Philippines’ Economy Essay

Philippines, one of the countries around the world, rich in natural resources and smiles reaching out to one another. They say it’s more fun here because of our tropical shores and unique landscapes good for tourist fun and adventures. To the eyes of foreigners, the bandwagons made for them made us more attractive and a wanted country for vacations but do they really see the true us? Despite all the hardships in life we Filipinos still tend to work hard and think of the better days and this hope ignites our hearts which makes us rise from below. But no matter how hard we try there would always be people who would bring us down and degrade us because of our differences. The country itself is in poverty but I believe in the saying â€Å"Poverty is not a hindrance to Success!†. Poverty caused partly by both government and citizens not working with each other. Rich tends to be greedy and the poor just keeps getting lazier. The country is not actually as poor as you think, Philippines is booming with tourism and our economy is rising, which makes it easy to say that in the near future we may become one of the first world countries. Economy is rapidly growing and investors are coming in and the future action-takers who can make this place better are the youth. As a youth, I also want a change to my homeland. I want people to treat us with respect and equally. How can I do this? By believing in that dream. I see myself as a student studying for the betterment of myself and the country. I see a spark in me which may encourage myself to help in certain actions so I can start early. Once, way back in my province, Leyte. I helped in the Charity committee in charged of collecting canned goods for the needy. That experience was just a beginning and I know I can do more. What more do I have in mind? I want to create a cause in Art. I want to change how you see a dumpsite to become more pleasant to the eyes, or something like that. New York and European countries have already taken this action and why not take it here? The way Bonifacio Global City exhibits street arts changes how you see a place and I want to be a part of this movement. Our country is developing and time is moving fast. If we don’t believe we can be a part of something massive then we truly are a failure. Life is not about living but by living with a cause. A cause which may leave a mark before you die, knowing that you did your part. Philippines may still have a long-long way to go but like Gawad Kalinga who started the movement early, makes us sure that the development of this country is getting better. â€Å"I know I can do this and I will try my best to make it happen because I want our country to become a better place.†

Dansk Minox Case Study Essay

Problem: A/S Dansk Minox is a company based in Copenhagen, which specializes in branded vacuum-packed meat and other food products. Through consumer survey, the company found that there was a large untapped market for a ‘Complete meal’ product which included sliced pork along with a vacuum-sealed bag of red cabbage salad. After long discussions among the marketing and finance departments, the complete meal pack was introduced at a price of $ 8.20 per pack of 1 kg. It sold only 30 tons as against the budgeted sales of 85 tons. The problem facing the company is that whether it has to stop further production of the ‘complete meal’ product or establish a new consumer price of $ 6.85 per pack, in order to boost sales. Considerations and Analysis: In order to decide the course of action we may look at the following facts and considerations. Consumer Price 8.20 6.85 Retailer Price 5.72 4.78 Variable Cost 3.49 3.41 Volume Sales (in kgs) 30000 85000 Advertising Costs 0.3 0.3 Impact on Profit 41,400 90,950 As we can see, impact on profit is higher when 85000 kgs of complete meal is sold at $6.85/kg, rather than selling 30000 kgs at $ 8.20/kg. Now, another point to note is if production expenses are to be revised to $ 1.20/kg, then on a full cost basis, the complete meal would cost. Total unit cost (new) = Total unit cost (old) – Production expenses (old) + Production expenses (revised) Total unit cost (new) = 4.64 – 0.54 + 1.20 = $ 5.30 And Profit per unit would be = Retailer price – Total unit cost (new) = 4.78 – 5.30 = (-0.52) (i.e) there would be a loss of $ 0.52/kg, on a full cost basis, when the ‘complete meal is sold at $ 6.85. Conclusion and Recommendations: The point to be focused here is that though the new product might sell 85Â  tons at a revised price of $ 6.85 per pack, it will incur losses on a full cost basis. Also it is not feasible to lower the production costs anymore because, the resources of A/S Dansk Minox which were specialized for meat processing were now processing Vegetables. This is not their core competency and hence they would incur more costs in performing activities that they do not specialize in. Furthermore, the need for a single package containing sliced pork and red cabbage salad is itself questionable because the same packs are also individually available and these individual packs are of better quality because slice pork is Dansk Minox’s speciality and red cabbage salad is its competitior’s specialty. Hence, it is recommended that Dansk Minox stop further production of ‘complete meal (because red salad is not its core competency) and concentrate on selling its ‘standard packs, which are in fact having a significant boost in their sales or the management can look to collaborate with the best ‘red cabbage salad making company and together give the customers the best quality of ‘complete meal at the best price. The final decision would however be dependent upon managerial discretion and organizational guidelines/objectives.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-nine

Eddard The grey light of dawn was streaming through his window when the thunder of hoofbeats awoke Eddard Stark from his brief, exhausted sleep. He lifted his head from the table to look down into the yard. Below, men in mail and leather and crimson cloaks were making the morning ring to the sound of swords, and riding down mock warriors stuffed with straw. Ned watched Sandor Clegane gallop across the hard-packed ground to drive an iron-tipped lance through a dummy's head. Canvas ripped and straw exploded as Lannister guardsmen joked and cursed. Is this brave show for my benefit? he wondered. If so, Cersei was a greater fool than he'd imagined. Damn her, he thought, why is the woman not fled? I have given her chance after chance . . . The morning was overcast and grim. Ned broke his fast with his daughters and Septa Mordane. Sansa, still disconsolate, stared sullenly at her food and refused to eat, but Arya wolfed down everything that was set in front of her. â€Å"Syrio says we have time for one last lesson before we take ship this evening,† she said. â€Å"Can I, Father? All my things are packed.† â€Å"A short lesson, and make certain you leave yourself time to bathe and change. I want you ready to leave by midday, is that understood?† â€Å"By midday,† Arya said. Sansa looked up from her food. â€Å"If she can have a dancing lesson, why won't you let me say farewell to Prince Joffrey?† â€Å"I would gladly go with her, Lord Eddard,† Septa Mordane offered. â€Å"There would be no question of her missing the ship.† â€Å"It would not be wise for you to go to Joffrey right now, Sansa. I'm sorry.† Sansa's eyes filled with tears. â€Å"But why?† â€Å"Sansa, your lord father knows best,† Septa Mordane said. â€Å"You are not to question his decisions.† â€Å"It's not fair!† Sansa pushed back from her table, knocked over her chair, and ran weeping from the solar. Septa Mordane rose, but Ned gestured her back to her seat. â€Å"Let her go, Septa. I will try to make her understand when we are all safely back in Winterfell.† The septa bowed her head and sat down to finish her breakfast. It was an hour later when Grand Maester Pycelle came to Eddard Stark in his solar. His shoulders slumped, as if the weight of the great maester's chain around his neck had become too great to bear. â€Å"My lord,† he said, â€Å"King Robert is gone. The gods give him rest.† â€Å"No,† Ned answered. â€Å"He hated rest. The gods give him love and laughter, and the joy of righteous battle.† It was strange how empty he felt. He had been expecting the visit, and yet with those words, something died within him. He would have given all his titles for the freedom to weep . . . but he was Robert's Hand, and the hour he dreaded had come. â€Å"Be so good as to summon the members of the council here to my solar,† he told Pycelle. The Tower of the Hand was as secure as he and Tomard could make it; he could not say the same for the council chambers. â€Å"My lord?† Pycelle blinked. â€Å"Surely the affairs of the kingdom will keep till the morrow, when our grief is not so fresh.† Ned was quiet but firm. â€Å"I fear we must convene at once.† Pycelle bowed. â€Å"As the Hand commands.† He called his servants and sent them running, then gratefully accepted Ned's offer of a chair and a cup of sweet beer. Ser Barristan Selmy was the first to answer the summons, immaculate in white cloak and enameled scales. â€Å"My lords,† he said, â€Å"my place is beside the young king now. Pray give me leave to attend him.† â€Å"Your place is here, Ser Barristan,† Ned told him. Littlefinger came next, still garbed in the blue velvets and silver mockingbird cape he had worn the night previous, his boots dusty from riding. â€Å"My lords,† he said, smiling at nothing in particular before he turned to Ned. â€Å"That little task you set me is accomplished, Lord Eddard.† Varys entered in a wash of lavender, pink from his bath, his plump face scrubbed and freshly powdered, his soft slippers all but soundless. â€Å"The little birds sing a grievous song today,† he said as he seated himself. â€Å"The realm weeps. Shall we begin?† â€Å"When Lord Renly arrives,† Ned said. Varys gave him a sorrowful look. â€Å"I fear Lord Renly has left the city.† â€Å"Left the city?† Ned had counted on Renly's support. â€Å"He took his leave through a postern gate an hour before dawn, accompanied by Ser Loras Tyrell and some fifty retainers,† Varys told them. â€Å"When last seen, they were galloping south in some haste, no doubt bound for Storm's End or Highgarden.† So much for Renly and his hundred swords. Ned did not like the smell of that, but there was nothing to be done for it. He drew out Robert's last letter. â€Å"The king called me to his side last night and commanded me to record his final words. Lord Renly and Grand Maester Pycelle stood witness as Robert sealed the letter, to be opened by the council after his death. Ser Barristan, if you would be so kind?† The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard examined the paper. â€Å"King Robert's seal, and unbroken.† He opened the letter and read. â€Å"Lord Eddard Stark is herein named Protector of the Realm, to rule as regent until the heir comes of age.† And as it happens, he is of age, Ned reflected, but he did not give voice to the thought. He trusted neither Pycelle nor Varys, and Ser Barristan was honor-bound to protect and defend the boy he thought his new king. The old knight would not abandon Joffrey easily. The need for deceit was a bitter taste in his mouth, but Ned knew he must tread softly here, must keep his counsel and play the game until he was firmly established as regent. There would be time enough to deal with the succession when Arya and Sansa were safely back in Winterfell, and Lord Stannis had returned to King's Landing with all his power. â€Å"I would ask this council to confirm me as Lord Protector, as Robert wished,† Ned said, watching their faces, wondering what thoughts hid behind Pycelle's half-closed eyes, Littlefinger's lazy half-smile, and the nervous flutter of Varys's fingers. The door opened. Fat Tom stepped into the solar. â€Å"Pardon, my lords, the king's steward insists . . . â€Å" The royal steward entered and bowed. â€Å"Esteemed lords, the king demands the immediate presence of his small council in the throne room.† Ned had expected Cersei to strike quickly; the summons came as no surprise. â€Å"The king is dead,† he said, â€Å"but we shall go with you nonetheless. Tom, assemble an escort, if you would.† Littlefinger gave Ned his arm to help him down the steps. Varys, Pycelle, and Ser Barristan followed close behind. A double column of men-at-arms in chainmail and steel helms was waiting outside the tower, eight strong. Grey cloaks snapped in the wind as the guardsmen marched them across the yard. There was no Lannister crimson to be seen, but Ned was reassured by the number of gold cloaks visible on the ramparts and at the gates. Janos Slynt met them at the door to the throne room, armored in ornate black-and-gold plate, with a high-crested helm under one arm. The Commander bowed stiffly. His men pushed open the great oaken doors, twenty feet tall and banded with bronze. The royal steward led them in. â€Å"All hail His Grace, Joffrey of the Houses Baratheon and Lannister, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm,† he sang out. It was a long walk to the far end of the hall, where Joffrey waited atop the Iron Throne. Supported by Littlefinger, Ned Stark slowly limped and hopped toward the boy who called himself king. The others followed. The first time he had come this way, he had been on horseback, sword in hand, and the Targaryen dragons had watched from the walls as he forced Jaime Lannister down from the throne. He wondered if Joffrey would step down quite so easily. Five knights of the Kingsguard—all but Ser Jaime and Ser Barristan—were arrayed in a crescent around the base of the throne. They were in full armor, enameled steel from helm to heel, long pale cloaks over their shoulders, shining white shields strapped to their left arms. Cersei Lannister and her two younger children stood behind Ser Boros and Ser Meryn. The queen wore a gown of sea-green silk, trimmed with Myrish lace as pale as foam. On her finger was a golden ring with an emerald the size of a pigeon's egg, on her head a matching tiara. Above them, Prince Joffrey sat amidst the barbs and spikes in a cloth-of-gold doublet and a red satin cape. Sandor Clegane was stationed at the foot of the throne's steep narrow stair. He wore mail and soot-grey plate and his snarling dog's-head helm. Behind the throne, twenty Lannister guardsmen waited with longswords hanging from their belts. Crimson cloaks draped their shoulders and steel lions crested their helms. But Littlefinger had kept his promise; all along the walls, in front of Robert's tapestries with their scenes of hunt and battle, the gold-cloaked ranks of the City Watch stood stiffly to attention, each man's hand clasped around the haft of an eight-foot-long spear tipped in black iron. They outnumbered the Lannisters five to one. Ned's leg was a blaze of pain by the time he stopped. He kept a hand on Littlefinger's shoulder to help support his weight. Joffrey stood. His red satin cape was patterned in gold thread; fifty roaring lions to one side, fifty prancing stags to the other. â€Å"I command the council to make all the necessary arrangements for my coronation,† the boy proclaimed. â€Å"I wish to be crowned within the fortnight. Today I shall accept oaths of fealty from my loyal councillors.† Ned produced Robert's letter. â€Å"Lord Varys, be so kind as to show this to my lady of Lannister.† The eunuch carried the letter to Cersei. The queen glanced at the words. â€Å"Protector of the Realm,† she read. â€Å"Is this meant to be your shield, my lord? A piece of paper?† She ripped the letter in half, ripped the halves in quarters, and let the pieces flutter to the floor. â€Å"Those were the king's words,† Ser Barristan said, shocked. â€Å"We have a new king now,† Cersei Lannister replied. â€Å"Lord Eddard, when last we spoke, you gave me some counsel. Allow me to return the courtesy. Bend the knee, my lord. Bend the knee and swear fealty to my son, and we shall allow you to step down as Hand and live out your days in the grey waste you call home.† â€Å"Would that I could,† Ned said grimly. If she was so determined to force the issue here and now, she left him no choice. â€Å"Your son has no claim to the throne he sits. Lord Stannis is Robert's true heir.† â€Å"Liar!† Joffrey screamed, his face reddening. â€Å"Mother, what does he mean?† Princess Myrcella asked the queen plaintively. â€Å"Isn't Joff the king now?† â€Å"You condemn yourself with your own mouth, Lord Stark,† said Cersei Lannister. â€Å"Ser Barristan, seize this traitor.† The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard hesitated. In the blink of an eye he was surrounded by Stark guardsmen, bare steel in their mailed fists. â€Å"And now the treason moves from words to deeds,† Cersei said. â€Å"Do you think Ser Barristan stands alone, my lord?† With an ominous rasp of metal on metal, the Hound drew his longsword. The knights of the Kingsguard and twenty Lannister guardsmen in crimson cloaks moved to support him. â€Å"Kill him!† the boy king screamed down from the Iron Throne. â€Å"Kill all of them, I command it!† â€Å"You leave me no choice,† Ned told Cersei Lannister. He called out to Janos Slynt. â€Å"Commander, take the queen and her children into custody. Do them no harm, but escort them back to the royal apartments and keep them there, under guard.† â€Å"Men of the Watch!† Janos Slynt shouted, donning his helm. A hundred gold cloaks leveled their spears and closed. â€Å"I want no bloodshed,† Ned told the queen. â€Å"Tell your men to lay down their swords, and no one need—† With a single sharp thrust, the nearest gold cloak drove his spear into Tomard's back. Fat Tom's blade dropped from nerveless fingers as the wet red point burst out through his ribs, piercing leather and mail. He was dead before his sword hit the floor. Ned's shout came far too late. Janos Slynt himself slashed open Varly's throat. Cayn whirled, steel flashing, drove back the nearest spearman with a flurry of blows; for an instant it looked as though he might cut his way free. Then the Hound was on him. Sandor Clegane's first cut took off Cayn's sword hand at the wrist; his second drove him to his knees and opened him from shoulder to breastbone. As his men died around him, Littlefinger slid Ned's dagger from its sheath and shoved it up under his chin. His smile was apologetic. â€Å"I did warn you not to trust me, you know.†

Kraft Tang Consumer Sales Promotions and Sales Promotions Research Paper

Kraft Tang Consumer Sales Promotions and Sales Promotions - Research Paper Example Kraft Foods manufactures and markets packaged foods, biscuits, confectionery items, hot and cold beverages, cheeses, ready-to-eat meals and other grocery items. Kraft food provides these products to approximately 170 countries world-wide (Kraft Foods Inc. Annual Report). Furthermore, the Annual Report states that Kraft Foods generated as high a 57% of their net revenues outside of their home country (8). Kraft Food Inc. is a company that produces Tang. Tang is a non-carbonated soft drink that comes in liquid and powdered form. Tang has recently been added at the twelfth position to the list of billion dollars brands owned by Kraft Foods, which includes brands like Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Cadbury and Maxwell House (Schultz & Zmuda). However, according to Schultz, international sales promotions and other marketing efforts in countries like Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Philippines have accounted for a major chunk of revenues of Tang. Sales promotion is a type of marketing activity. According to Lamb et al, the main purpose of sales promotion is to facilitate purchase by providing short-term incentive to consumers or retailers in the form of discounts or added value. The sales promotion directed at consumers is called consumer sales promotion and the one directed at members of the supply-chain is referred to as trade sales promotion (537). Sales promotion have become more common than ever before, this is because of higher degree of completion as well as a larger array of media choices which provide information to the consumers. Tang has had to face a lot of challenges both locally and internationally in terms of sales promotion. According to the Kraft Foods Inc Annual Report (8), they concentrate their marketing efforts in three key areas: the first is targeted at the consumer in the form of mass-media, out-door, print and digital media, the second is offering consumer incentives like coupons and contests and lastly they engage in trade promotions to

Discuss the British foreign policy under Tony Blair with respect to Essay

Discuss the British foreign policy under Tony Blair with respect to balancing the trans-Atlantic alliance and maintaining relations with the European Union - Essay Example ts of the United Kingdom after the events of September 11, who have openly expressed their strong resentment toward extended British participation in the U.S. intervention in Iraq, were stunned but later the events of 7/7 London bombings escorted Britain to think from a different point of view. The goal of the United Kingdom, and of Blair, has been to act as a bridge between the United States and Europe, fostering dialogue between the two power blocs in the hopes of preserving the Atlantic alliance that has survived for 60 years. (Janelle Osmann) As Blair is in a desperate need to prove himself as a world leader and establish himself as a peacemaker, he wants U.S instead of taking the matters emotionally, he must concentrate on the matter of pushing for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Blair hopes that his support in Iraq will make America to think several times before making an attempt and to think seriously on expedition of a lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Thus, by coordinating American efforts with E.U interests, Blair is aiming to narrow the trans-Atlantic lacuna and thrust himself back into the good graces of international diplomats. (Janelle Osmann) Blair, being conscious in maintaining the balance between transatlantic alliance and EU possesses the view that conflict is created on the basis of a misunderstanding. At times he has declared that the class struggle was over and that the formation of the Labor Party through a break with the Liberals was a mistake. But the conflict of interests between the US and Europe cannot be overcome so easily. Blair recognizes that the Europeans, however tentatively, are seeking to challenge US domination through the EU project. At one point, he asks â€Å"Europe is to become 25 nations, one Europe for the first time since Charlemagne, but will it be as a union of nation states or as a centralized superstate? (Chris Marsden) The Constitutional Treaty sets out to address the new

Religion and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Religion and Society - Essay Example United States where on one hand enjoy a multicultural society with religious pluralism; on the other hand it feels as if a threat has been developed in the name of secularization. However this must not be the case in a country where liberal secularization remains in the eye of the scholarly beholder and where the observer possesses the right to decide if a symbol or form has been transformed or not. In American society where religious institutions play an extensive role in the economic regulation, denominational organizations, churches, and religiously affiliated institutions at the same time they contribute substantially to the growth of the domestic and international economy. On one hand we consider America as a multi-religious society, while on the other we take into account those facts that create a link between religion and economy. In order to understand the connection between the two, one can first consider those developments that occur outside this domain i.e., economy in a à ¢â‚¬Ëœnon-religious’ environment. As with all socially significant categories, the reflection of religion upon any economy (stabilizing or destabilizing) depends to some extent on the difference between what counts as religion and what does not. For example, American society at the time of Reformation enjoyed a double compatibility in the name of religion. On the one hand, the visibility, power, and clearly religious identity of the Roman Catholic Church provided a concrete institutional model served the religion positively. On the other hand, however, early America witnessed a time when there was gradual development of other institutional domains that increasingly, over subsequent centuries, established themselves as independent of religious support and eventually even of religious legitimation (Dillon, 2003, p. 43). The development, which America has witnessed throughout centuries, resulted in a capitalist economy in which the sovereign political state emerged inclusive of the administrative and military arms. Such development was the result of multicultural spectrum, which was influenced by religiously, shaped society cultural and racial values, therefore the related domain of positive law, modern science, and later also academic education, medicalized health, art, mass media, and sport all developed. In this scenario the rise of two individual systems 'religious' and 'nonreligious' were critical for developing and treating religion as something distinct and different, therefore there was no option for a growing economy other than to include 'religion' on a broad spectrum in everyday lives of Americans. Not only did religion in this context appeared in contrast to other nonreligious social values, but it modelled itself to some extent in order to cover up all economic threats, therefore religi on also helped in institutional reconstruction. Now that the time has come religion in America has moulded itself in many social forms, it would not be wrong to acknowledge that the way religion has modernized American economy, has never happened in the past. An example is when decades ago, early American religious missionaries worked hard to retain their religious consensus and the moral values of the earlier world out of which they came. At the same time they were enthusiastic about new improvements in transportation and communication along with their entrepreneurial business mindedness in manufacturing and industrialization (Porterfield, 2001, p. 48). Relationship between social class and

Human Rights Act 1998 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Human Rights Act 1998 - Essay Example Who will then protect the ordinary citizen from suffering from the wrath of the angry Queen of Hearts (the executive) and give them a chance to have their cases reconsidered and to achieve procedural and substantive justice Our saviour is of course the remedy of Judicial Review through the Human Rights Act 1998 which has become more of an eye sore to the Executive in the yester decades as the Judiciary continues to "check and balance" an unruly, highly political executive through the not so recent Human Rights Act 1998 which seems to have absorbed in the veins of judicial activism and recent case law with much ease. The promulgation of the Human Rights Act 1998 was one giant step towards the process of judicial review of administrative action in the United Kingdom in the context of its constitutional significance. Judicial review has shifted the growing balance of power which is shifting in the favour of the courts in their "Judicial Activism" since the 1960's which has often alarmed the members of the executive with many academic commentators defending this as "inevitable" in the face of the expanding role of the State1 and increasingly draconian legislation (especially in the area of Immigration and Terrorism law post 9/11 and 7/7).Prior to the Human Rights Act 1998 the English approach to a systematisation of judicial review was remedial based and thus similar to the development of the prerogative writs2 which developed as personal requests by an individual to the King for the redressal of a wrong suffered by another individual.3The UK has no separate system of administrative courts (and the concept never found favour with the system either eversince the abolition of infamous prerogative Star Chamber).Thus the present administrative review system of England can be described as a body that combines both a substantive body of law containing grounds of review and a large number of administrative tribunals dealing with statutory appeals from decisions of public bodies. Thus it is possible to see that the British Constitution is largely unwritten to date with the exception of the new review powers for the courts introduced by the Human Rights Act 1998. The Act goes a long way in securing the rights and freedoms of the British Citizens in a many ways.In particular the recently promulgated Human Rights Act 1998 makes it unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right(Section 6(2)) would certainly subscribe to the Pure Ultra Vires view discussed above. This Act provides a "statutory basis" to judicial review of administrative action. Moreover the Human rights Act 1998 has played a significant large role in strengthening the judiciary's stance against unwarranted access by the public authorities and as well as helping them declare any UK law incompatible with the Human Rights Act 1998.However even though the role of the Act has been lauded by many circles in the

MercadoLibre Case Study Management Report Essay

MercadoLibre Case Study Management Report - Essay Example Introduction MercadolLibre is a Portuguese website company which is dedicated to online auctions and to e-commerce. It is basically eBay’s Latin American Partner. In Latin America it is the number one e-commerce site. It has its headquarters located in Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. The literal market of MercadoLibre is free market in Spanish. Anyone can register in this site and use it to do online auction. The organisational culture in MercadoLibre is an open one. It serves as their backbone. Their IT infrastructure is also an open source one. It uses Varnish cache to enhance the web experience of their user. Such infrastructure gives a better performance as compared to their competing products. Basically varnish stores the web pages in the memory and hence they get loaded faster. Discussion This part of the study will discuss about the business environment and strategy of the organization. In addition to this, the strategy of MercadoLibre has been critically evaluated i n this part of the study. Business Environment Analysis Porter’s five force model and PESTLE analysis has been implemented in this study to determine the effect of environmental factors on the business process of MercadoLibre. Porter’s Five Force Analysis This analytical tool will help the organization to determine the industry opportunities and threats that can help the organization to develop future strategies. Buyers’ bargaining power Each and every Latin American country is achieving significant economic growth rate due to the globalization, technological advancement and growth of several domestic organizations. MercadoLibre is one of the emerging online trading and payment platforms in Latin America. This internet auction site has gain huge popularity due to its effective business operation strategies. Recent financial crisis and economic downturn affected the purchasing power of the people (Belz and Peattie, 2010, p. 224). Therefore, the online selling and purchasing activities in these countries have reduced. Although the organizations offers huge ranges of differentiated products for buying and selling, but affected purchasing power of people increased the threat of high bargaining power of customers or buyers for organizations within this particular industry. Suppliers’ bargaining power Suppliers’ bargaining power is quite low as the industry has reached to the growth stage of the industry life cycle recently. The business operation of this organization highly depends on the effectiveness of the supply chain network (Blenkhorn and Fleisher, 2005, p. 115). Huge availability of the suppliers can give cost effective supply chain options for the organizations. Therefore, it can be stated that the threat of suppliers’ bargaining power is not high. Threat of Substitutes Threat of substitute for MercadoLibre is quite low as the market demand for online purchasing and selling or internet auction is significantly incre asing among the target customers. This virtual market place gained huge popularity in recent past due to technological advancement. The demand for traditional purchasing and selling process is reducing. Therefore, it can be stated that the threat of substitute is low for the suppliers (Etzel, Stanton and Walker, 1997, p. 74). Threat of New Entrants Threat of

Personal Statement for Bioinformatics Graduate Program

For Bioinformatics Graduate Program - Personal Statement Example At High School, my plans for the future centered on my becoming a practicing doctor, with the skill of healing patients. I must admit that I had to overcome the disadvantage of a relatively weak foundation in Science, as a result of my Middle School curriculum in China, which did not include Biology. The language barrier also proved difficult to break during the initial years of my arrival in the USA, and my focus then was on mastering English and Mathematics, and understanding American culture. The scientific terms in Biology were difficult to come to grips with! However, my determination to enter the field of Medicine kept me going. The same determination is now my tool in my effort to overcome any shortcomings in my academic career. I am very aware that my GRE writing score of 3 could have been higher, and am determined to identify and address this through repeated practice of writing skills. A career in medicine continued to be my goal as I stood on the threshold of my freshman y ear at the University of California, Davis. However, the first Molecular Cellular Biology class I attended at the UC Davis, discussing gene therapy, proved to be a revelation to me: I had discovered the interest of my life! I was fascinated by the intricacies and application of genetics: especially in the area of finding epigenetic information. Here was a new front in the battle against chronic disease. As I continued to take additional technical electives in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Biotechnology, I came to realize that genetics is one of the most powerful tools available to humanity in the field of medicine. Gene association studies and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection can be used in disease prediction, thus potentially preventing disease formation. Genetics is the cutting-edge of health-care research and personalized medicine. The next step in my academic evolution was my realization of the power of technology. As the only child of immigrant parents who were focused on earning a living, the computer has been a good friend of mine, right from the age of twelve, when I moved to the USA. While working as a Laboratory Assistant at the Immunology and Histology Lab of UC Davis Veterinary School in 2009-2010, I became deeply aware of the vast amount of medical information stored and retrieved by accessing a database. This personal experience of the power and efficacy of computers impressed on me the importance of technology as a tool in research. I discovered that the hands-on processing of data gives me immense satisfaction. Gradually, my earlier interest in science and research shifted focus from the traditional bench sitting to a computer oriented approach. Therefore, in my junior year of college, I declared my major as Biotechnology, with a Bioinformatics option that combined my interests in both technology/informatics and biology/genetics. The Applied Bioinformatics course I took in the fall of 2010 confirmed that my special interest lay in the field of bioinformatics and its application in genetic/genomic studies. Craving further practical experience in this field, I opted for internships at different laboratories: Theg Lab, UC Davis; Molecular Anthropology Laboratory, UC Davis; Dubcovsky Wheat Genetic Lab, UC Davis;

Global business and multinational firm module coursework Essay

Global business and multinational firm module coursework - Essay Example e better part of the 21st Century, there are corporations developing in other countries that have begun to aggressively assert themselves in the global economy in an attempt to further their own monetary interests. What this means is that while the ideology of globalisation used to only benefit a few countries, it is now benefiting many more and that is allowing for globalisation to be accepted in many more places than it was previously. Globalisation is no longer just a one-way process of benefits going from East to West, but it is now an ideology that can benefit all parts of the world equally if growth continues. If China was to become the world’s largest economy, the changes that would occur would be minimal, since China has a labour-based economy. International trade is something that will always be debated because it is interesting to see who has the advantages and why. The most common manner by which to explain the advantages that certain countries have over others in trade in by using a comparative advantage model. There will always be different scales because of the various differences between countries’ finances, education levels, population, demographics, resources, and other factors. China is a country that has traditionally been used for its labour, due to its extremely high population and its lack of good paying jobs. The variable in this situation is that Chinese companies are beginning to use globalisation to their advantage, with one such company being Acer, which is a computer company. Acer is the world’s fourth largest personal computer manufacturer and it also builds servers, storage devices, LCD monitors, high-definition TVs, peripherals, as well as provides â€Å"e-business solutions for busine ss, government, education, and home users† (About Acer). Acer also has developed a unique business model called the Channel Business Model which uses supply-chain management to ensure that new technologies, competitive pricing, and quality service

Experiences Of War Essay Example for Free

Experiences Of War Essay It is difficult for a soldier to recall and relate his or her experiences of war. During war, soldiers are often throw into a confronting and new experience where they quickly learn about the true hardship and struggle of warfare. Being deployed onto new a surrounding, unpredictable events can occur which may lead to detrimental effects on soldiers physically and more importantly mentally. Especially after returning from a war, a solder can show great signs of post dramatic stress due to the trauma that they had previously faced. These memories can have damaging effects, which may lead to different coping methods. War is an emotionally daunting task which can most definitely be a difficult time for soldiers to recollection and recount their experiences of it. The results of war can be detrimental. Soldiers risk their lives and beyond the physical consequences of war, they often return with mental and emotional scarring. During war soldiers must adapt to everything that is around them. This means that they must become familiar with their surroundings and the people around them. War can last up to months if not years. In this period of dramatic changes in lifestyle, soldiers are taught to adjust to the extreme situations. Warfare the new normal as they must learn to react and act quickly to certain sounds or orders. In the article Battle scarred, Chris Terill describes going to war as â€Å"changes a man’s view of the world; it changes his view of himself†, meaning that they adapt with â€Å"like-minded comrades†. However when the war is all over the hardest part for them is that they â€Å"must eventually become civilians again†. So sudden from a â€Å"dog-eat-dog† world, soldiers must quickly adjust to normal society again within the landing of the plane. This an obvious difficult task, which causes the soldiers to be traumatised which can truly affect the abilities to recall their experiences. It is definitely confronting and difficult to conform and come to terms with normal life after the memories and experiences of war. Regret and fear can become a great factor in the influence of a soldiers behaviours post war. It is tremendously difficult for a soldier to cope with the fact that they have done something unforgivable by the time they return.

Kimberly clark case study Essay Example for Free

Kimberly clark case study Essay Why are major company, like Kimberly-Clark, moving toward relationships in which the supplier managers inventory levels at the retailer? 2. When should Kimberly-Clark handles its logistic needs in-house, and when should external source be used? 3. What other types of business partnerships that Kimberly-Clark can be used to improve supply chain performance? 4. Can pressure such as in the Kimberly-Clark case be used to Kimberly-Clark’s advantage? Traditionally, the retailer handles the replenishment process, and the supplier has no clear information on the demand side or advance warning about out-of-stock situation. As a result, the supplier tends to maintain a certain level of safety stocks as a buffer in order to facilitate sales and the customer would also keep some safety stocks in case of none-supply that causes long supply chain and lacks of flexibility. Through supplier managed inventory programs, suppliers get to know the actual supply and demand and thus can deploy better logistic plans to response the fluctuating market situation. The Cross Media Optimization Study (XMOS) The XMOS study answers the question â€Å"What is the optimal media mix to achieve marketing  goals? † Marketers and advertising agencies can now begin to understand which advertising vehicles, at what frequency, optimally support campaign objectives. Using a research methodology endorsed by the Advertising Research Foundation and recognized by ESOMAR (European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research), the XMOS study measures online advertising alongside offline advertising to determine the optimal mix and weight of each medium. The Campaign Kimberly-Clark introduced the Kleenex Soft Pack with television, print, and online. Advertising. The objective of the campaign: build awareness and drive trial. The target: previously hard-to-reach consumers. The Challenge Kimberly-Clark wanted to measure the ability of online advertising to reach segments of their target market that their television and print ads just were not covering. How They Did It The company allocated 75% of its overall advertising dollars to television, 23% to print, and 2% to online. Then they analyzed each medium’s effectiveness in boosting aided brand awareness, brand image, purchase intent. And bundled trial intent. What They Found Online complements offline advertising and delivers the 42% of the audience that is only lightly reached or not reached at all by television. The synergy of magazine and online advertising was the most effective combination for reaching this audience and boosting major key metrics including aided brand awareness, brand image, bundled trail intent and purchase intent. As an integral part of the overall media mix: †¢ Online advertising could potentially deliver 26% of the targ

Assessment of the Red Bull Business Plan

Assessment of the Red Bull Business Plan Red Bull is an adaptation of the Thai energy drink Krating Daeng, which means Red Bull. The company was founded by Thai national Chaleo Yoovidhya and Austrian national Dietrich Mateschitz. Together with his son, Chaleo owns a controlling 51 percent interest in the company; however, Mateschitz is responsible for the companys operations through the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH.[1] 1.1 Product Red Bull is a sweet, caffeinated drink aimed to give consumers the high energy kick. Available only in rather expensive 250ml cans, 350ml bottles, with 4 packs and only two flavours (original or sugar-free). It contains caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, and B vitamins. Founded in 1984 by Austrian businessman Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull has become the worlds leading energy drink, a staple in many young, and active peoples lives. 1.2 Competitors Big global companies such as Coca Cola and Pepsi have introduced their own energy drink versions to their product base. Mother (by Coca Cola), Amp (Pepsi), V, Battery, 180, RedEye and Bennu being just some in the ever-growing energy drink market. Competition also presents itself in original sports drinks, such as Gatorade (Pepsi) and Powerade (Coca Cola). Furthermore, premixed alcoholic drinks like the Smirnoff range form part of the competition. 1.3 Industry Red Bull has becoming hugely successful and operates within the global soft drink marketplace. Within the soft drink industry its niche is the energy drink market, of which Mateschitz was largely responsible for creating. Red Bull currently is the leading energy drink across the entire globe. It holds 70% of the market worldwide (Gschwandtner, 2004). Once the drink was passed by health ministries, Red Bull entered the Austrian market, soon thereafter then moved into Germany, United Kingdom and the USA by 1997. 2. Needs, Wants and Demands satisfied by Red Bull 2.1 Needs There are three basic human needs that Red Bull satisfies, physical, social and individual needs. Human needs are states of felt deprivationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ marketers do not invent these needs; they are a basic part of human makeupà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦People in industrial societies might try to find or develop objects that will satisfy their needs. (Kotler et al. 2006) Firstly, a physical need is when 4.1. Recommendations For Red Bull To Sustain Their Marketing Momentum The marketing strategy of Red Bull can be considered as one of the most successful one over the years. Red Bull has been famous for building a beverage brand without relying on mass-media. The central component in all marketing activities of Red Bull was Word- of mouth. Besides, Red Bull also created adult cartoon advertisement, pushed trial programme, invented an extensive network of events, sponsored leading athletes of extreme sports and branded refrigerated sales units to complete their marketing strategy. However, in order to sustain the marketing success, besides their traditional marketing campaign, we think that Red Bull need to take the following actions: Ø Boosting mass-marketing campaign to embed the image of Red Bull an energy drink- in customers minds: in the current harsh competition market, where multiple brands of energy drinks are available, it is hard for Red Bull to keep their position as the first choice in customers minds when they need an energy drink if customers do not have chance to see the image of Red Bull regularly. Therefore, now it is the time for them to use other tools like billboards, banner ads or posters at the public places to maximize contact with customers. Ø Increasing advertising on the internet: as the internet is so popular now and more and more people spend much of their time surfing the internet, Red Bull also needs to popularise their brand through some activities on the internet like creating some extreme games online and advertising on appropriate websites which are quite familiar with students and business people in different countries. Ø Diversifying their products: Red Bull should show their innovation to customers to freshen the image as well as to create entry barriers against other competitors through product diversification. They can introduce new kinds of drink with more vitamin plus or more flavours but they have to make sure that the new kinds are also energy drinks to maintain the Red Bull Equity Red Bull Brand Equity According to Keller (2008, p 53), brand equity is the strong, favorable and unique brand associations in the memory of customers. He goes on to identify (p 54) two sources of brand equity: 1.) Brand Awareness; and 2.) Brand Image. Red Bull has well defined tactics for both sources. The Brand Awareness Source for Red Bull Brand Equity Keller (p 54) notes the key elements of Brand Awareness: 1.) Recognition; and 2.) Recall. He postulates that if buy decisions are made at the point of purchase, then brand name, logo, packaging and the other elements of brand recognition are important factors. If the buy decision is made before arriving at the point of purchase, then brand recall is centrally important. Duncan (2005, p 140) concludes that low-involvement purchase is usually done for products that are relatively cheap, bought frequently, and are low risk. In such cases, in addition to traditional advertising with its reach and frequency drills, it would be productive to spend time getting the name, logo and packaging correct. Red Bull did just this. The Pearson Case Study 4 (2006, p 70) describes how Red Bull selected a distinctive, slim can. They also created a prominent and eye-catching logo of two bulls and a yellow sun. Package wording effectively communicates the products benefits: Energy Drink. The packaging is an important part of the branding, as we might expect for a low-involvement product. Pearson Case Study 4 goes on (p 70) to note that changing the carefully selected package elements, in Germany substituting a glass bottle for the slim can, resulted in a dramatic drop off in sales. To increase brand recall, Keller (p 55) advises that a slogan or a jingle can establish the memory linkages that improve recall. Pearson Case Study 4 (p 69) relates that Red Bull developed an effective slogan, Red Bull gives you wiiings. They use little advertising but when they do it consistes of unusual animated shorts that end with the Case 2 Red Bull Red Bull, using unconventional marketing tactics, has uniquely positioned itself in the beverage industry. Red Bulls unique positioning has allowed it to capture a considerable amount of the energy beverage market share in the countries it is distributed in. Although the companys financial information is not released to the public, it appears Red Bulls marketing strategies have been successful in terms of market share, revenue, and units sold. While I personally think overall the tactics will prove successful for years to come, the same mysterious quality surrounding the drink that has proven successful currently likewise has the potential to erode the brands equity in the future. Unique positioning strategies targeting high-school burnouts and college students, nightclubbers, and athletes have built the brands equity. Grassroots marketing campaigns emphasize the drinks image as being a cool and trendy drink for cool and trendy young adults. Word of mouth and an intentionally vague strategy have made the brand mysterious. By not emphasizing what the company itself feels are the products strengths, it allows consumers to decide for themselves, as well as facilitates the emergence of rumors, some quite outlandish, adding to the drinks perceived value and increasing the brands equity. Red Bull does not have a passive hand, however, in the marketing of its energy drink. The company provides college students free drinks to give away at parties and owns sports teams and events. All of these branding events, unconventional as they are, align well with the products perceived unconventionality, and are strong elements of the brands strong equity, many of the tactics, including those contributing to the lack of public information concerning the company and the Red Bull drink, also provide the potential to erode the brands equity. Health officials have concerns over its ingredients and it has not been approved for sale in Canada or France. It has been linked to a number of deaths and it appears particularly dangerous when mixed with alcohol. The company also has created untrue documentaries. As Bob Walker states in his article Observer Bull Marketing, Red Bull has never let the truth get in the way of its brand message. As more and more consumers are becoming health conscious consuming less carbohydrates and sugars, seeking out organic foods, and being weary of what they put in there bodies, they will be less likely to drink Red Bull, especially with the uncertainty regarding the effects of its ingredients. I have never had a Red Bull and would not put something made of ingredients of uncertain effects in my body. Further, although the company contends it does not market Red Bull in bars or for use in conjunction with alcohol, many bars carry Red Bull and the majority of Red Bulls college-aged consumers drink it in conjunction with alcohol, particularly with vodka, an obvious dangerous mix, as Red Bull is an upper and alcohol is a depressant. Although I may not be representative of the majority of consumers, the companys somewhat deficient corporate ethics make me cautious of trusting the brand and wanting to try its drink. As the number of reported deaths increase and speculation over its potentia lly harmful health effects grows, brand equity will likely erode. While one might argue these factors serve to further contribute to the brands mystique and therefore increase equity, over time I think lack of public information and an increase in negative publicity will erode the brands equity. The fact that France and Canada have not approved Red Bull for sale in their countries is indicative of a less than inconsequential health issue surrounding the drink and the lack of ability of the company to reach these markets prevents the company from building brand equity in these locations, no matter how well marketed the product may be.

Essay --

Hunter Reagan Mrs. Paschall Honors English IV 30 October 2013 The Good Guy Rules In the work The Road by Cormac McCarthy a father and son struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world with evil surrounding them. They always refer to themselves as, â€Å"The good guys,† (McCarthy 66) and try to not become evil. They see things like cannibalism as evil, and would rather go hungry than succumb to this evil. The father constantly tries to keep the child’s eyes away from the gruesome scenes that characterize this environment. When thinking of themselves as the good guys they keep from doing any wrong. Erik J. Wielenberg puts it best when he lists the rules of the good guys. He lists them as follows: "1. Don’t eat people. 2. Don’t steal. 3. Don’t lie. 4. Keep your promises. 5. Help others. 6. Never give up." (Wielenberg 4). All of these rules also have Biblical implications behind them. These rules are taught by the father to his son. Although the father does not always follow them. The father has a hard time following rule five, "Help others." The Biblical reasoning for this rule is, "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise" (King James Version, Luke 6.31). The child continuously wishes to help all people that don’t seem to be bad guys. At one point the man and his son find a man that was struck by lightning the child questions, â€Å"Cant we help him? Papa?† (McCarthy 25). The father doesn’t want to give him any help. This conflict is exemplified when the child and father run into a man named "Ely." The man seems weary of the man as shown when it is said, "He looked up the road and down. If this is an ambush he goes first, he said." (McCarthy 83). The child follows the rules better than the man as shown whe... ...s son live by seven rules that make them the good guys. They do what they have to do to survive, without compromising their morals. They are the epitome of a light shining in the darkness. The conflict of the father and son’s polar opposite personalities is exemplified when looking at how they feel about the rules. The child has ease with following every rule but number six, whereas the father has trouble with every rule but number six. This shows that maybe the characters complete each other. This also shows that maybe the son is better cut out for living in this kind of world than his father is. That fact shows that the father taught the child correctly. â€Æ' Works Sited "Bible Gateway." BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. McCarthy, Cormac. The road. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print. Essay -- Hunter Reagan Mrs. Paschall Honors English IV 30 October 2013 The Good Guy Rules In the work The Road by Cormac McCarthy a father and son struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world with evil surrounding them. They always refer to themselves as, â€Å"The good guys,† (McCarthy 66) and try to not become evil. They see things like cannibalism as evil, and would rather go hungry than succumb to this evil. The father constantly tries to keep the child’s eyes away from the gruesome scenes that characterize this environment. When thinking of themselves as the good guys they keep from doing any wrong. Erik J. Wielenberg puts it best when he lists the rules of the good guys. He lists them as follows: "1. Don’t eat people. 2. Don’t steal. 3. Don’t lie. 4. Keep your promises. 5. Help others. 6. Never give up." (Wielenberg 4). All of these rules also have Biblical implications behind them. These rules are taught by the father to his son. Although the father does not always follow them. The father has a hard time following rule five, "Help others." The Biblical reasoning for this rule is, "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise" (King James Version, Luke 6.31). The child continuously wishes to help all people that don’t seem to be bad guys. At one point the man and his son find a man that was struck by lightning the child questions, â€Å"Cant we help him? Papa?† (McCarthy 25). The father doesn’t want to give him any help. This conflict is exemplified when the child and father run into a man named "Ely." The man seems weary of the man as shown when it is said, "He looked up the road and down. If this is an ambush he goes first, he said." (McCarthy 83). The child follows the rules better than the man as shown whe... ...s son live by seven rules that make them the good guys. They do what they have to do to survive, without compromising their morals. They are the epitome of a light shining in the darkness. The conflict of the father and son’s polar opposite personalities is exemplified when looking at how they feel about the rules. The child has ease with following every rule but number six, whereas the father has trouble with every rule but number six. This shows that maybe the characters complete each other. This also shows that maybe the son is better cut out for living in this kind of world than his father is. That fact shows that the father taught the child correctly. â€Æ' Works Sited "Bible Gateway." BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. McCarthy, Cormac. The road. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.

How McEwan Presents Ideas about Memory and Recall in Enduring Love :: Enduring Love Ian McEwan Literature Essays

How McEwan Presents Ideas about Memory and Recall in Enduring Love In ‘Enduring Love† McEwan has created a storyline that refers to the 1st person narrator’s own perception of his own mind and memory. Because of this we do not know whether to trust Joe or not as he is extremely biased in his own opinion. At the very beginning of the novel we, as the reader, feel extremely safe being â€Å"in Joe’s hands† because we see the very scientific, rational mind; however as we go on through the story we see the loss of rationality and we are given hints not to trust Joe as much as we did; â€Å"His writing’s rather like yours† and â€Å"Mr Tapp went to the toilet, not his daughter†. Within the opening chapter we see as a very clear memory from Joe of the balloon accident. Within this chapter we see the very rational side of Joe where we see the view of the balloon accident from a â€Å"buzzards† point of view so that it looks like the people who are within the balloon accident are on a snooker table coming from all direction. Joe is able to stop time here and point out where absolutely everyone is in relation to himself and the actual balloon. The use of narrative and chronological time not being the same in the first chapter also gives the reader different views of Joe’s own memory and what kind of state he is in within the first chapter; the change from people running towards the balloon to then of Joe’s and Clarissa’s reunion to then being back at the balloon accident. From the very beginning of the novel we, as the reader, see that Joe is a very rational person who has to think about every single detail of his own life and other people’s lives around his own. However in Chapter 3 we see a very emotional part of Joe as he describes what both he and Clarissa are up to after the great tragedy of the balloon accident; â€Å"why didn’t I think of this?† and â€Å"she caressed my balls†. This defiantly shows another side of Joe that we hadn’t seen yet, this gives the reader the insight into Joe so that we know what different sides there are to him that can affects his own memory. This is extremely important for the reader as we must know whether the narrator is trustworthy or not. At his point we are given no reason to doubt Joe and what he is telling us. However at the end of chapter 3 we are given an inclination not to trust Joe as much as we do as Jed

Relationships And The Importance Of Communication Essay -- Communicati

Thesis Statement: The success of any relationship relies on one's ability to communicate well. Communication is important in relationships as it allows us to share our interest, concerns, support each other; organize our lives and make decisions; and it allows us to work together. Effective communication is based on the way we talk and listen, how we respond and our body language. We can all learn how to improve the way we communicate. It takes more than words to create a safe, exciting and secure relationship. Too often the signals we send are not those we intend to send. When this happens, both connection and trust are lost in our relationships. When we communicate, we can say a lot without speaking. Our body, our posture, tone of voice and the expression on our face all display a message. If our feelings don’t fit with our words, it is often the body language that gets heard and believed. Nonverbal communication is a rapidly flowing interactive process. Self-awareness and an understanding of the cues you may be sending are paired with the cues others send and pick up from you. To do this effectively, it is necessary to clear your mind of all distractions. Try planning, creating, talking to yourself, thinking about the other person or what to say, then you won't be paying attention to the moment-to-moment experience, have the presence of mind to pick up on nonverbal cues, or fully understand what's really going on in the conversation. Savvy nonverbal emotional communication is also an extremely important resource for managing and avoiding conflict. No part of nonverbal communication speaks louder than your emotions – and nothing can have greater influence over others. Communication is something we all should know is ne... ...ong with those words. Listening means that your interested in learning more about what the people in your life making an effort to tell you and making the efforts needed in order to achieve your relationship goals together. However, it is very important to know all communication between partners has to be open, honest, non-judgmental and patient, if you are to succeed and maintaining a happy and healthy relationship. The importance of being a good listener has brought me to realize the consciousness of how to be more considerate of my friends and family when they are trying to communicate with me and I am in turn trying to communicate with them. Communication has taught me to remove myself from the picture sometime and see in the eyes of people around. I find that when I am more attentive to the needs of those who are trying to connect with me, life is much easier.

Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Bibliography

Benazir Bhutto , 1953-2007, prime minister of Pakistan (1988-90; 1993-96), daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto . Educated at Radcliffe and Oxford, she returned to Pakistan shortly before her father was overthrown by General Zia ul-Haq in 1977. Under detention and then in exile, she returned in 1986 to lead the Pakistan People's party (PPP) and to fight military rule. In Nov. , 1988, three months after President Zia ul-Haq died in a plane crash, Bhutto's alliance gained a narrow majority in parliamentary elections, and she became prime minister, the first female leader of a Muslim nation.Her government, marked by continuous intrigue and able to accomplish little, was dismissed by President Gulam Ishaq Khan in Aug. , 1990. He accused her, her husband, Asif Ali Zadari, and her party of corruption. Zadari was held (1990-93) on various charges, although eventually acquitted, and the PPP lost the late 1990 elections. In 1993, Bhutto again became prime minister. By then a more seasoned politici an, she made alliances, including with the military, that enabled her to deal with some of Pakistan's deep-seated problems.In Nov. , 1996, though, her government was again dismissed. Zadari was accused of murdering Bhutto's brother, a political rival, as well as of accepting kickbacks, and was imprisoned; sweeping corruption charges were brought against Bhutto. In 1999, Bhutto and Zadari were both convicted of corruption; Bhutto appealed the verdict while living in exile in England and the United Arab Emirates.In 2001 the Pakistani supreme court set aside the corruption charges facing Bhutto and Zadari and ordered their retrial, but a Swiss court convicted the couple of money laundering in 2003. Bhutto was barred from running in the 2002 Pakistani parliamentary elections. Zadari was released from prison in 2004, a move that appeared designed to improve the Musharraf government's relations with the PPP; he subsequently left Pakistan. In Oct. 2007, after extended negotiations with the government, Bhutto returned to Pakistan, intending to run for prime minister in the scheduled Jan. , 2008 elections. On her return, she survived an attempt on her life that killed more than 130 persons, but was assassinated two months later in an attack, widely ascribed to Islamic militants, that followed a political rally in Rawalpindi. Her 19-year-old son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, assisted by her husband, succeeded her as PPP leader.

B.I.C. Ca 100 – Research Project – Charlie Trotter

100 Jonathon Roehl September 30, 2010 Charlie Trotter Charlie Trotter specializes in Degustation, which is a careful, appreciative tasting of various foods and focusing on the senses. His inspiration came while he was in college and his roommate, Joel Fish, prepared various courses for his friends to taste. Trotter became interested in what Joel was doing, and soon found himself immersed in the world of cookbooks and preparing meals as a way of entertainment for his friends and roommate.Mid way through his college tenure at The University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI, he decided to take a year off and read every book he could, this included cookbooks. As a way to make a living while on this break from school, he took a job as a waiter. Not long after he returned to college, he earned his Bachelor's of Science degree in Political Science, then began once again cooking and actually doing small catering parties. Upon graduating from college, Charlie traveled around the U. S. and Europe t o dine at only the finest restaurants.He wanted to learn how the â€Å"best† gained that title, and see what the future could possibly hold for him. Charlie actually never went to culinary school, he completely taught himself. Soon he returned to the States and began doing catering parties for his friends and families. His first cooking job was at a restaurant in the North Shore area of Chicago called Sinclair's where he was a cook there and worked under many now well-known chefs including Norman Van Aken. After doing this for just over a year, he decided to open Charlie Trotter's with his now deceased father, Robert Trotter, as his partner.Charlie’s cuisine now comes from the finest foodstuffs available. Networks provide the fresh, healthful ingredients which inspire him to create his masterpieces. From the naturally raised meat and line caught seafood to the organic produce, every component of each dish is the most pure available. Bobwhite quail from Indiana, petite greens from Farmer Jones, heirloom tomatoes from Illinois, buffalo from North Dakota and gindai from Hawaii are just a few of the products that arrive each day for him to crafts his menus. Trotter rather ave sauce with vegetable juice-based vinaigrettes, light emulsified stocks, and purees as well as delicate broths, and herb-infused meat and fish essences then sauces that have a lot of butter or cream. According to the Mobil Travel Guide, Charlie’s restaurant was giving 5 stars back in 1996 and remains that way even now. For his wine Charlie was awarded The Best Restaurant in the World for Wine and Food in 1998, The Best Restaurant in the United States back in 2000, America’s Best Wine-Driven Restaurant in 2006 as well as The Grand Award in 1993, which he still holds.From the International food Manufacturers Association he was earned both the Silver and Gold Plate award in 2008. Trotter has been awarded many more other then these. I feel that Trotter is an excellent e xample of chefs with imagination and how you really do need to use your head and alter and expand anything from simple recipes to your whole cuisine choice considering this man NEVER went to a culinary arts school.

Geography Study Chart Places and Regions Essay

Studying the World Regions and Places units in your course Many students find the course content on world regions, countries, and places to be some of the most challenging material to learn. The combination of student unfamiliarity with the world regions and the large volume of information to be learned can be overwhelming. To help you organize your studies, keep in mind WGU’s intention behind this course, which is for competent students to have a strong grasp of the major human and physical geographic conditions that interact to shape our world. When you are studying world region, we want you to emphasize the 1) â€Å"big picture† of the geographic conditions in each world region, 2) the major countries of that region, and 3) how that region relates to the rest of the world. Creating a consistent framework for studying each world region may help you retain the knowledge you need to be successful in this course aspect. We recommend trying to identify the 2-3 most significant / most important physical, cultural, economic, and political characteristics that exist within each world region. We do not guarantee that you are only tested on those features, but the process of identifying the most significant characteristics from the broader range of information about each world region is an excellent study strategy that also will ensure you leave our course with a strong, general knowledge of the major geographic conditions around the world. You are welcome to use the grid, below, to help organize your study material.

Emotions and Moods Essay

When we try to understand what makes a good leader, or behaviors from leaders that drive positive performance and results in an organization, traditional personal attributes such as intelligence, toughness, determination, vision and technical skills, though are very much required for success, it is not sufficient to be a truly effective leader. As employees go up the ladder emotional intelligence play more important roles on performance than other personal or technical attributes As a leader, it is of utmost importance that you manage and build relationships with many people, be well connected and be genuinely interested so that people want to help you in tough times or when in need of a critical resource or expertise. So the Social Skill of a leader helps a long way in building positive performance. A leader also needs to be self-aware of his behaviors and moods, it is a skill of knowing ones true self and how that could affect people around him, so that he can self-regulate himself and ensure that in any given situation, he always responds positively and does not react. This calmness and maturity the leader brings in to the team, will build confidence and trust in his subordinates and will make them work harder and smarter to not repeat mistakes and give their best to achieve higher results. A leader need to empathize with other people, this is extremely important when working with cross cultural teams where understanding of each other’s behaviors could make or break projects. This is a skill of treating people as per their moods, behaviors and reactions to specific situations. This can go a long way in avoiding conflicts, retaining talent and bringing in a sense of understanding with the superior which could lead to sharing new ideas, beliefs etc. and thus opening up a plethora of opportunities to tap in to their ideas and additionally help in good involvement from them which will feed growth. Human beings are biologically designed to be influenced by external environment. An upbeat manager makes everyone feel energetic, while a sour-spirited manager makes work grueling. A manager’s upbeat mood, which is optimistic, sincere and realistic, will be contagious and one erson’s energy transmits signals that can alter the overall wellbeing of others which would drive up their mood. Better mood always results in better performance if channelized in the right way which a good leader is capable of doing. The most effective leaders show mood which is apt for the given situation with a mix of optimism which enables the organization to drive forward with hope. The inner work life system, which is the combination of how our perceptions about things around could drive emotions, coupled with our motivation to work could drive positive performance in our everyday life and eventually lead to organizational success. Therefore it is very important as a leader to be aware of his reactions and approach to everyday work events, so that he doesn’t adversely affect any team members but always drive positivity and bonding which drives performance. Overall we can state that emotions and moods play a vital role in a behavior of a leader and if the leader wants to be successful, he needs to self-aware, drive positivity with his optimistic mood and be high on emotional intelligence, so that he can tackle any given situation in the rightful manner and in turn see his organization maturing and growing by leaps and bounds.

An Evaluation of the reasons why a multinational enterprise undertakes FDI

While it is often argued that MNCs ship capital to where it is scarce, transfer technology and management expertise from one country to another, and promote the efficient allocation of resources in the global economy, it is important to note that inspite of this, the ultimate goal of the corporation is to increase profit and improve share value for its owners and shareholders (Barris and Cabra, 2002). It is believed that while FDI helps the country at the receiving end it also benefits the organisation because FDI by their nature has multiple benefits and can offer quick growth for any organisation if carefully undertaken. According to the International Monetary Fund (2002) FDI refers to an investment made to acquire lasting or long-term interest in enterprises operating outside of the economy of the investor. It plays an important role in global business especially in an everly increasingly competitive world marked by competition and globalisation. FDI can also provide a firm with new opportunities, distribution channels, markets and cheaper production capacities including, skills, technology and financing (IMF, 2002). In the work of Zarsky (2002) he points out that MNCs who invests in other countries often tend to benefit from lower costs and higher productive efficiency amongst several other benefits, therefore for firms seeking to achieve better performance, FDI is always undertaken as a strategic decision to achieve such objective. The aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of FDI to multinational organisations and evaluate some of the most important reasons why a MNC would undertake foreign direct investment abroad. The paper looks at the varying benefits of FDI and how it particularly benefits the firm undertaking such investment. Understanding FDI UNCTAD estimates that there are over 76,000 multinational corporations with affiliates and subsidiaries running to about 770,000 worldwide (UNCTAD, 2007). In 2005, FDI was estimated to have reached over $1.5 trillion with MNCs responsible for 12% of the world’s GDP while employing over 55 million people across the world (OECD, 2007). The OECD also estimates that 100 of the largest MNCs in the world account for over 15% of foreign assets with them accounting for 1/3 of global trade. In total over 70% of MNCs are based in advanced industrial countries with increasing stake in the developing world. The increasing surge of MNCs in emerging markets over the past decade especially attests to the fact they are increasingly undertaking FDI through market expansion to diversify their portfolios and increase their presence. Some of the few examples are: Vodaphone in India, Ford in Turkey, Microsoft in the UK and Coca cola in African countries. As is inherent in some of these examples, F DI can either take the form of merger, acquisition, the development of a new firm and or joint venture participation with existing firms (OECD, 2007). According to Thomsen (2000) FDI is important in so many ways for both the host country and the firm making the FDI because it holds various advantages in the long term for both. However, while its benefit for the firm is the focus of this paper, it is important to state that FDI can stimulate competition so long as there are proper policies in the host economy. Therefore FDI investment is not only important to the multinational firm but also the host economy for which it has so many spill over effects which is enjoyed in the long term. Generally, there is outward FDI and inward FDI. Outward FDI is the type of foreign direct investment which typically leaves a country while inward FDI is one which is received by a host country (Ekholm, 2004). MNCs participate in both forms of FDI and benefits from both at the same time through their activities. While outward FDI is generally not in favour of the host economy, it is said to benefit the MNC because it offers the opportunity for reinvest ment or as profits for the owners or shareholders. Inward FDI on the other hand benefits the host economy as it creates jobs and generates tax for the government while also benefiting the multinational company in several ways. Why MNCs undertake FDI In the old economics textbook, various reasons were adduced to the motive behind MNCs undertaking of FDI in other countries. One of the main explanations is that ‘Market disequilibrium and distortions’ give MNCs the impetus to undertake foreign investment (See e.g. Knickerbocker, 1973; p. 21). In a sense, it is believed that government imposed distortions as well as temporary disequilibria for example causes the need for firms to look outside their domestic market for opportunities in other countries (Ibid). Another explanation often put forward for MNCs motive for undertaking FDI is that market imperfection drives MNCs to look outward because imperfection in a market creates opportunities and economies of scale therefore it offers the MNC a perfect opportunity to increase its profits by investing its stake (See: Ekholm, 2004). While some of these explanations are still true to some extent as to why MNCs undertake FDI, the current and most important reasons indeed surpas es what is documented in the old textbooks of economics as explained earlier. Today, MNCs undertake foreign direct investment for various reasons and one of such is the increasing pressure wielded by competition through the forces of globalisation on the MNC making the rate of risk higher as to sustain long term operation in domestic markets (Nunnenkamp, 2002). Indeed through the modern process of globalisation, competition has taken a new dimension as forces outside a country can compete with a firm irrespective of its dominance in its local market, its brand awareness or strenghth, with the power of increasing competition therefore, survival today is about thinking ahead of the game, organisational thinking through innovation, collaboration, expansion and increased presence in other markets. This can be said to be one of the main impetus for MNCs motive for undertaking FDI abroad as such investment would enable the firm to achieve its objectives of improving profits and enhancing productivity theough cost cutting. Another motive behind MNCs undertaking of foreign direct investment is to diversify risks in their markets and portfolios. As noted by (Johnson, 2005) increasingly the macro business environment is becoming characterized with operational risks as the rate of unceratinty is increasing and markets are failing. The recent recession is an example of such risks existing in the external operating environment, since the recession which first started in 2007, several well known brands have collapsed while many are still suffering from the ruins of the recession. Indeed, many organisations operating in single markets and with limited product and market portfolios were exposed to market failures and increased risks in the last recession which consequently marked major decline in their share value and profit margin. Consequently, as a result of the threats associated with the risks of operating in one single market or product, MNCs are undetaking FDI abroad in other to diversify the risks in th eir primary market. Risk for a MNC can come in various faces. It could be operational risk, market risk, product risk, and several other. Undertaking FDI therefore offers the MNC the opportunity to mitigate such risks by diversifying into other markets or products through FDI. In the recent work of Davis (2009) he suggests that by undertaking foreign direct investment the MNC is able to lower production costs while also able to avoid trade restrictions. More so, the increasing labour cost and the cost of production in industrialised economies has given more impetus to MNCs to undertake FDI in a way that would allow them to lower production costs and enjoy cheaper labour costs (Barros and Cabral 2000). Ford motors is a typical example; Since the cost of production of Ford motors has increased in the UK, the company has decided to conduct its operations from other markets like Turkey for example where the cost of labour and production is relatively low. In addition to aiming to reduce labour and production costs, MNCs also undertake FDI to take up opportunity in profitable markets (Johnson, 2005) and this especially has to do with markets where there are better opportunities for the MNC to compete and make profit while at the same time increasing its brand v alue and identity (Ibid). Most of large oil and gas firms in the industrialised countries are typical examples of this development. Most big western oil firms such as Shell, Chevron, Mobil, BP, Texaco, etc have increased their presence in oil producing nations such as Russia, Angola, Brazil, Nigeria, Qatar, etc because the oil market in such countries require huge investment and infrastructure which they can undertake through FDI yet the market is such that there is little competition and therefore when they enter such markets they are able to use their market power and experience to increase their profit and become better at what they do. Shell like many other oil firms operating in the oil industry of many countries around the world have been able to avail itself of more opportunities in the general oil and gas market as well as other related industry through FDI than it can do in its primary and domestic markets. Similarly, the oil producing companies generally have been able to learn more about the intricacies of downstream and upstream operations as well as able to diversify into other related markets while at the same time able to contribute to the development of their host communities, although there are issues concerning corporate social responsibility and the environmental degradation caused by oil companies to their local communities, however the opportunistic and growth aspect of participating in other markets which FDI offers has been the main motive of MNCs. A similar development can be seen in other industries too, like the beverages industry for example where Coca cola is a prime example, Coca cola have been able to enter over 200 countries mainly to take advantage of the gaps and opportunities in those markets for the purpose of maximising its own profits while at the same time increasing its enhancing productivity and creating edge against its competition. The question to ask indeed is why MNCs are addicted to profit making and the taking up of opportunities everywhere there isIn response to such question: Kugler (2001) suggest that large firms over the past twenty years have been operating in a tougher and competitive world where their market power is challenged by small firms and the power of globalisation, it is this which gives them the motivation to invest abroad with the aim of challenging their competitors and taking to their advantage the benefit inherent in other markets to increase their profits and stay ahead of the game. Several MNCs also take opportunities abroad through FDI with the aim to vertically integrate their operations back and forward so as to sustain their operations and maintain healthy profits. It is at this juncture that the role of greed in their motive to undertake FDI can also be located. While little research exists in the literature on greed and why MNCs undertake FDI abroad, the 2007 global financial crisis has sparked academic debates about the role of greed in the operations and investment motives of MNCs abroad. In the work of Gultung (2009) for example looking at the case of some oil firms, financial institutions and industrialised apparel firms’, he talks about grievance, greed and opportunism in the way MNCs engage in FDI. The author explores the exploitation and the activities of many multinational corporations; How they exploit local firms, resources and labour in the foreign markets in which they operate. He cited the case of Shell in Nigeria and how the firm has over the year’s completely overtaken and forsaken local communities in which they exploit natural resources. As a consequence of such exploitation – Gultung suggests that many f armers have ceased operations while many fishermen are not able to feed their families and survive because their lands and firms have been taken over by oil activities and in many cases devastated and contaminated, yet Shell announce billions of dollars in its after profit tax every year. A similar example was cited of the apparel industry and the activities of company like Primark which has over the years undertaken foreign direct investment in India and many developing countries but to take advantage of labour and other local factors. Exploitation according to the author is defined as a â€Å"means through which one party gets much more out of a deal than the other-measured by the sum of internalities and externalities†. Sadly, most MNCs always get much more out the deals they strike than others. It is in this definition that it can be further argued that many MNCs as it is across many industries in the world mostly exploit other parties with whom they engage in FDI, theref ore it can be assumed that MNCs often undertake FDI in order to improve their profits with the motive to exploit others resources and take advantage of the opportunities in such markets. Finally, MNCs undertake FDI as a result of what Gorg and Strobl (2001) describe as the Product Life Cycle effect which occurs as a result of products reaching their maturity. For example a FDI takes place when product maturity hits and cost becomes an increasingly important consideration for the MNC. Conclusions This paper has explored the foreign investment activities of MNCs and the main reasons why they undertake FDI; it has presented various motives and factors underlying MNCs quest for investment abroad and as discussed above; one of such reasons is to increase profit, diversify risks and increase their competitiveness. The motive to undertake FDI to improve competitiveness has particularly become important for many MNCs given that in the current business environment, competition has become the order of the day and irrespective of size or location, small firms are able to compete in the same market with the multinationals. For the multinationals therefore, competitiveness has been the key and that includes aggressive expansion, constant innovation, acquisition and investing in markets abroad through various means. In view of the reasons mentioned in the paper, the reasons why MNCs undertake FDI can be said to be numerous and dependent on specific factors having to do with individual MNC s. For example some MNCs would make FDI decision to avail themselves of opportunities abroad, while other would take such decision to diversify risks, or vertically integrate their operations. References Barros. P.P. and L. Cabral (2000). Competing for Foreign Direct Investment., Review of International Economics, 8, 360-371. Ekholm, K. (2004). Multinational Enterprises and their Effect on Labour Markets, in Sodersten, B. (ed.), Globalization and the Welfare State, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. OECD (2007). Global Competition and the top ten investment destination, Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Gorg, H. and E. Strobl (2001) .Multinational Companies, Technology Spillovers, and Plant Survival: Evidence from Irish Manufacturing., EIJS Working Paper 131, Stockholm School of Economics. Glass, A. and Saggi, K. (2002). Multinational Firms and Technology Transfer, Scandinavian Journal of Economics, 104(3), 495-514. Galtung, J. (2009) Peace by peaceful means peace and conflict, development and civilisation. London, Sage publications International Monetary Fund (2002). FDI statistics. Johnson, A. (2005). Host Country Effects of Foreign Direct Investment: The Case of Developing and Transition Economies, Jonkoping, Singapore: Jonkoping International Business School Dissertation Series No. 031 Knickerbocker, F. T. (1973) Oligopolistic Reaction and Multinational Enterprise. Division of Research Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University: Cambridge, MA Nunnenkamp, P. (2002). Determinants of FDI in Developing Countries: Has Globalization Changed the Rules of the GameKiel, Germany: Kiel Institute for World Economics working paper No. 1122 Thomsen, S. (2000). Investment Patterns in a Longer-Term Perspective, OECD Working Paper on International Development, Number 2000/2 UNCTAD (2009). FDI statistics for multinational and Transnational’s, Geneva: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Zarsky, L. (2002). Foreign Direct Investment: No Miracle Drug [online]. Ultimate Field Guide to the US Economy, Available: http://www.fguide.org/Bulletin/fdinodrug.htm An Evaluation of the reasons why a multinational enterprise undertakes FDI While it is often argued that MNCs ship capital to where it is scarce, transfer technology and management expertise from one country to another, and promote the efficient allocation of resources in the global economy, it is important to note that inspite of this, the ultimate goal of the corporation is to increase profit and improve share value for its owners and shareholders (Barris and Cabra, 2002). It is believed that while FDI helps the country at the receiving end it also benefits the organisation because FDI by their nature has multiple benefits and can offer quick growth for any organisation if carefully undertaken. According to the International Monetary Fund (2002) FDI refers to an investment made to acquire lasting or long-term interest in enterprises operating outside of the economy of the investor. It plays an important role in global business especially in an everly increasingly competitive world marked by competition and globalisation. FDI can also provide a firm with new opportunities, distribution channels, markets and cheaper production capacities including, skills, technology and financing (IMF, 2002). In the work of Zarsky (2002) he points out that MNCs who invests in other countries often tend to benefit from lower costs and higher productive efficiency amongst several other benefits, therefore for firms seeking to achieve better performance, FDI is always undertaken as a strategic decision to achieve such objective. The aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of FDI to multinational organisations and evaluate some of the most important reasons why a MNC would undertake foreign direct investment abroad. The paper looks at the varying benefits of FDI and how it particularly benefits the firm undertaking such investment. Understanding FDI UNCTAD estimates that there are over 76,000 multinational corporations with affiliates and subsidiaries running to about 770,000 worldwide (UNCTAD, 2007). In 2005, FDI was estimated to have reached over $1.5 trillion with MNCs responsible for 12% of the world’s GDP while employing over 55 million people across the world (OECD, 2007). The OECD also estimates that 100 of the largest MNCs in the world account for over 15% of foreign assets with them accounting for 1/3 of global trade. In total over 70% of MNCs are based in advanced industrial countries with increasing stake in the developing world. The increasing surge of MNCs in emerging markets over the past decade especially attests to the fact they are increasingly undertaking FDI through market expansion to diversify their portfolios and increase their presence. Some of the few examples are: Vodaphone in India, Ford in Turkey, Microsoft in the UK and Coca cola in African countries. As is inherent in some of these examples, F DI can either take the form of merger, acquisition, the development of a new firm and or joint venture participation with existing firms (OECD, 2007). According to Thomsen (2000) FDI is important in so many ways for both the host country and the firm making the FDI because it holds various advantages in the long term for both. However, while its benefit for the firm is the focus of this paper, it is important to state that FDI can stimulate competition so long as there are proper policies in the host economy. Therefore FDI investment is not only important to the multinational firm but also the host economy for which it has so many spill over effects which is enjoyed in the long term. Generally, there is outward FDI and inward FDI. Outward FDI is the type of foreign direct investment which typically leaves a country while inward FDI is one which is received by a host country (Ekholm, 2004). MNCs participate in both forms of FDI and benefits from both at the same time through their activities. While outward FDI is generally not in favour of the host economy, it is said to benefit the MNC because it offers the opportunity for reinvest ment or as profits for the owners or shareholders. Inward FDI on the other hand benefits the host economy as it creates jobs and generates tax for the government while also benefiting the multinational company in several ways. Why MNCs undertake FDI In the old economics textbook, various reasons were adduced to the motive behind MNCs undertaking of FDI in other countries. One of the main explanations is that ‘Market disequilibrium and distortions’ give MNCs the impetus to undertake foreign investment (See e.g. Knickerbocker, 1973; p. 21). In a sense, it is believed that government imposed distortions as well as temporary disequilibria for example causes the need for firms to look outside their domestic market for opportunities in other countries (Ibid). Another explanation often put forward for MNCs motive for undertaking FDI is that market imperfection drives MNCs to look outward because imperfection in a market creates opportunities and economies of scale therefore it offers the MNC a perfect opportunity to increase its profits by investing its stake (See: Ekholm, 2004). While some of these explanations are still true to some extent as to why MNCs undertake FDI, the current and most important reasons indeed surpas es what is documented in the old textbooks of economics as explained earlier. Today, MNCs undertake foreign direct investment for various reasons and one of such is the increasing pressure wielded by competition through the forces of globalisation on the MNC making the rate of risk higher as to sustain long term operation in domestic markets (Nunnenkamp, 2002). Indeed through the modern process of globalisation, competition has taken a new dimension as forces outside a country can compete with a firm irrespective of its dominance in its local market, its brand awareness or strenghth, with the power of increasing competition therefore, survival today is about thinking ahead of the game, organisational thinking through innovation, collaboration, expansion and increased presence in other markets. This can be said to be one of the main impetus for MNCs motive for undertaking FDI abroad as such investment would enable the firm to achieve its objectives of improving profits and enhancing productivity theough cost cutting. Another motive behind MNCs undertaking of foreign direct investment is to diversify risks in their markets and portfolios. As noted by (Johnson, 2005) increasingly the macro business environment is becoming characterized with operational risks as the rate of unceratinty is increasing and markets are failing. The recent recession is an example of such risks existing in the external operating environment, since the recession which first started in 2007, several well known brands have collapsed while many are still suffering from the ruins of the recession. Indeed, many organisations operating in single markets and with limited product and market portfolios were exposed to market failures and increased risks in the last recession which consequently marked major decline in their share value and profit margin. Consequently, as a result of the threats associated with the risks of operating in one single market or product, MNCs are undetaking FDI abroad in other to diversify the risks in th eir primary market. Risk for a MNC can come in various faces. It could be operational risk, market risk, product risk, and several other. Undertaking FDI therefore offers the MNC the opportunity to mitigate such risks by diversifying into other markets or products through FDI. In the recent work of Davis (2009) he suggests that by undertaking foreign direct investment the MNC is able to lower production costs while also able to avoid trade restrictions. More so, the increasing labour cost and the cost of production in industrialised economies has given more impetus to MNCs to undertake FDI in a way that would allow them to lower production costs and enjoy cheaper labour costs (Barros and Cabral 2000). Ford motors is a typical example; Since the cost of production of Ford motors has increased in the UK, the company has decided to conduct its operations from other markets like Turkey for example where the cost of labour and production is relatively low. In addition to aiming to reduce labour and production costs, MNCs also undertake FDI to take up opportunity in profitable markets (Johnson, 2005) and this especially has to do with markets where there are better opportunities for the MNC to compete and make profit while at the same time increasing its brand v alue and identity (Ibid). Most of large oil and gas firms in the industrialised countries are typical examples of this development. Most big western oil firms such as Shell, Chevron, Mobil, BP, Texaco, etc have increased their presence in oil producing nations such as Russia, Angola, Brazil, Nigeria, Qatar, etc because the oil market in such countries require huge investment and infrastructure which they can undertake through FDI yet the market is such that there is little competition and therefore when they enter such markets they are able to use their market power and experience to increase their profit and become better at what they do. Shell like many other oil firms operating in the oil industry of many countries around the world have been able to avail itself of more opportunities in the general oil and gas market as well as other related industry through FDI than it can do in its primary and domestic markets. Similarly, the oil producing companies generally have been able to learn more about the intricacies of downstream and upstream operations as well as able to diversify into other related markets while at the same time able to contribute to the development of their host communities, although there are issues concerning corporate social responsibility and the environmental degradation caused by oil companies to their local communities, however the opportunistic and growth aspect of participating in other markets which FDI offers has been the main motive of MNCs. A similar development can be seen in other industries too, like the beverages industry for example where Coca cola is a prime example, Coca cola have been able to enter over 200 countries mainly to take advantage of the gaps and opportunities in those markets for the purpose of maximising its own profits while at the same time increasing its enhancing productivity and creating edge against its competition. The question to ask indeed is why MNCs are addicted to profit making and the taking up of opportunities everywhere there isIn response to such question: Kugler (2001) suggest that large firms over the past twenty years have been operating in a tougher and competitive world where their market power is challenged by small firms and the power of globalisation, it is this which gives them the motivation to invest abroad with the aim of challenging their competitors and taking to their advantage the benefit inherent in other markets to increase their profits and stay ahead of the game. Several MNCs also take opportunities abroad through FDI with the aim to vertically integrate their operations back and forward so as to sustain their operations and maintain healthy profits. It is at this juncture that the role of greed in their motive to undertake FDI can also be located. While little research exists in the literature on greed and why MNCs undertake FDI abroad, the 2007 global financial crisis has sparked academic debates about the role of greed in the operations and investment motives of MNCs abroad. In the work of Gultung (2009) for example looking at the case of some oil firms, financial institutions and industrialised apparel firms’, he talks about grievance, greed and opportunism in the way MNCs engage in FDI. The author explores the exploitation and the activities of many multinational corporations; How they exploit local firms, resources and labour in the foreign markets in which they operate. He cited the case of Shell in Nigeria and how the firm has over the year’s completely overtaken and forsaken local communities in which they exploit natural resources. As a consequence of such exploitation – Gultung suggests that many f armers have ceased operations while many fishermen are not able to feed their families and survive because their lands and firms have been taken over by oil activities and in many cases devastated and contaminated, yet Shell announce billions of dollars in its after profit tax every year. A similar example was cited of the apparel industry and the activities of company like Primark which has over the years undertaken foreign direct investment in India and many developing countries but to take advantage of labour and other local factors. Exploitation according to the author is defined as a â€Å"means through which one party gets much more out of a deal than the other-measured by the sum of internalities and externalities†. Sadly, most MNCs always get much more out the deals they strike than others. It is in this definition that it can be further argued that many MNCs as it is across many industries in the world mostly exploit other parties with whom they engage in FDI, theref ore it can be assumed that MNCs often undertake FDI in order to improve their profits with the motive to exploit others resources and take advantage of the opportunities in such markets. Finally, MNCs undertake FDI as a result of what Gorg and Strobl (2001) describe as the Product Life Cycle effect which occurs as a result of products reaching their maturity. For example a FDI takes place when product maturity hits and cost becomes an increasingly important consideration for the MNC. Conclusions This paper has explored the foreign investment activities of MNCs and the main reasons why they undertake FDI; it has presented various motives and factors underlying MNCs quest for investment abroad and as discussed above; one of such reasons is to increase profit, diversify risks and increase their competitiveness. The motive to undertake FDI to improve competitiveness has particularly become important for many MNCs given that in the current business environment, competition has become the order of the day and irrespective of size or location, small firms are able to compete in the same market with the multinationals. For the multinationals therefore, competitiveness has been the key and that includes aggressive expansion, constant innovation, acquisition and investing in markets abroad through various means. In view of the reasons mentioned in the paper, the reasons why MNCs undertake FDI can be said to be numerous and dependent on specific factors having to do with individual MNC s. For example some MNCs would make FDI decision to avail themselves of opportunities abroad, while other would take such decision to diversify risks, or vertically integrate their operations. References Barros. P.P. and L. Cabral (2000). Competing for Foreign Direct Investment., Review of International Economics, 8, 360-371. Ekholm, K. (2004). Multinational Enterprises and their Effect on Labour Markets, in Sodersten, B. (ed.), Globalization and the Welfare State, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. OECD (2007). Global Competition and the top ten investment destination, Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Gorg, H. and E. Strobl (2001) .Multinational Companies, Technology Spillovers, and Plant Survival: Evidence from Irish Manufacturing., EIJS Working Paper 131, Stockholm School of Economics. 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