Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko - Essay Example The essay "Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko" explores two famous artists, their main ideas and art practices. Pablo Picasso is the name that no art history can miss out when it records Modern Art. Mark Rothko is yet another name that appears in Modern Art, though a bit later than Pablo. This paper will look into the influences and ideas that shine through the art work of both Picasso and Rothko, give a quick overview of their art practice and look into the formal qualities of their art work. Pablo Picasso had become very popular in the art circle by 1910. His art period started around 1900 and lasted till his death. However, in his very young age, he created some of the significant paintings in Spanish art history. In 1896, his The First Communion portraying his sister gained acclaims. Similarly, Portrait of Aunt Pepa was painted when he was just fourteen years old. It was called as â€Å"one of the greatest in the whole history of Spanish painting† by Juan-Eduardo Cirloz. These paintings were realistic until they became tinged with symbolism after 1900. There were a series of landscapes rendered in unnatural mixture of violet with green which were mainly due to the influence of Rossetti, Edvard Munch and Lautrec. He was also greatly influenced by his love of Greco’s paintings that he found in the Madrid art galleries. He created numerous, nearly a thousand art works of a variety of genres: paintings, print works, sculptures and ceramics. His art life is divided into major periods based on his style.

European Expansionism and the New World Order Essay Example for Free

European Expansionism and the New World Order Essay The European invasion and expansionism leave a stain to the World History, and thus traced the question where does the modern youth get their evil side. Since this Europeans invaded most part of the world if not the whole, everyone could say that each has a small drop of blood of Europeans in their system, especially in the continent of South and North America, where most of the European expeditions harbored. Because of this, wickedness of Europeans might be inside of todays every mans alive. The extermination of Hispaniola by the Spaniards is no less than a tragic extinction of American Natives. Exquisite execution of the poor victims ironically generates fun and excitement with those performing the impious acts, all for the name of the Almighty. In the book of Stannard, it summarizes blow by blow account of how the Europeans perform such evil acts including Spaniards whos responsible in creating the New World in accordance to their standards and Christian beliefs and devotions. However, the creation of the so-called New World of this Europeans caused massive killings and pestilence which resulted to a depopulation of about ninety-six percent. The irony is putting a New World for the living in expense of every living thing that is degraded, demoralized, and extinct. For the most common term it is survival of the fittest supposedly performed only by animals in the wild fighting as predators for the flesh of their victims. How the old Europeans perform the survival of the fittest game for their New World? American Natives wiped out for many ungodly reasons varying from killing newly born babies to letting husbands and wife being tired and stressful that they do not get to feel the sexual urge to do procreation. Some reasons were pestilence or intentionally spreading of plague and viral diseases by scattering contaminated things to public. Some were simply letting the people starved to death. Some were being subjected to burning villages and massive killings. This character of burning people and villages originated in Europeans because they are the ones having the superiority trait and that inferiors of them deserved to be maltreated, demoralized and died inhumanely. It could be to totally eliminate habitants of such community, especially when they see that the land that they occupied were fertile, healthy and rich. For the conclusion on this chapter which talk about European Expansionism and New World Order is the additional denunciation for the late reaction of the natives as they allowed three or four decades of European invasion and American extinction before they do the movement and crusade of condemning Europeans wrongdoings. Again, these movements which lead to Civil War also take part in the World History in a negative manner and reputation.

Operations Management Of The Hard Rock Cafe

Operations Management Of The Hard Rock Cafe Hard Rock Cafe is one of the worlds leading and well-known brands in restaurant industry. Hard Rock cafe is a chain of casual dining restaurant. First Hard Rock was opened in London, 1971. It was found by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton. The mission of Hard Rock is to provide their customers with unique experience and attract new clients. In the 1980s, Hard Rock Cafe was the most popular when some people engaged in the hobby of visiting as many locations as possible and collecting a Hard Rock t-shirt bearing the Cafe logo and the location name. The chain began global expansion in 1982 when Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton agreed to develop their own cafes across the world. At current date, it has 169 venues in 51 countries worldwide (Hard Rock, 2010). And it continues to grow with several more in the works. The question being raised here is how has a small Hard Rock restaurant that originated in London, England become one of the most well-known brands over the world? Differentiation Strategy The trick is not to play the game better than the competition, but to develop and play an altogether different game. -Professor C. Markides of the London Business School And, yes, Hard Rock has played a different game the experience game! Hard Rock Cafe is using differentiation strategy to achieve competitive advantage on the market. It is considered a smart strategy. They find the ways to differentiate that create value for customers and that are not easily matched or cheaply copied by competitors. Hard Rock sells meals and sells hotel rooms. Many others also do that. Even there are other music related restaurants. But what make the Hard Rock different from others is that it sells a full Rock Roll experience. There is an insatiable appetite for music as a reminder of the moments in ones life and music can generally bring peace in mind and happiness to people. A 20-year-old can come in there and see memorabilia from Godsmack or a 60-year-old can come in and see something from Buddy Holly or Elvis Presley. Music is the tie that binds, regardless of your age. It is also about creating a soundtrack to the brand that people recognise. When the customers go inside, it feels familiar and that is not just because of how it looks, it is the sound. Hard Rock is built on that concept. That is how a brand becomes multidimensional. And they are successful! Hard Rock products are highly valued by customers. Customers develop loyalty to brand and it helps to beat competitors in the marketplace. 10 Operations Management decision making Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long-term, which achieves advantage in a changing environment through its configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholders expectations. The main target of any firm is to create competitive advantage over competitors. To create this advantage, firm has to find a right strategy. Hard Rocks strategy is to provide not only a custom meal from the menu, but the whole experience with a unique visual and sound experience. The customers can find this experience at nowhere else in the world but Hard Rock. And it can be achieved when managers make effective decisions in 10 Areas of Operations Management. They are collectively known as operations decisions. Goods services design: Hard Rock Cafà © provides a unique experience with their goods and services offered at the restaurants. Hard Rock gives many amenities from cafes, to hotels to casinos, to live music and to huge Rock fest concerts. Furthermore, when Hard Rock expanded to global, it specified its menu for local taste due to the social norms. For example, when they expanded their chains to the Unites Stated, they modified their menu with Classic American foods such as hamburgers, chicken wings, and include higher-end items such as stuffed veal chops and lobster tails. And as for the menu of Hard Rock Cafà ©s in British, they focuses more on fish and lobster and less on hamburgers and beef (Heizer Render, p.83). Hard Rock also keeps continuing upgrade their menu to meet the customers requirement. One of the special things about Hard Rock is its music memorabilia collection. Throughout the years, Hard Rock has collected a collection of items which are part of the Rock history. They not only solicit donations of music memorabilia, but they also go around the world and purchase a number of items at auctions. Nowadays, Hard Rock becomes the worlds largest collection of such items. Another key that contribute to the success of Hard Rock Cafà © is the inclusion of its own brand merchandise. About 48% annual revenue of Hard Rock comes from merchandise sales (Heizer Render, p.83). The classic Hard Rock t-shirt was created when the original cafà © sponsored a local football team. The shirts became a popular item and lead to the creation of the line of merchandise that is an important part of Hard Rocks business today. Besides the classic tee, there are many different styles of shirts, hats, jackets, glassware, shot glasses, etc. Many of these items are considered to be collectibles and the customers can generally purchase at Hard Rocks cafà ©, hotel, and casino specific or from its website. Quality: Hard Rock Cafà © defines quality within their properties by conducting numerous surveys to get an honest evaluation from its customers. They pride themselves on quality from the music, food and atmosphere. Their survey is on a scale from 1-7, and anything less than a 7 is considered a failure (Heizer Render, p.56). It means that they want to reach to the customers highest satisfaction. Base on customer surveys and feedback, their menu will be changed with the times to fulfill customer recommendations accordingly. In addition, Hard Rock Cafà © not only focuses on the actual quality of food and merchandise, but also focuses on the visual and auditoria quality as the quality of the unique experience. The experience itself is their product. The employees at Hard Rock Cafà © are responsible for giving the best quality of their services and products to its customers. The waiters, chefs and crews give their effort by means of their services through catering customers and providing them also the best food which meet their taste and preferences. Process capacity design: The process and capacity design is what drives the decision of the locations of their facilities. Hard Rock Cafà © creates products in an efficient manner, by analyzing them for cost effectiveness and by labor requirements. Location selection: Understand that location is a major long-time, and can make or break business strategy; Hard Rock has to choose the right locations strategy to expand its cafe chains. Because of Hard Rocks customers are those who not only patronize the foods they offer, but also love music, Hard Rock Cafà © chains need to choose places which is convenient to its valued customers. In addition, they also should be place in the areas that are fewer competitors as to their line of business. Another important that needed to be concerned is the location decision also needs to be concerned with some challenges such as: political risk, currency risk, and social norms. Hard Rock Cafà © has expanded to more than 157 locations throughout the world. And approximately a 70% of Hard Rock customers are tourists. This is good as far as the best tourist regions are traditionally good markets; however, this strategy also makes Hard Rock to depend on the tourism. For example, when the economy goes downturn, there would be less people who spend their money for travel, it will effect to the productive of Hard Rock. Seeing this disadvantage, Hard Rock develops another strategy is signing a long-term lease for cities that are not standard tourist destination such as Manchester and Birmingham. This is a good move for Hard Rock because it can make Hard Rock less dependent on the tourists (Heizer Render, p.83). Layout design: Hard Rock cafà © exist for 39 years and it expand its business to a global power managing 129 cafes, 12 hotels, casinos, live music venues and a huge Rockfest concert (Heizer Render, p.56). Each cafe is a museum in the environment of a bar-restaurant. The company also added new layouts and memorabilia to its place in order to capture more customers. Lighting, sound, screens, contemporary music and circulation plans are designed to show memorabilia and expose merchandise to customers. Human resource and job design: The layout, memorabilia, music, and videos are important elements in the Hard Rock experience but it falls on the waiters and waitresses to make the experience come alive (Heizer Render, p.445). Hard Rocks philosophy is to hire only candidates who are best qualified. The human resource department supports the overall theme restaurant strategy by giving aggressive screening, including an evaluation of how the employee will contribute to the Hard Rock experience. Their hiring decision is not only on experiences and qualifications, but also on the candidates passionate about music, their ability to tell a story, and convey the experience to customers. These decision criteria ensure that their employees interests and right fit with the company. And that can avoid the hiring mistake, thus reduce the turnover. They give great benefit package and effective indoctrination and training, empowerment. They also accept culture of diversity and focus on team world and even outside volunteer work. Hard Rock also creates a dynamic working environment so that employees want to be a part of a team. They know that as long as they can make the employees feel important and be a part of that team, the employees would want to stay with their employer. Using flexible schedules are also great strategy and could be the difference between employees staying and leaving the restaurant. The human resource department of Hard Rock recognizes that they responsible for a critical element in Hard Rocks strategy. So they must recruit and retain the human capital that is necessary to fulfill that mission and strategy. Supply-chain management: Hard Rock work with qualified suppliers to ensure fresh, quality meals. Menu item selection depends on supplying right amount of ingredients from qualified suppliers on time Inventory: Their inventory consists of unique objects related to rock history, the memorabilia, special decorations and a special menu. The collection includes 1,000s of pieces, worthed at $40 million valued memorabilia are catalogued, each piece is known where to be. Memorabilia of all cafes around the world are renewed each 5-6 years Scheduling: Understanding that scheduling plays an important role to the succesful of Hard Rock. A good scheduling can bring to the organization more effectively by serving customers promtly, and more efficiently by lowering cost (Heizer Render, 647). To have an effective schedulings strategy, Hard Rock Cafe used the scheduling software, and sales forecast. When forecasting sales in service industry, business must consider several factors related to their business. For Hard Rock Cafà ©, they need to take into these considerations: community events in the area, seasonality, holidays, time of day, day of week, sales trend in last couple weeks, and meals served is necessary for effective forecasting of sales. Events happening in the area, and using historical data for the year prior is also an effective way to the sales forecast. Hard Rock Cafà © must understand these factors directly affect sales in the restaurant because by accurate forecasting and giving the customer what they want, they can achieve successful in their business Considering seniority is important in staff scheduling. The employees who have worked for the company for a long time are more experience and more comfortable about the work. Thus, strategically scheduling each of them in each shift will distribute the experience and expertise. Also be noted that 70 % of their guests are tourists so this means that they have to have flexible schedules in their restaurants in order to provide services adapted to different cultures and demands. Maintenance: Hard Rock Cafe is redesigning its restaurant to accommodate the changing its tastes. Kitchen, bar, retail shop layout and equipment maintenance and maintenance of memorabilia. The menu review and surveys are also need to be maintenanced to meet the customers requirement. Expansion into Hanoi As we critically above, by using effectively operations management strategy, The Hard Rock Cafe has become such a successful business. Since the first Hard Rock Cafe opened in 1971, and its name has continued to expand and succeed. Nowadays, The Hard Rock Cafe has become a well-known brand in the world. Considering an expansion of its business into Hanoi, Vietnam there are operations management opportunities and challenges for Hard Rock to be considered. Vietnam is a developing country with a land of opportunities. It is a new emerging market, and is a potential investment destination. The potential for franchise in Vietnam is huge. According to global franchisers, Vietnam is a not place for franchises: a young consumer market, high economic growth and stable politics. The rise of the middle class in Vietnam also presents a growing market opportunity. Opportunities: Products and services design and quality: Vietnamese economy is among the most rapidly growing in Southeast Asia. The economy has been growing steadily at 7-8 percent in recent years. Growing economy point to accelerating poverty reduction, and is seeing living standards rise as disposable income increase. Moreover, Vietnam has a population of more than 80 million, and about two-thirds of Vietnamese aged below 30 years, who are brand-conscious, trendy and adore the Western lifestyle (Vietnam News, 2010). Particularly in the urban areas, consumers demand is surging for higher quality products and services. And the local production cannot satisfy them. Thus, franchising businesses that introduce high-end products and services with a Western lifestyle could help meet that growing demand. Therefore, as for products and services design and quality, Hard Rock is doing extremely well if they expand their business in Hanoi. Hard Rock brand name is well received by local customers who associate them with superior quality, excellent customers service, and a Western life style. Location: Vietnam is definitely a safe place to enter because of the politically stable. Understanding that franchises can create jobs for locals, and that they can help drive its economy, Vietnamese Government boost economic development and stimulus package in the Vietnamese market by using flexible policies, and welcomes foreign investment. In addition, Hanoi is a capital of Vietnam and is also a destination of tourism from many countries. And that is a good fix for Hard Rock because its main target customers are the tourists. Human resource: One of the advantage for Hard Rock open its cafà © in Vietnam is the low cost of labor. Also, there are many young Vietnamese nowadays are really passionate about Rock Roll music, and have the ability to convey the experience to the customer. So its totally not hard for the restaurant to find the right employees that fix to the image of Hard Rock Cafà ©. Supply-chain management: As for the supply-chain management, in Hanoi, Hard Rock can easily find the qualified suppliers to purchase raw materials with a cheap price but still ensure its fresh, quality meals to serve the customers. Challenges: Considering an expansion of its business into Hanoi, and to be successful in Vietnam, Hard Rock Cafà © should take the following concerns into account: Products service design: Hard Rock needs to aware of the cultural differences. They should take local culture, habits, and tastes into consideration and adjusts their market strategy accordingly to be successful in this market. They also have to be sensitive to product pricing and franchising fees for expansion in Hanoi. Vietnamese are very price-conscious and local incomes are substantially lower than many other countries in the region. Moreover, local investors may not be familiar with and are reluctant to invest millions of dollars in a new business concept. This specific of the market will require a flexible approach. Human resource: Another challenge for Hard Rocks human resource when it comes to decision expansion into Hanoi is picking the right master franchisees. This is the most difficult and time-consuming task of all in the global development of Hard Rock franchise. They need to take time to find, evaluate and conduct diligence on master-franchise candidates. They also need to consider the added cost of training and support across many times zones. Conclusion The strategy of Hard Rock has been led by the differentiation. The Hard Rock has made unique its products and its services. Hard Rock Cafà © has brought the concept of the experience economy to its cafe operation. At Hard Rock, the experience concept is not only to offer a custom meal from the menu, but also spread the spirit of rockn roll to its customers. It is successful by using this experience strategy, and Hard Rock Cafà © became a highly recognized brand throughout the world because of its operations management. After carefully evaluated the operations management strategy of Hard Rock Cafà © and considered all the opportunities and challenges for Hard Rock Cafà © when considering an expansion of its business into Hanoi, I strongly believe that the business will be going successful on this market. With a large young consumers market, growing disposable income, stable politic, and also as the locals are becoming more receptive to international brands; Vietnam is definitely a good destination and a perfect time for Hard Rock Cafà © to enter to the market and franchise its brand.

Harriet Beecher Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin Essay -- Stowe Uncle Toms C

Harriet Beecher Stowe promotes two related but distinct moral codes in Uncle Tom's Cabin: One that is based on Christian values, the other on maternal values. Consider how, at the beginning of the novel, both Uncle Tom and Eliza decide to act when told they are to be sold. Uncle Tom puts his faith in God and lets whatever will happen, happen. Eliza, who as well faces being separated from her child, decides to escape. Both decisions, though opposing, are sympathetically portrayed and seem appropriate to each character. The Christian model of behavior Stowe endorses is made clear by Uncle Tom's martyrdom and simple faith in the literal word of the bible. However the maternal model is less clear, since at times it seems to parallel the Christian model, and at other times , as in this case, it differs radically. Eliza runs away to protect her child's safety. Although Eliza's behavior, and the actions of the other strong female characters of the novel, could easily be understood by saying , "a mother of course would do anything for her child", this statement immediately puts the female characters' actions on a physical, real-life level, opposing them to the higher, spiritual choices of their male counter-parts. Are not universal ethics, ones that are held despite the situation, commonly seen as superior to situational ethics? However this hierarchy of choice misses the quality of strength and dynamism that Stowe attributes to her female characters' actions. Such a hierarchy also ignores that Stowe is calling the reader to action against slavery, and by promoting physically-based action over well-intentioned but inactive abstract ideals, Stowe perhaps is giving credence to situationally-based ethics. More than just an ethical code, Stowe... ... would be interesting to write further on the ways Stowe colludes with sexist thinking or how Uncle Tom himself embodies some of these maternal skills I speak of. Although I recognize these limitations of the paper might alienate my audience to some extent, I hope that my reader will be challenged to form an opinion that accepts the validity of the strong mother figure. Also I hope that the web-page will interest my reader in other theoretical resources. Because I saw the book as a resource and a starting-point for feminist thinking, my web page is also organized in this way. I would like browsers to find my links informative and useful in their own study of feminism and the classics of American Literature. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ruddick, Sara. "Maternal Thinking." M Studies 6 1980: 342-63 Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom's Cabin. New York: Macmillan Co., 1926.

Case Study of Time-Critical Management Essay

Based on the EMV done above, the optimum decision strategy based on the cost alone is to get the component from ARC solution and transport it via Land route. Consider the calculations attached in Memo 1 to draw the conclusion in the above analysis Sensitivity Analysis Resale of new thrust reverser . Considering the ‘Y’ as the number of years after which we are able to sell the newly purchased Thrust Reverser (Node B). As seen from Memo 2, the optimum decision strategy remains the same as long as ‘Y’ is equal or more than 2 years. Probability of whether BCS component is fit or not Consider the probability that the BCS component will fit is ‘p’ and then the probability that BCS component will not fit is (1-p) As seen from calculation done from Memo 3, The optimum decision strategy remains the same as long as p < 51.7 %. Since its mention that the probability that BCS component fits is 35% to 50%, the optimum decision remains the same. Based on the sensitivity analysis done above, our optimum decision strategy doesn’t change unless the variables take unreasonable values. However this optimum decision strategy is calculated based on cost alone, If we consider the reputation loss along with revenue for the Latin Airlines, then transporting the ARS solution component by land has a 20% chance of delaying the aircraft by 3 more days leading to significant loss in reputation of the Airlines. Whereas transporting the ARS solution component by Air doesn’t have such of extending the delay and is 100% safe way of transport. Considering the difference in the cost between transferring ARS solution component by Air and by Land, the cost difference is only $7659, which is very negligible. So after considering the loss in revenue along with reputation for the Latin airlines, we suggest that the Optimum decision strategy will be to get the component from ARC solution and transport it via Air route.

Theme 101 What Is It and Why It Matters (with 10+ Actual Examples!)

Theme 101 What Is It and Why It Matters (with 10+ Actual Examples!) What is the Theme of Your Story? A Guide for Authors Pop quiz: what is the theme of a story? Let's get the obvious answers out of the way. It's not the song that comes near the start, nor does it relate to decor and costumes (like in a 'pirate-themed' party). Theme in literature relates to what a book is about.â€Å"What Start the quiz!Share your results in the comments below!How do you approach themes when writing fiction? Do you start with a theme in mind, or do you look for common threads as you’re writing? Or are themes not necessary to all forms of fiction? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

1. Based on the Case Study and Your Own Research on Competitors, Summarize the Strategic Approaches Which Have Helped Tesco.Com Achieve Success Online. Essay Example

1. Based on the Case Study and Your Own Research on Competitors, Summarize the Strategic Approaches Which Have Helped Tesco.Com Achieve Success Online. Essay Example 1. Based on the Case Study and Your Own Research on Competitors, Summarize the Strategic Approaches Which Have Helped Tesco.Com Achieve Success Online. Essay 1. Based on the Case Study and Your Own Research on Competitors, Summarize the Strategic Approaches Which Have Helped Tesco.Com Achieve Success Online. Essay 1. BASED ON THE CASE STUDY AND YOUR OWN RESEARCH ON COMPETITORS, SUMMARIZE THE STRATEGIC APPROACHES WHICH HAVE HELPED TESCO. COM ACHIEVE SUCCESS ONLINE. Strategic decisions are ones that are aimed at differentiating an organization from its competitors in a way that is sustainable in the future. (Porter, 2002) Porter strongly advocates that decisions in business can be classified as strategic if they involve some innovation and difference that results in sustainable advantage. According to Porter, (2002) operational effectiveness and efficiency are the key elements of success in any organization. A company can outperform its rivals or competitors in the market only with superior management and efficient control creating a difference from the others which eventually attracts customers. Porter defines operational effectiveness as performance of similar activities as its rivals but better than them. A company can perform its rivals only if it can operate in different ways which are not in practice as seen in Tesco. com. After the establishment of various virtual supermarkets, a new phase began when established brick and mortar supermarkets entered the online grocery shopping arena by adopting a ‘click and mortar’ strategy. In the UK there are Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Waitrose. com. These players, by combining the strength of traditional retailing with Internet shopping, have achieved rapid growth. The SWOT analysis of Tesco. com reveals that it is most powerful retail brand, reputation for money, value, commitment, and provides wide range of products. It is growing at a brisk pace with expanding its horizon to other parts of world through acquisition and merger. Tesco. com has good opportunities in markets of European and Asia and focuses on acquiring the market through acquisition of smaller stores and merger or partnering with leaders in the specific markets. Also the success factors of Tesco reveals that Tesco had formulated its strategies around its core competence. These core competences are: PROVIDE POTENTIAL ACCESS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF MARKETS: Enables the creation of new products and services. For instance, Tesco has established a strong leadership in food retailing industry. The core competence that enabled Tesco to enter retailing of food and non-food products was a clear distinctive brand proposition that had a focus on a properly define market segment. Tesco is recognized as the company, providing the most customized and efficient service, based on a good customer relationship management. TESCO MAKES A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE PERCEIVED CUSTOMER BENEFITS OF THE OUTCOME: Delivers a fundamental customer benefit. In order to identify core competences in a particular market, the question of why is the customer willing to pay more or less for one product or service than another- needs to be addressed. For example, Tesco have been very successful in capturing the leadership of the retailing market. This shows that Tesco designs and implements effective supply systems and deliver an efficient customer interface. Tesco was the first UK grocer to launch a loyalty card and has been the most effective. Palmer (2004) claims that until recently, it was the only grocer to use the information to mail customers every month. DIFFICULT FOR COMPETITORS TO IMITATE: Highlights the need for a core competence to be competitively unique. This indicated the importance of product differentiation. For example, for many years up to 2003 (In 2003 Tesco has been recognised a leading UK food retailer) Tesco had a very strong position within the retailing industry. It had a different approach to the service concept, providing good corporate reputation and introducing new premium quality products (MarketWatch, 2004). Tesco. com bases its business strategy on these capabilities. Capabilities result from Tescos ability to combine and exploit these resources in uniquely different ways. STRATEGIES OF TESCO. COM Tesco has been pursuing a dual strategy of cost leadership and differentiation, which has led to an increased importance placed on customer service. Drawing upon Keynote (2010), this dual strategy is exhibited through the development of self-service kiosks, financial services, focused direct marketing and promotions. In order to put Tesco’s value chain analysis into perspective, despite its cost leadership strategy the company has been able to create a high degree of value in comparison with its key competitors. The relative analysis of the value created by the big four supermarket chains, i. . , Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons has been provided as follows: [pic] The following strategic approaches were adapted from the two generic strategies been used by Tesco. com which had made them successful online are as follows: FIRST MOVER OR PIONEER STRATEGY Tesco is seen as the most innovative food retailer in the UK retail market, enjoying the advantages of a first move r or pioneer of online retailer but also striving to avoid the disadvantages that become advantages to followers (Lieberman and Montgomery 1988), such as and continual innovative of products and services. The most important advances were that Tesco was first to the first to introduce internet shopping, first to introduce cut-price products under its own brand name in 1993, first to introduce a customer loyalty programme with the Tesco Club card which was followed by the rival UK chains like Sainsbury and Safeway. Also noteworthy was the launch of its first credit card in 1997 through a joint venture with the Royal Bank of Scotland, which offers points towards its loyalty programme and so has supported the latter and finally it has become the first to launch electronic shopping in the mid-1990s. Through the effective use of information technologies, it was the first retailer to introduce a completely automated replenishment system, aimed at linking in suppliers, and use an advanced scanning programme (barcode reader) from Siemens Nixdorf, aimed at cutting cashier training by up to 60 percent while simultaneously detecting the available stock in the supermarkets. Referring to all these innovations and efforts, IT director, Ian O’Reilly said that they wanted the advantages of being first mover, despite this helping the competition somewhat (Hollinger 1998). Until the follower retailers adapt these novelties to their markets, Tesco is able to exploit the advantages arising from their pre-emptive investments. This is discernible in its turnover and profit. For example By September 2005 online sales in the first half of the year were ? 401 million, a 31% year-on-year increase, and profit increased by 37% to ? 21 million. Tesco. com now receives 170,000 orders each week. Soon it should reach an annual turnover of ? 1 billion online and is generally recognized as the world’s largest. All these revenues were advantages Tesco. com got from being the first mover of online retailer. CUSTOMER FOCUS The best way to make sure customers buy your products and services is to give them exactly what they want. Companies need to take a step back from their offering and try to put themselves in the shoes of their customers. Observing people carefully and analysing how they live their everyday lives needs to be central to the design process. Tesco. com is a prime example. Realising that many of its potential customers didn’t have personal internet access during the day, it made a new online retail outlet available from pocket PC devices and Smartphones, allowing them to shop at home, at work or on the move. Customer-focused design is about getting feedback right through the design process. It’s always effective and can occasionally throw up the unexpected. The company is also very successful in terms of customer loyalty due to its loyalty cards system and its general approach to customizing services to the needs of every customer. This is truly evident in terms of tremendous growth of on-line sales where the company has a strong platform to further develop this revenue stream. After considering the fact that, nowadays majority of people have less time for shopping, Tesco employed this on-line systems and now became the biggest online supermarket. The key business strategy of Tesco is continually to increase value for customers and earn their lifelong loyalty, a strategy that is related to the staff, through appreciation of their contribution, and to the consumers by providing innovative services to meet their needs and wants. Tesco’s strategy is based on ‘customer services’, whose components can be depicted as a pyramid with a cumulative perspective from bottom to top (see Figure 1). The biggest challenge for any business is to keep in touch with customers and be aware of how their needs are changing and be able to respond quickly to their changing needs. Since Tesco want to maximise usage of online channels (web, e-mail and wireless or interactive digital TV where relevant), a distinct, detailed online value proposition (OVP) or online customer value proposition was developed for the target audiences. the online customer proposition did not simply replicated the existing service proposition or brand promise that it is available from offline channels, but it was extended to offer unique online benefits. pic] Source: www. bized. ac. uk/compfact/tesco/tescoindex. htm From the case study Tesco. com focused on improving the customer experience online, the time it takes for a new customer to complete their first order has been decreased from over an hour to 35 minutes through usability work culminating in a major site revision. For their existing customers, e-mail mar keting and direct mail marketing were used to provide special offers and promotions to customers with the intent to satisfy the customer. Tesco also offer delivery to your home service which is an obvious extension of the home-delivered groceries oncept. Tesco claims that its success in online shopping derives from its store-picking approach; Asda fills its online orders from central warehouses. Tesco’s marketing strategy is based on price, quality and service competitiveness. Their ways of achieving these included policies concerning customer service, pricing, product promotions, product range, store design, store refurbishment and advertising on TV, and in the local and national press. These strategies along with the Tesco Club card, which has 10 million active members in the UK, help to preserve customer loyalty. In addition Tesco. om use what they describes as a ‘commitment-based segmentation’ or ‘loyalty ladder’ which is based on recency of purc hase, frequency of purchase and value which is used to identify six (6) lifecycle categories which are then further divided to target communications: â€Å"Logged-on† â€Å"Cautionary† â€Å"Developing† â€Å"Established† â€Å"Dedicated† â€Å"Logged-off† the aim here is to win back). Tesco then use automated event-triggered messaging created to encourage continued purchase. For example, Tesco. com has a touch strategy which includes a sequence of follow-up communications triggered after different events in the customer lifecycle. In the example given below, communications after event 1 are intended to achieve the objective of converting a web site visitor to action; communications after event 2 are intended to move the customer from a first time purchaser to a regular purchaser and for event 3 to reactivate lapsed purchasers. i. Identify customer profile characteristics. This is a traditional segmentation based on the type of customer. For B2C e-retailers this will include age, sex and geography. For B2B companies, this will include size of company and the industry sector or application they operate in. iIdentify behavior in response and purchase. As customers progress through the lifecycle, by analysis of their database, they will be able to build up a detailed response and purchase history which considers the details of recency, frequency, monetary value and category of products purchased (RFM analysis). iii. Identify multi-channel behavior (channel preference). Regardless of the enthusiasm of the company f or online channels, some customers will prefer using online channels and others will prefer traditional channels. This will, to an extent be indicated by RFM and response analysis since customers with a preference for online channels will be more responsive and will make more purchases online. A flag within the database which indicates the customers channel preference and by implications, the best channel to target them by. Customers that prefer online channels can be targeted mainly by online communications such as e-mail, while customers who prefer traditional channels can be targeted by traditional communications such as direct mail or phone. iv. Tone and style preference. In a similar manner to channel preference, customers will respond differently to different types of message. Some may like a more rational appeal in which case a detailed e-mail explaining the benefits of the offer may work best. TOUCH STRATEGY To deliver relevance also requires a plan specifying the number, frequency and type of online and offline communications and offers. This is a contact or touch strategy. A good starting point is to ask ‘what will annoy’ the customer. Clearly if e-mail communications are too frequent, then the customer is less likely to have the time or inclination to open an e-mail. Therefore one approach is to monitor the response for e-mail communications. But higher frequencies will likely lead to higher response. This helps explain the high volume of e-mails sent by Tesco. com to its consumers, which averages between 1 and 2 per week. But Tesco. com have recently been exposed as ‘bombarding UK consumers with a massive e-mail marketing campaign’ Based on the E-mail tracking service E-mail Monitor from Interactive Prospect Targeting Services, Tesco is blitzing the nation with 16-20 million e-mails per month. It reports that in September it issued 44 separate e-mail campaigns last month which was more than Sainsbury, Asda, Waitrose and Somerfield put together. Part of this activity can be explained by Tesco’s market share. A Tesco spokesman was reported as saying ‘More people shop with us online than with anyone else and we do communicate with a lot of them by email. For existing customer E-mail marketing and Direct mail marketing is used to provide special offer and promotion to the customers. In addition Tesco. om basically relies on in-store advertising and marketing to the supermarket’s Clubcard loyalty scheme’s customer base to persuade customers to shop online. DIVERSIFYING THROUGH DIFFERENT RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND SEVICES WHICH LEADS TO CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION In a rapidly changing business environment with a high competitors pressure Tesco have to adopt new expansion strategies or diversified the existing in order to sustain its leading market position in an already established retailing market. Johnson and Scholes (2003) believe that changes in the business environment may create demand for new products and services at the expense of established provision. Ansoffs matrix also suggests that if new products are developed for existing markets, then a product development strategy has to be considered by the management level of a company. This is what management (Laura) of Tesco did. They diversified in both product and services PRODUCT DIVERSIFICATION The Product range development of Telco is also one of the key areas of heir success. From the case, it was noted that they fulfilled all the Grocery order and also offer more intangible offering such as E-diets and music download etc. Tesco also offers broadband and dial-up ISP services, but believe the market for Internet telephony (provided through Skype and Vonage, for example) is not sufficiently developed. Tesco. com concentrated on more traditional services which have the demand, for example, Tesco Telecom fixed-line service s attracted over a million customers in their first year. By May 2005, Tesco. om had 30,000 customers signed up for DVD rental, through partner Video Island (which runs the rival Screen select service). As they were diversify into new area such as Tesco Personal Finance and the telecoms businesses, as well as services offered in partnership with specialist companies, such as dieting clubs, flights and holidays, music downloads, gas, electricity and DVD rentals. It does not currently sell clothing online but in May 2005 it introduced a clothing web site (www. clothingattesco. com), initially to showcase Tesco’s clothing brands and link customers to their nearest store with this range. They also started to make home delivery services to the customers like white goods and other products. In addition to achieve growth in non-foods, Tesco has focused on building its capability in four non-foods Areas: Entertainment Health Beauty Household Clothing. Services diversification Services: Tesco Financial Services Tesco financial services products [pic] Source, tesco: a case study in supermarket excellence july 2004, www. coriolisresearch. com The company build a web site that acts as a portal to most of Tesco’s products and services, including various non-food ranges (for example, ooks, DVDs and electrical items under the ‘Extra’banner), Tesco Personal Finance and the telecoms businesses, as well as services offered in partnership with specialist companies, such as dieting clubs, flights and holidays, music downloads, gas, electricity and DVD rentals. It does not currently sell clothing online but in May 2005 it introduced a clothing web site (www. clot hingattesco. com), initially to showcase Tesco’s clothing brands and link customers to their nearest store with this range. PARTNERSHIP AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES Tesco also formed partnership, alliance with other companies in order to stay competitive. From the case study the offer services in partnership with specialist companies, such as dieting clubs, flights and holidays, music downloads, gas, electricity and DVD rentals. For example they formed partnership with Video Island (which runs the rival Screen select service) to provide DVD rentals. By May 2005, Tesco. com had 30,000 customers signed up for DVD rental, through partner Video Island. There was another partnership with eDiets and its partnership with eDiets was promoted through the Tesco Clubcard loyalty scheme, with mailings to 10m customers a year. In July 2004, Tesco. com Limited paid ? 2 million for the exclusive licence to eDiets. com in the UK and Ireland under the URLs www. eDietsUK. com and www. eDiets. ie. Through promoting these services through these URLs, Tesco used the dieting business to grow Tesco. com service and in-store sales. In addition Tesco Mobile, the joint ‘pay-as-you-go’ partnered with O2 which is mainly serviced online, to promoted in-store and via direct mail. BRAND VALUE The company has a strong brand image, and is associated with good quality, trustworthy goods that represent excellent value. Tescos innovative ways of improving the customer shopping experience, as well as its efforts to branch out into finance and insurance have also capitalized on the brand name and value. There are companies that have always understood that they were selling brands before the product. Tesco is a brand and also serves as the core strategic advantage. The company was spreading like wildfire transforming the generic into the brand-specific, largely through carefully branded packaging and the promotion of an â€Å"every penny counts† environment. The company has a strong brand image, and is associated with good quality, trustworthy goods that represent excellent value. For eample while all private label products are labeled Tesco, the company uses sub-brands to segment the Market. Tesco private label architecture [pic] Source, tesco: a case study in supermarket excellence july 2004, www. coriolisresearch. com Wal-Mart/Asda challenge: Since the US shopping giant Wal-mart purchased Asda, Tescos rank as the top UK supermarket has been threatened. Asda can now compete extremely well on price and range of goods. For the moment, Asda is the third largest supermarket in the UK, just behind Sainsburys and then Tesco. However, Asda closed the gap on Sainsburys in 2003, leaving the company to directly challenge Tescos dominance. Tesco is well aware of this, and has so far been quick to keep up with price cuts or special offers at Asda. Wal-mart may also decide to wield its buying power more heavily in the UK, and this could spell the end of Tescos brand dominance in the future. Sainsbury was the UKs biggest grocer until 1995, but was recently relegated to third position behind Tesco and Asda. Internal problems and strategic errors have left Sainsbury struggling. The company believed it could abandon the classic focus on price in favour of refurbishing store fascias (their own term for aesthetic design) and supply-chain improvements. Its loss of market share illustrates that price is still the key for many consumers. Asda, owned by US Corporation Wal-Mart since 1999, is the only supermarket with the potential to become a thorn in the side for Tesco. Wal-Mart, with global sales of $256bn in 2003, is the biggest company in the world with annual sales eight times bigger than Tescos. Asda is rumoured to be about to acquire Matalan, the giant discount clothing and home furnishing store. Already, Asdas George range of clothing is the best-selling brand in the UK. Two million of its ? 4 pairs of jeans were sold during 2003-4. Tesco’s latest strategy is to launch Tesco Telecoms, which includes Tesco Mobile and Tesco Talk, a land line service. Tesco Personal Finance has proved a big success as one of Europes fastest growing financial service providers, with over 4 million customer accounts by August 2003, and 50,000 new accounts opening each week. 35 GROWTH STRATEGY First, Tesco developed new products and services to sell to existing customers [pic] Source, tesco: a case study in supermarket excellence july 2004, www. coriolisresearch. com Next, Tesco developed new store formats to capture more customers [pic] Source, tesco: a case study in supermarket excellence july 2004, www. coriolisresearch. com Table 2: Online Survey: Elements Of Business Models In UK Online Supermarkets [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Source, 17th Bled eCommerce Conference eGlobal, Online Supermarkets: Emerging Strategies And Business Models In The UK In addition From the beginning Tesco. com used one more channel through which toreach its existing customers as well as some new ones. It tried to provide a multi-channel experience to customers it had already attracted. And that strategy allowed Tesco. coms online grocery business to thrive. Tesco’s strong brand, good use of design and innovative approach has helped to minimise customer capture costs. Coupled with its existing IT, retailing and logistics skills, this ‘clicks and mortar’ front-runner looks set to lead the e-retailing pack for some time to come. In summary Tesco explains its growth strategy with two basic diagrams [pic] Source, tesco: a case study in supermarket excellence july 2004, www. coriolisresearch. com CONCLUSION The success of the Tesco shows how far the branding and effective service delivery can come in moving beyond splashing ones logo on a billboard. It had fostered powerful identities by making their retailing concept into a virus and spending it out into the culture via a variety of channels: cultural sponsorship, political controversy, and consumer experience and brand extensions. 2. DISCUSS SOME OF THE LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED BY MANAGEMENT AS IT EMBARKS ON MOBILE TRANSACTION, DEALING WITH CLIENTS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD. Businesses that operate on the Web must comply with the same laws and regulations that govern the operations of all businesses. If they do not, they face the same penalties- including fines, reparation payments, court-imposed dissolution, and even jail time for officers and owners- that any business faces. Laws in the physical world do not apply to people who are not located in or do not own assets in the geographic area that reated those particular laws. For example, the United States cannot enforce its copyright laws on a citizen of Ghana who is doing business in Ghana and owns no assets in the United States. Any assertion of power by the United States over such a Ghanaian citizen would conflict with the Ghanaian government’s recognized authority over its citizens. Ghanaian citizens who bring goods into the United States to sell, however, are subject to applicable U. S. copyright laws. A Ghanaian Web site that offers delivery of goods into the United States is, similarly, subject to applicable U. S. laws. The level of power asserted by a government is limited to that which is accepted by the culture that exists within its geographic boundaries. Ideally, geographic boundaries, cultural groupings, and legal structures all coincide. When they do not, internal strife and civil wars can erupt. Once businesses begin operating online, they found that traditional effects-based measures did not apply as well and that the laws based on these measures did not work well either. For example, France has a law that prohibits the sale of Nazi memorabilia. The effects of this law were limited to people in France and they considered it reasonable. U. S. laws do not include a similar prohibition because U. S. culture makes a different tradeoff between the value of memorabilia (in general) and the negative cultural memory of Nazism. When U. S. -based online auction sites began hosting auctions of Nazi memorabilia, those sites were in compliance with U. S. laws. However, because of the international nature of the Web, these auctions were available to people around the world, including residents of France. In other words, the effects of U. S. culture and law were being felt in France. The French government ordered Yahoo! Auctions to stop these auctions. Yahoo! argued that it was in compliance with U. S. law, but the French government insisted that the effects of those Yahoo! auctions extended to France and thus violated French law. To avoid pro-tracted legal actions over the jurisdiction issue, Yahoo! decided that it would no longer carry such auctions. The levels of authority and autonomy with which governments of various countries operate vary significantly from one country to another. Online businesses must be ready to deal with a wide variety of regulations and levels of enforcement of those regulations as they expand their businesses to other countries. This can be difficult for smaller businesses that operate on the Web. Physical boundaries are a convenient and effective way to announce the ending of one legal or cultural system and the beginning of another. The physical boundary, when crossed, provides notice that one set of rules has been replaced by a different set of rules. Notice is the expression of such a change in rules. People can obey and perceive a law or cultural norm as fair only if they are notified of its existence. Borders provide this notice in the physical world. The legal systems of most countries include a concept called constructive notice. People receive constructive notice that they have become subject to new laws and cultural norms when they cross an international border, even if they are not specifically warned of the changed laws and norms by a sign or a border guard’ s statement. Thus, ignorance of the law is not a sustainable defense, even in a new and unfamiliar jurisdiction. This concept presents particular problems for online businesses, because they may not know that customers from another country are accessing their Web sites. Thus, the concept of notice does not translate very well to online business. The tasks of defining, establishing, and asserting jurisdiction are much more difficult on the Internet than they are in the physical world, mainly because traditional geographic boundaries do not exist. For example, a Swedish company that engages in electronic commerce could have a Web site that is entirely in English and a URL that ends in â€Å". com,† thus not indicating to customers that it is a Swedish firm. The server that hosts this company’ s Web page could be in Canada, and the people who maintain the Web site might work from their homes in Australia. If a Mexican citizen buys a product from the Swedish firm and is unhappy with the goods received, that person might want to file a lawsuit against the seller firm. However, the world’s physical border-based systems of law and jurisdiction do not help this Mexican citizen determine where to file the lawsuit. The Internet does not provide anything like the obvious international boundary lines in the physical world. Thus, the four considerations that works so well in the physical world; power, effects, legitimacy, and notice, do not translate very well to the virtual world of electronic commerce. Governments that want to enforce laws regarding business conduct on the Internet must establish jurisdiction over that conduct. A contract is a promise or set of promises between two or more legal entities. If either party to a contract does not comply with the terms of the contract, the other party can sue for failure to comply, which is called breach of contract. A tort is an intentional or negligent action (other than breach of contract) taken by a legal entity that causes harm to another legal entity. People or corporations that wish to enforce their rights based on either contract or tort law must file their claims in courts with jurisdiction to hear their cases. A court has sufficient jurisdiction to hear a matter if it has both subject-matter jurisdiction and personal jurisdiction. Businesses should be aware of jurisdictional considerations when conducting mobile commerce over state and international lines. In most states, the extent to which these laws apply to companies doing business over the Internet is unclear. Because these procedural laws were written before mobile commerce existed, their application to Internet transactions continues to evolve as more and more disputes arise from online commercial transactions. The trend in this evolving law is that the more business activities a company conducts in a state, the more likely it is that a court will assert personal jurisdiction over that company through the application of a long-arm statute. One exception to the general rule for determining personal jurisdiction occurs in the case of tortious acts. A business can commit a tortious act by elling a product that causes harm to a buyer. The tortious act can be a negligent tort, in which the seller unintentionally provides a harmful product, or it can be an intentional tort, in which the seller knowingly or recklessly causes injury to the buyer. The most common business-related intentional torts involve defamation, misrepresentation, fraud, and theft of trade secrets. Although case law is rapid ly developing in this area also, courts tend to invoke their respective states’ long-arm statutes much more readily in the case of tortious acts than in breach of contract cases. If the matter involves an intentional tort or a criminal act, courts will assert jurisdiction more liberally. Courts asked to enforce the laws of other nations sometimes follow a principle called judicial comity, which means that they voluntarily enforce other countries ’ laws or judgments out of a sense of comity, or friendly civility. However, most courts are reluctant to serve as forums for international disputes. Also, courts are designed to deal with weighing evidence and making findings of right and wrong. International disputes often require diplomacy and the weighing of costs and benefits. Courts are not designed to do cost –benefit evaluations and cannot engage in negotiation and diplomacy. Thus, courts (especially U. S. courts) prefer to have the executive branch of the government (primarily the State Department) negotiate international agreements and resolve international disputes. The difficulties of operating in multiple countries are faced by many large companies that do business online. For example, eBay, which had struggled to compete in China for many years, finally closed its operations in the country in 2006. eBay entered China in 2003 with a $30 million investment. In subsequent years, it poured another $250 million into acquisitions and advertising in China. But the effort to compete effectively against Alibaba. com’s TaoBao consumer auction unit failed. Some observers believe that a Chinese cultural tendency to favor home-grown online services was primarily to blame for eBay’s failure. But many others noted that the Chinese government made it difficult for eBay to operate in China by passing laws that favored companies that were majority-owned by Chinese entities and that blocked eBay’s PayPal unit from operating in China. Some have even accused the Chinese government of intentionally blocking access to eBay’s site for a few minutes each day so that Chinese competitors (some of which are owned, in part or completely, by the Chinese government) would appear to be more reliable. Because eBay was a foreign company, it was at a considerable disadvantage regarding government regulation and many have argued that this disadvantage was a larger factor in its failure than cultural issues. [pic] Source, electronic commerce Conflict of Laws; In the United States, business is governed by federal laws, state laws, and local laws. Sometimes, these laws address the same issues in different ways. Lawyers call this situation a conflict of laws. Since online businesses usually serve broad markets that span many localities and many states, they generally look to federal laws for guidance. On occasion, this can lead to problems with state and local laws. Jurisdictional issues are complex and change rapidly. Any business that intends to conduct business online with customers or vendors in other countries should consult an attorney who is well versed in issues of international jurisdiction. However, there are a number of resources online that can be useful to non-lawyers who want to do preliminary investigation of a legal topic such as jurisdiction. The Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet Society Web site includes links to many current Internet-related legal issues. The UCLA Online Institute for Cyberspace Law and Policy contains an archive of legal reference materials published between 1995 and 2002, important years in the development of online law. LEGALITY vs ETHNICS | |LEGAL |ILLEGAL |ETHNICAL |1 |2 | |UNETHNICAL |3 |4 | Illegal acts break the law while unethical acts may not be illegal. Any business process or activity that falls under quadrant 1 is considered legal and ethical; quadrant 2 is considered ethnical but illegal, quadrant3 is considered legal but unethical and quadrant 4 is considered illegal and unethical. Depending on the cultural and religious background of the people in a geographical location which a company wants to operate in, management must decide the type of product or service that would fall either in quadrant 1 or 3 as any of the other two quadrant would mean the company is operating any illegal business. OTHER MAJOR LEGAL AND ETHNICAL ISSUES IN MOBILE COMMERCE In addition to the above Management must also address following; i. Privacy issues in relation to management of customer collected information and cookies design on the company†s website. i. Intellectual property iii. Free speech iv. Taxation v. Computer crime vi. Consumer protection REFERENCES Strategic Management: A Case study of Walmart Inc, articlesbase. com/strategic-planning-articles/strategic-management-a-case-study-of-walmart-inc-945260. html, Ivory Research Ltd. Tomlinson, H. Evans, R. (2010), ‘Tesco stocks up on inside knowledge of shoppers’ lives’, Guardian, September 20, 2010. g uardian. co. uk/business/2005/sep/20/freedomofinformation. supermarkets [accessed 07/07/2010] Turban, E. , Rainer, R. K. Potter, R. E. (2001), Introduction to Information Technology, (Chichester: Wiley) essaycoursework. com/modelanswer/business/help/pestle/tescos. php http://mohit2nite. blogspot. com/2010/03/tescocom-increases-product-range-and_21. html ivoryresearch. com/sample5. php Irene Yousept, Feng Li, Online Supermarkets: Emerging Strategies And Business Models In The UK, Source, 17th Bled eCommerce Conference eGlobal, Bled, Slovenia, June 21 23, 2004 What Webvan Could Have Learned from Tesco, (http://knowledge. harton. upenn. edu/article. cfm? articleid=448) Tesco: a case study in supermarket excellence july 2004, www. coriolisresearch. com Andrew Summers and Digby Jones, Competitive advantage through design, CBI the Voice of Bussiness Deniz Eylem Yoruk and Slavo Radosevic , International Expansion And Buyer-Driven Commodity Chain: The Case Of Tesco http://pradeepjoram. blogspot. com/2010/03/case-study-tescocom-increases-product. html

Five reasons to ignore your grammar gremlins (for now) - Emphasis

Five reasons to ignore your grammar gremlins (for now) Five reasons to ignore your grammar gremlins (for now) Heres the good news: if you’re worried your documents are not as good as they could be, your grammar is probably not the problem. Dont get me wrong. Grammar matters. Of course it does. Getting it wrong can undermine your reputation (though probably not as much as you think – see below). Poor grammar can even completely change the meaning of a sentence. But focusing too much on it could actually be more damaging. Here are five reasons why you should get over your grammar hang-ups. 1. Poor punctuation matters more than grammar.  Colons and commas are vital sign-posts, so it’s important to put them in the right place. And a misplaced apostrophe (or, worse, a missing one) will make it look like you don’t care. On the other hand, I’d argue that no-one is going to get that worked up about whether you end a sentence with a preposition. 2. Grammar (and punctuation) issues usually indicate deeper problems. It’s probably not your imperfect understanding of a set of arcane grammar rules known only by master pedants that’s holding back your writing. It’s far more likely to be structural issues or focusing too much on your own aims rather than your readers’. In fact, worrying too much about your grammar can actually cause deeper problems. That’s because it seriously undermines your confidence, causing you to compensate with overly complex language or sentences. 3. Almost everyone struggles with it. Believe it or not, FTSE 100 directors and new graduates are often united in uncertainty over certain grammar points. Even experienced editors can spend a lifetime picking up the finer details. So waiting until you’ve perfected your grammar knowledge before you write anything is counter-productive – and futile. 4. Perfect grammar does not automatically mean perfect documents. Perfecting your knowledge of grammar will not automatically make you produce good documents, any more than memorising the workshop manual to your shiny new Ford or Volvo will make you a good driver. It’s perfectly possible to be technically perfect yet still produce an impenetrable tome stuffed with turgid professionalese. Focus on your readers’ needs, structure your document well and use the right level of language. Then you stand a very good chance of making a real impact – yes, even if you’ve misplaced a modifier or left a participle dangling helplessly. 5. It’s not too late to fill in the gaps. If English is your first language, you already know 95 per cent of the grammar you’ll ever need. (And if it’s not, take comfort from the fact that your knowledge of technical grammar rules is probably superior to that of most native English speakers, simply because we learn our first language through usage rather than studying grammar.) Native speakers beyond the age of four or five already know which common verbs are irregular. They’d never say, for example, ‘I digged a big hole in the sand’. They know that ‘dig’ becomes ‘dug’ in the past tense. They just don’t know that it’s called the past tense. (Nor, at that age, do they need to.) So the task of filling in the gaps is pretty straightforward. The odds are that the things you’re unsure about are the same ones that other people struggle with. (See point 3, above.) So, take heart. Focus first on what your reader needs to know, then tell them in as straightforward a way as possible. Then – and only then – look up any points of grammar you’re not sure about.

The Responsibility to Relieve the Suffering Essay

The Responsibility to Relieve the Suffering - Essay Example Majority of the people hate to see others suffering. They want to do something that will end suffering. It is unfortunate that most of the strategies they adopt to relieve the suffering of others are not justified. In other cases, some people relent to relieve the suffering of others when they have the potential. This implies that there are different circumstances and realities that determine the willingness of an individual to respond. There are times when people relent to help and in some way, it is justified. These people count the cost and sometimes the price to pay is too high for them. According to Hardin, he highlights how thirty-seven people failed to save a woman, who was their neighbor, from an attack (779). Hardin explains how the onlookers failed to make a phone call to the police immediately they heard her cries and saw the assailant. It is not clear why these people did not want to make a move that would have saved their neighbor. Probably some of them were ignorant but it is clear that they wanted to stay clear of the story. Analysis of this story leaves one wondering why these people were so afraid of making a phone call. They wanted to help but a certain fear prevented them from doing so. From the perspective of Hardin, sometimes we do not have to help people undergoing suffering because we want them to learn things the hard way. He illustrates a classic example of how poor countries depend on aids from richer countries. Poor countries have challenges handling natural calamities such as hunger due to climate changes, diseases, earthquake, and floods. They rely on rich countries for help. The rich countries have a choice to make on how they respond to their cries. One option would be to educate the rest of the world on better strategies of planning and budgeting as well as disaster preparedness. They can also choose to donate part of their surplus to feed the hungry nations. It is clear in his reasoning that a lifeboat survives only if critical measures are put into place. Poor countries must learn how to budget and plan. They should adopt strategies that will ensure they are independent (Hanh and Weisman 18). In addition, it is essential to learn how to control their population so that it can survive on the available resources. If rich countries continue relieving their suffering without their own initiative of finding long-term solutions, then the lifeboat will sink. Poor countries multiply so fast and similar trends of population increase are predictable in the future. On the contrary, rich countries portray a more controlled population growth. There will be more dependents in society and the rich will exhaust their resources. Overpopulation in poor counties will rise to levels that the environment cannot sustain. People from poor countries will want to immigrate to rich countries to get easier access to a better life. This immigration will lead to environmental strain in rich countries. In both cases, the lifeboat will capsize. From the analysis of Hardin’s point of view, it is evident that it is justified to withhold help with good intentions. The rich countries are not selfish; they want the poor countries to take the first responsibility in eliminating their suffering. Poor countries should learn to be more responsible in terms of both governance and planning. If rich countries always choose to relieve the suffering of the poor countries by giving those aids, they will cause devastating effects both to themselves and to the rest of the

How is toy selection associated with gender-roles and acceptance in Essay

How is toy selection associated with gender-roles and acceptance in the play ground with 5yr old children - Essay Example This paper intends to get preliminary research on the way at which children below the age of five years behave while at the play ground. It will analyze the findings of how they will react or interact with each other as a result of possessing a specific kind of toy. It will also from an analytical point of view look at the relationship between the choice of a toy by a target participant and their perceived roles while playing with each other in the play ground. The main aim of this study is to understand the relationship between children’s toy selection and gender-roles and also acceptance as observed in the play grounds. The findings are replicated to conform to what other researchers in the past have linked the three issues above. Specifically, I shall become a participant/observant in the whole process and take part in noting the behaviors of the children with reference to the toys they own. A co-nomination type of monitoring is applied while singling out every child in terms of the various types of toys owned by the children. By summarizing how many social interactions and the rate of acceptance of each child to their peers There is an already built up assumption that children tend to associate more with specific toys and may become afflicted with specific types of the toys. The roles of these children become more pronounced by the way they particularly take care of these toys. It is believed that children begin to adopt responsible behaviors right at the beginning of this tender age. In addition, there is an assumption that more children tend to acquire and strengthen their roles in the society by exercising them through their toys. This hypothesis is strong and can guide people including parents to build on that basis. Female and male children while at this stage are not sensitive of their roles within their peers but there is some sense of responsiveness to some kind of actions by the

Business in Literature Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business in Literature - Thesis Example Some people confuse ethics to morality but the two terms are quite different. For instance, Mauss and Gans (155) states that â€Å"the proper attitude toward history should be not moral but ethical.† There is need to identify the role of ethics in the market through the study of various scholarly works written by renowned intellectuals. In the novel The Rise of Silas Lapham, there is an outline of ethical responsibility where Lapham would not sell his depreciated mill property to the English agents brought to him by his former partner and informed the investor about his failing position in the market (Howells 35). This goes contrary to the economic rationality concept of self-interest where a person will only seek their profit maximization. The fulfillment of self-interest will contribute to the common good in the market according to John Stuart Mill; the Mauss theory acknowledges that the market cannot ignore the ethics of self interest in the market. His anthropology is based on the aspect of giving and receiving in the market as a basis for social integration that is important in the economic interactions. Lapharm honest in giving truthful information acknowledges the morality of exchange and interdependence of social relations in the market. Mauss anthropology emphasizes that responsibility is a fundamental con stituent of ethical subjectivity therefore responsibility for other human beings legitimizes economic actions and further stressed by Hans who states that responsibility should be extended around the world in time and space to include all of the future humanity. This is to further the utilitarianism theory in the market. The distribution of economic opportunity does not involve questions of blame and responsibility. Self-sacrifice in the face of economic dilemma leads Silas in an attempt to balance things out so as not to feel in anyone’s debt, he must uphold his image as a self-sufficient, self-made man and this depends on keeping

Injustice of Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Injustice of Healthcare - Essay Example The health care system's systematic exploitation of the many for the benefit of the privileged few has been over-looked, underestimated, or conveniently ignored by analysts and policymakers. Contrary to the assumptions of many observers, ordinary Americans are not well served by health policies and practices founded on the premise that health care should be beyond price. There are numerous identifiable ways in which political and legal systems in the United States directly or indirectly foreclose opportunities for lower- and middle-income consumers to enhance their own, as well as aggregate, welfare by purchasing low-cost, arguably lower-quality health care and health coverage. In this essay, the over regulation of the providers has been outlined and the various theological and philosophical perspectives on the injustice have been produced in the subsequent sections. The most wide spread kind of regulation of the health care sector is entry control through occupational licensure. The barring from the market of individuals who do not meet minimum standards of competence in the regulated field of endeavor, can enhance consumers' welfare by minimizing both their exposure to risks of bad service and their uncertainty in purchasing complex services. However, entry controls raise costs by excluding providers who might serve some clients adequately and cheaply, thus forcing those clients (mostly lower-income individuals) to pay higher prices for arguably more reliable services. The resulting higher prices cause some consumers to forgo needed services, with adverse health consequences. The lower-income segment of the population, even if protected against costly mistakes, bears many more of the costs of exclusionary licensure than more affluent interests. In any field in which government regulates entry, entry standards will be inefficiently high, causing more hardship than is optimal. Although quality-enhancing standards limit opportunities for cost-reducing innovations, the consumers tend to value disproportionately the added security they are supplied. Occupational regulation has other costs besides those flowing from state-imposed restrictions on entry. State legislatures typically also delegate responsibility for regulating practice of a licensed occupation to its licensing board. Such boards make rules not only curtailing the supply of competitors but also suppressing advertising, corporate or commercial practice, and other practices that might intensify competition and foster consumer choice. Moreover, at the same time that they largely control the regulatory apparatus, the licensees in each field generally organize themselves privately not only to advance their political objectives, but also to set private standards for professional practice, educational programs, and institutional providers of services. Although such private entities may not directly enforce the standards they set, these standards and their accompanying certifications of compliance usually carry decisive weight in the marketplace and with state regulators. With the public generally unaware of the cost and competitive implications of such publicly sanctioned self-regulatory regimes, the interests of the regulated are commonly advanced at consumers' expense, with cost increases a

Evaluation of Demand Elasticity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Evaluation of Demand Elasticity - Research Paper Example The value of elasticity (e) for a product lies in the range of 0 to 1. If the elasticity for a product is 0 (perfectly inelastic), then the sellers can easily manipulate changes in the price of the product. However, if the demand elasticity for the product is 1 (perfectly elastic), then the sellers must be very careful while changing the price of the product (as the demand is highly sensitive). This research paper will concentrate on the business price elasticity analysis of a Hamilton Beach 4 Speed Blender. The learnt from the paper will help the researcher to analyze the most optimal business strategy for the product (Arnold 167). Section 1: Relative Price Comparison This part of the paper will explain the relative price comparison table for the concerned product, Hamilton Beach 4 Speed Blender. This is a table that would compare the prices of the product with its close substitutes. Relative Price Comparison Table (Source: Author’s Creation) The above table explains the rela tive price comparison table for the Hamilton Beach 4 Speed Blender. The three selected locations are the different cities of Los Angeles. These are West Hollywood, Culver City and Santa Monica. The table would compare the prices of Hamilton Beach 4 Speed Blender in these three locations (prices of the same group products in three different markets in nearby geographic locations) (â€Å"Hamilton Beach 54615 Wavestation Express Dispensing Blender with 48-Ounce Jar, Black†). The two close substitute product of the Hamilton Beach 4 Speed Blender are the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juicer and the Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Peeler of Fruit and Vegetable. It should be considered that there is no perfect substitute for the mixer grinder. This is the reason for which peeler and juicer are the closed substitutes of the product. The table would also compare the prices of the close substitutes of the Hamilton Beach 2 Speed Blender in the same markets (â€Å"Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Jui ce Extractor†). Before the table is analyzed, one has to understand the meaning of a substitute product. Products are substitutes of each other if the features inbuilt in the product satisfy the same type of demand (hence, utility) for consumers. Cross price relation of substitute products is positive. For example, Coke and Pepsi are substitutes of each other and thus, the rise in the price of Coke would decrease its quantity demanded (law of demand) and increase the price for Pepsi (â€Å"Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Fruit & Vegetable Peeler – 03066†). Price of Coke Quantity Demanded for Pepsi (Source: Author’s Creation) The relative price comparison table in the above graph reflects the price differentials among the close substitutes in the three nearby markets (Hamilton Beach 4 Speed Blender, Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juicer and Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Peeler of Fruit and Vegetable) and almost no price differences in the same group of product (H amilton Beach 4 Speed Blender) in the chosen locations in these three markets (Culver City, West Hollywood and Santa Monica). Before the in-depth analysis, the cause for this situation can be explained by theory of simple economics. The close substitutes are actually products with different characteristic

Management and Leadership Situations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management and Leadership Situations - Essay Example The concept of the world under one umbrella (Globalization) has liberalized the management principles also. Management styles and methodologies have undergone drastic changes over the past two decades because of the introduction of scientific management theories in the organizations. Most of the autocratic approaches have given way to democratic approaches. Business is more oriented towards building relationships between the organization and the employees and also with the organization and the customers or public. The relationship between the employees and the organization should be in good condition for the growth of the organization. The employees should feel happy about the working conditions and the wages in order to deliver maximum productivity. If any damages caused, to the employee- organization ties up, the business may badly affect. On the other hand in some situations, the management may be forced to implement certain strategies for the benefit of the organization which may result in increased workload for the employees. Consider the following case. Your store is having an after holiday sale. All merchandise will be discounted 50% in order to make up for money lost before the holidays because of the weak economy. The store must close at its’ usual time of 10 pm so not to turn away customers but will reopen at 6 AM the following day. Although the staff is tired from a 12 hour day, they must stay past their assigned shift to complete a merchandise inventory and discount the merchandise before the opening the next day. What should the manager do?

Injustice of Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Injustice of Healthcare - Essay Example The health care system's systematic exploitation of the many for the benefit of the privileged few has been over-looked, underestimated, or conveniently ignored by analysts and policymakers. Contrary to the assumptions of many observers, ordinary Americans are not well served by health policies and practices founded on the premise that health care should be beyond price. There are numerous identifiable ways in which political and legal systems in the United States directly or indirectly foreclose opportunities for lower- and middle-income consumers to enhance their own, as well as aggregate, welfare by purchasing low-cost, arguably lower-quality health care and health coverage. In this essay, the over regulation of the providers has been outlined and the various theological and philosophical perspectives on the injustice have been produced in the subsequent sections. The most wide spread kind of regulation of the health care sector is entry control through occupational licensure. The barring from the market of individuals who do not meet minimum standards of competence in the regulated field of endeavor, can enhance consumers' welfare by minimizing both their exposure to risks of bad service and their uncertainty in purchasing complex services. However, entry controls raise costs by excluding providers who might serve some clients adequately and cheaply, thus forcing those clients (mostly lower-income individuals) to pay higher prices for arguably more reliable services. The resulting higher prices cause some consumers to forgo needed services, with adverse health consequences. The lower-income segment of the population, even if protected against costly mistakes, bears many more of the costs of exclusionary licensure than more affluent interests. In any field in which government regulates entry, entry standards will be inefficiently high, causing more hardship than is optimal. Although quality-enhancing standards limit opportunities for cost-reducing innovations, the consumers tend to value disproportionately the added security they are supplied. Occupational regulation has other costs besides those flowing from state-imposed restrictions on entry. State legislatures typically also delegate responsibility for regulating practice of a licensed occupation to its licensing board. Such boards make rules not only curtailing the supply of competitors but also suppressing advertising, corporate or commercial practice, and other practices that might intensify competition and foster consumer choice. Moreover, at the same time that they largely control the regulatory apparatus, the licensees in each field generally organize themselves privately not only to advance their political objectives, but also to set private standards for professional practice, educational programs, and institutional providers of services. Although such private entities may not directly enforce the standards they set, these standards and their accompanying certifications of compliance usually carry decisive weight in the marketplace and with state regulators. With the public generally unaware of the cost and competitive implications of such publicly sanctioned self-regulatory regimes, the interests of the regulated are commonly advanced at consumers' expense, with cost increases a

Management and Leadership Situations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management and Leadership Situations - Essay Example The concept of the world under one umbrella (Globalization) has liberalized the management principles also. Management styles and methodologies have undergone drastic changes over the past two decades because of the introduction of scientific management theories in the organizations. Most of the autocratic approaches have given way to democratic approaches. Business is more oriented towards building relationships between the organization and the employees and also with the organization and the customers or public. The relationship between the employees and the organization should be in good condition for the growth of the organization. The employees should feel happy about the working conditions and the wages in order to deliver maximum productivity. If any damages caused, to the employee- organization ties up, the business may badly affect. On the other hand in some situations, the management may be forced to implement certain strategies for the benefit of the organization which may result in increased workload for the employees. Consider the following case. Your store is having an after holiday sale. All merchandise will be discounted 50% in order to make up for money lost before the holidays because of the weak economy. The store must close at its’ usual time of 10 pm so not to turn away customers but will reopen at 6 AM the following day. Although the staff is tired from a 12 hour day, they must stay past their assigned shift to complete a merchandise inventory and discount the merchandise before the opening the next day. What should the manager do?

Partnership and Norms Essay Example for Free

Partnership and Norms Essay Partner selection and dating is an imperative basis in an individual’s accomplishment of one of his psychosocial needs. Selecting a partner and the process of dating is crucial in determining the quality and nature of future relationships and marital decisions. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, as represented by a pyramid which indicates the basic needs of man and its importance in self-actualization, the third most significant need of man is the need to belong and be loved by others (Huitt, 2004). An individual’s need to become an accepted and valuable part of society, and the need to affiliate with people of the opposite sex, is an innate characteristic of man. Therefore, selecting a partner becomes an important decision that one must make based on the most convenient choice. These choices, however, vary under various circumstances, as it is influenced by society, culture, priorities, experiences, etc. For instance, differing concepts and perceptions about love vary for individuals; therefore their decisions in selecting a partner also vary. One’s concept of love, dating, partner selection, relationship, marriage, etc. may be influenced by social factors. Society often dictates standards and norms of dating. For example, individuals who live in a society which values social status and the preservation of this particular position in society practices arranged marriages. This is usually true, especially during the age of kingdoms and monarchs. Partner selection and dating may also be influenced by culture. In ancient China, marrying individuals from different cultural backgrounds was forbidden. In this case, race and cultural compatibility becomes influential in choosing a partner. At present, however, choosing a partner and the rules of dating have changed and have evolved into a more liberal milieu. Individuals have acquired the freedom to choose partners and date, depending on their personal views and perceptions of love, relationship, and marriage as formed by their priorities and experience, such as emphasizing importance on educational attainment, occupational status, etc. These choices and priorities are backed up theories which explains once social and personal construct regarding the matter. For instance, idolizing a parent influences individuals to choose partners with characteristics similar to their parents, etc. There are a lot of significant information that pertains to partner selection and dating (Mohatta, 2006), however, the main point is that choices and decisions being made regarding an individual’s selection of a partner, setting up of dating rules and principles to live by, reasons for staying in or leaving a relationship, going into marriage, etc. vary depending on several factors, such as culture, environment, society, family, personal choices and experiences, priorities, etc. Similar to partner selection and dating, sexual norms and sexual relationships also vary depending on one’s culture and perceptions. Two different societies were mentioned and described in the lecture which greatly explains the variation between these two societies regarding sexual norms and practice. The main argument stated herein is that an individual’s concept and perception of sex is learned from the society where he belongs. This is proved by the obvious knowledge that children, as young as they are, do not understand nor have ideas and contributions pertaining to issues and discussions regarding sex. Therefore, individuals gather the idea, perception, meaning, and importance of sex from the environment. For instance, a family environment which is not open about the idea of talking about sex with their children because members of the family regard it as a wrong deed is passed on to their children. In contrast, a society open to sex education, especially in educational institutions, allows students to acquire knowledge about sexual norms and practices, leading them to become aware of all its aspects. This can be important in informing students about sexually transmitted diseases, teenage pregnancy, safe sex, etc. With these alarming issues, most especially the high rate of individuals who acquire AIDS from numerous sexual encounters, or teenagers facing the responsibility of motherhood and parenting, more societies are accepting and pushing for the administration of sexual education in educational institutions. On the other hand, religious institutions are battling this societal move by reiterating their disapproval of the use of contraceptives, as encouraged by sex education, based on religious teachings and principles (Villaviray-Giolagon, 2007). Therefore, students who absorb information learned from sexual education may start to become open-minded about sexual responsibility; while on the other hand, churchgoers strengthen their stand for abstinence and marriage before sexual interaction. These two opposing viewpoints from educational institution and the religious institutions illustrate how an individual’s idea and perception of sexual norms and sexual relationships vary depending on environment.

Four Fundamental Freedoms Of The Eu Economics Essay

Four Fundamental Freedoms Of The Eu Economics Essay The establishment of a Single Market is a key stage in the integration process of the European Community. The basis of the Single Market is the common market, which is the aim of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957). It should be achieved through eliminating the barriers for the trade among the countries (duties and quotes); establishment of Customs Union; removing the barriers to the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons; sustaining of a system guaranteeing the conditions for free competition and applying a common trade policy (in their relations with third countries) Very good . The process of creation of a common market according to the contract is defined for the period of 12 years, planned as a sequence of 3 stages, which consist of 4 years each source ?. The Single Market is based on the four fundamental freedoms of the EU: Free Movement of Goods it requires establishment of Customs Union, including removing the duties among the EU states, adoption of a common customs tariff in their relations with third countries and removing quantitative restrictions between Member States (quotes). In the beginning the duties are fixed (it is prohibited to increase them) and it is planned to remove them step by step by 1970. The decrease by the end of first stage should be 25%, by the end of the second stage 50%. During the transition period the quantitative restrictions should be removed. Source ? Special attention is given to the agricultural products due to their high sensitivity. The Treaty provides that the regulations of the common market are also valid for these products. However, a common agricultural policy is applied for the development of the sector. good The Free Movement of Persons After the end of the transition period the Treaty provides the EU citizens to have the right to accept job proposals, to move freely on the territory of the EU and in this connection to stay and live on the territory of another Member State in order to work in conformity with the national legislation. The residential right is of crucial importance and it is related to the opportunity of EU citizens to found and manage own enterprises in other Member States under the conditions of the local citizens. yes A common transport policy is applied in order to achieve the free movement of persons and goods. This will guarantee common regulations and administrative procedures that will make easier the transport connections between the Member States. The Free Movement of Services During the transition period the Member States should remove the obstacles for offering services in the industrial or trade sector, craft industry, as well as the free professions. More precisely, by the end of first stage the existing obstacles should be identified and a plan for removing restrictions should be accepted. For each service category this plan should define concrete steps for liberalization. Sources? The Free Movement of Capital It is related to the removal of all obstacles to payments and transfers of capital by residents of a Member State during the transitional period. yes However, the achievement of the aims of the Single Market is very difficult. Despite the removal of tariff restrictions on trade (duties and quotas), the experience shows that in some cases, markets are completely closed or partially limiting freedom of movement. This is the main cause for some important cases in the Court of Justice (now the European Court of Justice), related to the restriction of the free movement of goods. The case under the name of The Cassis de Dijon became significant example (Atkinson and Oleson, 1994: 984).very well. It is raised by Rewe Zentral AG against the Federal Office of West Germany in the monopoly of alcohol drinks that refuse the import of French liqueur, since it does not fit into any existing categories of alcohol used in the country and hence the inability to have an appropriate excise. The decision of the Court (case court à Ã‚ ¡-120/78) is that the refusal to license is a measure having equivalent effect to quantitative restrictions. Very we ll ! The case sets a precedent for the principle of mutual recognition of the conditions for access to the internal market of the Member States. Good ! There are other obstacles to the single market, such as problems with taxes and charges having equivalent effect to customs duties. The free movement of workers is also difficult. For example, the Kingdom of Belgium was forced to reconsider the requirement to have Belgian citizenship in order to occupy certain positions (C-149/79). Yes ! good example The integration process in the second half of the 70s and mid 80s of the 20th century is generally smooth. The main problems for the functioning of the Single Market are non-tariff in nature, stemming from differences in national legislation (Atkinson and Oleson, 1994: 984). In 1985 the Commission provided the EU Council with the White Paper Completing the Internal Market. The document recommends the elimination of physical barriers (border control at internal borders); the removal of technical barriers (requiring substantial harmonization, including industry standards, document exchange), as well as removal of fiscal barriers (taxes and government fees, which have the effect of duty, indirect taxes in particular VAT). All this requires considerable coordination and implementation of common policies in the field of police cooperation (due to the increased risk and free movement of criminals, terrorists, etc.); introduction of common rules regarding state aid and competition, public p rocurement and more. Very well ! The report sets a new stage of enhanced removal of technical, legal and other obstacles. A number of directives and regulations have been adopted; the most important one is the signing and entry into force of the Treaty on European Union (1992) and practical creation of Single Market. The process continues after that and becomes the basis for the eastward enlargement after putting behind the fear of socialism. Good ! According to the Eur-Lex current regulations in the field of Internal market regarding harmonization of legislation are 1053, and in the field of Internal market: policy related to enterprises 48. Source? Despite these achievements, nowadays the Single Market continues to face some obstacles and problems (non tariff barriers), that are intensified in the conditions of a crisis. A new strategy for the Single Market (Monti, 2010) is published in 2010 in order to overcome the new challenges (especially the growing nationalism and weak political activity for improving the Single Market in terms of continuing crisis) in 2010 published report A new strategy for the Single Market (Monti, 2010). The report concludes that in many areas the Single Market is not yet sufficiently developed. Yes ! It remains fragmented which hampers the innovations and suppresses the growth potential of the European economy. Free movement of persons, goods, services and capital is not always smooth yes !, which is often a result of administrative barriers and weak enforcement of EU regulations. Among the main recommendations is the building of a stronger Single Market (including through the development of digital Single Market and providing green growth). This requires the achievement of political consensus and continuing efforts to deepen integration and improvement of the Single Market. Existing barriers can be summarized for each of the four freedoms. Movement of goods is hampered by problems such as licensing regimes (lack of a European patent), counterfeiting and piracy good ; national fiscal policies (in particular VAT) etc. The Free Movement of Services faces more important barriers, including lack of standardization (reflecting on the difficulty to assess their quality and effectiveness), insufficient transparency in some sectors (e.g. banks in relation to taxes and commissions) etc. good Free movement of persons is hampered by barriers to the recognition of professional qualifications, the availability of physical control of borders (airports, delaying the accession of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area) etc yes . Free movement of capital is hindered mainly by fiscal and other barriers (an important issue is offshore zones, allowing evasion of tax systems Eden and Kudrle, 2005) yes. The efforts of the Commission to overcome the problems continue. Commission makes 50 proposals in its Single Market Act (COM/2010/0608), which after public consultation have been reduced to 12 instruments (COM/2011/0206). Whether their practical implementation will lead to real development in the Single Market depends to a high extent on the desire for political cooperation and practical efforts towards change. Very good ! References Atkinson, G. and Oleson, T. (1994) Europe 1992: From Customs Union to Economic Community. Journal of Economic Issues, 28(4), pp. 977-995 Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957). [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/index.htm#founding [Accessed 9 July 2012] à Ã‚ ¡-120/78, Judgment of the Court of 20 February 1979. Quantative restrictions measures having equivalent effect [Online]. Available at: http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2009-05/tra-doc-bg-arret-c-0120-1978-200802154-05_02.pdf [Accessed 10 July 2012] C-149/79, Judgment of the Court of 17 December 1980. Commission of the European Communities v Kingdom of Belgium. Free movement of workers.  [Online]. Available at: http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2009-05/tra-doc-bg-arret-c-0149-1979-200802156-05_00.pdf [Accessed 11 July 2012] Commission Of The European Communities, Completing the Internal Market. White Paper from the Commission to the European Council (Milan, 28-29 June 1985), COM(85) 310 final, Brussels, 14 June 1985. [Online]. Available at: http://europa.eu/documents/comm/white_papers/pdf/com1985_0310_f_en.pdf [Accessed 11 July 2012] Treaty on European Union, Official Journal C 191, 29 July 1992. [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/dat/11992M/htm/11992M.html [Accessed 11 July 2012] Eur-Lex, 13 Industrial policy and internal market. [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/bg/legis/latest/chap13.htm [Accessed 11 July 2012] Monti, Mario (2010) A new strategy for the Single Market. At the service of Europes economy and society. Report to the President of the European Commission Josà © Manuel Barroso. [Online]. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/strategy/docs/monti_report_final_10_05_2010_en.pdf [Accessed 11 July 2012] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Single Market Act Twelve levers to boost growth and strengthen confidence Working together to create new growth, COM/2011/0206 final. [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0206:FIN:EN:HTML [Accessed 11 July 2012] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Towards a Single Market Act For a highly competitive social market economy 50 proposals for improving our work, business and exchanges with one another, COM/2010/0608. [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52010DC0608:EN:NOT [Accessed 11 July 2012] Eden, Lorraine; Kudrle, Robert T., Tax Havens: Renegade States in the International Tax Regime? Law Policy, Jan2005, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p100-127 2) Corporate social responsibility (CSR) The interest of the public attention to CSR should be viewed in the context of contemporary culture and in particular global interest in the protection of human rights and freedoms and the understanding of responsibility in various aspects. Yes . The promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Universal Declarations of Human Rights (1948) (no doubt influenced by Christian ethics) is the result of realizing the value of human life and equality of persons before the law. The constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens in developed societies is the basis for developing various initiatives for their actual implementation in society. Therefore, serious violations of these rights are a factor which attracts attention to CSR. Very well. Some violations of multinational corporations (MNC) are: Injuring local community in the process of exploitation of natural resources. An important example is the activities of Shell in Nigeria. During the military regime the government did not return any or very little of the oil revenue to the local population. In this reason Ogoni people started a political fight to defend their rights. The attention of the international community is drawn to the problem after the execution of representatives of the Movement for Ogoni Rights (Holzer, 2007). Good example exploitation of workers, including children. This category includes issues such as disregard for labour rights, long working hours, rest in work time, working under hazardous conditions without protective equipment etc. In many cases this is caused by imperfect legislation or lack of it in developing countries, but also it depends on cultural differences. For example, there is considerable opposition to introduce a ban on children working in the footwear sector in Brazil (Zwolinski, 2007). Good example Another factor directing public attention to CSR is associated with the use of environmentally harmful practices. In the late 70s some MNC (especially in oil and automobile industries) are accused of serious pollution of air, ocean, soils (Eells, 1975). The activities of Shell in Nigeria have significant environmental damage to areas in the delta of the River of Niger (Holzer, 2007). The ocean oil spills also caused a significant damage to nature. Among the worst spills in the history are those in the Gulf of Mexico after the explosion on the platform Deepwater Horizon (about 4.4 million barrels Griggs, 2011) and spills from tanker Exxon Valdez (240 thousands barrels poured into the Gulf of Alaska in 1989 Bowen and Power, 1993). yes Unchanging principle of the responsibility is that the one caused some damage is obliged to restore it or compensate proportionately it. This is one of the fundamental principles underlying the CSR. Moreover, in todays world not correction (after the damage) is increasingly important but to make efforts to prevent and reduce the negative practices good point. This promotes the use of CSR as a good practice. In opposition to the socio-economic approach of CSR is the purely economic approach to business. The most outspoken supporter of the economic approach is the monetarist Milton Friedman (1970). He sees business as an activity whose main task is to maximize wealth of shareholders. In the free-enterprise system business can not have any purpose other than profit which implies reducing unnecessary costs including those for CSR. Yes indeed. In this sense, the implementation of extraneous social work is a kind of tax on company activity which reduces economic efficiency and competitiven ess. Moreover, according to Friedman (1970) the imposition of public opinion to corporations for providing CSR violates the foundations of liberal society (democracy) which values are replaced à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹by values of socialism. An additional argument of Friedman (1970) is that the company itself is an artificial product of man, it cannot be liable only people can have responsibilities. Yes ! Another theory in opposition to the CSR concept is the theory of Henderson (2009) who considers the continued spread of CSR in practice as a threat. According to Henderson (2009:11) The doctrine rests on mistaken presumptions about recent economic developments and their implications for the role and conduct of enterprises, while putting it into effect would make the world poorer and more over-regulated. According to Henderson (2009) the true role of business consists of four propositions. First of all, the economic progress is driven by innovative activities related to profit. Secondly, the competition should be the only tool that contributes to development and thus improve welfare. Thirdly, the role of business units should be the engine of progress through private ownership and profit-directed activity (capitalism). Fourthly, in market economy conditions and intense competition, companies make their profits by attracting customers with various offers in an innovative way. Interesti ng point ! Very good answer ! References Bowen, Michael G. and Power, F. Clark (1993) The moral manager: communicative ethics and the exxon valdez disaster. Business Ethics Quarterly. 3 (2), p.97-115 Eells, Richard (1975) Multinational corporations under fire. Management Review, 64 (2), p.43-45 Friedman, Milton (1970) The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits. The New York Times Magazine, September 13. [Online]. Available at: http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business.html [Accessed 12 July 2012] Griggs, John Wyeth (2011) BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. Energy Law Journal, 32 (1), p.57-79 Henderson, David (2009) Misguided corporate virtue: the case against csr, and the true role of business today. Economic Affairs. 29 (4), p.11-15. Holzer, Boris (2007) Framing the Corporation: Royal Dutch/Shell and Human Rights Woes in Nigeria. Journal of Consumer Policy, 30 (3), p.281-301. International Bill of Human Rights. A Universal Declarations of Human Rights, 1948. [Online]. Available at: http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/043/88/IMG/NR004388.pdf?OpenElement [Accessed 12 July 2012] Welles, John C. (1973) Multinationals Need New Environmental Strategies. Columbia Journal of World Business. 8 (2), p11-18 Zwolinski, Matt (2007) Sweatshops, choice, and exploitation. Business Ethics Quarterly. 17 (4), p.689-727. 3) Internationalization of the business The company has the opportunity to expand its operations by penetration of the foreign market. Several reasons support the decision to internationalize company operations. The first factor is the successful business development in the local market (Thai and Chong, 2011). The internationalization of business is facilitated by resources, ensuring local competitiveness, such as knowledge and experience in manufacturing and marketing (to know the characteristics of demand and market segmentation which can be successfully applied in other markets particularly when demand has a similar characteristics), known brands, ability to learn and utilization of knowledge and others (Wright et al, 2007). good Another internal factor facilitating internationalization is the availability of adequate human resources, including international experience of managers and entrepreneurs, managerial competence (international business skills and management know-how) (Ruzzier et al, 2007), leadership skills, etc. The interpersonal business skills include cognitive capabilities and personal aptitudes, cross-cultural competence and communication skills, knowledge integration and applications, disciplinary knowledgebase and methodologies (Mughan and Kyvik, 2010). good Other factors that influence decision for international expansion are the expectations for growth and other positive effects of the internationalization of business. The company should have adequate organizational capability securing growth in order to achieve these benefits (Thai and Chong, 2011). Some of the positive effects of internationalization are increased volume, revenue and profits. In addition, the company can expect so-called learning by exporting effect (Sicoli, 2012). As a result of the internationalization of business companies could improve knowledge which leads to increased productivity (including effects due to economies of scale). Very good ! Some external factors also influence the internationalization of corporate activities such as processes of globalization and integration, liberalization of international trade and removing trade barriers (Sicoli, 2012). Other factor is price differences of manufactured products between domestic emerging market and developed foreign markets (due to existing cost differences) (Vasilchenko and Morrish, 2011). yes There are few possible strategies for entering the foreign market. The strategy of direct export has the lowest risk and lower costs but it gives a more limited ability to control business activity yes !(Wright et al, 2007). Exports of foreign market are achieved through a sales network agents, distributors, retailers which are generally independent business units. The relationships in the network are based on contractual agreements (Philippe and Là ©o, 2011) yes !. Strategic alliances with suppliers or customers (even though it carries risks such as choosing the wrong partner or excessive dependent on them) allow the realization of cost benefits and service benefits, including taking advantage of technological advance or prior knowledge (Vanpoucke and Vereecke, 2010) yes !. The creation of a joint venture is characterized by high risk and significant investments. However, it allows far greater control over the activity and can bring all the benefits of strategic alliances yes !. C reation of subsidiaries (with the highest risk) or franchise network (with relatively low risk but here the success requires effort for standardization and control) provides the highest level of control (Wright et al, 2007) yes. In theory there is an common view that firms should enter the foreign market incrementally, first through direct export and subsequently by partly controlled network (join venture, strategic alliance) or fully controlled network (subsidiaries, franchises) taking into account the current circumstances and firms competitive advantages (Philippe and Là ©o, 2011) very good !. No matter which strategy will be chosen in order to internationalize the business, the firm needs to create a network. The relationship, trust and relationship commitment decisions predetermine future success because what happens, happens in relationships. So success depends on the available knowledge and ability to learn; opportunities and creativity; capabilities and trust building (Schw eizer et al, 2010). Good In order to achieve successful penetration of foreign markets Wen and Arokiasamy (2011) propose firm to implement integrated business strategies in foreign market, which is separated by three groups of strategies. The first group is the international marketing strategies, which include Market entry strategies, Diversification and Marketing mix. The second group is The International Operation Strategies, which includes Logistic Management, Oversea Subsidiaries, Oversea Production and Headquarters. The third group of strategies is International Business Strategy, which include Standardization, Differentiation, Localization and Level of Commitment. Very good ! However, to enter a foreign market successfully the company has to learn quickly (which will contribute to reduction of the risk) and keep cultural differences into account (Thai and Chong, 2011). Many cultural differences can affect the operational efficiency (increase costs or reduce revenues) such as using language, religion, behaviour standard, body language and greetings, power distance, etc. The main problem is when after the internationalization firm faces to cultural shock (stress caused by cultural change). Cultural shock can significantly worsen the working environment; negatively affect the organizational culture and performance very good !(Grundey, 2008).