan| China| France| The US| Source| Population in (million) 8| 127. 6(0)| 1343. 2310*8=80| 65. 63-1*8=-8| 313. 843*8=24| CIA| Individualism 4| 46(0)| 205*4=20| 71-5*4=-20| 91-7*4=-28| Geert-hofstede| Power distance (culture) 4| 54(0)| 804*4=16| 682*4=8| 40-1*4=-4| Geert-hofstede| Social| Japan| China| France| The US| Source| Expenditure on education 8| 27. 22(0)| 11. 15-2*8=-16| 48. 792*8=16| 45. 922*8=16| Global innovation index| Uncertainty Avoidance 6| 92(0)| 306*6=36| 862*6=12| 465*6=30| Geert-hofstede| Total | | 136/5=27. 2| 8/5=1. 6| 38/5=7. 6| | Technological| Japan| China| France| The US| Source|R;D expenditure 8| 80. 53(0)| 34. 07-6*8= œ48| 51. 88-4*8=-32| 65. 00-2*8=-16| Global innovation index| University/industry research collaboration (Rank) 6| 15(0)| 28-6*6=-36| 34-8*6=-48| 36*6=36| Global innovation index| Global Innovation Index 7| 51. 7(0)| 45. 4-1*7=-7| 51. 80*7=0| 57. 71*7=7| Global innovation index| Quality of scienti? c research institutions 6| 75. 75(0)| 55. 20-4*6=-24| 72. 470*6=0| 80. 451*6=6| Global innovation index| Total| | -115/4=-28. 75| -80/4=-20| 33/4=8. 25| | 3. 5 Summary of data Japan| China| France| The US| Political| 0| -25. 6| -3. 8| 6. 2| Economic| 0| -8. 66| -6. 88| 15. 4| Social| 0| 27. 2| 1. 6| 7. 6| Technological | 0| -28. 75| -20| 8. 25| Totals| 0| -35. 81| -29. 08| 37. 45| 4. 6 Discussion Based upon the results of data analysis, the best choice for Elecdyne is the US, which having the highest mark in the result. The scores of China and France are significantly lower than America, even if they emerge slightly advantage in some items. As for China, though it had highest GDP real gro wth rate 9. % in 2011, due to the large population, the per capita GDP is dramatically lower than America. That means Chinese citizens are having not enough disposable income to consume. The French government although utilizes preferential to attract investment, the Minimum Hourly Wage is the highest than China and the US. It will be greatly increased the cost of production. On the contrary, not only the US government provides favourable policy and huge consumer market, but also the appropriate R&D expenditure and reasonable scienti? research institutions. To sum up, the US market has greater potential than the other two countries. 4. 0 Type of method to internationalize With regard to internationalize, the Elecdyne could choose the most compatible method to enter a new market. The advantage and disadvantage of the way to internationalize should be analysed rigorously by the management team on the basis of established expansion strategy. The proper methods are joint ventures, Greenf ield sites, mergers or acquisitions respectively. Joint VentureThe Joint Venture means that the cooperation of two or more individuals or businesses in which each approve to share profit, loss and control in a specific company. (Investopedia, 2012) Greenfield Sites An area of agricultural or forest land, or some other undeveloped site earmarked for commercial development or project engineering. (Businessdictionary, 2012) Mergers and Acquisitions A merger is incorporated between two similarly sized companies, which is combined to shape a new company. An acquisition occurs when one company lawfully purchases another and becomes the new owner. Investinganswers, 2012) The following table indicates analyse the advantage and disadvantage of these three methods. Type of method | Strengths| Weaknesses| Joint Venture | * The opportunity to gain new capacity and expertise * Sharing of risks with a venture partner * Access to greater resources, including specialized staff and technology| * The objectives of the venture may not fully clear and executed to each participant. * Different cultures concepts and management styles may affect integration and cooperation. Imbalance in levels of expertise| Greenfield Sites| * The environment changed from rural to urban use * Good policies of local government * Wholly owned and fully control| * More expensive housing * Demand excessive cash * Undertake full risk * High initial investment| Mergers and Acquisitions| * A merger does not require cash * A merger may be achieved tax-free. * The merger allows the acquirer to avoid many of the costly and time-consuming aspects of asset purchases * Form a scale of production and reduce production cost * Increase product awareness, enhance corporate image. * Diseconomies of scale, which may give rise to higher unit costs. * Conflict of culture between different businesses, may reduce the effectiveness of the integration. * Make a part of workers unnecessary, this may have a bad effect on moti vation. | According to the situation and background of the Elecdyne, the best option is incorporated with other electronics. In short, it will be changeover current plight, increasing profit and lower the risks. In the long run, it will be good for the company to gain prestige and more agile development space. 5. 0 ConclusionThe findings indicate that the Elecdyne confront the challenge and opportunity according to STEEP analysis. And the report also analyses the external and internal environment of Elecdyne based on the SWOT and Porter’s Diamond Theory. Through the PEST analysis, makes a compare between three countries, and finally concluded the US was the best choice for the Elecdyne to exploit the overseas market. This paper has finally advised Elecdyne to mergers or acquisitions with other countries. Reference Accenture (2010) Growth through Innovation in the Electronics and High Tech Industry.Available online at: http://www. accenture. com/us-en/Pages/insight-growth-inno vation-electronics-high-tech. aspx (Accessed: 02 Jan 2013) Accenture (2012) The 2012 Accenture Consumer Electronics Trends Study. 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