Thursday, August 27, 2020

Courtship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Romance - Essay Example Mirroring the striking hues and tempting scents nature enriches on other living animals for requiring shared fascination which is an essential to sexual fulfillment, ladies have embraced sexual explanations through their clothing and fragrances. Despite the fact that men have likewise taken up this undertaking in the end, the sum to which a female attempts to pull in somebody from the other gender through ‘make-up’ is a lot higher. The most noticeable angle through which sexual intriguingness is accomplished is the utilization of lipstick. In psychoanalytical readings, the emblematic essentialness of lips is identified with the genital organ, and the manners by which ladies attempt to feature their lips uncovers their inner mind aching to communicate explicitly. In each culture, a young lady with profoundly hued lips sends the message of sexual attractive quality. The advancements in women’s clothing during that time had been stunning. The confined imaginativeness in men’s clothing clarifies which sexual orientation is progressively keen on pulling in the other through dress. While the internal wear of men fills a useful need with the exception of in not many exhibitionistic cases, women’s inward wear is under a steady transition of design proclamations. Moreover, the general dress examples of ladies experience significantly more changes than men’s dress would ever strive for. There isn't a lot of extension for men to emphasize their body parts through their dress while ladies could look over fluctuating degrees of intriguingness and presentation through smart methods of dressing. The restorative items focused on female clients flourish stores while there are just a couple of number of such items for men. The time a normal lady spends on a haircut or her skin tone is adequate to clarify the nearness of such a signif icant number of ladies focused beauty care products in the market. The general prepping of a young lady to turn into an appropriate woman happens from the second she is conceived, while young men are not commonly prepared to get the same number of characteristics to

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Pestal Analysis of Airline Industry in India free essay sample

Financial matters Project Submitted To : suhana malik Submitted By :raJbeer kaur Enrollment no. :m 8023863880 Class Roll NO : 62 Course : MBA Company Chosen: British Airways Existing Line of Business: Aviation New Market: Indian Aviation Industry British Airways Future Indian Plans: British Airways worldwide CEO Willie Walsh sees India as one of the quickest developing aeronautics showcases on the planet. Walsh, who was in Mumbai on September third, 2010 to declare a code-share concurrence with Kingfisher Airlines, says that in spite of the aircraft confronting mounting rivalry from other universal transporters working in India, he isn't concerned as India has tremendous development potential and every player can have a tolerable pie of the growing business sector. On the other side, he tells that however the fate of the flight business is solidification and numerous outside transporters need to put resources into India, Indian law doesn't allow them to do as such. Mr. Willie Walsh stated, India is the second biggest market for us after the US. Truth be told, after the downturn, India was among the quickest areas to recuperate from the defeat. We are working all through India for as far back as quite a few years and will keep on o so in a solidified manner. We have an immense client base here we despite everything discover development openings in the district. In spite of the fact that I cannot uncover income subtleties from India, I have consistently said that India will be one of the greatest flight showcases later on and unmistakably, we need to have an extremely solid nearness in this market. PESTLE Analysis: The Indian Airline Industry Political Factors industry existing in the nation. Like it or not, the political impedance must be available all over the place. Given beneath are a couple of the political components as for the aircraft business: The aircraft business is truly vulnerable to changes in the world of politics as it has an incredible bearing on the movement propensities for its clients. A shaky world of politics causes vulnerability in the psyches of the air voyagers, in regards to making a trip to a specific nation. By and large Indias late world of politics has been to a great extent flimsy because of global occasions proceeded with strain with Pakistan. The Gujarat revolts the legislatures powerlessness to control the circumstance have likewise prompted an expansion in the flimsiness of the political field. The most critical political occasion anyway has been September 1 . The occasions happening on September had uncommon noteworthiness for the aircraft business since planes were included. The prompt outcomes were an immense drop in air traffic because of wellbeing security worries of the individuals. Universal carriers are enormously influenced in terms of professional career relations that their nation has with others. Except if administrations of the two nations exchange with one another, there could be limitations of flying into specific zone prompting lost potential air traffic (e. . Pakistan India) Another perspective is that in nations with high defilement levels like India, pay-offs have o be paid for each grant permit required. Consequently consistent liasoning with the pastor other government official is important. The state claimed carriers experience the ill effects of this issue. These aircrafts need to make a few unique contemplations as for choice of courses, free seats t o priests, and so forth which an exclusive carrier need not do. The state possessed carriers likewise experiences antiquated laws applying just to them, for example, the retirement age of the pursers ladies, the work guidelines which make the administration less adaptable in taking ecision because of the nearness of a solid association, the overwhelming control obstruction of the legislature. This influences the nature of the administration conveyance along these lines these carriers need to consider creative help showcasing thoughts to go around their issues rival the private administrators. Financial Factors Business cycles have a wide arriving at sway on the carrier business. During downturn, carrier is viewed as an extravagance hence spending on air travel is sliced which prompts lessen costs. During flourishing stage individuals entertain themselves with movement costs increment. After the September 11 episodes, the world economy dove into worldwide downturn because of the discouraged slant of customers. In India, even an organization like Citibank given top of the line railroad tickets rather than boarding passes. The loss of salary for aircrafts prompted higher operational expenses because of low interest as well as because of higher protection costs, which expanded after the WTC besieging. This provoked the business to lay off workers, which further fuelled the downturn as spending diminished because of the ascent in joblessness. Indeed, even the SARS episode in the Far East was a significant reason for droop in the carrier business. Indeed, even the Indian bearers like Air India was profoundly influenced the same number of flights were dropped because of inward (representative relations) just as outside issues, which has been talked about later. Social Factors The changing travel propensities for individuals have extremely wide ramifications for the carrier business. In a nation like India, there are individuals from changed salary gatherings. The carriers need to perceive these people and should serve them in like manner. Air India needs to concentrate on their customer base which are generally low salary customers their propensities so as to keep them fulfilled. The goal, sort of food and so forth all has o be picked cautiously as per the flavors of their significant customer base. Particularly, since India is a place that is known for boundaries there are individuals from different religions and positions and each individual going by the aircraft would anticipate that customization should the best conceivable degree. For e. g. A Jain would be happy with the administration just on the off chance that he is served Jain food and it ought to be remembered that the clients close to him are additionally Jain or if nothing else veggie lover. Another genuine model would be the situation of South West Airlines which involves a strong situation in the psyches of the US air voyagers as a dependable and advantageous, fun, ow passage, and straightforward aircraft. The significant component of its prosperity was the enlarged advertising blend which it utilized viably. What South West did was it made nature inside the plane very shopper agreeable. The team neither has any uniform nor does it serve any luxurious nourishments, which in a roundabout way lessens the expenses and causes the shoppers to feel good. Mechanical Factors The expanding utilization of the Internet has given numerous chances to carriers. For e. g. Air Sahara has presented a help, through the web wherein the empty seats are sold multi week preceding the takeoff. Air India additionally gives numerous web based administrations to its client, for example, online ticket booking, refreshed flight data treatment of client grumblings. USTDA (US exchange improvement affiliation) is subsidizing a possibility study and workshops for the Airports Authority of India as a major aspect of a drawn out exertion to advance route, observation, and air traffic the board frameworks for Indias avionics division that will enable the nation to meet the normal development and interest for air traveler and load administration throughout the following decade. A proposition for rebuilding the current air terminals at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata through long haul rent to make them world class is getting looked at. This will help in pulling in interests in improving the framework and administrations at these air terminals. Setting up of new global air terminals at Bangalore, Hyderabad and Goa with private division interest is likewise imagined. A genuine case of the effect of innovation would be that of AAI, wherein with the assistance of innovation it has changed over its old and unused overhangs into benefit focuses. AAI is presently renting these overhangs to global carriers and is procuring colossal benefits out of it. AAI has likewise attempted to use space that was recently squandered introducing an overlay machine to cover the baggage of voyagers. This action wins AAI a ton of income. These mechanical changes in the earth affect Air India also. Better air terminal framework, implies better treatment of planes, which can help lessen support cost. It likewise encourages more trips to such goals. Lawful Factors Prior to 1953, there were 9 private carriers in activity with such a large number of surplus airplane and the aircraft business was wiped out. There was no serious condition in the onopolized aeronautics showcase.

Friday, August 21, 2020

Blog Archive Friday Factoid CBSThe MBA Program That Never Sleeps

Blog Archive Friday Factoid CBSThe MBA Program That Never Sleeps With the month of December upon us, first-year Columbia Business School (CBS) students are entering the last big push of their first semester, with finals wrapping up and the next semester not beginning until mid-January. The end of regular classes is traditionally marked by CBS Follies, a student-run comedy and entertainment show, as well as an End of Semester Party, and those looking to stay involved with CBS and with their classmates during the holiday break have plenty of opportunities to do so. Many students go abroad during the break to such places as Korea, Brazil and Australia on Chazen Study Trips or consulting projects through the International Development Club. And students wishing for a complete break from the classroom can take part in the Snow Sports Clubs annual Winter Ski Trip in early January. Although the long break can offer a welcome rest from the stress of first-semester classes, recruiting season for first years begins once they return to campus for second semester. So, one way or another, this is a good time for CBS students to clear their heads. For more information on  Columbia Business School or 13 other leading MBA programs, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides. Share ThisTweet Columbia University (Columbia Business School) Friday Factoids

Monday, May 25, 2020

We Need a Constitutional Amendment to Protect the...

We Must Fight for the Constitutional Amendment to Protect the American Flag Free speech and the First Amendment rights do not give people lisence to desecrate a symbol of pride and freedom. It is not all right to protect those who let it burn, lighting up the sky with their hatred. It definitely is not acceptable to insult the men and women who fight every day to protect this nation by burning the symbol of their labors. Therefore, it is crucial that the Supreme Court pass the amendment to the Constitution to protect the flag of the US. When people see â€Å"Old Glory† flying, the experience should take their breath away. From the Omaha beaches in Normandy, where over three million soldiers stormed the German Nazis, to Iwo Jima, where†¦show more content†¦The flag of the United States has carried the same pride and symbolism for almost two-hundred and thirty years. Millions of American men and women have died to protect what it symbolizes: the freedom and rights of everyone who claims that flag. Moreover, it stands for the people who gave up their lives to defend this country. Yet some disrespectful people still defame that symbol with impunity. In outbursts all over the world, people burn, spit upon, or defile the American flag. This is the same as going to Arlington National Cemetery and spitting on the graves of our war heroes. It is tantamount to telling a soldiers mother that her son who fought to protect others died in vain. When a soldier, a policemen, a firemen or other officer dies, his or h er family is given a flag to console and honor them. When people defame it, they are insinuating that it is worthless. Flag desecration has been occurring for many decades. Finally in 1989, the Supreme Court ruled that the burning of an American flag was a protected form of free speech. How can the burning of the national symbol be protected by the constitution, when the forefathers who forged it were so devoted to that flag? If George Washington or Thomas Jefferson saw his flag desecrated as a form of free speech, he would be outraged over the audacity and disrespect of the offender. Although many people believeShow MoreRelatedThe Supreme Court Of The United States1140 Words   |  5 Pagessacred. As a nation, we must pick our fights and the hills we die on. It will not and never should be considered treason to burn the flag, however there is, like with most things a catch twenty-two. Publicly and privately the burning of the flag is accepted as freedom of speech, but once this simple gesture turns into a hazard we must act. President Trump and conservatives may view it as weak, but a system of penalties or citations would be the correct form of punishment. We should follow the leadRead MoreFlag Burning In America Persuasive Essa Essay example1314 Words   |  6 Pages 2014 Instructor Benjamin Perlin The American Flag can be seen in many public places. You see it in schools, government building, stores and hanging in our homes. Those stars and strips are a symbol of freedom to many people across the nation. But is also represents civil liberties that became the pillars this country was founded upon. Flag Burning should be legalized because it allows those who feel disenfranchised the freedom of speech, the Constitutional right to protest and in many importantRead MoreFlag Burning - a Persuasive Essay1044 Words   |  5 PagesFreedom of Speech: Flag Burning Flag burning has been one of the most controversial forms of nonviolent protests. It is often linked with the Middle East and Hezbollah with depictions of Arabs against President Bush burning the American flag. Americans are intimidated and threatened by this action, but that does not make it illegal. Supreme Court rulings have upheld that peaceful flag desecration is a form of political speech that should be protected by our Constitution (Flag Burning Myths). Read MoreFlag Desecration Essay5209 Words   |  21 PagesFlag Desecration The issue of flag desecration has been and continues to be a highly controversial issue; on the one side there are those who believe that the flag is a unique symbol for our nation which should be preserved at all costs, while on the other are those who believe that flag burning is a form of free speech and that any legislation designed to prevent this form of expression is contrary to the ideals of the First Amendment to our Constitution. Shawn Eichman, as well as the majorityRead MoreGregory Lee Johnson950 Words   |  4 PagesLee Johnson lit the American Flag on fire. Why would a man disrespect a symbol such as the American flag, that represents freedom, liberty and democracy? Was he protected by the constitutions first amendment? The Supreme Court answered all these questions we had by voting in favor of Johnson. Johnsons intentions were only political, and he as the freedom of speech. The Supreme Court was correct on this decision on letting Johnson go, since he was protected b y his amendments, and no matter whatRead More The Flag-burning Debate Continues Essay examples1186 Words   |  5 PagesThe Flag-burning Debate Continues      Ã‚   Nazis captured Jim Rogers. He was routinely beaten and given barely enough food to survive. During the time he spent in a World War II prisoner of war camp, he managed to keep his sanity by scraping together bits and pieces of colored cloth in order to make an American flag. As his fellow prisoners began to die, it was his American flag which provided him with a sense of identity and gave him the inspiration to keep living.    It is no wonder, thenRead MoreThe American Flag: More Than Just a Piece of Cloth3674 Words   |  15 PagesThe American Flag is the most widespread symbol Americans have. It took a disaster to make me realize how important it is. I would always wave the flag in a parade or on the Fourth of July, but I never really stopped to think about what I was doing. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 are what changed my view. They caused me to reflect about our country and the value of saying, â€Å"I am an American.† After September 11th, there was an explosion of patriotism. Flags were bought and hung everywhereRead MoreDesecration Of The United States Flag1821 Words   |  8 Pagesprotestors to burn or disrespect the flag, than to allow the government to repress our birth rights by banning desecration of the flag. Deemed offensive by many citizens, and a form of symbolic speech by others, the constitutionality of flag desecration has been in question since the late 1800s. D esecration of the United States flag is constitutional, as a form of symbolic speech and protected under the First Amendment, even though many citizens do find it offensive. The flag has been a symbol for the UnitedRead More Flag Burning and the First Amendment2123 Words   |  9 Pages   Ã‚   Your First Amendment rights are extremely close to being violated by none other than the United States Congress. I refer to the Flag Desecration Bill that, if passed, would do irreparable damage to our right to free speech and undermine the very priniciples for which the American flag stands. Fortunately, West Virginians have an ally in Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Sen. Byrd, who previously favored the bill, now fights to protect our rights by stopping the passage of this bill. I applaud his standRead MoreEssay on Proclaim Your Freedom of Speech – Burn a Flag!2195 Words   |  9 PagesProclaim Your Freedom of Speech – Burn a Flag!      Ã‚  Ã‚   This flag, which we honor and under which we serve, is the emblem of our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation. It has no other character than that which we give it from generation to generation. The choices are ours (quoted in Smith 87). This statement by Woodrow Wilson summarizes the debate over a proposed amendment to outlaw burning of the American flag. Is this symbol of our nation too powerful to be defiled in our collective

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Hitler vs. Stalin Who Was Worse - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 741 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/06/18 Category People Essay Level High school Tags: Adolf Hitler Essay Joseph Stalin Essay Did you like this example? Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were the greatest familiar and known totalitarian leaders in Europe. Hitler is to fault for the burst out of the II World War and for the idea of an ideology which caused the holocaust and agony of many countries. Stalin was a head of the Soviet Union up until 1953. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Hitler vs. Stalin: Who Was Worse?" essay for you Create order He was the originator of the Great Purges in 1937 and the collectivization which have affected an enormous quantity of victims in his own country. They both were very harsh and dreadful leaders who were cruel massive murderers who believed themselves as military geniuses. Hitler assassinated particularly foreign nationals. Stalin his own people. Hitler was more sensitive and sometimes made unwise judgments when livid which far along cost him greatly. Stalin was calmer and made his in a more sensible fashion. After 1938, Hitler became progressively more uncontrolled. Stalin was typically careful even after the defeat in 1945. Stalin was cooperative to a negotiation at moment in time. Hitler remained not. Hitler was an extreme racially prejudiced. Stalin was not because he was a Communist, he, too, had an aversion for Jews. Stalin, as a collective, believed the class struggle was the essential to considerate the humankind. In Hitlers outlook, it was the struggle between German-and the Jews. Both supposed in the relation of reproduction policies. They controlled the fertility rates through health care strategies, and emerging good policies was a key for an improved society. Hitler trained and supported eugenics, while Stalin never formally supported it. Hitler supposed that womankind should stay at home and educate their offspring, while the fellas work. Women stood to be decent wives, and assist in making of the right sort of kids. The Nazis had termination camps focused on killing the State of asocial elements. The camps in Soviet Russia were for the most part labor camps. Both Stalin and Hitler disallowed tolerance outright. Together Stalin and Hitler believed in having a sturdy army skillful by the State leader, and owed enormous quantities of possessions and capital to the expansion of such a durable army. Hitler was National Socialist and Stalin Communist, is an extremely significant difference, since this produced their hatred against each other. Hitler massacred masses of Jews, and other non-Aryans, while Stalin triggered the death of loads of farmers, which deceased because of the reason of food shortage, so on both individually sides many of individuals pass away, since of the political thoughts of their rulers. Hitler was a fascist that hated communism. He was patriotic about Germany and fought as a German warrior in WWI. He was above emotional and occasionally made unwise choices because of them. He had a dislike for Jews, and was a life-threatening racist. Hitler, even if he wanted to, would never have killed so many associates, military officers etc. He observed himself more as a widely held leader who was only overpowering those conspirators acting against the German society. Stalin was calmer and created his in a more logical manner. Stalins road to rule looked differently, as he did not need the livelihood of common people. Stalin was very suspicious, as known for his purges in 1937. He performed numerous Trotskyites and additional individuals not of the party. Stalin was recognized as a beyond sensible and patient man, as he listened to his war advisors. Hitler did not. The ideologies in whose name they devoted their mass slaughter were radically dissimilar. Stalins was built on class. Hitlers on race. Also Stalin was extra careful. In pursuit of his successes in WW2, he did not thrust his good fortune by looking for a head on hostility with the west. Hitler was irresponsible and constantly pushing his primary winning streak until finally he collected a massively powerful alliance against his country. And that alliance was eventually far off too powerful for him to succeed. Unfortunately, for him the alliance was joint in its objective which was his destruction. Stalin was married two times and had 3 children, Hitler had none. Stalin adored great food and wine, Hitler did not drink and was vegetarian Stalin listen a lot but speaks little, Hitler loved talking, hate listening Stalin had large mustache, Hitler had petite one. Hitler and Stalin had plenty of things that are common and that are different about each other. From the family, how they think even on how they look. Both men came a long way to do what they believed in until death do them appart.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Importance of Ethical Business Practices Walmart Law...

This issues study is aimed to explain the importance of ethical business practices which also include social responsibilities and will be compared to an example of an unethical business practice. It will explore the different unethical issues in business, the benefits of running an ethical business and this will be done with reference to a certain case study. Ethics are moral guidelines which govern good behavior. For a business to behave ethically, it must follow strict guidelines which ensure the health, safety and human rights of every employee within that business. Unfortunately, there are many cases were certain companies will not follow any ethical guidelines and may often lead to sickness and or/death of some or all employees.†¦show more content†¦Aside from sexual discrimination, there are many other unethical issues that can occur within businesses. These can include unfair wages, employing children under the legal working age and unsafe and unsanitary work practices. Having an unethical business may have its advantages, but they come with disadvantages and consequences as well. The main benefit from running an ethical business is that owners can avoid legal problems. This includes the penalties that may arise if a company gets caught after being unethical and legal fees and fines. This can cause long term damage if the public finds out by negative publicity. These things can lead to loss of loyal customers. Having loyal customers is a big part of the long range business success. It obviously plays a major part in funding for the company as they use the profit they make off the customers. By keeping a business running ethically, owners can ensure they are retaining good employees. Companies who are honest to their employees and treat them fairly and ethically have a better chance of keeping loyal employees, employees who are unhappy will not dedicate themselves to the company like a happy employee would and this leads to a negative work environment. Within a negative work environment, employees may begin to arrive late to work, start to do the wrong things and the worst cases can include theft. An example of an unethical business is Wal-Mart. There have been numerousShow MoreRelatedTarget Strategic Audit Essay15491 Words   |  62 PagesTarget needs to perform a detailed research on its e/m-commerce platforms and those of the competition. Since Target is the follower, without spending too much in RD it can take advantage of what Amazon has proven to be working and internalize those practices that increase number of visitors and transactions. Using focus group studies and split testing1 Target can pinpoint aspects of the platforms that work well, and areas that need improvement. Therefore, interface and content are the two areas of focusRead MoreWal-Mart: Strategic Management11571 Words   |  47 PagesWal-Mart: Strategic Management An in depth analysis of Wal-Mart and its global strategic management and electronic distribution Analysis for Business Policy: Strategic Management. Instructor: Dr. M. Reitzel, DeVry University, February 2007, Austin, TX. Members of the Team: Marcus Bedford Jon Cable Wayne Oulicky Constince Sanchez Table of Contents: Executive Summary.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.2 Problem Statement †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...2 Situational Description and Strategic Analyses †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreWal-Mart: Strategic Management11565 Words   |  47 PagesWal-Mart: Strategic Management An in depth analysis of Wal-Mart and its global strategic management and electronic distribution Analysis for Business Policy: Strategic Management. Instructor: Dr. M. Reitzel, DeVry University, February 2007, Austin, TX. Members of the Team: Marcus Bedford Jon Cable Wayne Oulicky Constince Sanchez Table of Contents: Executive Summary.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.2 Problem Statement †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...2 Situational Description and Strategic Analyses †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 PagesTechnology Platform CASE STUDY I-7 Midsouth Chamber of Commerce (B): Cleaning Up an Information Systems Debacle CASE STUDY II-1 Vendor-Managed Inventory at NIBCO CASE STUDY II-2 Real-Time Business Intelligence at Continental Airlines CASE STUDY II-3 Norfolk Southern Railway: The Business Intelligence Journey CASE STUDY II-4 Mining Data to Increase State Tax Revenues in California CASE STUDY II-5 The Cliptomaniaâ„ ¢ Web Store: An E-Tailing Start-up Survival Story CASE STUDYRead MoreMerck Case18783 Words   |  76 PagesPharmaceuticals: Merck Sustaining Long-term Advantage Through Information Technology Hiroshi Amari Working Paper No. 161 Working Paper Series Center on Japanese Economy and Business Columbia Business School December 1998 Columbia-Yale Project: Use of Software to Achieve Competitive Advantage PHARMACEUTICALS: MERCK Sustaining Long-term Advantage Through Information Technology Prepared by Hiroshi Amari Research Associate, Yale University William V. Rapp and Hugh T. Patrick Co-principalRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesPrinted in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Brief Contents PA RT 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 UNDERSTANDING HRM The Dynamic Environment of HRM 2 Fundamentals of Strategic HRM 28 PART 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 THE LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONTEXT OF HRM Equal Employment Opportunity 56 Employee Rights and Discipline 84 PART 3 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 STAFFING THE ORGANIZATION Human Resource Planning and Job Analysis 110 Recruiting 132 Foundations of Selection 154 PARTRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesBRIEF CONTENTS 4 The Organization System 16 Organizational Culture 511 17 Human Resource Policies and Practices 543 18 Organizational Change and Stress Management 577 Appendix A Research in Organizational Behavior Comprehensive Cases Indexes Glindex 637 663 616 623 Contents Preface xxii 1 1 Introduction What Is Organizational Behavior? 3 The Importance of Interpersonal Skills 4 What Managers Do 5 Management Functions 6 †¢ Management Roles 6 †¢ Management SkillsRead MoreMarketing and E-commerce Business65852 Words   |  264 PagesIrrelevant? Insight on Business: Start-Up Boot Camp Insight on Society: Facebook and the Age of Privacy Case Study: The Pirate Bay: Searching for a Safe Haven CHAPTER 2 E-COMMERCE BUSINESS MODELS AND CONCEPTS Opening Case: Twitter’s Business Model Insight on Society: Foursquare: Check Your Privacy at the Door Insight on Business: Crowdfunding Takes Off Insight on Technology: Battle of the Titans: Music in the Cloud Case Study: Pandora and the Freemium Business Model CHAPTER 3 E-COMMERCERead Morepaul hoang answers72561 Words   |  291 Pages © Paul Hoang and IBID Press    1 Business Management – Answer Book Important message from the author Dear Colleagues, Thank you for purchasing my textbook and for the encouraging words that many of you have passed on from around the world. In the final installment, I have put together answers/solutions to all 217 case studies. I hope you will find these solutions as a useful starting point. As with all BM mark schemes, the solutions in this Answer Book should be used with cautionRead MoreModel Thesis31971 Words   |  128 PagesThe major finding of this study was that employees tended to perceive customers as more satisfied with services than customers reported themselves to be. The social change implications include using evidence to support changes in customer service practices that could result in increased customer satisfaction and increased patronage of fast food restaurants, both of which could increase service sector employment, salaries, and profitability. Customer Service Experience: A Quantitative Analysis

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Second Language Education

Question: Select a specific area within second language studies and identify three or four recent research-based articles which have made a significant contribution to the development of this area. Critically evaluate aspects of the articles, such as the research approach, quality and ethics. Suggest how these studies could be adapted for researching your own teaching and learning context which you are familiar with. Answer: Research Methods for Second Language Education Second Language is a language, which is not ones mother tongue. In this connection, the research on second language learning motivation is increasing day by day. Motivation, the term indicates ones motive force to learn the other language. Motivation is the most important factor, which affects the success of a language learner. Motivation plays a considerable role to develop the learning of a student to learn new languages. A student can be motivated to learn another language for emotion, desire, need to learn and for any other good reason. However, learners in the countries where English is not the mother tongue, lacks the appropriate level of motivation to learn English for various reasons. These reasons include teaching practices, English is not related to the real life conditions, lack of interest in English values and culture, etc. A less able student can achieve greater success if he is highly motivated. It can be assumed that one can be successful in any task because of his/he r motivation, so as of language learning, with motivation a learner can be successful. Sometimes, paucity of motivation of the learner is the reason for which the students performance, attendance and participation became low. Both teachers and researchers accepted that one of the factors, which influence the success of learning the foreign or second language, is motivation (Mao, 2011). Nowadays, the pressure is on the educational institutes to teach language classes more than earlier despite the students dislike it. The family also plays an important role to pressurise the student to learn English as to progress in academic and social life. In Taiwan, English taught from school to university. In addition, Taiwan has educational institutes outside the formal system of schooling where the medium of learning is English. Despite the English teaching, Taiwan is not very proficient in the language. It is because the students in Taiwan are not motivated and psychologically declined to learn English, which affects their English proficiency. Kinds of Motivation We found four kinds of motivation. First is integrative motivation. Person possessing integrative motivation learns a language other than that of his or her in order to integrate with the speakers of the native place. Secondly, the instrumental motivation means the language uses as a tool or instrument that allows one to achieve a goal for some reason. Thirdly, the intrinsic motivation, which means the learning motivation, comes from within. The last is the extrinsic motivation. For this, one is motivated to learn any other language as someone else can penalise or reward for it. Intrinsic motivation is the reason for long-term success, extrinsic motivation related to short-term gain (Salazar-Campillo, 2015). Motivation is the composite form of three elements of desire, effort and affect. Desire illustrates how much a learner wanted to be proficient in the language. Effort indicates to time that spent by the learner to study. And affects refers to the emotional reactions of the learner regarding the study of the language (Hinkel, 2011). The eminent researcher in the field of motivation is Robert Gardner, who has been working on the topic since 1970s. Gardner developed his socio-educational model from time to time and examined motivation from the integrative and instrumental perspective. Integrative motivation includes the desire to integrate one person into the target culture by adapting the parts of it into ones identity. Its example is that students of Taiwan use their English name wherever they can. Instrumental motivation described as desiring rewards by which action can be taken, for example, increasing rate in job opportunities and meeting requirements to the graduates. (Gardner, 2005) Mao implemented the research on motivation of second language and its application in reading class of the high school senior division to understand consequence of motivation on studying. He has collected data and concluded that the integrative and instrumental motivation together can influence on the improvement of the reading class. English teachers can take initiative to awaken students motivation by effective application in the reading class, and can assist the students to develop their integrative motivation in approaching the English learning. (Mao, 2011) There are many theories regarding the motivation. One of them is Self-Determination Theory (SDT) proposed by Deci and Ryan. This theory based on the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Tasks considered as fun, interesting or enjoyable are intrinsic motivation. The tasks done for useful purposes, even if are not interesting, considered as extrinsic motivation. This theory later modified by Ryan and Deci (Csizr, et al. 2015). The second motivational theory proposed by Eccles and Wigfield is Expectancy-Value theory. They suggested that the four components of motivation are the attainment value, the intrinsic value, the extrinsic utility value and the cost. The attainment value described as perception of individual about the importance of the task. The intrinsic value means happiness, what one enjoys at the time of completing the task. The extrinsic value is anticipated usefulness of a completed task relating to goals of future of the individual. Cost described as recognised negative consequences of completing a task, including financial, emotional and physical cost (Jafari, 2013). The Self-Determination Theory and the Expectancy-Value Theory examined within a general environment of education. The socio-educational model always examined within a second language acquisition environment. English still is not considered as the second language in Taiwan, but a foreign language. The development of socio-educational model specifically based on the context of acquisition of second/foreign language and not in a general setting as adopted for the development of the two theories. Though English is not the second language of Taiwan, still the students of Taiwan have the opportunity to interact with English culture and language. Motivation is the socio-educational model and a complex phenomenon that offers a holistic approach. Thirdly, the AMTB used in some studies around the world that is found to be reliable, useful and relevant to identifying the components of learner motivation as well as the impact of motivation on learning outcomes (Gardner, 2001). The basic fundamental of putting English as a main language is to give a broader view of the people a global aspect. The skeleton structure of this was made keeping in mind the attitudes of the puipil towards learning English as the second language in comparison to the other languages provided in the syllabus. By keeping the feedbacks of the students learning the language by calculating the motivation given to them. Adding up to it is the maiontaining the value of customs and beliefs and then learning the subject and the importanvce of it in their eyes along with the consent of their parents. The perception or concept of the the guardians of the students, teachers and their fellow classmates on this particular sector. As per the assessment of the students and their verdict over the foreign language which was taught to them. The students were to give feedback on the scale of 5 and most of them were said that they did not like the language. On the scale of ranging from stringly disagree to strongly agree the first two sections did not like the subject. The five-point response scale concerning how many students liked the subject, resulting in a 16.1% of the puipils like the English subject as per the report given, 37% of the puipil liked English as a subject a little 33.3% of the puipil neither disliked nor did they like the subject, 9% of the puipil disliked it a little and 3.8% of the puipil completely disliked English as a language. The report thus drawn from the feedbacks of the students was slightly satisfying than it was expected. Foreign Language Learning Strategies Learning strategies are exclusive behaviours or thoughts by which individuals help them to learn, retain or comprehend new information (O'Malley and Chamot, 1990), and the procedures, which facilitate the learning at the novice stage (Chamot, 2005). Learners are assisted by the learning strategies to achieve their goals by taking the conscious actions, such as the students of Taiwan use to memorise what exactly their teachers teach them. Language learning strategies must be problem-oriented, should encourage the learners to become self-directed, and involve the learner more than his/her cognition. In addition, it must help learner to integrate and organise the new knowledge. The learning strategies may have an effect on the motivational state of the student. Taiwanese students became accustomed with the authoritarian teaching modes, so the strategies seem to be strange for them (Plonsky, 2011). An instrument, that measures the use of the learning strategies is Oxfords (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). SILL consists of six types of strategies, these are cognitive, mnemonics, mega-cognitive, affective, compensation and social. Cognitive strategies include the interactions of the learner and how he processes the new information, for example, repeating new words, searching for patterns and practicing. By mnemonics strategies, one concern adopting the different path to remember like using semantic maps and pictures. Meta-cognitive strategies engage the plan to practice and improve target language, for example, seek the native speakers and engage them in language exchange. Affective strategies involve management of ones own emotions, for example, positive self-talk and relaxing. By compensation strategies, one deploy different modes to communicate when one found unknown gaps in target language. Social strategies involve interaction with others, for example, asking the questions and practicing with other students. Proposed Research Method There is studies to examine the relationships between three selected factors, i.e. foreign language motivation, foreign language learning strategies and foreign language anxiety. To research the educational phenomena, various methods may be used. Ary, Jacobs, Razavieh, and Sorensen (2010) explain the qualitative research methods as examining the setting in connection with context not attempting to predict the future by producing a rich account of the events. Quantitative research methods, attempting to predict the future by determining dependant factors associated with the phenomenon under examination by testing the relationships. After analysis, the conclusion would be formed by the deductive reasoning and would be dictated by statistical analysis of the results (Ary, et al. 2010). This study also examines the relationships between various factors as foreign language motivation, foreign language learning strategies and foreign language anxiety learning the second language. These factors try to predict the factor which collectively or individually influenced the achievements to learn the foreign language. The three basic instruments that have been used in the present study is extensively tested, developed and implemented in various situations of language learning program. These instruments are found to be highly reliable and fit for the purpose. So, quantitative research methodology deploying established the survey instruments used for this study appropriately. Descriptive Statistics In order to analyse the data adequately, various procedures will be implemented to set up the reliability and validity. The second set of data analysis procedures which will run, will be the descriptive analysis that shows the profile of the sample used. The information which is shown will be the medium, frequency distribution and standard deviation of the gender, age, study major and the number of years of English learning of the participant. Also the demographics descriptive analysis, the procedures will be run only to show the median level of anxiety of the participants, use of strategies of language learning, motivation by which one can learn a second or foreign language and the achievement of the foreign language at a particular point of time when the data collection will be taken. The independent factors have their own sub-scales and they will also include in descriptive analysis (Chang and Liu, 2013). The sub-scales of independent factors will be compared with the other independent factors for any statistically significant relationship. For example, the FLCAS has three sub-scales namely communication apprehension, test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation. There are four sub-scales of the AMTB, i.e. attitudes toward the learning situation, integrativeness, instrumental orientation and motivation. The six sub-scales of the SILL are mnemonics, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective and social. These all sub-scales will be completed against each other. Each of the sub-scales of individual factors and achievement of foreign language will be compared with the final Pearsons correlation coefficient (Wigfield and Eccles, 2002). By inferential statistical procedures, they will test the impact and predictive nature of independent variables on the dependant, that being the foreign language achievement. The set of inferential statistical procedures to be run are multiple regression analysis. There are two parts which have to be completed. The first type multiple regression analysis uses the enter method with the collinearity diagnostics included. Factor that shows any value of more than 10 in the variance inflation factor (VIF) that will be removed. This will show the impact that each of the independent variables will have on the dependent variable. The impact of anxiety in foreign language, and/or foreign language learning strategies, and/or motivation to learn a foreign language will have on the foreign language achievement. The second multiple regression analysis to be run will be using the the stepwise method (Lepp-Kaethler and Drnyei, 2013). Why this study is important English is taught as the second or foreign language throughout the Taiwanese education system, yet Taiwan has slipped its position in the world rankings. The gestures of teaching English in the classroom are the combination of many factors. Previously, the researches focus on specialised areas which helped gaining an insight into a part of the psychology of the language learners. The areas discussed above are the motivation learning a second or foreign language, anxiety in the foreign language classroom and language learning strategies. Individually, the researchers were guided by these factors over the years. But these instruments and factors have been proven measures. It is time to combine these factors together and seek to reveal more of the holistic picture of foreign language acquisition (Mitchell, et al. 2013). Conclusion The acquisition of foreign or second language is a complex process involving a lot of factors. These include some personality factors specially non-intelligence factors, like the motivation, character, attitude, etc. The most significant factor among all the factors is motivation, which is the solution of learning (Dahmardeh and Hunt, 2012). When we examine the success of the learning of the second language, we found that motivation plays a vital variable (Mao, 2011). The best step to facilitate learning of a second language is to inform the learners about the requirements of motivation in the learning. Motivation for every student is different, as students with different characteristics should have different kinds of motivation to motivate themselves. With classroom motivation trainings, students will become more motivated. Both the teachers and students knew that more emphasis should be placed on other skills incorporating interesting life relating materials of their university cou rses, writing and their later professions. The teachers may help to motivate the students by involving them in choosing material for the class. Teachers also have the responsibility not to focus on the accuracy in language, but to see whether the students are sharing their ideas with each other. Teachers may engage students to set their own goals for learning the language as well as providing the activities, which allow to use the language for practical and academic purposes in and outside the class. Motivating the students to learn the second language must be the priority as it is to make them understand that by learning, they will be successful in academic and professional lives. Besides the factors which influence the motivation of the students, teachers must consider some other factors as per the classroom environment, aptitude of student, course goals, and so on. References: Ary, D., Jacobs, L.C., Razavieh, A. and Chris Sorensen, C., 2010. Introduction to research in education: Cengage Learning. Bean, J.C., 2011.Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. John Wiley and Sons. Chang, C.H. and Liu, H.J., 2013. Language learning strategy use and language learning motivation of Taiwanese EFL University students.Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching,10(2), pp.196-209. Chang, M.M., 2005. Applying self-regulated learning strategies in a web-based instructionan investigation of motivation perception.Computer Assisted Language Learning,18(3), pp.217-230. Cohen, A.D., 2014.Strategies in learning and using a second language. Routledge. Csizr, K., Piniel, K. and Kontra, E.H., 2015. The Role of Individual Difference Variables in Shaping Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Language Learners Motivated Learning Behavior.UZRT 2014: Empirical Studies in Applied Linguistics, p.31. Dahmardeh, M. and Hunt, M., 2012. Motivation and English Language Teaching in Iran.Studies in Literature and Language,5(2), pp.36-43. Ellis, R. (2009).Implicit and explicit knowledge in second language learning, testing and teaching. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. EnglishFirst. (2012). EF English Proficiency Index. Retrieved from https://www.efaustralia.com.au/__/~/media/efcom/epi/2012/full_reports/EF%20EPI%202012 %20Report_MASTER_LR.pdf Gardner, R.C., 2001. Language Learning Motivation: The Student, the Teacher, and the Researcher.Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education,6(1), pp.1-18. Gardner, R.C., 2005. Motivation and attitudes in second language learning. Hinkel, E. ed., 2011.Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning(Vol. 2). Routledge. Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., and Cope, J. (1986). Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125-132. doi: 10.1111/j.1540- 4781.1986.tb05256.x Jafari, S.S., 2013. Motivated learners and their success in learning a second language.Theory and Practice in Language Studies,3(10), pp.1913-1918. Jamil, A., and Atta, M. (2012). Effects of Motivation and Parental Influence on the Educational Attainments of Students at Secondary level. Academic Research International Lepp-Kaethler, E. and Drnyei, Z., 2013. The role of sacred texts in enhancing motivation and living the vision in second language acquisition.Christian faith and English language teaching and learning: Research on the interrelationship of religion and ELT, pp.171-188. MacIntyre, P.D. and Gardner, R.C., 1989. Anxiety and second language learning: Toward a theoretical clarification.Language learning,39(2), pp.251-275. Mao, Z., 2011. A Study on L2 Motivation and Applications in Reading Class in Senior High School.Theory and Practice in Language Studies,1(12), pp.1731-1739. Mitchell, R., Myles, F. and Marsden, E., 2013.Second language learning theories. Routledge. Nicholas, H., Lightbown, P.M. and Spada, N., 2001. Recasts as feedback to language learners.Language learning,51(4), pp.719-758. O'Malley, J. M., and Chamot, A. U. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition / J. Michael O'Malley, Anna Uhl Chamot: Cambridge [England] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1990 Oxford, R. L., and Burry-Stock, J. A. (1995). Assessing the Use of Language Learning Strategies Worldwide with the ESL/EFL Version of the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). System, 23(1), 1-23 Plonsky, L., 2011. The Effectiveness of Second Language Strategy Instruction: A Metaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ analysis.Language learning,61(4), pp.993-1038. Rubin, J., 2014. Teaching Languageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Learning Strategies.The encyclopedia of applied linguistics. Salazar-Campillo, P. (2015). Book review: Carmen Munoz (ed.) Intensive exposure experiences in second language learning.Language Teaching Research, 19(5), pp.634-635. Swain, M., Kinnear, P. and Steinman, L., 2011.Sociocultural theory in second language education: An introduction through narratives(Vol. 7). Multilingual matters. Ushioda, E., 2011. Language learning motivation, self and identity: Current theoretical perspectives.Computer Assisted Language Learning,24(3), pp.199-210. Van Dijk, T.A. ed., 2011.Discourse studies: A multidisciplinary introduction. Sage. Wigfield, A. and Eccles, J. (2002).Development of achievement motivation. San Diego: Academic Press. Zhang, L.J. and Zhang, D., 2013. Thinking Metacognitively about Metacognition in Second and Foreign Language Learning, Teaching, and Research: Toward a Dynamic Metacognitive Systems Perspective.Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies,12, p.010.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Rise and Fall of Enron Essays

Rise and Fall of Enron Essays Rise and Fall of Enron Paper Rise and Fall of Enron Paper The rise and fall of Enron is a company that was lead to its own demise by it’s own leadership and ill business decisions. The motivational theories explained from the readings of Organization Behavior can correlate with the failure of Enron’s internal organization. Even though a company may appear to display successful business practices, the influence of leadership through management can ultimately lead the company to fail. Enron’s code of ethics prided itself on four key values; respect, integrity, communication, and excellence. Codes of ethics should be a reflection of what the owners, investors, and employees work towards as an organization. Executives overlooked those values as they deliberately corrupted Enron by engaging in money laundering, accounting fraud, falsifying income, and other conspiracies. Employees continued to work their scheduled routine hours and showed loyalty by working through lunches and doing overtime, unaware that their invincible company would soon go under leaving them scrambling for answers. As the company struggled and faced financial ruin, executives betrayed their dedicated employees by informing them that Enron’s foundation was solid and continue to be profitable and had not allowed them to sell their stock in the company. At the same time, executives sold their share of the company and received millions of dollars before filing for bankruptcy and being investigated by the United States Justice Department. The unfortunate employees believed that they helped Enron develop into a successful company that it was and saw everyone as family. A combination of motivation and influential theories can explain Enron’s ultimate failure. Enron’s failure as an organization can be described in the theories of motivation. Employees need somewhat of an inspiration to lead their efforts to attaining a solid goal. Edwin Locke’s goal-setting theory and self-concordance can both be brought to explain Enron’s failure. Edwin Locke’s goal-setting theory links motivation to meeting specific and challenging goals to contribute to higher and better task performance and receiving positive feedback would be a reward of pride and triumph. Motivational goals may come from promotions, raises, long term careers, or working for a great company. Self-concordance reflects in the way people reason in practicing goals that are in line with their interests and values. Enron offered those goals to their employees and in returned hired the most qualified, experienced, and self driven people to attain those goals. Working for a very prominent and successful company gave employees the sense of comfort and dependability that breathed prosperity. However, it was those goals that had false hopes. Enron had high aspirations that joint ventures in trading energy with investors in the new virtual market place would be successful but failed and lost millions of dollars. Enron continued to press forward and kept all employees on track but if they were not able to obtain their goals, for the sake of keeping the company above water, they were let go. Once employees dedicate and committed themselves to a strictly structured organized culture, they have a tendency of enduring ethical judgement that is later rationalized in one form or another. Strong leadership, management and organizational structure is what every business should be governed around. The neglect and abuse of that leadership, management, and organizational structure was the ultimate contribution to the failure of Enron. The executives displayed leadership in shaping and exhibiting Enron as a prominent and innovative company that discovered new ways of doing business. Under the leadership of Jeffrey Skilling, he exercised a highly strict culture that included the recruitment of top intelligent and assertive candidates from prestigious universities who were trained to produce deals rapidly. Management encouraged and required a high level of performance by each employee to any means necessary, which lead to breaking ethical business practices. As those ventures failed, executives continued unethical behavior which led to accounting fraud, falsifying income, and a number of other malpractices and abuses of power. Enron maintained to administer a series of appropriate management control which included a performance review system, risk assessment and control group, followed by a code of ethics. These groups worked on behalf of Skilling’s organizational structure and assured the employees protection. The levels of communication between management were evidently clear of doubt in regards to any questionable actions dealing with projects. Enron’s organizational structure proved to ruin the integrity of the company with corruption, influence, and manipulation. Influential leadership can carry power to others in ethical or unethical ways to serve a single purpose. Enron used those powers to create a culture that demanded excellence. Skilling’s leadership role at Enron influenced unethical behavior and directed the organizational culture to discredit the morals and values of the company. While motivation of rank, greed, and power provided management to successfully control the process in which loyal employees worked until the end. References Robbins, S. P. , Judge, T. A. (2011). Organizational behavior (14th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. The Organization | July / August 2007 by Clinton Free, Mitchell Stein, and Norman Macintosh MANAGEMENT CONTROLS: THE ORGANIZATIONAL FRAUD TRIANGLE OF LEADERSHIP, CULTURE AND CONTROL IN ENRON iveybusinessjournal. com/topics/the-organization/management-controls-the-organizational-fraud-triangle-of-leadership-culture-and-control-in-enron

Saturday, February 22, 2020

County analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

County analysis - Essay Example In carrying out business with parties from elevated power distance countries, the managers used or should have title at least on the same level as those they are negotiating with. On the other hand, cultures that have low power distance should have the inequalities reduced. Japan is ranked at 54 while the United States of America is ranked at 45. According to Hofstede, countries with low uncertainty avoidance index score have innovative approaches and risk investment tendencies. This are attributes found in entrepreneurs. Uncertainty avoidance is the reality that vagueness about the prospects of the future is a basic fact of human life with which we try to cope through the domain of technology, law and religion. Uncertainty avoidance is also the extent to which individuals feel endangered by situations. This leads to people creating institutions that deal with these. Hofstede used stress, employment stability and rule orientation to identify. Countries are then ranked as low or high concerning uncertainty avoidance. Squat uncertainty avoidance means that, there is a strong willingness to take a risk. On the other hand, high uncertainty implies a lower willingness to take risk. Hofstedes notes that, in societies where there is high uncertain avoidance, there tends to be a generational gap amid the old and the young. High unce rtain avoidance cultures are concerned with rituals and traditions and often follow exceedingly complex rules and regulations. Individualism refers to preference of closed surrounding environment, in which it is understood that, one must mind for themselves and their close relations as opposed to the entire cluster in which one is an associate. Individualism can be referred to as an appraisal of the emotional dependence and autonomy of a person. The culture of a country is scored high in this sense if there are favourable responses to items such as , having a satisfying job which leaves you with enough time for yourself and the family. In

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Does it seem as though parenting values have changed Essay

Does it seem as though parenting values have changed - Essay Example With the modern technology, many books on parenting, an individual may expect parenting now to be much better and easier compared to fifty years ago. The kind of society where confusion and all manner of immorality exist among parents and children, leave people wondering whether the parenting values have also positively changed with the changing world. In order to instill values in a child, the parents have to be the example to their children but what is happening in the society currently proves the opposite. This trend emerged greatly after the Second World War. With modernity and economical strains, most parents work day and night to provide for their children material needs and forgetting the most important aspect of parenting which involves instilling values. Absentee parents can have negative impacts on their children (Raiford, web). An ever-absent parent cannot instill discipline or values such as respect for others in a child. Most research show that parent’s absenteeis m can even lead to psychological trauma in children, which may extend to adulthood. Any child or person with psychological problems may develop some behaviors that are not admirable in any society set up such as a careless attitude towards life (Raiford, web). According to statistics, there have been an increasing number of divorce cases across the nation. Divorce cases where children are involved rather expose the kind of irresponsibility and lack of parental values among parents in the society. Divorcing especially when the children are still young will always have a negative impact on the children’s well being. Research show that children raised by single parents suffer emotionally and may develop certain habits to adulthood. It is quite evident that most parents no longer know what they want for their children in future and fail to consider the welfare of their children before divorcing. Being together as a family is important in the development of children and building s trong personality in these children (Chambers, 55). It is upon parents to know the values they want their children to acquire and it is upon them to instill these values (Reasoner and Marilyn, 4). Parents who consider divorce without concrete reasons seem to have lost or changed the meaning of parental values. The increased immorality among our teenagers raises alarms and leaves people wondering if by any chance parental values still exist in the modern world. Teenage alcoholism and smoking are common phenomenon among American children even though it may have serious health repercussions. Researchers have blamed the problem on parents. It is upon the parents to guide their children towards making the right choices in life. Making the right choices is a value that a parent can only instill in a child if they were the example. For instance, with alcoholic parents, there are high chances of a child picking the habit from the parents since children are greatly influenced by nature of th e family set up. According to Jacob, adolescent children and adults tend to have similar drinking patterns with their parents (205). It is a fact that children with alcoholic or smoking parents do pick the habits at a tender age. In the early days, high school and birthday parties were occasions where age mate met to discuss and share their experiences but today it is the exact opposite. Children become adults in such parties drinking and smoking themselves even to a point of death. It is with no doubt

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Samsung Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Samsung Case Analysis Essay 1. HISTORY Samsung Electronics is a South Korean multinational electronics and information technology company. It is the chief subsidiary of the Samsung Group that was established in 1969, and its headquarters is located in Samsung Town, Seoul. Samsung Electronics is one of the largest electronics producers in Asia, and its product line includes semiconductors, televisions, telecommunication equipment, computers and many other kinds of home appliances. The Samsung Electronics unit was created to get into the prosperous television and consumer electronics industry. Its first product was a small simple black-and-white television which was sold in the early 1970s. The division developed a diverse line of consumer electronics, and while in its beginning products was only sold domestically; exporting goods began a few years later. It took the company savvy management and huge investments in research and development, but Samsung Electronics expanded their products to creating color televisions and a variety of other consumer electronics and appliances. The company manufactured, shipped and sold a broad range of these appliances and electronic products worldwide by the 1980s. The fast progress and success of Samsung Electronics was not a surprise to people who knew the founder of the Samsung Group, Byung Chull Lee, a highly praised Korean entrepreneur. He overcame several obstacles with the small trading company he founded in 1938. Starting with a $2,000 nest egg and 40 employees, he was one of the ten largest trading companies when the Korean War started. The conquest of Soeul by the North Korean army forced him to give up his operations in 1950. However, one year after losing almost all his inventories and relocating to Pusan, Lee started the company over again with the help of the savings of one of his managers. After only one year, the company had experienced unimaginable growth and its assets twenty folded.Lee, being an entrepreneur that was always looking for more opportunities, founded Cheil Sugar, a sugar refinery in 1953, which became a very profitable business that allowed him to expand into a wide variety of markets. These included insurance, broadcasting, securities and even department stores. Lee was heavily criticized for some of his actions, such as building the â€Å"first manufacturing facility in South Korea after the Korean War† but many of his companies prospered under his vision of making Samsung the leader in every industry he entered. Despite facing major setbacks and fighting political battles in the 1960s, Samsung generated revenues over US $100 million annually. Lee not only broke into â€Å"the mass communication industry by launching a radio and television station†, but also founded Samsung Electronics. Entering the manufacturing televisions and electronics components industry, one that was under the control of US and European companies, seemed to be a risky venture, but Lee succeeded with the help of the national government. The head of the state, Park Chung-Hee encouraged the growth of dominating domestic industries in contradiction to his predecessor, who ruled with favoritism and corruption in order to keep his power. Park protected major industries and the larger companies in South Korea from foreign competition and gave out financial assistance as a part of his economic growth plan. The Samsung Group was one of the main beneficiaries, profiting from the ban on several countries to import consumer electronics, thereby eliminating the big competitors in the home market. As the company was trying to establish itself in the television industry, it added consumer products and appliances to its product lines. In addition to the ban on imports from certain countries, the government also prohibited foreign companies to invest into Samsung, while Samsung was still allowed to invest in overseas businesses. As a consequence, Samsung Electronics rapidly controlled parts of the home market while it also started exported successfully. As Lee had already predicted in the first decade of its existence, Samsungs Electronics division was the main industry for the company’s future. To ensure that Samsung became a major player, he entered the semiconductor business in 1978. Government regulations again played in the entrepreneur’s favor, as foreign telecommunication equipment manufacturers were required to provide semiconductor technology in return for access to the Korean market. In 1983, after receiving proprietary technology from Micron (USA) and Sharp (Japan), Samsung became the first Korean manufacturer of DRAM (dynamic random access memory) chips. Producing relatively low-tech DRAM chips at a lower cost, Samsung Electronics became a large supplier to computer and electronics manufacturers throughout the entire world within the next couple years. Samsung Electronics increased its efforts on other electronics operations in the meantime as well. Assembly plants were built in Portugal (1982), New York (1984) and England (1987). Together these plants produced 1,700,000 televisions, 700,000 microwave ovens and 300,000 VCRs. Thus, Samsung Groups annual revenues rose to $24 billion in 1987 (from $1.3 billion ten years earlier), which equated about a fifth of South Koreas entire GDP. Most of that growth resulted of Samsungs Electronics success. Despite the death of its founder Byung-Chull Lee, sales for the Samsung Group almost triple folded between 1987 and 1992. His successor, his son Kun-Hee Lee, did not only recognize the importance of the electronics division but moved it to the core of the Group. He combined several divisions and removed some operations while introducing different ideas that were put in place to enhance product quality and employee motivation. Lee focused on pushing Samsung to become a technological leader in the semiconductor, electronics and communication industry and doubled research and development investments. He was also credited for intensifying partnering efforts with foreign businesses to make Samsung the pioneer in the semiconductor technology. During the 1990s, Samsung underwent a groundbreaking change. After Samsung begins to reinvent through design (1993), sets up its in-house design school (â€Å"The Innovative Design Lab of Samsung†) and hires design consultancy IDEO to help develop computer monitors (1994), its biggest change had yet to follow. With the appointment of Yun Jong Yong as the President and CEO, Samsung changed its strategy drastically. Despite making profits as an established low cost supplier of many components to larger and well-known companies as well as providing customers with lower-priced appliances that were more affordable than the more expensive products by brands such as Sony, Yun was worried about the company’s future. He could not envision the company continued success on a low cost strategy with products whose technology had been developed by others. Yun believed that it was not secure to expect to be continuously able to scout for low-cost production locations successfully while retaining high volumes of production. This concern mainly a rose out of the emergence of many low-cost producing countries such as China. The CEOs scare became reality as within the first year of his tenure serious financial trouble threatened the company’s survival. Huge debt and the economic crisis in Asian resulted in the loss of millions of dollars and Yun stated that â€Å"if we continued, we would have gone belly-up within three or four years.† (Dess, 2010, p. C123). A turn-around was the much needed consequence. After trying to continuously compete in a price-cutting environment and increasing volume throughout the economic recession, Samsung Electronics had to lay off more than one-third of its workforce, which accumulated to about 30,000 employees. To get rid of its large inventory, many factories were closed down for more than 60 days. The company also sold off $2 billion worth of business that it perceived to be with minimal significance for its future. Yun decided to move Samsung’s future away from a company based on a lower-cost strategy to one emphasizing product development that woul d ultimately impress their consumers with their attractive design and advanced technology. Developing Samsung into a premium brand was the vision of the leader, and he recruited new managers. Yun removed the seniority-based system and put a merit-based system for advancement in place. These efforts resulted in the construction of newly designed products such as the largest flat-panel televisions, cell phones with new features (Cameras, PDAs, etc.) and thinner notebooks and computers than ever before. Hiring Eric Kim, a marketing whiz, who changed the advertisement agencies from 55 to one to create the same brand image anywhere in the world, worked hard to place a more upscale image of Samsung products into consumers’ minds. To undermine this perception, Samsung pulled out its products of big discounters such as Wal-Mart or Kmart and placed these into more expensive retailers (e.g. Best Buy, Circuit City). Yun was aware of the fact that the company would only be able to maintain its higher profit margins if the firm was able to bring its products faster to the market than its competitors. To ensure a sustaining model of this competitive advantage, the CEO removed several layers of bureaucracy to win approval for new products, budgets and marketing plans. Second steps to maintain an advantage are the huge investments in key technologies. The company has invested more than any of its rivals in research and development (RD), as it almost puts 9% of its revenues aside just for RD. To decrease the time of innovative product development, the large number of designers and engineers that are working in 17 locations throughout the entire world are not only facing the pressure from their own management but also competes with outsiders. Samsung attributes these strategies to its success in the effort of decreasing the time from a â€Å"new product concept to rollout† (Dess, 2010, p. C124). from over a year to â€Å"as little as five months† (Dess, 2010, p. C124). The determined work of the firms top manager, designers and engineers in the firms VIP center is at the core of the products rapid innovation and production. The reduced complexity for project teams in the design cycle’s early stages allows the company to move its products quicker to manufacturing while reducing problems and costs. Jung, a senior manager of the center states, explains that: â€Å"Seventy to eighty percent of quality, cost and delivery time is determined in the initial stages of a product.† (Dess, 2010, p. C124). A senior VP of Best Buy, George Danko, affirmed that â€Å"they will get a product to market a lot fast than their counterparts.† (Dess, 2010,p. C125). Among Samsungs first-to-market products are the first voice activated phones, handsets with MP3 Players and digital cameras that send photos over global systems for mobile communications networks. In addition to that, the firm was first to market projection TVs using new chips from Texas Instruments that employ digital-light processing. (Dess, 2010, p. C125).Yun envisioned that the company’s digital technology advances can result in a po ssibility of dominating the â€Å"digital home†, a home where he envisions that all appliances (from computers to refrigerators) are linked to each other and are capable of adapting to the personal needs of every individual consumer. One of the first products that have been brought to the market includes NEXiO, a combination of a cell phone and a handheld computer, or the Zipel, a refrigerator that has a 15-inch touch screen in its door that allows consumers to browse the web. To emphasize the importance of design, Yun implemented quarterly design meetings with top executives and opened or expanded design centers in San Francisco, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Shanghai. Additionally, the post of chief design officer was created who ensures that designers can get their ideas to top managers. (Dess, 2010, p. C125). Despite all the improvements that Samsung Electronics made since the mid-1990s, Lee Yoon Woo replaced Yun as the CEO in May 2008. After a tax evasion scandal that involved the parent firm Samsung Group, a major-shakeup along the top executives occurred that not only reassigned over half of its executives to new positions but also introduced many younger executives to various leadership teams. The purpose of the restructuring was to increase efforts and deal better with the prevailing bad economic conditions. Samsung went into the economic recession with a market value of over $100 billion, thus placing them in an elite market position shared only with three other Asian firms. Samsung moved past big players on the market such as Nokia, Sony and Motorola, thanks to their revolutionary products. The efforts to improve design by overhauling it design every two years has been paying off and Samsung won well over 200 awards from internationally prestigious design institutions since 2006. Even though Samsung prides itself of having lower cost structure compared to most of its rivals, the firm experienced its first quarterly losses in the last three months of 2008, when the company lost $14.4 million. This is Samsungs first net loss since it began reporting quarterly results in 2000. The overproduction of memory chips and liquid crystal displays (LCDs) worldwide was mentioned as the main reason resulting in a quarterly loss. Despite recording a quarterly loss, the company still made a yearly profit in 2008 and has increased its revenues steadily in the past decade. Samsung underwent two major restructures in the last three years, one in 2009 when the company began to slim down operations into two divisions from the five separate ones it had the year before. It also appointed Choi Gee Sung the new CEO shortly after the company made him the head of the newly formed digital media and communications unit. Chois appointment was a breakthrough for Samsung Electronic as it previously only picked top managers that had their backgrounds in engineering. In December 2010, Samsung underwent the second restructuring as it switched its management style from the single CEO system of the previous year to a two person management team. Choi Gee Sung remained the CEO of the company but was named Vice President and Lee Jae Yong is now the President and COO (Chief Operating Operator). The firm also added a digital imaging business division so that Samsung Electronic currently consists of eight divisions. (FundingUniverse, 1999) 2. VISION As Samsung stated in its new motto, the company’s vision for the decade is to Inspire the World, Create the Future. his new vision reflects Samsung commitment to inspiring its communities by supplying Samsungs three key strengths: â€Å"New Technology,† â€Å"Innovative Products,† and â€Å"Creative Solutions.† Samsung has also established three strategic approaches in its management: â€Å"Creativity,† â€Å"Partnership,† and â€Å"Talent.† As part of this vision, Samsung has mapped out a specific plan of reaching $400 billion in revenue and becoming one of the world’s top five brands by 2020. Samsung states that it looks forward to increase its diversity by exploring new territories, including health, medicine, and biotechnology. (Samsung, 2010) 3. BUSINESS DIVISIONS 1. Visual Display Business Samsung Electronics has achieved the world’s No. 1 market share in TVs for five years in a row since 2006. After establishing the new market for LED TVs in 2009, the firm has extended its competitive lead with sales of 45.11 million TVs. That included 39.26 million flat panel TVs in 2010, as the Full HD 3D LED TV became readily available. Samsung also leads in the next generation market with total sales of 3D TVs (2 million in 2010). Samsung Electronics announced a monthly record this past October 2011 as it sold more than 1 million units in the United States. A company official was stated: â€Å"Selling over 1 million units in the North American market in just one month is a first for the company, but it is also unprecedented in the industrys history.† According to the official, the company was experiencing increased demand in the â€Å"premium TVs , e.g. the 3D and especially smart TVs, which were just released in 2011 and featured Full HD picture quality and Smart Hub options. Samsung announced that the global share of its 3D TVs came to over fifty percent as of last months ending. Meanwhile plasma display panel (PDP) TVs also reached 40%. [pic] (Samsung,2010) 3.2. IT Solution Business After the implementing of Samsung’s global marketing strategy for mobile PCs, Samsung Electronics realized rapid growth and reached sales of 10 million units in 2010 worldwide. The firm launched a printer for consumers that supports mobile printing. Samsung Electronics provides business customers with a complete product line, including the first dual core CPU-equipped printer on the market, a multifunction printer and an A3 copier. The easy-to-use features and the products powerful performance secured second global market share in the A4 laser printer category in 2010. Samsung Electronics led the world market in the categories of mono laser multifunction printers and color laser multifunction printers for the second consecutive year. In the future, the firm expects to achieve strong growth by launching an ultra-light high-performance laptop for the premium market and by bolstering its business-to-business (B2B) product line. Samsung Electronics anticipates continuing growth in the printer business in the upcoming years. [pic] (Samsung, 2010) 3.3. Digital Appliance Business Samsung Electronics is strengthening its brand image by introducing premium home appliances that offer essential services for daily life. In 2010, innovative products such as the twin cooling side by-side refrigerator; the front loader washer with vibration-reduction technology, the energy-efficient air conditioner; and air purifiers with humidification that maintain clean air quality in rooms resulted in great response worldwide. Samsung brought innovate, smart appliances to the market that deliver gracious and convenient lifestyle options such as Samsung’s autobot vacuum cleaner that cleans rooms automatically. Other products include kitchen ranges and microwaves that offer cooking features suitable for anybody. Samsung Electronics will extend its market leadership by releasing additional premium appliances. These will be supported by strong marketing with the purpose of becoming the world’s most trusted digital appliance brand. [pic] (Samsung, 2010) 3.4. Mobile Communication Business In 2010, Samsung Electronics reinforced its market leadership by achieving sales of 280 million mobile phones worldwide. This number is up 23% compared to 2009. The flagship GALAXY S model posted sales of 10 million units, while the GALAXY Tab also led the Android tablet PC market, earning great customer reviews. The firms leadership in full touch and messaging mobile phones continued in both advanced and emerging markets. Samsung Electronics plans to aggressively challenge a vey competitively growing market. It launched the GALAXY S II, the company’s flagship smartphone, only one day after Apple announced the new iPhone 4S and the Samsung phone received great feedback. The firm plans to keep expanding and improving its unique mobile solutions as it strengthens its competitive lead in both services and content. [pic] (Samsung, 2010) 5. Telecommunication System Business Samsung Electronics develops forward-looking products for two major 4G platforms, the Long Term Evolution (LTE) and the Mobile WiMAX (WiBRO). In 2010, the firm established the first LTE commercial services network in the US and currently expands in North America, Asia and Europe. Mobile WiMAX—introduced by Samsung Electronics and adopted as a global standard in 2007—has been experiencing dramatic growth in major mobile communications markets, including the US, Japan and Saudi Arabia. Based on its established technology leadership, the firm is expecting to lead the worldwide mobile broadband market in the upcoming years. [pic] (Samsung, 2010) 6. Digital Imaging Business Samsung Electronics is working hard on its brand image and recognition to become a premium brand by introducing a rising number of premium digital cameras and digital camcorders. The product line of interchangeable lens digital cameras was extended in the last year and the newly released mirror less digital camera (NX11) secured the firms competitive lead over professional optical brands. Samsung plans to continue to debut world-first and world-best cameras such the ST700 Dual View camera (which offers excellent image quality plus fun and convenient self-portrait option), the EX1 (the world’s first ultra-wide F1.8 zoom lens), the SH100 (which features Wi-Fi (DLNA) functionality) and many others. [pic] (Samsung, 2010) 7. Semiconductor Business Samsung is the worlds second largest semiconductor manufacturer and is the industry sales and technology leader in the areas of DRAM, SRAM, NAND Flash and TFT-LCDs. A key partner and premier supplier to the global IT industry, Samsung Electronics offers the widest range of advanced semiconductor devices and solutions for PC, server and mobile applications. The firm intends to play a major role in the growth of the green IT industry as they implement their Green Memory strategy, which emphasizes high-performance memory products with lower power consumption. Samsung Electronics differentiated product competitiveness has awarded the company the No.1 position in the worldwide memory market for 18 years in a row. The company consistently leads the industry, and began the world’s first mass production of 30nm-class 2Gb DDR3 DRAM, 30nm-class 4Gb LPDDR2 DRAM, 20nm-class NAND flash memory, 512GB SSD and more. In the storage systems division, the firm introduced high-capacity hard disk drives (HDDs) to the market, including a 2.5 inch 334GB HDD and a 3.5 inch 667GB HDD. [pic](Samsung, 2010) 8. LCD Business Being the industry leader, Samsung Electronics has achieved the No. 1 market share for LCD panels for nine consecutive years. The industry-first active 3D technology supports True 240Hz for 3D TV, which has reinforced Samsung’s leadership.Samsung released trendsetting displays as such as an LCD panel for the tablet PC (which offers vivid colors at a wide viewing angle), a low-power IT panel built with advanced LED backlight technology and more innovations were key to the firms leadership. In 2011, Samsung has been improving its product leadership as they developed differentiated offerings, including ultra-large panel technology, a full range of LED LCD panels, high-value IT products and DID panels. For the future, Samsung stays committed to research and development to produce tomorrows best products. That includes focusing on an oxide semiconductor panel, plastic LCD, transparent LCD and developing high efficiency solar modules. The firm’s goal is to develop the industr y’s most efficient and highest quality products. [pic] (Samsung, 2010) 4. FINANCIAL INFORMATION Samsung Electronics has been increasing its sales from 2008 till 2010 by more than 10% annually. These are extraordinary numbers, given the economic circumstances in todays (western) world. Despite big investments in research and development, the firm managed to almost double its net income from 2008 to 2009 and almost triple it from 2008 to 2010. [pic] (Samsung, 2010) Samsung Electronics experienced an increase in revenue in the first 6 month of the fiscal year of 2011 compared to the first two quarters in the previous year. However, this increase in revenue did not result in an increased operational profit in that period. As shown in appendix 1, the main reason for the decline in operational profits are two factors: increased cost of sales and increased research and development expenses. Stock Information Samsung Electronics stock trades on the stock markets in Seoul, London, and Luxemburg. Samsung Electronics stock is listed on the Korean Stock Exchange as 005930. As the chart below indicates, Samsung Electronics stock price has been considerably grown in the last two decades. However, it experienced many setbacks, the latest ones in the latter of half of 2008 and beginning of 2009 as well as during the third quarter of 2011’s fiscal year. The worldwide economic recession and first quarter losses in last decades in the fourth quarter of the year 2008 were responsible for the declining demand of stocks, while this year’s first half decline is probably most attributed to the slowing world economy. However, the stock price rose to the level of the years beginning in the late summer this year. 1 KRW (South Korean Won) = 0.00089 US Dollar (as of 11/9/11) [pic] (Market Watch, 2011) Financial RatiosRatio data as of 06/30/2011 [pic] (Bloomberg Businessweek, 2011) In the following, I will discuss three major financial ratios. 1. Return on Assets: Return on Assets is an indicator of how profitable a company is relative to its total assets. The ratio gives an understanding of how efficient management is at using its assets to generate earning. Samsung Electronics Return on Assets is 6.87%, a number that is a little below industry average and shows that the company can definitely improve its efficiency. 2. Cash Ratio: The cash ratio is the most conservative ratio for measuring liquidity and is often used during periods of economic turmoil because cash is the most important asset many companies possess in difficult times. If a company has a ready supply of cash, it can survive sudden drops in sales that might put another less liquid company out of business. Samsung Electronics Cash Ratio (1.6x) is generally speaking a decent number and as indicated above an above average number compared to the industry. 3. Total Debt/Equity The total debt/equity ratio is calculated by dividing the firm’s total liabilities by stockholders equity and indicated what proportion of equity and debt the company is using to finance its assets. High debt/equity ratios generally mean therefore that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt, which can result in unstable earnings as a result of the additional interest expenses. Samsung Electronics 11.6x Total debt/equity ratio is a high number that gives some room for concern, as high interest rates could have a negative impact on the companies financials. 5. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis will examine the internal and external factors influencing Samsung Electronics. It will identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the company. Samsung electronics has many strengths that can be pointed out. First, they are a very innovative company. As part of their new strategy they have begun developing its own products rather than copying those of other firms. In fact, they invest 9% of their revenues into research and development. This has helped them to gain a competitive edge. Also they switched to a merit-based system for advancement rather than a seniority based system. We believe this is effective because it will motivate employees to work harder knowing that if they perform, they can advance with the company. Interior competition is also healthy to a certain extent. Samsung encourages its two divisions to compete with each other to boost sales and innovation. Also Samsung is very efficient and effective in their product development process as well as getting the product to market. They lead the industry in this and can get a new product developed and released in as little as five months. Another key strength is their brand name. Samsung is recognizable all over the world as a top quality company. Next it is important to exploit Samsung’s weaknesses as a company in order to identify their key issues. The first is interior competition. Note that this was also listed in strengths, but if pushed to far can be a detriment to the company. Too much competition between divisions could cause a loss of focus on the company’s overall vision and more focus on beating each other. This could also cause the divisions to think more short-term rather than focus on sustainability. Also, the company is reluctant to branch out into music, movies and the game industry. Branching out could increase their revenues tremendously and sky rocket the company’s business. Their former low cost structure should be pointed out as well because they focused less on quality and more on cost, which essentially kept them from becoming a premium brand that appeals to a more luxury consumer demand. Overall Samsung has many opportunities to take advantage of. The first is their innovation; with this they hope to expand into creating the full â€Å"digital home† experience. This means that they wish to change the way our homes our designed and essentially used with the use of their technology. This could be a huge cash cow for the company and could create a constant stream of revenues. In addition, they could begin to aggressively pursue and acquire other technology companies in markets that they are not currently in. They have already started this with the failed attempt to acquire SanDisk, a company that makes storage cards and other such products. Furthermore, they should continue to build new factories around the area in low cost areas. Keeping production costs low is a key factor in increasing and maintaining the highest possible profit margin. Due to the innovation and research of Samsung they could penetrate many new markets as well as expand market share. Samsung Electronics also faces many external threats. The current economic state of key areas such as the United States has caused a large decline in demand. This means that they have a large amount of inventory sitting in warehouses. This could put a damper on a company’s financial situation due to holding costs and a decrease in revenues. Also if there is an overcapacity in global production this could drive down prices. When prices are driven down; profit margin decreases and your company could feel the financial impact. Lastly, there is a large amount of competition in the industry. It is important to stay innovative and one step ahead of your competitors to m aintain market share. 6. Porter’s Five Forces The threat of new entrants is relatively low in this industry. The majority of the companies in this industry are established and operating at a very high output. It is hard to enter the market due to the extremely high amounts of costs put forward to research and development, as well as bringing your product to the consumer. Next, there are very many substitutes to the products that Samsung offers. There are many companies competing in the electronics field and they are constantly looking to gain market share. Also companies in the technology industry are constantly copying each other’s innovations in hopes of improving them. The bargaining power of the buyers is high in this industry. The consumer has a large array of options and substitute products. This enables them to have a large impact on the price of the product. This is why it is important to keep your prices competitive. The bargaining power of suppliers for Samsung Electronics is low. This is due to the large market share that the company has. The company develops and manufactures their products in house, which enables them to have more control over their complete supply chain. Ultimately this helps them to be more efficient and keep costs down. Within the electronic industry, there is a very large threat of competition. They face strict competitors such as Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi, Philips, and Sharp to name a couple. This is why it is important to stay innovative and keep emphasis on quality, as well as satisfying your consumers’ needs. 7. Problems There are many problems that Samsung faces as a company. We do not believe they are being aggressive enough in entering new markets. The cost of losing opportunity while it is there could be detrimental to the company. Also, because the technology business is always rapidly changing, they could lose sight on the overall long-term growth of the company. Samsung also has very high operating costs because of the constant amount of research and development they use. The company should actively seek ways to become more efficient to keep costs low. High costs and lack of demand have caused their profit margins to decrease. A lack of an internal distribution system could also drive costs up. A problem in the general environment that diminished Samsung’s return is the global economic slowing growth (or in parts also recessions) that Samsung has to keep considering carefully in its product investments and overall company strategy. Our own research conducted in the local Best Buy store also pointed out that even though Samsung’s smart phone series Galaxy is growing in market share, it consistently has lacks and downtimes, which frustrates many of the customers. 8. Solutions/Suggestions There are many possible solutions to some of the internal and external issues that Samsung is experiencing. First, we believe that Samsung should branch out into music, movies and the game industry. This could help the company to expand in a positive manor and could open up many new markets to them as well. Next it is important to keep planning for long-term sustainable growth. Samsung should continuously invest in new technology to keep its market share. Also, they should take full advantage of opportunities to acquire other business entities in new markets. They should take a proactive approach to expansion to help them gain and maintain a competitive edge. The company should also keep looking for new ways to keep their operating and manufacturing costs low. They could even look into bringing their distributors in house by buying them out, or even implement their own distribution division. This could be very effective in keeping distribution costs low. Samsung also has to solve the ongoing problems with its leading smart phone on the market, the Galaxy. Bibliography Dess, G., Lumpkin, G, Eisner, A. Strategic Management Text and Cases.(2010). New York, New York, McGraw-Hill Irwin FundingUniverse. (1999). FundingUniverse. Retrieved 11 10, 2011, from Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Samsung-Electronics-Co-Ltd-company-History.html Samsung. (2010). Samsung. Retrieved 11 10, 2011, from Samsung Electronics: http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/ir/financialinformation/annualreport/downloads/2010/SECAR2010_Eng_Final.pdf Market Watch. (2011, 11 9). MarketWatch. Retrieved 11 10, 2011, from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. GDR Pfd. 144A: http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/ssngy Bloomberg Businessweek. (2011, 11 10). Businessweek. Retrieved 11 10, 2011, from SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD : http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/ratios.asp?ticker=005930:KS