Examine and assess the role of the government in managing the UK Essay

Examine and assess the role of the government in managing the UK economy - Essay Example government in determining long-term success of the country. The economy of U.K. has faced several financial crunches since World War II. It is claimed by some researchers that financial crisis during 2008 in U.K. and other Western nations was caused primarily due to deregulation of financial markets, that had significantly gained speed in these nations 1980 onwards (Trading Economics, 2014). The policy deregulation had drastically lowered control of the government authorities over financial markets of respective economies. Lower state control in the monetary financial market generated certain market exuberances. The real estate sector investments in these economies were made for speculative purposes, which finally generated the property price bubble. Several banks collapsed due to failure of unproductive investment projects, thereby resulting in the recession in 2008; this was because aggregate money supply in the economy had fallen in these nations. During the recession, as aggregate supply of money in U.K. had fallen, degree of productivity in the economy had declined. Lower level of production of several goods and services had greatly increased the level of unemployment in the country. It can be observed from the above graph that the extent of inflation in U.K. had astonishingly increased during the recession in 2008. This was due to expansionary, monetary as well as fiscal policies adopted by regulating authorities of the country at that point of time (Hirsch, 2008). The authorities had implemented these polices for stimulating the depressed market of U.K. In order to maintain welfare of the European economy during recession, its government authorities had adopted expansionary fiscal policies by increasing expenditure in the economy and lowering tax rates so as to enhance employment and output level of the country. Figure 4 in the Appendix shows the way in which fiscal policies attempt to revive an economy from the state of

Assessing The Background Of Koolhaas Cultural Studies Essay

Assessing The Background Of Koolhaas Cultural Studies Essay After the devastating fire bombs of the Germans strategy during the early stages of World War II, Rotterdams centre was destroyed, together with many other older buildings of the city. The restoration of the Rotterdams centre presented a great challenge to architects of building a city from the start. Rotterdam was then a post World War II empty canvas which gave birth to some of the upcoming architects of the time. One of them was Rem Koolhaas, who four years after the destruction had the chance to design one of the cultural museums in the centre of Rotterdam. Kunsthal museum was built as a way to encourage tourism in Rotterdams cultural capital. The Kunsthal museum was design and built as a way to draw global attention for the architecture of the building in order to put Rotterdam on the European Cultural stage. Rem Koolhaas is a Dutch architect that was born in Rotterdam in 1944. He started his career as a writer and he worked as a journalist for the Haagse Post and as a film screenplay writer. In 1968 he moved to London to study Architecture at the Architectural Association School. By 1972 a scholarship, that he was awarded with gave him the oppotunity to stay in the United States where he started his analysis of the impact of the metropolitan culture on architecture. He wrote Delirious New York, which was published in 1978 and he described it as a retroactive manifesto for Manhattan.( eneshi reference?) At that time Rem Koolhaas returned to Europe in order to step forward from theory to practice and in 1975 he founded OMA (Office of Metropolitan Architecture) in London with Elia and Zoe Zenghelis and Madelon Vriesendorp. In the first 10 years OMAs designs were theoretical; they were only captured on paper but never build. The intentions of OMA were to define new types of relationships between architecture and contemporary cultural situation, both in theory and in practice. OMAs projects like the Educatorium in Utrecht, the Seattle Public Library and the Kunsthal Museum are undoubtedly revealing those objectives. Rem Koolhaas was mainly influenced by the early modernism of Destijl and the Russian Constructivists and his attempt was to reinvent the variety of the modern movement before the establishment of the Rationalist canon. In the 1980s he turned towards more realistic projects like housing programmes, some of them being a residential building project in Rotterdam (1980 1982) and public housing in Amsterdam (1983). By 1987 Rem Koolhaas had the commission to design the Kunsthal museum in Rotterdam, Netherlands which was the first large project by OMA to be built. Kunsthal Museum is located in Rotterdam, Netherlands and lies between the citys Museum Park and the busy highway Maasboulevard creating a division to the site which Koolhaas used to shape architectural design accordingly. The building contains three large exhibition halls (3300 square meters) on three different levels that can be used jointly or independently, two gallery spaces, a design gallery and a photo-gallery, a large auditorium, a bookshop, a VIP room and an independently accessible restaurant cafe. The museum is not only an exhibition building but also acts as a traffic intersection as well. The south facade of the building faces the main artery of the city, a busy highway which is built on top of a dyke and is connected through the building with the north side where the museum park takes place. In the perimeter of the museum park there are located 4 other museums among them the Netherlands Architecture Institute and the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen. Rem Koolhaas is using the surrounding features of the site to contrasts the two sides of the building, the quiet, green park and the busy and noisy highway, and uses Kunsthal museum as a bridge that connects the urban and the natural landscapes. The main idea behind the buildings design was that of a square crossed by two routes. One of those routes is a public pedestrian ramp linking the north and south sides of the museum and a road, parallel to the highway, running east west. Those routes would divide the square into four autonomous parts that would be joined by an axis of movement. The challenge for Rem Koolhaas and his partners was to design a museum- building as four different, autonomous projects, a feature that is used before in the Seattle City Library (2004) where Koolhaas designed the building as several different parts connected by a spiral route. From that challenge the concept of the building was a continuous circuit through the spaces. The concept idea was achieved by the use of ramps running through the interior, connecting the different levels and divides the functional areas. The ramps are connecting the interior spaces on different levels but at the same time the floor slopes and ramps are traversing the structure as the several parts of the building are piled on top of each other. Circulation is an important element of Rem Koolhaas architecture and as he stated: The movement changes the architecture.  [1]   Appendix: 1 Sections of the building showing the floor slopes created by the ramps. One of the ramps that divides the structure is the public, pedestrian ramp that runs from the highway level of the north facade to the access road at the lower level of the museum park. A glass wall separates the public path from the interior exhibition space that creates a connection between interior exterior spaces. Another passage through the Kunsthal Museum is an access road that runs Appendix: 2 Exterior public ramp glass wall beneath the building. A second; interior ramp runs parallel but reversed and crosses the pedestrian ramp. The entrance of the museum is defined when the two ramps meet. The interior ramp at the entrance of the building leads to the ground level into the Exhibition Hall One that faces out to the museum park. Rem Koolhaas used tree columns scattered on the interior to refer to the exterior view. At the end of Hall one a ramp leads to Hall two that faces out towards the urban landscape. Through Hall two a path leads either back to the entrance or leads up a different ramp to a roof garden but halfway up the visitor faces Hall three. This complex spatial circulation creates a unique experience through spaces with the use of different contemporary lighting systems and materials for each of the paths, ramps and spaces through the museum. Koolhaas is also using this technique in order to divide the private and public areas but also to create a unique relationship between interior and exterior. Appendix: 3 Lighting systems through spaces Appendix: 4 Roof Lighting systems Circulation is the main idea behind Kunsthal museum and as Rem Koolhaas stated for the MOMA expansion project: It is evident that circulation is what makes or breaks public architecture.   [2]   In the Kunsthal museum ramps are used as connectors but also are used to move the viewer from one space (gallery) to the next in order to experience the journey between spaces. Rem Koolhaas attempt to contain in Kunsthal, but also in some other projects, a complex spiral shape movement within a square which refers back to Wrights Guggenheim Museum with the circular circulation, the unbuilt endless museum project by Le Corbusier and the pinwheel plan of early villas by Mies Van Der Rohe. Rem Koolhaas has used the spiral circulation within a rectangular volume in several projects like the 1989 design for the French National Library in Paris. Many of Kunsthal design elements were used in the famous Seattle city library 10 years later, like the use of ramped spiral circulation, diverting public routes through the building, translucency and transparency. In order to create a contrast between interior and exterior spaces but also private and public areas, Rem Koolhaas used a various collection of contrasting materials, cheap and expensive, elegant and banal. The use of inexpensive, everyday materials is another element of Rem Koolhaas architecture that is contained in Kunsthal Museum. The architect stated that: Architecture is always the encounter of vision and circumstance. The Dutch dont believe in spending a lot of money on buildings so theres no choice but to build with really cheap materials.  [3]   He created a collage of materials, with Miesian aesthetics, on the exterior of the building which reflects the Mies Van der Rohes National Gallery in Berlin but in a deconstructed adaptation marked with contemporary elements and a contrast of fine marble and glass with raw materials. For Kunsthal museum Koolhaas used a collection of different materials like steel, glass, stone cladding, concrete, translucent corrugated iron sheets and plywood. This differentiation of materials had as a result the fragmentation of the facades and each side of the building is completely different. The architect used heavy, solid materials where the interior spaces had to be kept private and the use of glass gave a feeling of openness and a link between exterior-interior. With the use of glass he also achieved to open the exterior facades in order to show to the public the interior spaces without giving a clear image of whats really happening behind the walls. Appendix: 5 East Facade of the museum Appendix: 6 North West Facades of the museum The complexity and uniqueness of the building but also the detailing that Rem Koolhaas added to the Kunsthal museum is revealed not only through the exterior and interior architectural details but also through the structure of the building. Kunsthal museum, unlike most of the buildings, especially that time, embraces many options that create a varied spatial experience that make the concept and the building itself, stronger. The design of the structure for Kunsthal reveals the relationship between architectural intent, rationality and structure. Many elements were embedded in the structural system in order to create a unique structural system in each area of the building. There is a distortion of the structural grid and it is visible in the interior, in each hall the columns were placed diagonal in plan. Appendix: 7 Architectural and structural plans of the museum. In Hall one there are two rows of columns slipping past each other but in Hall two there is a complete free span space. The Auditorium has also a different structural system with slanted columns and the pedestrians ramps- path is being designed as a double cantilever with columns running across, diagonal in plan. The irrational structural system that is used in Kunsthal museum is exposed on the exterior of the museum at the main entrance, leaving a taste of what is to come on the interior for visitors. Next to the entrance there are four different columns very closed to each, one H column, one reinforced concrete column, one castellated and one cylindrical column. The unique structural systems used in the Kunsthal, the cheap exposed materials, the fragmentation of the facades by different materials, the use of a complex circulation, the extensive detailing throughout the building but also some functional problems that came to the surface after the opening of the museum in 1992, set Kunsthal as the pace for a lot of criticism about Rem Koolhaas and his architecture. Rem Koolhaas stated at one of his interviews for his book S.M.L.XL that: I was also interested in showing the implications of failure showing both the calculations and the miscalculations of projects.  [4]  Kunsthal museum is a great example of many architectural elements that Koolhaas wrote about and used at many of his later projects, but some failures was found in some of the detailing of the building after the opening in 1992. Problems associated with the building were indicated by many of its visitors. Some of the comments made by the visitors stated that the entrance of the building was not exactly obvious so later on a lighting arrow indicating the door was placed outside the entrance. Other problems associated to the building were some of the narrow corridors and metal grid flooring used in one of the exhibition halls that caused several drawbacks to the function of the building and created a lot of criticism for the architecture of the museum. Appendix: 8 Entrance of the museum Conclusion Alli mia paragraph g tin simantikotita p ennan to conclusion se 2 Perhaps its because Koolhaas is not wedded to any one style that he finds McArchitecture easy to digest. Unlike the work of Peter Eisenman or Gehry, a Koolhaas building isnt easily identifiable. In some ways I consider that a compliment, says Koolhaas. You work in so many conditions that it would be artificial and unreal if your work did not become very different too. Bibliography: Balmond, C. (2007) Informal, Prestel Publishing. Baumeister,R. Lee,S.(2007)The Domestic and the Foreign in Architecture, Rotterdam, 010 Publishers. Egeraat, E. Jodidio,P. Richters, C.(2005) 10 years, realized work, Australia, The images Publising Group. Graafland, A. Graafland, A.(2000) The socius of architecture: Amsterdam, Tokyo, New York. Rotterdam, 010 Publishers. Groenendijk, P. Vollaard, P. (2004) Guide to Contemporary Architecture in the Netherlands, Rotterdam, Uitgeverij 010 Publishers. Koolhaas, R. Mau, B. (1995) S.M.L.XL, New York, Monacelli Press. Koolhaas, R. (1996) Rem Koolhaas : Conversations with Students, New York, Princeton Architectural Press. Koolhaas, R.( 1994) Delirious New York: A retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan, New York, Monacelli Press. Naredi-Rainer, P. Hilger, O. (2004) Museum buildings: a design manual, Switzerland, Publishers for architecture. Storrie, C.(2006) The Delirious Museum: A Journey from the Louvre to Las Vegas, New York, I.B. Tauris Co Ltd. Waldheim, C.(2006)The landscape urbanism reader,New York, Princeton Architectural Press. http://architectuul.com/architect/rem-koolhaas http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Ge-La/Koolhaas-Rem.html http://www.ribajournal.com/blog/comments/rotterdam_kunsthal/ Appendixes:

Causes of the American Revolution Essay -- American War for Independen

The American Revolution was a dramatic change in the political, social, and economic system of New England. It was not a bloody revolution; on the contrary it is unique because it was not as violence as other revolutions we know (French, Russia and China). The American Revolution had many causes. Long-term social, economic, and political changes in the colonies before 1750 provided the basis for an independent nation with representative political institutions. More immediately, the French and Indian War (1754-1763) changed the relationship between the colonies and the Mother land. Finally, a decade of conflicts between the British government and the colonists that began with the Stamp Act in 1765, led to the outbreak of war in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence the 4th of July of 1776. There are both precipitating and underline causes for the revolution. The precipitating causes are the dramatic change in the circumstances like the end of the Seven-Year War (1754-1763) against the French and Indians. From this day this two groups were not a threat anymore. However, the colonists had to pay for the war England had fought and almost immediately the Parliament started levying taxes over the colonies. The colonists perceived a dramatic treat to their liberties coming from the English monarchy, a perceived for uncheck power. They agreed to pay taxes if they had a representation in the Parliament. The underline cause of the revolution was the increasing demand of in...

Limited Brands Financial Analysis

Limited Brands, Inc. , like many other companies, saw a downturn in profits and revenues during the economic slowdown. Limited Brands owns companies such as Victoria’s Secret, The Limited, Bath and Body Works and others. Chairperson and CEO Leslie Wexner did not fear the economic crisis, she did not focus on things that were out of her control, but instead, focused on getting even closer to the customer. Wexner (2010) stated, â€Å"we had to be frugal with resources, time and money†¦we streamlined the business, stayed lean and quick and concentrated all our efforts on the few things that produce the biggest returns. While there was a decline between 2009 and 2010, Wexner’s efforts paid off, as Limited Brands has seen an increase in profit margin during the 2010 year. Analyzing the notes in the income statement gives a better understanding of how Limited Brands is operating. Limited Brands fiscal year ends on the last Saturday of January each year. On January 31, 2 009, the cash and cash equivalents were $1. 17 million. On January 30, 2010, cash and cash equivalents were $1. 8 million. According to the notes, cash and cash equivalents consist of â€Å"cash on hand, demand deposits with financial institutions and highly liquid investments with original maturities of less than 90 days† (Limited Brands, 2010). The notes also state, â€Å"The companies outstanding checks, which amounted to $76 million as of January 30, 2010 and $86 million as of January first 2009, are included in Accounts Payable on the Consolidated Balance Sheets† (Limited Brands, 2010). Limited Brands continues to disclose the nature of their investment portfolio, which currently consists of â€Å"U. S. and Canadian government obligations, U. S. Treasury and AAA-rated money market funds, bank time deposits, and highly rated commercial paper† (Limited Brands, 2010). Accounts Receivables 2009 were $236 million compared to 2010’s receivables balance of $219 million. Limited Brands not only monitors the use and creditworthiness of individuals and businesses, when extending credit, but also limits the amount of credit exposure with any one entity when requesting credit. Inventories in 2009 were valued at $1. 18 million and declined to just $1. 03 million in 2010. For Limited Brands, inventories are primarily valued at the lower cost or market, on a weighted-average cost basis. Valuation adjustments are made at the discretion of management if the cost of inventory on hand, exceeds the amount expected to receive from sale or disposal of the inventory. Management bases the decision to adjust value based on future demand and market conditions, while also taking into consideration and analyzing historical sales data. Inventory Loss adjustments are also made for estimated physical loss of inventory since the last physical inventory. Managers will also take into consideration operating trends and historical data when making these adjustments. As of January 30, 2010, inventories consisted of: Finished Goods Merchandise$ 973 million Raw Materials and Merchandise Components$ 64 million Total Inventories$1,037 million Limited Brands discloses in the Restructuring section: In 2007 they recognized a pre-tax charge of $19 million related to excess raw material and component inventory with Bath and Body Works. The cost was included in Cost of Goods Sold, buying and occupancy in the 2007 Consolidated Statement of Income. Gross Profits for 2009 were $3. 02 million versus $3 million in 2008.

Vsm Group: Examination of Strategic Position and Development of a Competitive Strategy

1. INTRODUCTION Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005, p. 9) define strategy as the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term, which achieves advantage in a changing environment through its configuration of resources and competencies with the aim of fulfilling stakeholder expectations. Strategy is therefore the long term direction of an organisation. Strategic Management can be defined as the art and science of formulating, implementing, and evaluating cross-functional decisions that enable an organisation to achieve its objectives (David 1999, p. ). Strategic management therefore focuses on the activities of the organisation that contribute to the achievement of organisational success. These activities include management, marketing, financial management, operations management, research and development, and information systems. The strategic position of the VSM will be analysed by applying the analytical models of strategic management to the current situation in the company. The following models will be used to analyse both the internal and external environment of the company, namely, PESTEL, Five Forces Model, and the SWOT analysis The examination of the strategic position of VSM will involve analysing the strategy of the company with emphasis on the environment it operates in, its strategic capabilities, and how expectations affect organisational purposes and strategies. The analysis will conclude with a clear statement of the Key Issues and Critical Success factors. The strategic position of VSM will then be used as a base to develop an appropriate competitive strategy for the company. The development of the strategy will also take into account the organisational cultural issues prevailing in the company. 2. COMPANY OVERVIEW The VSM (Viking Sewing Machines) Group AB engages in the development, production, marketing, and sale of household sewing machines and related accessories, and software (BusinessWeek, 2008. VSM Group AB: Private Company Information, [internet]). The VSM Group currently has two brands, namely, Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff. The company produces several lines of sewing machines, the top being the Designer series and the lowest being the mechanical (non-computerised) Huskystars (Wikipedia 2007 [internet]). The company has manufacturing facilities in Sweden and the Czech Republic and produces top-of-the-line household sewing machines with related accessories and software. Each brand has its own unique and separate product line. According to BusinessWeek (VSM Group AB: Private Company Information, [internet]) the company was founded in 1689 and is headquartered in Huskvarna, Sweden. It has offices in many countries including Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Holland, and the United States of America. As of February 2006 the company was acquired by Singer Sewing Company (BusinessWeek, 2008. VSM Group AB: Private Company Information, [internet]). 3. STRATEGIC POSITION OF THE VSM GROUP The strategic position is concerned with the impact on strategy of the external environment, an organisation’s strategic capability (resources and competences) and the expectations and influence of stakeholders (Johnson et al 2005, p. 17). The strategic position of VSM Group will be examined by utilising the following factors, namely, the influence/impact of macro-environmental issues to the strategy, understanding the company’s strategic capability and how this strengthens the company’s competitive advantage, and thirdly how expectations shape organisational purposes and strategies. The impact of the macro-environment will be analysed using the PESTEL framework, Porter’s Five Forces Model, SWOT analysis and the competitive nature of VSM Group’s home base of Sweden. PESTEL identifies six main types of environmental influences, namely, political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal. Each influence will be discussed hereunder. 3. 1. PESTEL Political variables †¢ Political stability in Sweden and the United States. †¢ The prevalence of foreign trade regulations in the USA. Economic variables †¢ Decline in demand for sewing machines in past two decades. †¢ Decline in industry profitability. †¢ Low sales in respect of Pfaff within three years of acquisition. †¢ High production costs in the German Pfaff plant. †¢ Investment by Juki and other industry players into the US market. Socio-cultural factors †¢ Not using a consultant for the strategic planning weekend meeting made the strategy process unstructured and was a shift from the company’s way of doing things. †¢ Encouraging participation in the strategy process by middle management through a series of seminars. †¢ The adoption of the strategy document changed workers’ attitudes. The strategy document served as a guide on operational matters. The mission statement was frequently promoted in the company’s public relations. †¢ Focus shift from technical features to customer satisfaction. Technological variables Extended support for business development to encourage retailers to carry the Husqvarna Viking product line exclusively. †¢ Cooperation with Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, a large retailer of fabrics with over a thousand stores throughout the USA, setting up small sewing machine outlets inside their fabric stores. This lead to the introduction of ‘after-ma rket’ services such as training in sewing techniques, software for embroidery construction and ready-made embroidery patterns, spare parts and auxiliary sewing equipment. These after-market services are run by retailers. Customers were willing to pay as much as five to six thousand dollars on a three day course with a sewing expert. †¢ A new accounting system was installed in May 1999. †¢ The marketing and the technical development department also moved into the same office building in January 2000. This ensures that the two departments operate in sync from conception of product ideas to production and ultimately, the marketing of the product. †¢ Introduction of the Designer I model of sewing machine in 1999. The model made use of software to control the machine and contained no less than eight motors to cater for all functions. Customers could download upgrades from the internet site, save it onto the floppy disk that comes with the Designer I package and slide it into the built-in disk drive. This method of upgrading performance was new for sewing machines. †¢ The acquisition of Embroidery Networks Ltd (Emnet) in March 1999. Emnet produced software for PC-controlled professional sewing. With the advent of the internet people could exchange embroidery patterns through the internet or download them at the VSM website. VSM also expanded the number of software engineers from 3 to 17. Environmental variables Manufacture of environmentally friendly sewing machines. †¢ Manufacture of machines which do not consume much electricity. Legal variables †¢ Quality machines which are safe to use. †¢ Flexible labour legislation in Sweden and the USA. †¢ The mission statement pronouncement on the provision of growth opportunities for employees. 3. 2. Five Forces Model Porter identifies five basic f orces that can act on the organisation, namely, (1) the bargaining power of suppliers, (2) the bargaining power of buyers, (3) the threat of potential new entrants, (4) the threat of substitutes, and (5) the extent of competitive rivalry. The objective of the analysis is to investigate how VSM Group needs to form its strategy in order to develop opportunities in its environment and protect itself against competition and other threats. The bargaining power of suppliers The VSM Group restructured its operations when Pfaff in Germany and the Zetina plant in Czech Republic were taken over. Parts were now obtained from local suppliers and those from the Far East. This resulted in the reduction of costs by 50 per cent on key machine components concurrent with large improvements in quality and rejection rates. In this respect the suppliers’ bargaining power can be said to low. The bargaining power of buyers Buyers of VSM Group sewing machines have low bargaining power because the buyers are not concentrated in one geographical area. VSM is an international company and has a wide customer base. The products from VSM are greatly differentiated and therefore cannot be regarded as the same as those from other industry players. The threat of VSM Group buyers switching to other manufacturers is low. The threat of potential new entrants The ease with which new companies can enter the sewing and embroidery industries will increase the intensity of competitiveness among industry companies. High unit costs of production may present barriers to entry because they mean that any new entrant has to come in on a large scale in order to achieve the low cost levels of those already present in the industry. The current high technological advancements and innovation levels in VSM Group, strong customer loyalty to VSM Group, strong brand name, large initial capital requirements, government regulatory frameworks in Sweden and the USA, and superior products create barriers to entry for potential new entrants. The threat of substitutes The threat posed by substitute products by other manufacturers can be countered by continuous investment in technology and ‘after-market’ services by the VSM Group. The extent of competitive rivalry The sewing machine and embroidery industries are more competitive than other industries. The intensity of rivalry in the industry has increased with the coming into the industry of major manufacturing companies from the Far East. The decline in the demand for sewing machines and price cutting by VSM Group also increased rivalry among industry players. The differences in company strategies, origins (Europe and Far East) and culture (European and Japanese) increases rivalry as well. As rivalry among competing firms intensifies, industry profits decline, in some cases to the point where an industry becomes inherently unattractive (David 1999, p. 128). This statement manifests itself in the number of major manufacturers (Singer and Pfaff) who are going bankrupt. 3. 3. Identification of Key Issues: SWOT ANALYSIS A SWOT analysis summarises the key issues from the business environment and the strategic capability of an organisation that are most likely to impact on strategy development (Johnson et al 2005). It analyses the internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats. The following is a SWOT analysis of the VSM Group AB. SWOT analysis of VSM Group AB |Internal Strengths |Internal Weaknesses | |Market dominance in Europe. |Dependence on few product ranges. | |Leadership and management skills. |High production costs. | |Financial and cash resources. |Reliance on retailers for distribution. | |Manufacturing ability. |Lack of industry information. |Innovation processes and results. |Possession of two brands that compete in the same market. | |Reputation. | | |Product and service quality. | | |Differentiated brands. | | |One European currency – Euro. | | |External Opportunities |External Threats | |New markets and segments. |New market entrants. | |Free market economies arising in Asia. |Increased competition. | |Diversification opportunities. |Increased pressure from customers and suppliers. | |New takeover opportunities. |Substitutes. | |International growth. |Low market growth. | |Increased demand for sewing machines. |Economic cycle downturn. | |Competitor weakness. |Technological threat. | |Demographic and social change. |Change in political or economic environment. | |New international barriers to trade. | 3. 4The competitive nature of VSM’s home country What has become known as Porter’s Diamond suggests that there are inherent reasons why some nations are more competitive than others, and why some industries within nations are more competitive than others (Johnson 2005, p. 71). The model will be used to examine how the home base of VSM i. e. Sweden plays an important role in creating competitive advantage on a global scale for VSM. The following four decisive elements are identified: †¢ Availability of strengths in certain fields especially the automation and technological fields. The technological advancements made by the VSM Group in its Swedish operation since the beginning of the millennium gives it a competitive advantage over its rivals and enable it to compete internationally. †¢ High demand in the Sweden for VSM Group sewing machines provides the basis upon which the characteristics of the advantage of the company are shaped and leads to global dominance of the industry by VSM. †¢ Related and supporting industries in the Swedish economy, . e. , the presence of Bernina Fritz Gegauf AG means that the two companies benefit from each other. Bernina enjoyed a solid reputation and their product range resembled that of VSM with their top model accepting embroidery files developed for other brands including VSM. All these factors made Bernina an important quality benchmark for VSM. †¢ Domest ic rivalry with Bernina and the need by both companies to search for competitive advantage helped to provide the two companies with bases for achieving such advantage on a global scale. 3. 5. Foundations of strategic capability According to Johnson et al (2005, p. 17) strategic capability can be defined as the adequacy and suitability of the resources and competences of an organisation for it to survive and prosper. The strategic capability of a company refers to the resources that the organisation has and the way in which these resources are used. Resources and competences VSM’s resources can be considered under the following four broad categories: †¢ Physical resources – manufacturing plants in Sweden, USA and the Czech Republic. †¢ Financial resources – operating cash, budgets. †¢ Human resources – average number of employees (1,689). The intangible resources will refer to the skills and knowledge that the employees possess. †¢ Intellectual capital – the brand name VSM Group AB, business systems and customer databases. Threshold capabilities Threshold capabilities are those essential for the organisation to be able to compete in a given market (Johnson et al 2005). VSM’s threshold resources refer to: internet based developments, the acquired software company Emnet, increased number of engineers, and Pfaff. Unique resources and core competences The design of the VSM sewing machines make them unique resources in hat they give the company competitive advantage and other manufacturers find it difficult to imitate or copy the designs. VSM’s core competences refer to: the ‘Dealer-Partners’ programme, the cooperation with Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, and the accompanying introduction of the ‘after-market’ services. All these strategies give VSM a competitive advantage. 3. 6 . Organisational culture analysis Johnson et al (2005, p. 47) define culture as the basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organisation, that operate unconsciously and define in a basic taken-for-granted fashion an organisation’s view of itself and its environment. Every organisation has a culture and it includes values, beliefs, rites, language, metaphors, symbols and rituals. Culture derives from VSM’s past, present, current people, technology and physical resources, aims, objectives and values of those who work in the organisation. These cultural products can be used by strategists at VSM to influence and direct strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation activities. The following cultural factors specific to VSM have been identified: †¢ The strategy process was changed to include, for the first time, both top and middle management. The involvement of middle managers had a positive effect on operations in that the strategy document was referred to as a guide on operational matters and the mission statement was frequently promoted in VSM’s public relations exercises. The strategy document was also regarded as an ongoing process which could be changed in response to changing situations in the company. †¢ Retailers were transformed into ‘Dealer-Partners’ which included extended business support to retailers to encourage them to deal only with the Husqvarna Viking product line. In the USA, VSM entered into a cooperation agreement with Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts to set up small sewing machine outlets inside their fabric stores. This lead to the introduction of ‘after-market’ services such as training in sewing techniques, software for embroidery construction and ready-made embroidery patterns, spare parts and auxiliary sewing equipment. These after-market services are run by retaile rs. Customers were willing to pay as much as five to six thousand dollars on a three day course with a sewing expert. In support of the company’s strategy the top management of the company was changed to accommodate the managers of the national sales companies as well as the marketing vice president. †¢ The operating systems also underwent major changes. A new accounting system was installed in May 1999 to assess accounting information in new ways to keep track of the various activities in the value chain. †¢ The acquisition of Pfaff upset some employees and pleased others. The company now had two brands which were competing for the same market. Former competitors were now brought to the same stable and the company faced a challenge of how to keep them apart on other dimensions than price and quality. †¢ The relocation of the German Karlsruhe operation to the Swedish Huskvarna plant resulted in only a handful of research and development engineers staying on. The company had to re-orientate the German engineers into the Swedish way of doing things since the engineering principles of the two countries were fundamentally different. 4. FORMULATION OF COMPETITIVE STRATEGY Long-term objectives represent the results expected from pursuing certain strategies (David 1999, p. 76). Strategies represent the actions to be taken to accomplish long-term objectives (David 1999, p. 176). Objectives take the generalities of the mission statement and turn them into more specific commitments: usually this will cover what is to be done and when the objective is to be completed (Lynch 2003, p. 440). Objectives will therefore possess the foll owing characteristics, namely, they should be measurable, realistic, understandable to all, hierarchical, achievable, and should contain time frames. Clearly communicated objectives, according to David (1999, p. 77), are vital to the success of the company as they provide a basis for consistent decision making by company managers and help stakeholders understand their role in the company. Formulating the competitive strategy for the VSM Group will consist of aligning the internal resources and skills and the external opportunities and risks. The alignment will make use of the Threats-Opportunities-Weaknesses-Strengths (TOWS) Matrix. The TOWS matrix will be developed based on the information obtained in the SWOT analysis of the VSM Group and will identify options that address different combination of the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and the external factors (opportunities and threats). 4. 1. Critical Success Factors: TOWS MATRIX Johnson et al (2005, p. 96) define criti cal success factors (CSFs) as the product features that are particularly valued by a group of customers and, therefore, where the organisation must excel to outperform competition. Critical success factors relate to the aspects of the competitive strategy in which a company must excel. The TOWS Matrix identifies four types of strategies, namely, SO Strategies, WO Strategies, ST Strategies, and WT Strategies. SO Strategies make use of the company’s internal strengths to take advantage of the external opportunities. WO Strategies take advantage of external opportunities to improve internal weaknesses. ST Strategies make use of the company’s strengths to avoid or reduce the impact of external threats. WT Strategies are defensive tactics directed at reducing internal weaknesses and avoiding environmental threats (David 1999, p. 81). The VSM Group TOWS Matrix | |Strengths (S) |Weaknesses (W) | |INTERNAL |Market dominance in Europe. |Dependence on few product ranges. | |FACTORS |Leadership and management skills. |High production costs. | |(IFAS) |Financial and cash resources. |Reliance on retailers. |EXTERNAL FACTORS |Manufacturing ability. |Lack of industry information. | |(EFAS) |Innovation processes and results. | | |Opportunities (O) |SO Strategies |WO Strategies | |New markets and segments. |Continued investment in Europe and the USA. |Explore new products and ranges. | |Free market economies arising in Asia. Penetrate high-end embroidery segment further. |Exploit mergers and takeovers. | |Diversification opportunities. | |Abandon high cost operations. | |New takeover opportunities. | |Diversify into new markets in Europe and Asia. | |International growth. | |Enhance retailer network which focuses on hobby | |One European currency – Euro | |segment. |Threats (T) |ST Strategies |WT Strategies | |New market entrants. |Emphasise after-market sales of accessories and |Withdraw from declining markets, etc. Germany. | |Increased competition. |software. |Increase brand awareness in current markets. | |Increased pressure from customers and suppliers. |Continued investment in Europe and the USA. |Reduce reliance on retailers. | |Substitutes. |Build on current management capacity. Where possible, develop barriers for new | |Low mar ket growth. | |entrants. | 2. Strategic options at VSM Group AB Development directions are the strategic options available to an organisation, in terms of products and market coverage, taking into account the strategic capability of the organisation and the expectations of stakeholders (Johnson et al 2005, p. 340). The following strategic options are proposed for the VSM Group: 1. Protect and build on current position Consolidation Consolidation is where organisations protect and strengthen their position in their current markets with current products (Johnson et al 2005, p. 342). The sewing market situation is forever changing and requires industry players to continuously innovate to improve the value of the products. The threat of new competitors or new entrants into the sewing industry means that VSM has to pay particular attention to how the company’s resources and skills should be adapted and developed to maintain its competitive advantage. Withdrawal by VSM from the German market should be regarded as consolidation. Market penetration A market penetration strategy seeks to increase market share for present products or services in present markets through greater marketing efforts (David 1999, p. 50). VSM should therefore strive to penetrate the high-end embroidery market further by utilising aggressive marketing efforts. These efforts should be focused on existing markets in the countries mentioned in the company overview. 2. Product development Product development refers to significant new product developments and not minor variations on an existing product. According to David (1999, p. 51) product development is a strategy that seeks to increase sales by improving or modifying present products or services. Continued development and innovation on the Designer series will counter new entrants into the market, will maintain the company’s reputation as an innovator, and will protect the company’s overall market share. 3. Market development Market development is where existing products are offered in new markets (Johnson et al 2005, p. 46). This may involve seeking new market segments, new geographical areas, or new uses for its products that will bring in new customers. Expansion to bring in new customers to the company for its existing company could involve some slight repackaging and then promotion to a new market segment. It will often involve selling the same product in new international markets, especially i n China and Asia. 4. Diversification: related markets Diversification is defined as a strategy that takes an organisation away from both its current markets and products (Johnson et al 2005, p. 46). When an organisation diversifies, it moves out of its current markets and products into new areas. Diversification carries with it an element of risk as it involves a step into the unknown. Moving into related markets however minimises the risk. VSM can diversify into related markets by becoming involved in the activities of its outputs such as distribution, transport, and logistics. 3. Methods of strategy development at VSM Group AB (Action Plan) A development method is the means by which any strategic direction will be pursued (Johnson et al 2005, p. 348). For an international company, VSM can use the following means of pursuing its strategic direction: acquisition and mergers, joint ventures and alliances, franchising, licensing, overseas offices, and overseas manufacture. 1. Acquisition and mergers Acquisition is where strategies are developed by taking over ownership of another organisation (Johnson et al 2005, p. 349). According to David (1999, p. 59), an acquisition occurs when a large organisation purchases a smaller one and vice versa. Mergers occur when two organisations of similar size unite to form one enterprise. The acquisition of Pfaff by the VSM Group represented a coup for VSM. The VSM Group had in its stable two strong brands that competed for the same market space. Acquisitions of manufacturing companies in the Far East would also assist VSM to break into new markets (market development), new technologies, and low cost raw materials. 2. Joint ventures and alliances A strategic alliance is where two or more organisations share resources and activities to pursue a strategy (Johnson et al 2005, p. 353). It is a form of weaker contractual agreement between two parent companies. A joint venture is the formation of a company whose shares are owned jointly by two parent companies (Lynch 2003, p. 483). In order to diversify into related markets and to access new markets like those in the Far East it will be crucial for VSM to form joint ventures and strategic alliances with current manufacturers namely, Brother, Janome or Juki. These types of agreements lock out other competitors, utilises joint expertise and commitment, and allows potential partners to learn about each other. 3. Franchise A franchise is a form of licensing agreement in the contractor provides the licensee with a pre-formed package of activity (Lynch 2003, p. 484). The package may include offers of the VSM Group brand name to retailers, technical service expertise and advertising assistance. This can be an attractive proposition to retailers willing to take up a franchise licence as it possesses lower risk and provides exclusive territory to the franchisee. This will also enhance dealer network which focuses on the hobby segment of the market 4. Licensing According to David (2003, p. 84) licensing refers to a situation where technology or other assets are provided under licence from the home country. Payment for such services is usually in the form of royalty or some form of arrangement. 5. Overseas offices The VSM Group has sales companies and representative offices in Europe, Russia, North America and Australia. The VSM Group could gain competitive advantage by expanding their operations into the Far East and Africa. These additional offices would provide a permanent presence for the VSM Group in those new markets. 6. Overseas manufacture The VSM Group currently has two manufacturing plants in Sweden and the Czech Republic. The establishment of new manufacturing plants in overseas countries like the USA carries risks for the company. However the risks may be offset through the savings that could be derived from no longer having to export to those overseas countries. 4. CONCLUSION Strategy was defined as the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term, which achieves advantage in a changing environment through its configuration of resources and competencies with the aim of fulfilling stakeholder expectations. Strategic Management was also defined as the art and science of formulating, implementing, and evaluating cross-functional decisions that enable an organisation to achieve its objectives. The strategic position of the VSM Group AB was analysed by applying the analytical models of strategic management to the current situation in the company. The following models were utilised to analyse both the internal and external environment of the company, namely, PESTEL, Five Forces Model, and the SWOT analysis. The examination of the strategic position of VSM Group involved analysing the strategy of the company with emphasis on the environment it operates in, its strategic capabilities, and how expectations affect organisational purposes and strategies. The analysis of the environment concluded with a clear statement of the Key Issues (SWOT Analysis) and Critical Success factors (TOWS Matrix). The strategic position of VSM Group was used as a base in the development of an appropriate competitive strategy for the company. The development of the strategy took into account the organisational cultural issues prevailing in the company. 5. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. David, F. R. , 1999. Strategic Management. 7th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2. http://investing. businessweek. com [accessed 08 May 2008] 3. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/VSM_Group_AB [accessed 08 May 2008] 4. Johnson, G. Scholes, K. & Whittington, R. , 2005. Exploring Corporate Strategy. 7th ed. Financial Times Prentice Hall. 5. Lynch, R. , 2003. Corporate Strategy. 3rd ed. Financial Times Prentice Hall.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte essays

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte essays Wuthering Heights opens as a diary; according to Steinitz (2000), this serves as a means to establish a frame through which the story can be told. Steinitz also suggests that Bronte uses a personal diary to "articulate her preoccupation with space by locating all of her family members precisely" (Steinitz, 2000:1). She notes the exact positioning for example of her sister Anne's foot on the floor; likewise her character Catherine uses a diary not to place people, but rather as a means to detail a "series of struggles which replace emplacement with displacement" (Steinitz, 2000:1). The work goes on to discuss the displacement of a series of characters including the narrator, who rambles from time to time and seems to suffer from an "anxiety of place;" Lockwood, the narrator obviously uses the diary as a method of discourse, but also as a means perhaps to search for a space to put himself (Steinitz, 2000:1). These ideas are perhaps reflective of Ms. Bronte's own desire to find a place for herself. According to Gaskell (1857) Bronte's earliest years were passed amidst "peculiar forms of population and society" (p.9) whose impressions made upon her early life influenced her writing, including that in Wuthering Heights. Gaskell goes on to say that Bronte's observations of the "peculiar force of character which the Yorkshirement display" are evidenced in many of her characters, particularly Joseph in Wuthering Heights. Joseph is an individual that rarely requires the assistance of other; yet comes to depend upon them; he might be considered a member of the "short- sighted class" whose feelings are not easily roused, but "their duration is The characters in Bronte's Wuthering heights, primarily Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, have been described as "psychologically strange" yet intelligible (Levy, 1996:1). Joyce Carol Oates commented that ...

Free Essays on The Conflict Between Miss Y And Mrs. X

THE CONFLICT BETWEEN MISS Y AND MRS. X â€Å"When two women, with a past like ours, who loathe each other the way we do things tend to get ugly when they get together.† This was said in â€Å"made-for-T.V. movie, but it perfectly explains the relationship between Missy and Mrs. X. The two women in this play, â€Å"The Stronger† by August Strindberg, (Miss Y, Amelia, and Mrs. X) are two women who were not necessarily friends, but more along the lines of acquaintances at one point in their relationship. However, something happened along the way that caused them to be angry with one another. In the beginning of this play Mrs. X was tiring to be friends with Miss Y, but Miss Y wanted nothing to do with Mrs. X. Nonetheless, Mrs. X sat at Miss Y’s table and began to speak to her about topics such as family, children, and the way Mrs. X â€Å"got in Miss Y’s way† and got her kicked out of the theater company they both worked for. Completely disregarding any hint from Miss Y that she was not necessarily welcomed at her table. Doing so caused Mrs. X to put together pieces of a rather large puzzle in which the end result was the affair that Miss Y had With Mrs. X’s husband. Miss Y is a quiet timid woman, who does absolutely no talking (verbally) in this story, but only expresses her self by facial jesters and a few sinkers and giggles now and then. Mrs. X: Why, Millie my dear, how are you? Sitting hear all alone on Christmas Eve like some Bachelor. Miss Y looks up from her magazine, nods and continues to read. (121) She does not seem to find it very important to discuss the topics that Mrs. X is bringing up because all it will do is end up hurting Mrs. X. She shows a lot of self-control because no matter how many hurtful things Mrs. X says, Miss Y still remains silent and hesitant, even when Mrs. x asks her to speak. It could also be that she is possibly lacking the strength to bring up this past that we find to be so very vivid. Sh... Free Essays on The Conflict Between Miss Y And Mrs. X Free Essays on The Conflict Between Miss Y And Mrs. X THE CONFLICT BETWEEN MISS Y AND MRS. X â€Å"When two women, with a past like ours, who loathe each other the way we do things tend to get ugly when they get together.† This was said in â€Å"made-for-T.V. movie, but it perfectly explains the relationship between Missy and Mrs. X. The two women in this play, â€Å"The Stronger† by August Strindberg, (Miss Y, Amelia, and Mrs. X) are two women who were not necessarily friends, but more along the lines of acquaintances at one point in their relationship. However, something happened along the way that caused them to be angry with one another. In the beginning of this play Mrs. X was tiring to be friends with Miss Y, but Miss Y wanted nothing to do with Mrs. X. Nonetheless, Mrs. X sat at Miss Y’s table and began to speak to her about topics such as family, children, and the way Mrs. X â€Å"got in Miss Y’s way† and got her kicked out of the theater company they both worked for. Completely disregarding any hint from Miss Y that she was not necessarily welcomed at her table. Doing so caused Mrs. X to put together pieces of a rather large puzzle in which the end result was the affair that Miss Y had With Mrs. X’s husband. Miss Y is a quiet timid woman, who does absolutely no talking (verbally) in this story, but only expresses her self by facial jesters and a few sinkers and giggles now and then. Mrs. X: Why, Millie my dear, how are you? Sitting hear all alone on Christmas Eve like some Bachelor. Miss Y looks up from her magazine, nods and continues to read. (121) She does not seem to find it very important to discuss the topics that Mrs. X is bringing up because all it will do is end up hurting Mrs. X. She shows a lot of self-control because no matter how many hurtful things Mrs. X says, Miss Y still remains silent and hesitant, even when Mrs. x asks her to speak. It could also be that she is possibly lacking the strength to bring up this past that we find to be so very vivid. Sh...

D para trabajar en cruceros en Estados Unidos

Visa C1/D para trabajar en cruceros en Estados Unidos La visa C1/D, tambià ©n conocida como de tripulacià ³n/trnsito, es utilizada por las personas contratadas por cruceros para poder transitar y embarcar en Estados Unidos. En este paà ­s la industria turà ­stica de los cruceros es enorme. Ms de 20 millones de personas se embarcan al aà ±o en un puerto de los Estados Unidos para disfrutar de sus vacaciones. En este contexto se precisan trabajadores en distintos mbitos (meseros, limpieza, entretenimiento, cocineros, barmans, belleza, mantenimiento, etc.). Entre las empresas de cruceros que necesitan un flujo continuado de trabajadores (tripulantes) se encuentran: AIDA Cruises, Azamara Club, Carnival Cruises Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises Lines, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America line, MSC Cruises USA, Norwegian Cruise line, Princess Cruises y Royal Caribbean International. Y muchas de estas empresas contratan a trabajadores en otros paà ­ses, directamente o a travà ©s de agencias autorizadas. Cà ³mo se solicita la visa C1/D Primero se necesita pasar por un proceso de seleccià ³n y ser contratado por la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a del barco crucero en el que se va a trabajar. Es indispensable tener una carta oficial en la que se especifica que se ha sido contratado y presentarla en la Embajada o consulado en la que se tramita la visa. A continuacià ³n, llenar por internet el formulario DS-160. Est en inglà ©s, si no se entiende bien ese idioma ir  al ToolTip en la parte superior derecha de la pgina y elegir la opcià ³n de espaà ±ol. Si asà ­ se hace al poner poner el cursor sobre la pregunta aparecer la misma traducida al espaà ±ol. Dependiendo del consulado lo ms comà ºn es que hay que subir una foto digital durante este proceso. En algunas ubicaciones la foto se lleva a la entrevista. Fijarse bien en lo que se pide en cada caso. Al finalizar de llenar el formulario, imprimir la confirmacià ³n ya que este es un documento esencial que hay que llevar ms tarde a la entrevista en la Embajada o Consulado. Seguir las instrucciones que se indican al llenar el formulario para el pago del arancel (cancelacià ³n), en cada paà ­s se siguen reglas distintas, pero como al iniciar a llenar el documento se elige la ubicacià ³n pues simplemente se siguen las instrucciones a este respecto. Sin pago del arancel no ser posible realizar la cita para la entrevista. En la actualidad el costo de la visa C1/D es de $160 (aunque en algunos paà ­ses es ms por criterios de reciprocidad). Es posible, pero no ocurre siempre, que la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a reembolse esa cantidad. En algunos consulados tambià ©n ser necesario hacer una cita para que le tomen las huellas digitales antes de la entrevista. A continuacià ³n se programa una cita. En muchos consulados es necesario registrarse con un servicio de courier (mensajerà ­a), ya que si la visa es aprobada se enviar por este medio. Seguir las instrucciones cuando se llena el formulario DS-160. Entrevista en el consulado o Embajada El dà ­a de la cita a la hora programada, llevar: Pgina de confirmacià ³n del DS-160Una foto (a menos que se haya tenido que enviar digitalmente al llenar el DS-160, cada consulado tiene sus propias reglas).Pasaporte vigente en buen estado. Las compaà ±Ãƒ ­as de cruceros piden, en general, que la vigencia sea de al menos por un aà ±o.Pgina de registro con courier, cuando es necesario.Una carta formal del empleador con membrete impreso de la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a, lo ms especà ­fica posible.Tambià ©n llevar documentacià ³n que sirva para probar que se tiene la intencià ³n de no quedarse en Estados Unidos (lo que sirva para probar lazos fuertes econà ³micos o familiares en el paà ­s de residencia). Tambià ©n se puede pedir demostrar que se tiene dinero suficiente para pagar el boleto para unirse a la nave en la que se va a trabajar, si esta parte de un puerto en USA. La visa C1/D es una visa no inmigrante y el oficial consular puede negarla si considera que el solicitante es inadmisible. Adems, o bien el dà ­a de la entrevista o bien antes (dependiendo del consulado) se tomarn las huellas del solicitante. Los là ­mites de la visa C1/D La visa C1/D es vlida por el tiempo que se especifica en la misma. Si caduca antes el pasaporte viajar con el nuevo y tambià ©n con el expirado en el que se encuentra la visa. La visa C1/D, aà ºn cuando està © sin expirar, no puede ser empleada para emplearse legalmente en Estados Unidos en otro tipo de trabajos (sà ­ que se puede cambiar de cruceros). Por ejemplo, un mesero contratado para un crucero con ese visado no puede quedarse en tierra para trabajar en un restaurante sin antes   obtener una visa distinta una que permita trabajar (lo cual no va a ser nada fcil). Tampoco sirve para permanecer en Estados Unidos si no hay un contrato vigente con una compaà ±Ãƒ ­a de cruceros. El problema de la visa C1 En algunos aspectos se considera que es una visa que puede ser problemtica porque no permite ajustar el estatus a las personas que entraron a los Estados Unidos utilizando ese tipo de visado. Eso quiere decir que si una persona ingresa con la C1 y decide quedarse en el paà ­s puede tener un problema grande si su estancia ilegal supera los 180 dà ­as, y mucho ms si supera el aà ±o. Asà ­, aunque se casase con un ciudadano americano o con un residente permanente legal o tuviera una ofera para una visa de trabajo o un empleador estuviese dispuesto a patrocinar una tarjeta de residencia no podrà ­a ajustar el estatus y tendrà ­a que salir del paà ­s. Y ahà ­ vendrà ­a el problema. Al salirse aplica el castigo de los tres y de los diez aà ±os y durante ese tiempo no podrà ­a regresar, excepto que pudiera pedir y ganar una waiver I-601, que no es fcil conseguirla. Ni siquiera pueden arreglar los papeles por medio del Parole in Place que aplica a los esposos de ciudadanos que son militares.   Para las personas que entrar con una C1 y se quedan en el paà ­s hay muy pocas opciones: asilo, cancelacià ³n de la deportacià ³n o withholding of removal. Pero son todas muy especà ­ficas y no fciles de obtener. Por estas razones, si tienes una C1 y ests pensando en quedarte en los Estados Unidos hazte un favor a ti mismo y consulta tu caso con un abogado de inmigracià ³n y entiende bien los problemas que pueden derivar de una decisià ³n de ese tipo. Cunto se gana trabajando en un crucero Estos son los salarios medio para tripulantes de crucero segà ºn tipo de profesià ³n que se desempeà ±e. Tambià ©n se incluye un listado de agencias especializadas en encontrar trabajo en cruceros a trabajadores extranjeros. Otras opciones de trabajo Puede considerarse las visas H-2A para trabajar como temporero en la agricultura o la visa H-2B que permite desempeà ±arse en labores tipo ferias, resorts de verano o invierno y similares. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Managed innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managed innovation - Essay Example Managed innovation Competition brings in the need for companies to be innovative so as maintain and improve their market position. For a company to achieve all this, it must know how to identify the correct innovation management tools, which are of exceptional significant in realizing its goals. The key to a better innovation process is management of the innovation process. What is innovation? Does managed innovation promote innovation process? What are the gains and losses of managed innovation? The term innovation refers to a process of transforming plans into products to increase customer’s value. Innovation process is the key to success of a company. The need to rise to the top is the main reason why many American companies have ended up falling in love with the innovation idea. It is notable that there are vast dangers that arise with the innovation process. Majority of the companies view innovation as an idea that only benefits the company and thus causing them to keep innovating in all fi elds of the company. However, innovation is a costly process, disruptive and difficult. It is essential to consider both the cost of innovation and the benefits that it will bring so as to place innovation and innovators at the right places. For a company like Google, it took years to gain its current status in the world. Good management strategies have enabled Google to be on the forefront in innovation. An example of strategy that the management has embarked on is strategic patience and endurance. Strategic patience is strategies of letting time take care of at least part of the process. Throughout the years, Google has remarkably shown strategic patience in all its sectors (Lyer and Davenport 126). Through this strategy, Google has managed to achieve a lot by embarking on ventures involving television and radio advertising, social networking, online productivity, online payments, mobile phone operating systems, blogging, and many more information domains. There are numerous manag ement tools that Google has not yet developed, but through this strategy it has managed to acquire such tools from other companies. These tools include YouTube for online video, Picasa for photo management, DoubleClick for web ads, urchin for web analytics; now Google Analytics, Keyhole for satellite photos; now Google earth. If it were not for its strategic patience, Google would still be dragging behind. The short term goal of the company is not as necessary as the long term goal. It will take approximately three hundred years to reach its goal of organizing the world’s information. Rewarding of employees is another managerial concept that has enabled many companies to scale higher than expected. Financial reward and honorary are some of the ways that different companies uses to motivate upcoming entrepreneurs and innovators (Ireland and Hoskisson 78). What most of the innovative employee want is to see their idea nurtured to become a reality and their effort rewarded. The top most companies have been on the forefront in rewarding outstanding entrepreneurial achievements hence motivating them to work extra hard to achieve more. All these achievements made are for the better of the company. On the other hand, it is of concern to note that not all innovations that succeeds. Some fail and how the company handles those cases are as relevant as dealing with success. Innovative companies and any other upcoming company should emulate such managerial strategies to improve the status

Water Shortage in New Zealand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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Role of Police with Reference to Community Issues Essay

Role of Police with Reference to Community Issues - Essay Example Microsoft, Oracle, Satyam Computers, Tata Computer Services, and other educational institutions which have established their branches in the different countries do need man power, for which they need to provide necessary facilities. In this context, certain housing associations are pretty much indulged in the process of providing housing facilities. In such condition, where world meets world, different nationalities, race, colour, caste, community, it is inevitable that there would be certain issues arising every now and then. Therefore, it is necessary there should be certain policies developed by the housing association to combat such issues. In United Kingdom, Pennine Housing 2000 is one such association which provides shelter facilities on rent by complying with the regulations set up by the regulatory authority. Pennine Housing 2000 established in 2001 is Calderdale's largest and registered social landlord, managing the rented housing stock just over 11,000 properties.2 It states that the rents are kept low so that it is within the reach of everybody and standard of homes are constantly improving due to improvement programmes.3 The company has gained support and funding from Housing Corporation to continue to regenerate number of areas, replacing unpopular and rundown properties to newly built housing estates. During the Annual Tenants Conference, a tenant expressed that 99% of tenants view Peninne Housing 2000 with great respect as it is doing stupendous work while remaining 1% want more and much greater services.4 The company has always focused on meeting high standards for which over 112 million between 2001 to 2006 were spent on internal improvements, new central heating systems, and external works such as new doors, re-roofing etc. The company also promises tenancy rights of the tenan t through tenancy agreement. Pennine was recognized nationally within the social housing sector. At the National Housing Federation iNBiz Awards, it won the Best Leadership and the Employer of Choice categories - achievements which clearly place the company as a quality organisation. It also received Gold RoSPA award for Health & Safety and West Yorkshire NHS Modernisation Award for Healthy Living campaign amongst its staff. Pennine Housing being a well known housing company has its duties and responsibilities cut out. It has to provide all the facilities to its tenants as well as the society. It has the responsibility to see that their tenants are not the victims of social exclusion as there may be people of different communities and nationalities. It has to protect the rights and interest of every individual, so that he/she may not get deprived of the facilities to which he/she may be entitled. The company has also tackle issues like labeling where such acts turn an innocent, known to be good guy to some criminal. Such acts/ issues should be addressed and tackled with effective measures for the welfare of the society. And it is the responsibility of Pennine Housing 2000 to look after the buildings and have a vigilante look at all corners of the edifice and see that the repairs are done wherever necessary so that the locality does not turn into a prostitute's hub or crime yard. The company should take effective policing measures to tackle all such issues in the wake of providing decent and good

System Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

System Security - Essay Example The virus attack can only be possible to a system via removable storage devices (zip drive, jazz drive, and floppy drive) which mean a system can be protected from such attacks if the external removable devices are pre-scanned before its usage. During the current era of globalization, every LAN is connected to the biggest LAN i.e., internet one way or the other. Nearly all the financial institutions and government bodies have connected their systems over the internet to give their authorized users an ease of access from any part of the world. On one hand this has alleviated the boundaries between different countries and made communication possible in real-time between two ends of the world but on the other hand it has given an edge to the cyber criminals to breach through the complex systems by finding its loopholes. Due to the threat of hacking, none of the national security and financial data is safe from these cyber criminals unless well protected by using different pro-active techniques such as: 1) Data encryption 2) Firewalls 3) Identifying the loopholes in the current system and creating a patch for it. The encryption technique has been successfully used for data transfer between two ends over the internet because even if the data is tapped by a hacker, he cannot decrypt it since he is inaccessible to the public key for decryption. The firewall softwares are used to guard against the brute force attacks and access from an invalid domain but due to the loopholes which exist in the current operating systems these firewall softwares occasionally fail. Up till now the hackers are usually focusing on financial institutions for the monetary benefits, but in the future these hackers could also be used to manipulate the national security data and the personal ids to wage any degree of chaos as desired. This situation is expected only because we have created the space for this threat by ourselves by storing every personal data and

Exhibition review interview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exhibition review interview - Assignment Example â€Å"High Noon† is also about betrayal and loyalty. For Kane’s part, it is loyalty even when everyone leaves him; he maintains his grounds, although it seems predictable that his action might lead to his death (High Noon). On the town’s part, it is betrayal. Most people in town agreed that they owe their success to Kane, but not help him because they believe that he is hopeless. In the film, the villain is Frank Miller and his gang who strive to revenge on Will and anyone person who is against him. In this film, the villain is the one who revenges. Miller’s gangs are Jack Colby, Ben (younger brother) and Jim Pierce who wait for Miller at the station. Will and Army have to fight Millers gang at all cost and secure the townspeople (High Noon). Towards the end of the story, Miller (villain) and his gang face Will and Amy. Amy and Will manage to kill Miler and his gang while the townspeople stare in amazement. â€Å"Un-forgiven† film is an entertaining western that pays homage to traditional western while expressing skepticism. The film was set in the 1880’s and the standard setting is BIG whiskey, somewhere between San Francisco and St. Louis. The film also demonstrates the existence of villains, who are a couple of cowboys. The cowboys slashes Delilah’s face (the prostitute). Instead of the sheriff, Little Bill Dagett, arresting the cowboys, he lets them go. The victim’s best friend, Strawberry Alice, becomes outraged. Delilah, Alice and the other girls offer a $1000 bounty for anyone who kills the cowboys. This film turns out to be a revenge of whores against the villains (Unforgiven). A group of men set out to collect the bounty, prompted by various economic necessities to kill the cowboys (villains). Among the hunters set to kill the villains is Bill Munny who is a widower. Munny is still striving to live down his

Gay Rights Towards Gay Marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Gay Rights Towards Gay Marriage - Research Paper Example However, whether same sex individuals be allowed to marry is still controversial. This paper argues that gay marriage should be legalized because same-sex parents can prove to be better parents; it reinforces their rights as humans; and, it stabilizes the society through child adoption. Gay marriages should be legalized since same sex couples can prove to be better parents than opposite sex couples. Biblarz and Stacey (3) argue that the gender of parents â€Å"has minor significance for childrens psychological adjustment and social success.† Family instability may take its toll on normal psychological development of children of both straight and same-sex couples, and so, it is not true that only gay parents prove to be bad parents by any means. They may prove to be better parents, states Kurdek (880) in his research. He argues that two men or women can raise kids better in terms of sexual growth, than a man or a woman in a traditional home setting. Kids of gay couples do not have to see one of their parents involved in extra-marital affairs. They do not have to see their moms and dads fighting with each other every day. Kids pay little attention to what the relationship between their parents is, or whether or not their relationship relates to societal norms or not. All they want is love, of parents towards them and also towards each other. So, the relationship between parents has nothing to do with children becoming homo or hetero-sexual. Thus, gay marriages should be legalized without getting concerned about the parenting capabilities of the couples involved. â€Å"Same-sex marriages will offer voluntary support to the institution by allowing freedom in selecting one’s partner†, states Bolte (1). She has focused upon the reinforcement of human rights regarding selection partner through utilitarian arguments.

Exhibition review interview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exhibition review interview - Assignment Example â€Å"High Noon† is also about betrayal and loyalty. For Kane’s part, it is loyalty even when everyone leaves him; he maintains his grounds, although it seems predictable that his action might lead to his death (High Noon). On the town’s part, it is betrayal. Most people in town agreed that they owe their success to Kane, but not help him because they believe that he is hopeless. In the film, the villain is Frank Miller and his gang who strive to revenge on Will and anyone person who is against him. In this film, the villain is the one who revenges. Miller’s gangs are Jack Colby, Ben (younger brother) and Jim Pierce who wait for Miller at the station. Will and Army have to fight Millers gang at all cost and secure the townspeople (High Noon). Towards the end of the story, Miller (villain) and his gang face Will and Amy. Amy and Will manage to kill Miler and his gang while the townspeople stare in amazement. â€Å"Un-forgiven† film is an entertaining western that pays homage to traditional western while expressing skepticism. The film was set in the 1880’s and the standard setting is BIG whiskey, somewhere between San Francisco and St. Louis. The film also demonstrates the existence of villains, who are a couple of cowboys. The cowboys slashes Delilah’s face (the prostitute). Instead of the sheriff, Little Bill Dagett, arresting the cowboys, he lets them go. The victim’s best friend, Strawberry Alice, becomes outraged. Delilah, Alice and the other girls offer a $1000 bounty for anyone who kills the cowboys. This film turns out to be a revenge of whores against the villains (Unforgiven). A group of men set out to collect the bounty, prompted by various economic necessities to kill the cowboys (villains). Among the hunters set to kill the villains is Bill Munny who is a widower. Munny is still striving to live down his

Natural And Human Sciences. Biological and Social Theories of Essay

Natural And Human Sciences. Biological and Social Theories of Evolution - Essay Example â€Å"A theory is an explanation or model based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning, especially one that has been tested and confirmed as a general principle helping to explain and predict natural phenomena.† (Quoted in fsteiger.com) Theories are articulated and modified for the exploration of facts and realities on the foundation of deep observation, adequate evidence and critical examination of the available information. â€Å"The vehicle of all understanding†, Turner submits, â€Å"in science is theory. Theory is a way of answering the questions.† (2006, p. 2) Hence, theories establish principles and laws and add to the knowledge of scholars, intellectuals, philosophers and the masses as well regarding multiple disciplines and issues at large. Thus, theories are equally important in natural and social sciences for the establishment of various concepts and parameters in the light of which further developments are made in some specific field of knowle dge. Though both natural and human sciences consist of theories, yet difference in both these sciences can also be witnessed in their theoretical frameworks. Pure or natural sciences concentrate upon examination of natural, organic, inorganic, physical and nonhuman laws, rules and aspects related to the earth and universe. On the other hand, social or human sciences study the existing social, cultural, religious and psychological phenomena on scientific grounds. Physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, engineering, aeronautical science and pharmacy etc come under the definition of natural sciences, while sociology, theology, economics, history, psychology, philosophy and others are called human sciences. Though natural and human sciences appear to be entirely different from one another, yet they maintain many similarities and commonalities between them; almost same is the case with the theoretical frameworks related to both these forms of science. The similarities between the nature and scope of pure and human sciences can be analyzed as under: Biological and Social Theories of Evolution: Evolution theory enjoys a very important status in pure and social sciences. Though experiments had been made several times in past in respect of discovering the origin of humans and other living creatures, yet it was Charles Darwin who first time presented a comprehensive evolution theory on the basis of his in-depth research on fossil remains and living things including humans, fauna and flora in order to make a decisive conclusion regarding human evolution. Darwin has articulated his concept of natural selection in his world famous work On the Origin of Species, where he submits to state that it is the rule of nature that only the fittest and most suitable living creatures survive and multiply; the rest of the creatures start weakening, and eventually perish away with the passage of time. Hence, Darwin is of the opinion that those creatures and living things that have the a bility to adapt themselves according to the always changing natural and physical condition, survive and reproduce. On the other hand, the living things that either lack adaptability or sufficient strength necessary to defeat the external threats and impediments, are sure to expire, and thus lose the signs of their existence even. Darwin has submitted that the process of natural selection is the foundation of evolution of human generations. â€Å"As natural selection acts solely by the preservation of profitable modifications, each new form will tend in a fully stocked country to take the place of, and finally to exterminate its own less improved parent-form and other less favored forms, with which it comes into competition.† (1872, p.159) Darwin vehemently argues in favor of the notion natural

Analysis Of McDonalds Corporations

Analysis Of McDonalds Corporations In this report, thorough analysis of McDonalds Corporations position strategies has been design on the basis of the given contexts. Two different topics have been given to discuss in this case. The first topic focuses on the environmental factors that may affect McDonalds business. This topic has been addressed by six different factors which may broadly affect the business of McDonalds. Specific focus has been given to each factor and minute issued have been addressed in our discussion. It has been tried to give a comprehensive analysis of all the relevant ideas regarding this topic to make a reasonable discussion. The second topic given has been focused on the recent strategic stands taken by McDonalds. It has been asked to identify the pros and cons related to these strategies. The discussion has been done to create a comprehensive commentary about the pros and cons of each strategy. Every strategy has been evaluated on the basis of their individual merits. The subjects are quite sensitive and have specific implications to the business of McDonalds. in order to identify advantages and disadvantages each strategy has been clearly scrutinized. It has been tried to provide valid and reasonable remarks about these strategies. At the end, some relevant ideas have been presented to provide a more understandings of these issues. The entire report has been done with a reasonable understanding about the issues in question and all other factors relevant to the study. Introduction This study has been done to provide a reasonable understanding about business policy and strategic management development. McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is known as the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants, serving approximately 47 million customers daily. Once it was the largest global restaurant chain, but it has since been exceeded by multi-brand operator Yum! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell and others) and sandwich chain Subway. Every McDonalds restaurant is run by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. Its revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees. It also earns form sales in company-operated restaurants. From the accounting records we can see that McDonalds revenues grew 27% over the three years ending in 2007 to $22.8 billion, and 9% growth in operating income to $3.9 billion. Generally McDonalds sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken products, French Fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes, and desserts. Now-a-days, in order to respond to the obesity trends in western nations and in the face of criticism over the healthiness of its products, the company has modified its menu to include such healthier alternatives as salads, wraps and fruit. McDonalds began its business in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California. They have introduced the Speedee Service System in 1948, which established the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant. A man with a chefs hat on top of a hamburger shaped head was the original mascot of McDonalds. The name mascot was Speedee. Ronald McDonald replaced Speedee in 1967 when the company first filed a U.S. trademark on a clown shaped man having a puffed out costume legs. McDonalds opened its first restaurant in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, France, El Salvador and Sweden in order of openings. Objective of the report: This report is prepared to gain a broad idea about business strategy formulation and evaluation of these strategies. It is also done to understand the different influences the environmental factors have on the operations of a Multination Corporation. Major objectives of the report are to: Provide a conclusive idea about business environment of McDonalds Understand the impacts and implications of changing environmental factors Gain reasonable perception about strategy formulation Achieve realistic insights about strategy evaluation Attain a thorough knowledge about pointing out the pros and cons of different strategies Methodology of the Report The research methodology is the complete techniques that we will follow to conduct the research. So, we can describe the methodology in the following steps: Data Collection Present information was collected from two sources: Primary Source: Primary data of this report was collected by means of questioning of McDonalds employees and operational managers. Secondary Source As secondary source I adopt some text book on Marketing, Management and also some websites. Data Collection Method Observation: Since the report was descriptive in nature data being analyzed conceptually. Limitations: The field level survey was missing in some areas of our study due to some practical constrains. Question 1: Environmental factors impacting upon McDonalds: As a leading fast food restaurant in the world, environmental factors in different countries are crucial considerations for McDonalds. Following discussion focuses on the environmental issues of relevant to the business of the firm. General environmental factors impacting on a corporations business: If generalization is used, for a multinational corporation, following factors can be identified as major issues: Demographic Geographic Economic Socio-cultural Technological Political-legal These factors have serious implications for any Multinational company. Detailed discussions of these factors are given below: 1. Demographic environment: Demographic environment, which can be defined as the environment consisting of factors related to age, sex, gender, education level, marital status, occupation, religion, birth and death rate, average size of the family, average age of marriage etc. of a specific populace of a specific region, is the most important feature that may impact the business of the firm. As it is a Multinational corporation, the impact of demographic environment on McDonalds can be examined on regional basis. United States of America: United States is the birth place of McDonalds. Basically it is the birth pace of Fast Food culture. The people of United States of America love to enjoy their meal and the idea of fast food have been a turning point of their life style. From the demographic aspect of the region, we can point out the following issues: United States has one of the highest population growth rates among the industrialized nations. So it generally indicates the development of a large market for the corporations. 45% of the children under 5 years old belong to the minority groups of the populace. Hispanic population increased by 14%. McDonalds has been developing its menu to target this population. According to U.S. census Bureau News 2006 studies, the average income of Americans is around $46000. One of the main reasons of increase in McDonalds sales in US is the introduction of Asian Chicken Salad, which indicates importance of Minority groups in US market. Different minority groups are emerging as the economically significant groups. For example, Asians as a minority group has an average income of around $57500 which is well above the average income of Americans. So focusing business on the basis of these kinds of developments may prove fruitful in the future. Around 81% of the populace lives in urban areas where drive-through system is one of the most popular systems of getting easy meals. Europe Europeans are getting more and more interested in having quick meals from fast food shops, as their hectic lifestyles suit this mechanism. Though the sales of McDonalds dropped 14 percent, the expansionary plans of McDonalds reflects the significance of this Market. Following ideas emerged from our analysis: Demographic behavior has changed drastically in Europe. General fertility rate is below the replacement rate in many countries of the region. But a new pattern, described as a `second demographic transition have emerged, as age of first marriage and first child has changed. These changes in behaviors culminated to an increase in population growth. On average, population growth increased somewhat in the region. In European Market, McDonalds stores enjoy more customer visits and highest company-operated margin since 2001. This may be attributed to increased population and changing trends of food habits towards fast foods. Gender differences have been reduced dramatically. Economically solvent mothers are spending much to provide best quality products for their children. For this reason, McDonalds introduced R Gym to enhance children customer base. Asia pacific and Middle East: This is the region where McDonalds has the highest possibility of exponential growth due to demographic as well as socio-cultural and economic changes. Demographic factors can be specified in following manner: Countries like China and India, with high population growth rates, are considered as emerging markets for fast food industries. In order to capture the expanding markets in China and India, McDonalds has increased its outlets in both of these markets. Income of the people of this region has been increasing gradually over time, which indicates people having more spending power. Middle Eastern regions are considered as one of the wealthiest regions of the planet. Population growth is also relatively high in this region compared to the industrialized countries. Migration trend towards urban areas is a major factor to consider for Corporations like McDonalds. Latin America Although regarded as one of the poorest regions of the world, this market has been changing its economic and socio-cultural patterns to become one of the lucrative markets. According to 2005 statistics the population of South and Central America is 588 million. The population growth is about 0.6%. This is quite significant information as it indicates a big market for fast food industry. Due to the low income and economic inequality, Latin American market is still not a big revenue source for McDonalds. Different ethnic groups with diverse cultures are prominent features of this region. Economic inequality is dominant in this region. According to World Bank reports, approximately 25% people live less than $2 a day. Huge amount of people live in rural areas, or under developed areas in the cities. Migration rate to the cities is increasing day by day. The following diagram depicts the importance of each regional segment for McDonalds based on sales revenues. Source: http://internationaltrade.suite101.com/article.cfm/mcdonalds_global_sales [Visited on 23/12/2009] Figure 1: McDonalds regional sales revenue. 2. Geographic Environment: Geographic factors that may affect the business of McDonalds can be pointed out in the following discussion: The distribution points of McDonalds are vital considerations as it is involved in a business which requires easy accessibility for the customers. So locations of the distribution centers should be close to populated areas. Some of the McDonalds stores are connected to gas station or convenient stores to target the shoppers. McExpress are shops having limited seating arrangements, located in shopping malls. In its mission statement, McDonalds vowed to provide services in the best possible means. This requires quick and correct service. So, warehouses for the raw materials should be located in the strategic places for easy transfer. Geographic segmentation is very important for McDonalds. As fast food culture is mainly the trend in cities and urban areas, the strategic establishment of distribution points are needed. McDonalds have locations in Disney Theme parks and Ocean Park. This strategy helps to increase sales promotion and expand customer base among the visitors of the theme parks. Competition is anther driving issue for McDonalds to choose the locations of its business carefully. McDonalds may choose a location where it will get a strategic advantage. To have a competitive advantage it introduced locations in Wal-Mart stores. To target trackers and travelers, McDonalds has developed McShop, which may have services found at truck stops. 3. Economic Factors: Many economic factors may affect the operations of McDonalds. These economic factors are identified in the following discussion: The economic cycle of different countries may affect the revenue generation of McDonalds. But as the business seems well diversified, the effects may be nullified to a negligible extent. In 2006, McDonalds global sales rose 5.8% from the previous year. Sales margin improved in all geographic locations. McDonalds has a large amount of long term debt of about $8 billion. So, changes in interest rates or tax policies of the government may affect favorably or adversely. The exchange value of dollar against other currencies may affect the profitability of McDonalds. As it is operating in different regions, so it may consider the exchange rates differentiations of different currencies. There may be some possibilities that inflation rate may adversely affect the business of McDonalds. Increase in inflation rate may cause the price of raw materials to rise. This may also drive the customers away from the restaurants. Income level of the general people varies with the economic condition of the nation. So, in the times of recession, economic conditions may adversely affect the purchasing power of people, thus affecting the business of McDonalds. McDonalds operating earnings, earnings per share and overall revenue increased 15%, 17% and 10% respectively. It also announced dividend at the rate of $1 in year 2002 per share. This indicates 276% increase of dividend payout from the period of 2002. These numbers reflect economically a strong position for McDonalds. 4. Socio-cultural Factors: Every corporation should analyze the important socio-cultural factors relevant to their business. Such relevant factor regarding socio-cultural environment of McDonalds are discussed below. The healthy lifestyle trend has become a global phenomenon in recent days. McDonalds must consider this to maintain a competitive position in the market. McDonalds Healthy Lifestyle programs attracted health conscious people. It has become worlds first fast food service restaurant to provide nutritional information on majority of its food packaging. As women are becoming more independent and families are becoming smaller and smaller, fast foods are growing in their popularity. Eating home cooked meals are becoming a luxury in the fast paced unban lifestyles. So, restaurants are gaining momentum in their businesses. McDonalds operated in different regions of the world. In order to maintain its profitability it must keep track of regional cultural and sociological changes. For example, increased migratory trends towards cities in developing nations can be an advantageous sign for McDonalds. McDonalds needs to be aware of local trends in different regions. For instance, by presenting French Fries as vegetarian food, McDonalds had to pay a hefty price as fines in 2002. McDonalds has introduced R Gyms, a form of interactive game zones, designed for children aged 4 to 11. To emphasize on physical activity, they are equipped with stationary bicycles attached to video games, dance pads, basketball hoops, monkey bars, an obstacle course, and other games. It has introduced a new slogan to its recruitment posters: Not bad for a McJob, to encourage employees to be related with McDonalds. McDonalds jobs have been regarded as of low pay, just above the legal provision, required little skill and little job security. It has been trying to improve the conditions 5. Technological Factors: To maintain a competitive edge against the rival companies, McDonalds must be aware of the recent technologies and innovations. New and improved technologies can reduce the man power needed in processing the food thus reducing the labor related costs. New innovations can help McDonalds to create more environment friendly operating systems which will help them to reduce their carbon footprint in the world. To tackle environmental issues, McDonalds has incorporated technology into its business. McDonalds has started using corn-based bio-plastic to produce containers for some of their products. Innovative technologies can also help to reduce the levels of processing and contamination due to human interactions with the food processing functions. It may also help to reduce energy consumption thus reducing the actual cost of serving the customers. In Europe, it has started recycling vegetable grease to use it as fuel for its trucks. In 2000, it has opened a restaurant in Sweden which was the first to intentionally incorporate green ideas. 6. Political- Legal Factors: Political structure of a nation and the ideology of political parties need to be carefully assessed to run business on that states. Confiscation, domestication, tax control, exchange control, interfere of government on business operations are common in global business. Following factors may be taken into considerations about the political and legal factors: Stable political situations are always important incase of operating businesses in different regions of the world. Government policies, tax policies, regional cooperation policies etc. may affect the operations of McDonalds. Law regarding the business operations, legal suits and other legal obligations may influence the business of McDonalds. McDonalds has been involved with number of legal cases, mostly concerning with trademark. Some social cases like, The McDonalds Coffee Case in 1994, hampered the public image of McDonalds. Question2: Evaluation of current strategies in use: McDonalds has been taken some specific steps to enhance the profitability of the corporation. From the perspective of its performance and future potentiality evaluation, these strategies can be critically examined. The strategies chosen by McDonalds are assessed in the following discussion: SWOT strategies: McDonalds has chosen these strategies based on their SWOT analysis. These strategies may have some advantages and disadvantages. SO strategies: These strategies are taken in line with the strength of McDonalds and on the basis of the opportunities the firm has within its arena of operations. The firm has chosen the following strategies: 1. Expanding into Chinese market: McDonalds is thinking of expanding its Chinese market via increased advertising and numbers of outlets. This strategy can have some merits for McDonalds operations. Advantages: Chinese market is a growing market for McDonalds. The population of China is increasing rapidly and the demand for fast food is also growing at a good pace. By developing a good market in China may prove valuable for McDonalds as it has a potential for good return in future. Drive-through system is gaining popularity in china as number of car owners are increasing. This is a very good indication for McDonalds to provide this kind of services in increased number of locations. McDonalds has a brand name which is globally recognized. McDonalds can use this position of its brand name for its advantage. In China, it would be much easier for McDonalds to advertise as it has an easily recognizable brand name. In order to increase the market share, McDonalds must increase its advertising in China. It has to compete against already established quick service providers like Yum Brands. Increased advertising will enable it to capture new markets in China as well as enhance brand exposure. Increased numbers of the restaurant locations in China will provide easy accessibility to the customers. As the number of consumers is increasing the number of locations must be increased in order to meet the current demand. This strategy may pose some disadvantages for McDonalds. Disadvantages: Increased number of advertisements means increased costs. This means less revenue will be off settled by increased operating cost. As McDonalds operates its business on the basis of franchising, increased number of locations may mean lesser amount of control over its operations. In its mission statement it states to be the best quick service provider. Increased number of locations may cause McDonalds to hire employees who are not competent enough to provide good services. It may also force McDonalds to increase training costs. Quality control may not easily be done if numbers of restaurant locations are increased. Although this strategy may have some potential demerits, this strategy is a very good step for McDonalds. Chinese market is becoming the fastest growing market and McDonalds need to enhance its market share in China in order to ensure its sustainability as one of the leading quick service provider in the world. 2. Acquiring Krispy Kreme Corporation McDonalds has taken a strategic choice to integrate horizontally by taking over Krispy Kreme Corporation, which is at the verge of going bankrupt. This strategic decision may have some good implications for McDonalds. Advantages: By expanding horizontally it will be able to outreach more customers with more ease. As Krispy Kreme Corporation is at the verge of bankruptcy, it will be easier of McDonalds to acquire this company without substantial financial implications. Krispy Kreme Corporation may willing be merged with McDonalds without showing any hostility towards the acquiring company. McDonalds should be able to use the existing infrastructure of the Krispy Kreme Corporation in order to conduct its business. Loyal customers of the Krispy Kreme Corporation may still be with this company after the acquisition. This way McDonalds may be able to acquire a new customer base. Acquiring Krispy Kreme Corporation will put McDonalds in a competitively advantageous position. This will mean less competition for McDonalds and infrastructure and customer base development. This strategy may have some potential disadvantages as follows: Disadvantages: There is a chance that Krispy Kreme Corporation may not be willing to merge with McDonalds. This may force it to take strategies against the acquisition. If acquisition happens in this situation, then McDonalds will be in a disadvantageous position. The customer base of the Krispy Kreme Corporation may not support this acquisition. This may drive them away and reduce the benefits of this acquisition. There is a potential of dilution of control and profit of the shareholder in case of this acquisition. For this reason McDonalds may change the top management of Krispy Kreme Corporation. This may affect the whole operations of Krispy Kreme as new management may have a different style of running the business. By comparing the disadvantage with the advantages, we can easily say that the disadvantageous situations may occur in highly probabilistic circumstances, which make those less potent. So this strategy may prove profitable for McDonalds. WO Strategies: These strategies are taken on the basis of the analysis of the weaknesses and existing opportunities of McDonalds. The firm has chosen the following strategy: 1. Menu development: McDonalds has chosen to develop its menu based on healthy lifestyle trends. It is also thinking of introducing Hispanic food lines. This strategy may have following advantages: Advantages: Providing healthy foods may increase the customer base of McDonalds as there is a global trend of shifting to this kinds of foods now-a-days. Increased Hispanic population forced McDonalds to focus on this group. By creating Hispanic food line, McDonalds may be able to capture a more diverse and wide customer base. There is a bad name of fast food of being unhealthy. By providing more healthy food, McDonalds may be able to change this perception which may be a competitive advantage for McDonalds. There may have some disadvantages of this strategy. Disadvantages: This strategy may cost McDonalds more as it requires more investment from McDonalds part. The new product lines for Hispanic population may not be successful or needs more time to be successful. Focusing on Hispanic population may be frowned upon as being a racially motivated strategy. In order to capture the market and be in line with the global trend, McDonalds need this strategy to be implemented. ST Strategies: McDonalds Corporation also has some strategies based on its strength and potential threat analysis. These strategies are discussed below. 1. Increase number of restaurants located in theme parks: McDonalds is thinking of forward integrating by increasing the number of locations in the theme parks of Disney and Ocean Park. This strategy may have some pros and cons which have been identified in the following discussion: Advantages: By increasing the number of locations in the theme parks McDonalds can capture more of the customer base by providing more services. Mutual understanding between theme parks managements and MacDonalds may increase the brand exposure of McDonalds. By expanding the operations to the theme parks it can appeal to the children which may eventually lead to brand loyalty. Disadvantages: This strategy may increase the operational cost of McDonalds. Quality control may not be an easy proposition. More advertising may be needed in order to make all the locations popular. This strategy may be profitable for McDonalds in the long run and it may be recommended to be pursued by McDonalds. 2. Increase advertising of coffee line: McDonalds is trying to increase advertising of the coffee line in key markets like China and North America. This strategy may have some advantages for McDonalds. Advantages: By developing a market penetration strategy, McDonalds can increase coffee sales, which is one of the weak links of its operations. By increasing the advertising, it can acquire more customers in the morning time when the demand of coffee is highest. McDonalds can create an image of best quick service coffee provider by increasing the frequency of advertisements and providing customers with quality services. Disadvantages: It will increase the sales cost of McDonalds and reduce the profit. Increased advertising may prove fruitful if it can provide good services. But id it fails to live up to the mark then rival companies can take advantage of the situation. Increased advertisement for coffee line may prove fruitful for McDonalds as it has beaten its traditional rivals in coffee taste test according to consumer report. So this strategy is quite a good stand for McDonalds. WT Strategies: McDonalds has been thinking of taking some strategies based on its weaknesses and threats analysis in order to enhance its operational efficiency. Following discussion has been done to point out those strategies and some relevant issues about those strategies. 1. Develop the menu to keep up with the competition: McDonalds one of the main concern is lack of menu development. In order to appeal to the Asian and Latin American markets, it is thinking about menu development. Advantages: Creative menu development will appeal to growing markets like Asian and Latin American markets, which will increase its customer base. It may reduce the operational inefficiency and create more customer satisfaction Customer retention may increase as more options of food items are included in the menu. It will increase its profitability in the long run and create stronger customer base. It will help to capture the potentially profitable markets of Asia and Latina America. The underserved niche of the industry may be capture if creative menu developments occur. Disadvantages: Cost of product development and market survey may increase, which will reduce the profit of the company. New products may fail to appeal to the targeted customer segment, which will result in operational loss. New product development may need new kinds of technologies or raw materials, which will increase capital expenditures of McDonalds. This strategy may increase the profitability of McDonalds as new customers are induced to buy its products. It will also increase the customer base and customer retention rate. 2. Redesign the website to make it more users friendly: Making the website more users friendly is another ploy of McDonalds to increase its efficiency. The advantages and disadvantages of this strategy is discussed below. Advantages: Redesigning the website will increase the knowledge of the customers about McDonalds and its products. Internet is one of the best possible ways to advertise the products of any corporation. Revamping the website may increase its potential customer base by providing them with best possible information. Creating a user friendly website may increase the customer satisfaction. Disadvantages: This strategy may reduce the profit of the organization for the time being, but this may increase capital expenditure of the company. Creating a user friendly website requires expert handling of information. If it is not done efficiently, then it will prove worthless for the Company. The strategy of improving its website can be a fruitful ploy for McDonalds if it is done efficiently. 3. Increasing sales promotion and advertising: Increasing the amount of sales promotion and advertising in key markets to increase consumer awareness of the products is an important strategy for McDonalds. The pros and cons of this strategy are discussed below. Advantages: This will increase the consumer awareness of the products and services of McDonalds. This may also increase the number of customers of the company. This may help McDonalds to capture customers from its rivals if it is done efficiently and effectively. This will also help to gain a competitive advantage in key markets. Disadvantages: Increased cost for McDonalds will offset the profits. Increasing advertising and sales promotion is the best possible way for McDonalds to increase its customer base. Recommendation Following recommendations can be