International Business Alliance (based on the Business Strategy Game) Essay

International Business Alliance (based on the Business Strategy Game) - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that management structure at both partners’ state will need specialized modification that will factor in the alliance management needs. Strengthening the management teams’ attention will require formulation of a collaboration committee in the initial stages of the alliance, bearing the management oversight mandate. The initial stage of carrying the appropriate alliance management design will, therefore, include the appointment of the alliance committee for further managerial design negotiations. A managerial design structure will be negotiated and agreed among the committee representatives. To ensure that the highest form of commitment and cooperation is obtained from both partner firms, the highest level of management and administration will be brought on board. Management design at the two firms will determine the final structure adopted by the alliance. The popularity of the alliance among the employees is very important in the creation of a solidly committed team in the implementation. In light of the importance of the management gesture, the involvement of the board of directors in the agreed structure will be necessitated. This structure will incorporate two board members, five senior managers including the finance managers and the elected committee representatives. Improvement will be the main focus of the alliance hence a proposal for appointment of the most versatile manager-leaders will be forwarded at first hand.

International business finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International business finance - Essay Example On the other hand, too high or too frequently declared cash dividends may deplete internally generated capital, compelling the company to resort to more costly external financing according to the pecking order theory. Miller and Modiligliani (1961) proposed that the value of a firm was not dependent upon its dividend policy (Azzopardi, 2004). Rather than imply that the prospects of a regular cash income are not an important motivation of shareholders to invest in a firm, it is more likely, rather that there are different preferences and investment horizons for different potential investors. Generally a type of firm or industry would tend to attract investors of a similar profile with similar investment expectation, although not to the extent that deviation from one, ideal, type of dividend policy would dissuade potential shareholders from investing. Shareholder wealth is enhanced in two ways: by capital gain through the rise in the price of the stock, and through income distribution in the form of cash dividends. The dividend discount model implies that stock valuation should rise with rising cash dividends. On the other hand, pecking order theory proposes that retention of earnings in the company allows the firm to explore new opportunities for expansion without sourcing additional capital from external, costly sources. Finally, there is the signalling theory that opines that cash dividend declarations conveys the information to investors concerning the company’s long-term sustained earnings potential (Azzopardi, 2004; Kapoor, 2006). Determinants of dividend policy formulation Despite the apparent straightforward relation between dividend policy and stock price that determines shareholder wealth, empirically the relationship between them is not clear cut. There exist conflicting factors that qualify the manner dividend policy impacts upon the firm’s value and, therefore, shareholder wealth (Malla, 2009). The market therefore tends to associate va rious factors with dividend payout, which in turn influence the manner policy makers approach the issues surrounding dividend policy formulation. It is commonly assumed that the best dividend policy is one that increases shareholder wealth by the greatest amount, since it is presumed that the objective of policy setting is to increase the wealth of its shareholders (Adefila, 1995). However, correlation studies of stock prices and dividend policy revealed a relatively loose correlation between shareholder wealth and dividend policy, leading to the conclusion that various internal and external factors affect the formulation of dividend policy, some of which may not impact positively on shareholder wealth in the short term. The studies recommend a holistic approach to the formulation of dividend policy, since shareholder wealth is not the only consideration, nor even the overriding purpose, of setting the dividend pay-out. The findings of Adefila, made two decades ago and in relation t o an emerging market, are consistent even with findings of recent studies conducted in developed markets such as the United States. Gill, Biger & Tibrewala (2010) determined that in the US setting, the particular firm’s industry is also determinative of the typical (if not optimal) dividend payout policy adopted by it. It was found that the dividend payout ratio is dependent upon the

DADA movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DADA movement - Essay Example Traditional art was considered to be creative because the works were created out of nothing but still were appealing to art enthusiasts. This paper advances the view that Dadaism is partly a precursor of today’s art. Looking at Picasso’s Les Demoiselles D’Avignon, one sees the originality. Originality was the cornerstone of traditional art. Picasso’s work is a painting done from scratch. It is original and makes a lot of sense. These are aspects of art that were ignored purposefully by Dadaism. They were deviants and haters of norm and traditions. Use of found objects had never been a part of traditional art. It was traditionally not considered artful. Dadaism came and changed it. Michael Duchamp, a Dadaist champion, used found object to make a fountain. Traditional artists hold the view that taking found objects and just modifying them a little bit as Dadaism advocated was itself not artistic. There are instances where anti art can take the form of art, and there are other cases where it is a total deviation from art. Using silence a music, for instance, is nonsensical and irrational, but Dadaism appreciates it because it serves a purpose. In traditional art, people expect to get entertained, but Dadaism would deliberately go against entertainment. Where a person felt bored by a Dadaist art, Dadaism meant it to bore. Hugo Ball’s Karawane poem does not make any sense; that’s just what it was intended to be. The artistic sense of Dadaism and some associated works of art was that objects that were traditionally not considered as art were made to serve aesthetic purposes. There’s nothing that could be more artistic that making something out of nothing, or rather deriving art where none ever existed. This is basically what Dadaism was all about. Several movements that came after Dadaism, such as surrealism, were, to a great extent, inspired by the ideals of Dadaism. They have led to a lot of today’s creative art. Pop art, performance

Identify the main reasons behind the phenomenal success of Facebook Essay

Identify the main reasons behind the phenomenal success of Facebook. Evaluate whether the rapid growth of the last decade can be sustained - Essay Example The site has recorded tremendous growth since its inception, and this is owed to various factors as will be discussed in this paper. The success of Facebook mainly lies on the fact that the company has endeavored to improve the products it offers so that they meet the requirements of users (Walter, 2013). At first, the company did not dwell on making profits, but with the increased dependency of people on Facebook for various purposes it started making profits from advertising and selling data that was exchanged through the site. Facebook has developed to be one of the most popular sites since its inception in 2004 and continues to gather a following to the present day. Being the largest social media site, Facebook was started as a theory in 2003 by Zuckerberg, a Harvard student and was known as Facemash.com., at that time (Phillips, 2007). The site allowed Zuckerberg’s classmates to visit the site and compare how attractive people were, but was criticized and it did not become a success then. However, in 2004 mark launched the Facebook and within a day more than 1200 Harvard students had signed up and created a profile. In no time, word spread around, and the founders of the site saw it necessarily to open the site to other universities in the states. As at august 2005, the site was bought for 200,000$ and was now referred to as faceboo.com (Phillips, 2007). High schools in the United States were now allowed to create profiles and as at September the same year, it began to be known all over the world with the united kingdom universities being the first to know about the site after the united states. As word spread all over the world about the site, the network grew beyond being only used in schools but was now accessible to anybody who wanted to join and had an email address. The fact that the site was free to join made it easy for it to grow as more features were added to it to make user friendly. It made profits through

Strategic supply chain & logistics management Essay - 1

Strategic supply chain & logistics management - Essay Example The company website is a 24/7 interactive method wherein customers can make suggestions and also air their complaints. Zara is also affected by the growing tide of globalization. It is a knowledge-based organization and its workforce is composed of a pool of talented and expert individuals. Zara has invested on its employees. The company also aims for customer satisfaction and loyalty; that is why, its products and services are quality-oriented. Inditex, Zara’s mother company, sees to it that the company adheres to quality management and best practice. The company’s financial standing is as healthy as ever. Zara’s supply chain is effective. They ensure product quality and deliver it with speed and accuracy, making the customer asks for more. It’s what Zara has been doing all through the years. The main body Zara is owned by Inditex and is into the international apparel market and fashion, which are customer-driven markets. It is continuously growing and is a leading competitor in this kind of industry. Its closest rival is Hennes and Mauritz (H&M) which outsources most of its products to lower cost. On the other hand, Zara is a company that is quality-oriented. It produces 60% of its products and is into quality management. Unlike H&M, Zara ensures that its customers are satisfied and hopes to come back to buy more of its products. With the application of computers, the Internet and Information Technology, Zara provides speed of information to its customers. The Internet provides customer interaction; thus Zara’s website provides 24/7 service to update customers of its latest products and services. In the age of globalization, knowledge is both a product and resource. Organizations are now focused on knowledge-based economies, and are more concerned with the knowledge people possess; this is termed ‘people-embodied knowhow’. Firms take care of their workforce because of the knowledge they possess. They have invest ed much on their workforce. Zara aims for talents and customer’s focus and loyalty. This is the job of the marketing manager. It also sees the importance of focusing on their employees because they see the relation between contented employees and contented customers. Satisfied employees result in satisfied customers. Meeting the customer’s needs and wants is a business trend in the age of globalization. Zara aims for customer loyalty while keeping cost of production low. This is shooting two birds in one shot but difficult to achieve; difficult because meeting the customer’s needs and wants at the same time minimizing cost of production do not ensure quality product or service. But Zara focuses on quality in its many products. With respect to its closest competitor H&M, the two rivals have closely similar characteristics, for example their financial status, their operating revenues, etc. What is remarkable however is that Zara is a bit more liquid than H&M; Zara has a manufacturing plant that manufactures most of its products, while H&M only stores its products in a warehouse. These products come from outsourcing companies, mostly Chinese companies that manufacture products for a very low price. Inditex, Zara’s mother company, is an effective company which adheres to best practice and quality management. It has an operating profit much higher than H&M, and also adheres for expansion by building more stores according to company surveys and studies using scientific projects and anticipated

Management case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management case - Essay Example Most of its offerings already had significant margins, and those that werent at this level were close or were expected to in the near future. The challenge that Newell Company faced was trying to remain the market leader for all of its industries at the same time. 2) Newell Company has many distinctive resources due to the strong credibility the brand has built up over the years. Because the company has many different product categories, a strong management style is necessary to ensure that every sector runs smoothly. In addition, Newell Company has good relationships with its supply partners, and these relationships help the company to remain number one in all areas of its business portfolio. Finally, Newell Company has access to Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), which helps the company to organize all of its purchase orders, invoices, and payments to and from its retail partners. Because most of Newell Companys orders are placed through this system, the company is able to keep track of all of its deadlines and needs. 3) Newell Company does seem to have a successful corporate level strategy because the management and administration is interlinked, which helps to build a solid kind of corporate culture. Another area that shows Newell Company is successful in the corporate area is through acquisitions. The company buys other companies that can add value and expand the operation of Newell Company. This is a very difficult process because the new acquisitions need to be the right fit. If a new acquisition is not up to the same speed of Newell Company, then that acquisition has the potential to bring the whole company down. 4) I feel that Newell Company acquiring both Calphalon and Rubbermaid are good business decisions for a variety of reasons. First of all, Calphalon is a good fit for Newell Companys housewares division because the company has access to the high end of the market where Newell Company has not been so successful. Also, Calphalon has strong

Discussion About Genetically Modified Foods Essay Example for Free

Discussion About Genetically Modified Foods Essay Genetically modified foods: Beneficial views Adverse views a. What is the possible risk for genetically modified crops considering nutrition and health? b. Whether the economic effects are the most important? c. Will it bring severe environment problems? III. Arguments for beneficial effects of GM foods a. Firstly, transgenic technology has made considerable progress in food applications. b. Transgenic food has successfully lowered food prices and ensured food safety. c. GM foods significantly reduce the environmental impact of agriculture. Introduction The author, Magana-Gomez, critically analyzed the risk assessment methods of transgenic food for human nutrition and health in the paper, â€Å"Risk assessment of genetically modified crops for nutrition and health†. Magana reviewed various modes including different feeding period, animal modes and parameters in the paper published in 2011 by Nutrition Reviews (Magana G, 2009). In consistent with his studies, negative effects of GM food were identified â€Å"at molecular and microscopic levels†. However, with our entry into the 21st century, genetically modified foods have undergone even faster development. However, there are also many doubts about the safety of genetically modified foods. Therefore, genetically modified foods have become a hot topic issue. Personally, although there are many controversies about GM food, I still insist on the research and promotion of transgenic food due to its diverse benefits. Views According to Curieux-Belfond CL, he could identify the factors that deserve consideration before â€Å"commercialization and promotion of transgenic food† (182). In this paper, â€Å"Factors to condider before production and commercialization of aquatic genetically modified organisms: the case of transgenic salmon†, the author took transgenic salmon as an example, in which Curieux-Belfond examined the corresponding impacts in terms of aquaculture, wildlife, ecosystem and human health. The paper published in 2011 by Evironmental Science Policy suggested that GM food undoubtedly contributed to economic benefits without exerting too much extra burden (Curieux B, 2009). In the end, the author believed that the benefits of genetically modified foods far outweigh the disadvantages. Analysis of the benefits of genetically modified foods Magana’s argument is persuasive when he assessed the risks about GM food. However, since genetic engineering techniques have successfully transferred anti-viral, insect resistance, cold resistance and other genes to cotton, wheat, tomatoes and other plants, we can get stable new varieties of genetically modified, with low production cost and high-yield food, which will ease the world food shortage and reduce the use of pesticides to a large extent. Based on the above reasons, I will provide a critical analysis with the following specific examples which show his argument is partially wrong. Firstly, transgenic technology has also made considerable progress in animal food applications. At present, a variety of mammal and bird genes are successfully integrated into the genome of fish, which can significantly enhance transgenic fish muscle protein content and improve growth speed. With the development of genetic engineering technology, people have been freed from natural enzymes to a large extent. Especially when the enzyme obtained from natural protein material encounters difficulties, genetic engineering has the unique advantages of natural gene cloning (Seralini GE, 2011). Thus, it can be highly expressed in microorganisms with mass production by fermentation. At present, the transgenic enzymes are widely used in the food industry, such as maltose enzymes amylase, pectinase and the juice protease. The food nutritional quality modified by genetic engineering has also made remarkable achievements. For instance, the genetic engineering technology has been applied for seed protein improvement, which renders it possible to change the plant composition and amino acid content. Secondly, transgenic food has successfully lowered food prices and ensured food safety, which helps increase production and food supply while reducing the farm labor and pesticide applications, agricultural inputs and production costs (Weasel LH, 2009). In the future, GM crops have great potential in solving the food crisis. For instance, by applying transgenic technology to the human staple foods of rice and wheat, people can increase food production and improve nutritional quality, which will provide mankind with higher-quality food. Furthermore, GM foods have also proved effective in alleviating poverty and hunger. The world’s poorest 50% of the population are small and resource-poor farmers, while 20% living in rural areas without their own land actually depend on agriculture. Therefore, the increase in small-scale and resource-poor farmers’ income will directly assist 70% of the world’s poorest people (Curieux-Belfond O, 2009). So far, genetically modified cotton in India, China and South Africa have already made a significant contribution to more than 1. 2 million poor farmers’ income. The benefits of genetically modified corn in the Philippines and South Africa will be much clearer in the future. In addition, genetically modified rice has great potential to benefit 250 million poor families in Asia, whose benefits will reach 10 million people (Curieux-Belfond O, 2009). Transgenic food also helps to reduce land development. Transgenic technology has been developed to improve the current 1. billion hectares of arable land productivity through conservation of biological resources, thereby reducing land development and deforestation. Thirdly, I will demonstrate such improvement since they significantly reduce the environmental impact of agriculture. Traditional agriculture has a significant impact on the environment, and transgenic biotechnology can help reduce this impact. In the first decade of appli cation of genetically modified crops, by planting herbicide and insect-resistant characteristics, transgenic technologies have greatly reduced the use of pesticides, saved fossil fuels and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Undoubtedly, genetically modified crops with drought-tolerant genes will improve water-use efficiency and maintain sustainable agricultural development, which will play an important role in easing the crisis of population growth and global food shortage (Artemis D, 2009). GM crops have also contributed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in two main ways, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping slow climate change. First, by reducing fuel use, the spraying of insecticides and herbicides, GM crops continue to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In 2007, genetic engineering has been stated to reduce 1. billion kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to a decrease of 50 million cars from the road. Secondly, herbicide-resistant GM crops help reduce tillage applications, which protects the land and enhances soil carbon sequestration. Conclusions Despite the many advantages of GM food, we cannot ignore the risks. After genetically modified foods have been taken into th e human body, they may cause harm to human health. Moreover, after a large number of transgenic crops come into nature, they may be biologically harmful to ecosystems. Since the risks of GM food is serous, it is important for us to reflect on it first. Any of the scientific and technological developments should be comprehensive and provide well-being for human life. If genetically modified foods can only increase our economic interests and improved material life without the moral, social and environmental harmony, they cannot be defined as making great contribution to social development. Therefore, whether GM food is a benefit or a disadvantage really depends on what kind of human values people hold (Qaim M. 2009). That is the question we reflect on deeply. In contemporary society, with the rapid development of science and technology, the economic situation of the human and the material standard of living has been soaring. It seems that mankind is taking great proud for the advanced technology. However, we should look back to what the living environment we rely on is subjected to. Therefore, genetically modified foods are seen as the savior of mankind, which is actually human self-centered ideology. Of course, with the continuous development of biotechnology and genetic engineering, human beings have the ability to create more genetically modified food.