International business

International business Introduction International business refers to the commercial transactions or trade activities that usually take place between two or more countries. Commercial transactions entails a wide range activities that are carried either by the governments of the nations or the private investors who may be conducting business at an international level with other investors in other countries (Rugman brewer 2003, p.105).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International business challenges and opportunities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On a broader context, international business incorporates all business activities that entail crossing national boundaries through transaction of goods, services or exchange of resources between two or more nations. International trade between different countries is always a mutual relationship that is primarily defined by diplomatic relations that exist between the participating countries. Dif ferent countries have different diplomatic relations with other countries and this significantly determines international trade; bad diplomatic relations between two countries or regional countries impairs international trade between the countries. The foreign policies of a given nation also play a significant role in determining the participation of a given nation in international trade (Feenstra 2004, p. 56). The onset of international business was primarily influenced by the increasing globalization which harmonized global relations between various countries; which saw various companies scale their operations to international levels subsequently leading to the rise of multinationals such as coca-cola. Some companies merged with other companies in different countries so as to use the available opportunity to increase their sales at international level (Gabriele 2008, p. 87). International divisions International divisions play a significant role in determining relationship that ex ists among different countries and subsequently affects international business. International divisions are determined by a wide range of factors that are primarily defined by social, political, economic and to some extent geographic factors. The diversity in social and economic factors among different countries plays an important factor in determining the international trade trends between different countries and regional alliances and sometimes affects intercontinental trade (Feenstra 2004, p. 55).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some of the social factors that that are responsible for international divisions include religion, culture, geographical orientations and governance and economic structures. The international divisions play a significant role in determining the international relationships of a country. The market policies of a given country determine the international trade patterns that the country undertakes (Pressroom 2010, p. 56). Challenges in international business There are a number of challenges that are associated with international business. Some of the challenges that affect the local business also affect the international business at the same capacity. The challenges are dynamic and vary in nature according to the participating countries and the type of goods and services that the countries trade in. A challenge in itself is the way the participating countries establish strategies to approach the global trade challenges. Global markets are faced with various impediments ranging from the structure of the global financial markets to the foreign policies of the participating countries. Cultural, political and institutional diversities and complexities still play a big part in determining international trade patterns as they have been since the onset of international trade. Other upcoming concerns in the international busin ess include the climatic changes, rise of international terrorism and international fraud, just to name a few. One of the challenges that significantly affect international trade is the formulation of the global trade strategies and the execution of the established strategies. The administrators and policy makers who are solely responsible for facilitating international trade always impair the process of global business (Taylor 2007. P. 39). The various policies always have an effect on the patterns of global business and in most scenarios, the stringent policies does not favor the development of international trade. There are a large number of businesses that have the potential of carrying out their business operations on a world wide scale but on a few manage to gain international recognition due to the lack of proper international paradigms that only tend to favor a few international companies. The main challenge is in the global business management; the present global management requires more than just ordinary management in order to make international business run smoothly without any impairments. The current trend however is indicating some improvements with the rise of professionals taking up management positions (Taylor 2007. P. 40). Another challenge that greatly affects the international business is foreign politics. Foreign politics largely defines the way a given countries relates with other countries on an international platform.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International business challenges and opportunities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The present foreign policies that have been adopted by a significant number of countries do not favor the sustainability and growth of international business (Moore Harris 2010, p. 27). The policy makers of international policies put stringent measures such as taxes and rules and regulations that must be followed in order to carry out int ernational business between private investors or the international trade between the participating countries. These stringent rules and measures that are deployed at the borders or during the transit or exchange goods and services between the various countries always tend to impair international trade as they do not provide standardized international paradigms. Political disarray significantly affects the nation’s financial system and this greatly affects international trade (Moore Harris 2010, p. 27). Economic and financial challenges also play a significant part in impairing the sustainability and development of international trade. The organization of resources to initiate international business depends vastly on the variations in the international currency rates, international financial crisis or economic depression among the participating countries and especially the host nation, variations in the oil rates at the global arena, international price variations such as ris ing and subsequent falling off price of various commodities that are known to attract international attention, and the export rules that are associated with the exporting or host country and the import rules that are present on the partnering countries (Oliver 2008, p. 126). All these factors serve as impairment to the development of international trade and its sustainability. A recent blow to international trade is the global recession and economic depression that was witnessed by many countries and particularly the unites states of America and in other European countries; this was accompanied by a major decline in international business activities. Another challenge that international business faces is through the increased cost of conducting international business. Costs that are incurred during international transactions range from the cost of trading the goods or services such as tariffs and quotas to costs that entail direct ownership such as the involvement of foreign personn el in the global trade, taxations and costs due to corruption in the international business system. The above named factors significantly affect the equilibrium of the international market structure; which is not suitable to sustain and facilitate the growth of international business transactions (Moore Harris 2010, p. 30). In order to beat the challenges that are associated with international business, the various countries have to implement several measures and policies that are directed towards the facilitation and improvement of international trade. The participating countries should therefore abide by a given set of norms that that serve to govern the logistics that are associated with international business transactions (Oliver 2008, p. 123).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Key opportunities in international trade International trade greatly relies on the factors that harmonize global relationships between the various countries. The opportunities that facilitate the growth and sustainability of international business can be viewed from a social, economic, physical and infrastructural perspective. All the factors that attempt to harmonize the equilibrium of the global market serve as an opportunity to facilitate the growth and sustainability of international trade (Diamond 1995, p.36). The onset of globalization was a major significant step towards the realization of international trade. Some key issues that facilitated the growth of international trade include the technological advancements that are associated with the information age of the late 20th century. One of the key opportunities that facilitated the onset, and continued sustainability and growth is globalization. Globalization is fully responsible for the interdependence of countries which ul timately resulted to the integration of business transactions on a global level (Moore Harris 2010, p. 35). Globalizations also resulted to integration of people and ideas at an international level and this provides a healthy environment to sustain the growth of international business transactions and cross border trade activities. The integration due globalization is widely evident due to international investments that various multinationals exploited and cross border financial flows. Evidence suggests that globalization has contributed greatly to the rise and growth of international trade (Moore Harris 2010, p. 35). The onset of globalization harmonized cultural differences between the various countries and this presented an opportunity for exchange of resources between different countries (Diamond 1995, p.36). Another opportunity for the sustainability and development of international trade is the technological advancements that have been associated with the rise of information age during the late 20th century (Sawyer Sprinkle 2006, p.27). The technological developments especially the onset of the internet and the World Wide Web provided a great platform to facilitate international business through the use of online platforms; what is commonly being referred to as e-commerce. Online business defies geographical orientations which may pose a barrier to the development of international trade. Technological advances lowered the costs that are associated with transportation, marketing, and communication at the global basis. Advances in technology made it economically feasible for a multinational company to establish the different phases of production at different nations; this greatly promoted the rise of international trade because it scaled the operations of the various international companies on a global basis (Moore Harris 2010, p. 27). The liberalization of the global markets also presented an opportunity for the development if international business. This paved way for the rise of open markets with fewer government restrictions which in turn increased the private sector involvement in international business transactions (Indira Stone 2004, p. 39). Economic liberalization was due to the need for countries to be globally competitive in terms of international trade which in turn facilitated the development of international business between different countries on a global basis. Liberalization of global markets played a significant role in ensuring the flexibility of global financial markets in terms of both trade and capital markets. Liberalization of the market facilitated exports and imports between different countries (Indira Stone 2004, p. 42). Generally other opportunities that facilitated the growth of international trade include the increased privatization, free markets, the development of international financial institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). The development of regional alliance s such as the Common wealth and European Union saw the rise in international trade (Sawyer Sprinkle 2006, p.27). Conclusion International business primarily requires the interaction of different government agencies. This implies that it is mostly affected by the government relations rather than the technological advancements and the onset of globalization. With regard to this, participating countries should establish appropriate policies to govern the foreign relations with other countries. International business is vital for the development of any country through exports and imports which results to foreign income and at the same time facilitating the acquisition of resources that the country lacks (Indira Stone 2004, p. 34). However, care should be taken when balancing the tradeoffs between the imports and exports in order to avoid cases of inflation (Taylor 2007. P. 54). References Alan, M. R Thomas L. B., 2003, The Oxford handbook of international business, London: Oxford Uni versity Press. Diamond, E. D, 1995, Contemporary challenges: American business in a global economy, New York: New York University Press. Feenstra, C. R., 2004, Advanced international trade: theory and evidence, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Gabriele, G. S., 2008, International business under adversity: a role in corporate responsibility, conflict prevention, and peace, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. Indira, C. Stone, P., 2005, International trade law, New York: Routledge. Moore, G., Harris. L., Trade and Technology Policies. P. 27. Web. Oliver F. W., 2008, Peace through Commerce: Responsible Corporate Citizenship and the Ideals of the United Nations Global Compact, Notre Dame, Ind: University of Notre Dame Press. Press room, 2010, Challenges confronting international trade. Web. Sawyer, C. W. Sprinkle, R. L. 2006, International Economics (second Ed), Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Taylor, S., 2007, Major Challenges Confronting the International Trading System. Web.

Electron Domain Definition and VSEPR Theory

Electron Domain Definition and VSEPR Theory In chemistry, the electron domain refers to the number of lone pairs or bond locations around a particular atom in a molecule. Electron domains may also be called electron groups.  Bond location is independent of whether the bond is a single, double, or triple bond. Key Takeaways: Electron Domain An atoms electron domain is the number of lone pairs or chemical bond locations that surround it. It represents the number of locations expected to contain electrons.By knowing the electron domain of each atom in a molecule, you can predict its geometry. This is because electrons distribute around an atom to minimize repulsion with one another.Electron repulsion is not the only factor that affects molecular geometry. Electrons are attracted to positively charged nuclei. The nuclei, in turn, repel each other. Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory Imagine tying two balloons together at the ends. The balloons automatically repel one another. Add a third balloon, and the same thing happens so that the tied ends form an equilateral triangle. Add a fourth balloon, and the tied ends reorient themselves into a tetrahedral shape. The same phenomenon occurs with electrons. Electrons repel one another, so when they are placed near one another, they automatically organize themselves into a shape that minimizes repulsions among them. This phenomenon is described as VSEPR, or Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion. Electron domain is used in VSEPR theory to determine the molecular geometry of a molecule. The convention is to indicate the number of bonding electron pairs by the capital letter X, the number of lone electron pairs by the capital letter E, and the capital letter A for the central atom of the molecule (AXnEm). When predicting molecular geometry, keep in mind the electrons generally try to maximize distance from each other but they are influenced by other forces, such as the proximity and size of a positively-charged nucleus. For example, CO2 has two electron domains around the central carbon atom. Each double bond counts as one electron domain. Relating Electron Domains to Molecular Shape The number of electron domains indicates the number of places you can expect to find electrons around a central atom. This, in turn, relates to the expected geometry of a molecule. When the electron domain arrangement is used to describe around the central atom of a molecule, it may be called the molecules electron domain geometry. The arrangement of atoms in space is the molecular geometry. Examples of molecules, their electron domain geometry, and molecular geometry include: AX2 - The two-electron domain structure produces a linear molecule with electron groups 180 degrees apart. An example of a molecule with this geometry is CH2CCH2, which has two H2C-C bonds forming a 180-degree angle. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is another linear molecule, consisting of two O-C bonds that are 180 degrees apart.AX2E and AX2E2 - If there are two electron domains and one or two  lone electron pair, the molecule can have a bent geometry. Lone electron pairs make a major contribution to the shape of a molecule. If there is one lone pair, the result is a trigonal planar shape, while two lone pairs produce a tetrahedral shape.AX3 - The three electron domain system describes a trigonal planar geometry of a molecule where four atoms are arranged to form triangles with respect to each other. The angles add up to 360 degrees. An example of a molecule with this configuration is boron trifluoride (BF3), which has three F-B bonds, each forming 120-degree angles. Using Electron Domains to Find Molecular Geometry To predict the molecular geometry using the VSEPR model: Sketch the Lewis structure of the ion or molecule.Arrange the electron domains around the central atom to minimize repulsion.Count the total number of electron domains.Use the angular arrangement of the chemical bonds between the atoms to determine the molecular geometry. Keep in mind, multiple bonds (i.e., double bonds, triple bonds) count as one electron domain. In other words, a double bond is one domain, not two. Sources Jolly, William L. Modern Inorganic Chemistry. McGraw-Hill College, June 1, 1984. Petrucci, Ralph H. General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications.  F. Geoffrey Herring, Jeffry D. Madura, et al., 11th Edition, Pearson, February 29, 2016.

Russian Independence in and how it relates to Edmund Burke's Theory Term Paper

Russian Independence in and how it relates to Edmund Burke's Theory - Term Paper Example (Bova, 2003, pg 9) Overview of Russian history In the period between 1970s and early 1980s, Russia was a calm nation that maintained the status quo. The president at that time, Leonid Brezhnev, was widely regarded as an incompetent leader, who kept a cabinet full of old, tired individuals who were not highly charged nor inspired. Moreover, the military kept away from political matters and there were not even the slightest sense of unrest among the population. However, this state had a negative impact on Russia’s economy at the time and she started falling behind economically as compared to other nations such as the United States, Japan Europe and China (Hough 61). The turn of events that eventually led to the revolution after the 1989 elections have the symptoms like the ones held by Edward Burke in his theory of modern revolution. This paper, therefore seeks to argue the events that led to the Russian coup de tat and to provide evidence whether they conformed or disagreed to the theory proposed by Burke. An overview of Edmund Burke’s Theory of Modern Revolution Burke started to have thoughtful insights into political matters such as the French revolution as early as 1787-8. He accurately predicted that the revolution will be a total catastrophe. He attributed it mostly to philosophies that had created a rift between divine will the general human population. Burke had two insights concerning modern revolution in France. One, he believed that the French still had the aspects of the ancient constitution and he gave an example of the ancient constitution of England. He believed that after the constitutions reforms, there was great possibility of adopting a good constitutional progress that would be peaceful. He believed that there was no need for any inhuman acts that would bring down prominent leaders that ruled the land. He never believed or advocated for the revolution way of dealing with political matters. These revolution issues lead to Burke wa nting to get more insights into it. It leads many people to know Burke as the inciter of conservativeness during the century. He argued that revolution would be the last solution in resolving the catastrophes that entangled any government. He viewed revolutions as a past gone philosophy, which easily destroyed the morality of the society, and in fact it broke the social ties the society enjoyed. Revolution, according to Burke, is a process that undermined the essence of civilization. He looked at the revolution approach as the destructor of the normal orders and positional powers. Authority was undermined by revolution also. He viewed that those who did not respect the law, and those that used violence to enforce their ideas, were the main cause of revolution, which had the basis of destruction and harmful intentions. (Burke & Clark, 2001, pg 69) Burke’s theory did not analyze what revolution was all about, but focused on the originality of the revolution, the violence and th e religious implications it caused to the society, the sudden collapse of the government, and the results all these actions lead to. Burke therefore had an outstanding opinion that was greatly respected in the nineteenth century. His support for the older reign in France was the main pointer to how he greatly opposed revolution. He

Concert Attendance Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Concert Attendance Report - Essay Example As youthful as I was, the majority of the audience range of age was between 40-60 years of age. Documented here is a report on the music and concert attendance report. The concert was opened with a New Year song which sung in Chinese and goes by the title ‘ask the sky and earth’ and the instruments were played in uniformity slowly by slowly as it progressed, the mood became more enriching. Different instruments succeeding each other to unity sessions that demanded concentration from the expectant audience played along regarding the song texture as polyphonic. The symphonic orchestra had powerful instrumentation which, played in the concert, effectively supported by the continuous use of the vocal styles together with rhythmic classifications. The aged audience enjoyed the pieces played as was evident from the faces and expression of enjoyment. The air was filled with sweet music that was a recall from the early 1960s; I must admit the sensation soothe and send an enjoyment mood down thoughts. The choir quickly entered the second piece that was dominated by the Chinese dance. The swinging to the music was in slow movements that flowed with the tempo of the music. Particular interest was set to the old age and the old classic music for the Chinese descent. The orchestra and the soloist had an intimate veneer, and their appearance was more comfortable with each other because the music was a latest version from modern artists compared to the initial performance where they appeared adversarial. The third piece began, and this had no pause in the end. Movement chain to me accelerated ever-building climax at the end of the third movement. The soloist stepped forward, took a powerful role, and seemed to rejoice over the orchestra as a recital filled the air with a message regarding the white and black personalities with need to regard them as equals. The closing theme had extreme lyrics, which brought an element of glory to

Culture and workplace ethics Essay Example for Free

Culture and workplace ethics Essay Culture in the workplace has very little to do with the well known culture of literature, music and art. In the workplace, culture actually refers to the shared work environment, belief systems, behavior expectations and expected efforts, all of which usually characterize a certain organization or business enterprise. The work setting culture mainly includes things like, socialization expectations, dress code, how different groups within the organization perceive issues relating to attendance, problem solving and quality of work output. Finding the appropriate culture to fit an organization is a vital element in ensuring that a particular field or job is successful. Corporate culture has a lot of influence on ethics of an organization. It is through it that right or wrong decisions are made. They determine whether to adopt strategies that will benefit majority of the people in the workplace positively or adopting ones with an impact of affecting most workers in a negative manner (Russell, Para 3). Effect of culture on workplace ethics The organization’s culture is quite important perhaps more than most people appreciate. It holds various categories of people within an organization together and thus it has a lot of impact on what people within the organization perceive to be right or wrong. Even though certain conducts like corruption might be considered to be vice and thus culturally immoral in some organizations, there are other workplaces where the behavior is considered to be appropriate. Culture is usually deep rooted in an organization since although it is manmade; it takes several decades to grow. New employees in each and every work place are first introduced to the operating culture in the workplace and thus it is usually in each and every person working in the workplace. Ethics comes after culture and it therefore has to sing to the tune of culture (Lagan, Moran, pp 46). The depth of culture within an organization is usually realized when someone attempts to alter an organization’s culture in a manner that is not consistent with the shared believes and norms of the organization. Such a person usually meets a lot resistance regardless of whether the intended cultural change is ethical or not. Culture within an organization is usually not stagnant but it is rather dynamical so as to take into account the changing business and workplace environment. Due to the fact that the workplace ethics are tied to culture, they also have to keep on changing so as to be consistent with the workplace culture (Russell, Para 4). Workplace ethics is highly influenced by the leadership of the entire organization. These are the people who are charged with the mandate of running the business and making decisions for the entire organization. The organizational culture determines the type of people to take managerial decisions. Therefore, if the culture of an organization is to be led by men and women of high integrity, then the workplace in such an organization is likely to be ethical. This is due to the fact that when an organization is led by such people, they will always make decisions with each and everyone within and without the organization in their mind. Their decisions will in most cases affect majority of the people in a positive manner. In this case, culture is very important on business ethics since it determines in an indirect manner the type of decisions to be made by the managers leading the organization (Hopkins, pp 78). On the other hand, if the organizational culture of a particular enterprise is one that allows men and women of less integrity to lead it, people who enter these offices via unethical channels where merit is not a priority, then such managers will in most cases be unethical. They will in almost all cases make unethical decisions which are likely to only benefit very few individuals within the organization while exposing the majority, mainly the junior members of staff to unfair treatment. Workplaces operating from such environments are mostly unethical and clearly this is as a result of the organizational culture. Most of the decisions adopted in such organizations are usually only aimed at maximizing the profits of the organization without putting into consideration other parties who are likely to suffer as a result of such decisions. These types of managements are mainly self centered and are only worried about their business organizations with little or no concern at all for other people. They are not worried of whether their actions are ethical or not, as long as business is running and making profits nothing else worry them. This attitude is usually enhanced by the organizational culture which in turn affects the workplace ethics significantly (Russell, Para 7). The corporate culture of an enterprise determines the criteria of promotion. If the culture of an organization enhances promotion based on merit, then the workplace will be more ethical as compared to instances where promotion is not based on merit. Since employees seek for promotion every now and then, they have to look for the criterion that is used for promotion so that they can be well equipped to qualify for promotion. Such a culture of promotion will take decades to develop and will thus be very much deep rooted to eliminate within the workplace (Lagan, Moran, pp 69). The culture of an organization determines the values that are to be held in high regard within the organization. If a culture holds unethical behaviors in high esteem, then such conducts will be dominant in the organization. Rewards will be awarded to those people who excel in such conducts. In this case, the organizational culture is mainly concerned with appreciating the efforts of its employees who have excelled in certain field regardless of whether their actions were ethical or not. Such a culture therefore, promotes unethical behaviors among its employees (Brooks, Dunn, pp 120). In other organizations, the culture is very clear and is tailored towards promoting ethical behaviors among its employees. In fact, the employees who excel in ethical conducts in various fields in the course of their work are identified in a fair manner and rewarded so as to encourage them to continue in the same spirit and be even more ethical in future. The other employees are also challenged to act ethically and at the same time they are made to desire to act ethically so as to be rewarded like their counterparts who were more ethical than then in a certain period. This form of culture thus acts as a tool for enhancing ethical behaviors within an organization to develop (Bassman, pp 55s). Culture within an organization determines how the organization as whole perceives the outsiders, more so its competitors. There are cultures which are tailored towards viewing the competitors as enemies and thus it promotes actions which will deal with such enterprises as enemies. Such a culture will promote unethical behaviors to its competitors and enmity arises between the two organizations. Culture is responsible for various unethical actions that might be penetrated to the other organization since it has made everyone within the workplace of the organization to develop a negative attitude towards its competitors (Russell, Para 9). At the same time, culture can act as a catalyst for enhancing ethical behaviors among the various employees of the organization especially in their actions towards the competitors. Culture will in this case promote good relations among the two organizations and it will make the employees to perceive the other organization as a competitor and not an enemy. This form of culture will promote actions that will enhance positive competition between the two sides and thus ethical behaviors will be enhanced greatly (Lagan, Moran, pp 89). While there are employment regulations and laws governing the manner in which employees are to be treated, the ethics of an organization are more tailored by the organizational culture and not such laws and regulations. The ethics therefore goes beyond the regulations and the laws connecting the business practices of an organization to the workers’ personal beliefs. Culture in this case plays a leading role in ensuring that the actions adopted by the organization are in line with it. In this case, the organizational culture ensures that various employees in the workplace within the enterprise work together for a common objective as well as having the intention of doing the right thing in a world that is quite diverse and complex (Bassman, pp 126). The culture in operation within an enterprise determines how an organization treats its outsiders and whether or not it does anything that is likely to affect them negatively. For culture to be able to promote ethical actions among its employees towards the outsiders, then it must be one that encourages decisions that will affect these people in a positive manner. Among the current issues that has brought a lot of criticism in the entire world is that of pollution. An organization is considered to be ethical if it emits fewer pollutants to the environment. This means that it is concerned about the environment and the consequences of disposing untreated chemicals to the environment. On the other hand, there are organizations that are completely unethical. They pollute the environment without really caring how many people will be affected by the same. This affects the workplace environment indirectly since the employees will face hostility from members of public and will in several occasions be referred to as unethical people who do not care about tomorrow. This might make the organization to loose several employees to other companies which are more ethical as employees will like to be associated with organizations with good reputation (Brooks, Dunn, pp 258). Conclusion Culture is a very important element in every organization. It is responsible in shaping the ethical behavior of the employees and also the workplace ethics. This is due to the fact that ethics within an organization is driven by the culture that is in operation within an organization. Culture is therefore a very important force in driving ethical practices of an enterprise. This is mainly because the organizational culture takes time to grow and mature and that it is taught to all new employees which make it to be deeply rooted within all employees. Culture has the ability of making an organization to act either ethically or unethically. Work cited: Bassman, Emily S. ; Abuse in the workplace: management remedies and bottom line impact; ISBN 089930673X, Quorum, 1992. Brooks, Leonard J. Dunn, Paul; Business Professional Ethics for Directors, Executives Accountants; ISBN 0324594550, Cengage Learning, 2009. Hopkins, Willie Edward. Ethical dimensions of diversity; ISBN 080397289X, SAGE, 1997. Lagan, Attracta Moran, Brian; Three Dimensional Ethics: Implementing Workplace Values; ISBN 097574223X, eContent Management, 2005. Russell, Mike; Workplace Ethics Business for Social Responsibility: Initiatives for corporate culture’s committed to ethical business practices, concern for the environment and global humanitarian causes (2008): Retrieved on 5th August 2009 from http://sandiego. jobing. com/blog_post. asp? post=8929.

Modernization Theory Essay -- Sociology Modernization Essays Papers

Modernization Theory Modernization is the term used for the transition from the traditional society of the past to modern society as it is found today in the West. Modernization theory refers to a variety of non-Marxist perspectives which have been put forward to explain the development or underdevelopment of countries. Modernization theory is a model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of differing levels of technological development among societies. Modernization theory presents the idea that by introducing modern methods in "technology, agricultural production for trade, and industrialization dependent on a mobile labour force," the underdeveloped countries will experience a strengthening in their economies. Modernization theory offers an account of the common features of the process of development drawing on the analysis of Durkheim and Weber. Development implies the bridging of these gaps by an imitative process, occurring in stages, such that traditional sect ors and/or countries gradually assume the qualities of the 'modern' western countries. There are many proponents of Modernization Theory, such as, Walter Rostow, W.A. Lewis, Talcott Parsons, and Daniel Lerner, however the theory has it's roots in the ideas of Durkheim and Weber. The proponents of the modernization theory all felt that the rest of the world needed to look to the Western model of modernity and pattern their society like the West in order to progress. Modernization theory was developed as an alternative to the Marxist account of social development. Modernization Theory Divides the World into two kinds of societies: "modern" and "traditional." Traditional societies are backward looking : Dominated by religious a... ...hat: poor countries are separated from the world economy. It ignores the possibility that one country's prosperity may mean another countries poverty. Further, modernization theory ignores the roles that powerful state governments play in helping with wealth-creation as they support, regulate, and direct economic growth. Modernization theory is an unworkable guide for facilitating Caribbean growth because of the many weaknesses, which have been highlighted. The modernization theory although is without a doubt one of he most influential theory, is in fact an unworkable guide to Caribbean development as it simply describes the development process without showing how it might be achieved. The theory is in fact a unilinear, ethnocentric theory and it is with all it's shortcomings which one can conclude that it provides an unworkable guide to Caribbean development.

Bedenhams final

Debenhams is a public quoted company in the United Kingdom specializing in the manufacture and sale of Cloth wear, house wears, cosmetics and toilettes. Started in 1813, the company has grown from a small enterprise into a multi-national corporation. The growth has been necessitated through business ventures mainly acquisitions.The company has throughout in its lifetime been acquiring smaller cloth and cosmetics manufacturing companies the first one being Marshall & Snelgrove in 1919. Debenhams manufactures cloth wear both for domestic use and also for export purposes.Much of their products are exported in the European, Asian and African nations including the US market. The target group of Debenhams includes children, who buy children’s wear, women (women’s wear) and men (Men’s wear). Other target groups are: cosmetic shops; large super-markets and other processing companies. The products range from wedding dresses to school uniforms. Its policy is to analyse and identify what customer specifications are and design the cloths accordingly. Technologically, the company has re-shaped its manufacturing methodologies that have produced the latest fashions of clothes in the market.These have attracted a large number of customers. The following table can help illustrate how the demand for cloth wear for different categories of its target groups has been trending for the last four years. The demand is in terms of the revenue realized from the sale of clothes and cosmetics. Debenhams employs the e-business technology to strategically advertise its products. It also uses e-business to identify any emerging trends in customer demands as well as studying the activities of rival companies. Stiff competition comes from Alexon Group plc and Arcadia Group plc.Debenham’s main resources requirements are among others, wool, cotton and Chemicals for making cosmetics. Other resources are; transportation facilities as some of these raw materials have to b e transported from far countries. The company is however faced with the ever dynamic environmental factors in which it operates. These are both external and internal to the organization. These are Political, environmental, Social and Technological (PEST). ANALSIS OF THE EXTERNAL’ STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT OF DEBENHAMS PLC. USING PESTPEST is a tool that is used to analyse enterprises in terms of the political, economic, social and technological environment. THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT Debenham’s activities are stringently regulated by various political sources. In the first place, there exists a government regulation at the source nations. For instance, expiry dates for cosmetics vary from country to country for two or more products produced within the same date of manufacture. The U. K government does regulate the health and safety conditions that workers of Debenhams plc have to work in.Also under regulation, is the minimum wage of workers. Some political factors have favou rably affected the operations of Debenhams. An example is the compulsory recycling laws. These have enabled Debenhams to save on its costs of raw materials as these have to sometimes be recycled. THE ECONOMICAL ENVIRONMENT Approximately 30% of UK budgetary revenue is based on domestic borrowing. This money is raised mainly through taxation and corporates like Debenhams are taxed at rates that are quite high. Inspite of the allowance of a tax holiday to some competitor companies, Debenhams does not enjoy this facility.This adversely affects its profits. Debenhams relies on external sources of finance i. e. fixed charge capital to finance its operations. These sources of finance are associated with fixed interest payments. The economical ramifications of these huge financial costs are that it may affect Debenham’s financial position . The following graph depicts how Debenham’s financial risk has been responding to changes in Leverage (gearing). The other economical chall enge that has faced Debenhams is that products from rival companies have also flooded the market, being cheap and readily available.They are a formidable competition to Debenhams. THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT One of the greatest social challenges of Debenhams is change of tastes and fashions. Many are times when sales show a declining trend as a result of consumers shifting to other products. Before marketing and selling their products, Debenhams must consider factors like customs and believes of a people. There are some geographical areas like the Muslim communities where certain clothing are prohibited due to their religious believes. Such factors tend to hinder Debenham’s operations.TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT With the advent of computerization, many of Debenham’s plant machinery have been rendered obsolete because they are analogue as opposed to digital. There is a need to buy new computerized systems that will increase efficiency in production. However, Debenhams has emba rked in a rapid computerization program and has hired consultancies and professionals to fast track the process. Debenham is also pursuing a strategic plan of five years that factors in probable challenges and advancement and has also hired the services of a consultancy firm.By integrating the e- business system and other advertisement modes in the electronic media like blackberrie, T. V and other electronic media, there has been an increase in orders placed by potential consumers. This has seen the sales turnover rising from ? 24bn in the year ended 31st December 2005 to ? 28bn for the period ended 31st December 2006. THE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT In order to compete successfully, Debenhams has embraced a research and development framework. The aim of this plan is to study consumer needs and trends and also innovations in production and design.Their research findings on consumer behavior are as below: Additionally, the company needs to build its organizational image in order to develop confidence to its stakeholders. Extending corporate responsibility to social responsibility would greatly and favourably affect its customers and local community at large. Proper financial accounting and disclosure of relevant information to the accounts would also help build investor confidence. Another internal factor likely to influence the operations of Debenham is how well the management has addressed the issue of Quality control.In order for their products to gain popularity, they must integrate a system of quality development and quality maintenance Internal factors like employee satisfaction greatly determine the level of performance in the organization. To curb its devastating effects, the management of Debenhams has adapted a democratic style of management. Decision- making is decentralized , and any changes are brought soberly. CONCLUSION In conclusion, Debenhams exists within a balance of both the external and internal environments.This balance involves complex financial systems geared towards servicing its credit system, employee satisfaction and making profit. The research and development section that is carrying out the employee training under Human resource management makes the employees of Debenham have an edge over it competitors. In addition the technological improvements in its production unit have spurred the mass production of its products while maintaining quality. In essence this has given Debenhams credit in international quality awards. The market for this U.K outfit has penetrated and is increasingly becoming a dominant presence in the European continent and the USA. References: Ralph Christensen (2005) Roadmap to Strategic HR: Turning a Great Idea into a Business Reality Summary, AMACOM Division Joan E. Pynes(2004) Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Jossey Bass UK Edward J. (2005) Model Policies and Procedures for Not-for-Profit Organizations by CPA, CAE McMillan, UK Cynthia D. Fisher (2003) Human Reso urce Management ,Front Matter, UK Leyna Bernstein (2001) Creating Your Employee Handbook : A Do-It-Yourself Kit for Nonprofits, UK http://www.debenhams. com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/topcategory_10001_10001_-1 Robert Dransfield (2000) Human Resources Management: Human Resource Management, Harcourt Heinemann Mark C. Zweig (2003) Human Resources Management: The Complete Guidebook for Design Firms Summary, John Wiley and Sons publishers, US Ralph Christensen (2005) Roadmap to Strategic HR: Turning a Great Idea into a Business Reality Summary, AMACOM Division, and American Management. Susan Albers and Edward Lawler (2003) Creating a Strategic Human Resources Organization: An Assessment of Trends and New Directions Summary, Stanford University Press, Stanford

A Just Society

A just society is a type of society that promotes the well being of everyone in the society. It makes it possible for people to pursue their common good. It protects people from external harm.This kind of society does not live in a state of anarchy but strives to create a utopian society. (Quigley, 1961) For a society to live in harmony and peace, there are some rights and freedom that the people are entitled to which makes them work towards a just society. For instance certain rights and liberties must be granted such as political liberties. (Quigley, 1961) This involves expansion of democratic space and institutions and the press should enjoy its freedom.The people and political activists must have freedom of speech as well as freedom of assembly. Other freedoms are; association, the rights and freedoms within the rule of law (Rawls, 1993)).The freedom to set people free and protect them from slavery, freedom to move around without intimidation or fear, and freedom to work based on one’s decision as long as the occupation is within the law. Other liberty is of conscience since it greatly impacts on the social relationships rooted in philosophy, morality and religion. (Rawls, 1971)If the people are not given certain rights and liberties to enjoy, they are likely to rebel and cause chaos. The rebellion is used as a way of asserting their authority in the matter and coerces the existing institutions to accord them their rights. (Rawls, 1971)Civil DisobedienceOne way through which people demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the way the society is run. If a society does not have social, political institutions which can be informal or formal, and proper economic structures it is likely to experience civil disobedience. A society which is dominated by civil disobedience is not just. This is because people do not have respect for the law or other structures put in place in the society for the well being of all. (Rawls, 1993)  Corruption is one indicator of a society which is not just due to civil disobedience. For instance, well connected individuals and influential politicians abuse the existing social and political structures and amasses wealth for themselves at the expense of the common man. This has led to widening disparity between the rich and the poor. (Quigley, 1961) Such individuals have means of influencing higher authorities and therefore they are able to access public funds and other resources for their own personal gains. (Atkinson, 1982)As a result, there has been public outcry and desire to throw such people out of the government and public offices that they hold. Members of the society have resulted in staging demonstrations to express their grievances. The money which is stolen from the public coffers is meant to develop he society and generate stable sources of income for the society. (Rawls, 1993)There have been untold crimes being committed by young people as a result of civil disobedience of those in higher autho rities. Corruption which is a fruit of civil disobedience, has made the young   people to commit crimes after being rewarded handsome rewards by their sponsors, who are usually well connected individuals.Despite the evils committed, these individuals are not charged with any offence because they can influence and manipulate the judicial system. According to Rawl, he asserted everyone is in possession of an undisputable desire for justice; the society’s welfare as a whole can’t underestimate it. Therefore lack of justice, breeds acts of corruption and some people are denied freedom and yet others share a greater good. The coercion assumes that the citizens are reasonable. (Rawls, 1993)The commission for human rights does not do much to promote the rights of the people and thus the level of civil disobedience has increased overtime. The commission should look into the causes of corruption and tackle the problem from the grassroots. For instance, it is believed that som e of the causes of corruption are greed for wealth, low income levels, loose moral values, and lack of accountability on those handling financial matters. (Atkinson, 1982)Corruption has also led to inequality and total disregard of human rights. Equality and human rights are the basic concepts towards a just society. The human rights are evident in the way people live their everyday lives at all levels of the society. The social structure needs to cater for the needs of everyone to avoid corruption at low levels before it graduates to higher levels. For example transparency should be emphasized right from primary school and rewards should not be given to people for committing evil. (Rawls, 1993)The most notable forms of corruption involve massive looting of the public funds which translate into billions of dollars and sale of public corporations. Others involve embezzlement of money meant to pay employees. This contributes to unjust society. (Quigley, 1961)

The eNotes Blog Poets in Black and White Remembering Lucille Clifton and RobertFrost

Poets in Black and White Remembering Lucille Clifton and RobertFrost Lucille Clifton and Robert Frost At this month, we are taking some time to remember two great American poets:   Lucille Clifton and Robert Frost.   Clifton passed away on February 17, 2010, and March 26 marked Frosts birthday. Seldom have two writers articulated their view of the United States in such unique and memorable ways. Lucille Cliftons often highly personal poems focused on what it was like to be an African-American woman living in the twentieth century. Her voice has been characterized as earthy and reminiscent of the rhythms of  the black oral tradition.   One of her poems that embodies all three of these characteristics is The Lost Baby: the time i dropped your almost body down down to meet the waters under the city and run one with the sewage to the sea what did i know about waters rushing back what did i know about drowning or being drowned you would have been born in winter in the year of the disconnected gas and no car we would have made the thin walk over the genecy  hill into the canada winds to let you slip into a strangers hands if you were here i could tell you these and some other things and if i am ever less than a mountain for your definite brothers and sisters let the rivers wash over my head let the sea take me for a spiller of seas let black men call me stranger always for your never named sake Cliftons collection of poems  Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir, 1969-1980 was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.   Twelve years later, in 2000, Blessing the Boats: New and Selected Poems, 1988-2000 won a National Book Award. Like Clifton, Robert Frost too also wrote of the American experience, but from the vantage point of a white New Englander. However, where Clifton is typically sparse and direct, Frosts poems are frequently long and colloquial.   And while he is often thought of as Americas kindly grandfather poet, in fact, Frost could be quite dark and brooding.   For example, consider his poem Acquainted With the Night: I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light. I have looked down the saddest city lane. I have passed by the watchman on his beat And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain. I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet When far away an interrupted cry Came over houses from another street, But not to call me back or say good-bye; And further still at an unearthly height, A luminary clock against the sky Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. I have been one acquainted with the night. Robert Frost won the Pulitzer Prize four times: 1924 for New Hampshire: A Poem With Notes and Grace Notes 1931 for Collected Poems 1937 for A Further Range 1943 for A Witness Tree Frost died on January 29, 1963. He was 89 years old.

Top 10 New and Unique Teacher Gift Ideas Revealed

Top 10 New and Unique Teacher Gift Ideas Revealed Buying for teachers can be hard. A gift card is usually the best choice because lets face it, everyone loves a gift card. But this year, if you want to think outside of the box and get something totally new and unexpected for a teacher, then we have some new and unique ideas for you. Whether you are a teacher looking to buy for another teacher, a superintendent looking to buy for your school staff, or a parent looking to buy for your childs teacher, you will find something special and unique in this gift guide. This teacher gift guide is split into two sections: one for school staff that is looking for new ideas to buy for their fellow teachers, and one for parents looking to buy for their childs teachers. You will find that there is something for everyone, as well as at different price points. Administrators Buying for Teachers Here the top five classroom items that are on most teachers wishlist. You will find items as low as $30 and as much as $375. 1. FlexiSpot Sit-Stand Desktop Workstation Standup desks are an amazing new tech tool that educators everywhere would love to have. They allow easy transition between sitting and standing and are perfect for teachers who spend a lot of time on their feet. They are also great for teachers who love to use PowerPoint Presentations or a SmartBoard in their classroom. Simply place the FlexiSpot on top of your existing desk and you are ready to teach. 2. Table Storage and Charging Base Now that many classrooms are fitted with a classroom set of iPads or tablets, teachers need somewhere to charge and store them. Table storage and charging base (which can run between $30-$150) is a great classroom gift because it can hold up to six tablets with or without their protective cases. 3. High Speed Label Printer Teachers label everything from student desks and folders. You can purchase a good high-speed label printer. If you are going to get one, a wireless, portable printer is the way to go. 4. Document Camera A document camera is a great tool for teachers they are particularly handy for science activities that require students to look at things from all different angles. Parents Buying for Teachers The average parent is said to spend between $25-$75 on their childs teacher for each occasion (teacher appreciation, holiday, end-of-the-year). Here are five new and unique teacher gift ideas that are on many teachers wishlist. 1. Apple TV   Apple TV has become the new must-have for classroom teachers. Educators love them because they can be used to mirror their iPad screen (much like a Smart Board).  You can use the Apple TV display student work, watch movies, and even Skype with peers around the globe. 2. Personalized Letter Probably the best gift that you can give a teacher is a heartfelt letter showing him/her your appreciation for a job well done. This thoughtful gift can really be the stepping stone that the teacher needs to advance in their career (when you send a copy to the principal). The letter doesnt have to be long, just a few sentences talking about how much you appreciate them can go a long way. By sending a copy to the principal, you are adding a positive recommendation to their file. This recommendation can be just the thing a teacher needs to help them advance in their job. Heres an example to help inspire you:   Im writing to you to express my appreciation for a job well done. My daughter has had anxiety in the past  and was quite nervous about starting school this year, that was until she met you. You have made a tremendous impact on my daughter thus far. 3. Headphone Splitter At only $12 a pop, you can give teachers a gift that they will actually use in their classroom. The Belkin Rockstar headphone splitter allows teachers to plug in multiple headphones into one iPad or tablet, which is great for listening centers. As many as six students at a time can now plug their headphones into one outlet at the learning center. This cheap and practical gift is a great tool for the classroom. 4. iPad Projector Instead of spending money on an impersonal on a gift card, you can purchase an iPad projector for less than a hundred dollars. Running in at a just under $70 (via Amazon) a mini portable LCD projector is easy to cart to and from school, and teachers can use it for personal use as well. 5. Stay and Play Balance Ball Alternative seating is quite popular in todays classrooms. However, many teachers do not have them just yet. For around $20 per balance ball, you can help turn the teachers classroom into a ball of fun. These seats (which are essentially an exercise ball with feet) make learning so much fun.

Chinese Accounting Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chinese Accounting Standards - Essay Example China is world's second largest economy. Over a period of liberalization Chinese accounting standards have shifted from a centrally control economy to an open market economy. But the developments of Chinese accounting standards have been highly influenced from the political environment of the country. Because of these constraints there are still major differences between Chinese accounting framework and FIRSs of International Accounting Standards (IAS). In PRC, Ministry of Finance sets out accounting standards. These government-defined standards are often less value relevant as the government has its own political compunctions [5]. This situation is again complicated due to weak capital market infrastructure. The main areas where there is appreciable difference between PRC GAAP and IFRS includes the valuation of fixed assets over a period of time i.e. depreciation measurements and the amortization of intangible assets, the methods of accounting for income taxes, measuring goodwill and intangible assets, amortization of goodwill and intangible asset, mineral rights, the expenditure to explore develop and extract minerals, and research and development costs [2]. Though Ministry of Finance (MOF) of Peoples Republic of China is trying to fill in the gaps between Chinese GAAP and IFRS there are still many areas where these two accounting standards are differentiate... areas of inventory and temporary investment valuation, provision for bad debts, depreciation and revaluation of fixed assets, and amortization of intangible assets. Chinese GAAP rules require the inventories for an organization to be calculated at historical costs whereas IFRS rules evaluate the inventories according to lower of cost and market (LOCAM) principles. According to Chinese GAAP long-term investment companies having less than 50% share holding can choose among cost and equity methods for their financial auditing. Chinese GAAP is followed for managerial opportunistic purposes though it is quite similar to IFRS in practice. Chinese GAAP allows unrestricted use of accruals by capital expenses for operating leases and unsymmetrical allocation of costs between finished and running work processes. Ways in which Chinese rules differ from IFRS There are many differences between Chinese GAAP and IFRS arising due to non-accounting government regulations. Financial Rules for Enterprises framed by MOF of PRC defines the rules for cost depreciation, residual value and useful life of different fixed assets. Chinese GAAP accounting practices are more practical in measuring depreciation of assets; it is based on historical cost of assets or measures the inventory at a planned price, which is in contrast to fare value oriented valuation of IFRS standards [2]. Financial Rules for Enterprises stases that assets of certain categories should be amortized over a period of minimum ten years, which may be an impractical dictate as these assets needs more than ten years to yield any economic benefits. Many industries related to welfare, pension and other special reserves generally require more than ten years to give any tangible economic benefits. The way Chinese accounting