Internets Impact on Location of Global Firms Assignment

Internets Impact on Location of Global Firms - Assignment Example The problem touches on key issues - globalisation and the Internet - that confront managements of several firms, challenging them to discover how to make the Internet a part of global strategy. What is globalisation and global strategy Micklethwait and Wooldridge (2000, p. xvi) called globalisation "the most important economic, political, and cultural phenomenon of our time" characterised by the "integration of the world economy, reshaping business and reordering the lives of individuals, creating social classes, different jobs, unimaginable wealth and, occasionally, wretched poverty." Stiglitz (2002, p. 9) defined global strategy as "the way firms cope with integration of countries and peoples of the world brought about by the enormous reduction of transportation and communication costs, and the breaking down of artificial barriers to the flow of goods, services, capital, knowledge, and people across borders." In other words, a global strategy is a set of objectives that help a firm deal with globalisation, e.g., what goods to sell to world markets, how to sell these goods, and how to transport these goods from where they are produced to where they are consumed. Globalisation affects firms that sell products like autos and appliances, and service firms in banking and retailing. Porter's Diamond Porter's Diamond refers to a framework (Porter, 1990) that a nation or economy can use to analyse and develop its competitive advantage, a concept he explains (Porter, 1985) as the added benefit that a firm's product or service has over that of its competitors so that customers buy from the firm instead of from its competitors. Porter (1985, p. 3) enumerates three basic types of competitive advantage: cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. A firm attains the first through economies of scale and cost minimisation; the second through brand image, technology, product features, service and support quality; and the third by supplying a particular market or niche very well. Applied to nations, the diamond-shaped framework is a map - of what Porter calls Competitive National Advantage - which consists of four determinants that we describe and show in Figure 1: factor conditions, demand conditions, related and supporting industries, and firm strategy, structure, and rivalry (1990, p. 72). [Insert Figure 1 here] These determinants are broad attributes existing in a country that shape the environment in which local firms compete and that promote or impede the creation of competitive advantage. They indicate why a nation is globally successful in a particular industry. He cites examples of how competitive national advantage promoted the success of industry clusters in printing equipment in Germany, pharmaceuticals in Switzerland, home appliances in Italy, and robotics in Japan. Porter's thesis is that each country has a unique set of conditions that enable local firms to compete successfully in the global marketplace. Porter states that the diamond is a system (1990, p. 144), with each determinant affecting the others in a dynamic way, either building up or destroying the competitiveness of firms and affecting their ability to compete globally. Yip's Drivers Firms need to develop global strategies and implement

Integrating the Least Developed Countries into the World Trading Essay

Integrating the Least Developed Countries into the World Trading System - Essay Example The European Community has developed numerous economic and trading layers through which the bloc manages and deals with the economic and trade affairs with other countries of the world. The European Union consists of 27 members (Jacoby 2004; Kelley 2004; Vachudova 2005). This expansion enables EU as a unitary actor to exercise considerable geo-regulatory and geo-economic power (Damro 2006; Young and Peterson 2006). The other instruments employed by the EU to enhance its influence beyond Europe borders include conditionality (Lister and Carbone 2006) and development aid (Holland 2008). The members of EU have developed an integrated policy including agriculture policy, common competition policy, and common external tariff policy. The members have also observed the uniform application of four basic components of freedom such as capital, movement of persons, goods, and services. The entire bloc has allowed the citizens of member countries to enjoy free cross-border mobility without using or facing any visa restrictions. The members also use Euro as a single currency to exchange goods and services. South Africa in 1999 (Dur 2007; Frennhoff-Larsen 2007; Sanabuja 2000; Szymanski and Smith 2005).The first generation association agreements in the period of 1970s observed the establishment of customs unions with the states of Malta and Cyprus. The European Economic Area (EEA) represents a single market of the European Union. The major function of EEA is to work as a free trade area along with maintaining its own distinct and separate tariff level. Free Trade Areas (FTA) are the regulatory framework underway between various developing and developed countries of the world. The FTAs with other countries including Slovenia, Estonia, Bulgaria and Lithuania and other central and eastern states have been concluded. In addition to that, the Mediterranean Partnerships encompass economic and trade relationships between various countries from the Middle East and other parts of the world. The focus is to increase and strengthen the economic ties and relationships. In this regard, Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) preferences are also another mechanism put in place to develop and maintain economic and trade relations with a number of developing countries. The framework of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is increased when the inclusion of the recent ‘Everything But Arms’ initiative took place in which economic and trade framework was further analyzed and developed a workable framework with the developing countries with an aim of strengthen economic and trade relationships. However, there are various experts who do not agree with the notion that EU trade policy extends the share of benefits that it has given to the EU farmers. And they also contend that one way or other, the EU trade policy works at the cost of the developing countries.  

Module 4 Case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Module 4 Case - Assignment Example At the same time, skill-based pay structure has gained considerable popularity over the last decades, especially since 1987. However, most of the organizations are currently using market- based pay structure. Module 4 Case Assignment Pay is regarded as one of the key elements affecting management-employee relationship at the workplace. The level and distribution of pay along with benefits is believed to impose considerable impact on the efficiency of any organization and also on the morale as well as on the productivity of the workplace. It is thus, crucial for organizations to use appropriate pay systems that provide worth for money and compensate workers fairly for the work that they perform. In general, pay systems are the methods of paying people for their contribution that they make towards the organizations. It is essential that an ideal pay system is clear and simple to be followed, so that workers are satisfied with the pay system adopted by the organizations and are motivate d to perform their respective tasks with utmost dedication and commitment. With this concern, this paper intends to compare and contrast the two pay system namely skill-based pay structure and traditional job-based structure. Furthermore, this paper attempts to identify the most popular pay structure, which is currently being followed in today’s organizations (Acas, 2012). ... ills required to perform certain organizational tasks are identified and tests are developed to determine whether an individual has learned the skills involved in performing a particular task. On the contrary, in traditional job-based pay structure, pay is generally based on a job, wherein employees are eligible to receive compensation, even if they are not skilled in performing any task. However, skill-based pay structure does not necessarily exclude the idea of paying for individual performance, instead it involves evaluating individual performance for assessing employees’ skills towards particular tasks for which they are paid. Nonetheless, under skill-based pay structure, pay is determined by the mix and the depth of the skills that possess by an individual rather than a particular job assignment. At the same time, organizations applying skill-based pay structure are often encountered with difficulties, when they try to price skills in the marketplace as compared to tradit ional job-based pay structure. Moreover, under traditional job-based pay structure, employees’ pay changes with the alteration in the job, while in skill-based pay structure, employees’ pay does not alter regardless the change in the job position. At the same time, employees under job-based pay structure may frequently perceive inequalities in the pay system due to the way the jobs are defined and rated for pay purposes. On the other hand, once employees become accustomed with skill-based pay structure, most of the employees prefer it over traditional job-based pay structure. The element of seniority act as a crucial determinant in traditional job-based pay structure, while in skill-based pay structure, skills rather than seniority is considered to be the prime factor of determining the pay

Dream Act and Illegal immigrant childrens citizenship Essay

Dream Act and Illegal immigrant childrens citizenship - Essay Example It is immigration reform bill that offers over 12 million illegal immigrants to become legalized U.S. citizen, in addition to heightened security on Mexico border, and introducing guest worker program to assist employers in working out low paying jobs. Despite the fact that, it is costly legislation, has direct negative impact on already worse employment market, challenge for balancing budget on not only state but also federal level, additional tax burden on Americans, work as invitation for future illegal immigrants, and threat to not only immigration law but to the rights of law abiding legalized U.S. citizens. It is immoral and unethical approach of illegal immigrant who seek U.S citizenship for themselves or their children born or grew up here, as its basic purpose was to protect slave children not illegal immigrant's children. The Dream Act President Obama with liberal Democratic Party leadership is determined to pass the Dream Act which will grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants (King, 2010).U.S. Senate blocked â€Å"the Dream Act† this December, the bill, if passed, would have allowed young children of illegal immigrants to attain a legalized citizenship of United States of America. These illegal immigrants came to America as children but their criminal record and other requirements are clear. Moreover, they have completed two years of military service or college education in America. The bill could not gather the support of required 60 senators to cross the filibuster which delayed it for one year with an uncertain future (Herszenhorn, 2010). Fundamental objections The implemented version of 14th Amendment’s interpretation encourages other nation’s citizens to enter United States jurisdiction and give birth. The legalized children access social services and support their parents to beco me legalized. Presence of legal immigrant as immediate relative shortens the otherwise lengthy process of immigration (Rau, 2010). Its results can be far-reaching as we can infer it from Pew Hispanic Centre’s study (qtd. in Rau,2010) which reports about 340,000 births to illegal immigrants in United States only in 2008.In most of the cases, parents were residing in America form one year or more. It is unethical rather criminal as Lillpop refers it, to use infants or â€Å"anchor babies† to avoid deportation or other punishment, such as, jailing. Moreover, it is immoral manipulation and use of not only newborns but U.S. constitution for illegal immigrants’ personal interest. It offers short cut to legalization and unjust for those who go through a longer process for attaining United States citizenship in a legal way. A common justification is the humanistic stance that wants to keep the families united. It is suspicious and needs reconsideration because illegal i mmigrant initially left their families in their homeland just to reside illegally on American land. Moreover, a criminal cannot be judged upon on the basis of whether he has a family or not. Illegal immigrants are not less of criminals because they invade another nation’s soil without their legal permission. Dream Act permits illegal immigrants to feed on law abiding taxpayers’ money for their law breaking act. Opponents attributed the Dream Act to be too broad in its interpretation and it would lead to give amnesty to illegal immigrants (Herszenhorn, 2010). Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama (qtd. in Herszenhorn, 2010) accuse Democrats of not only tolerating lawlessness but certain policies encourage it, he led the Dream Act’s opposition in Senate and highlighted the lack of efforts in improving the situation at borders to inhibit

My Chosen Ethical Framework Essay Example for Free

My Chosen Ethical Framework Essay In the field of Human Services a worker is faced with ethical dilemmas on a everyday basis. In some cases,a client may want to make choices that may not be in their best interest. As Harry and Mahoney (1999) stated the paramount goal of human service workers is to enable people to live more satisfying,more autonomous,and more productive lives, through utilizing societys knowledge,resources,and technological innovations. However, this is not always an easy task. The NOHS preamble states â€Å"Characterized particularly by an appreciation of human beings in all of their diversity, human services offers assistance to its clients within the context of their community and environment. Human service professionals and educators uphold the integrity and ethics of the profession, partake in constructive criticism of the profession, promote client and community well-being, and enhance their own professional growth. (Ethical standards for, 1996) However, as we look closely at this preamble we can see that it may cause its own ethical dilemmas especially in the field of addiction. What choices does a addictive professional make when the community and environment that the client lives in is filled with drugs,violence, and crime. It is not unlikely, for an addict to seek help,having no support because family has lost all trust, being poor, vulnerable,and depressed. They may not see anyway out of an abusive relationship and may have even contemplated suicide. They may be a single parent or both partners are using with the child in the home. It is in these circumstances that they do not have the self determination to make the right decisions. While the client has the right to self determination, the counselor has a decision to make like suggesting hospitalization or if there is children living in the situation contacting D. S. S, which violates the clients confidentiality. According to W. D. Ross we are faced with conflicting Prima Facie duties, because of the harm one is doing to themselves or others, we now have a legal duty to report it and violate our clients confidentiality, privacy and intervene for their own safety or the child’s. Therefore Locus-Aggregative Utilitarianism theory,under Teleology could be the only solution for me, because I agree with the philosophy of â€Å"maximizing the greater good amongst greater amount of people†. By using this ethical framework I have now protected the client or the child by removing them from a harmful situation, protected myself and I have protected my agency from legalities. In fact, it is this theory in which I try to live by in my everyday life. I have been married for over 16 years and have 3 children. I always teach my children that their actions they take affects not only them but the community as well. The community may be in the house or in society. To always look for the greater good in everything they do. I have been known to take people into my home because it benefited them. Of course, things didnt always work out right but it still didnt stop me from doing the greater good,So I am definitely, Locus-Aggregative in which maximize the greater good amongst greater amount of people and I dont see me changing these values as I enter into the field of addiction. I would also state that I would follow by Act Utilitarianism because I believe it is important to violate my clients confidentiality in order to protect them,their child, the agency, and myself. While I may lose their trust, if they receive the help they need then then I have done the greater good. Therefore, the preamble to follow the teleology would be as follows â€Å" Human Services is to provide the most good with the least harm to the client and all those who have been affected by their disease, offer assistance to its clients within the context of their community and environment (NOSH) when there is the least harm† â€Å"Addiction professionals,licensed/certified treatment providers,recognize that the ability to do well is based on an underlying concern for the well-being of others. This concern emerges from recognition that we are all stakeholders in each others lives the well-being of each is intimately bound to the well-being of all; when the happiness of some is purchased by the unhappiness of others, the stage is set for the misery of all. Addiction professionals must act in such a way that they would have no embarrassment if their behavior became a matter of public knowledge and would have no difficulty defending their actions before any competent authority.

Mind Control The Media Aims To Influence People Media Essay

Mind Control The Media Aims To Influence People Media Essay In our era, almost all advertisement and information tools contain images. Since most images appeal to our emotions rather than to our reasoning, they can hide the truth and divert our attention by arousing our feelings towards a certain cause. They can manipulate the public opinion, mold our attitudes and transform our vision of reality. They are teaching us how to be, more than our own parents and teachers do: they tell us how to observe and instruct our vision in what a flaw is and whats normal (Bordo 2006). Because they require less effort and concentration, the idea that reside behind the images is easily transmitted to our thoughts. Thus, they permit an instantaneous acquisition of divulged information, dissuade others and confuse their perception of what is right and wrong. And since nearly everyone rely on the media to inform them, it can easily mislead us. By simply switching on the television, an endless collection of images is set before your eyes and glide through your neurons to implant a standardization of what true beauty is (Lemayian, 2005). Nowadays, body image is becoming very important in our society, and it is particularly amplified by the media. How to interpret your body 101 is becoming a global requirement (Bordo, 2006). Furthermore, among the many methods used by the media to transform the image into an ideal one, the most common is the edited photo. On the billboards publicity and press, retouched photos are almost everywhere, imposed by a company that makes the body image an ultimate reference. With software such as Photoshop, body image can be completely changed. The commercial of the Dove Evolution video translates well these practices. Dove Evolution is a one minute clip directed by Tim Piper where we see an ordinary woman accompanied by a makeup artist sitting on a chair. A fixed plane then comes closer to her face and film the process of her transformation. This womans hair and make up are done, and her picture is retouched digitally. Then the background turns into a billboard ad where the face of this woman that was made perfect, catches the eye of many group of girls passing by. Most of the time, the image of beauty promoted by womens magazines is that of the thinness and youth. Similarly, cinema and television are promoters of unattainable beauty. For instance, many actresses are obliged to loose weight in order for them to be allowed to participate in the film. Moreover, in the movie The Devil Wears Prada which is directed by David Frankel, the star Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, a talented writer who has recently graduated, was admitted as a co-assistant in one of the most superb fashion magazine firm, and was compelled to loose a lot of weight. In addition, the other co-assistant (Emily Blunt) was dieting because she was supposed to accompany the editor of the magazine (Meryl Streep) to a fashion show in Paris. And after being complemented on her thin looking figure by the new co-assistant (Anne Hathaway), she claims that the effective diet that got her into this skinny looking figure is to eat nothing at all, but a tiny chunk of cheese only if she felt li ke she was going to faint. Therefore, the audio-visual media is constantly imposing the compulsion of being thin which could cause several health problems (such as anorexia and bulimia) for the brain-washed girls during their pursue of the perfect body. For instance, three years after the media was introduced in Fiji, 11 percent of the girls were forcing themselves to vomit in order to stay thin (Bordo, 2006). Conversely, media can also lead to obesity. And that is because advertising is constantly promoting unhealthy consumption, and encouraging food products that are not recommended in a balanced diet. A company named Ofcom carried out a research in 2004 into television commercials concluding that they have a reasonable direct influence on childrens choice of food (Boyce 2006). Additionally to the fast food, most of the ads market for drinks that are very minimal in nutrients such as coffee, soda and energy drinks, and snacks that are very high in saturated fat and carbohydrates, but very low in proteins and vitamins (such as chips and chocolates). Moreover, the ABC health news states that, according to a research concerning the adolescents of age ranging from 12 to 17, the obesity was growing by 2% for each hour of TV watching. In addition, Kuribyashi et al., 2001 conducted a study in which the types of food that are commercialized were compared during two period of time: between the ph ase of peak viewing by children and the phase of peak viewing by adults. It was learned that there were more food advertisements screening throughout the morning childrens program with increased recurrence and larger consumption of the total program duration than food commercials shown during prime-time adult programs in the evening (Kuribyashi et al., 2001). This demonstrates how the televised media is exploiting the minds of young innocent children who can be easily manipulated by attracting images of any product. For instance, the Great School organization declares that the food and beverage industry spends more than ten billion dollars targeting children and youth through television advertisements, special promotions and attractive packaging. Not surprisingly, the Kaiser institution in Calif, reported through a research from Europe and the U.S., that the childrens obesity was significantly reduced when the duration spent on television was decreased, since they will become more e ngaged in physical activities and less exposed to the scheming food commercials. The media also aims to influence people in order to make them behave and react in a given direction. We can therefore say that the media is commanding our opinions in order to pilot our way of life; an aspect of stereotyping is employed in the media. Additionally, the use of stereotypes facilitates the goal of the producers because it allows the audience to easily remember and identify a certain character in the motion picture industry. The facet of media stereotyping is also reflected on our lifestyles. For example, in a movie or a series, a family is often represented by a father, a mother, two children and a dog. The mother cleans, takes care of the children and makes sure that the dinner is prepared when the father comes back from work. Stereotypes are used in cartoons as well, such as the amiable grandfather of Pinocchio, the wicked stepmother in Cinderella, and Dexter who is a smart kid featured as a nerd with no social life. All these characters represent, among many others, t he familiar stereotypes assimilated by the children. Moreover, by shaping hostile stereotypes, the media can help maintain or develop the rejection of a social group by another. For instance, William Drummond, an academic journalist professor in the University of California at Berkeley and co-author of a current study on the situation of the African-American male in California states that the negative stereotype that many people have of African-American men is caused to a significant degree by the media: broadcasting media convey the lead in relating young African-American males with aggressiveness, lawlessness and violence. The most widespread stereotype about African-American men is that they engage in drug abuse in disproportionate numbers. In the report, Drummond reported statistics from a U.S. Justice Department survey that show only 6 percent of African-Americans had used cocaine in their lifetime, and that the great majority of respondents 65.5 percent had used it fewer than 11 times. Among white respondents, 10.6 percent had used cocaine in their lifetimes, with 62.3 percent of those respondents saying they had used it fewer than 11 times. Conclusively, the media possess a certain type of control over our minds; they play an imperative role in the public opinion. Its ubiquity and diversity therefore affects the entire population, and is fostered by globalization in todays society. The danger is that we are in a society that is governed by images and economy: the information is increasingly being diffused under the hidden purpose of financial profit and not for the simple function to share and inform. The information is then manipulated to become more prejudiced, and ends up by losing all its meaning. Therefore, it is crucial to try to withdraw ourselves from the subjective impact that is implanted in the media, and think about its veracity before considering it. In order to fight against the self-control by the media, the audio-visual apparatus should be utilized to broadcast and elucidate the deceits and hazards that are promoted by media.

Rescuing the Everglades Essays -- Geology

Rescuing the Everglades INTRODUCTION The Everglades, commonly referred to as the "River of Grass," is the largest remaining sub-tropical wilderness in the lower 48 states. It contains both fresh and saltwater areas, open Everglades prairies, pine rocklands, tropical hardwood forests, offshore coral reefs, and mangrove forests. The broad spectrum of wildlife living in the Everglades includes aquatic birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, of which fifty-six species are endangered or threatened. Twenty-two of these species reside in two National Parks, four National Wildlife Refuges, and one National Marine Sanctuary which draw 1.6 million visitors every year.... Previously, it was thought, islands of land could be preserved forever by simply drawing national park boundaries. Today, it is clear that this is untrue. National parks are not islands. They are greatly impacted by what happens outside their boundaries. The Everglades is "a Park in Danger." Water management, water quality, non-native species, loss of species, and explosive regional population growth all present challenges for the Everglades; however, there are attempts being made to save the Everglades against these apparent dangers. Return to Top WATER MANAGEMENT Water management is one of the most critical environmental issues facing the Florida Everglades at this point in time. The everglades watershed originates in the central Florida Kissimmee River basin north of Lake Okeechobee. Summer thunderstorms would flood this region, the big lake, and extensive areas of everglades marsh. This created a shallow, wide river which flowed slowly south through the everglades to the mangrove estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico. The summer rains would then give way to a ... ... water pollution cleanup in the Everglades, and Amendment 6, establishing an Everglades Trust Fund. However, there are numerous things that you, as an individual, can do to help the Everglades along with the rest of nature. First and foremost, you must try to conserve water, by methods as easy as turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth or taking shorter showers. Second, use soap instead of detergents since using soaps with low phosphates and nitrates will keep the water table cleaner. Protecting the Everglades is as easy as spreading the word. Tell friends about the concerns you may have, tell them what they can do to help. Contact environmentally active organizations for more information. Be sure to keep these environmental issues in mind when voting, and go ahead and make your concerns known to your legislature. Try your hardest to make a difference! Rescuing the Everglades Essays -- Geology Rescuing the Everglades INTRODUCTION The Everglades, commonly referred to as the "River of Grass," is the largest remaining sub-tropical wilderness in the lower 48 states. It contains both fresh and saltwater areas, open Everglades prairies, pine rocklands, tropical hardwood forests, offshore coral reefs, and mangrove forests. The broad spectrum of wildlife living in the Everglades includes aquatic birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, of which fifty-six species are endangered or threatened. Twenty-two of these species reside in two National Parks, four National Wildlife Refuges, and one National Marine Sanctuary which draw 1.6 million visitors every year.... Previously, it was thought, islands of land could be preserved forever by simply drawing national park boundaries. Today, it is clear that this is untrue. National parks are not islands. They are greatly impacted by what happens outside their boundaries. The Everglades is "a Park in Danger." Water management, water quality, non-native species, loss of species, and explosive regional population growth all present challenges for the Everglades; however, there are attempts being made to save the Everglades against these apparent dangers. Return to Top WATER MANAGEMENT Water management is one of the most critical environmental issues facing the Florida Everglades at this point in time. The everglades watershed originates in the central Florida Kissimmee River basin north of Lake Okeechobee. Summer thunderstorms would flood this region, the big lake, and extensive areas of everglades marsh. This created a shallow, wide river which flowed slowly south through the everglades to the mangrove estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico. The summer rains would then give way to a ... ... water pollution cleanup in the Everglades, and Amendment 6, establishing an Everglades Trust Fund. However, there are numerous things that you, as an individual, can do to help the Everglades along with the rest of nature. First and foremost, you must try to conserve water, by methods as easy as turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth or taking shorter showers. Second, use soap instead of detergents since using soaps with low phosphates and nitrates will keep the water table cleaner. Protecting the Everglades is as easy as spreading the word. Tell friends about the concerns you may have, tell them what they can do to help. Contact environmentally active organizations for more information. Be sure to keep these environmental issues in mind when voting, and go ahead and make your concerns known to your legislature. Try your hardest to make a difference!