Friday, November 1, 2019

Understand the Organisational Purposes of Businesses Essay

Understand the Organisational Purposes of Businesses - Essay Example Understand the Organisational Purposes of Businesses There are three common types of organizational structures, including traditional, divisional, and matrix. However, other kinds of structures also exist, including pre-bureaucratic, bureaucratic, team, and network structures (Thomas and Coe, 2003:124). The commonality between all the different organizational structures is that they aim to improve the organizational efficiency, as well as provide a clear framework of operation and reporting. Nonetheless, they differ in a number of factors. The traditional (functional) structure divides the organization into groups or departments according to their purposes. For instance, an organization with a functional structure may have a production department, a sales department, and a marketing department. This type of structure suits small businesses because each department can rely on the knowledge and talent of its employees. Nonetheless, the main drawback of the structure is the limited communication and coordination between departments by the organizational boundaries. On the other hand, divisional structures are common in larger firms that operate separate smaller organizations under the main umbrella group or in a large geographical area, covering different types of market segments and products.For instance, a manufacturing company may have a compressor division, a small engine division, and a parts division in different geographic locations. Each division specializes in a particular type of need. The main advantage of this type of organizational structure is the rapid and effective resolution of needs. Similar to the functional structure, this form of structure also limits communication as employees work in different divisions. Additionally, this type of structure is expensive because of its scope and size (Salaman, 2002:167). Lastly, the matrix type is a hybrid of the functional and divisional structures. Often adapted in multinational companies, the structure enables an organization to enjoy the benefits of both th e divisional and functional structures simultaneously. In most cases, this creates power struggles as most organizational areas are under dual management: a divisional and a functional manager, both working at the same level and occupying the same management territory. The other common organizational structure is product-based structure, common in companies with multiple product lines. Essentially, each part of eth structure focuses on an individual unit within the company (Walker et al., 2003:124). This structure allows flexibility in the organization, but suffers from lack of achieving company-wide goals and objectives. Structure Advantages Disadvantages Functional (Traditional) a. Division of labour b. Development of team spirit and cooperation c. Mass production a. Emphasis on specialization b. Leads to conflicts c. Weak disciplinary controls Product-Based a. Simple b. Unified control c. Better discipline a. Lacks specialization b. Overburdening of management c. Favouritism Divi sional a. Dispersal of power b. Increased efficiency c. Delegation of duties a. Delayed decision b. Lack of accountability c. Minority tyranny Matrix a. Greater efficiency b. Coordination c. Non-autocracy a. Conflicts between functional and divisional managers b. Authority dependent on management c. Poor administration Decades of research show a link between organizational performance and organizational culture. Despite the lack of

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

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

Sunday, October 27, 2019

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.

Friday, October 25, 2019

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.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

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.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

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

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

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.