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I want to write an essay of not more than 2 pages A4 talking about the above subject.

BAIL

 

WHAT IS BAIL?
Bail means the release of a person from custody or prison upon security given for his appearance in Court on an appointed date or upon an undertaking given by sureties to produce him in Court on such a date. There are four types of bail, namely:
- a personal bond with security;
- a personal bond without security;
- a bond with surety, but without security;
- a bond with surety or sureties and with security

 

WHEN IS BAIL AVAILABLE ?
A person accused of a bailable offence e.g. cheating forgery or defamation is entitled by law to appear or be brought to court and released on bail when he is arrested or detained without a warrant by a police officer.

In non-bailable cases, for example, when a person is accused of infanticide, theft or rape, bail is not completely prohibited but rather, is available at the discretion of the Court or police officer in charge of a police district. There is, however, an important limitation on this discretionary power. Bail must be refused if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accused has been guilty of an offence punishable by death or life imprisonment, but exception may be made for any person under 16 years of age or any woman or any sick or infirmed person accused of such an offence.

Conditions may be imposed by the Court in granting bail (only in respect of a non-bailable offence) such as requiring the accused to surrender his passport. Failure to comply with any required condition may result in the accused being kept in remand until trial.

WHAT FACTORS WOULD THE COURT CONSIDER IN GRANTING OR REFUSING BAIL ?
The discretion of the court on whether to grant/refuse bail hinges primarily on the question of the likelihood of the accused absconding or the likelihood of repetition of the offence with which he is charged while on bail. Factors concerning the accused normally taken into account by the Court include:

· The nature of the offence charged
· The apparent probability of conviction
· The likely sentence
· His family ties and relationship within the community in which he lives.
· His reputation, employment status and monetary conditions
· His prior criminal record
The amount of bond imposed should be sufficient to secure the attendance of the person arrested and must not be excessive. Where a defendant who has been committed for trial is on bail to appear at the trial and it is intended to present an indictment against the defendant the director of public prosecutions or, as the case may be, deputy director of public prosecutions or a person duly authorised by the director or deputy director in writing in that behalf, either generally or in a particular case, shall cause notice to be given to the defendant or the defendant’s solicitor and to each of the defendant’s sureties (if

any) advising of the time when and the place where the indictment will be presented.

 

Reference:

 

 

 

 

 

CULTURE

Culture & Media

 

We look at all different meaning of word culture.Culture is it about who we are- so everyone has an opinion

(The word culture) came to mean, first, ‘ a general state or habit of the mind; having close relations with the idea of human perfection. Second, it came to mean the general state of intellectual development in a society as a whole’. Another meaning of culture is body of the arts’.  The 1960s was a period of change for Australia. The ethnic diversity produced by post-war immigration, the decline of the United Kingdom and the Vietnam War (to which Australia sent troops) all contributed to an atmosphere of political, economic and social change

On September 11th, 2001 much of the western world turned against Islam as they never had before. In the years that followed 911, the world witnessed the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq; events that have helped turn parts of the Muslim world against the western world.

When comes to media in particular ethnic community has impact on their lives due to  terrorist attacked happened. They trying to give negative view on culture( Islam) so we think that what their give us information regard this religion then we think they’re bad people so we starting getting hating them, however the media tells us things that are true however they do not tell us everything. We are usually only shown certain sides or aspects of things and other stuff is left out. Therefore we adapt to a single sided view of different cultures based only on what is covered by the media. if we were told everything we would probably have different opinions than those that are made per the media

 

The contribution that media portrayals make towards stereotyping, and the impacts

this has on local communities, was explored from many angles. The adverse

influence of the media was associated with a disproportionate number of negative

stories about different cultural groups, the undue emphasis of certain negative

terms linked with cultural groups, and in some cases the inaccurate use of

evidence.

The media adversely influences people’s views about different cultures, affecting

perceptions of Australia as a nation.

 

 

ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTION: BC501 Question and Discussion to complete

 

Questions To Answer

 

 

1)         View the video debate between Mark Cuban and Fred von Lohmann.
            <>

           

List and discuss five points they both agreed on and five points they disagreed on. (10 marks) (150 words)

 

 

2)         Channel conflict can be defined as any situation where two different marketing or distribution channels are competing for the same sale with the same brand.  The use of the Internet as a channel to reach consumers has lead to potential channel conflict.  Answer the following questions:

 

a)     Discuss two types of channel conflict which may occur and why.

b)     Explain how the online distributor/retailer can handle channel conflict and discuss two examples of companies who have encountered channel conflict by selling their products online and how they managed the conflict. (10 marks) (150 words)

 

 

3)         Discuss search engine optimisation (SEO) and list five techniques for designing web pages to maximise SEO. (5 marks) (100 words)

 

4)         You want to buy a digital voice recorder to record law lectures, and live music occasionally.  Recommend the best recorder currently available (in terms of sound quality, file transfer and value) based on user reviews. (5 marks) (100 words)

 

5)         a) Discuss how Web2.0 has influenced social network channels. 

b) What is a possible future impact web2.0 will have on education and how we learn? (5 marks) (100 words)

 

6)         Read the Business Week article ‘Dude, You're Getting a Dell—at Wal-

Mart’ <>

Discuss the positive and negative implications of the article for online retailing.

(5 Marks) (100 words)

 

7)         What is web analytics used to measure?  Choose two measurements and describe them. (5 marks) (100 words)

 

8)         What are five main differences between the Internet and other forms of

            communications media? (5 marks) (100 words)

 

BC501 Question and Discussion to complete

1. YouTube Debate: Mark Cuban and Fred von Lohmann

            Cuban Both of them agreed that youtube is not the primary issues but the future youtube that will arise in the long run. Both of them also believes that the law must focus on limiting the access to the technology that are used in developing innovations regarding the uploading files in different sites with  same service. Both of them agreed that it is the choice of the business to ask for the private information of their users and that web host must not modify the uploaded files of the users in order to follow the law of the DMCA.

            They argued that youtube is not qualified on the privileges that were stated in the DMCA. Fred believes that youtube etc. will help small enterprises to have a free way of marketing but Mark disagreed. Mark also says that lack of private information of the user will result in difficulty in tracking down the users that are disobeying the law.

2. Channel Conflict and the Internet

            Channel conflict is the result of the interdependence of reseller and manufacturer and the overlap among the marketing functions that they are performing and the limited resources that are used while performing it (, 1995, ). The latent conflict exists when the conditions are right for contention but the company is not aware about it. Another type of channel conflict is the perceived conflict that occurs when one of the channel member senses that some oppositions are present in the chain. One of the primary reasons of conflict is the goal incompatibility.

            Apple is an example of companies that encountered channel conflict but managed it by giving exclusive distribution to AT & T. Another example is the J. Crew that encountered a problem about inconsistency of their traditional and Internet-based stores. To prevent the said problem the company had focused on managing and organizing both their Internet-based and traditional stores.

3. Search Engine Optimization or SEO

            Search engine optimization or SEO when correctly done will serve as a powerful online marketing strategy by enabling millions of online users to find and organization’s website among the millions of the top search results (, 2003, ). There are three foundations for a successful SEO: the text components; the link components; and the popularity component (, 2003, ).

            There are different technique that can be used in order to maximize the usability of search engine optimization of an organization such as Title Tags, ALT Tags, font tags, metadata description and headers.  

4. Best Recorder in Terms of sound quality, file transfer and value

            As of now, Olympus DS-4000 Digital Voice Recorder is gaining its popularity. Millions of users are telling positive things about the benefits and advantage of the said DVR. It offers a noise reduction features; it can record as well as playback WMA files. Because it is using a USB features, files can be easily saved from any computers and it can also be used as a storage device for other important files. It also record digital speech standard or DSS format in order to meet the needs of transcription.

It is also cost-effective since it offers different features that are not available from the previous model.

5. Web2.0

            Web2.0 is all about tying together the collective intelligence as well as eliminating the software release cycle and it tackles about providing services and not products. It shows greater openness and transparency in the process in the social dimension by using open style and keep-it-simple approach (, 2007, ).

            Web2.0 can be used for education purposes in the future because of its popularity. For example, in youtube, there are useful videos that can be used as a reference for any important events that had happened in a given period of time, therefore, students will be able to understand it clearly than to read it in a book and other written references.

6. Online Retailing (Dell and Wal-Mart Article)

            One of the main advantages of the e-retailing is that it enables different companies to target an immeasurable market. This is one of the competitive advantages of the DELL, one of the leading PC sellers in the world. But just like any marketing strategy, online retailing also offers major disadvantage, just like in the case of DELL, although they are well known around the world due to their e-retailing process, their competitors are taking the lead of sales because they are not offering the traditional way of selling goods. It is also an advantage if your customer will be able to see the products everywhere.

 

7. Web Analytics and Measurements

            Web analytics is the study that pertains to the behavior of the visitors of a given website. The most popular measurement that is used in Web analytics is the web traffic data that is conventionally extracted out from the web server of files and previously was derived from the web clients using the JavaScript page tags. Another is the web transactional data that are obtained from the information that was gathered from the transactions of the client with the website. It can be the number of the customers, the number of the orders and the average size of the transaction that was made in a given date (, 2004, ). 

8. Difference between the Internet and other forms of communications models

            Internet has its big difference in other forms of communication such as the radio, the television and newspapers. That is the reason why, most of the businesses are establishing the Internet as their main strategy for marketing. One is that it offers a more wide and vast variety of information than television and other media. Another is that it is more entertaining. Internet also is more interactive than other form of communication. Another is that it offers a worldwide of updates. The last and the most important aspect is that it is cost-effective compare to the other said communication forms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

Traditional fairy stories reinforce cultural stereotypes; modern ones subvert them.To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Fairy Tales

Introduction

            “Traditional fairy stories reinforce cultural stereotypes; modern ones subvert them.”

            Fairy tales have long been part of mankind's history. Fairy tales are part of every person's childhood. Fairy tales give children a view of what they may be facing in the real world. However, these truths are often not blatantly presented and are given in a manner wherein children can easily ingest them. This is due to the reason that children are not as developed and mentally and emotionally mature as adults.  Furthermore, fairy tales often conjure stereotypical images of heroes and heroines in the stories. Heroes are often portrayed as handsome, masculine and brave. While heroines are portrayed as beautiful, fair and have a knack for being to kind to the point that they are abused. These stereotypes are present in almost all fairy tales existent. Fairy tales also present a sense of helplessness and, in the end, victory over such helplessness. Also, fairy tales clearly distinct light from dark, and takes nothing in between. Evil is portrayed as viciously evil, whilst goodness is portrayed as being really good to the point of ludicrousness. However, these are concepts easily ingested by children. Children do not know the concept of being in between, they only grasp the idea of being at both polarities.

            In this paper, we shall discuss the statement above and its implications on this genre of literature.

DISCUSSION

            Fairy tales present an escape for the fears and wants, not only of children but of adults as well. Fairy tales are presented in a way that they can be easily ingested by children listening to them. Fairy tales, in whatever manner, often always allows good to prevail over evil. However, this approach always present stereotypes, not only for the heroes but for everyone involved in the story as well. However, it has been argued that this pattern is no longer the same in modern fairy tales. Modern fairy tales explore the possibility of steering away from the stereotypical matters in the stories. Examples of these modern fairy tales could be Shrek, The Princess Diaries and many more. These stories explore the possibility of coming up with a happy ending even if there exists many areas which do not correspond to the usual mixes of fairy tales.

Stereotypes

            In fairy tales, many stereotypes exist. Often characters are aesthetically overly-perfect. Heroines are either very beautiful, or possesses qualities that are not often possessed by normal mortals. Heroes are most often handsome, dashing or very strong. These characteristics are some of the things that mortals often wish that they possess. Therefore, they incorporate these in stories wherein they can extend these to lengths which are not humanly possible. These stereotypes offer a good view of what people were like in the olden times when these stories were created. However, some of these stereotypes must not be celebrated since they bring negative connotations, even distort realities and implant negative thoughts into children's consciousness.

            According to the article, “Fairy Tales Send the Wrong Message” by , fairy tales are all well and good in providing an outlet for children's imagination. However, many stereotypes exist in fairy tales. Furthermore, many of these stereotypes have negative connotations to them. The issue of sexism can also be brought up in connection to fairy tales. Females are often portrayed as useless, dependent and often too kind to the point of idiocy. Women in these stories often cannot fend for themselves and often rely on external help in order to be taken away from their misery. Often these so-called princesses rely on their male consorts or partners in order to win over their villains. Women are also characterized as weak, as displayed in various fairy tales wherein they cannot fend for themselves. These women do not have the initiative to move for themselves, often succumbing to the abuses of their evil stepmothers and other such villains. But whatever she lacks in value, she gets in other aspects.  Women in these stories are often reliant on their external attributes. These are their arsenals and most often the key to get them out of any horrible situation where they fall into. Their beauty would often beguile man and beast alike and would help her in he distress. Furthermore, they are also often assisted by otherworldly creatures, other than men, to alleviate her misery and raise her in status. Moreover, being delighted by position, money and aesthetics are one of the distinguishing attributes of women in fairy tales. This is due to the fact that, as cited by Moore, in the story “the Iron Stove”, the woman was greatly happy to have found out that the stove was indeed a handsome and rich prince, and not just a talking stove.

            Men in these stories are portrayed as clever, handsome, intelligent, strong and brave. Almost all positive traits are attributed to men of these stories. They always come to rescue their princesses in the end of the story. Also, they often get what they want and are always awarded for their “bravery and intelligence”, since women in those stories are treated as helpless  and only reliant on their external attributes to get out of a sticky situation. Men however, rely on their wit and cleverness. Their often resort to trickery, thievery and even murder to take possession of what they want.

            These traits can be classified as gender-biased traits. Men are often always more favored in receiving positive traits, women are lucky enough to be given beauty and a “good and kind heart”. Women are expected to be submissive and to wait on men. Men on the other   hand are expected to be smart, and clever, and should be able to win a beautiful damsel in the end. These traits are unequally distributed due to the fact that these stories were created at times wherein people were given gender-specific roles. Furthermore, people were expected to act on these roles given to them. So women were expected to act as they are and men were expected to do the same.

            Materialism can also be found in fairy tales (). In fairy tales, rewards often await heroes and heroines in the end. Whether it be worldly riches, a kingdom, or a good-looking spouse, the hero is sure enough to get it in the end. Furthermore, material riches can also be one of the factors that makes the hero do what he is supposed to do, the princesses are just icing to the cake. As pointed out, in fairy tales, having much money can solve all of you r problems. One can become a prince or a princess if they have enough money to become one. These values are blatantly displayed in fairy tales. Often, heroes go through such troubles just for the rewards and spoils of their adventure. Furthermore, values such as family ties are not clearly promoted in these stories. Families are usually broken and poor, many are part of second marriages. Moreover, many are victims of abuses and their blood parent doesn't usually do anything to prevent such abuses. Their blood parents are portrayed as people who cannot do anything to alleviate the misery of their children, instead, they add to the misery because they are in fear of their spouses.

            Another issue pointed out by Moore is that these changes in status and fate are often intertwined with magic. Moving upward in the social ladder for these characters are due to the fact that a magical being, entity or item has helped them numerous times. This trait is blatantly displayed in Alladin and the Magic Lamp. In this story, Alladin is a poor boy, yet of good-heart. He is a trickster and is also tricked by a sorcerer to fetch a lamp from a cave which contains traps. When the lamp is retrieved however, the sorcerer attempts to trick Alladin again by leaving him inside the cave. But Alladin is clever enough to keep the lamp. As he rubs the lamp, he is able to summon the all powerful genie which helps him on many occasions, especially in augmenting his wealth and power. With the help of the genie, he is able to win the hand and heart of the princess ( Again, here we can see the materialistic side of the characters within the story, as pointed out by ). A few years later, the evil sorcerer returns and is able to trick the princess into giving him the lamp ( Another stereotype, the woman's being gullible). The evil sorcerer is able to summon the genie and almost succeeds in eliminating Alladin if it were not for his magic ring which in turn holds a lesser genie. That story clearly displays the character's reliance upon the solutions the magical entities can come up with. Often, a disregard for one's reliance on himself is displayed in these stories and one's reliance on luck, magic and fate are one of the most prized values ().

            Another issue tackled in the article is the issue on racism.  Racial discrimination has been present in humankind ever since the conception of the word discrimination. The term racialism is a term which is a derivative of the term racism. Racialism is a term which is meant to soften the negative connotations associated with the term racism. Both terms represent the belief that a certain race is either inferior or superior to other races because of certain traits that they possess (2007). According to UN International Conventions "the term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life." (1966).

            Discrimination and prejudice studies have constantly been conducted and published for decades and they have indicated that such occurrences are a reality among minorities. Racial discrimination has been a staple of minority groups throughout the ages. In the work setting, racial discrimination topics have been a staple in organizational studies. (1995) Even in instances where minorities are to engage in recreational activities, they are hounded by certain prejudice by the majority. (1998) Even at the time when these people intend to have fun, they are pursued by such unfair treatment. Though this does not justify that minorities engage in criminal activities, one must recognize that even if they start complying with rules, the existing society wields everything that is not fair on their midst.  In fairy tales, racism, though not blatantly announced, is often part of the central themes and aesthetics of the story. Being white, the person represents everything good, whilst if a character is black, he is automatically bad and evil. As Moore pointed out, the stories are basically of European decent and often biased towards their culture. Since Europeans are characterized by their fair skin and other fair attributes, then they always place characters as they are, fair and white. However, villains are characterized by being of dark colors, and being dark, they are automatically evil. Moreover, bias continues as many stories only consider characters of their own race as beautiful. This is quite offensive since the place that we live in is composed of many races and many cultures. Being a part of a minority group implies a degree of inequity right away. Meaning there is an inherent disadvantage that one acquires to the moment he/she considers himself/herself a part of the minority. This has been the problem in any state with a highly diverse population. Though it is primarily seen in the United States, this situation is not restricted to its boundaries. This takes place in Europe and Asia. (1995, 2004) Thus, this establishes it as a universal phenomenon.

            However, there is one last stereotype not mentioned by , the distinctiveness of evil and good. In fairy tales, when one is evil , one is evil through and through. There is nothing in between. When one is good, one is good, no matter how many evil things he has done, he is still considered good and a hero since he rid the world of evil.

Comparison to Modern Stories

            There are many modern fairy tales that exist today and they are very much different from the fairy tales that exists. Modern fairy tales explore the possibility of that were not even thought of during earlier times. For example, modern fairy tales are not afraid to give their character flaws. These heroes have characteristics which are inherent to normal beings. Furthermore, many of these characters reflect the lives of normal people. An example of a modern fairy tale would be Shrek. The story talks about a very unlikely hero, which is, more often than not, the villain of fairy tales. This unlikely hero is shoved from his beloved swamp to save the land of fairy tale characters hate him as much as he hates them. And later on, he gets to marry the poor princess in the castle which is in fact an Ogre like himself. The princess was cursed to become human during the day and would turn back into an ogre at night.

            The story involves many changes from the fairy tales of olden times since it is a light-hearted tale, and involves an unwilling hero who only wishes to sleep in his swamp in silence.  No matter what he is offered, riches and fame, he refuses it all because he only wishes his “privacy”. However, he relents in the long run and allows himself to be led to a perilous journey to rescue a princess. The story employs uses the Ogre, Shrek, as the main character of the story, thus defying the stereotype of handsome, attractive and rich prince-charming. He is able to pull through for the people around him, despite his obvious discomfort and selfishness. This is another feature of the modern fairy tale. Heroes are no longer portrayed as saint-like characters. Modern fairy tales have heroes who can give in to fear, selfishness and the darker side of human nature. This aspect proves to be good in the eyes of the audience since they can identify with the characters that are in the story. These characters are more in touch with reality, and therefore have more humanistic side to them.

            Stories such as that often reflect human nature perfectly, without the sugar-coating. As was mentioned, older fairy tales often give their characters ethereal characteristics. Many people have justified that this is due to the fact that people want to become these people in the stories. They want to be brave, handsome or beautiful, to possess wonderful riches, to possess characteristics only available to them in fantasy and the imagination and to possess an incredible amount of good luck. So in order to possess such characteristics, they incorporate these characteristics to characters within their stories. In contrast, modern fairy tales cease to use such themes and motifs, opting instead to display man's weakness as it is and not to cover it with wondrous things. Modern fairy tales display shortcomings as they are.

Conclusion

            In conclusion, I would like to state that modern fairy tales clearly subverts cultural stereotypes. Though fairy tales give children a chance to widen their horizons and imaginations, according to Moore, they give to children thoughts which cannot be considered good for the social and emotional growth of the child. This hinders the open mindedness of the child, and resulting in his being one of those people who tend to cast stereotypes among others, and even himself. Modern stories break the barriers set up by traditional stories and thus creating a bigger and more open world for all the people in the world. However, this is not to say that modern stories do not have its flaws. They do have their flaws. However, they make up for these flaws by creating an environment which is more inclined to the realities of life and less on the sugar-coating.

            Fairy tales, as was mentioned, have a knack to create stereotypes of every character and event in the story, a timid father, an evil stepmother and stepsisters, evil witches and other creatures, good fairy godmothers, handsome princes and beautiful princesses. These stereotypes are results of an enclosed society of the olden times wherein the makers of these stories have limited exposure to the rest of the world and considers the rest of the world as bad and and evil since it does not belong to their country and culture. However, these stories present values to children, like not to wander after dark, share whatever little they have, be kind to others, and good always prevails over evil. These values are some of the few things that can be found in such fairy tales. These values should be cultivated and combined with modern day stories to create perfect stories that reflect the things that children should foster and understand.

PERFECT PRUDENCE

                                                                            

 

Perfect Prudence

 

            The book, entitled “Perfect Prudence”, basically talks about the uncanny abilities of little miss Prudence. According to the book, Prudence basically “tops on everything, from maths to spelling, to singing and dancing.” Prudence is the personal choice of teachers when they make a show on “Jack and the Beanstalk”. This play entails the utilization of many students and cast since there are many parts to play. But as the production goes underway, the teachers assign everything to Prudence, and Prudence on the other hand, does not complain. She plays Jack, Jack's mother, the cow, and the Giant. Soon after, only Karen Brown was left to play her banjo. However, this too was taken over by prudence. All the things that is related to the play is taken by Prudence. Soon, the big day comes. Prudence is ready to put on her best show. And that she does. However, she forgot to pull the curtain on the last minute.

            The book is meant to target the young audience, which are around the age of 6 to 10. These children cannot yet fully digest if the book is written the way it is when adult people are the audience. Therefore, the writer must take into consideration which type of audience he is writing for. As was mentioned, in the case of this book, the main audience are children, therefore, the book and the story it contains must be presented in a such a way that children would find it easy to understand the story being told to them. The purpose of the story affects its composition. The story's purpose is, on my understanding, to convey to the audience the folly of a little girl who may be good in everything, but can be “stupid” at the time when her intelligence and alertness is greatly required. The purpose, as well as the context, affects the composition in such a way that the composition must first fit the audience, then the context and purpose next.

            The book is a combination of visual and written language which seeks to express the themes and the issues tackled in the short story. The written ls basically the most used language after the spoken language. This is used as a medium to convey a person's thoughts and ideas through the use of the written word. The written word can be extended in the hands of a skilled writer. The writer can create worlds with only words. However, some people find it difficult to understand the written language alone. Therefore, it is vital to employ another type of medium which can greatly aid the writer in conveying these ideas: the visual language.

            Let us define visual language. Visual language is a concept wherein a person can communicate through the visual medium. By using visual language, the conveyor is not limited to using the written language in conveying his thoughts. Furthermore, with the use of this type of medium, one is given the chance to convey his idea perfectly to many more people. Visual language's use in the book is extensive. This is due to the fact that the book mainly employs the visualization of the idea to convey it properly and put in it the proper justification. If the writer mainly relied on the written language, it would be drab and the humor of the story would be lost to faceless words.

            Basically, the book's presentation is appealing, not only to children, but to the older generation as well. The book's presentation includes the visual content which is vital in keeping the attention of children and also conveying the idea and purpose of the book with the aid of the written word. The story, bit by bit, uncovers itself to the audience. It does not present itself right away. Instead, it chooses to tackle every little part of the story, from the selection of the cast, to the idiocy of Prudence in forgetting that she did not let bring up the curtain. Furthermore, with the visualization, it is easier for the audience to take in the happenings within the story and with less use for words. The use of bright colors are one of the main good features of the book. It captures the attention of the audience as well as helps in conveying the ideas properly.

            The flow of the story is also very significant and very well prepared. The flow is very simple, however, it is also very interesting. The flow is enough to keep the audience captivated till the end. The book is not so long, just 30 pages of illustrations and a few words. However, the book conveys so much in the little allotment that it is given.

            The cultural impact of the story is basically huge, tackling the issue of favoritism among educators. It is not an uncommon occurrence. It has happened in many settings and has affected many people. This story sought to illustrate the folly of the educators who gave everything to their best student, “Prudence”. Because of too much belief in the girl, in the end the show became a disaster. It touches that issue. Therefore, educators should be well-aware of the issue on favoritism.

            However, there are also problems in the use of visual language. Sometimes we tend to disagree thoughts or ideas of others first, because it is not the same as our representation of what we see. Second, one may not see the sense of the idea, therefore, one may argue of its validity and therefore its presentation. Lastly, one may want to consider only his idea, and not someone else's. But the real reason why people disagree is because they tend to see one side of the issue, in the context of the book, their own understanding of the visualization.

            Who would have thought that so many treasures were hiding beneath the surface? This question can be presented when one comes up with many ideas connected to the story. Well, in the same way, the people in our society are filled with their own treasures-- their personalities, their hopes, their dreams, their talents. But one needs to look beyond the surface to discover them. Take time to learn what the people are interested in and what they are capable of in order for them to build a humane society. Uncover the unique and priceless treasures of your thoughts. Sometimes when one tries to justify, our conversation doesn't cohere from one idea to another. One must look into the issue more rather than judge the whole affair in a brash manner.

           

ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTION: WRITTEN DISCOURSE IN THE CLASSROOM

Write a term paper based on one of the issues raised in the text, Children’s speech and children’s writing.  (1994). Learning to Write.

 

Organize your response, after a 2-3 sentence introduction to the article, answering the following questions:

           

(a)        What are for you the most significant points/issues raised in the text?

 

(b)        Why do you consider these points/issues especially significant?

 

(c)        How does the reading expand concepts you have learned about discourse/written discourse/teaching writing?

 

(d)       In what ways is the article relatable to your own context as a teacher of English?

 

(e)        What are some questions/issues that you are left with as you finish reading this article?

 

 

The Organization’s environment

 

The Organization’s environment

 

            The PESTLE Analysis establishes a good analysis of the an organization’s environment is  by breaking them into essential and obvious sorts.

Political. The resources, human and economic, make this country the most promising country in Asia in the ability of its people and the nation itself to make a stand in the global community that defines the information world at present.

 

The central government that time devoted most of the investments, for redistribution of industrial development, to the country’s inland regions instead of allocating the money in the richer coastal parts and “moved” the population into the poorest provinces that reversing it made the beneficiary regions collapse as the few other parts prosper. The price system was the other form of the redistribution system which overvalued the manufactured products and undervalued the agricultural ones (2002). However, the balanced redistribution system economic strategy of the central government collapsed because the provincial manufacturing industries have to significantly contribute to help the poorest regions which gave way to rapid growth in agricultural prices.   

Economic. The concept of endogenous economic development highlights a Hong Kong needs to allow change and make room for the growth of its production system by developing and utilizing the potential of local resources especially its people through the investment of private firms and holdings as well as of the government itself through national economic policies. The economic growth and structural change are the result of investment strategies and decisions of enterprises operating in the market and integrated into the conditions economic dynamics of territory affecting the production of the organization, the relational system and innovation as well as the learning process.

Socio-cultural. It became a large united country with an advanced culture at a very early stage, outpacing most of the world in areas such as art and science.

Technological. The tremendous growth of technological advancement has become the driving force of contemporary industries.  The diffusion of the internet has revolutionized the business arena.  The use of the Internet is changing high-tech marketing overnight while different industries have been trying to use it as part of their marketing strategy. It has not only reconfigured the way different firms do business and the way the consumers buy goods and services, but it has also become an effective instrument in transforming the value chain from manufacturers to retailers to consumers, creating a new retail distribution channel ( 1999).

 

Hong Kong was able to adapt with modernization along with the technological advancement in progressive other countries. As the manufacturing capital of the world, Hong Kong is among the leading users of highly advanced equipment in production, supply chain management, marketing and sales. This has long been evident in the bulk of produced goods in the country as well as the generated services provided by the different industries of Hong Kong. Applications of advanced technologies in the country can be likewise observed in the emerging utilization and function of the Internet not just in business but also in other disciplines like politics and social welfare, environment conservation, culture and the arts, media and communications, and in education and research.

 

Legal- Mutual recognition of rules between, the business organization and the policy-makers of the prospect country should be at all times observed in order to avoid legal confrontations and eventual failure of the marketing strategy. Gaining the trust of the local government and reviewing the economic policies and legal matters that govern the country in which the product or service will be made available will be a strong ground from which the advertisers can make as a take off point in pursuing the any further business venture.

Environmental-  The Body Shop must consider the issues on the sustainability efforts in relations to the preservation of Hong Kong’s natural resources. In relation to the defined frontiers of their production are environmental issues that may come in conflict with the natural resources exploration. The aggressive environmental campaigns against mining activities should be overcome by the company to prolong its venture as a significant player in the international retail industry.

 

 

 

 

Strategic Direction

Most companies find it impossible to create any kind of sustainable competitive advantage based on product alone. It is common knowledge that every one of the successful companies sought and found a precise understanding of how it could create a customer-centered competitive advantage.  (1996) emphasized the idea to take advantage of the competitive situation not just by being better in how that product gets sold, serviced, and marketed at the customer interface. It requires that companies create breakthroughs in how they interact with customers, and design a way of interacting that makes an indelible impression on customers, one that so utterly distinguishes them from others that it becomes a brand in itself.

Perhaps the space between the new organization design and implementing it into actuality is the whole coverage of organization change and development. People are adaptive to change. However, certain skills must be present from the initiators of change so as to successfully implement their project. Thus, managers need to have the necessary abilities not only in detecting what needs to be changed but also how to effectively introduce the change. Companies employ detailed business plans and strategies in order to gain several benefits from its competitors such as increased profits and enhanced customer relations as company objectives. According to (2000) balance between enhanced company processes and renewed objectives should be critically appraised in order to ensure the success of the company.

 

Business institutions can control and influence the quality and standard of life of their employee, customers, business partners, the people in the community in which they operate. There are even times that their influence or control goes beyond the community or area where they operate. This is true, since the influence of businesses does not end within the company or their customers. Because their products and/or services may reach people other that their customers. Thus, they have such great responsibility, not merely within the company, with their employees, customers, business partners, but also the far greater number of people outside the company.  A company has such great power, this is because a single decision the company makes can affect a number of people and in cases of large companies, thousands of people.  Thus, there is no question that the company should be social responsible. It is how much they should be socially responsible that is of concern. And it depends on the company’s capacity to do so and how willing they are to do it.

            The Body Shop (HK) is a global company with a number of branches worldwide. It is quite obvious that they also have a great number of employees, business partners, small and large producers and most importantly a large number of customers. The company mainly adheres to the greenest and eco-friendliest policies regarding its products, starting from how they are produced till its post - production. This alone is an act to commend for. In our time today, companies are more concerned with profit-making. There are those who are concerned on how their products are produced but few goes to the point that they concern themselves to what happens in their post- production or to the point of concerning themselves whether their products have negative effects to the environment or other people other than their customers.

            Recently, L’oreal cosmetics bought The Body Shop and become its new owner. The L’Oreal Group is known for their continuous innovation in order to impr4ve the quality of their products and the services they have to offer to their consumers (2004).  Part of their strategic plan is to cater to the best interest of their costumers, in other words, costumer satisfaction.  Through giving a wide variety of products, consumers have a whole gamut of products and services that they can choose from and which best serves their preference.  Through constant research and passion for innovation, L’Oreal best caters to the demands of women of different cultures.  The Company also sees to it that they know the latest trend, or better yet, set the trend in the market as to attract more consumers.

Part of the L’Oreal Group’s strategic plan is the marketing of their products worldwide.  From the bloom of L’Oreal during its primary stage, the Company already catered to the demands of women worldwide.  In line with this, they are also well aware of the diversities of women around the world.  Part of this strategy is to formulate products that suit other women from other parts of the world (2004).  Through research and development of their products, the L’Oreal group has already covered most parts of the globe and still got high approval ratings from their clients.  Just recently, L’Oreal received the Diversity Best Practices 2004 Global Leadership Award for embracing diversity, not only in their employees, but also in their consumers ( 2004).  L’Oreal’s taking consideration of women of color is especially appreciated by its consumers for they are also being given the chance to enhance their features and embrace their diversity without having to conform with the traditional concept of beauty, particularly that of the white women.  The L’Oreal Group also has employees who are considered minorities, such as the women and people of color.  Valuing of the people’s culture and ideas is important to the Company in order to best serve the interest the consumers, the employees and the Company.   Since, L’Oreal Group is the owner of The Body Shop; will there be new marketing strategies for the company?

 

 

INNOVATION IN ORGANIZATIONS

 

 

INTRODUCTION

            Amicably, having such creative working environment within an organization which relates to suitable working culture facilitating an environment that will enhance organizational power is an idea that has been put forward as the organizational climate is regarded as an attribute of the organization, conglomerate of attitudes, feelings and behaviors which characterize life in organizations and exists independently of the perceptions and understandings of the members of the organizations (1996).  Research on innovation has identified number of human, social and cultural factors which are crucial for effective operation of innovation at the organizational level (1997). These factors according to OECD (1997) are centered on learning as it is learning by organizations which are critical to an organization's innovative capabilities. Thus,  (1966) and  (1991) viewed innovation in terms of interaction between market opportunities and the organization's knowledge base and capabilities. A learning organization is system in the organization that is capable of changes that require members to act upon the change and which needs learning to do so. It is one in which learning and work are integrated in an ongoing and systematic fashion to support continuous improvement that will occur in levels within an organization, individual, group, organization and global (1991).

 

 

DISCUSSIONS

 

            Accordingly, organizational innovation involves the process of creating commercial services from inventions that can be both technological and non-technological innovation. The non-technological innovation discussed in the present study is focused on organizational innovation and together with technological innovation since organizational innovation occurs as part of the process ( 1989 ). Moreover, technological innovation comprise of innovative products and processes and significant technology improvements in products and processes (1997). The technology could be tangible goods or processes such as component parts or machinery or intangible know-how such as advance knowledge of road building techniques and must be embodied into the operations of the recipient organization. One way for organizations to become more innovative is to capitalize on the employees' ability to innovate. Aside, employees can help to improve business performance through ability to generate ideas and use such building blocks for novel and better products, services and work processes (1986;1988;2000;  2002; 2003). In order to realize good flow of innovations, employees need to be both willing and able to innovate.

 

 

 

 

            Moreover, various innovation studies explore the influence of leader behaviors using models developed in relation to performance outcomes leader behaviors that positively affect outcomes such as effectiveness and efficiency rather than innovation-related outcomes. Based on Leadership Quarterly,  ( 2004) concluded that one cannot expect existing leadership models to be entirely applicable to the leadership of innovative individuals. Also, most available research has focused on employee creativity, while the implementation of ideas is explored far less often. Innovation researchers often address a broad range of factors in their studies and, at most, include very brief measures of single leader behavior as one such factor amongst many (Cooper).

 

Innovative Behavior

            Some innovation theorists describe the innovation process as being composed of two main phases: initiation and implementation ( 1973;2000). The division between the two phases is believed to be the point at which idea is adopted like for example, the point at which the decision to implement the innovation is made. There ends with the production of an idea, while certain stage ends as soon as the idea is implemented (2002).

 

            However, innovation includes the implementation of ideas as innovative behavior is being directed towards the initiation and application of new and useful ideas, processes and products (1990). Thus, innovative behavior can be seen as multi-dimensional, overarching construct that captures all behaviors through which employees can contribute to the innovation process and are dealt in the process of individual innovation (2000; 2004;  2005). Then, in order to initiate innovation employees can generate ideas by engaging in behaviors to explore opportunities, identify performance gaps as well as produce solutions for problems. Opportunities to generate ideas lie in things that do not fit expected patterns, such as problems in existing working methods, unfulfilled needs of customers, indications that trends may be changing (1990; 1994). For example, employees with strong personal commitment to particular idea may be able to persuade others of its value and the employees can also invest considerable effort in developing, testing and commercializing an idea. Unlike creativity, innovative behavior is intended to produce benefit but, it cannot be said to comprise application only as innovative behaviors encompass employees' behaviors directed at the production of novel products, services and/or work processes ( 1990;1994). In essence, creativity can be seen as part of innovative behavior that is evident in phases of the innovation process, wherein the performance gaps are recognized and ideas are generated in response to perceived need for innovation (2002).

Leadership

            Although the impact of leaders seems appealing, most behavioral leadership studies look at effective outcomes rather than innovation-related outcomes. Available research on relationship between leader behavior and individual innovation has investigated transformational leadership, participative leadership, and leader-member exchange theory (2003;2003). As transformational leaders stimulate followers to view problems in new ways and help them to develop to their full potential, this is likely to result in the enhanced creativity of followers. Participative leadership involves the use of various decision-making procedures that determine the extent to which people can influence the leader's decisions and have the autonomy to design and perform their own tasks. Participative leadership can take different forms, including consultation, joint decision making and delegation (2002).

            Some suggest that the quality of relationship between leader and follower is also related to innovativeness (  1987). High-quality exchange relationships include providing employees with challenging tasks, support in risky situations and provision of task-related resources and recognition, in facilitating individual innovation. In line with the idea, (1999) found positive relationship between high-quality relationships and creativity in study among R&D leaders and employees of chemical firm and thus,  ( 2004) found that high-quality relationships had positive impact on the broader construct of innovative behavior.

Innovative Role Modeling

            Thus, acting as model for creativity was expected to increase the chance that followers would practice idea generation themselves. In an experiment using student participants, Jaussi and Dionne did indeed find a positive and direct impact of role-modeling on creativity.  ( 2001) found that individuals who were provided with creative work model were able to learn what was considered creative and exhibited more creative behavior.

Intellectual Stimulation

            Ideally, intellectual stimulation may create opportunities for employees to voice ideas that may otherwise be overlooked and is believed to trigger idea generation in particular. As most studies treat intellectual stimulation as part of the broader-defined construct of transformational leadership, research efforts have yet to focus explicitly on connection between intellectual stimulation and innovative behaviors. In study in R&D firms,  (1994) demonstrated that when managers expect their employees to be innovative, employees tend to perceive their leader as encouraging and facilitating their innovative efforts and demonstrate more innovative behavior.

 

 

            When individuals know that idea generation is important, they are more likely to show this behavior ( 2004). For example, ( 1991) examined the effects of two types of goals on creative output. Once creativity goal was assigned, individuals were primed to focus attention and effort and exhibited higher levels of idea generation and that even when there is no formulated goal; the individuals are more creative when being informed that it is considered to be important.

Innovation Support

            Furthermore,  (1996) examined the influence of personal and contextual factors at work on employee creativity and found that supportive supervisory style is one of the drivers of excellent creative performance. Then,  (2004) focused on influence-based leadership, defined as changes in the behavior of a person due to the actions or presence of another person. A leader's support for innovative efforts was predictor of idea generation and implementation efforts of middle managers.

 

 

 

 

 

            Truly, sense making construct shared meanings that shape the organization’s purpose and frame the perception opportunities that the organization needs to work on. Working with problems and opportunities often become occasions for creating knowledge and making decisions. An organization possess certain types of knowledge: tacit knowledge embedded in the experience and expertise of individuals; explicit knowledge codified as artifacts, rules and routines and cultural knowledge expressed as assumptions, beliefs and values. The creation of innovative knowledge involves the conversion, sharing and combination of all three forms of organizational knowledge. Whereas innovative knowledge represents potential for action, decision making transforms this potential into a commitment to act. Decision making is structured by rules and routines and is guided by preferences that are based on interpretations of purpose and priorities of the organization. Where new capabilities as well as innovations become available, they introduce alternatives as well as uncertainties.

            Thus, the organization’s capacity to learn and innovate depends on its ability to manage and integrate complex, unpredictable network of processes in which people enact and negotiate own meanings of what is going on; stumble upon and engage with innovative knowledge to make it work and work within improvised set of rules and routines to solve tough problems (1995). In belief-driven processes, people start from initial set of beliefs that are clear and plausible and use them as nodes to connect more and more information into larger structures of meaning. In action-driven processes, people start from their actions and grow their structures of meaning around them, by modifying the structures in order to give significance to those actions. People may create meaning in order to justify actions that they are already committed to, or they may create meaning in order to explain actions that have been taken to manipulate changes in the environment. However, an organization develops its tightly integrated bundle of tacit, explicit and cultural knowledge that when applied it will constitute such core capability. Core capabilities give the firm its distinctive competitive edge, because they have been cultivated and are hard to imitate. According to (1995), core capabilities is the result of employees’ knowledge and skills; physical technical systems; managerial systems that include reward and incentive systems; and values and norms that determine what kinds of knowledge are sought.

Innovative Organizations

            The concept of innovation has history and diverse meanings (2003;2003), based on competition between companies and the different strategies that can be used to compete. Since then, there have been diverse strategies being used to compete like for instance, as efficiency approaches and quality movement involving standards, flexibility and innovativeness ( 1998). Innovation covers the whole organization from ideas right through to the introduction of service into the market as the alignment between R&D, production and market is vital (1999). Indeed, the design and implementation of innovative production lines, labor conditions and business missions are part of the innovation process in order to deliver added value to stakeholders of such company through valuable knowledge.

           In organizations, it becomes embedded not only in documents but also in organizational routines, processes, practices and norms. The creation of explicit out of implicit knowledge is one of the key principles of organizational knowledge creation ( 1995), understood as social and cyclical learning process. Nowadays, combination of efficiency, quality, flexibility and innovation is essential as innovation is more than technical organizational, it then, demands social policy. Successful innovation means more research and development; R&D must be transformed into products and services that will be sold in the market and will lead to added value for stakeholders. The alignment between R&D, production and marketing is crucial and might lead to new designs of production and work processes. Innovation is process in which valuable ideas are transformed into new forms of added value for the organization, customers, employees and stakeholders as the transformation process is now a learning process for the organization to safeguard continuity on the basis of innovation based on creativity (1995). Explicit knowledge has an innovative and exclusive function for organizations as a collective good; this knowledge or expertise is not easy for other organizations to copy (1992; 2002). If an organization wishes to benefit from invisible knowledge, this knowledge must be elicited, shared and codified into explicit knowledge.

 

            In addition, several companies do it by socialization processes by externalization, by combinations and by internalization as these processes and studies about elicitation make clear how complex the processes are in retrieving information from memory, mostly learned informal way as there implies to creating knowledge in lieu to learning the value of innovation as illustrated in the below diagram ( 2000).

Knowledge creation-innovation-learning spiral model

 

            The basic assumption now is that innovative activities within the organization processes really do exist from the strong stance of innovative organizations entailing the fact that knowledge creation is requirement for innovation process, and that the processes will lead to reflection and learning to learn and other ways. Generally, following the cycle of learning processes in an organization might improve innovative ability on the basis of which economic and competitive advantage could be better organized from within. Then, there will be the need for innovative knowledge to be induced from outside the processes of knowledge creation and innovation. Therefore, it can be ideal that, maintaining continuous relaxed resources helped to create better innovative cultures in organizations. The ample support like, the ideas of  (2002) as being recommended that certain exempting employees from ordinary tasks in order to concentrate valuable efforts on the development and implementation of innovative ideas and activities at hand one example is when employees are being assigned to work on innovations only as part time and have experienced working on project as something extra to their daily activities and often resulted in longer development times since, the daily work remained the number one priority.

CONCLUSION

            In conclusion, it can be real that one way for organizations to become more innovative is to capitalize on the employees’ ability to be innovative through providing inventory of leader behaviors that may influence employees' innovative behavior within knowledge-intensive services use in order to stimulate innovation among employees. Therefore, the useful importance of creating positive and safe atmosphere that encourages openness and risk taking seems to encourage idea generation and application as creating balance between stimulating innovative behavior and ensuring effectiveness and efficiency forms in the organization challenges respectively. Resources such as organized feedback are needed to enhance employees' motivation and ability to reach successful implementation as the process can amicably help to provide financial rewards to encourage the desired behavior.

RECOMMENDATION

            Accordingly, innovation can be better understood by such recommendations pointing towards strategy innovation, process innovation and business innovation and will have to represent the ideal assumption of innovative activities within organizations such as for instance, the enterprise can opt to carry them out jointly but, as the company opts to take on more ways of innovation, it will assume much higher levels of risk and commitment. Firstly, innovation concept in its innovation perspective can possibly be separated into voluntary product innovation and obligatory product innovation as such voluntary innovations are promoted and disseminated by the organization itself, whilst obligatory innovations are imposed by certain competitive as well as environmental forces and it does not always meet with approval from diverse collectives within the organization. An example would be the need to review the composition or packaging of products for legal reasons when they are being introduced in new countries. Secondly, strategy innovation needs to be carried into in-depth approaches and be identified with the help of achieving and acquiring better radical strategy innovations and incremental strategy innovations. This integrates real changes for the organization and requires significant changes in business practice, while incremental innovations may be carried out with minimum change, commitment and risk through which maintaining the same strategy. Radical innovations are least safe as they imply greater proportion of experimentation and interactive problem solving requiring greater flexibility and higher learning curve from the organization. Thirdly, there needs to have process innovation as difference is that if product innovation is what people create and strategy innovation is what they should do to create it, process innovation reflects what people have available to do that way. Usually process innovation precedes product and strategy innovation, given that what creating innovative plans is the outcome of what organizations do in order to create it and of what they have to do the innovation process. Thus, organizations creating disruptive innovations such as innovations that involve significant novel technologies, require considerable change in consumption patterns and are perceived as offering substantial benefits are often cited as examples of pro-activeness. Also, the innovativeness of organizations happens when innovative products are created and the strategies are implemented and fresh markets are reached. So many organizations can be global or innovative, but small group are highly internationalized and have superior innovations, specifically those that invest abroad and spend more resources to innovate such ways from such applications.

 

WRITTEN DISCOURSE IN THE CLASSROOM

 

There are different aspects of children’s speech and children’s writing presented in this chapter. Language when used in writing and speech affect its structure. The problem with language is that it has been around in everyone's life so long that people almost cease to be aware of it and it is not obsessed with correctness and grammatical rules. It allow children make clear to themselves that their already partial or implicit awareness of what is involved in using language and the explicit nature of this knowledge should lead to increased confidence and control in their handling of language ( and , 1983). There will employ a form of grammar which can describe language as it is used and which is relevant to every levels – from the syntax of sentences through to the organization of longer texts. This kind of grammar is able to describe the considerable differences between spoken and written English and can prepare its usefulness to the school institution for a wider curriculum of language and modern pedagogy study particularly in children’s speech and writing. In children’s speech and writing, language is among the most important features. In this instance, the structure of language – may it be in sentence and use of words – when spoken or written is evaluated.

 

(a)              What are for you the most significant points/issues raised in the text?

In my own opinion, the most significant issues raised in the text are simple sentence construction (syntactic) and textual simplicity in words.

 

(b)              Why do you consider these points/issues especially significant?

Considering that the subject of speech and writing are children, it is very important to categorically evaluate the simplicity of form of sentences. Children are not yet fully develop in terms of their cognitive ability and they are not yet capable of understanding complex sentences. It is practically important to consider that simple sentences should be used in speech and writing in order to facilitate ease of understanding and absorption of the message. In the same manner, simple words are seen to be more effective as children possess limited vocabulary. As a part of the widespread acceptance of English as the universal language, there is a need to completely qualify the vocabulary knowledge of every learning individual most especially the ones belonging to the starting stages of formal education like children. These two points/issues are especially significant because it is the most basic considerations in dealing with children’s speech and writing.

 

(c)              How does the reading expand concepts you have learned about discourse/written discourse/teaching writing?

 

The reading expands the concepts and knowledge I have learned about discourse/written discourse/teaching writing by providing some techniques on how to evaluate syntactic construction in sentences and the textual simplicity of words. It also gave me an idea on how to present or create speeches and write-ups that will be suitable with children. Primarily, this reading helped me to recognize the important role of simplicity in dealing with children’s speech and writing.

Furthermore, the reading allowed me to try my analytical capability in trying to determine what is syntactically and textually acceptable in children’s speech and writing. By studying the examples presented in this reading, I learned the extent of language vocabulary of children and the need to enhance it through various pedagogical approaches like speaking and writing.

(d)              In what ways is the article relatable to your own context as a teacher of English?

 

There is a need to show learners the living, dynamic nature of grammar as opposed to static, rule-based instruction insisting on only one “right way” ( and , 2002). The article, as stated in the previous discussion, aided me in the further understanding and consideration of the capabilities of children as main subjects. Teachers need to be able to make explicit what is happening in the language of the texts they share with children, to bring together their classroom knowledge of how stories, poems and many other kinds of texts 'work' with a more detailed knowledge of how words are used in English and other languages to 'make sense': how they are combined in certain patterns and in particular sequences in order to frame questions, to make statements, to give commands, or to create a whole variety of meanings and this together with the labels given to the roles that individual words or phrases are playing within such meaningful sentences, is really what grammar is and does (, 1990)

A common pattern of errors may then lead to the teaching of direct lessons on grammar points. This article gave me an idea on how to teach children’s speech and writing in a more effective and enjoyable manner. The example above might lead me to look at the formation of verb tenses generally, including the spelling conventions involved regardless of their pronunciation. From their work in English, students particularly children will know that language exists to convey meaning and, while listening and speaking, will look for gesture, mime, facial expression and knowledge of the context to help them construct that meaning. They will increasingly become aware that many language systems are used to convey meaning (, 1990). With this article, I came to realize that simplicity is very important.

(e)              What are some questions/issues that you are left with as you finish reading this article?

 

Since the concept of simplicity is relative, I am presupposing that there is a need to qualify or evaluate on what is simple or not in the perspective of children. A child is not able to identify what is simple or complex. The young learners must come to realize that not every single word needs to be understood. They should be encouraged to live with 'gist understanding' and to check out their sense of the probable meaning by reference to other ones.

Since, there is opportunity for teachers to focus upon the specific nature of grammatical patterning and use of vocabulary, in relation to the production of a range of different text-types, the focus on grammar need not be introduced in de-contextualized activities but rather in the achievement of definite purposes in meaningful contexts. ( and , 1992) The typical language features of these text-types are familiar to us as adults, and are normally taught directly or learned in the context of study or work. Thus, this made me think on what is the role of vocabulary in the construction of speech and writing for children?

 

References

 

ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTION: BUSINESS TO BUSINESS

Case Study 2: Pricing: Decisions at Wallace

Wallace is a supplier of equipment for producing plastic components. Most of its customers use the equipment to produced small components that are minor parts for their own products and which are not critical to the performance of these products. They represent only a small proportion of the total cost of items that they buy. Wallace’s business with these customers consist of replacing worn out or life-expired equipment. Wallace finds that these customers are very price sensitive and it finds it difficult to interest them in the advantages of its machines or in further development. Sales to these customers are static, but they still represent around 60% of its revenue.

            Wallace also has a smaller number of other customers with very different requirements. These customers produce higher-value and performance-critical items such as the cases for mobile phone handsets and other electronic equipment. These companies have to change over their machines quickly to make new shapes with different “feel”, colour and strength. These customers face significant problems in designing their components for ease and speed of production and often turn to suppliers for help. Unfortunately Wallace is not the major supplier to most of these customers and its recently appointed marketing manager says:

We have been working with some of these customers for quite a time, but we are often just scratching round for the crumbs that fall from the table of our competitors.

At the same time, the poor profit performance of Wallace in the past means that the company board is unwilling to allow marketing to “buy business” by lowering its prices or “speculatively” develop a whole new range of equipment specifically for these customers. The Marketing Manager’s relations with the Board are not good and the Board “wants results, not talk”

Recently, the marketing management has been working with his development and financial colleagues to simplify the company’s model range and to introduce a pricing policy he believes more closely reflects the real costs of producing each machine. One outcome for this is that it appears that many of its long-established standard machines, bought mostly by its older customers, have much lower production costs than were previously attributed to them. This is because there has been no significant development expenditure on them. In contrast, Wallace appears to be losing money on many of the machines it sells to its newer customers who pay higher prices but require major adaptations to the machines that they buy.

 

Questions:

Produce a report for the Marketing Manager that could be given to the company’s Board of Directors. The report should present the following:

·                     An outline of the pricing issues that face the Marketing Manager at Wallace

·                     A pricing approach to the company’s established customers

·                     A recommendation of whether or not the company should continue to seek business with the new “development” customers and a recommended pricing approach to these customers. The report should explain the justification for any alternative approach that you recommend.

·                     Finally the report should explain the contribution that would be required from different functional areas and cover any wider issues in the approaches to pricing that you recommend

 

 

Executive summary

 

 

Table of contents

 

 

Introduction

 

 

 

Pricing Issues

 

 

Pricing approaches

 

New development customers

 

New customers pricing approaches

 

The contribution from different functional areas

 

 Limitations and recommendations

conclusion

The Impact of Globalization on PETRONAS

The Impact of Globalisation on PETRONAS

 

Introduction

            The world was undergoing tremendous change even before the horrors of 11 September. Both democracy and the market economy have proliferated globally since the collapse of communism, and revolutionary developments in communication and information technology have helped trigger an increasing interdependence between countries at an unprecedented pace. Further, the end of the Cold War signalled the displacement of ideological obstinacy in favour of a heated pursuit towards economic advancement and competition for resources and technology. Economic statecraft, whereby nations use trade, loans, grants and investment to influence the action of other states, is now becoming more important.

             Globalisation around the world – has been one of the most hotly-debated topics in international economics over the past few years. Rapid growth and poverty reduction in China, India, and other countries that were poor 20 years ago, has been a positive aspect of globalisation. But globalisation has also generated significant international opposition over concerns that it has increased inequality and environmental degradation. The most common interpretations of globalisation are saying that the world is becoming more uniform and standardised through a technological, commercial and cultural synchronisation coming from the West. These perspectives equate globalisation with Westernisation.  However, there are other assessments that argue from viewing globalisation as the process of hybridisation, which gives rise to a global melange.

In this regard, this paper attempts to evaluate the impact of globalisation on Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS). Basically, the major focus of the international marketing strategy of PETRONAS or Petroliam Nasional Berhad is to adapt to the globalisation scheme. The changes in the environment had been sharply perceived by PETRONAS, as it operates both within and beyond its national boundaries. PETRONAS today is continuously growing; its main objective is to be famous in providing organisations and consumers with oil and gas. PETRONAS is most commonly referred to as the number one oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and adding value to these resources. The major concern of this analysis is to determine the level of the company to be geographically positioned in accordance with globalisation degree and with the strategic issue at stake locally and globally. It will be analysed through the use of different models and theoretical concepts in the marketing analysis.

 

Globalisation

The different strategies in different markets helped the company have an initial feel of the different markets. The different strategies also helped the company have a better understanding of how the market works. The different markets help in introducing to the company the cultures and characteristics of the markets thus it became educated with how to adjust in the different setting. Lastly the different strategies helped in making sure that the company encounters lesser problems while starting up a new market. By using different strategies the company has not committed anything that will give it more problems. In developed countries it is somewhat easier to enter because they usually have fully developed communications, distribution and transportation systems, to name but a few facilitating factors.

According to  (2006), the most successful global businesses are aggressively building their global strategies around these themes: (1) increased market access because of the opening up of markets in China, Central and Eastern Europe; (2) increased market opportunities because of the deregulation of many markets, such as the financial market and privatisation of state-owed utilities; (3) greater uniformity pf  industry standards, encouraged, for example, by the European Union; (4) sourcing of products and components initially, but more recently services, too, from a wider range of countries, particularly those emerging markets with a high ratio of skills to cost; (5) more globally standardised products and services, particularly in areas of new technology, but increasingly in more culturally sensitive product areas, such as food; (6) common technology used in many more markets, particularly in areas of information technology, when there is a high cost of research and development that must be recovered through sales in many countries; (7) similar customer requirements leading to transnational customer segments, resulting from increased communication and travel; (8) competition from the same organisations in each major market and thus interdependence of markets; (9) global organisation strategies that increasingly treat the world as one market, among several other themes.

Marketing is a universal activity that is widely applicable, regardless of the political, social and economic systems of a country. However does it nor mean that consumers in all parts of the world must or should be satisfied in exactly the same way (). This is largely the effect of globalisation to the formulation of international marketing strategies, the insertion of the adaptation of such strategies to the particular country in which the company or any international business operates. Consumers from various countries are significantly different due to varying culture, income, level of economic development, and so on. Therefore, consumers may use the same product without having the same need or motive, and in turn may use different products to satisfy the same need.

 

Company Profile

Background

PETRONAS, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian owned oil and gas company that was founded on August 17, 1974. Wholly owned by the Government, the corporation is vested with the entire oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and adding value to these resources. PETRONAS is ranked among Fortune Global 500's largest corporations in the world.

Since its incorporation PETRONAS has grown to be an integrated international oil and gas company with business interests in 31 countries. As of the end of March 2005, the PETRONAS Group comprised 103 wholly owned subsidiaries, 19 partly-owned outfits and 57 associated companies. Together, these companies make the PETRONAS Group, which is involved in various oil and gas based activities.

 

Business Mission and Objectives

"We are a business entity"-- PETRONAS and its Group of Companies are on-going enterprises organised and run in a rational, economic and commercial manner with the purpose of enhancing its shareholders' value or wealth. This means that it must conduct itself in a professional, ethical and business-like manner where sound business principles such as clear business objectives, growth and profitability, and being customer-focused are the way of life in the corporation. To achieve this, PETRONAS must be committed to enhancing the capability of its employees, as a corporation is only as good as the people who work for it.

"Petroleum is our core business"-- PETRONAS focuses its energy and allocates its resources to petroleum business, which is its core business. This includes the integrated chain of activities covering exploration, development and production of oil, gas and condensates; refining, trading and supply; marketing; distribution; petrochemicals and other manufactured petroleum products and derivatives. PETRONAS may also undertake other non-petroleum businesses that reinforce its strategy and performance of its core business. To ensure continued future supply of petroleum for Malaysia as well as continued skill building in its core business, PETRONAS would selectively seek opportunities overseas to explore and secure new reserves and develop and add value to these resources.

"Our primary responsibility is to develop and add value to this national resource"-- Petroleum resources are the national resource of a nation, be it Malaysia or any other country in the world. PETRONAS' mission is to develop and add value to these resources wherever it operates, converting these resources into higher-value products that would satisfy the needs of customers and bring benefits to the people.

"Our objective is to contribute to the well-being of the people and the nation"-- PETRONAS' goal is to contribute to the well-being of the people and nation where it operates. To fulfil this role, all of its business activities must be viable and profitable. PETRONAS' contributions - designed to assist in enhancing the quality of life of the people and help in the development of the nation - include the provision of quality petroleum and related products and services at a fair price; promoting and creating business and job opportunities in the petroleum industry; enlarging the country's industrial base; and ensuring safe and clean environment.

 

Corporate Strategy

The Group is engaged in a wide spectrum of petroleum activities, including upstream exploration and production of oil and gas to downstream oil refining; marketing and distribution of petroleum products; trading; gas processing and liquefaction; gas transmission pipeline network operations; marketing of liquefied natural gas; petrochemical manufacturing and marketing; shipping; automotive engineering; and property investment.

 

International Business Strategy

Born out of a need to serve Malaysia and its people, PETRONAS has been genuine in fulfilling national aspirations. The people it deals with on a daily basis acknowledge and commend its strong sense of duty to the nation and its employees loyalty to the organisation.

PETRONAS' passionate spirit is one of its most enduring traits and has been largely responsible for its business success. As a group, it is committed towards excellence and progress. It continually pushes its own limits to discover new strengths and capabilities. As it grew and expanded into other corners of the globe, it retained these valuable traits, exporting its own unique economic model that espouses a philosophy of "Growing With The Nation" wherever it operates.

In contrary to the international business strategy of PETRONAS is the perception that going global does not mean that the company must necessarily have a presence around the world. This simply means that the company must perceive global competition and global markets and has determined the best strategy to prosper in that environment. The word “global” means the entire world, but is made up of smaller, more individual geographic entities, beginning with the market in a particular state or province and extending beyond, thus, does not limit only to the participation of large manufacturers (2002).

 

Effects of Globalisation on PETRONAS

Value Chain

In order to understand clearly the activities leading to a competitive advantage in petroleum business, an organisation can begin with the generic value chain and then identify their relevant activities. Thus, process flows can be mapped, and these flows used to separate the individual value–creating actions.

            Once the prudent actions of an organisation are defined, connections between actions should be identified (Porter, 1986).  A connection is present if the performance or cost of one action affects that of another. As stated, competitive advantage may be acquired by optimising and coordinating linked actions.

Value-chain analysis appears at every step of an organisation goes through, from raw materials to the output. The objective is to deliver greatest value for the least possible total cost.  The value chain also is useful in outsourcing decisions.  Understanding the connections between actions can lead to best decisions that can result in either a cost advantage or a differentiation advantage. The goal of these activities is to create value that exceeds the cost of providing the product or service, thus generating a profit (2000). In the case of PETRONAS, the entire operation of the business should be examined and evaluated in order to determine the service delivery processes that strengthen as well as weaken the business. This will result to managerial options to eliminate the liabilities that detract the business or the need to developed and intensify some aspects of the operations. 

 

Porter's Diamond

Globalisation plays significant role and effect to different businesses. PETRONAS has company extensive promise to milieu in providing secure and vigorous environment for the employees and for the community. Actually, PETRONAS is devoted to scheming, creating, upholding and operating amenities that guard the people in terms of physical resources. As part of globalisation changes and international approach of the company, PETRONAS is committed in reducing the crashing of business in environment through protection and recycle ways and use of energy programs in promoting dirt free air also water and decrease landfill squander as stated in universal system of conduct as based on subsequent environmental philosophy such as the following:

Ø  The business industry is mannered by fulfilling the appropriate laws and system and provide secure and vigorous milieu

Ø  minimise the collision of PETRONAS business on situation through techniques that are publicly accountable and systematically base and efficiently thud like for example materials recycle ways and maintenance

Ø  mounting program that encourage dirt free air as well as water and power conservation and the decrease of land wastes

Ø  through sustaining programs that inform and educate as well as motivate PETRONAS employees to help preserve good atmosphere

Ø  By assisting together with diverse business organisation in finding answers for diminishing pollution problems and the back-up process applied to ecological policies

PETRONAS is able to offer service required by the customers and the employees are motivated to optimise input and obtain practice in diverse areas of operation like for instance, if PETRONAS decided to surmount the international market so there can be options the company will come across and it is important that the management of PETRONAS should choose marketing strategy that is suitable for their products and services being offered for the PETRONAS to be more competitive as there can be stabilisation of political as well as economic power as there is the providing of needed environment encouraging to marketing activities as well as overseas investments. Likewise, culture is imperative feature in understanding PETRONAS’ market status as the company operates effectively for universal position as to how business culture will pressure PETRONAS’ market efficiency for their success and or failure.

 

Manufacturing and/or Services

In regards to the globalisation practices of PETRONAS, technology tends to affect the business process of the organisation.  In the case of PETRONAS, when production technology is high, production will become more efficient that can lead to increase in supply.  However, technology is not the only factor of production existing in the producer’s plant. There exist more complex interrelationships between these factors to be able to exploit the improved efficiency of one.  The most crucial of all is governing human resources.  Without proper guidance from the leaders of a firm, production efficiency will not hold because of resistance, de-motivation or just a plain technological ignorance.  Technology is not 100% automated and human intervention as well as errors is inevitable.  In addition, technology may also be intended for a specific segment of the industry, say, large corporations. As such, aggregate supply may not necessarily increase because small entrepreneurs who cannot afford to buy the technology cannot contribute in increasing supply.

 

Operation

In business operation of PETRONAS, the general rule is that when the cost of operation in global business will rise, producers will cut back on product leading to decrease in supply.  However, the evidence of the price-sensitive oil and exporting industries continuing their businesses is a primary exemption to the rule.  The existence of learning curve, oligopolistic market structures and risk diversification of large international firms has the ability to absorb price shocks to the cost of inputs, technology, organisational changes and government polices (e.g. taxes).  As observed, there is an eminent presence of rationality exemplified by these producers.  Since they have the financial, structural and strategic depth, they enter an industry which has dynamic and unpredictable cost of production.  In this way, they may have financial loss from time-to-time, but long-term gains will be pervasive due to the opportunity to dominate the market.    

 

Global Marketing Strategy

            To promote the company and its product in global marketing context, the company may use TV/video advertisements, print advertisements and the concept of e-marketing. Business meeting were also imposed by the company to reach their target market. These promotion and communication strategy will tend to meet the consumers from different places everywhere in the globe, especially those target markets or consumers that needs oil and gas supplies. As part of promotion strategy, PETRONAS should made it a regular practice to move its best managers from positions in one business unit to assignments in the other two business segments to promote the transfer of skills, practices, know-how, and innovative ideas from one business to another because it is believed that such shifting of key personnel helped PETRONAS capture strategic fit relationships among its different businesses, build stronger competitive capabilities, and keep managers’ thinking fresh and innovative.

 

Global Competition

One of the impacts of globalisation is the increase in competition among other firms in the same industry. A global firm (e.g. PETRONAS) may be in a better position to compete with its global rival, as it can enhance its resources globally ( 2003). Being able to participate in its foreign target market makes the global firm more advanced and more developed compared to its rivals in the same industry, for it is able to meet the standards and demands of its foreign customers. From this perception, major suppliers and stakeholders would prefer the global firm to other firms.

            To attain success in globalisation, PETRONAS should be also aware to the possible effect of competitions.  Rivalry analysis, price tactics, marketing strategies and business development procedures should be carefully evaluated.

 

Functional and Business Strategies

Marketing

A lot of business organisations and companies engage in and focus on international marketing, with the desire for more profits, sales and recognition from consumers. International marketing also allows business organisations opportunities for further development and improvement, in terms of their products, services, strategies, systems, and operations. This is because international markets offer vast business opportunities for firms with a product or service in high demand, in line with newness, cultural adaptation, attractiveness, and appropriate marketing strategies that can assist them particularly (2007). In addition, when PETRONAS focus on international marketing, they are given the chance to gain more knowledge and information in their industry, thus, having the opportunity to provide more innovative services and products to their consumers. Merging, acquiring and partnering with local companies have been a key component of PETRONAS’ international expansion and response to globalisation.

 

Production/manufacturing

The several macro factors, which affect the global market and the business organisations are important to assess and examine for they can largely determine the success of the business organisation in the market. PETRONAS must be able to have skills in developing new products and innovating new technologies to cope with the changes happening in the society today. Along with developing new products, PETRONAS must also produce effective marketing strategies to provide solutions to the challenges that they face. In addition, it will also be necessary to anticipate problems and plan, in case a specific problem comes their way. This would help the company prepare and come up with alternative solutions for easy implementation of plans.

 

Human Resources

As part of the business advantage of PETRONAS in globalisation, the company should continue recruiting and retaining the best and brightest in a variety of exciting and challenging fields. As their practice, PETRONAS tends to discover these talents from amongst the local and overseas graduates.

In partnership with their continuous business growth, they should continue the talent search exercises to meet their increasing human resource needs. It is also admirable that PETRONAS offers occupational mobility along either the technical or managerial tracks, and ample opportunities for learning and growing.

 

 

Conclusion

Over the last few years, the importance of international marketing has increased as globalisation has increased the range of possible opportunities for proactive organisations with aggressive growth strategies. To develop the capabilities of PETRONAS to make effective strategic marketing decisions, they need to have the ability to understand the changing dimensions of the market in which they operate and the impact this has on their competitive advantage. They need to be able to challenge the traditional thinking and develop an innovative culture through learning and knowledge management in order to re-orientate and reformulate competitive strategies, in order to sustain their advantage in the market. They must have the ability to appraise strategic marketing decisions and assess strategic options with regard to the potential return on any investments made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS

Executive Summary

Pricing strategies is one of the primary concerns a company has. The pricing strategy is the one that will dictate the relationship between the company, its clients and the environment.  The pricing strategy will also be the one that will provide assistance for the company to stay in the industry for a longer period of time. One company that has concerns about its pricing strategies is Wallace.  The paper will discuss about the pricing issues that face the Marketing Manager at Wallace. The paper will discuss about a pricing approach to the company’s established customers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents Page

1.      Introduction

2.      Pricing Issues

3.      Pricing Strategies

4.      Pricing approaches

5.      New development customers

6.      New customers pricing approaches

7.      Contribution from different functional areas

8.      Limitations and Recommendations

9.      Conclusion

References

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

Explaining the popularity of organizational change in sense making terms it can be argued that change has become a conventional management practice, developed and sustained through a powerful management discourse, whose on-going character influences the decision-making of large and small companies, profit and not-for-profit companies alike ( 2003).  Whether or not the adoption of a particular program of change is the right course of action for some companies doesn't seem to matter. Decisions to implement change programs are based on plausibility rather than accuracy.  Over time, the emphasis on change programs has switched focus from ways to improve employee satisfaction to a goal today of customer-driven corporate effectiveness ( 2003).

 

 But something more than a change in focus has occurred. The notion of organizational change has taken on new meaning. Since the early 1980s, it has become an imperative rather than a technique to be considered at appropriate times, a holistic rather than a piecemeal approach to organizational effectiveness ( 2003). Organizational change is done by a company when it believes that the company is not adjusting to the new trends in its environment. Organizational change can be in the form of retraining of employees, changes in business processes or changes in prices. One company that wants to do some kind of organizational change is Wallace. The company wants to create various changes that will help the company attain its goals. The company is trying to determine the price changes suited for every product they have.

Pricing Issues

Global firms adopt different pricing schemes around the world and these results in some practices being viewed as discriminatory.  This means that consumers are charged different prices for an identical product without a logical reason for doing so. Price discrimination is legal in the United States as long as price differences can be justified based upon costs. When consumers from two nations are charged different prices, it is discriminatory unless valid reasons can be justified for these practices. Valid reasons include tax, tariffs, transport, or higher manufacturing expenses ( &  2003). In the United States, firms must adhere to the - Act, which states that a seller must charge any industrial buyer the same price for goods as long as the conditions of purchase are identical. But price discrimination is routinely practiced in many nations. There is little doubt that pricing is a complicated issue in global sales transactions (  &  2003).

 

However, charging different prices to consumer segments, gouging, and dumping all result in some consumers having to pay more than a fair price for their products ( &  2003). The pricing issues that the company encounters include the kind of changes to be done on the prices; how the change in prices can affect the operation of Wallace and how the old and new clients will react to the changes in the prices. The different pricing issues must be given proper solutions in order for the marketing manager to improve his relationship with the board of directors.  

Pricing Approach

The market pricing approach is used when the environmental improvement under consideration causes an increase or decrease in real outputs and/or inputs. Examples may include a decrease in timber harvest and/or extraction of minerals from a legislative enactment that effectively expands the acreage set aside as a wilderness area; the expected increase in fish harvest due to the implementation of a new water pollution control technology; or an increase in crop yield arising from a legislative mandate of a higher air quality standard. In the above examples, benefits from environmental improvement are identified in terms of changes in outputs or inputs; more specifically, timber, minerals, fish and crops (2000).

 

These outputs or inputs are expected to have market prices that accurately reflect their scarcity values or, where this is not the case, shadow prices can be easily imputed. Thus, where environmental improvement is directly associated with changes in the quantity or price of marketed outputs or inputs, the benefit directly attributable to the environmental improvement in question can be measured by changes in the consumers’ and producers’ surpluses ( 2000). For the established clients, the pricing approach for them should concentrate on providing them the best product for the equivalent amount of price they pay. The company should maintain well made products for appropriate prices. The prices for established clients should not be too high nor too low. Rather it should be priced according to the quality of product made for them.

New development customers

Just as customer retention has a positive impact on profitability, customer defection can have a negative impact. The very reasons a loyal customer is so profitable are the same reasons a lost customer is so detrimental. Simply stated, it costs less to sell and service a loyal customer. New customers are more costly. Therefore, defection by a long-term customer can cause a dramatic loss and affect the bottom line much more quickly than defection by a new customer does. It is difficult for a business to realize how expensive it is to lose a customer ( &  2002).  Today's accounting systems are designed to show short-term gains and losses and do not help track the benefits of maintaining a relationship with a customer over a long period of time. Expected cash flows over a loyal customer's lifetime cannot be evaluated using current systems. Yet it is clear that a satisfied, loyal customer can contribute a great deal to the financial bottom line of any company ( &  2002).

 

For some reason, the thrill of chasing new customers and of closing the first deal seems more challenging than keeping the customers a company already has. Finding new customers often involves flashy advertising, new sales techniques, and innovative marketing approaches ( &  2002).  If the marketing manager of Wallace believes that the new customers will give benefits to the company then he should push through with seeking business with the new development customers.  But he should ensure that old clients are well taken care of.

New customers pricing approach

A variety of motivations explain the adoption of a new customer approach by global companies. A major reason is the cost of conducting personal visits or customer sales call continues to increase. Firms cannot afford to allow their sales force to make unproductive sales calls. Firms have come to believe that a more efficient method of marketing is to establish and maintain long-term relationships with their customers. When a long-term relationship is established and nurtured, it is less necessary to spend significant amounts of money advertising to make customers aware of the product offering and then employing a sales force to stimulate demand for unwanted products/services to potential customers (  &  2003).

 

Global customers expect low manufacturing costs, excellent design, and having their needs met. The firm wants to form a relationship with its best customers because this orientation appears to generate lower-cost customers. The firm expects the sales force to work the marketplace to reach new customers or to find outlets for products that have been overproduced or under-engineered. While a firm’s orientation may change slightly, depending upon the market situation, the firm normally adheres to a single orientation more than the rest ( &  2003). For new customers the price of the product should be lower since the company is trying to convince the client that it has the best product. Lower price is a factor in why clients subscribe to a company. With lower prices added with the best product come clients that are loyal.

Contribution from different functional areas

To assist management and its staff in getting a handle on important factors affecting a company’s total operations, including innovative directions, the principle of spending time with customers goes a long way toward understanding their point of view. This recognition about the customer’s importance suggests that the customer is more than the next step in the distribution chain ( 1999). The different functional areas can help the company determine which is the best action. It will provide details on what kind of activities should be instigated by the company for it to achieve its goal and for it to solve its problems.

 

Recommendation

The company will be successful if it will concentrate on providing better products to established clients wherein Wallace will make sure that the products will be of the best quality and it will turn into something that will serve as a primary material for other companies.  With proper use of strategies and resources the company can create products that other companies will crave for as part of their own resources.

 

Limitations

There are limitations if the company will pursue changes in pricing. If the company will create changes in the prices, it has first to consider the effect of the changes to the clients. If the company will create changes in the prices the company cannot go beyond the prices that the clients can afford. If the company will go beyond this border the company might lose clients and they might a hard time in finding replacements. The company cannot also reach the boundaries set by the laws of a certain country.

 

Conclusion

The pricing issues that the company encounters include the kind of changes to be done on the prices; how the change in prices can affect the operation of Wallace and how the old and new clients will react to the changes in the prices. For the established clients, the pricing approach for them should concentrate on providing them the best product for the equivalent amount of price they pay. If the marketing manager of Wallace believes that the new customers will give benefits to the company then he should push through with seeking business with the new development customers. 

 

References

Analysis of a horror game

Introduction

            The horror genre has continued to fascinate audiences through the combination of frightening plots with nonverbal elements. Horror movies are typical examples of fear-inducing media content. They tend to dwell on blood and gore as well as the expression of terror by the victims. Primarily, this genre is enjoyed due to the fear based arousal that is enjoyed and valued by viewers seeking excitement.

            This genre has also appealed to videogames. Horror survival videogames are the same as the horror films in the sense that they evoke the same feeling. The difference though is the experience of audience in these two media forms. It  remains debatable whether videogames are more effective conveyors of horror than films. Films have the advantage in terms of scaring the audience since the film maker controls every scene and thus leading the audience to scary moments. On the other hand, horror video games remove the fourth wall and place the player directly into the story, thereby overcoming the obstacles of film makers when telling a scary story.

Concept of Horror

Horror is a feeling of revulsion occurring after something which is frightening is seen, heard or experienced. It is the feeling one usually gets after coming to an awful realization or experiencing a hideous revelation. By contrast, terror is the dreadful feeling and anticipation that precedes the horrifying experience. Horror then combines the feeling of terror and revulsion. In addition to this, horror is the genre of film and games that relies heavily on horrifying images and situation to exhibit reactions from the audiences ( 2007). The pleasures of horror involve surrender, passivity and discomfort.

 (2004) argued that horror consist of the recognition that things are not as they ought to be which in turn requires implicit comparison and evaluative judgment or appraisal. The object of horror is concrete as opposed to abstract, specific rather than non specific. Hence, one might dread the unknown or be generally anxious but is properly horrified only by a particular and more or less immediate event or object of perception. Horror evokes no action readiness although one might react to horror by turning away or screaming. In such case, it is a spectator emotion even in real life ()

Resident Evil

            Resident evil is basically a survival-horror game which requires the killing of large numbers of demonic creatures in a virtual environment which is reminiscent of the horror film. In this game, you kill anything that is moving with the exception of the victim or the hostage. Survival horror is generally understood to be a game in which the player leads the character through uncanny narrative and hostile environment where the odds are weighed decisively against the avatar. The game involves the use of puzzle solving and exploration as it progresses. The player often contends with limited supplies of ammunition and health hence making the “survival” horror. The player is portrayed as being unfamiliar to the areas where the game takes place which contributes to the feeling of isolation and discomfort in the player. Resident Evil took the stylistic aspects of the first survival horror computer game and consolidated them. However, it is more innovative in terms of the graphics, atmosphere and sophisticated narrative (2004).

In Resident Evil 1 you will find zombies and more disgusting creatures that you can imagine. The story started with the news of people murdered and bearing bite marks on their bodies which makes it appear like they have been eaten. The team of STARS was sent tot eh Arklay Mountain to investigate but they end up missing. Later on another team was sent consisting of the main characters: Chris Redfield (male protagonist) and Jill Valentine (female protagonist). They investigate but then terror shows up as the team ran into a creepy mansion. The main characters wander around the mansion infested with zombies. They are trying to escape but puzzles are placed everywhere. The game does well with survival horror because it has limited amount of ammo so it is not just about killing the zombies but also ensuring that there is enough saved later.

In many ways, Resident Evil is a Gothic horror movie. It follows the number of conventions of the gothic movie. It begins with an abandoned mansion explored by the main characters and frightened by every sound and shadow. It features horror archetypes such as zombies and mad dogs. The setting is part dimly lit and shadowy for the most part. Finally, it employs black metal music, a hybrid of heavy metal and Goth trance music (2006)

Stimulation of Horror, Fear and Terror

Videogames are like films in one major aspect. The atmosphere was basically a combination of fear and tension. They also communicate to the player through the eyes and the ears. These games provoke sensations of fear. The player must trigger the avatar’s gestures and movements and guide it to the space which implies a particular symbiosis – plus there is the player’s tactile manipulation of the controls. Aside from the first person shooter point-of-view in the Resident Evil Survivor, the game also includes cinematic points of views. These takes a montage effect when the player becomes the editor by making each scene “cut” to a new angle when a certain stage is crossed. These cuts are designed to surprise the player in the same way that the game exploits cinematic shock moments(2004).

These shock moments typically involves the appearance of a monster or explosion which are further enhanced through physical sensation, loud noises and moments of physical violence (2004). Horror was depicted in Resident Evil in terms of the zombies, rabid dogs, giant spiders and other types of disturbing images like persons with half body eaten. The graphics are nicely detailed. The characters suffer from square polygon body parts but they are animated very well. Zombies appear as if they are stumbling and creeping towards you realistically. You will see all the gore in the opening cinema like decapitated head and blood gushing through the head of the zombie. Overall, the graphics capture the feel of the horror movie.

The use of eerie ambient music also plays an incalculable part not just in the mood but also in the playing of the game. The change in the style of music for confrontation scenes or for dramatic moments serves to exacerbate the urgency of the game. The background music sets the creepy mood. What makes the game scarier is the creepy piano music playing on one’s ears while playing. It makes the already scary game even scarier. Sometimes you can also hear the footsteps of the zombies coming towards you and that helps a lot during the game. When you are caught by some monster by surprise, the music will switch to a heart pumping track. Even the moans of the zombies can send chills up your spine. Playing through for the fist time, the dark, moody, horror flick music which you come in contact with in the game is enough to make you play with the lights on. You never know what is on the next corner and the music score of the game follows the attitude to the fullest making your pulse race.

The audio effects truly make the game suspenseful to play. You may not see the zombies but you may hear them clearly as they lurch somewhere just out of the sight or range and then coming into view. The sound of the dead feet on the carpeted floor speeding up makes you want to look behind you in a split second. Aside form this, there is also the thumping of the spider legs in the distance, the sound of the dogs on the concrete and the flow water in certain points which all makes it feel like real. It gives the feeling that you are not just playing the game but actually in there beside the character. Above all, Resident evil is a triumph of suspense. There are enough clues to the puzzles and the enigma of the overarching story holds the interest of the player. Additionally, the narratives develop to illustrate a sense of progression. This is evident when the zombies are replaced by mutated plants or spiders which are superseded by mutant such as “lickers” or the arch boss itself: ( 2004).  

Difference from Horror Films

The horror genre has been widely used in films designed to elicit fright, fear, terror, disgust or horror from the audience. Evil forces, events or characters of supernatural origins intrude the real world and wreak havoc to the ordinary life. Most of the characters include vampires, zombies, monster and other fear-inspiring characters. The fascination from horror explains the adaptation of video games into movies such as Resident Evil. It was a game series which has already include tow Hollywood motion pictures. The movies are mostly panned by the critics and elicited mixed reactions from fans. It gathered praise for some fans for bringing the series to the mainstream audience and also received criticisms regarding the incomplete adaptation of the Resident Evil Games. Another noticeable thing is that the movies contain elements that directly contradict from the games. Beyond these differences is the difference in the experience of horror from the two media forms ( 2007).

Many films had significant impact on the revival of horror games whether in terms of setting the atmosphere, the structuring of narrative through boss encounters or sequences of gore. However, the process of adaptation is reversed. Films are increasingly turning to games for inspiration. The sole example of the adaptation of a survival horror game is the Resident Evil. One of the appeals of this survival horror game is the illusion of free will: the ability to control an avatar in his journey. There is of course no such thing as freewill. Any walkthrough indicate that the gameplay is merely about the stages of a narrative with little fluctuation. This applies even if the genres offer multi-narrative layers with a range of possible choices, solutions and endings (2004).

The limitation of freewill is a deficiency but the sense of being out of control is inherent in the experience of horrors across all media. The sudden loss of control is an important part of the pleasure of horror as it places one in the seat of a carnival ride. The horrors of the Resident Evil reflect the increasing pervasion of reality by horror. The cover of the Resident Evil 2 carry the question, ‘Can you survive the horror’? The question works to place the game within the rhetoric of the horror film. Yet something greater is needed to survive the interactive nature of the horror game. One needs to learn the skills to withstand the onslaught of evil monsters and restore equilibrium (2002). Unlike the horror film, the game place a strong emphasis on the acts of doing that extends beyond the kinetic and emotional responses that are common in the cinema.

            Games based on films bear only superficial resemblance to the originals. Horror games organize and manage the game playing experience to create suspense and tension. These games are structured at deep and surface levels according to the principles of ‘manichean’ moral duality, a factor shared by games with horror films. Its presence suggests that the pleasures of playing such games centers on the experience that oscillate the pleasures of doing and not doing. In the game, the player is in control of the gameplay which creates a dynamic rhythm between self determination and pre determination (2002).

            Indeed, the interactive dimension of the game is organized to further intensify and extend the types of emotional and affective experiences offered by the horror film. The horror genre has made transition to videogames for several reasons. First, horror offers death as spectacle and actively promises transgression. It has the power to promote physical sensation. Like many horror films, horror-based videogames used conventional and basic notions of good and evil. In Resident Evil 3, the avatar has to restore the balance in the world corrupted by evil forces threatening the humanity. The main aim is to defeat the manifestation of these forces and the game is structured to his quest. This game deploy surface story that reference the good versus evil format of horror films (2002,).Whatever the players do min most horror based games, they have to occupy the avatar of good and not evil, As

A central issue in the technology of video games concerns how the active user role and the first person point of view will change the experience of the users. If the critical empathic distresses result from the film viewers’ being a mere witness, these processes will change in the games’ interactive environment and perhaps the expected outcomes will vary in response. According to  (2000), video games differ as a result from the change in appraised coping (2003). Whereas the appraised coping potential of a film character determines emotional experience of the viewer, appraisals of the player’s own coping potentials controls emotional experience in videogames. This is a process which is relatively closer to relatively closer to real life. The more active and realistic experience of horror in virtual reality environment facilitates both cognitive and action coping strategies to eradicate negative emotions with means that are not available through film exposure ().

The active user issue has been given great attention by those concerned in the information technology although this is something which entertainment scholars have been slow to address.  (2000) challenged whether the audience members would want to labor as much interactivity demand and found out that games allow the users to alternate roles between witness and player perspectives (2003). The understanding of this multifaceted experience becomes more challenging with the complex emotions from horror.

There are a number of reasons why the horror genre has transformed into video games. The interactive nature of the gameplay amplifies the dynamics of the generic horror including patterns of passivity, peril, attack and flight. By switching between gameplay and cutscene, games are able to intensify the awareness of the dynamics between being in control and out of control. With the film, it is easier to scare the people. The path of the characters and the camera are totally in the control of the film maker. This allows the film maker to move the audience towards that ultimately scary moment. However, video games allow the audience to take control of the characters and therein lies the difficulty in making a truly frightening game. Horror games like Resident Evil evokes horror as films do by moving the player from the land of the familiar into the realms of the unfamiliar. This transition is enhanced through the use of sound and visuals that evolves towards disturbing occurrences.

The success of Resident Evil is attributed to its complicated universe. In other words, multiple layers and substrata of the game’s universe have mapped out a virtual world far beyond the simulation of contained action. Fundamentally, Resident Evil is experiential. It is an experience that has succeeded due to the number of factors and decisions, least of which is the gameplay which is comparatively simple and immediately accessible. As compared to other games in the horror genre, the mortal dangers are comparatively few. The principle challenges of the game lies on rational thought and problem solving ( 2004).

Conclusion

            Horror has continued to be a fascinating genre not only in the film industry but also to video gaming. The main purpose of which is to induce fear to the audiences. Primarily, this genre is enjoyed because of the excitement and the suspense it brings to the audience. The advent of survival horror games such as Resident Evil is another manifestation of the never ending fascination to the horror genre. There are evidences proving that horror based games are derived from horror films. In fact it is the films that set the atmosphere for this particular genre. However, the trend is reversed today with the likes of video games such as Resident Evil being adapted to films. Surely, both media forms evoke the kind of fear and terror they aim. However, differences are apparent in terms of scaring the audience and getting them involved with horrifying scene. It is the latter which explain the popularity of video games since the film cannot get the audience into the same experience as that of the interactive environment of the video game.

 

 

ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTION: CARTER CENTER

Conflict Resoultion  & Mediation Due Dec. 19^th

 

 

For this assignment, access . Once on the Internet site:
1. Click on Peace Programs (Top Bar)
2. Click on Conflict Resolution Programs (Top Bar)
3. On the right bar, under Conflict Resolution Program Links, click on Activities by Countries

Within this site, there are 11 country case studies in which the Carter Center has served as a mediator. Selecting one country, provide a brief overview of the conflict resolution situation. Additionally integrate the review with the assigned readings from “The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution, by , .

 

Here is the lesson notes from the professor that may help also.

Lesson 3

Negotiations and Mediation

 

 

 

I.    Negotiations & Mediation: The Construct

There are two basic paradigms for understanding mediation: structuralism and social-psychological.

Structuralism: posits that - with persuasion, incentives, and disincentives - parties to a conflict can be lead to a negotiated settlement. From this perspective, the causes of conflict are objective issues that can be resolved through negotiation. The prime condition for settlement is when all parties to the conflict “perceive the costs and prospects of continuing a war to be more burdensome than the costs and prospects of settlement.”

Social-psychological: the focus is on the processes of communication and exchange as a way to change attitudes and perceptions. A key to this process is engaging wider groups of civil and opinion leaders into the discussions. From this paradigm, conflict can occur over objective reasons but it can also reflect subjective and social fractures.

II. Life Cycles of Conflicts

The typical life cycle of a conflict includes:

• A period of rising tensions between or among parties

• Confrontation

• Outbreak of Violence

• Escalation of military hostilities

• Cease-fire

• Formal settlement

• Rapprochement

• Reconciliation

At the lowest level of violence, there may be more chances for mediation. At this stage, attitudes and perceptions have not hardened and institutionalized channels of communications are still open. Negotiations at this level are relatively low-risk. However, negotiation is less attractive because the parties have not let experienced the costs or limits of what can be gained on the battlefield. Violence in support of unilateral goals may still be seen as a viable option to compromise and negotiated settlements.

Inversely, higher levels of violence see fewer opportunities for engagement of belligerents in negotiations but greater likelihood of mediation success.

Who mediates is an important consideration and is dependent on the willingness of parties to the negotiations and the need to demonstrate force to move the negotiations to a possible settlement. The US resolve to use increasing levels of force in the former Yugoslavia did achieve a settlement. The same resolve, however, did not deter Saddam Hussein from attacking Kuwait or be more forthcoming with UN Weapons Inspectors. The issue here may well be the ability of a belligerent to correctly perceive the intentions of others.

III. Regional Actors

As we look at various regional organizations (Table 1), it is typically organizations that have a security or military component that have the capabilities to participate in peace support operations. Of course, there are distinctions between the capabilities of NATO, the European Union (EU), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and other regional organizations like the African Union or Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Table 1

 

 {] provides a thorough background on several regional organizations:

1. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an organization for defense collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty.

The core provision of the treaty is Article V, which states:

The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all. Consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

This provision was intended so that if the USSR and its allies launched an attack against the Western European allies of the United States, it would be treated as if it was an attack on all member states, including the United States, which has the largest military in the alliance and could thus provide the most significant retaliation. However, the feared invasion of Western Europe never came. Instead, the provision was invoked for the first time in the treaty's history on September 12, 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks on the United States the day before.

2. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen countries, founded on May 28, 1975 when 15 West African countries signed the Treaty of Lagos. Its mission is to promote economic integration.

It was founded to achieve "collective self-sufficiency" for the member states by means of economic and monetary union creating a single large trading bloc. The very slow progress towards this aim meant that the treaty was revised towards a looser collaboration. The ECOWAS Secretariat and the Fund for Cooperation, Compensation and Development are its two main institutions to implement policies.

Member states of ECOWAS are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The current executive secretary is . The current chairman is President  of Niger. In 2002, Mauritania left the organization.

3. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (in Russian: Содружество Независимых Государств (СНГ) - Sodruzhestvo Nezavisimykh Gosudarstv) is a confederation or alliance consisting of 12 former Soviet Republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

The creation of CIS signaled the dissolution of the Soviet Union and, according to leaders of Russia, its purpose was to "allow a civilized divorce" between the Soviet Republics. However, many observers have seen the CIS as a tool that would allow Russia to keep its influence over the post-Soviet states. Since its formation, the member-states of CIS have signed a large number of documents concerning integration and cooperation on matters of economics, defense and foreign policy.

4. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is an international organization for security. In its region, it is concerned with early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. It has 55 participating states from Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North America.

5. The African Union (abbreviated AU), founded in July 2002, is the successor organization to the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Modeled after the European Union (but currently with powers closer to the Commonwealth of Nations), it aims to help promote democracy, human rights and development across Africa, especially by increasing foreign investment through the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) program. Its first chairman was South African president .

Goals for the African Union include an African parliament and a central development bank. As with its predecessor, the OAU, the African Union is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Pan-African Parliament opened officially September 16, 2004, in Midrand, South Africa. Because of the membership of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara), Morocco is the only African nation that has chosen not to be a member.

The AU's first military intervention in a member state was the May 2003 deployment of a peacekeeping force of soldiers from South Africa, Ethiopia and Mozambique to Burundi to oversee the implementation of the various agreements. The mission was known as AMIB and has since been taken over by the United Nations, which has designated it ONUB.

The AU faces many problems, from the HIV epidemic and poverty to many civil wars. In response to the ongoing Darfur crisis in the Sudan, the AU has deployed 300 soldiers, mostly from Rwanda, to Darfur to protect the AU observers. As of 2004, it is considering the deployment of up to 2,500 peacekeepers to the region. In 2005 there was a donor's conference held in the African Union's headquarters in Addis Ababa where enough money was raised that it is believed there will be enough money to raise AU troop levels to 7,000 in September and to 12,000 in the beginning of 2006.

In response to the death of , president of Togo, on February 5, 2005, AU leaders described the naming of his son   the successor as a military coup [1]. Togo's constitution calls for the speaker of parliament to succeed the president in the event of his death. By law, the parliament speaker must call national elections to choose a new president within 60 days.

As of 2005, current conflicts also include the:

• Algerian Civil War,

• Casamance Conflict,

• Second Congo War,

• Somali Civil War,

• Second Sudanese Civil War and

• Second Ugandan Civil War.

IV. Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs)

The term NGOs represent a type of institution so varied and broadly defined that it is almost impossible to generalize about these organizations. The role of a number of these organizations involved with humanitarian assistance and development has expanded in the post-Cold War era to include not only humanitarian aid but also conflict resolution and reconciliation interventions. NGOs are being asked to perform four basic functions:

1.      monitoring human rights violations,

2.      acting as neutral mediators among warring factions in a conflict resolution role,

3.      providing humanitarian relief, and

4.      influencing foreign policy decisions in Western capitals.

The reason for such an expanded role includes:

·         NGOs are the best early warning system for impending conflict. On-site workers tied to an information-management system at the central headquarters can be effective in getting the news out.

·         NGOs have deep roots in the community usually at the lowest level of social organization that can provide contact points in conflict areas.

·         Where government has collapsed, NGOs may be the only source of authority.

·         NGOs can diminish the traumatic consequences of civil violence by the distribution of relief efforts.

·         During complex emergences, NGOs are often the only organizations with the operational capability to provide needed assistance.

·         NGOs with no affiliation to or formal connections to any government might be well positioned to intervene.

·         NGOs with a focus on developmental assistance consider longer-term consequences of their actions and better understand the complexities of each conflict.

However, there can there be problems created by NGOs as well.

·         In conflicts where law and order has broken down, humanitarian assistance workers might find themselves in situations that require their rescue.

·         Relief efforts can also distort the local economy as well unintentionally providing the means of support to a belligerent party. In this case, the conflict could be prolonged.

·         The proliferation of organizations and their autonomy often prevent the development of a coherent plan.

·         NGOs with church sponsorship might have a theological aversion to the use of military force and would make coordination and collaboration difficult in some peacekeeping operations.

NGOs – just like all organizations -- have strengths and weaknesses as they carry out their humanitarian assistance role.

 

 

 

 

Site survey, site analysis and site concept

Website Analysis

            This paper is an analysis of Australia’s official website (). The website is analyzed using various website features such as appearance, search engine capability, and technical features. All the features of the website are discussed. In the end, the website is evaluated and summarized; suggestions are given to improve the features of the website. The chosen website is a website that promotes tourism for Australia; it offers various links to different websites that has the same objective; promoting the country’s tourism.

 

Appearance

            The homepage is very attractive even though it is very noticeable that it is not balance because the main interface of the homepage is not balance at the center of the screen; it located in the foremost left side of the screen. There is still a relatively large space between the interface and the scroll bar. This space is not necessary and is of no use in the website. The color scheme for the website is like the ocean that surrounds the continent, which reflects warm and easy, like Australia itself.

            The homepage is like a Geographical Information System (GIS) in which the user can navigate to the continental map of Australia; with three different map view options such as basic, satellite, and topographic view, and four different map layer option views. These options can be accessed at pop-up window that is located at the small map located ate the top right part of the page. The user can also use this feature to view the different regions of the Australian continent or the main map that is located at the center of the page’s interface.

            The continental map of Australia located at the middle of the page is pre-divided according to regional boundaries and jurisdiction. In order for a user to view and gain information about a certain state, the user must click the name of the state that are written in bold on the map (beside a magnifying glass in a circle), or a user can click the name of the major city of Australia that are also located on the map. The homepage in general is visually appealing and an eye candy. The interface of the website is user interactive, making it interesting to navigate and explore.

 

Search Engine Friendliness

            A search engine is available in the homepage which is located at the middle left-foremost side of the screen. Like other conventional search engines, this search engine requires the user to input the necessary tag for the information that he/she is looking for such as states in Australia, historical places, etc. and in return the search engine returns a number of related topics from the entered tag. For example: I entered the tag “kangaroo” in the search engine input box. When I click the go button or the enter key at my keyboard, the search result returned an exact 258 hits on the information that I am looking for. On top of the search engine input box is the phrase “Search Australia”, written in capital letters, which means that the search engine will only return information that are related to Australia. Even though the search engine is as simple as the conventional search engine found on any web pages, the difference of the search engine on this web page is the restriction on the search result that it provides the users. The results of the search that a user conducted are restricted to topics regarding Australia.

 

Other technical issues

            The noticeable technical feature of the webpage is the language select option found on the lowest left-most part of the screen where the user can change the language from default English language to Chinese language. There are only two languages available for the user to choose from, this may be because of the reason that English is the universal language and the official language in Australia and Chinese is one of the most spoken language in the world. Once a user decided to change language, the page reloads and then changes the language according to user preference.

            On the lowest part of the screen are shortcut buttons that a user can use for easy access; without having to access the main screens geographical map. This feature gives ease in access and convenience in navigating to the webpage. The GIS concept of the website makes navigation visually appealing; where in the user can breakdown the navigation process according to state, and once a state is chosen by the user, it is then broken down according to region and boundaries of that particular state. There is also a drop-down option for travel information. Important travel and working information in Australia are located in this feature. The user can select from information regarding Visa and useful tips, etc. The continental map can be viewed by the user in three different ways. Also there is an option wherein the user can view the different climate of the country according to calendar month. The main road and transportation highway of Australia is also accessible as well as the distance from one state to another, or from any point in the country can be viewed by the user. There are also some important facts about the country that the user can access. The GIS concept of the website made manipulating and navigating information related to the surface of the Earth easy for users.

            Additional technical feature of the website are the videos that can be viewed and the electronic postcards that can be send by the users. This feature is located at the pop-up window titled “experience”. The contents of the video promotes Australian tourism; featuring some of the magnificent tourism spot located in Australia. The electronic postcards also features the various tourism spot of Australia, that can be send by the user to friends, relatives, or love ones via Electronic mail. Also there is a feature wherein the user can access recent government sponsored promo that promotes the country’s tourism. This can be accessed at the pop-up window titled as “Feature”.

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample Screen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homepage screen shot

 

Summary

            The website is easy to navigate because of its GIS concept. Although the website is just a link to various official state websites of Australia, it offers sufficient links to various government websites that promotes tourism. The different states of Australia have their respective websites that promotes the states tourism through multimedia presentation. The website () is a great link that facilitates a great interactive concept, making user navigation easy and informative.

            The information that the homepage provides are informative and essential for individuals who are planning to travel to Australia, as well as, the links that the homepage provides is a necessity for travelers. The links found on the website will not redirect a user to a separate page; instead the link will be loaded on the same page, although other links found on the website redirects a user to another page such as the “Corporate feedback” link. It would be convenient if the map could be printed by the user (for reference). The map view with the major transportation road will be a great additional feature in the website and also printable version of the facts and information regarding travel and tourism. The main downfall noticeable in the website is that links are loaded on the same page instead of loading it on a new webpage. Loading the link to the same page might cause some confusion on the pat of the user; especially users with low technical expertise which can make users lose their interest in using the website.

            Language option feature has been a widely used feature for websites. The language option of the website is a convenient way for other culture to understand the content of the web site, although it lacks the option to choose from other language. Language is undeniably understand and used everywhere, but the truth is not everyone can speak and understand the English language and some prefer the use of their native tongue. It is also important to consider other language such as German, Japanese, etc. and not just the English and Chinese language in the language option of the website. Example of a website that has a broad language selection is . A broad language selection will make the content of the website understandable to mostly anyone, anywhere in the world.

           

Suggestions

            It is important for any website to accomplish its goal through comprehensive planning and execution. All there are positive and negative aspects of a website, it is important to continuously develop the features of the website to retain its usability over the years. The website has some great features and concept making easy to navigate for users of all levels. Although there are some features suggested for the further improvement of the website.  The following are the suggested development for the website to make it more comprehensive in its features and contents:

Ø  Adjust main interface at the center of the screen;

Ø  Add other language selection from the given option;

Ø  It would be better if the map could become printable;

Ø  Add other shortcut features at the top page not just at the bottom page;

Ø  The facts that the website offers should be printable, as well as, the travel in formation that the website provides; and

Ø  All links should be loaded on separate page.

           

            The best feature of a website is the ease in navigation. If a user cannot easily navigate and explore a website, that user will not likely remain to continuously explore the website. The color scheme of the website, which generally represents the personality of the website, is also important for the initial impression of the user for that particular website. The warm color of the website reflects the kind of experience that a visitor would likely experience in their visit. Also an important factor is the overall concept of the website, for a website that promotes a country’s tourism, it is important to include various images and videos of the great tourist spots of the country, as well as, important information on how to easily travel the country and the necessary information that an alien traveler will need when they pay their visit to the country.

 

 

 

BHP BILLITON CASE STUDY ON INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

BHP BILLITON CASE STUDY ON INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

MULTINATIONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

1. Company Background

BHP Billiton is a global leader in the natural resources sector formed from a merger in 2001 between two complementary companies – BHP (Broken Hill Proprietary Company), an Australian company, and Billiton, a British firm. The organization is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with significant corporate management presence in London, as well as corporate centers in Johannesburg, South Africa and Houston, USA. The company provides a range of products: aluminum, base metals, carbon and stainless steel-making raw materials, diamonds, energy coal and petroleum. The firm has a total workforce of over 100,000 people from their areas of operation.

2. Company Goal

According to the 2006 Annual report, BHP Billiton’s primary business goal is to create long-term value through the discovery, development and conversion of natural resources, and the provision of innovative customer and market-focused solutions.

3. International  Business Methods Utilized

Exporting. Primarily, they export mining products to their countries of operation. For instance, they sell lump ore and fines from Australia and Samarco sells pellets from Brazil to steel producers, which are principally exported to China, other countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Europe and the United States. Further, most of their export sales are made under short and medium-term contracts in Europe, Asia and the US.

Importing. They import but this is only one of their support activities, as they sometimes have to purchase equipment and acquire of services from outside Australia.

International Joint Ventures. They have various international joint ventures with other companies. They hold a 38.5% working interest in the Zamzama project, a 33.76% working interest in the West Cameron 76 joint venture, a 30.95% working interest in the Starlifter (West Cameron 77), a 43.66% working interest in the Mustang (West Cameron 77) joint venture, a 45% working interest in the Angostura development joint venture, a 46.1% working interest in the joint venture of the Liverpool Bay asset, a 16% interest in the Bruce field, an effective 45% working interest in the Ohanet joint venture, a 45% interest in the joint venture contracted under the 401a/402a PSC, among many others. They are likewise a participant in the North West Shelf (NWS) Project, an unincorporated joint venture. Also, they hold a 90% share of Minerva development in a joint venture agreement.

Foreign Subsidiaries. In addition to the joint ventures, they also have subsidiaries which help them operate internationally. For example, Ingwe Collieries Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary, they are able to operate six coal mines in the Witbank region of Mpumalanga province of South Africa. Jersey Limited is likewise a wholly-owned subsidiary of BHP Billiton Plc. Additionally they have the Billiton Investment 3 BV, Billiton Investment 3BV and Billiton Investment 8 BV (BHP Billiton Shareholders) subsidiaries.

4. Significant Agency Problems

Due to the immensity of the scope of their operations, the major problems lie in the a great demand for everything the world's biggest mining company pulls out of the ground, especially iron ore and coal (the two elements that produce steel), but with too few workers for their size. Also, because of the nature of their business, they touch on the very delicate issue of environmental protection in the course of their business operations. Further, since they operate in several countries where ownership of land is uncertain and where disputes may arise in relation to ownership, there is a risk that this may cause disruption to some of their mining projects and prevent the development of new projects. Additionally, the business could be adversely affected by new government regulation such as controls on imports, exports and prices, new forms or rates of taxation and royalties.

5. BHP Billiton Expansion Plans

BHP Billiton’s current chairman, Don Argus, stated that his organization believes that they have unique opportunities and challenges as a result of the new industry environment, most importantly the potential for a multi-decade of high demand growth driven by China, India, Russia and the developing South American economies. The integration of WMC Resources’ assets into the BHP businesses and the sale of its fertilizer business were successfully completed during the year with the result of significantly boosting nickel and copper production during a year of strong prices, adding uranium to BHP’s product range and providing growth options for the future while continuing to optimize the business portfolio. Their global exploration activities continued to increase as they search for the next set of options for growth, many of which will be in regions that will create their own set of challenges, as they focus more intently on opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa.

INTERNATIONAL FLOW OF FUNDS

1. Countries of Operation

BHP Billiton has operations in the major resources provinces of Africa, Australia and Latin America, as well as a presence in the markets of North America, Europe and Asia.

2. Effect of Changes in International Trade to Export Business

Diversified across products, markets and regions, our asset base provides relatively stable cash flows regardless of variations and risks in areas such as commodity prices, currency exchange rates and geopolitical conditions. This was shown in their consolidated cash flow statement, where the entry for the effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents is a positive US$1M, as compared to last year’s negative US$6M. Their export activities was affected in that foreign exchange rate movements resulted to the rise to a wider range of deferred tax assets and liabilities and an increase in the volatility of deferred tax balances.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS

1. Foreign Exchange Market Utilization

The foreign exchange market is used by BHP as the medium in where it facilitates trading with other multinational corporations. Also, since they seek for foreign exchange to purchase the materials and acquire the services that they need, the foreign exchange market is the playing field of such activities.

2. Eurocurrency Market Utilization

Since BHP makes bank deposits in the various countries that they operate in, it makes use of the Eurocurrency because the latter are the deposits residing in banks that are located outside the borders of the country that issues the currency the deposit is denominated in. For instance, an African bank where they put in their money has a deposit denominated in Australian dollars; the deposit is called Eurocurrency deposit.

3. Eurobond Market Utilization

The Eurobond market, together with the Eurocurrency, is utilized by the MNC under study as they avoid domestic interest rate regulations, reserve requirements and other barriers to the free flow of capital ( 2004). BHP uses it because they most of the times need to issue Australian currency to be traded outside of Australia and in a different monetary system, like South African rand.

4. Stock Listing

BHP Billiton has a primary listing on the Australian Stock Exchange, and secondary listings in Germany (Frankfurt) and Switzerland (Zurich). In addition, American Depositary Shares (each representing two ordinary BHP Billiton Limited shares) evidenced by American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Further, they are also listed in the Johannesburg Stock exchange and the London Stock Exchange.

EXCHANGE RATE DETERMINATION

1. Currencies Utilized in Conducting International Business

The currencies in which the BHP uses to conduct its businesses are: Australian dollars, Pounds Sterling, US dollars, South African rand, Euro, Chinese Yuan, Brazilian real, the Chilean peso and Colombian peso, among dozen others.

2. Last Year’s Changes in the Currencies

The US dollar is the main currency used by BHP to conduct most of its businesses. The said foreign currency has witnessed some notable swings versus major currencies in recent times. For instance, over most of 2005, it expanded 13% against the Euro and nearly 18% vs. the yen, while between March and May 2006, it sharply decreased in value against the mentioned currencies, losing almost 10% of its value. Also, the UK Pounds Sterling saw a 12.05% and a 15.11% positive movement as against the US dollars and Japanese yen, respectively, during the last year.

CURRENCY DERIVATIVES

            For the multinational company, expert knowledge and skills are essential in managing the vast and complex global array of financial markets, financial institutions and financial instruments. BHP Billiton trades in the financial futures and options exchange market to protect or hedge the firm against future financial risks such as adverse interest rate movements by using interest rate futures contracts.

GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE ON EXCHANGE RATES

            Aside from the US dollar, one other foreign currency used by BHP is the UK Pound Sterling (GBP). As against the dollar, it has the following changes on the daily basis, starting last week:

02/09/2007 1.96620 02/10/2007 1.95380 02/11/2007 1.94980

02/12/2007 1.94970 02/13/2007 1.950 02/14/2007 1.94640

02/15/2007 1.95230

            Further, the Oanda site showed the following data, which is additional evidence that the GBP changes on a daily basis as against the US dollar:

Currency Pair	Current Rate	Previous Day	Last Week	Last Month	Last Year
EUR/USD	1.3072	0.60 %	1.02 %	1.10 %	9.84 %

           

INTERNATIONAL ARBITRAGE AND INTEREST RATE PARITY

            The 3 month yield comparison of the US treasuries and the UK government bonds show that the foreign interest rate of the latter is higher at 5.35 as against the former’s 5.14. Given this information, the GBP is at a forward premium, meaning the USD is at a discount. For the MNC under study, a working assumption is that interest rate parity holds for the inter-bank rates in this information, and therefore there is no profit in trying to get a better deal by borrowing in GBP and hedging or by borrowing in USD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategic Development of Intel

A Case Study on the Strategic Development of Intel

 

This paper is a study on the development strategies implemented by Intel that enabled the company to maintain its competitive position in the market over the years.

Introduction

Integrated Electronics (Intel) is an international corporation that fosters innovation and revolutionizes technology. It commits itself into pushing boundaries of innovation for the purpose of making the lives of people easier and manageable. As a company in constant motion to the pursuit of innovation, Intel inspires its partners to develop products that drive the standards of the industry. Moreover, its end goal is not solely focused on making a faster technology but about the impact of such technologies in improving the lives of the people (2007). To achieve its mission, the company has to implement and adopt development strategies that will foster its competitive advantage in the market. This encompasses the ability to utilize internal resources in accordance with the external factors of the market. Additionally, the responsiveness to changes is a value that must be adhered. As the market changes, demands increase and thus the need for more innovations.

Over the years, Intel has proved to adopt strategic approaches in order to maintain its position in the market by utilizing the most of its core competencies. This initiative is not focused on the product alone but on the entire concept of its management. Moreover, the corporate ventures of the company have become increasingly beneficial to it. This entailed the access to emerging technologies which gave Intel a somewhat monopolistic position in the market since it is the world’s largest corporate venture in technology.

Internal/External Environment

Since Intel was established in 1985, it has created its position in the market as a pioneer in circuit memory products. During its early years, the company was ahead of the silicon technology. Its strengths in terms of technological excellence were partnered with the goals set by the senior management. The culture it has established on its internal environment was a top down approach which is balanced with the recognition of knowledge and technical excellence. The strategic planning was informal with potential ideas from engineers and marketers assessed and supported by the top management

(2005).

Alongside with its early success, Intel was faced with the decision of distancing its product development areas. Additionally, technical areas to excel were one of the choices it has to create. Among its weaknesses are the internal rivalries on the technological expertise of some products. However, Intel with its new approach to technology was able to rethink its idea by shifting from being product based. Marketing developments and middle management priorities are eventually adopted by the company. Formal strategic planning was introduced but apparently resulted to repetitive business plans.

Moreover, the company is faced with the challenge of broadening its horizons. The competition in the market has prompted the company to maintain its competencies and thus adopt new strategies. With the advancement of the digital age, the company remained driven by innovation to gain competitive advantage while considering its past mistakes towards becoming more market savvy.

Porter’s Five Forces Model

Market Competitors – horizontal collaboration with major competitor such as the Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)

Suppliers – vertical collaboration with suppliers of services

Buyers – partnering arrangements with lead customers such as Microsoft and Apple

Substitutes – alliances with companies of digital appliances that complement and substitute PC

New Entrants – collaboration with the communication, entertainment and the wireless companies such as BridgeCo, Entropic and Musicmatch.

Value Chain Analysis

This value chain analyzes the development to the competitive advantage of Intel. It consists of the series of activities that culminate in the total value delivered by the company to its customers.

Inbound Logistics

• Independent  manufacturing process

Operations

• Technical excellence incorporated with the senior management. New business groups formed from the top management to propose new business plans

Outbound Logistics

• Alliances and partnerships with lead customers of products such as Microsoft and Apple

Marketing and Sales

• The flourish of activities and ventures provide more venues for sales. The future for all kinds of  semiconductors other than that of  PC’s

Service

• Creation of customer relationships with the avoidance of designing products that is not desirable to them.

Support Activities

Procurement

• The low/high price strategy is employed to set a competitive price for a new product and at the same time offering sales on other products.

Technology Development

• With the advancement of the digital age, the company’s efforts were directed to wireless technology development

Human Resource Management

• Recruitment process focused on the hiring staff suitable for the culture. High performances are associated with rewards.

Firm infrastructure

• The culture it has established on its internal environment was a top down approach which is balanced with the recognition of knowledge and technical excellence. The strategic planning was informal with potential ideas from engineers and marketers assessed and supported by the top management

PEST Analysis

The following is an analysis of the external macro-environment in which the Intel operates. It involves the four relevant factors including the political, economical, social and technological factors respectively.

Political Factors

• Industrial Espionage and Anti Trust Laws

Economic Factors

• Alliances and Acquisitions
• Slowing of PC demand and rise of low cost PC

Social Factors

• Trust and Brand loyalty of consumers
• High Spending power
• Boost in Consumer Confidence

Technologic            al Factors

• Technological advancements prompted by Digital Age
• Wireless technology development

SWOT Analysis

This analysis presents the internal and the external factors that affect the business strategy of Intel. It includes the internal assessment of the functional processes of the company by identifying its key strengths and opportunities. With the identification of these key factors for success, external factors are assessed with the weaknesses and the threats that are faced by the company.

Strengths

• Company Name Recognition in Computer Brands
• Product Specialization
• Outstanding Financial Performance
• Flourishing Company/Corporate Ventures
• Value to Employees’ Diversity and Competence

Weaknesses

• Technical problems on products
• Internal Rivalries on the products’ technological competence
• Informal strategic planning
• Lack of  innovation and the repetition of strategic planning

Opportunities

• Increasing Demand for Computer Products in the Market
• New technologies for business innovation

Threats

• Presence of major competitors such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)
• Lack of technical areas to excel
• Threat of Infringement and Espionage

Strategic Drift and Strategic Fit

As the market continues to change and the demands increase, Intel was compelled to become more flexible to cope up with the competition. Part of flexibilities is defined by its past strategic approaches and those that it has chosen to do repeatedly. Over the years, idea system of the company is focused on the ideas that are born out of their marketers and engineers. The tough competition though has necessitated the company to adopt changes and make decisions on what particular technical areas it is likely to excel. Thus, distancing the development of product areas was ensued. Fundamentally, the technical excellence was the core principle at Intel. Strategic freedom is left on the corporate managers that in turn incited internal competition in terms of technical competence of products.

The strategic fit of Intel indicates how its mission and strategies fit its internal capabilities as well as its external environment. At the time when internal rivalries were experienced within the company on the issue of DRAM, it adopted new ideas focusing on the development of marketing and setting priorities on the middle management. At this same time, the potential of microprocessors was seen as a strategic direction for the company. The potential of PC though escaped the attention of managers. The corporation upon its expansion makes the informal strategy development difficult. Thus, business units established their sub committees that developed business plans submitted to the corporate.

(2005)

            The performance on the microprocessor industry earned the company financial gains. However, with the advent of the Internet era, more challenges are faced by Intel and thus changes are again introduced to fit the market. Given this need, internal business ventures were started. New business groups and the entire company work collaborated in proposing businesses that are externally strategic but are also deemed to foster development of internal competencies

(2005). Indeed, the changes undergone by Intel since its establishment pave the way for the shaping of the marketing strategy of the company. While being driven to innovation, it continuously adopted strategies that will fit its internal abilities as well as external factors.

          Additionally, Intel has found its place in the corporate venture being considered as the world’s largest. This initiative was out of the need to form alliances that will enable the company to gain insights on the latest technological developments. Clearly, it has adopted this strategy in the effort to keep up with external factors and the changing market as a whole. 

Strategic Value of Intel’s Core Competencies

Collaborative arrangements aimed at multiplying internal resources enable the company to gain core competencies. With the particular market it caters, the corporate core competence was focused on introducing innovative products while at the same time strengthening the internal management. As such, the coordination becomes simplified and the technologies throughout the corporation are consolidated. These processes enable a fast adaptation to changing conditions of the market while maintaining the competence to produce competitive and innovative products by the Intel.

The microprocessors are determined as the core product of the company. As such, the ability to champion microprocessors is essential. After the adherence to the microprocessor, the company regained its entrepreneurial flourish. The creation of new business groups was encouraged among the top management. Thus, new businesses and ventures are created. Interface between these new business and the entire company were created for the development of internal competence and externally strategic business proposals. Managers understood the rationale for having alliances. The strategic intent of the corporate ventures was to promote technology development especially in the era of internet. Ultimately the ability of the management to combine corporate wide technologies and production skills to achieve competencies are the sources of advantage. The alliances and ventures add to the competencies of the company in terms of competing in the market.

Strategic Value of Corporate Ventures

Investing in ventures is an essential element for the company especially in this area wherein the new technologies entail the adoption of many players. A corporation with the enormity of Intel is able to gain insights on emerging technologies from start ups. Considering this, Intel has become the largest corporate venture in technology. Fundamentally, ventures are aimed on monitoring new technologies and finding acquisition targets. Such fosters growth and blocks other products that may compete with that of the company. Indeed, strategic reasons are behind the corporate venture program. At this, access is gained by the investing company to the technology portfolio of the company. Hence, making the investment is more of a research and development expense.

Through the Intel Capital, investments and acquisitions are made for the growth of the internet economy that supports the interests of the company. Parts of the investments are hardware, software and services companies in different segments of the market such computing, investment, networking and wireless communications (2007). Intel continues to seek out and invest on companies worldwide both on established and new technologies. Part of the undertaking is the evaluation of prospective investments and guidance on business and technology to their portfolio companies (2007).

Strategic Benefits of Corporate Ventures

• Development of business relationships
• Insights to emerging technologies in the market
• Reduction of potential risks on missing technological developments
• Blocking products that may compete with Intel’s
• Supplements to the research and development investments
• Adoption by many players of the company’s technologies

New activities and ventures has enabled Intel the acquisition of access and rights for dozen of new products. Moreover, it has put its efforts in promoting wireless technologies through investments. The digital age even increased the propensity to invest in other companies from those designing chips that link devices at home to those used for networking. Companies that sell software recording and organizing music are also invested upon (2005)

With the strategy of having corporate venture, Intel is indeed capable of leading the industry of designing, marketing and selling chips.

 

 

 

 

 

CARTER CENTER

Brief Overview of Conflict Resolution Situation in North Korea

            When North Korea revived its nuclear program in early 1990s, the action was perceived to be the greatest threat in national and international peace. North Korea had been consistently committed to strengthening their military power and scientific researching. The evidences of such are formidable armed forces, with state-of-the-art artillery and missiles, advanced rocketry and nuclear capability. In particular, North Korea deployed anti-ballistic missiles in Alaska; posed military threats in Washington; intercepted North Korean ships; attacked President Kim Jong II and condemned efforts of peaceful resolution through then President Bill Clinton and South Korean Leaders. Other concerns for North Koreans are the pre-emptive war and first-use of nuclear weapons as well as a possible convergence between North Koreans and terrorist nation or groups.

            When the Clinton administration gave the go signal for Former President Jimmy Carter through Carter Center to intervene and mediate the conflict, the six-party between China, Japan, Russia, United States, and North and South Korea held in Beijing arrived at a satisfactory agreement. However, neither North Korea nor the United States complied with the said agreement. The life of negotiation and dialogue evolved in assisting North Korea in improving food security through potato production. The US Agency for International Development and Department of Agriculture provided for food-for-work program to North Koreans. As President Kim decided to frozen the nuclear program and resume talks with the US, the results are the subsequent cancellation nuclear reactor, closure of plant’s spent fuel and replacements of plants with safer light-water reactors.

Integration

            The occurrence of resolution between the US and North Korea a structural negotiation. The proof of diplomacy between the two nations are proven by North Koreans assurance to decline from becoming a nuclear powered nation whereas the US commit at a non-attack to the country. Inter-boundary mediation between neighbor nations had been also successful. Since the conflict is at the lowest level of violence, there are relatively low risk, low cost negotiation, higher probability of mediation and communication channels that are still open despite the presence of an army. The negotiation involved impasses as US positively intervened to provide North Koreans assistance on aspects that the latter proved to be in inadequacy such as employment and national food security.

            Former President Jimmy Carter never seizes to communicate with North Korean leaders until they arrived at a commensally agreed-upon settlement. The connections among parties are segued on reframing the issue and shifting the focus to a more relevant issue such as production and food security and perhaps employment for nationals. The branding of North Korea as an ‘axis of evil’ member and other accusations are smoothen out in between talks. Though the first negotiations are not taken seriously, both parties – US and North Korea – showed unwillingness to relinquish power over another. Either US or North Korea took the role as distributive or integrative negotiators instead the subsequent dialogues conform to a win-win solution wherein no people will get harm and no government will rule over another government.      

 

Reference List

 

International Business : Softdrink Industry

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGIES

 

According to  (2006), the most successful global businesses are aggressively building their global strategies around these themes: (1) increased market access because of the opening up of markets in China, Central and Eastern Europe; (2) increased market opportunities because of the deregulation of many markets, such as the financial market and privatisation of state-owed utilities; (3) greater uniformity pf  industry standards, encouraged, for example, by the European Union; (4) sourcing of products and components initially, but more recently services, too, from a wider range of countries, particularly those emerging markets with a high ratio of skills to cost; (5) more globally standardised products and services, particularly in areas of new technology, but increasingly in more culturally sensitive product areas, such as food; (6) common technology used in many more markets, particularly in areas of information technology, when there is a high cost of research and development that must be recovered through sales in many countries; (7) similar customer requirements leading to transnational customer segments, resulting from increased communication and travel; (8) competition from the same organisations in each major market and thus interdependence of markets; (9) global organisation strategies that increasingly treat the world as one market, among several other themes.

Marketing is a universal activity that is widely applicable, regardless of the political, social and economic systems of a country. However does it nor mean that consumers in all parts of the world must or should be satisfied in exactly the same way ().

 

PEPSICO

PepsiCo Inc. is a major producer of carbonated soft drinks, other beverages, and snack foods. Its beverage division, Pepsi-Cola Company, bottles and markets several popular brands of soft drinks in the United States and throughout the world. PepsiCo also owns Frito-Lay Company, the leading snack-food maker in the United States. PepsiCo is based in Purchase, New York. PepsiCo’s soft drink products include Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Mountain Dew. Other beverages include Lipton Brisk and Lipton’s Brew iced teas, All Sport athletic drink, and Aquafina bottled water. Frito-Lay products include Lay’s and Ruffles Potato Chips, Fritos and Doritos Corn Chips, Chee-tos Cheese Snacks, Tostitos Tortilla Chips, Rold Gold Pretzels, and Grandma’s Cookies (2001).

PepsiCo’s leading soft drink, Pepsi-Cola, and its chief rival, Coke, have dominated the soft-drink market for decades, although Pepsi has traditionally remained behind Coke. In 1950 Coke outsold Pepsi by 500 percent worldwide. But Pepsi’s aggressive advertising campaigns aimed at young consumers and major bottling and marketing deals made Pepsi a close rival to Coke by the 1980s. PepsiCo has also enjoyed great success with its canned and bottled Lipton brand iced teas, earning higher sales than the Coca-Cola Company’s Nestea products. Also, in the United States, Pepsi had virtually an even market share with Coke in the mid-1980s, when the Coca-Cola Company changed the formula for Coke. However, as Coke regained popularity worldwide in the late 1980s and into the 1990s, it again became the global soft-drink leader. In 1996 Pepsi-Cola International, PepsiCo’s international beverage production and marketing division, suffered difficulties in Latin America, one of its most important markets. The company was particularly hurt by the loss of a bottling plant to the Coca-Cola Company in Venezuela (2001).

 

Market Entry

Just three decades ago, the competitive environment of the carbonated soft drink (CSD) industry was based on a recognition of and implicit acquiescence to the dominance of The Coca-Cola Company. Beginning in the 1960s, however, Coca-Cola's dominance has been increasingly challenged, particularly by Pepsi-Cola. The new competitive environment is well publicised and intense. The Cola Wars were declared and the battle continues. Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola are widely recognised as being two of the premier marketing companies in the world. A great variety of new products and package types have been introduced. Celebrity advertising has been raised to a new level. Coca-Cola even changed the formula for Coke. These and other developments in the CSD industry came about from major changes in strategy by Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola. To some extent these strategic changes arose from Pepsi's challenge to Coke's dominance of the industry. In addition, several factors external and internal to the industry have been important catalysts for these changes. Rather than simply reacting to a changing competitive environment, PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company have created and implemented strategies that turned the new environment to their advantage (1993).

Part of a marketing strategy is the utilisation of the marketing mix.  The marketing mix principles is controllable variable that is why it can be adjusted on a frequent basis to meet the changing needs of the target market and other dynamics of marketing environment ( 2004).

           

 

Marketing Mix of PEPSI CO. TO HOST COUNTRIES (4Ps)

Product

As previously discussed, the main product of the PepsiCo are softdrinks and beverages which was distributed worldwide. These products will be available for the customers anywhere to host countries (i.e. China, India and Europe). Through Diversification, PepsiCo is able to cover all food and beverage alternatives.  Its beverages alone are not limited to carbonated drinks but also, ready to drink teas, orange and fruit juices, mineral water and through the recent acquisition of Quaker Oats, isotonic drinks.  Once, it had only catered to salty snack foods, but today, it also caters to sweet snack foods through ready to eat popcorn and healthy alternatives through Quaker Oats.  This provides a wide variation of choices for consumers who may opt for a tasty food or healthy food lifestyle.  PepsiCo also began acquiring quick fast-food restaurants and services such as Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell (all of which remain dominant in each respective market). These restaurants were also used as a means to capture customers into drinking PepsiCo’s beverages.  At the same time, PepsiCo continues to acquire products such as 7UP, Lipton, Aquafina and Mug, and restaurants such as California Pizza Kitchen, East Side Mario’s, and Chevys Mexican Restaurants.  Celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Billy Crystal, Shaquille O’Neal, Andre Agassi and Madonna appeared in their many advertising campaigns, boosting sales.

 

 

Pricing

Similar to their local strategy, the advantage of the company is when it comes to its pricing tactic.  In order to be known into the market place, the company provides its target market with an affordable cost while providing them a high quality products and services.  The company gives the customer and client a price that is enough and matches the quality of their products.

 

Placement/Distribution

To be known internationally, one of the strategies that the product utilises is on a joint venture with distinguished distributor of beverages and food services. The company also utilises the so-called e-marketing to be known globally.

 

Promotion/Communication

To promote the company and its product, the company uses video advertisements, print advertisements and the concept of e-marketing. These promotion and communication strategy will tend to meet the consumers form different places everywhere, especially those target markets or the consumers in the working place. 

            From the capabilities of PepsiCo, they should launch a new commercial that focuses on the new “PEPSI FOOD GOOD: I LOVE IT EVEN MORE!” theme. It should show visuals and verbal encouragement in making the customer knew the quality of the Pepsi products for them to love it even more. The trick here is that the commercial should look like it favours the new features of Pepsi products more than the products of the competitors. In addition, Pepsi products must also employ its traditional advertisement strategy which includes famous celebrities and athletes to be involved in the commercial like the Pepsi commercial with no less than Beyonce Knowles to endorse Pepsi products (1996).

Although, these promotional tools that is use to promote the Pepsi brands can be considered as one of the strength of the company, the marketing department is still aware that they must used other promotional or communication tools to sustain their competitive position. In addition, the market nowadays has been greatly influenced by the modern technology such as the internet ( 1993). 

 

Forces of Globalisation of Markets

The several macro factors, which affect the global market and the business organisations are important to assess and examine for they can largely determine the success of the business organisation in the market. Pepsi Co must be able to have skills in developing new products and innovating new technologies to cope with the changes happening in the society today. Along with developing new products, Pepsi Co must also produce effective marketing strategies to provide solutions to the challenges that they face. In addition, it will also be necessary to anticipate problems and plan, in case a specific problem comes their way. This would help the company prepare and come up with alternative solutions for easy implementation of plans.

 

PESTLE ANALYSIS

Just three decades ago, the competitive environment of the carbonated soft drink (CSD) industry was based on a recognition of and implicit acquiescence to the dominance of The Coca-Cola Company. Beginning in the 1960s, however, Coca-Cola's dominance has been increasingly challenged, particularly by Pepsi-Cola. The new competitive environment is well publicised and intense. The Cola Wars were declared and the battle continues. Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola are widely recognised as being two of the premier marketing companies in the world. A great variety of new products and package types have been introduced. Celebrity advertising has been raised to a new level. Coca-Cola even changed the formula for Coke. These and other developments in the CSD industry came about from major changes in strategy by Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola. To some extent these strategic changes arose from Pepsi's challenge to Coke's dominance of the industry. In addition, several factors external and internal to the industry have been important catalysts for these changes. Rather than simply reacting to a changing competitive environment, PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company have created and implemented strategies that turned the new environment to their advantage (1993).

Although Pepsi Cola attacked Coca-Cola's dominance and achieved near parity with Coke in bottled soft drinks, both Coke and Pepsi have benefited from fighting the Cola Wars because the battle between them has stimulated continuing growth in an industry regularly pronounced by the experts for many years to be on the verge of maturity (1993). As the industry existed in the early 1970s, the reasons for predictions of impending maturity were not difficult to see. The apparent limits of the human stomach argued strongly against further significant growth of per capita consumption of soft drinks. New strategies, such as joining the parade of product modifications and introductions of other food manufacturers, and bringing what had long been a very effective independent distribution system in-house, required basic major modifications of the competitive advantages of Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola (1993).  The result of these and other new strategies has been a continued, rapid expansion of Pepsi's and Coke's domestic sales. The limits of the human stomach have not yet been found, and all other liquids, from coffee to water, face continued competitive pressure from Pepsi and Coke (Muris, Scheffman & Spiller 1993).

 

IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION TO INTERNATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGY OF PEPSI CO.

Globalisation plays significant role and effect to International Businesses. Pepsi has company extensive promise to milieu in providing secure and vigorous environment for the employees and for the community. Actually, Pepsi is devoted to scheming, creating, upholding and operating amenities that guard the people in terms of physical resources. As part of globalisation changes and international approach of the company, Pepsi is committed in reducing the crashing of business in environment through protection and recycle ways and use of energy programs in promoting dirt free air also water and decrease landfill squander as stated in universal system of conduct as based on subsequent environmental philosophy such as the following:

Ø  The business industry is mannered by fulfilling the appropriate laws and system and provide secure and vigorous milieu

Ø  minimise the collision of Pepsi business on situation through techniques that are publicly accountable and systematically base and efficiently thud like for example materials recycle ways and maintenance

Ø  mounting program that encourage dirt free air as well as water and power conservation and the decrease of land wastes

Ø  through sustaining programs that inform and educate as well as motivate Pepsi employees to help preserve good atmosphere

Ø  By assisting together with diverse business organisation in finding answers for diminishing pollution problems and the back-up process applied to ecological policies