How to Tell Time in English for Beginners

Use this role play to practice telling the time. Make sure you know how to use the twelve hour clock to speak about times in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening. Use the preposition at to speak about specific times. Key Vocabulary Related to Telling Time Excuse me, could you tell me the time, please?What time is it?Its half past...Its quarter past...Its ten to...Its quarter to...Its twenty toIts twenty pastIts ten forty five.1:00 —  One o’clock2:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Two  o’clock3:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Three  o’clock4:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Four o’clock5:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Five o’clock6:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Six  o’clock7:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Seven  o’clock8:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Eight  o’clock9:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Nine  o’clock10:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Ten  o’clock11:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Eleven  o’clock12:00  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Twelve  o’clock Talking About the Time of Day There are many ways to talk about the time of day in English without using an exact time. Here are some of those vocabulary words. Dawn: Early morning before or just as the sun rises.Sunrise: When the sun rises.Sunset: When the sun sets.Noon: Exactly 12 P.M.Midnight: Exactly 12 A.M.Midday: The stretch of time in the middle of the day, from approximately 11am to 1pm.Afternoon: Literally, the hours afternoon, but more specifically from 1 to 4 P.M.Early: The morning hours, approximately before 9 A.M.Day/daytimeTwilight: The time just before the stars come out.Dusk: Early evening, just before or as the sun is setting.Early evening: From about 4:30 to 6 P.M.Evening: The period of time after sunset but before night.Late: The evening hours, approximately after 11 P.M.Night/nighttimeoclockA.M.--Used with a 12 hour clock for talking about times before  noon and after midnight.P.M.--Used with a 12-hour clock for talking about times before midnight and after noon. Practice Dialogue Jane: Could you tell me the time, please?Steve: Certainly. Its 3 P.M.Jane: That late? I thought it was early afternoon still.Steve: Time flies when you are busy. Did you enjoy your morning?Jane: I did, but now I have to rush in order to get home before dusk.Steve: Have a good evening. See you back here tomorrow bright and early!Jane: Yes! Ill arrive by dawn or shortly thereafter.

Transportation as a Source of Air Pollution - 2250 Words

STRATEGIC APPROACH TO REDUCING VEHICLE EMISSIONS IN NIGERIA: ROLE OF FLEET OPERATORS. BEING A LECTURE PRESENTED BY ENGR. BG IBRAHIM fwc ACM (SED) AT SAFETY MANAGERS TRAINING PROGRAMME AT FRSC ACADEMY, JOS ON THE 28TH AUGUST,2009. INTRODUCTION 1. In developed and developing countries, the history of air pollution problem has typically been high levels of smoke and sulphur dioxide arising from the combustion of sulphur-containing fossil fuels such as coal for domestic and industrial purpose.[i] Industrial development and the use of fossil fuels have affected the world climate adversely. In Nigeria epileptic power supply has brought about the use of diesel and petrol powered generators virtually in all homes 2. The transport†¦show more content†¦It was also revealed that in 1998, a single car in Nigeria emitted 29,600kg of hydrocarbons, 34,000kg of Nitrogen Oxides and 4,029 kg of different carbonate gasses over its average lifespan.[iii] CAUSES OF POLLUTANTS IN VEHICLE 5. Motor vehicle use is now generally recognised as the source of more air pollution than any other single activity in cities around the world. The internal combustion engine of a vehicle produces power by burning fuel and changing the chemical energy of fuel into heat energy. The heat energy is then converted into mechanical power. Cars and trucks do not burn all of the fuel that goes into the combustion chamber. In fact, most vehicles only burn about 85% of the fuel and as the vehicle gets older less and less fuel is burned. It is this unburned fuel that produces some harmful products which are discharged from the engine and become air pollutants.[iv] Therefore, an engine’s fuel system, and its emission controls are closely interrelated. That is why attention is given to the requirements of emission control in the design and operation of all parts of the fuel system in a vehicle. EFFECTS OF POLLUTANTS IN VEHICLES 6. Adverse effects to human health include; a. Reduction in the amount of oxygen that can be delivered to our body’s organs and tissues, which can be life threatening caused by particles of carbon monoxide. A mildShow MoreRelatedThe Four Important Dimensions Of Sustainability Models Essay1246 Words   |  5 Pagestopic of air pollution. In recent days, air pollution has become one of the most important public health issues. Any harmful gas, liquid or solid substance which damages the environment is called as air pollution. Air pollution are of two type’s indoor air pollution and outdoor air pollution. The Transportation sector is one of the major source of Air Pollution (Harish, M., 2012). Air pollution cause serious threats to the human life and the ecosystem. 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That pollutants we put in the air are causing this thing called â€Å"Global Warming.† The information that sometimes gets left out is the impact of ambient air pollution to the health of humans. Ambient air pollution is outdoor pollution originating from industries, cars, and trucks. These pollutants can wreak havoc on the human respiratory system (Ambient air pollution). Respiratory conditions suchRead MoreEssay On Air Pollution1500 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction: Pollution is when a harmful or poisonous gas is emitted in the presence of air that can be very harmful to the environment even for humans, especially when we don’t do anything . We might think that pollution is not really a problem in the world but it is one major problem and some countries are suffering from it now. There are many ways that we can stop pollution about but we just don’t really take matter of it, if people will just observe how pollution is affecting the environmentRead MoreAir Polution And Outdoor Air Pollution1299 Words   |  6 PagesProblem Poor air quality can be classified into two types of air pollution: indoor air pollution and outdoor air pollution. Both types of air pollution affect developed and developing countries through diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, acute respiratory disease, stroke, and chronic respiratory disease. According to a World Health Organization report of 2014, over ninety percent of the global population was living in areas where air quality level did not meet the air quality guideline

My Favorite Hobby Free Essays

Wind blowing into my face, my eyes where after few seconds the tears come out and I am speeding and crying but this are not the tears of sadness but the tears of joy. Stop. Here I am in the most beautiful place in the world, surrounded by mountains covered in snow. We will write a custom essay sample on My Favorite Hobby or any similar topic only for you Order Now Sun is shining, even though it’s minus ten but I haven’t even noticed because I’m too happy. I have the feeling of being on top of the world and that there’s nothing that can stop me. It’s great to have a passion that makes you feel like this. I’m lucky to have one. During the time that most of people like to spend drinking warm tea and reading a novel, I’m cruising through snow, both my legs strapped to a wide plank of wood and fiberglass, practicing sport known as snowboarding. Writing this essay helped me to realize that I haven’t chosen this hobby by a coincidence. Both of the characteristics of this sport changed the world history. Events like the French revolution of 1789 or the uprising in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw in 1943, would not have happened if people hadn’t had courage and belief in freedom. Courage. Many people who know me well say, that I have courage. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. I was raised in this spirit by my entrepreneurial parents who had big respect for hard work. I learned that hard work will always be rewarded. I helped in my family’s business, since I turned 14 and I learned the pros and cons of having your own business. Even though the disadvantages seemed big to me at that time, as an only child I knew that I would run the business one day. By the time I turned 18, I was fully at peace with this idea. It’s hard to imagine how big my shock was when one year later my father got a brain cancer and passed away and a year later our self-built family company. The shock was big and lasted long but I knew one thing – I had no plan and I needed one. I put myself together and made a new plan – studying, developing myself, investing in what my father used to say â€Å"nobody will ever be able to take away from you† which is knowledge. Where I am today, doing what I do is the result of that experience and my patience, persistence and hard work. Freedom. During an exchange programme for students, we played a game in which each of us had to choose 3 words representing our values. Surprisingly I had no problem to choose the number one â€Å"freedom†. I found that amazing to discover, that freedom was more important to me than things like â€Å"family†, which was the number two, â€Å"love†, not to mention – â€Å"career† or â€Å"development†. Even today I know that only through â€Å"freedom† can I achieve all the other values that are important to me. It organizes my priorities and my moral system. It’s the freedom of my own choices and the freedom of always standing for what I believe in. Moreover, it is also about honesty and respect to other people, which are my personal code of conduct. And when necessary it is the freedom to give up some of our freedom out of love and respect for others. Courage and all the notions of freedom described above are helping me to be successful in business. I am always a promoter of honesty and transparency in the workplace, as well a big supporter of the sustainable development agenda. What makes it different but not less exiting than my sport activities, is the fact that I don’t have to do it in minus ten degrees Celsius†¦ How to cite My Favorite Hobby, Essay examples

Hello, my name is free essay sample

Dark as the farthest corner in your house, long as a horse’s tail, and thick as a Webster’s dictionary. My hair. And in the stereotypical world of a middle school student, appearance was important – the hairstyle having the most value. There were not many options for an Indian girl like me. The only style of hair was a braid, and if I felt unconventional, two. Despite the grand attention my hair received, it came with drawbacks. My mom had to wake up every morning to braid the thick waves, I would get frequent headaches from the weight upon my head, and the amount of shampoo and conditioner that I needed was preposterous. But these snags weighed almost equally to my hair’s boon: strangers were awed by the river of my flowing locks; it set me apart from just â€Å"another Indian girl†; and relatives from India would say, â€Å"What a good Indian girl she is to continue following the Indian culture,† as they admired my capability to follow suc h an Indian tradition of long hair in the United States. We will write a custom essay sample on Hello, my name is: or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But I soon grew tired of my wild, long hair. I wanted an alteration in my appearance but I could not come to a decision. My mother urged me to maintain my long hair; she was sure that both of us would lose a part of our heritage if I didn’t. She constantly reminisced about when she had hair longer than mine, but had to cut it off to fit the fast-pace lifestyle of the U.S. But a fear arose in me that when I cut away my hair, I might also be cutting away my identity. I was always associated with my long, braided hair. If it was gone, I could not comprehend what more there was to Sneha that made her matchless. After many weeks of thought, one lucky beautician got to battle the jungle atop my head. My hair was snip, snip, snipped off†¦from my hips to an inch under my shoulders. A new me, just in time for high school. This decision eventually transported me to the realization that hair is just hair. Our hair my grow and change just as we do, but by no means controls how we grow or change. My old hair was not my name tag and it was not my bond to my heritage. I was. Even though my hair now swung loosely at my shoulders, I strengthened the ties I kept with my heritage by performing modern Indian dance. I was recognized as the comical and perceptive girl that I was. No longer did my name tag say â€Å"Distinctive, long hair†. Instead, it said Hello, my name is: Sneha

3 Secrets That Will Maximize Your SEO Success With Lydia Gilberston

3 Secrets That Will Maximize Your SEO Success With Lydia Gilberston Search engine optimization, or SEO, gets a lot of attention. While everyone knows it’s important, not everyone knows how to do it. You can get a lot of surface-level advice on SEO, but today we’re going to dig a little deeper by talking to a true expert in the field. Lydia Gilbertson is from Distilled in Seattle, Washington, She has a lot of knowledge and experience working with large clients where organic rankings are important to the bottom line. We’re going to talk about how to write content with SEO in mind, how to structure a sitemap, and some ideas for increasing site speed. Some of the highlights of the show include: What Lydia does at Distilled and what types of problems she helps solve. Searcher intent: What it is and why it’s important for SEO. Where marketers should start if they want to optimize their current content. What sitemaps are and why they’re important, as well as where many sitemaps go wrong. The importance of site speed for SEO and why it matters. Lydia also shares her best tips for improving site speed. Lydia’s top advice for increasing your organic search rankings. Powered by PodcastMotor Actionable Content Marketing powered by By AMP055: 3 Secrets That Will Maximize Your SEO Success With Lydia Gilbertson From Distilled 00:00/00:00 1x 100 > Download file Subscribe on iTunes Leave Review Share Links: Distilled Screaming Frog Page Speed Insights If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Lydia: â€Å"A good portion of [getting into the searcher’s mind] is just basic empathy towards trying to put yourself in the user’s situation.† â€Å"A good way to keep your sitemap organized is to just remember that it’s there.† â€Å"Optimize your website for just being a good user-friendly website. It’s generally the most important thing that you could focus on.†

Containment and Two Superpowers essays

Containment and Two Superpowers essays After World War II, two super powers emerged; the United States of America and the Soviet Union. The competing ideologies led American leaders to pursue a policy of containment. The struggle that ensued between these two powerful nations is now referred to as the Cold War. From the 1940s to 1990 tensions developed between two superpower nation. The united states and the Soviet Union had an era of confrontation and competition. In 1945 President Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin met at Yalta in order to plan a postwar world. They discussed issues over Poland and came to an agreement that soviets could set up a government within it. Stalin agreed that the government would include members of the prewar Polish government and that free elections would be help as soon as possible. In this a Declaration of Liberated Europe was formed. Soviets broke the Declaration which caused tensions to rise between the United States and Soviet Union. But before action could be taken, President Roosevelt died and Harry Truman took office. Truman met Stalin at Potsdam to decide what to do with Germany. The communist countries became satellite counties. The countries that separated communist and the non communist became known as the iron curtain. Along telegram was released by George Kennon, which explained his views on soviet goals which he thought Europe was experiencing hardships after the war and was in search for a way to secure there economy which the Soviets could provide. The U.S. should take advantage of this in order to keep the government within its borders.(2) After this in 1947 the Truman Doctrine was formed in which Truman asked for 400 million dollars to fight soviet aggression in Greece and Turkey. The goal of this was to free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities of outside pressure. Greece was being terrorized by the soviets because they wanted to expand there government. Greeces army was ...

Environmental Economics Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Environmental Economics Analysis - Term Paper Example Environmental economics is a subfield of economics concerned with environmental issues (other usages of the term are not uncommon). In using standard methods of neo-classical economics, it is distinguished from green economics or ecological economics, which include the nonstandard approaches to environmental problems, environmental science/environmental studies, or ecology. (Wikipedia) The economic growth is, in fact, good for the environment, and there are limits to the contribution that economic growth can make to human well being. Forests are being depleted throughout the world since this is the economically optimal strategy for the owners. However, forests not only provide timber but also perform global ecosystem services. Forests absorb carbon dioxide, preserve biodiversity, prevent soil erosion, maintain hydrological cycle, etc. Hence, global environmental sustainability, a prerequisite for economic sustainability, might require that limits be placed on the depletion of natural resource stocks, even if it appears that this means sacrificing some of the monetary value of these stocks As the market cannot reflect all the values of the services provided by the natural environment, this implies that environmental sustainability places a constraint on economic growth. Because the services provided by natural resources are not traded in the markets, they are not reflected in the value of conserving natural resource stocks. In economic terminology, these are examples of market failures, and that is an outcome, which is not efficient in an economic sense. Here the inefficiency is caused because too much of the polluting activity will be carried out, as the polluter will not take the interests of those adversely affected by the pollution into account. This has led to controversial research into measuring well being which tries to measure when pollution is actually starting to affect human health and general quality of life.  Ã‚  

Preaching from the Old Testament Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Preaching from the Old Testament - Essay Example The preacher may have the ability to sermonize putting the thoughts down neatly on paper; yet the preacher may not be able to forcefully and powerfully deliver them to the listener's heart. The whole humankind must preach under the anointing of the Holy Spirit for the sermon to live. When a sermon really lives, the listening audience will crave for more of the same. The answer to many of the problems concerning empty church buildings could be conquered in the pulpit, even before the preacher enters it to preach. For this to happen, the preacher must take preaching seriously. In this paper, we would be discussing on the values, if any, of preaching the difficult passages of the Old Testament to a Congregation. We would be discussing on the Hermeneutics and Homiletics of preaching along with Old Testament Exegesis in the preaching of the Old Testament. Young preachers are often told, 'You must preach Christ from the Old Testament.' But for example, having just finished preaching on Psalm 121, and realizing that we have said little or nothing about Jesus, we may be in great agitation, and search desperately for a magic formula which will help us to preach Christ from the Old Testament. ... passage shows why Jesus is needed; or (3) the passage speaks about something that reminds us of Jesus; or (4) the passage speaks about something that could not be accomplished without Jesus; or (5) the passage shows us an individual/group unlike Jesus. The point here is not to comment on whether these five ways are helpful or not so much as the inherent danger in the approach. It is likely to produce preaching that is wooden and insensitive to the rich contours of biblical theology. Its artificiality would lie in our going through the motions of exegeting and expounding the Old Testament and then, remembering the formula, tidying our notes in order to align them with it. The net result over an extended period of time might be akin to that produced by children's sermons in which the intelligent child soon recognizes that the answer to the minister's questions will always be one of: 1. God; 2. Jesus; 3. Sin; 4. Bible; 5. Be Good. Of course we need to work with general principles as we develop as preachers; but it is a far greater desideratum that we develop an instinctive mindset and, corresponding to that, such a passion for Jesus Christ himself, that we will find our way to him in a natural and realistic way rather than a merely formulaic way. This is a much bigger issue than how we preach Christ from the Old Testament, for at least two reasons. First, because many sermons from the Gospels - where the focus is explicitly on the person of Jesus - never mind from the Old Testament is far from Christ-centred. How is this possible The preacher has looked into the text principally to find himself and his congregation, not to find Christ. The sermon is consequently about 'people in the Gospels' rather than about Jesus Christ who is the gospel. The real question the

Policy Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Policy Brief - Essay Example This service will also promote security and make people to refrain from getting involved in criminal activities. They will therefore, look for other options such as setting up a business to sustain themselves. This will increase the level of employment and widen the sources of revenue to the government. The gross domestic product of the country will also improve due to increase in number of people doing business. Furthermore, it will enhance productivity among the members of a society because; they will not be worried about their security. The service will be tested through multiple testing to ensure that it works and is free from abuses. This technology will require every mobile owner to submit his or her details with the intelligence offices. The fingerprints will be taken and every individual will have a secret code that will be pressed once criminals attack a person. Once the code is pressed, security personnel will be alerted. The location and the names of the individual appear on the security personnel computers. The security personnel will quickly identify the nearest police stations in the area and instantly communicate for a quick measure to be taken. Mobile phones will therefore, be used to ensure that security of the individual is guaranteed. The service will function in such a way that even if the phone is stolen, the second person cannot use it. The phone can be traced and the last person’s fingerprint will be detected and used to launch investigation using information stored in the database in the security headquarter. For this mobile service to succeed, it requires cooperation of security officers with the citizens. Every citizen will be required to scan their fingers and retain their details with police officers. The second condition is that the person when attacked must dial the secret code. Thirdly, the security intelligence department will be required to be vigilant and put up measures to enhance the security of

Discussing The Restraint Autonomy Of Elderly Patients Nursing Essay

Discussing The Restraint Autonomy Of Elderly Patients Nursing Essay The use of restraint, whether physical or chemical, has always been a normal practice in the medical field when dealing with critical-ill patients and the elderly. Many would justify this act as a form of protection, in order to decrease the number and chances of self-inflicted harm. However, sometimes, it strips the patients autonomy in decision-making, resulting in a discussion on how exactly should restraint be approached. Introduction The number of elderly people in developed countries has gradually increased over the years. In Australia in the year 1991, 11% of the total population comprised of the elderly (65 years old and above). It has been projected that the 11% will increase to 18% in the next ten years. For people who are 85 years old and above, they comprised about 8% of the total population in 1991. It increased in 2001 to 11% (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2002). With this fact, nursing homes are needed to cater to older people. There are many reasons why the elderly would enter into a nursing home. It is unlikely that they are entering it because they like it (Harker 1997). Entering a nursing home would mean that the person has to give up his possessions and some of his freedom would be stripped away from him, like being able to go anywhere he wants. He would not be able to eat wherever he wants or walk in the park whenever he wants. A nursing home, for some, is like a waiting area for death. It is very rare for those who are admitted to the nursing home to go back to their homes after entering a nursing home. A persons poor health is one of the major reasons for entering a nursing home. They would need access to nursing care that is not available in their own homes. There are home-based nursing cares available but these are very expensive and they cost a lot to maintain. Long ago, when the elderly would need care or assistance, family members are usually available to assist with their needs. Their children would take care of them in their own homes, or some of them would move into their parents homes to take care of them. In present times, this situation is close to impossible because both husband and wife have to work, or a single child has to work in order to support himself. Because the immediate family could not offer any help to them, they have no choice but to go into a nursing home (Harker 1997). For some people, the decision to go into a nursing home lies in the hand of their children or other immediate family members because he or she might not be able to make a sound decision for himself or herself because of her sickness or disease (i.e. Alzheimers disease) or various handicaps. I chose this topic because I know that one day I will have to consider staying in a nursing home because I could not live on my own when I am old. There will be a possibility that my children could not take care of me because they will have their own families to support. This would help me prepare to be competent enough to decide for myself despite of old age or any unforeseeable sickness. Another reason why I chose this topic is because of my father. My father is currently in the hospital because he has cancer, in its last stage already. I could not be beside my father all the time to take care of him because I still have to work and go to school at the same time. Although I know that my father is in good hands with the hospital staff, I could not help but worry about him. With this paper, I hope to gain better understanding on restraint on the elderly. Restraint in Nursing Homes: Barriers in the Health Care System The elderly has mixed feelings regarding their experience with restraint (Gallinagh et al. 2001). For some patients, the practice of using restraints, like bedside rails or wheelchair bars, are sometimes positive. They tend to give them a feeling of safety and stability. Others do not always think of dependence as something negative. In fact, most elderly patients greatly appreciate the assistance that nursing home staff would offer. Unfortunately, a lot more elderly has negative feelings when it comes to restraint. The use of the methods for restraints has traumatic than therapeutic effects for many older people. Most of them lose their dignity, self-respect, and identity. They become embarrassed, anxious, and disillusioned (Gastmans Milisen 2005). Physical restraint is defined as the use of any object or piece of equipment that is attached to or near the body of a person and which that could not be controlled or simply removed by the person. It stops or intentionally prevents a person from moving on his own will. (Gastmans Milisen 2005) Examples of physical restraints are the following: vests, straps/belts, bedside rails, wheelchair bars, bed sheets that are tucked too tightly, etc. Another type of restraint is the chemical (or pharmacological) restraint. This involves the use of drugs to hold back a certain behavior or movement. Other than hypnotic or antidepressant drugs, institutions also use psychotropic drugs like chlorpromazine, diazepam, haloperidol and thioridazine. (Powell et al. 1989) Other methods like being locked in a room, electronic surveillance, and being forced or pressured to do medical examinations and treatments (Gastmans Milisen 2005). In taking care of older people in nursing homes, it is sometimes unavoidable to use restraint. This is usually done to keep them away from any accidents or harm they would inflict on themselves. But lately, because of the growing concern among relatives of elderly patients, long-term care services providers for old people are now required by licensure and accreditation agencies to have a restraint-free culture as a standard practice. However, many fail to achieve the intended result because of so many barriers. These different unavoidable barriers, which are also reasons for restraint on the elderly, are to be discussed in the following paragraphs. The main concern in using restraint on elderly patients is to make sure that they would be safe from any accident that would result to injury. Nurses, caregivers, and other institutional staff fear that the elderly patients might fall anytime. However, there had been a study that 67% of the patient falls from the bed were from those who are physically restraint. (Lee et al. 1999) In the same study, it was also mentioned that inadequate staffing was also another reason for physical restraint since the staff could not keep an eye on all the patients all the time. It was revealed that 36% of nurses confirmed that physical restraint was used when they could not closely monitor the patients. Ironically, when the elderly patients tried to resist the physical restraint imposed on them, it results to undesirable consequences, therefore, they will be needing more nursing care-the opposite result of what the nurses, who preferred physical restraints when understaffed, were hoping to achieve (V arone et al. 1992). There is no clear confirmation that restraints prevent injury in clinical settings. To continue such ways without thorough assessment of the situation is an outcome of not sticking to evidence-based practice. Staff could be charged with allegations of professional misconduct and legal actions from patients and their families (Cheung Yam 2005). Physical injury comes in two categories. First, it is related with the direct impact of the device used for restraint on the patient. Examples of these injuries are bruises, nerve damage, asphyxiation, and even sudden death. Second, it is associated to the injuries attained because of enforced immobilization. This includes loss of muscle tone, contracture, or reduced functional ability. The injuries in the second category are more intense for the elderly patients because this might extend their stay in the hospital, cause them to fall, and triggers pressure ulcers (Cheung Yam 2005). Robbins et al. (1987) reported that morbidity and mortality rates are eight times higher among restrained patients compared to those who are unrestrained. Restrained patients could also suffer from psychological harms aside from physical injuries. They often have negative responses like anger, fear, denial, demoralization, humiliation, depression, agitation and regressive behaviors (Gorski 1995). Other patients have complained about the loss of dignity. They have considered those kinds of experiences to be humiliatingly against their human rights. Apathy and depression become worse for many older, restrained people that they feel a sense of abandonment. Studies on social behaviors in different nursing homes showed that there is a big difference with restrained and unrestrained elderly patients. The former usually stops any form of social interaction (Folmar Wilson 1989). Other studies showed that nurses sometimes have a difficult time in facilitating treatment regimens that they resort to physical restraint. For example, a patient is confused and is having an intravenous infusion drip. He tries to pull out the drip, which may cause him to bleed. A nurse will have to strap his hands so that he would not be able to pull the drip out, and injuring themselves. (Lee et al. 1999) However, according to studies, the use of restraint in these kinds of situation increases the agitation of patients, which ironically again, makes them more susceptible to injury (Thomas et al., 1995). Incompetence, due to psychiatric diagnosis or cognitive impairment, is usually another reason for restraint among elderly patients. Staff could easily argue that the patient is too confused or demented to make a reasonable decision for his own welfare. They believe that competence is a medical issue and could be resolved only through scientific evidence. However, Leifer (1963) cited facts that showed inconsistencies between pathological and clinical findings for mental incapacity. In short, he tried to explain that there is no reliable connection between the state of the brain and the legal criterion for competency (Schafer 1985). A certain judge in the United States District Court of New Jersey emphasized that one must not automatically assume that insane patients are not competent to give or hold back consent for treatment or medication (Schafer 1985). A patient has every right to refuse any treatment and the people around him should always respect that. There are three ways in determining the validity of a patients consent. First, the patient must have the capacity or competence to make a decision. Second, the patient must be thoroughly explained of all the pros and cons and other information that would help him reach a decision. Lastly, the patient must never be forced to make a decision. (Gert et. al. 1997) Until a court finds the patient incompetent, the patient must always be assumed to be competent. In some cases, psychiatrists often define this as a medical emergency, which would require compulsory treatment and intervention on the patients autonomy. There are times when the staff is really qualified to provide effective care but the patient is just too difficult to handle. (Schafer 1985) Issues with Restraints There was a study that pointed out that with physical and chemical restraint, nurses feel safer and they are more psychologically comfortable. It showed that the nurses were more concern of their own comfort than the welfare of the elderly. They were thinking that when they fail to restrain patients, they would become legally liable for any accident that might happen. This places the elderly patients at a higher risk of injury because of confusion, agitation, and pressures. It only gave the nurses a false sense of safety (Thomas et al., 1995). The attitude of the staff has a great effect on both the quality of treatment of older people and the consideration given to preserving their dignity and autonomy. By maintaining their dignity and autonomy, it minimizes the distress felt by the patients. Dignity refers to the self-respect maintained by an individual and valued by others. Autonomy refers to the control of making decisions, in any aspect of life, for oneself (Lothian 2001). In a research by Bernard in 1998, he found evidences that implied that a significant number of people working in the medical field hold pessimistic views on older people. An important way of tackling poor attitudes by staff towards the elderly patients is though extensive and continued training. Evidence showed that exposure to a more specialized training in geriatric care is beneficial. People, who still have grandparents as role models, have also been found to treat older people with better attitudes. (Haight et al. 1994) Staff, who are trained, becomes sensitive to the different issues around an older persons dignity and autonomy, are better equipped to treat older patients (Lothian 2001). In the UK, there are two major legal issues regarding both physical and chemical restraint. The first issue concerns about the law of assault, the threat of violence, and the actual and direct use of unlawful physical force on another person (also known as battery) even though they are not really harmed. The second one involves the risk of negligence (Trivedi et al. 2009). An example could better describe this. A court in Germany held a nursing home responsible for violations of obligations when an elderly female resident had a fracture. The patient fell off he toilet inside her room while the nurse went to the bathroom sink to wash the patients dentures. The nurse was not able to prevent or stop the fall because she could not see the patient from where she was. The patient was still mobile and could still walk with help days before the accident. In spite of this, she was already in her last stages of Alzheimers disease so her actions were more of a series of events rather than premeditated actions. The nurse should have anticipated any abrupt changes since she knew about the disease already. The court placed this error on the nursing home as negligence (Sammet 2006). Some other judgments have been made that are similar to the situation above. According to Sammet (2006), possible movements should have been anticipated and predicted. The nurses control should substitute the patients incapacitated will as a way of protection. In cases of serious dementia, the patients personal wish should not be taken into account. Since he or she could not make a reasonable wish at all. Sammet (2006) described this kind of care and protection as disease-centered. In this case, the medical data matters and not what the confused patients wants. Therefore, there should be a balancing of values. The nursing home staff should be in a position to restrain patients to safeguard them from harm and injury. Intervention is necessary and the elderly are often not given the privilege to refuse because they are usually not capable anymore of doing so (Sammet 2006). Strategies in Overcoming Restraint More focus should be placed on educating nurses to reduce the unfitting use of restraints on elderly patients. Thorough nursing assessment is especially needed before using any restraints (Lee et al. 1999). The use of restraints should always be the last resort, not the first option. When healthcare providers do not have any other choice but to restrain the elderly patients, utmost care and attention should be provided. Nurses and caregivers should also acknowledge that they have an ethical duty to clarify and give details to elderly patients and their families the purpose for making use of restraints and should always get an informed consent as much as possible. Coordinating with other healthcare professionals should be promoted since combined efforts will allow them to identify other means or approaches to care apart from using restraints (Lee et al. 1999). Ethicists have created a list of principles for the right way of using restraints on demented patients. This list is usually used by government agencies. Moss and La Puma (1991) suggested the following guidelines: (1) mechanical restraints should never be ordered in a regular manner and should not be used as a replacement for careful patient surveillance; (2) arrangements for restraints should start a medical investigation for the purpose of pointing out and correcting the medical or psychological complication that triggered the order of the restraint; (3) the patients representative who is involve in decision-making should agree to the restraints and be fully informed of the different risks and benefits; (4) mechanical restraints should be used carefully (and only for a temporary time), making use of the least-restrictive device as much as possible; and lastly, (5) chemical or pharmacological restraints should only be prescribed by the proper professional, should be in the lowest ef fective dose, and the patients status must be frequently reassessed. Clinical ethics is about considering the ethical values and standards that acts as guidelines for clinical actions. Every elderly should be treated as a person (Janssens 1980-1981). This serves as the first value. Human dignity could not be given up, not even through disease, disability or approaching death. Caregivers and nurses should always respect the dignity of patients (Gastmans Milisen 2005). As a second value, one should always take into consideration that each human being is a responsible individual. Humans act base on their conscience, in a free but responsible means (Janssens 1980-1981). The elderly, as human beings, should be allowed to make choices and should be respected. A high regard for the overall welfare is the third value that should be secured. When it comes to a time when decisions for physical restraint have to be made, social, psychological, and moral aspects of a persons wellbeing are all considered. (Gastmans Milisen 2005). The fourth ethical value is about promoting self-reliance among the elderly. This could, in many cases, postpone or prevent the use of any restraint on the elderly. Nursing homes could help by specific measures (lowering the bed to avoid or prevent painful falls, using shock-absorbing and non-slip floor covering, walking aids, hip protectors), by measures to optimize the environment (using ample lighting without glare, familiar surroundings orientation, prevent or minimize sensory overload), by individualized care (by encouraging social interactions by talking and listening to them and motivate them to participate in activities), and by preventing or decreasing factors for fall like nutrition management, routine toilet ing, stimulating mental processes, balance training and exercises (Gastmans Milisen 2005).

Comparing Presidents of the United States of America Essay -- Comparis

Comparing Presidents of the United States of America Because of their positions in the government and their resulting influential abilities, presidents are either praised for advancing the nation, criticized for not doing anything to help the country, or even making the country’s situation worse. Their success as president is dependent on the success of the country. People don’t take into consideration the attempts presidents make, but only those things that help or hurt the country. This leaves room for there to be a good president who may not accomplish much and a bad president who may accomplish a lot. President Herbert Hoover took office shortly before the Great Depression began, in a time in which the country was doing well. Once the Depression struck, however, the country needed help desperately. In attempt to pull the country out of the Depression, Hoover followed his beliefs in trickle-down economics and passed laws that followed this philosophy, laws the gave money to large corporations, in hopes that they would be able to hire more workers, who would get paid and who would go out and buy products, which would increase the demand for products, which would increase revenues of businesses, which could start the entire circle all over again. In theory, Hoover’s plan would have worked, however, the country was in such trouble that nothing much at that time would help it. The Depression first had to run its course for a while, before anything could be done. During the Depression, it took time for people, especially presidents of large corporations, to humble themselves to a point where they would accept aid from the government. Often, they remained the greedy people they were and didn’t use the government’s funds for ... ... that Americans are self-reliant and that charity should come from local communities. According to this philosophy, if the federal government gave aid to people, it would be insulting to their rugged individualism. Reagan’s policy of Reaganomics is based on rugged individualism. According to Reaganomics, since people are strong enough to help themselves, the government doesn’t need to help people as individuals; it only needs to help businesses, because they are the dominant force in the economy. Every president has his own way of dealing with the problems he faces. Some succeed by saving the country from its problems, while others fail by digging the country deeper in its hole. What is important, though, is that they do their best. Not all will succeed since there are some cases in which the country is helpless and must wallow in its problems for a short while. Comparing Presidents of the United States of America Essay -- Comparis Comparing Presidents of the United States of America Because of their positions in the government and their resulting influential abilities, presidents are either praised for advancing the nation, criticized for not doing anything to help the country, or even making the country’s situation worse. Their success as president is dependent on the success of the country. People don’t take into consideration the attempts presidents make, but only those things that help or hurt the country. This leaves room for there to be a good president who may not accomplish much and a bad president who may accomplish a lot. President Herbert Hoover took office shortly before the Great Depression began, in a time in which the country was doing well. Once the Depression struck, however, the country needed help desperately. In attempt to pull the country out of the Depression, Hoover followed his beliefs in trickle-down economics and passed laws that followed this philosophy, laws the gave money to large corporations, in hopes that they would be able to hire more workers, who would get paid and who would go out and buy products, which would increase the demand for products, which would increase revenues of businesses, which could start the entire circle all over again. In theory, Hoover’s plan would have worked, however, the country was in such trouble that nothing much at that time would help it. The Depression first had to run its course for a while, before anything could be done. During the Depression, it took time for people, especially presidents of large corporations, to humble themselves to a point where they would accept aid from the government. Often, they remained the greedy people they were and didn’t use the government’s funds for ... ... that Americans are self-reliant and that charity should come from local communities. According to this philosophy, if the federal government gave aid to people, it would be insulting to their rugged individualism. Reagan’s policy of Reaganomics is based on rugged individualism. According to Reaganomics, since people are strong enough to help themselves, the government doesn’t need to help people as individuals; it only needs to help businesses, because they are the dominant force in the economy. Every president has his own way of dealing with the problems he faces. Some succeed by saving the country from its problems, while others fail by digging the country deeper in its hole. What is important, though, is that they do their best. Not all will succeed since there are some cases in which the country is helpless and must wallow in its problems for a short while.

Kudler Accounting System Paper

Kudler Accounting System Paper Jon Lazar BSA/310 January 23, 2012 Jaclyn Krause Kudler Accounting System Paper These days it is especially important to pay attention to details when it comes to deciding if your accounting system is providing the kind of information that may be required of you to produce. I think legal requirements and government regulations are becoming more demanding as to what they expect to see if someone such as the I. R. S. were to show up and ask for an audit. I would like to talk a little about a few of the key features, core technology, benefits, and costs of installing and maintaining an efficient accounting system and some of the benefits it would be to your company, especially in areas where details are crucial. Like the existing accounting system that you have all probably gotten used to here at Kudler, a new accounting system would be set up the same way; by modules. Each module would be more comprehensive and attentive to details that have been apparently overlooked by the present system. In the way of features, I could say that it is the most important overall feature a new system could offer this company. New technology has provided for faster, more detailed and organized data auditing and reporting. This is essential in today’s business world to keep accurate, itemized data entries in order to satisfy government business regulations such as standards set by the I. R. S. Detailed information is especially critical for a company like Kudler, whose business transactions and data entry are performed by a single person. From an internal control standpoint, this isn't desirable. Having only one person, or even a few people doing all the accounting that has to be done in a lot of different areas, opens the door for fraud and embezzlement. Companies that employ more people assigned functions can structure tasks in such a way that those done by the same person don't pose a control threat. Realizing that for smaller companies, a lot of people in the accounting department may not be practical, and/or cost effective, systems have been developed for use with fewer people staffing them and still maintaining security. The internal control structure that can be installed in a new accounting system will help eliminate security risks through mechanics and procedures rather than expensive people (â€Å"Accounting – Basic Accounting Components of the Accounting System†,  2003). There are several top rated Core Accounting programs that would fulfill the needs of your accounting department. Weak areas and areas of concern with the existing system include inventory and ordering control, and the way employees punch in and out for work. Presently, there is no systematic way of ordering supplies other than when a store runs low, an order is placed to share between the three stores. If one of the stores should experience a slow period, overstocking could very well become a problem, especially when freshness of their products is one of Kudler’s trademarks. An inventory control feature within the core program can automatically analyze, predict supply needs for a set delivery date, and actually place the order for each individual store saving lots of time and expense. The process in which employees punch in and out of work and the process it goes through just to get to the payment agency seems very time consuming for Kudler. A payroll processing feature of a new accounting system would record data such as name, date, time, employee number, etc. from a card that an employee would swipe upon signing in or out, process the employee’s personal financial information and then send that information to a printing station to print out the physical checks or send that information to the employee’s bank for direct deposit. Kudler needs a system that is up to date with speed, and technology to be able to produce reliable up to date, detailed account of all transactions made in the form of itemized and organized reports. If it is the intention for Kudler Fine Foods to grow, it must have a system that can grow with it. I do not believe Exel spreadsheets with its time consuming manual entries will be able to keep up with the growth of the company. Replacing the XLX with a SQL database will give the company connect-ability to send and receive data updating reports and balancing finances all in real time. The total cost would include hardware and software upgrades to the main servers as well as each POS at each store. The cost will include the time it takes to install, program, and test the new system. The cost will also include a basic training program and online support along with materials warrantees and our guarantee of customer satisfaction in both product and service. In closing I can only say that the benefits of a new accounting system would surely in the long run outweigh the modest cost of installing a new system. In business, time is money so saving time is saving money, and in this day and age where attention is given to detail, and details can either cost you money or save you money, there is only one logical choice. References: Accounting – Basic Accounting Components of the Accounting System. (2003). Retrieved from http://www. businesstown. com/accounting/basic-components. asp

Mcdonald Pestel and External Analysis Essay Example

Mcdonald Pestel and External Analysis Essay Example Mcdonald Pestel and External Analysis Essay Mcdonald Pestel and External Analysis Essay Globalization has made the globe considerably smaller. States lines have turned into practically a divider separating certain regions of a massive unitary community. Businesses are the one that are highly affected by this occurrence. The virtual closeness of states has made trade and commerce an international event. Together with these advances, the key standards of business are similarly taken into account. Macdonald McDonald’s is one of the worlds most well-known and valuable brands and holds a leading share in the globally branded quick service restaurant segment of the informal eating-out market in virtually every country and the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants serving more than 58 million people in more than 119 countries each day. A McDonalds restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. The corporations revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonald’s Vision McDonald’s vision is to be the world’s best quick service restaurant experience. McDonald’s Culture McDonald’s culture is the love towards McDonald’s brand and the respecting the company values imbibed in its rich history. McDonald’s Culture McDonald’s culture is the love towards McDonald’s brand and the respecting the company values imbibed in its rich history. History of McDonald’s * Started in 1940, when two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in California. In 1954, an entrepreneur and milkshake-mixer salesman, Ray Kroc, acquired the franchise of McDonald’s * In 1961, Kroc convinced the McDonald brothers to sell the business rights to him for a sum $2. 7milion. * In 1963, the mascot Ronald McDonald was born as a part of a marketing strategy in US. Happy Meal was introduced in US in 1979. * The year 1984 was marked by the death of Ray Kroc. * In 1994, McDonald’s bagged the Catalyst Award for its program for ‘fostering leadership development in women’. * In 1996, the first INDIAN Restaurant  was opened. In 1998, the first Macdonald’s was opened in PAKISTAN * In 2003, the company launched the ‘I’m lovin’ it’ campaign. McDonalds Practices There were three factors that were chosen to outline the success of McDonald’s corporation. The first factor is globalization, which is define as closer contact between different parts of the world, with increasing possibilities of personal exchange, mutual understanding and friendship between world citizens. Diversity, the difference among people and cultures, is the second factor discussed in the paper. The final factor is ethics, which can be defined as a set of principles of right conduct. This paper explains how the McDonald Corporations uses the factors to conduct business around the world. McDonald’s in Globalization Globalization has affected almost every aspect of life in almost every nation. From economic to social to culture, this widespread exchange of goods, services and ideas have influenced changes around the world. Even though the cultural influence in globalization is of slight significance to policy makers, its power has tremendous consequences to the nations involved and its people. Food is an important element in defining culture. â€Å"Food is the oldest global carrier of culture. † Any changes in the foods that we eat, in its preparation, the way it is served and consumed diminishes the traditional beliefs of the people. External factors and Strategies Political Factors The international operations of McDonald’s are highly influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government. For instance, there are certain groups in Europe and the United States that clamor for state actions pertaining to the health implications of eating fast food. 2005) They have indicated that harmful elements like cholesterol and adverse effects like obesity are attributable to consuming fast food products. The company is controlled by the individual policies and regulations of operations. Specific markets focus on different areas of concern such as that of health, worker protection, and environment. All these elements are seen in the government control of the licensing of the restaurants in the respective states. For instance the meat issue in India. Therefore, McDonalds deal directly with the proper authorities in the respective markets that they intend to operate in. This way, a good way of establishes good relationship with the government. So Mcdonald’s transforms its menu in different countries but the core menu remains the same. Economic factors Branches and franchises of fast food chains like McDonald’s has the tendency to experience hardship in instances where the economy of the respective states is hit by inflation and changes in the exchange rates. The customers consequently are faced with a stalemate of going over their individual budgets. Particularly, their problem depends on the response of the consumers on these fundamentals and how it could influence their general sales. In regarding the operations of the company, food chains like McDonald’s tend to import much of their raw materials into a specific territory if there is a dearth of supply. Exchange rate fluctuations will also play a significant role in the operations of the company. Hence, if a franchise operates in a particularly economically weak state, hence their products shall cost higher than the other existing products in the market, then these franchises must take on certain adjustments to maintain the economies of scale. So, McDonalds, before penetrating the market, the company carry out a well conducted market research, especially in the movements in the economic environment. The frequency of the shifts in the inflation rate as well as the fluctuations in the exchange rate affects the operations of the company socio-cultural McDonald’s indulge a particular variety of consumers with definite types of personalities. It has also been noted that the company have given the markets such as the United Kingdom, an option with regards to their dining needs. It’s been pointed out that McDonald’s has launched a sensibly valued set of food that tenders a reliable level of quality for the respective market where it operates. Additionally, those who are aged just below the bracket of thirty-five are said to be the most frequent consumers of McDonald’s franchises. The multifaceted character of business nowadays is reflected in the harsh significance of the information on the subject of the existing market. In the case of McDonald’s they establish a good system in determining the needs of the market. The company uses concepts of consumer behaviour product personality and purchasing decisions to its advantage. Before a franchise is granted to a particular market, a well drafted and comprehensive market research is conducted initially so as to establish the acts that would conform to good customs, public policies, and morals of the said state. Similarly, the McDonalds find out the shifts in areas like the consumer behaviour and purchasing patterns of the market. Fundamentally, this is the key condition for executing a suitable customer relationship management system. Technological Factors McDonald’s generates a demand for their own products. (2006) The company’s key tool for marketing is by means of television advertisements. There are similarly some claims that McDonald’s are inclined to interest the younger populations more. The existence of play spots as well as toys in meals offered by the company shows this actuality. ( 1995) Other demonstration of such a marketing strategy is apparent in the commercials of they use. They employ animated depictions of their characters like Grimace and Hamburglar. Other advertising operations employ popular celebrities to promote their products. The like   has become endorsers for McDonald’s worldwide â€Å"loving’ it† campaign. Moreover, the operations of McDonald’s have significantly been infused with new technology. Elements like the inventory system and the management of the value chain of the company allows for easy payments for their suppliers and other vendors which the individual stores in respective markets deal with. The integration of technology in the operations of McDonalds tend to add value to their products. Basically, this is manifested in the improvements on its value chain. The improvement of the nventory system as well as its supply chain allows the company to operate in an international context. McDonalds Use the internet to their advantage. The cost-effectiveness, interactivity and real-time effects of the communications are a way to find suppliers. It is also a good way to correspond with the respective McDonald’s headquarters in every state. The company also looks i nto the use of IT to enhance their inventory operations. As the operations in its inbound and outbound logistics improve, the company will expect significant savings and reduction of costs in the operations. Legal Factors There has been the recurrent bellowing in opposition to the fast food industry. This has similarly made McDonald’s apply a more careful consideration on their corporate social responsibilities. On the whole, this addressed the need of the company to form its corporate reputation to a more positive one and a more socially responsible company. Hire local counsels to deal with the legal conflicts in individual markets on which the company may encounter. This is shall ensure the company that the lawyers that will handle their legal affairs are more versed with the legal regime that would iron out certain creases on their operations. Environmental Factors The social responsibilities of McDonald’s on the state are influential to the operations of the company. These entail accusations of environmental damage. Among the reasons why they are charged with such claims is the employ of non-biodegradable substances for their drinks glasses and Styrofoam coffers for the meals. (1997) Several civic groups in Hong Kong have made actions to make the McDonald’s franchises in Hong Kong aware of the rather copious use of Styrofoam containers and the resultant abuse of the environment. 1997) further indicated that in 1995, McDonald’s Hong Kong went over the Styrofoam used by both Australia and the United States combined. McDonald Monitor the waste disposal of the company. They are trying to minimize the use of Styrofoam materials and plastic cups. Constant updating of the social corporate responsibility is imperative. This should also entail that the headquarters should take in hand a manner of internal cont rol of those that would infringe upon this company objective. Sanctions such as revoking of the franchise license or a particularly high fine should be installed to serve as a deterrent to infringement. Transformation of menu Important strategic decisions are a key factor to their success with consideration for both internal and external factors. When considering the foreign market, companies need to consider there are risks. There must be local marketing to appeal to the local consumers and also to build relationships and trust (Bateman amp; Scott, 2004). Therefore, the strategic planning for marketing has to be effective The globalization of McDonald’s has raised many debates on both sides of the issue. The pro- globalization belief is that it enhances culture rather than adulterate. Radley Balko (2003), states that â€Å"In most communities, in fact, the McDonald’s has conformed to the local culture not the other way around. The McDonald’s corporation notes that most of its overseas franchises are locally owned, and thus make efforts to buy from local communities. McDonald’s also alters its regional menus to conform to local taste. † There has been a loss of traditional values with the introduction of non traditional food into the culture of foreign countries. The types of foods are symbolic to particular regions, religions and mores. In India, to the Hindu people, the cow is considered to be sacred as part of its religion. According to the AsianInfo. org (2007), â€Å"Diversity can be found in India’s food as well as its culture, geography and climate. † â€Å"Although a number of religions exist in India, the two cultures that have influenced Indian cooking and food habits are the Hindu and the Muslim tradition. † With the introduction of non traditional foods into this society, as with many others, there are adverse effects on the traditions it tries to uphold. These are just some of the concerns which affect the issue of food culture and globalization. Many more arise as a result of the introduction of fast food restaurants like McDonald’s into diverse cultures around the world. Some changes are embraced by the population while others are seen as a threat to the way of life that has been established for centuries. Some are adverse to the idea of globalization as a hold and perceive McDonald’s as a representation of this ideal and as a result hold them responsible. The question arises; does the globalization of McDonald’s adversely or positively affect the culture of different nations? Even though there has been many changes in the eating habits of the nations influenced by the introduction of McDonalds there has been many positive aspects. With the advancement of technology and communication the world itself seem to be moving at a faster pace. The advent of fast food into foreign cultures allows the opportunity to keep up with this fast pace. Culture is ever changing and thus McDonalds marks another step in the evolution of culture with the changes in has brought about. The menu has given people a new choice over the traditional foods eaten in the past. The McDonaldized institution has really spread across continents giving rise to a number of indigenous fast food chains. There is also the case of Asianization where Asian cuisine such as Fried rice is rapidly spreading all over the world. Unemployed youth are taking advantage of the McDonaldized institution to set up fast food businesses on the streets. This can be called fast food-street food. There are good and bad sides to this phenomenon therefore we need to find out the bad sides and improve upon them. Some traditional foods may also come with problems especially in terms of health so while we criticize fast food we should also analyze some traditional food at least for their nutritional importance. Each country implements the core McDonald’s menu to which in-country management is free to add localized menu items, e. g. , the Croque McDo in France, the Chicken Maharaja Mac in India and salads in many parts of the world. Internal Factors and Strategies McDonald’s training programs McDonald’s training programs are delivered in up to 40 languages, with the primary languages being Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), English (both International/Commonwealth and U. S. ), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish for the top markets. The training materials consist of two elements: * core content which applies globally for maintaining consistent food quality and services worldwide, and * locale-specific content based on local menu items, food safety regulations and labor practices, etc. The company continues to invest and support initiatives to adapt its products and services to different locales to ensure its global brand. Fully globalized, right? Unique decisions to each country McDonald’s caters its menu in other countries to the cultures of the regions. For example, in India, the non-vegetarian menu includes chicken and fish items only (Welcome, n. d. ). Beef is not on the menu in India because are considered sacred. Global marketing decisions are no different than those made domestically but the decisions are unique to each country (Sister amp; Sister, 2005). Diverse workforce In the United States alone, McDonald’s has won numerous awards and received national recognition for diversity. Furthermore, operating on a global scale allows a company’s employees to experience working in different cultural environments. This is a good marketing strategy for recruiting employees. McDonald’s has a global core curriculum for its restaurant management (McDonald’s, 2004). Paula Doherty, a general manager states, â€Å"I’ve had incredible experience in different countries and†¦cultures†¦as a trainee manager – from Poland to Israel to the Philippines and more. Doing the job successfully has given me a real sense of achievement† . This business strategy speaks to their commitment to a diverse workforce. McDonald’s commitment to diversity is established on the foundational belief that diversity is not just a moral and ethical issue, but also a business issue (McDonald’s, 2005). Due to the global expanse of McDonald’s business, diversity has become an integral part of the internal company culture. McDonald’s has over 30,000 restaurants around the world, which means franchise owner/operators, employees, and customers represent just about every culture, religion or ethnicity on earth. In addition, McDonald’s promotes the use of local suppliers and based on their policies of diversity, expects and retains suppliers that have a similar diversity culture. Knowing and understanding the local customs and traditions of the communities where McDonald’s has established businesses, integrating people from these communities into the company, and adapting locally to the tastes and cuisines of the community, has made McDonald’s the leader in their industry. McDonald’s realizes that having diversity as an asset greatly enhances the profitability of the company. Diversity is a direct reflection of a company’s interpersonal relationships. These relationships, if positive, result in a rewarding venture. Conversely, if the relationships are negative, the company’s morale declines and if not addressed, leads to the deterioration of the company. This deterioration directly impacts the company’s income and the community’s acceptance of the business. However, McDonald’s leadership encourages diversity through their policies and programs. McDonald’s proven success with leveraging the advantages of diversity can be attributed to their core value of ethics. Ethics McDonald’s success is built on the foundation of personal and professional integrity. From the beginning, McDonald’s has based its reputation on trust and dependability, and their commitment to the community made them a household name. Founder Ray Kroc, believed in giving something back to the community in order to make the world a better place. Throughout the 1970’s, McDonald’s became involved with a lot of charity work. In 1974 established a charity called Ronald McDonald House. The purpose of this program was to provide temporary housing for the families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Since the 70s, more than 10 million families around the world benefited from the comfort provided by Ronald McDonald Houses. Innovative programs In addition to their community involvement, McDonalds has a long-standing commitment to environmental protection. Restaurants around the world have innovative programs for recycling, resource conservation, and waste reduction. The environmental achievements of this corporation have been recognized by organizations such as the Audubon Society, Conservation International, Keep America Beautiful, the National Recycling Coalition, and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. People focus McDonalds is also an equal opportunity employer. As an equal opportunity employer McDonald’s ensures that employees and job applicants are selected, trained, and promoted without discrimination to race, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. The company promotes their employees based on their relevant skill, talents, and performance. In support of this McDonalds promotes and sustains a working environment, which is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and bullying. Employees are regarded as members of a team where everyones opinion is valued and respected. The Human Resources department monitors the effectiveness of the discrimination policies at regular intervals. Employees who feel that they have been treated unfairly are encouraged to use the remedies outlined in the Companys handbooks. McDonald’s ethical standards, as well as their strategies for globalization and diversity are instrumental to the overall success of the company. Here external and internal factors were discussed above that have affected McDonald’s. This was achieved by explaining what the factors are where and how McDonald’s dealt with each of the external and internal factors. The factors discussed were globalization, diversity, and ethics. The assignment illustrates how globalization is necessary for success and survival of McDonalds in the worldwide market. The paper also shows how diversity integrated people from different communities into the company, and adapted tastes and cuisines of the community. McDonalds showed ethics by being an active leader in the communities. There are many different values to the dollar around the world, many issues that have occurred in many of those regions/websites, and about 119 countries served by McDonald’s that rely on the functions of management to succeed.

Essay on Differences Across Countries the CAGE Distance Framework

Essay on Differences Across Countries the CAGE Distance Framework Essay on Differences Across Countries: the CAGE Distance Framework Essay on Differences Across Countries: the CAGE Distance FrameworkQ1. From the perspective of the CAGE framework, which country is closer to the U.S., China or India?The CAGE framework helps to assess the distance between business environments in different countries. In this framework, the following types of distance are taken into account: cultural distance, administrative distance, geographic distance and economic distance (Ghemavat, 2007). All of these distances should be considered when investing into different countries.In the case of China and India, both countries have aspects in which they are closer to the U.S. and aspects in which they are significantly different from the U.S. It is possible to state that China is more attractive than India for U.S. investors and businessmen on economic and geographic grounds, but India is more attractive on administrative and cultural grounds (Ghemavat, 2007).Therefore, the difference between China/India and the U.S. is determined not only by the types of distances and factors influencing them but also by the priority of distance. The answer to the question which country is closer to the U.S. depends on the nature of the industry and the specifics of the industry. For industries in which geographic and economic grounds are most important (e.g. manufacturing or distribution of perishable products) China is closed to the U.S. compared to India (i.e. is more attractive for investment). However, for industries with high administrative or cultural sensitivity such as outsourcing software development and customer support services India is closer to the U.S. compared to China.Q2. What (other) uses might the CAGE framework be put to?Besides assessing investment opportunities and industry attractiveness, CAGE framework can also be applied for other business purposes. It is possible to use this framework to resolve operating conflicts between different parts of MNCs located in different areas. Furthermore, CAGE can be used to evaluate the liability of foreigners and the position of foreigners in the business sphere of a chosen country (Gandelini, Pezzi Venanzi, 2013).It is efficient to apply CAGE to comparing international expansion opportunities and markets. CAGE can serve as the basis for comparing foreign competitors of the chosen industry (Ghemavat, 2007). This framework can provide information for choosing the mode of international expansion into a particular country (Gandelini, Pezzi Venanzi, 2013) and for introducing adjustments for distances between countries.

Global Civil Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Civil Society - Essay Example Through much of the Cold War, realism (a later neorealism) dominated the international relations literature. This particular focus placed an almost exclusive emphasis on the state. However, with the introduction of concepts like interdependence theory in the 1970s by scholar like Keohane and Nye (1977), alternative positions started to emerge. These alternative - neoliberalism in particular - approaches argued that economics and scare resources forced states to interact with each other in increasingly frequency and in doing so states ceded sovereignty to international institutions. While neorealism remained dominant even after the Cold War, these alternatives raised important questions not only about state sovereignty, but also about the existence of international actors and their relationship with the state and between each other. One particular approach that gained momentum after the Cold War was the concept of Global Civil Society (GCS). GCS examines non-state actors such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), non-state organisations and social movements as a whole. Many of these concepts, though, are not new to the post-Cold War era. Rather, within the past two decades, GCS has come to refer to a specific set of actors whose interactions influence the globalised world and particularly challenge the state as an alternative form of governance; with these non-state actors playing an increasingly important role in international affairs. Accordingly, this paper seeks to identify the main actors in GCS and critically assess their roles. First, this essay will define GCS as to generally outline the concept. Section two will introduce the main actors and their roles. Finally, the conclusion will offer suggestions on the future of GCS; which will depend in large part on how current actors perceive and cooperate with each other. Define Global Civil Society While the concept of GCS was greatly developed after the Cold War, its origins can be traced back much earlier and include the idea of civil society. Heywood (2002, p.8) notes that "civil society consists of what Edmund Burke called 'little platoons', institutions such as the family and kinship groups, private business, trade unions, clubs, community groups." Civil society was separate from the mechanisms of the state and, to varying degrees, influenced domestic state behaviour. And as the state interacted with other states with increasing frequency through the 18th century, so too did non-state actors. Through the mid-20th century, Lawson (2003, p. 50) notes that NGOs and international organizations started to significantly increase their interaction with states and this constituted the emergence of 'international civil society'. While states still dominated, these non-state actors exerted more influence on the fabric of international relations. Yet, the framework and the interactio n of these non-state actors were such that it was not long before the 'international' transitioned into the 'global'. Like many concepts in international relations, GCS does not have a universally agreed definition. Axford (2002, p. 558) states "the existence of global civil society - a zone of transnational association and deliberation under the control on neither states nor markets

Saudi ARAMCO Compensation Scheme Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Saudi ARAMCO Compensation Scheme - Assignment Example Given that the company operates in over 200 nations across the globe, it is faced with the need to make a choice of whether to globally standardize their products and thus benefit from economies of scale operation (Bell 12). It is also faced with the need to adapt their products to a specific market segment or adopt integrated approaches that simultaneously make use of both approaches. Much literature has been produce regarding the external and uncontrollable factors that may impact on the company’s strategic positioning. This study is meant to look at the internal variables and the externalities in order to derive the â€Å"best fit† tactical and strategic approach. The paper seeks to illustrate how the company’s tactics and international strategy harmoniously work after a deep consideration of the external forces existing in the global market. Organizational and strategic effectiveness are very vital for the success of any business organization, although they are very different. According to Bell (57-9), strategic positioning is unique in the sense that it seeks to integrate both organizational and strategic effectiveness in a manner that serves to differentiate a business organization in the market place and thus drive success. When looking at a product strategy, management in a borderless world does not necessarily mean managing by the ave rages. It does not also mean that to make a product appealing to the customers means removing the localization of the product. It rather means setting the stage for the management of the product to thrive locally and internationally. The company sells non-alcoholic beverages and it currently operates in more than 200 countries globally. The company is famous for its innovative soft drink, â€Å"Coca-Cola† although it can presently boast of over 230 brands. It employs almost 30,000 people across the world. It is noted that 80% of the company’s profit and 70% of its

Corruption In the Oil Industry (Situation in Alaska, UN Oil-for-food Essay

Corruption In the Oil Industry (Situation in Alaska, UN Oil-for-food Program) - Essay Example oil back in December 1996, the Security Council allowed Iraq to deliver a maximum of $4 billion worth of oil each year wherein two-thirds of the profit will be used in the purchase of humanitarian goods and services. (Office of the Iraq Programme Oil-for-Food, 2007b) This value was eventually increased to $10.52 billion a year in 1998. Due to the huge demand for oil globally, the Security Council removed the export limit in December 1999. Despite the huge amount of money that is expected to be collected from this program, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that more than $67 billion of oil revenue has accumulated over-the-years but only $31 billion or less than 50% was spent on the humanitarian program in Iraq. (United States Government Accountability Office - Report to Congressional Committees, 2006, p. 2) The Oil-for-Food program has been successful in achieving its main objectives. As of March 2003, a lot of positive improvements with regards to the Iraqi’s socio-economic status were reported to have increased the living status of its local people. (Office of the Iraq Programme Oil-for-Food, 2007b) However, negative issues related to the oil corruption scandals connected to this program have been tremendously debatable for many years. (United States Government Accountability Office - Report to Congressional Committees, 2006; Asman, 2004) In line with the act of removing the export limit of oil under the Oil-for-Food program, the study will examine the major causes and effects of oil corruption; the well-known personalities who are directly and indirectly involved behind the oil corruption scandals; the negative impact of oil corruption to the local people in Iraq; and the strength and weaknesses of Alaska’s regulation on oil corruption. At the end of the study, the researcher will discuss and suggest several ways on how the government of Alaska could prevent and minimize the negative impact of oil corruption among its

Grandfathers Journey by Allen Say Essay Example for Free

Grandfathers Journey by Allen Say Essay Question 1. Describe how the story is structured to influence your response to the text. Question 2. Describe one of the storys major settings. How is it constructed and what is its significance to the story and its ideas? North America is the major setting in this book. North America holds a lot of new technology and everything is new and spectacular to him, the trains, the enormous rock sculptures and an endless farming field are examples of this. There is also a bad side to this place; there are huge cities of factories and tall buildings with thick smoke coming out of each building. But above all, best place was California, where there were a strong sunlight, the Sierra Mountains and the seacoast. Along the way he had met and shook hands new people, which had different cultural backgrounds to him. This setting is constructed in a way that the more the grandfather travels the more he liked it and wanted to make the New World his home. This setting shows that the cultural barrier can be broken and people should go out and see the world and meet new people to develop more familiarity of the world they live in. Question 3. How are you positioned to respond to the major character/s of the story? What values are represented through them? Question 4. Describe the extent to which language and graphics are successfully used together to shape your response. Discuss with close reference to at lease two examples. In the Grandfathers Journey, there are a few pages where the graphics and the text connect together to give the reader a better understanding of situation. At the beginning (on page 4) the text was My grandfather was a young man when he left his home in Japan and went to see the world. On this page it shows the grandfather in Japanese clothes and the background had very dull colours because he is still in the Old World. On the next page it shows the transition to the New World. The background colours have changed from dull to bright and he had changed into European clothes. The wave that looks very unsteady shows the New World. All this happens when you want to see the world. On page 17, there is a picture of the grandfathers daughter holding a pram with a European doll sitting in it. The text that goes with the page was As his daughter grew, my grandfather began to think about his own childhood. He thought about his old friends. In the picture the author shows the contrast between the Asian girl and the European girl using different clothing and the cultural difference (seen through the colours of the hairs). When compared, the grandfather began to remember how his old friends in Japan were when they were little. This illustrates think about his own childhood. He thought about his old friends. Question 5. Discuss the attitudes and values of the text and your personal response to these. Question 6. Describe at least one link you can make between this book and another/other texts you have read or viewed. How do the texts compare in terms of the ideas presented and how do you respond to these ideas? One of the pages in this book makes us realise that we often label Japan as the enemy in World War II, whilst they were also the victim and had also suffered a large amount of devastation. In the film Pearl Harbour, one of the scenes was Japan bombing Pearl Harbour. This only shows the negative side of Japan, where they were attackers, but it did not show them as the victims suffering from the disaster. This movie is persuading the audience to blame Japan for the damages of the war, where Japan had to go through the emotional breakdowns and physical injuries. Even though the book tells us not to blame Japan for the damages and the movie shows us that Japan was the enemy in World War II, there is still a link between the two texts and that is after a war majority of the participating countries will have, no matter large or small, havocs. I think, because of this, we should not blame a certain country for the occurrence of the war, and should not blame any country since the countries that participated are both enemies and victims of the war.

Managing Globalization at Sony

Managing Globalization at Sony Executive Summary As a consequence of economic liberalization, free trade is rapidly becoming a reality within regional blocks, such as the EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, and Mercosur. Furthermore, the World Trade Organization is continuously reducing the remaining barriers to the free flow of capital, goods, services, and technology among countries and regional blocks. The barriers to trade and investment among countries continue to decline rapidly and are making globalization increasingly more feasible and less expensive. Secondly, technological advances continue their onward march. There has been a sharp decline in the costs of air transportation, telecommunication, and computers since 1950. The decline in transportation costs has radically shrunk the cost of shipping goods across countries. These developments in information technology have dramatically reduced the operative distance between companies, their customers, and their suppliers and made coordination of far-flung operations not only more feasible but also more reliable and efficient. Owing to the development of the global economy, most of the firms are now expanding their operations across nations. Companies are not only located in their home countries, but the production centers, warehouses, distribution centers are also built up in different countries as well. This has been done increasingly to reap the benefits of cost and advantageous resources. This research mainly focuses on certain important strategies adopted by multinational enterprises. These strategic areas of discussion are strategy for globalization, achieving global coordination and operations, building global RD networks and improving corporate governance. The main focus will be on strategies adopted for the mentioned key issues by two multinationals: SONY and SAMSUNG. A qualitative research of these two companies is undertaken and a comparison of the strategies adopted for various key issues has been made in this paper. 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research Background and Motives In its simplest form, strategy is about getting from A to B as cost-effectively as possible. Implicit in this process are: assessing a firm’s existing situation (A), both external and internal; clarifying strategic objectives (B) and the opportunities they encompass; and determining the pathway of long-term activities (strategies) that most effectively lead from A to B. The strategic pathway must reflect not only the changing environment, but also changes called for in a firm’s capabilities. As such, strategy necessarily combines both internal and external aspects of a firm. When the environment is complex and at times volatile, as is true for the global economy, these two aspects are continuously in play and shaping each other. Firms vary considerably in the motivations and paths that guide them toward their global agendas. They begin at different points in their development, pursue different visions, and operate under different industry conditions. Firms also have a broad choice of the strategic path they take to achieve their global agendas. Some firms in the medical, biotech, and computer software fields may be viewed as â€Å"born global,† because their products have immediate widespread acceptance in an identifiable market niche around the world. But even then, like most firms, they must traverse one or more of three broadly different paths to globalize their operations-through growth, extension, or transformation. Thus, it is the foreign entry strategy that decides the mode of expanding business across nations. The research paper will focus on these strategies as adopted by Sony along with the strategy adopted for global coordination, global RD networks and corporate governance. These strategies of Sony will be compared with those of Samsung to present a contrasting image between the two companies. 1.2 Research Methods The purpose of qualitative research methods is to discover and explain the actual business phenomenon of operations, and CASE STUDY is one of the most popular methods of conducting such a research. This research is mainly focused on two multinational enterprises-SONY and SAMSUNG and the strategies adopted by these firms to enter foreign markets, strategies for attaining coordination in global operations and corporate governance strategies. In order to understand the strategies adopted by these two enterprises is studies. These sources include publications, annual reports and public release of case study companies and a case study provided on globalization of Sony Corporation. Afterwards, the data and information among these corporations will be compared and analyzed. Finally, the results of the case study will be tested and verified with the literature and certain recommendations for further strategies to be followed will be provided.Certain important concepts will be considered whi le making the analysis. These concepts are Multinational Enterprise, Globalization, Corporate Governance and Competitive advantage. The purpose of this research is to explore various strategies adopted while going global and for managing global operations efficiently. The research will aim at discussing and comparing two multinational companies Sony and Samsung on issues relevant to global operations of any organization. The research will also analyze the impact of current economic crisis on the global strategies adopted by companies. While analyzing such impact special consideration will be given to the views of Rhodes and Stetler provided in an article Seize the Advantage in a Downturn, Harvard Business Review (2009) 2 MANAGING A GLOBAL CORPORATION: SONY Sony is uniquely characterized with its relatively outgoing nature, flambount leadership and global mindset of its top executives. The company was founded on May 7, 1946, in Japan under the name of Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo. In 1958, the company changed its name officially to Sony Corporation. Its major products include Audio, Video, Televisions, Information and Communication, Semiconductors and Electronic Components. Sony was the first Japanese company to set up manufacturing facilities in the U.S. In 1980s Sony decided to diversify beyond consumer electronic goods and began to move production to other countries. Various strategies adopted by Sony while globalizing its operations are discussed in following topics. 2.1 Going Global In 1980s Japan had an image of a producer of poor quality goods. When Sony decided to go global the very first decision taken by Morita, (then chairman of Sony Corporation) was to change the companys name from a Japanese name to Sony, which was a combination of a Latin word sonus meaning sound, and a British word sonny meaning, little man. Sony initiated in its global operations in a properly planned way and used Transnational-market strategy to go global. Instead of just starting off the operations in all major countries, the company emphasized on setting up operations in one particular region at a time. For globalizing its operations, Sony followed a approach to understand the market and learn to sell before making any heavy investments. The very first effort towards globalization was setting up of a sales subsidiary in U.S. This was done in 1960 and a decision to set up a manufacturing unit was taken up only in 1971 when the company became well aware of the market trends and consumers choice in U.S. Also Morita decided to stay in America so as to understand the mentality and consumer behavior of the market. Such a bold decision helped Sony to better place its products in U.S. markets. Next market which Sony decided to tap was Europe. In order to be successful in European markets, Sony decided to customize its products as per the consumers choice. Sony had to design a Television set that would accept any of the four prevailing standards of Europe. Although, there was strong resistance for Sonys designs in European markets, company totally refused to leave its philosophy of being different and not an imitator. In London also company followed the policy of starting with only sales office and that too on a small scale. This helped the company to deeply analyze and understand the market the consumer choice before going for great investments in the country. In Germany Sonys strategy was to concentrate on projecting an image of quality. It started selling its product sonly through some best electronic shops and this created a strong awareness about the products of the company. However, to sustain in German markets, Sony continued to persist with its expensive, high quality image even after gaining a considerable awareness and flow of orders. Another challenge which Sony faced while globalizing was expanding operations in several Scandinavian countries. Here Sony first appointed local competing manufacturers, as its agents to enter the market. These manufacturers were those enjoying a good reputation in market and had strong sales capabilities. A worldwide economic recession of 1981-82 acted as a dampener on Sonys sales. At this time a new strategy of setting up Strategic Business Units (SBU) was undertaken so as to manage operations on global basis. 2.2 Building a Global RD Network Sony had developed several breakthrough products since its inception in 1946. The company had always followed the strategy of identifying customer needs and developing products to satisfy those needs and also which can stand the ever-changing market trends. Sony has several RD labs established in different parts of the world. These labs participate in annual meetings every year so as to set priorities and promote collaboration among different regions. The company looked at RD facilities as a means to tap foreign technology, provide technological support to foreign plants and to modify products to suit the needs of overseas markets. The global RD network is controlled centrally by CTO at the Japanese headquarters of the company and the system represents a Matrix system. The RD offices of US and Europe have CTOs who coordinates their own regional RD activities and formulate regional technology strategies. However, overseas labs are given sufficient autonomy to plan and implement their projects and local labs are managed by local subsidiary and also by the CTO. Sony aims at non-duplication of research activities across the system and for this company organizes Annual Technology Exchange Convention where executives from all over the world are able to exchange information and appreciate companys research capabilities. 2.3 Global Coordination Sony used decentralization and delegation in managing its global operations. The need for a good communication between Japanese headquarters and local businesses was also realized. To foster this Sony emphasized on relating its marketing groups with engineering, manufacturing and other headquarter functions. Also, product divisions were allotted the responsibility of participating in design, promotion and advertising along with distribution and various operational issues. Sony does have separate business units with independent management committees but all these are linked with headquarters to ensure coordination and cooperation in various functions. Along with a fair deal of decentralization of functions Sony established a Strategic Group Headquarters to oversee group operations and allocate resources efficiently. Also, there is an integration of design, production, customer service and logistics functions of factories to streamline supply chain management. Through greater use of i nformation technology Sony aims at coordinating administrative, sales and marketing operations of Japan, U.S and Europe. The strategy is to provide a wide range of authority to business units, but with the retention of the cohesive power of headquarters. The goal of this strategy is to create an environment of strong leadership of top management and increased corporate worth. 2.4 Corporate Governance While designing a corporate governance system at Sony, it was aimed that the ability of Board to oversee operations be strengthened. Proper care was taken for delegation of greater authority and responsibility for the extension of business activities and company planned to adopt the Company with Committees system. Such a system comprised of three committees each of which consists of a majority of outside directors. The appointment of outside directors ensures greater soundness, transparency and speed in corporate governance matters. The strategy here is was recognize the importance of a management system that believes in importance of shareholders of the company. The base of such a system of corporate governance is considered to be the innovation of Board of Directors of the company. 3 COMPARISON OF SONYS STRATEGIES WITH THAT OF SAMSUNG. Samsung was founded by Lee Byung-Chull as a small trading company in 1938. Today Samsung Group is a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. The globalization efforts started in Samsung in late 1980s. When Samsung decided to go global the main problem which aroused was companys image of being bargain junk. CEO and management personnel of the company travelled to the US to understand the market and realized that there is a strong need to change this perception about Samsung. Like Sony, Samsung also started with setting up of sales subsidiaries mainly in developed countries but unlike Sony, Samsung did not emphasized in tapping one country at a time. Rather Samsung started with its global operations in 1980s with setting up of production facilities in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe with an aim of gaining the benefits from roundabout export. Samsung also took the path of mergers and acquisitions to go global during the initial years of globalizati on. This was not the case with Sony which entered new markets independently to acquire new markets with its existing competencies and image. Despite of a strong resistance for its products design in European markets, Sony refused to compromise on companys corporate philosophy. However in 1990s Samsung did follow th strategies that included manufacturing components for better known global brands and selling copycat products of microwaves or televisions such as Sanyo to consumers. On the part of Global Coordination, Sony followed a policy of decentralization along with a tight control from headquarters so as to ensure proper functioning, accountability, transparency, cooperation and increased corporate worth. At Samsung, global operations are managed region wise. U.S market is considered as a centre for local marketing and introduction of new technologies whereas Mexico is the base for roundabout export. While Southeast Asia and Europe are the production sites, Japan is the new export market centre for introducing new technologies and China is the second most fundamental market. All these markets are given adequate authority to perform their individual functions but are closely linked with each other as well as with Global Strategy Control Headquarters in Korea. There is an exchange of technology between US and Mexico where low to medium class products are manufactured. Also there is a supply of products from Europe to U.S and of product design and new develo pments from U.S to Europe. At the same time there is a constant flow of information regarding RD initiatives, and high value-added products from the headquarters to these global business units. Thus, there is a coordination of operations among all the markets which are working as per their specializations. Sony has set up several RD units in various different countries to absorb the customers expectations from all the markets and convert this information into new innovative products to suit the needs of each specific market and its customers. Samsung also invested heavily on RD and applied the concept of innovation within the organization. According to Steers, Richard (1997) Innovation for Samsung means, develop through globalization to globalize Samsung. However, Samsung adopted a strategy to make each and every staff member of the organization capable enough to innovate. Ungson, Gerardo (1997) explained that a review of Samsungs operations from 1990 to 1992 demonstrated the need to train employees as international experts, to manage difficulties, experienced with foreign local employees, and to recruit excellent employees. Company created an atmosphere that can make each employee confident to create innovation. For this Samsung revised the concept of Samsung man that emphasized on the creative individual who is characterized with a wide view and high moral standards. Samsung recruited qualified people and there were a third of companys directors aged in 40 years or younger. The company aimed at getting people with good vision about future and considered human capital as the most important element for a successful innovation leading to efficient globalization. On account of corporate Governance, Sony has a clear structure consisting of board of directors which are mainly from external sources of the company. In Samsung there is a cross shareholdings pattern representing a web of dubious cross-shareholdings among scholars, bureaucrats and NGOs. Chairman of the company, Lee Kun-hee and his family maintain a control over the group. The Samsung Everland, Samsung Life insurance, Samsung Electronics and Samsung Card are the main pillars to sustain corporate governance structure and form a ring of shareholdings in the company and exhibit an intricately entangled shareholding system. 4 CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS AND GLOBAL STRATEGIES In the words of Landefeld, J.Steven (2009) Globalization is an economic process that has been going on since the earliest days of trade and investment across regions and countries. It has helped in significantly raising the standards of living, health and improvement in environment through a rise in world-wide production and income. As it is always believed that globalization is largely driven by economic gain; a common question during the situations of economic crisis is whether a company should focus on its current geographies rather than venture into expanding its global operations. In current financial crisis it has been seen that markets are good at pricing marginal risks so as to achieve short-term gains. However, Landefeld (2009) argued that markets are not good in evaluating bubbles and long-term systematic risk. The current financial crisis definitely affects the global strategies of companies. Most of the companies view the global economic downturn as the biggest challenge partnerships to be dealt with. Also, most of the agencies report that their corporate partners are finding it difficult to initiate new partnerships in current economic crisis. Despite such difficulties the current economic crisis has a positive side-effect also. It provides an opportunity of an extra incentive for finding more and more creative ways of partnerships and global engagements. The crisis also has a positive effect of encouraging innovation. According to Rhodes, D., and Stelter, D., 2009, Seize the Advantage in a Downturn, Harvard Business Review, Inaction is the riskiest response to the uncertainties of an economic crisis. But rash or scattershot action can be nearly damaging. In the above mentioned article Rhodes pointed out that a planned approach towards global strategies need to be followed in times of economic crisis. The very first step in this approach is that the company should assess its own vulnerabilities, at the company level and by business unit. Company should be aware of various ways in which the current scenario can affect its business in terms of reduced demand for its products, companys ability to secure short-term financing, effect on cost of capital, etc. Once such affects are known the impact can be quantified to closely assess the exposure. Then it is possible to determine the ways to reduce the exposure and survive and maximize the companys performance during the downturn. Dr, Suder, Gabriele, Professor of International Business at CERAM Business School, France clarifies that while the reduction-of-cost argument is one of the main motivations for internationalization in times of crisis, when it comes to location decisions, decision-makers will always also opt for convenient labor conditions, market opener effects and access to resources not obtainable elsewhere. Therefore, a crisis as we know it today is unlikely to alter internationalization strategies, and it shouldnt. Simply because this would alter the firms strength. Rhodes explained that a company can capitalize on the opportunities presented by a recession. There is a need to assess and minimize the vulnerability of ones firm. This will position a company to seize future resources of competitive advantage, whether through bold investments in product development or transformative acquisitions. As per the plan suggested by Rhodes, liquidity is considered as the key to survive any economic crisis. A company should monitor and maximize its cash position. This can be done through tightly managing customer credit and aggressively managing working capital. Also, there is a need to optimize ones financial structure by reducing debt and other liabilities and securing access to lines of credit. Further, there is a need to inform investors and analysts about the companys recession preparedness. This will help in maintaining a strong share price for the company. A company should reduce costs and increase efficiency during economic crisis. This is to be done through rooting out long-standing activities, centralize key functions, and analyze current suppliers and reviving earlier efficiency initiatives to implement them fully in better times. Next level is to revitalize customer retention initiatives during recession. There is a need to realign sales force utilization and incentives, reallocate marketing spending towards immediate revenue generation, and consider more-generous financial terms for customers. Also, during recession a company should reconsider its product mix and pricing strategies so as to offer lower-price versions of existing products, considering creative strategies such as result-based or subscription pricing, etc. Naim, Moises (2009) Globalization cannot be derailed by the world financial crisis until and unless we believe that globalization is mainly about international trade and investment. James (2009) argued that present economic crisis is temporary and globalization will continue and the entire world is tied up due to increase in volume of business. Through a proper mechanism a company can very well expand during recession also. The best companies make an extra effort to not only survive in downturn but position themselves to thrive during subsequent upturn. A company should consider the fact that investments made today in areas such as product development and technology will give good results only once the recession is past. The cost of such initiatives will be lower during recession and will give huge benefits in times of growth. Also, an economic crisis like that of today is good time to invest in human capital also. Downturns can also be viewed as an opportunity to rethink the business models. More and more analysts and practitioners are emphasizing on recognizing the importance of sustainable business practices, comprehensive risk-management, long-term performance and ethics. The current economic crisis has lead to recognition of Corporate Social Responsibility in every organization. This crisis has lead companies to pay more attention on environmental, social and governance issues which have a positive effect on companys performance and long-term corporate value. Also, financial investors have learned to consider these key issues while making any investment decisions. Steets, Julia (2009) argued that the global economic crisis will most likely not have a negative impact on business partnerships. In the words of Thomsen, Kristina (2009) While the crisis leads to a reduction of philanthropic giving, it also triggers innovative partnerships and may have a cathartic effect on more conventional ones, eliminating those that would not have been sustainable anyway. Thus, compan ies adopting a comprehensive approach towards handling economic crisis can be better placed and be able to seize the opportunities emerging from the turbulence and will also be able to head start on the competition once the crisis is over. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS From the above discussion it can be concluded that current financial downturn supports the recognition of sustainable business practices for long-term success of an organization and its businesses. At a time when global competition is intensifying, Sony and Samsung, using different set of strategies, remain internationally competitive. Sony has continued to supply innovative products all over the world. On the other hand Samsung has emphasized on process enrichment and innovation along with good RD investment. Samsung has concentrated on its core competency of manufacturing. Despite their different approached towards globalization and various other key issues related with the concept, both Sony and Samsung have successfully met the challenges of global competition. Sony has been characterized with an unrelated diversification. Samsung is focused on its core competency of manufacturing but Sony seems to have stuck up in multiple businesses and such unrelated businesses can be more detrimental rather than being helpful for the company. It is recommended for Sony to regain focus and investing in enhancing the companys core competencies. Further to survive competition from firms like Samsung and LG, the top management teams at Sony should evaluate the identity of the Sony brand to its customers and adopt a brand oriented leadership. These steps are necessary to rejuvenate Sony in the long run. REFERENCES Caves R.E. (1986), Multinational enterprise and economic analysis, Cambridge University Press, pp.1-30 Dunning J.H. (1993), Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy, Addision-Wesley Publishing Lindsay M. (1992), Developing Capital Markets in Eastern Europe-A Business Reference, New York University Press Landefeld, J.Steven (2009), Un High- Level Forum on Globalization and Global Crisis: The Role of Official Statistics. United Nations Statistics Division, ECOSOC Chamber. Kim, Samuel S. (2000), Korean Globalization, Cambridge University Press. Parker, Barbara (2005), Introduction to Globalization Business, Sage Publishing. Pak Y.S. and Park Y.R. (2004), Global Ownership Strategy of Japanese Multinational Enterprises: A Test of Internalization Theory, Management International Review, Vol.44, No.1, pp.3-21 Steers, Richard M Park, Seung-Ho (1997), Korean Enterprise, Harvard Business School Press. Websites Samsung Corporation http://www.samsung.com Samsung in Hungary http://www.samsung.com/hu/index.htm Samsung in Russia http://www.samsung.ru/about/ Samsung RD expenses in 2003 http://www.samsung.com/AboutSAMSUNG/ELECTRONICSGLOBAL/CompanyProfile/InvestmentinRD/ Samsung’s Governance Remains Problematic (2009), Ohmy News http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400no=274927rel_no=1 Accessed 18 November 2009 Sony Corporation http://www.sony.net Will globalization be derailed by the world financial crisis? (2009), McKinsey Company http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/the_debate_zone/will-globalization-be-derailed-by-the-world-financial-crisis Accessed 18 November 2009