Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Skype

INTRODUCTION I. 1 Background People rely on technology for every aspects of their lives and technology gives a significant impact to people’s lives. Technology is constantly changing, growing, and of course forcing the world to change as well. For people nowadays, it’s hard to imagine life without technology and all of its luxuries that are provided from it. Some technology exists and causes lives of people to change and improve. Up until now, internet is still arguably the best and most widely used piece of modern technology.We can do anything with internet, and almost every aspect of our everyday lives is relying on internet, such as work, school, social relationships, and especially, communication. As a human being, communication is important for our lives, human have social needs to interact with other people, and after all, human cannot live alone. There are many ways of communicating besides face-to-face communication. Thanks to technology, people now can communic ate in many ways, and internet really plays a big role on this aspect. With internet, we can communicate through e-mails, instant messages, chat groups, voice calls, and even video calls.Video call has made communicating and travelling through the years a lot simpler and easier. The most widely used video chatting software is Skype. Skype is software that can make free video calls and we can physically see our family, friends and relatives via videos. Skype is not only for making video calls, but with Skype, we can also make voice calls, instant messaging, and file sharing, all free of charge. It is obvious that with the invention of Skype, people now can communicate through the distances and Skype makes us easier to communicate with each other.Until September 2011, Skype has 663 million registered users around the world. I. 2 Problem 1. What is Skype and what are its features? 2. How to operate Skype? 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Skype? I. 3 Purposes The pu rposes of writing this paper is to know more about Skype and its features, how to operate on this software, and to know more about the advantages and disadvantages of using Skype. II. BODY II. 1 History and Background of Skype Generally, Skype is a voice-over-Internet Protocol service that allows users to communicate with peers through voice, video, and instant messaging over the Internet.Phone calls may be placed to recipients on the traditional telephone networks. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free of charge, while calls to landline telephones and mobile phones are charged through a debit-based user account system. Skype is also popular for its additional features, such as file transfer and videoconferencing. Unlike most VoIP services, Skype uses hybrid peer-to-peer and client–server system, and makes use of background processing on computers running Skype software.Originally, Skype was to be named â€Å"Peer-to-Peer†, but it was too long so it wa s shortened to â€Å"Skyper†. However, there were some domain names that named â€Å"Skyper† as well, so eventually the â€Å"r† was deleted and the founders took the name â€Å"Skype† for the software. Skype was discovered in 2003 by Janus Friis from Denmark and Niklas Zennstrom from Sweden. The software itself was developed by Estonians Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn, who together with Janus and Niklas were also behind the peer-to-peer file sharing software Kazaa.Finally, in August 2003, the first public beta version was released. Skype headquarters are located in Luxembourg, and most of Most of the development team and 44% of the overall employees of the division are situated in the offices of Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia. On 10 May 2011, Microsoft agreed to purchase Skype’s license for $8. 5 billion. The company was incorporated as a division of Microsoft, and on 13 October 2011, the purchase was finally completed. II. 2 Skype†™s Features II. 2. 1 Calls between Skype and Landline or Mobile Phone Numbers a. SkypeOutSkypeOut allows Skype users to call traditional phone numbers, including mobile phones, for a fee. However, SkypeOut doesn't support calls to toll-free or premium rate numbers, and SkypeOut in other countries. SkypeOut also doesn't support calling emergency numbers such as 1-1-2 in Europe or 911 in the United States. The quality of SkypeOut service is not guaranteed, broken connections, there are drop-outs and compression distortion are frequently observed by users. Since then, Support for the above toll free numbers in Canada has been effectively removed since January 2012. b. Caller ID for Outgoing CallsSkype has a feature that allows users to set the caller ID for outgoing calls to normal telephone numbers. There is a set-up verification that involves a SMS text messaging to a selected mobile phone number, then typing the verification code into a web form. It can only be used by owners of m obile phones, since most regular home and business cannot receive text messages. However, SMS messaging from Skype’s system has not been working correctly in various locals, and even though Skype maintains the problem and it has been corrected, it continues to be inoperative, recently in the United States and Canada. . Online Numbers A feature named Online Number (until 2010 named SkypeIn) allows Skype users to receive calls on their computers dialed from mobiles or landlines to a Skype-provided phone number. The number need not be in the same location as the user. Skype offers numbers in Australia, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.In Russia some third party companies, including SIP operators, provide direct numbers, redirecting calls to Skype. II. 2. 2 Subscriptio n Calling Calls Skype offers several monthly subscription calling plans that it calls unlimited. However, Skype limits these subscriptions to 10,000 minutes per month, 6 hours per day, and 50 telephone numbers per day. If one of these limits is exceeded, any additional calls are billed at regular rates and connection fees. II. 2. 3 Voicemail Skype Voicemail was released on March 10, 2005.This service allows callers to leave voicemail messages for Skype users who are offline. This is currently a service that users have to pay for, though several companies, provides a Skype voicemail service for free (However, these voicemail services only work when the program and the computer is online). Skype Voicemail had experienced numerous problems over the years and users complain that they never receive any voicemails. Moreover, the Online Number feature occasionally fails to record certain incoming calls on the program's history page II. 2. 4 Video Calling and Screen SharingSkype 2. 0 (and l ater) supports video calling for Skype-to-Skype calls between two parties on Microsoft Windows (DirectX 9. 0 or above required), Mac OS X, and Linux. Skype 3. 6 and later supports high definition video on Windows. Skype 3. 0. 0 on iOs allows iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch users to call each other, as well as Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Later on Skype 5. 0 support video calls via third party hardware. Skype can also be installed through Facebook Video Chat with Skype (a Facebook product), and screen sharing in Skype will be available for Skype Premium.II. 2. 5 SMS text messaging Skype users can send SMS text messages to mobile phone numbers. In the United States, China, and Taiwan, Skype uses a â€Å"generic, pre-defined number† as the sender ID. In other countries, the message can be set to appear coming from a verified mobile number, allowing recipients to reply, or else show the first 11 characters of the Skype username. However, as of March 2011, Skype users cannot receive SMS, despite a continuing series of requests and complaints. II. 3 How to Operate and Use Skype II. 3. 1 How to Download SkypeBefore you can register on Skype, all you need is to download the application software. Since the user used Windows OS, then the user will show you how to download Skype on Windows. What you’ll need before downloading Skype are: 1. A computer with a broadband internet connection, you can’t use dial up connections since it’s too slow. 2. Speakers and a microphone. Many computers will have these built in (especially laptops), and many webcams (see below) also have microphones built in. If you don’t have speakers and a microphone, you can buy it separately. 3. A webcam.This is a small camera that connects to your computer through a USB port, if it isn’t already built into your screen. A webcam isn’t that necessary if you’re not using video calls, but if you want to use this feature, then you definitely need a webc am. Step-by-Step of Downloading Skype 1. Go to the Skype. com home page. 2. Click ‘Get Skype’ in the bar at the top. A list of computer platforms will appear. Click the one that matches your computer (most likely ‘Windows’). 3. You can choose by signing up for Skype Premium, which will cost you (but allows group video calls), or Skype Free.If you have decided your option, then click Download Skype. 4. A page will appear where you can either sign in (if you’ve registered already) or input your information to create an account. You can also register your Skype with your Facebook account if you have one. There are also a number of boxes to fill in to create an account. a. To begin, fill in your first name and last name and your email address (and repeat it). These are all required. No one will be able to see your email address. b. Profile information.All of this will be available for anyone to see on Skype, except for your mobile number, which will be r estricted to your own contacts. c. You can choose to tell Skype how you intend to use its service by clicking one of the options in the drop-down menu. d. Skype Name Enter the name that you want your Skype friends to see and which you’ll use to log in to Skype. None of the 650 million users of Skype can have the same Skype name, and the system will automatically check to see if your name has been claimed by anyone else and, if it has, will suggest alternatives. e. Password Enter (and repeat) the password you’d like to use.It must consist of 6 to 20 characters and contain both letters and numbers. f. If you don’t want promotional emails from Skype, you can uptick the two boxes towards the bottom. g. The ‘captcha’ box: This is designed to make sure that you are you and not a naughty computer. Look at the text in the first box and then type it into the box below – in this case, ‘’. If you can’t read the text, click the Refres h button and you’ll be given another bit of text to copy. h. And finally, read the terms of use and privacy statement and, if you have no objections, click I agree – Continue. . You’ll be taken to a page headed ‘Thanks for choosing Skype’. Depending on your web browser, your download should start automatically or a window should appear asking you to confirm the download. In this instance, you should click OK. 6. Your browser should have downloaded the Skype install file on to your computer – to your desktop, to your ‘Downloads’ folder or to wherever you have chosen to send downloaded files. Go to the relevant place and double-click the file labelled Skypesetup or simply Skype. 7. A window will pop up asking you which language you wish to proceed in.You can also check the end user licence agreement, privacy statement and some basic options. When you’re ready, click I agree – next to move on. 8. A new window will open . This contains a progress bar that will fill up while the Skype program downloads and installs. Once it’s done, Skype will automatically start. 9. Another window opens in which you should sign in. If you already have a Skype account, enter your Skype name and password here. If not, click Create a new account. 10. You’ve now reached your Skype home page, which gives you two options: Find friends on Skype and Dial a number.

“Invictus” by William E. Henley and “Anthem“ by Ayn Rand Essay

The poem â€Å"Invictus† by William E. Henley, and the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, both have common themes that discuss the importance of individuality in each society are forbid and belief of the unspeakable word ego and the word I should be eliminated from the vocabulary in a effort to eradicated the true â€Å"evil† are present as individualism. One of the common themes between Rand’s novel, and Henley’s poem is that, both of the main characters of these pieces are determined to be nothing less than what they were made to be which is unconquerable. A quote from Anthem that supports this theme is, â€Å"They (the Golden one) looked strait into our Equality 7-2521 eyes and they held our head high and they answered: â€Å"the unconquered.†(p.56). From this quote, the Golden one proves to think that Equality 7-2521 is an unconquerable being, because of this determination, as well as will-power with all his doings. In Invictus, the protagonist does not see himself to be overcome by anything, but to always be able to rise against his challengers. As the author states in Invictus , we thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul. The leading character explains in this quote how he is invincible, and that this gift was given to him, so therefore it cannot be taken away. I can relate this to Anthem , by recapping what happened to Equality 7-2521in his past experiences with the transgressor got burned alive, which made him steadily directed and immovable, such as in â€Å"Invictus†. Also, in both Anthem and â€Å"Invictus†, the protagonists of the story and poem, went through physical pain, which I also believe has a lot of emotional pain involved as well. In Anthem Equality 7-2521 states this excerpt, â€Å"They tore our clothes from our body, they threw us down upon our knees and they tied our hands to the iron post. The first blow of the lash felt as if our spine had been cut in two.† (p.64). From this quote we can gather that Equality 7-2521 had physical pain from the lashes, but also emotional pain behind the reasoning of the abuse. I believe that this had a hug Individuality, this word is what makes a person who they are. It can be molded into whatever one chooses it to be. It also puts you in control of yourself and guides you through your existence. Being individualized is what makes us human. We are not all the same. In the novel Anthem, the thought of individuality is a constant theme throughout the book. The main character, Equality believes he is cursed by being an individual, at first. Many similarities can be found between the novel Anthem and the poem â€Å"Invictus. Invictus is Latin word for Unconquered. Another character, Liberty, will begin to call Equality unconquered in the novel. She believes he is unconquered because his appearance to her is different. She believes that because he is different that he will not be held down by the conformity surrounding him, therefore unconquered. â€Å"Your eyes are as flame, but our brothers have neither hope nor fire. Your mouth is cut of granite, but our brothers are soft and humble. Your head is high, but our brothers cringe. You walk, but our brothers crawl.† his poem â€Å"Invictus†, â€Å"Out of the night that covers me, Balck as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.† These two quotes alone depict individuality very well and are similar in the message in ANTHEM AND THE POAM INVICTUS. Towards the end of the novel I think that Equality will tell the reader of how he will no longer live for anyone but himself and those that he loves and love him. â€Å"It is my mind which thinks, and the judgment of my mind is the only searchlight that can find the truth. It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect.† â€Å"I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others.† These quotes are very similar to the last two line of â€Å"Invictus.† They read â€Å"I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.

An Effective Teacher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Effective Teacher - Essay Example As a flexible educator, an effective teacher makes it a point to improvise tools or innovate techniques which are sensitive to the needs of each student especially when it comes to targeting personal growth in terms of enhanced potentials and increased level of self-worth. While the quantity of lessons may matter with ample significance at anytime, such an instructor does not afford to neglect providing quality in his unique creative style of teaching which naturally earns appreciation by colleagues and pupils alike. An effective teacher exhibits a character of passion toward mastery of specialization or subject being taught. Because it is part of his chief objective to sustain learning with excellence, he finds a way to exceed the standards of his profession and considers exploring knowledge of the yet unknown for the benefit not only of improving his intellect but also of inspiring the students with the wonderful idea of gaining mastery of their individual endeavors both at present and in the future. Students are similarly encouraged to be regularly present in class to listen and perform in a stimulating atmosphere fostered by a teacher who demonstrates skillfulness in classroom management.

Wharton-XiaYun-essay2,3,4-0920-ec Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Wharton-XiaYun-essay2,3,4-0920-ec - Essay Example Our conventional approach seemed to break down as we struggled with a series of unique processes and requirements. For supply chain management, an important function in any enterprise, I found not even one division that could act as a stakeholder to initiate the change in the organization. How to overcome this challenge? It seemed impossible to change the culture, mindset, and management of a firm of this magnitude in such a short time. We had to go back to the drawing board to the rethink our approach. I needed to act fast, but without taking any drastic step that would disrupt the situation and jeopardize the progress of the project itself. I needed to â€Å"reset the execution context†. I realized that it was a large community of people with different backgrounds and I should be cautious about the impact of a major cultural change on these people. Keeping that in mind, I decided that instead of trying to sweep changes into divisions as a whole, we needed to take it from the grass root level upwards and take the people into our confidence. We analyzed the firm’s processes further, drilling down to basic elements that could be benchmarked, and broke best practices into smaller solutions that could be executed quickly without major disruption. These small positive results created a confidence for the client in our team. Then we began to implement more advanced supply chain practices, setting forth a path away from the traditional logistics-based thinking. Although we could not yet reform the organizational structure, we could gather support to change the prevailing mindset and that helped accelerate the progress of the project. Then we met the client’s mid-level management and had much less trouble, creating consensus, as â€Å"change† now seemed less threatening. The impressive results we delivered, won their confidence. With the newfound enthusiasm in the decision makers, I had little trouble presenting and convincing them,

Maximising Stock Valuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Maximising Stock Valuation - Essay Example With this background, as per the BT management's opinion as on 31st March 1983 with the NFL loan amount of 2944 million the debt ratio for the company was too high and a new capital structure was needed to increase the stock valuation for the proposed floatation move. In the management's view the ideal capital structure should have a low level of debt which not only increases the value of the stock but also reduces the interest burden. One possible way to achieve this was to consider writing off of some portion of the debts or converting them into equity. The management also estimated that the company would have to borrow additionally to meet the cash outflow in the form of dividends, tax payments, interest charges and other necessary capital expenditure. This may increase the debt content of the capital structure which will further have negative impact on the stock valuation. Taking the argument of the management it would be ideal for the company to arrive at a capital structure where the debt equity ratio is kept at the ideal level from the point of payment of interest as well as to maintain the value of the stock. In order to achieve these objectives, the proposal by the government in converting 750 million of debts into preference shares would have been the best suggestion to follow. This can be substantiated by the following arguments that go in favour of this suggestion: 1. The calculation of the financial leverage ratio and debt equity ratio based on the projected balance sheets after incorporating the proposed conversion of debt into preference shares look as shown below: 2. In view of the lowering leverage and debt equity ratio figures the proposed Scheme of structuring of debts as suggested by the government appear to be of the optimum solution available to BT in the matter of capital structuring. 3. The proposed leverage ratio and equity ratio make the shares attractive to the shareholders since it will result in increased earnings per share. 4. Since immediately after the floatation there would be no chances for BT to go in to the equity market for making a right issue to raise funds for the capital expenditures. Even if the company had to go in for acquisitions, the company should have more cash resources to meet the acquisition cost. Such a situation can be handled only with the above proposed restructuring where the company's cash flow position improves every year with lower cost of capital. 5. Another argument that goes in favour of the proposed restructuring is that without the government converting certain portions of the loan into equity BT would be showing a 126 percent debt to equity as at the end of the year 31st March 1983 and even with the flow of retentions without the write offs the debt-equity ratio would at best be at 96 percent as the end of 31st March 1984. These levels are very high as compared to the other quoted companies. 6. Moreover the level of gearing without debt restructuring along with the interest cover of 2.8 times as existed for 1983-84 would not have made the BT's share attractive for investment. 2. As an advisor to the Government, what level of gearing would you recommend for BT and

Legal framework governing environmental regulation of the oil and gas Essay

Legal framework governing environmental regulation of the oil and gas industry - Essay Example The paper tells that the constant need for energy in the modern world has made the offshore oil and gas industry a vital one for society. Without oil and gas, commerce will grind to a halt and daily life will be irreparably changed. A future without oil and gas is difficult to imagine. And yet, the oil and gas industry are also responsible for some of the biggest environmental disasters that the world has known, making it imperative to set up stringent regulations to ensure that environmental catastrophes and adverse ecological consequences are prevented, or at least mitigated. It then becomes necessary to balance these two sometimes competing interests and craft a regulatory framework that will take into account industry imperatives of the oil and gas sector, whilst at the same time ensuring that resource sustainability issues are adequately addressed. This balancing act, however, is not so easily done. Environmentalists argue that the environmental regulations are not enough and th at companies can still routinely flout the prohibitions, causing long-term damage to the planet. On the other hand, industry players say that the restrictions are too heavy-handed, thus unduly curtailing their business. It is in light of this that this paper evaluates the legal framework – international treaties, EU directives, national legislation – of the UK. The objective of this paper is to determine whether or not this is a case of â€Å"over-regulation† or â€Å"under-regulation†.... The Offshore Oil and Gas Industry and the Planet Experts have identified the three major environmental problems caused by the oil and gas industry to be air pollution, acid rain and global warming. These problems are found in the entire production chain, from manufacture to distribution to consumption of the oil and gas. According to Gao: environmental problems start right away with exploration activities such as seismic   surveys and geological prospecting, albeit the environmental interference and disturbance at this stage are limited. Second, it is interesting to observe that, in the upstream operations, environmental problems and their impacts tend to increase and build up along with the project's progress, from the initial visibility and acoustic issues at the exploration phase, accidental spills and blow-out at the development stage, and to operational discharge and emissions such as gas flaring during the production period1.   This is because of the precarious nature of oi l and gas extraction and emission. The problem is also political because many of these offshore oil and gas extractions take place in the developing world, where vulnerable communities are hard put to defend their resources from external influences, thus jeopardising the sustainability of these resources and availability for their own consumption. Without regulation, what the world will have in its hands is a veritable time bomb – ticking and waiting to explode. Legal framework of the offshore oil and gas industry The legal framework of the offshore oil and gas industry in the United Kingdom is composed of several components. The primary international treaties that govern offshore operations are the MARPOL (73/78) which is made to apply to Merchant

Using Economic Theories to Analysis Apple Inc Essay

Using Economic Theories to Analysis Apple Inc - Essay Example The behavioural process of consumers, suppliers and other business stakeholders of a firm can be thoroughly assessed with the help of appropriate economic theories (Heracleous, 2013). This report aims to interpret commercial success and failure of the famous multinational company of Apple Inc. For making the analysis, the researcher will use theories of economics such as, that of demand and supply, consumer behaviour, absolute advantage, rational choice and market structure (Hutt and Speh, 2013). It is highly rational to conduct this type of a research because the researcher will finally provide specific recommendations based on the analysis, that will help the company rectify few of the business problems. Apple Inc. is a publicly traded company founded in 1976, situated in California. The company engages in providing computer hardware and software products. Popular products of the company comprise iMac, iPhone, iPad, iOperating system and iTunes. At present, the company headquarters is located at Cupertino, California in the United States. The company conducts operations in almost all world economies. The organization was founded by three proficient business leaders, namely Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne and Steve Woznaik (Apple Inc., 2012). It was estimated that in 2010, the organization owned over 425 retail stores across different marketplaces. The company provides services through both online and offline selling means. In 2012, the net income of Apple Inc. was estimated as US $ 41.733 billion, but in 2013, it was astonishing to note that income of the company had declined to US $ 37.037 billion (Hutt and Speh, 2013). However, the organization experiences huge scale and scope of trade a nd recruits over 80000 skilled workforce around the world. Though the net income or profit is falling, yet the company appears to experience increasing revenue. The revenue of Apple Inc. in 2012 was US$ 156.508 billion, which had increased to US $ 179.91 billion in 2013 (Apple

Theory of Strength and Conditioning and Vertical Jump Essay

Theory of Strength and Conditioning and Vertical Jump - Essay Example Young (2006, p. 74) reported that exercises involving bilateral contractions of leg muscles for vertical movements, like squats and jump squats, are not effective in improving performance. In contrast, according to Young (2006, p. 74), plyometric training can lead to â€Å"significant increases in sprint acceleration performance, thus highlighting the importance of movement pattern and contraction velocity specificity.† Further, Harris et al. (2008, p. 691) reported that based on an experiment they conducted among thirty elite rugby athletes, the correlation between sprint ability and jumping ability is generally positive and of moderate to strong magnitude. Adopting the definitions reported by earlier works, Ploeg et al. (2010, p. 39) explained that plyometric exercises or plyometrics are exercises in phases that begins with intense eccentric muscular contractions followed by rapid concentric muscular contraction. Drawing on various works, Ploeg et al. (2010, p. 39) explained that when muscle is stretched, the muscle stores elastic energy briefly and plyometric exercises use the stored energy to assist the concentric contraction to produce more force than what can be provided by a plain concentric action or a concentric contraction.... (2010, p. 40) clarified that alpha motor neurons transmit signals to the muscle group in a ploymetric exercise. The amortization phase in the plyometric activity is crucial in developing the production of power (Ploeg et al. 2010, p. 40). Craig and Judge (2009, p. 75) explained that several studies have shown consistently that overloading the body with a progressive training program will increase muscle size and strengthen the bone. Based on the results of their experiments, Villareal et al. (2008) concluded that moderate plyometrics training programs are more efficient than higher plyometrics training volume but the although their study was limited to short-term or 7-weeks of training and may be applicable for that class of training programs, particularly short-period training programs. In contrast, the evidence reviewed by Craig and Judge (2009, p. 75) covered l training programs with longer time periods. 2.0. Training and Conditioning Appropriate and Physiological Adaptation In de signing training programs, Craig and Judge identifed three important aspects of designing a training program: periodization, resistance training, and training sets (2009, p. 75-76). Turner (2011, p. 34) emphasized on the importance of periodization as an â€Å"optimal strategy for organizing strength and conditioning programs.† Periodization involves the variation of training methods and volume loads for the purpose of â€Å"potentiation of biomotors and the management of fatigue and accommodation† (Turner 2011, p. 34). Turner pointed out that periodization manipulate volume loads and progresses from general to sport-specific training (2011, p. 34). For Turner, although scientific studies are required to establish the use and

Whirlpool Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Whirlpool Corporation - Essay Example Better sourcing or material management was becoming critical. 3. Market: The market was demanding and continuous to demand low cost and better products for the house hold sector. They looked for a better product but that had to come at a price lesser than the earlier one with lesser features. These key reasons made Whirlpool look for an enterprise wide automation. The material sourcing issues were reflected in the price of the components and also in the cost of the raw materials which in turn lent itself to an increase in the product price. This increase in the component and the raw material cost also wanted the products to be at the same price level or lower price level for end user customers. If this has to happen the operating cost has to come down and the total cost of production needs to get reduced. This could happen only if there is an increased quantities getting produced for the same inputs in terms of people and other consumables. In addition to these, the company also has to keep its new innovations always rolling out. Unless there are new ones coming up in the market, the company would lose its pre-eminence and would start trailing others as market leaders. This also the company cannot afford to happen. Cost reduction is one of the major issues that the company was fighting against. In order to bring down the cost of production, it is important that the company follows the latest material management techniques and also take recourse to global sourcing of components from the places that are cheaper vis-Ã  -vis the current suppliers. The company therefore, had to source material from Asian countries and these vendors had to be coordinated and monitored to ensure Kanban pull working on the stock systems already in place. Therefore, a system that would unite the materials management in US or European factories and that of the vendor companies located

Amy Chua Hanna Rosen Essay Example for Free

Amy Chua Hanna Rosen Essay Amy Chua and Hannah Rosin: a comparison and contrast of parenting styles In recent years, Yale professor Amy Chua has drawn a great deal of attention due to her focus on a parenting style that is foreign – both figuratively and literally – to most Western parents. This style centers on a Chinese model that Chua espouses, and that has become famous, or infamous, for the stern and rigorous practices that Chua enforced with her own two daughters. Chua has received a large amount of criticism; one of her critics is Hannah Rosin, a prominent writer and editor. In response to Chua, Rosin outlines an alternative method of parenting. It can be argued that while both Chua and Rosin are involved and devoted mothers, they have distinctly contrasting views on how to raise children. There are three areas in which this contrast can be most clearly seen: attitudes to success, attitudes to self-esteem, and attitudes to happiness. Amy Chua’s model of parenting has success at its core. Chua sums up the Chinese approach to activities in this way: â€Å"What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it† (Chua, 2011). With this as a mantra, Chua promotes an extremely rigorous approach to such activities as learning a musical instrument; she believes that two or three hours of practicing an instrument daily is appropriate for young children. Furthermore, Chua believes that parents should not give their children any choice over which musical instruments to learn; the violin and piano are the only acceptable choices, regardless of the child’s natural talent or predilection. This approach is also evident in academics. Chua says, â€Å"†¦the vast majority of Chinese mothers†¦believe their children can be ‘the best’ students, that ‘academic achievement reflects successful parenting’ and that if children did not excel at school there was ‘a problem’ and parents ‘were not doing their job’† (Chua, 2011). Hannah Rosin takes a distinctly different approach to success, one that is arguably more reflective of Western attitudes in general. Rosin says, â€Å"Ms. Chua has the diagnosis of American childhood exactly backward. What privileged American children need is not more skills and rules and math drills. They need to lighten up and roam free, to express themselves in ways  not dictated by their uptight, over-invested parents† (Rosin, 2011). In Rosin’s view, Chua’s version of success is ultimately very limiting. Rosin doesn’t argue that success is a negative thing in and of itself; however, her looser, freer approach suggests that it can be achieved differently. Another area where Rosin and Chua differ from each other is in their approach to self-esteem and the way in which parents should treat their children. Chua openly admits that it is common for Chinese parents to make comments to their children that Western parents find reprehensible, such as â€Å"Hey fatty, lose some weight†, or referring to a child as â€Å"garbage† (Chua, 2011). However, Chua defends these comments by arguing that in fact, Chinese parents speak in this way because ultimately, they believe that their children are capable of being the â€Å"best†. She contends that Chinese children know that their parents think highly of them, and criticize them only because they have high expectations and know that their children can meet them. Hannah Rosin disagrees. She says, â€Å"†¦there is no reason to believe that calling your child ‘lazy’ or ‘stupid’ or ‘worthless’ is a better way to motivate her to be good than some other more gentle but persistent mode’† (Rosin, 2011). She believes that a parent’s role is not to act as a harsh critic and task master, but rather to guide them through the inevitable difficulties of life that arise. Unlike Chua, Rosin is not concerned with forcing her children to be â€Å"the best†. Rather, she says that â€Å"It is better to have a happy, moderately successful child than a miserable high-achiever† (Rosin, 2011). It is in this area, pertaining to notions of happiness that Chua and Rosin depart most distinctly from each other. It can be argued that the idea of happiness is almost completely absent from Amy Chua’s template. Chua says, â€Å"Chinese parents believe that they know that is best for their children and therefore override all of their children’s own desires and preferences† (Chua, 2011). In other words, the feelings or preference of the child as an individual are lacking completely from the Chinese framework of parenting. The child’s happiness, or misery, is completely irrelevant, because the  parent is the supreme authority, acting in the child’s best interest. Chua claims, â€Å"It’s not that Chinese parents don’t care about their children , just the opposite. They would give up anything for their children† (Chua, 2011). However, the one thing that Chua and other parents will not give up is complete authoritarian control. Rosin takes an entirely different approach to the value of individual happiness. She observes that happiness does not come through being successful; furthermore, â€Å"happiness is the great human quest† (Rosin, 2011). Parents cannot possibly always be in a position to know what will make a child happy or not; children must work out their own path to happiness (Rosin, 2011). Rosin believes that an over-emphasis on perfection will not lead to greater happiness and may even create less happiness in the end. In conclusion, it is undeniable that both Amy Chua and Hannah Rosin love their children and believe that their approach to parenting is based on a desire to do what is best for those children. However, the two approaches present a sharp contrast to each other. Amy Chua believes that success, perfection and being â€Å"the best† are of paramount importance, and will ultimately build a child’s self-esteem (Chua, 2011). Hannah Rosin is critical of the harshness of the Chinese template and argues for a gentler approach, one that takes the natural interests and talent of the child into account (Rosin, 2011). Rosin notes that the idea of enjoyment or happiness is strikingly absent from Chua’s parenting style; in turn, Chua observes that many Western parents are disappointed with the choices that their children make in their lives (Rosin, 2011; Chua, 2011). It can be argued that both the Eastern approach and Western approach have a great deal to offer each other; a wise parent knows how to walk a middle ground.

Company profile and SWOT analysis for Saravana stores

Company profile and SWOT analysis for Saravana stores Saravana stores is a chain of retail stores located in the heart of Chennai, TamilNadu, India. It sells textiles, jewellery, vessels, leather goods and other wide range of products under one roof. It is the No.1 retailer in Chennai and is the leader in the sector. The founder of Saravana Stores is Mr.Selvarathinam, died in 2003 following which his elder brothers namely Rajarathinam, Yogarathinam takes control of their different shops. The company has started as a textile showroom in Ranganathan Street, T. Nagar, Chennai and later diversified into Apparels and Accessories, Perfumes, groceries, Restaurant, shoes and much more. The companys tagline Good Quality at Reasonable Cost is much attractive that the customers in Chennai always prefer low price products which offers reasonable quality. Saravana Stores assures the customers a wide range of products and collections in almost all categories of products it offers. It is the first of its kind in Chennai to start a multi-storeyed shopping mall spread over 100,000 Sq.ft with 5 floors. It is now operating under 4 buildings in T. Nagar, Chennai including three in Ranganathan Street and one in Panagal Park, T. Nagar which is operating under the name New Saravana Stores which is specially constructed to avoid overcrowding during festival seasons. 1.1 VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS The companys vision and mission statement is mentioned in Tamil saying Truth, Hard work and Growth (à  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ®Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¯Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ®Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¯Ã‹â€  à  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ´Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¯Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¯Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¯Ã‚  à  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ  Ã‚ ®Ã‚ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¯Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ®Ã‚ µÃƒ  Ã‚ ¯Ã‚ ). Our objective is to provide customers with wide range of collections in almost all the categories at reasonable cost. Saravana Stores The name Chennaites consider as the meaning of Good Quality at Reasonable Cost. 2. INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATION ENVIRONMENT Any organisation stand on the environment and not by themselves. The company environment and external environment are connected with each other and has a close relationship. The main objectives of any organisation are profitability and sustainability. The optimal positioning of the company in the dynamic and complex environment is achieved through proper strategic planning. How to achieve optimal positioning? It is achieved by analysing all the environment factors both internal and external environment. The organisations environment is depicted as below. 3. SWOT SWOT is an essential and the most important method to analyse the overall position of an organisation. SWOT includes analysis of Strengths and weaknesses of the company within its internal environment and matching them with the opportunities and threats that exists in the external business environment. This analysis can be used as a benchmark to develop strategic alternatives and focus on planning for the time ahead. Now let us analyse the strengths and weakness of Saravana Stores and the opportunities and threats it faces from its competitors and external environment. 3.1 STRENGTHS Saravana Stores has better understanding of the customers in Chennai and focuses on serving them better. They provide wide range of services and products under one roof which helps in attracting customers who prefers shopping with their family together. They have the First of its kind advantage as they are the first to provide such shopping experience in Chennai. They offer low price and reasonable quality on products which is the main reason for the customers. Diversified business in Chennai offering most of the consumer much needed products under one roof. They offer variety of discounts and deals everyday providing value for money shopping to the customers. The consumers in Chennai fall under serving class and they do not hesitate to shop even at crowded places. They expect good value for money even in a crowded environment and ready to compromise on quality to an extent. Saravana Stores has understood this and provides such products which the customer exactly wants. Understanding the customer preferences is considered as one of the major strength of Saravana Stores. Saravana Stores follow tall organisation structure as this type of business needs the workers to be highly supervised. It has also lot of promotion opportunities for the employees. Their simple philosophy is Low Margin High Turn Over. 3.2 WEAKNESSES There is a very high attrition rate of employees in Saravana Stores. The staffs are not well trained, not educated and not motivated. Most of the staff comes from rural areas and they are paid less. These people join the company because of poverty and compulsion that still exists in many rural parts of India. The operational level people are being suppressed and sometimes being treated as slaves. It is a company following THROB model where a single person takes control over all his stores in Chennai. Due to this, the responsibilities and the freedom which should exist at least to some extent is restricted. Even though THROB model is considered as the perfect choice for this kind of store especially in India, the truth is Saravana Stores suppresses the operational level and dominates to exert its power and control on them. The management does not care their employees at all. Saravana stores does not want to sell most of the reputed brands. Nowadays the expectations of customers are changing and expect more quality. But Saravana Stores compromises on the quality aspect and just sell products that are of low quality at cheaper price. The customers are increasing day by day and Saravana stores is not able to manage the crowds properly (especially during the festival times). There are not adequate staff to manage them. Saravana Stores does not have many counters for cash and card payments. Due to this, Customers need to wait in a long queue for payments. Most of the products are not properly organised and are not found in their respective place. Many products are found on the floor and the workers too does not care about it. Customer Service and Customer Satisfaction are very less. This is due to the carelessness of the workers as they are not at all motivated and managed efficiently. 3.3 OPPORTUNITIES They have many opportunities to expand their market in other cities including Madurai, Trichy, Salem, Coimbatore and so on. Since Saravana Stores has understood the needs of many customers who mostly fall under lower middle class categories, it can offer more products and services. Saravana Stores has a first-mover advantage. They have a reputation. Customer preferences are evolving. Most of the customers prefer to visit stores that provide wide range of products under one roof. 3.4 THREATS The buildings of Saravana Stores are constructed by violating most of the security regulations. It may have to face legal threats by the concerned authorities. There was a fire accident inside the building on 2 September, 2008. It has resulted in the death of two employees and more than 10 million worth of products damaged. The main reason considered for this incident is ignoring the safety measures. The perception of the customers towards Saravana Stores is changing and many customers are switching to their rival stores. The competitors of Saravana Stores provide a pleasant shopping experience which attracts customers towards them. Saravana Stores may lose most of their upper middle class customers. Rising number of competitors pose threat to Saravana Stores. The cleanliness and hygiene factor is missing in the premises of Saravana Stores. This may act as one of the factors to lose the customers. Saravana Stores faces many legal complications that affects its reputation. The customers feel that the products are over-priced for their quality. Initially, they offered low price and reasonable quality. But now Saravana Stores has increased its price on all its commodities. Customers also recognised the increase in price. The Government policies are changing and the company would face more and more problems. Other International competitors look forward to enter Indian retail industry. 4. ANSOFFS MATRIX ANALYSIS Ansoffs Matrix is used to analyse the growth strategy of a company. It serves as a decision making tool to choose a suitable product and market growth strategy for a company depending upon the internal and external environment. Ansoffs matrix suggests four different strategic options for a company. They are as follows. Market Penetration Market Development Product Development Diversification Saravana Stores can adopt Market Development strategy geographically. It can spread into other major cities in TamilNadu and can gain additional market shares and increase its revenue. The biggest advantage of developing its market along other areas is that customers from those areas find the store within their reach and shop over there. As many people from other cities come to Chennai to visit their relatives , they shop at Saravana Stores and they dont want to miss the opportunity. But in case Saravana Stores is in their locality, they can shop at any time as they wish. This is a great opportunity because most of the people in the mentioned cities fall under middle class segment and they wish to buy products at low prices and good quality. Saravana Stores already introduces many new fashion and material range continuously which is one of their core competencies. If they continue to do that in the new geographical areas, they can surely succeed. 5. PORTERS VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS This analysis is intended to analyse the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organisation i.e., the internal environment analysis. The role of any organisation is to add value to all its stakeholders. The more important stakeholders considered in the organisation are mentioned below. Shareholders Employees Suppliers Customers Financial Institutions Society Government Every organisation competes with its competitors with their unique resources and core competencies. It is these two capabilities that drives the organisation to sustain in the competitive market. The greatest advantage of being participating in the competition is gaining more margin than others in the specific segment and establish itself from others. In order to compete successfully, analysis of the firm process and the work system of the firm is needed in time. An organisation is often viewed as a chain of value creating events. To analyse the firms activities which can create a competitive advantage, Michael Porter described a model called Value Chain in his book Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance published in 1985. Porter classified the organisations activities into 2 types Primary Activities and Support Activities. 5.1 PRIMARY ACTIVITIES These activities are most important for any organisation and is the core activities. These activities cannot be outsourced. These activities includes the following in order they operate. Inbound Logistics : This includes the received inventories, inventory control and storing of the input materials. Saravana Stores receive the fully made products and store them in their warehouse located underground of their main store. Operations : This is concerned with the processing of the input materials received through inbound logistics. The operations part of Saravana Stores is service oriented. The activities include providing the products and services to the customers, maintaining the shelves and store with the products and stock management. To gain competitive advantage in this department, Saravana Stores has to closely monitor the maintenance and filling of stocks neatly. When customers arrive at the shop, they find most of the products found scattered in the premises and it is annoying. Saravana Stores could try focussing on this and can gain even more advantage over its competitors who provide excellent services in this department. However, rectifying this problem has to deal with the motivational factors of the employees. Outbound Logistics : It is related to delivering the services/products to the customer. Saravana Stores creates and adds more value to its customers through its Home Delivery system. However, it needs to improve on its parking facilities, shopping bag, security, bill counter staff and systems which if done efficiently, can save the customers time and earn their loyalty thereby gaining more competitive advantage. Marketing and Sales : Saravana Stores attracts the customers through advertisements in Media, Newspaper and Radio channels. These advertising campaigns are carried out more perfectly as Saravana Stores has endorsed most of the leading top actors and actresses for its campaign to promote its current offers (Eg., Festival Discounts) . The advert in the TV appears once every 10 minutes and this is apparently one of its competitive advantage. This department works perfectly and this has helped Saravana Stores in tasting the success. Service : It includes the service of the products after it has been sold and delivered. It means keeping the customer satisfied with his product and carrying on the activities to ensure his satisfaction. Saravana Stores does not provide after sales service for all the electrical and electronic items whereas it has exchange system for its textile section. Though they provide after sales service for few products which they offer at low cost (below market price), the service is not at all satisfactory among the customers because of the very poor service. If this area is improved, customer satisfaction which is one of the intangible resources can be gained which in turn can act as a very big competitive advantage. It can also help in increasing the profit margin. 5.2 SUPPORT ACTIVITIES The support activities are the functions that supports the primary/core activities within an organisation. These activities are as follows. Infrastructure : This is concerned on the departments including accounting, finance, planning, controlling, quality assurance and generic management. The planning and control functions ensure the companys cash and cost control with a strong and continuous focus. Saravana Stores has emphasized on the security to avoid the internal and external theft by installing more security cameras and experienced staff. Human Resource Management : HRM consists of the activities starting from the recruitment to dismissal or lay-offs. It takes care of activities like hiring, training, developing, compensating.. etc. Saravana Stores is good in terms of its recruitment but fails in providing proper training and motivation. The staffs of Saravana Stores are not at all motivated and encouraged. The service is also not linked to their wages. They pay very low wage and extract more work from the employees which is unfair. Hence the HRM part is really poor in Saravana Stores. Most of the customers in Chennai knew about the staff treatment by Saravana Stores management and they feel it is highly unethical and unfair. Due to this, the reputation of Saravana Stores, an intangible resource is deteriorating nowadays. Technology Development : It is concerned with the innovation, technical knowledge, hardware and software which is important for the companies today to survive in the market. As mentioned earlier, Saravana Stores is still lagging behind the technology and a strong focus is needed in this department to add more value to the customers and the company. Procurement : This department is responsible for purchasing the essential materials to be used by the operations department. In Saravana Stores, procurement department is operates well as it buys the materials at very low cost and sells it a moderate price with moderate quality. 6. MARKET ANALYSIS STP 6.1 SEGMENTATION Market segmentation is the process of segregating the market into groups of customers with specific needs and requirements, specific characteristics and behaviours. This process is useful in identifying the potential competitors, segments, the power of the competitors based on which a suitable segment is selected to attract the customers. Segmentation of a market is important because the market is heterogeneous. Segmentation can be based on several ways. Some them are lifestyle segmentation, Psychographic segmentation, Age Lifecycle segmentation, Behavioural Segmentation, Geo-demographic segmentation. Saravana Stores targets the lower middle class and the lower class customers. This segmentation is based on the behaviours of the customers. It is now targeting the upper middle class segment in order to gain market share. Customers under the above categories prefer to buy products with low cost and reasonable quality offered by Saravana Stores. Moreover, these customers serve the highest population in the city. The perceived quality and the cost of the product helps Saravana Stores to taste the success further when introducing a new product or service. This is very well notable in their stores such as Saravana Stores Jewellery and Saravana Stores utensils section. 6.2 TARGETING After the most appropriate market segments are being selected, the company starts targeting those selected segments. Certain other factors are also to be considered such as competitive analysis and internal analysis. The internal analysis include activities such as analysing companys ability to outperform its competitors in the segment. As in the case of Saravana Stores, family and youths are being targeted. In recent times, youths who work in corporate prefer to shop most of the time whenever they get off. A typical family shopping is being found only during the festival days. Saravana Stores offers more deals and discounts in the textiles segment to family shoppers during festive days whereas it raises its prices marginally during other days when the young people shop. 6.3 POSITIONING When the targets are being targeted, the company decides on the marketing mix or strategy to position itself to that targeted segment. Saravana Stores has positioned itself as a store offering low cost and good quality product among the middle and lower class customers successfully. This can also be considered as one of their competitive advantages over its competitors like The Chennai Silks, Pothys, RMKV etc. Now Saravana Stores is well established in the city. 7. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS 7.1 PEST ANALYSIS PEST analysis is used to analyse the external macro environment in which the company operates. Several factors are considered to find the opportunities and the threats that exists in the macro environment. PEST is an acronym of 4 factors which includes as follows Political Factors Economic Factors Social Factors and Technology Factors 7.1.1 POLITICAL FACTORS Political factors should be considered for the smooth flow of business. It has a high influence on the business regulations and spending power of the customers. There are not many factors to be considered for Saravana Stores as the top management has fixed everything using its influence over the ruling party. To say literally, Saravana Stores has taken advantage of the bribery that prevails in the State Government. The stability of the political environment also influences the industry. In TamilNadu, the forthcoming state assembly elections play a vital role for all the sectors. The winning partys policy towards businesses and taxation schemes is expected to create an impact on retail industry. 7.1.2 ECONOMIC FACTORS The economic factors are considered the most important aspect for any industry in any area. A companys growth depends on the economy of the country in which it operates. The financial system of India is good and so the GDP is also good. The growth rate of GDP is approximately 6-6.5%. The Indian retail industry is expected to grow by 25% annually and its worth is expected to be $175-200 billion by the year 2016. All major economic factors such as inflation rate, exchange rate, interest rate considerably affects the buying power of the customers as well as the organisations capital cost. These factors also decide the price of the product. People in Chennai begin to shop at the start of every month and most of the time their shopping place is T.Nagar. The inflation rate is becoming high nowadays and this has led Saravana Stores to increase their prices. 7.1.3 SOCIAL FACTORS The cultural and social factors differs from one country to another. In India, these factors vary from one state to other. It is often said about India as Unity in Diversity. In TamilNadu, the social and cultural aspects are more traditional than the other states. These aspects directly affects customer needs. Though Western fashions are introduced in TamilNadu, people still prefer traditional garments and other products. For example, in cosmetics department ayurvedic and natural products are preferred by the customers more than the other International branded products such as Lo`real, Neutrogena. Saravana stores is facing many complaints regarding the social issues such as ignoring the safety regulations and polluting the environment. Other factors also include heavy traffic in the area all the time which creates a discomfort for the customers to shop peacefully. Moreover, customers are not preferring T.Nagar as their shopping spot due to high traffic and the inconveniences that prevails. Saravana Stores does not have a special parking area for its customers and so the customers have to find the spot by themselves. This even worsens the reputation of Saravana Stores as it is in the verge of losing most of its customers. People nowadays prefer to shop in the local stores nearby that are within their reach at an acceptable price. The customers are shifting their preferences in product and services. Saravana Stores should act immediately before the situation worsens. 7.1.4 TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS The technology is considered as the important factor for competitive advantage. These factors can minimise the barriers of entry, aids in efficiency and can even influence the decisions. Saravana stores has not concentrated till now on the technology department. They still use the old system for billing and services. The supply chain management, customer relationship management, store management is not yet computerised. Card payment counters are relatively very less in the store. Most of the customers would wish to pay by card and there exists a long queue for card payment. There is no online service such as online shopping till now. Though online shopping is not suitable for garments and clothing department which is the main department of Saravana Stores, it can still provide that facility to other sections like Consumer Electrical and Electronics. But Saravana Stores is not willing to offer online shopping at all. Since Saravana Stores lack in technology aspects, it is difficult to maintain the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and communication with the customers (Feedback). These are missing with which business can be improved by analysing the customers more perfectly. Saravana Stores can concentrate on its technological factors which may increase the quality of the products and services they offer at a low cost. These developments benefits customers and the company as well. 8. PORTERS FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Porters five force analysis is a simple but effective tool to figure out the potentiality of the organisation in a given business scenario. It is very useful to find out the strengths of the current position and the position where the company is intending to get into. This is considered as an important tool for planning as it helps in taking advantage of the strengths and avoid the mistakes by recognising the weaknesses. It is an internal micro environment analysis. However, the analysis is generally static. The competitive environment is dynamic and is changing constantly. There is a high chance of these forces changing at any time more rapidly. Though it is considered as an internal environment analysis, this framework ignores the human resource aspects for strategic analysis. But this model serves as a starting point for environment analysis. According to Porter, there are five different forces determining the competitive advantage of a company in a business scenario. They are Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of customers Competitive rivalry within an industry Threat of the substitutes Threat of new entrants 8.1 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS Here, we can assess the bargaining power of the suppliers that determine the prices of the product they supply to the company. It is often described as market inputs. The factors responsible for increasing the supplier power is contrary to that of the buyer power. Saravana Stores supplier power is low as they deal with huge amount of stocks. And moreover, those brands are not recognised by the customers often. Customers just buy them for their low price alone. In the current scenario, the suppliers find it difficult to sell their stocks by setting up a new store. Their entry cost is too high that they cannot afford. They run their businesses by supplying huge volume of stocks to Saravana Stores and gain profit. There are many suppliers and there are many substitutes for them. So it is highly likely to have less bargaining power of the suppliers of Saravana Stores. The cost of switching the suppliers for Saravana Stores is not too high as they are well balanced and managed in these aspects. Since the retail industry in India is unorganised, this has dominant position over the suppliers. 8.2 BARGAINING POWER OF CUSTOMERS The buyers are called customers who exerts more power under many conditions. Some of them are mentioned below. If the customers are focussed and there are few of them Undifferentiated product Vulnerability of Backward-Integration The customers are always price-sensitive. The perceived value by the customers is the strong advantage for Saravana Stores. The customers are also not focused and prefers unbranded products rather than the branded items. So the threat of backward-integration (influencing the power of suppliers) is also low. The availability of many alternatives is the main issue to be considered in the case of Saravana Stores. 8.3 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS New entrants foray into the market if the profit margins are highly attractive and their barriers of entry is low. According to Porter, there are seven sources of barriers to enter the market. Economies of scale Product differentiation Capital requirements Switching costs Access to distribution channels Cost disadvantages independent of scale Government policy In the case of Saravana stores, Government policy acts as a high barrier for the International companies. FDI policy of the Government is unfavourable for the International companies. The local domestic companies such as Wipro and other conglomerates are planning to start the retail chains in India. This is really a threat for Saravana Stores as it has to devise a new strategy and plan to minimise these threats. 8.4 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES In the business scenario, substitutes are often considered as the most important threat to any company. If the company offers products, it can be easily replicated in the industry. More often, substitutes introduce new technologies or reduce the prices of the same product but do not replace the existing products in the market. To be precise, the profit gained from the substitutes is kept low by the followers. Unorganised retail industry is the main threat for Saravana Stores. As there are more substitutes for the unbranded products, customers are more likely to switch where the prices are very low than Saravana stores offers. This threat is relatively less in grocery department as there are not much substitutes for the branded products. Though some substitutes are available for the groceries, customers prefer branded in this department. All the other departments like textile, jewellery has more substitutes and Saravana Stores is pushed to keep its prices low to attract customers. 8.5 COMPETITIVE RIVALRY Some of the competitors for Saravana Stores are The Chennai Silks, Pothys,Big Bazaar,Kumaran Stores, RMKV and few others. These stores are located in and around T. Nagar shopping area. The rivalry is high between these companies as each fights to gain the market share. Because of this extent of rivalry, the profits fall. But Saravana Stores is the larger company amongst the rivals and is able to interrupt any actions taken by its small competitors. The emerging Big Bazaar poses a high threat to Saravana Stores as it gaining its market share significantly over the years within a short span of time. The competition is price-based and hence it is very hard to gain the customer loyalty. In a recent study, middle class customers are switching from Saravana Stores to Big Bazaar as both the companies offer same products and services. Saravana Stores is losing its middle class customers and should act immediately. 9. MARKETING MIX This is also called as the 4 Ps of marketing. The decisions for marketing a product or service can be made considering the 4 Ps as follows. Product Price Place (Distribution) Promotion Just like cooking where all the ingredients are to be included in the right amount and at the right time to get the tasty food, these 4 Ps are considered at the right time to taste the success of a product or service. Note that the internal and external constraints of the marketing environment is to be considered while making marketing decisions. The objective of right marketing mix is to create a positive value and positive response from the customers in the targeted market segment. 9.1 PRODUCT Saravana Stores offers wide range of products that ranges from Apparels, Accessories, Food, Furniture, Groceries, Utensils, Textiles, Toys, Electricals Electronics, Stationary items, Jewellery etc. Apparels Casuals, Formals, Jeans, T shirts, Party wear, Under garments, Night wear, Sarees, Silk Sarees, Ladies wear, etc. Home Personal Care products Utensils, Shampoos, Detergents, Soaps, Creams, Plastics, Cookery, etc. Electrical Electronics Mobile phones, TV, Radio, Speakers, Computers, Peripherals, Watches, Hair trimmers, shavers, etc. 9.2 PRICE Saravana Stores objective of pricing is to gain more market share thereby sustaining its position as a leader in the segment. The pricing strategy of Saravana Stores lies balanced between penetration pricing and economy pricing but it is more inclined towards penetration pricing. Saravana Stores adopts Value pricing, promotional pricing and Bundling. They assures consumers low prices everyday without any coupons. They also caters special event pricing on special occas

The History of Apartheid in South Africa :: essays research papers

The History of Apartheid in South Africa South Africa is a country blessed with an abundance of natural resources including fertile farmlands and unique mineral resources. South African mines are world leaders in the production of diamonds and gold as well as strategic metals such as platinum. The climate is mild, reportedly resembling the San Francisco bay area weather more than anywhere in the world. South Africa was colonized by the English and Dutch in the seventeenth century. English domination of the Dutch descendents (known as Boers or Afrikaners) resulted in the Dutch establishing the new colonies of Orange Free State and Transvaal. The discovery of diamonds in these lands around 1900 resulted in an English invasion which sparked the Boer War. Following independence from England, an uneasy power-sharing between the two groups held sway until the 1940's, when the Afrikaner National Party was able to gain a strong majority. Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system. Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation. Starting in the 60's, a plan of ``Grand Apartheid'' was executed, emphasizing territorial separation and police repression. With the enactment of apartheid laws in 1948, racial discrimination was institutionalized. Race laws touched every aspect of social life, including a prohibition of marriage between non-whites and whites, and the sanctioning of ``white-only'' jobs. In 1950, the Population Registration Act required that all South Africans be racially classified into one of three categories: white, black (African), or colored (of mixed decent). The coloured category included major subgroups of Indians and Asians. Classification into these categories was based on appearance, social acceptance, and descent. For example, a white person was defined as ``in appearance obviously a white person or generally accepted as a white person.'' A person could not be considered white if one of his or her parents were non-white. The determination that a person was ``obviously white'' would take into account ``his habits, education, and speech and deportment and demeanor.'' A black person would be of or accepted as a me mber of an African tribe or race, and a colored person is one that is not black or white. The Department of Home Affairs (a government bureau) was responsible for the classification of the citizenry. Non-compliance with the race laws were dealt with harshly. All blacks were required to carry ``pass books'' containing fingerprints, photo and information on access to non-black areas.

San Andrea Fault Essay example -- science

San Andrea Fault Introduction The San Andreas Fault is a geologic fault zone between two tectonic plates that runs from San Francisco south to San Diego in California. It is an area of frequent earthquakes caused by the plates sliding past each other. It is so called because it runs along the San Andreas Valley. The San Andreas fault was brought dramatically to world attention in 1906 when sudden displacement along the fault produced the great San Francisco earthquake and fire. This earthquake was but one of many that have resulted throughout its life of about 15-20 million years. Body The entire San Andreas fault system is more than 800 miles long and extends to depths of at least 10 miles within the Earth. The fault is a complex zone of crushed and broken rock from a few hundred feet to a mile wide. Many smaller faults branch from and join the San Andreas fault zone. The Pacific plate is moving northwest in relation to the North American plate, and it is believed that the total displacement along the fault since its formation more than 30 million years ago has been about 350 mi. Movement along the fault causes earthquakes; several thousand occur annually The basic science is pretty straightforward. The earth lurches from time to time because its outer shell is broken into huge, solid plates floating on a layer of molten rock that has the consistency of Silly Putty. These tectonic plates are constantly jostling each other, like rafts crowded into a...

Analysis of Much Madness is Divinest Sense by Emily Dickinson Essay

In 'Much Madness is divinest Sense' (435), a definition poem, Emily Dickinson criticizes society's inability to accept rebellion, arguing that the majority is the side that should in fact be considered 'mad.' The perception of madness and insanity are a common theme among Dickinson's poetry, as she fought against society's tainted view of herself as crazy. She focuses on how judgmental society is on non conformist views when she describes the majority as 'discerning' (line 2). As similar to most of her poetry, she writes in iambic meter and uses slant rhyme, as lines one, three, and seven end with 'Sense', 'Madness', 'dangerous', and lines six and eight, in 'sane' and 'Chain' in seemingly rhyme scheme. Dickinson credits the majority with prevailing, however, anyone who disagrees is considered a threat to society and sentenced to punishment. MacDonald agues that 'Much Madness in divinest Sense,' (435) features one of Dickinson?s more disturbing themes, using ?dark imagery of confinement and fear? (1) to draw the reader into the subject of madness. A division between society?s view of acceptable and appropriate is made between that which is considered against the norm, or mad. Tying into a current issue at the time MacDonald suggests among contemporary writers of the time, Dickinson?s poetry is in response to the Civil War, as it questions ?the purity of the nation,? (1) challenging readers to understand the sanity of the war itself. However, this critique does not limit Dickinson?s poem in response to the Civil War, as ?madness? can suggest more than simply the immorality of slavery in the late 1880s. This ?madness? is also compared with the normalcy during the 1800s that ?women should marry and lead lives for the benef... ...fined only by authority. Dickinson does not conform to society?s norm with her slanted rhyme scheme, random capitalization, and peculiar use of punctuation, fitting herself into the society?s view of ?mad?. She illustrates to the reader that individually, we have the choice whether or not to choose the desires set for ourselves or conform to the desires others have for us. Through her writing Dickinson also proves the awareness she had of the perception society held of her. Works Cited: Kattleman, Beth. Poetry for Students, Vol. 16, Gale 2002. Critical Essay Source Database: Literature Resource Center MacDonald, Deneka Candace. Poetry for Students, Vol. 16, Gale 2002. Critical Essay Source Database: Literature Resource Center Oates, Joyce Carol. Soul at the White Heat: The Romance of Emily Dickinson?s Poetry. Vol. 13, No. 4. 1987. pp. 806-824.

The Geographical Position of Great Britain

The Geographical Position of Great Britain There are two large islands and several smaller ones, which lie in the north-west coast of Europe. Collectively they are known as the British Isles. The largest island is called Great Britain. The smaller one is called Ireland. Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel. The country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Great Britain is separated from Belgium and Holland by the North Sea, and from Ireland – by the Irish Sea.In the British Isles there are two states. One of them governs of the most of the island of Ireland. This state is usually called the Republic of Ireland. The other state has authority over the rest of the territory. The official name of this country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. But it is usually known by a shorter name – â€Å"The United Kingdom†. The total area of Great Britain is 244,000 square km. They say that the British love of compromise is the result of the country's physical geography.This may or may not be true, but it certainly true that the land and climate in Great Britain have a notable lack of extremes. The mountains in the country are not very high. It doesn't usually get very cold in the winter or very not in the summer. It has no active volcanoes, and an earth tremors which does no more than rattle teacups in a few houses which is reported in the national news media. The insular geographical position of Great Britain promoted the development of shipbuilding, different training contacts with other countries.The Geographical Position of Great Britain There are two large islands and several smaller ones, which lie in the north-west coast of Europe. Collectively they are known as the British Isles. The largest island is called Great Britain. The smaller one is called Ireland. Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel. The country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Oc ean. Great Britain is separated from Belgium and Holland by the North Sea, and from Ireland – by the Irish Sea.In the British Isles there are two states. One of them governs of the most of the island of Ireland. This state is usually called the Republic of Ireland. The other state has authority over the rest of the territory. The official name of this country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. But it is usually known by a shorter name – â€Å"The United Kingdom†. The total area of Great Britain is 244,000 square km. They say that the British love of compromise is the result of the country's physical geography.This may or may not be true, but it certainly true that the land and climate in Great Britain have a notable lack of extremes. The mountains in the country are not very high. It doesn't usually get very cold in the winter or very not in the summer. It has no active volcanoes, and an earth tremors which does no more than rattle teac ups in a few houses which is reported in the national news media. The insular geographical position of Great Britain promoted the development of shipbuilding, different training contacts with other countries.

Product Levels Essay

Question 1: There are three product levels, they each add more customer value than the previous level and they constitute a customer value hierarchy. The decision of customers is usually based on the value that they expect to receive from buying and consuming it. The first level is the core benefit. It is the actual or fundamental benefit that the customer seeks when he buys the product. It is need to the most basic need that he/she wants to satisfy. For example, someone will go buy a red bull for the energy drink or someone will buy a car to have private transport. An example from the case study, Rick and Cynthia just moved into a new apartment and want to buy a new Television, they are various reasons for wanting a television but we can put it as an entertainment. The second level is the basic/tangible/actual product. The manufacturing and marketing departments have to co-operate closely to ensure that the basic product is able to offer the need-satisfaction benefit that customers want. It is the service/product that the customers buy. For example, a car is composed of a roof, doors, windows †¦ etc.. From the case study it will be all the features and attributes of a television as well as its design and packaging. The Television chosen by Rick and Cynthia is a HD Plasma TV so the HD is already a feature as well as the plasma. The third level is the augmented product. It is when the product doesn’t only meet the customers’ expectations but even exceeds them. It is a way of differentiating a product from others which constitutes a competitive advantage for the company. For example, adding special sound in a car or the fact that cars are on warranty†¦ Relating to the case study, we can say that the staff at game was very friendly and knowledgeable which adds a plus to sell a TV. The HD PVR that was sold with installation included. The fact that they will deliver the product to Rick and Cynthia’s home.

Euthensia

Literature REVIEW ON Euthanasia Subbmitted by : Mayank Grover 19/053 Sec B PGDM-1 Euthanasia Euthanasia (from the Greek meaning â€Å"good death†:( well or good) + (death)) refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. There are different euthanasia laws in each country. The House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics of England defines euthanasia as â€Å"a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering†. In the Netherlands, euthanasia is understood as â€Å"termination of life by a doctor at the request of a patient†. Wreen, offered a six part definition: â€Å"Person A committed an act of euthanasia if and only if (1) A killed B or let her die; (2) A intended to kill B; (3) the intention specified in (2) was at least partial cause of the action specified in (1); (4) the causal journey from the intention specified in (2) to the action specified in (1) is more or less in accordance with A's plan of action; (5) A's killing of B is a voluntary action; (6) the motive for the action specified in (1), the motive standing behind the intention specified in (2), is the good of the person killed. The definition offered by the Oxford English Dictionary incorporates suffering as a necessary condition, with â€Å"the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma†. History According to the historian N. D. A. Kemp, the origin of the contemporary debate on euthanasia started in 1870. Nevertheless, euthanasia was debated and practiced long before that date. Euthanasia was practised in Ancient Greece and Rome: for example, hemlock was employed as a means of hastening death on the island of Kea, a technique also employed in Marseilles and by Socrates in Athens. Euthanasia, in the sense of the deliberate hastening of a person's death, was supported by Socrates, Plato and Seneca the Elder in the ancient world, although Hippocrates appears to have spoken against the practice, writing â€Å"I will not prescribe a deadly drug to please someone, nor give advice that may cause his death† (noting there is some debate in the literature about whether or not this was intended to encompass euthanasia). Euthanasia was strongly opposed in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Thomas Aquinas opposed both and argued that the practice of euthanasia contradicted our natural human instincts of survival. As did Francois Ranchin (1565–1641), a French physician and professor of medicine, and Michael Boudewijns (1601–1681), a physician and teacher. Nevertheless, there were voices arguing for euthanasia, such as John Donne in 1624, and euthanasia continued to be practiced. Suicide and euthanasia were more acceptable under Protestantism and during the Age of Enlightenment, and Thomas More wrote of euthanasia in Utopia, although it is not clear if More was intending to endorse the practice. Other cultures have taken different approaches: for example, in Japan suicide has not traditionally been viewed as a sin, and accordingly the perceptions of euthanasia are different from those in other parts of the world. Classification of euthanasia Euthanasia may be classified according to whether a person gives informed consent into three types: voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary. There is a debate within the medical and bioethics literature about whether or not the non-voluntary (and by extension, involuntary) killing of patients can be regarded as euthanasia, irrespective of intent or the patient's circumstances. In the definitions offered by Beauchamp & Davidson and, later, by Wreen, consent on the part of the patient was not considered to be one of their criteria, although it may have been required to justify euthanasia. However, others see consent as essential. Voluntary euthanasia Euthanasia conducted with the consent of the patient is termed voluntary euthanasia. Active voluntary euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Passive voluntary euthanasia is legal throughout the U. S. per Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health. When the patient brings about his or her own death with the assistance of a physician, the term assisted suicide is often used instead. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland and the U. S. states of Oregon, Washington and Montana. Non-voluntary euthanasia Euthanasia conducted where the consent of the patient is unavailable is termed non-voluntary euthanasia. Examples include child euthanasia, which is illegal worldwide but decriminalized under certain specific circumstances in the Netherlands under the Groningen Protocol. Involuntary euthanasia Euthanasia conducted against the will of the patient is termed involuntary euthanasia. Passive euthanasia Passive euthanasia entails the withholding of common treatments, such as antibiotics, necessary for the continuance of life. Active euthanasia Active euthanasia entails the use of lethal substances or forces, such as administering a lethal injection, to kill and is the most controversial means. Legal status West's Encyclopedia of American Law states that â€Å"a ‘mercy killing' or euthanasia is generally considered to be a criminal homicide† and is normally used as a synonym of homicide committed at a request made by the patient. The judicial sense of the term â€Å"homicide† includes any intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, even to relieve intractable suffering. Not all homicide is unlawful. Two designations of homicide that carry no criminal punishment are justifiable and excusable homicide. In most countries this is not the status of euthanasia. The term â€Å"euthanasia† is usually confined to the active variety; the University of Washington website states that â€Å"euthanasia generally means that the physician would act directly, for instance by giving a lethal injection, to end the patient's life†. Physician-assisted suicide is thus not classified as euthanasia by the US State of Oregon, where it is legal under the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, and despite its name, it is not legally classified as suicide either. Unlike physician-assisted suicide, withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments with patient consent (voluntary) is almost unanimously considered, at least in the United States, to be legal. The use of pain medication in order to relieve suffering, even if it hastens death, has been held as legal in several court decisions. Some governments around the world have legalized voluntary euthanasia but generally it remains as a criminal homicide. In the Netherlands and Belgium, where euthanasia has been legalized, it still remains homicide although it is not prosecuted and not punishable if the perpetrator (the doctor) meets certain legal exceptions. Legal Status in INDIA Passive euthanasia is legal in India. On 7 March 2011 the Supreme Court of India legalised passive euthanasia by means of the withdrawal of life support to patients in a permanent vegetative state. The decision was made as part of the verdict in a case involving Aruna Shanbaug, who has been in a vegetative state for 37 years at King Edward Memorial Hospital. The high court rejected active euthanasia by means of lethal injection. In the absence of a law regulating euthanasia in India, the court stated that its decision becomes the law of the land until the Indian parliament enacts a suitable law. Active euthanasia, including the administration of lethal compounds for the purpose of ending life, is still illegal in India, and in most countries. Aruna Shanbaug case Aruna Shanbaug was a nurse working at the KEM Hospital in Mumbai on 27 November 1973 when she was strangled and sodomized by Sohanlal Walmiki, a sweeper. During the attack she was strangled with a chain, and the deprivation of oxygen has left her in a vegetative state ever since. She has been treated at KEM since the incident and is kept alive by feeding tube. On behalf of Aruna, her friend Pinki Virani, a social activist, filed a petition in the Supreme Court arguing that the â€Å"continued existence of Aruna is in violation of her right to live in dignity†. The Supreme Court made its decision on 7 March 2011. The court rejected the plea to discontinue Aruna's life support but issued a set of broad guidelines legalizing passive euthanasia in India. The Supreme Court's decision to reject the discontinuation of Aruna's life support was based on the fact the hospital staff who treat and take care of her did not support euthanizing her. Supreme Court decision While rejecting Pinki Virani's plea for Aruna Shanbaug's euthanasia, the court laid out guidelines for passive euthanasia. According to these guidelines, passive euthanasia involves the withdrawing of treatment or food that would allow the patient to live. Forms of active euthanasia, including the administration of lethal compounds, are legal in a number of nations and jurisdictions, including Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as the US states of Washington and Oregon, but they are still illegal in India. The Euthanasia: Global Issue. Recently, the phrase â€Å"doctor-assisted-suicide† has been added to the euthanasia vocabulary. Acting in accord with the patient's wishes, a physician provides the terminally ill individual with lethal medication. The patient decides when to take the medication, so that the physician does not participate directly in the death. Of course, rational, but severely handicapped patients, such as those in the final stages of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), are automatically eliminated from this mode of dying because they are not able to take medication without assistance. In countries where suicide and assisted suicide are against the law, doctor-assisted-suicide would not be tolerated. Recently, plastic-bag-death has received some publicity. Plastic-bag-death permits a terminally ill patient to commit suicide without incriminating others. The patient is supplied with sleeping pills, perhaps a glass of alcohol, such as vodka, to enhance the effectiveness of the sleeping potions, an airtight plastic bag large enough to fit comfortably over the head, a dust mask, and an elastic band. The provider leaves the premises. The patient, now alone, swallows the sleeping tablets, drinks the alcohol, dons the dust mask (to keep the plastic from adhering to the mouth and nose), pulls the plastic bag over the head and secures it with the elastic band around the neck. Any temporary breathing discomfort can be alleviated by extending the rubber band to permit air to enter. Ultimately, the patient falls asleep and dies quietly by asphyxiation. Ethical Issues Moral, ethical and religious issues pertaining to euthanasia embrace subjects as diverse as â€Å"patient autonomy,† â€Å"quality of life,† â€Å"sanctity of life,† â€Å"death with dignity,† â€Å"patient's rights,† and â€Å"playing God. † Medical personnel and their patients, both old and young, wrestle with problems associated with treatment futility, informed choice, right-to-die, autonomy versus paternalism, beneficence versus maleficence, and so on, each of which impacts, either directly or indirectly, on the issue of euthanasia. What is most important in any discussion of global euthanasia is the recognition of the varied ethnic, national and religious differences to be found and respected in communities throughout the world. At the same time, the ethical issues that are raised by the subject of euthanasia are all embracing and include the following: 1. Patient Autonomy In democratic countries, where individual freedom to choose is accepted as a civil right, end-of-life decisions should be made, primarily, by the patient. Self-determinism pays respect to an individual's personal values and enables the individual to be responsible for his or her own life. To deny competent individuals, and in particular elderly persons, the right to choose not only denies respect for their lifetimes of decision making but smacks of medical paternalism. Obviously, attitudes towards the process of dying will vary. Religious and cultural traditions including local customs will tend to dictate patterns to be followed. However, the empowerment of the elder and recognition of the elder's personal values must not be denied. In most countries, however, elderly patients who wish to exercise their autonomy and choose immediate death over lingering death, are denied their right to choose. 2. Informed Choice, Informed Consent Patient autonomy automatically includes the right to full information concerning the nature and development of the terminal illness, the choices for treatment that remain, the anticipated consequences of each form of treatment, and what will occur if the patient refuses treatment. Such information is often withheld from the elderly person. Paternalistic physicians may seek to shield the elderly patient from the truth or from a full evaluation of a terminal disease in the belief that the elderly are less able than younger persons to handle troublesome information. When medical personnel conclude that further treatment is futile and that nothing can be done to stop the progress of the disease, all competent patients, including elderly patients, need to be fully informed. Only then can the informed patient make an informed choice between alternate treatments and comprehend the consequences of choosing no treatment. Informed choice also provides the terminally ill patient with time and opportunity to make closure with those who matter most. 3. Playing God: Sanctity of Life, Quality of Life For some, the sanctity-of-life thesis rests upon the theological argument that life is a gift or a loan from God and that only God should determine when that gift or loan should be returned. Those who seek to end their life are, therefore, â€Å"playing God. † The thesis has been challenged for not every person will accept a theological interpretation of life. Sanctity of life may argue biologically. Each human life marks the end product of millions of years of evolution. Each person is absolutely unique, with a personal DNA and a lived life that can never be duplicated. As a one-of-a-kind individual life, the preciousness and sanctity of that existence is to be honored and revered. However, as we shall see below, some are born with defective genes. An encephalic infant will have a life span of a few hours or a few days. Nothing can be done to replace the missing brain. The infant will automatically die. In most instances, the newborn is place in an isolation unit, receiving a minimal amount of care. Sustaining nourishment and health care is reserved for infants who will survive. Neither God nor nature provides for us equally. Conclusion Euthanasia is morally permissible under certain circumstances. It is also believe that people should be given the choice to voluntarily ask for some assistance in ending their own lives. We know that if we were dying with a terminal illness or even if we had some sort crippling disease we would at least like to have the right to choose my own fate. People do not see any arguments that prove to me that it should be wrong in a moral and legal standpoint to actively and voluntarily ask for euthanasia.

Analysis of Internationalisation Strategy Tesco and Lidl Essay

Question 1: Globalisation has, in the last few decades, been one of the dominant trends in retailing. Retailers around the globe are striving for higher global market shares. The food retailing industry which has an oligopolistic market, especially, has strong competition although, with a few large firms dominating the market. Among them Tesco and Lidl are one of the major European retailers. Tesco is the UK’s largest retailer with 28.7% market share, which is 11% more than its closest rival, ASDA (Statista.com, 2015), and is the 5th largest retailer in the world (Deloitte, 2015). And Lidl is the main retail chain (accounting for more than 70% of its sales) of Schwarz group, which is the 4th largest retailer in the world (Deloitte, 2015). Both of these firms are based in Europe with Tesco being a British firm and Lidl a German. These firms are similar not only in their revenues and market shares but also in the generic strategy they have adopted. In terms of business operation, both firms follow Porter’s cost leadership strategy. However, Tesco also incorporates the differentiation strategy (Baroto et al., 2012), hence pursuing a hybrid strategy combining the two, while Lidl solely follows the no-frills cost leadership strategy (Geppert et al., 2015). Both these firms have internationalized in different countries around the globe. Lidl has mainly focused its internationalisation in the European markets, while Tesco, in addition to expanding in different eastern European countries, has also started its operations in drastically different markets such as South Korea, China, India and The USA. However, they have followed different strategies in their modes of entry into foreign markets, with different levels of success. The decision to and the outcome of internationalisation for these two firms have depended on different factors like government regulation, availability of the factors of production, their business operation strategy and so on. One of the main criteria for internationalisation for firms is to possess some sort of competitive advantage, in order to overcome the threats and difficulties usually associated with entering into a new foreign market (Vernon 1966). Lidl being a discounter has a huge advantage in terms of price compared to other supermarkets and hypermarkets. As a result of its no-frills strategy, Lidl can significantly reduce costs in different stages of its logistics and supply chain. Entering into a new country has a lot of challenges and firm  size is one of the things a firm must consider when choosing a country for internationalisation. If th e firm does not have significant market share in its domestic market, it will find it difficult to maintain its operations in foreign markets. In Lidl’s case, they have built a very strong domestic market and therefore, had a strong foundation for further expansion to foreign markets. From Lidl’s previous Foreign Direct Investments, it is evident that that the firm has adopted both acquisition strategy as well as Greenfield investment. However, it has mostly focused on Greenfield investments (Nayak, 2011). Greenfield investment, which entails starting the operations from scratch, gives firms more freedom in selecting their business strategy in terms of choosing suppliers and managing logistics etc. This market entry strategy allows firms to fully utilize their company-specific advantages (Ando, 2005). One of the reasons Lidl chooses this strategy as their international mode of entry, is because of its consistency with their business model. Lidl, like other hard discounters, follows a global standardised strategy (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1989), where majority of the decisions are made by the corporate headquarters, in things like variation of product assortment, design of store outlets or policies and procedures and there is very little localisation (Geppert,201 5). This allows Lidl to implement its own strategic model into a new business in a foreign market. However, in addition to centralizing the strategic aspect of the business, they also centralize some physical aspects of it. â€Å"A global retail strategy relies on standardization to achieve economies of scale and of replication. This means that in different countries similar product lines, distribution system, communication, service level and store design are used† (McGoldrick 2002). Lidl’s business strategy includes a standardized supply chain which allows it to efficiently operate its business in different countries and also provides an economies of scale. Upon entering a foreign market, they set up regional distribution centres (RDCs) to service a significant number of their stores in a certain region. They source their products (except perishables) through their headquarters in Germany and those products are distributed through the RDCs to their respective regional stores. Each of the RDC is linked to a regional management headquarters and they supply around 60 a nd 120 stores (Geppert, 2011). Through this kind of horizontal FDI, Lidl operates in its foreign  markets just as it does in its domestic market. Also, the fact that Lidl has expanded into countries that are geographically closer makes this strategy and business model very effective. This strategy is also consistent with the gravity model of bilateral trade which states that volume of trade is inversely proportional to the distance between the countries and directly proportional to the size of the economies. Lidl’s operating countries are geographically closer to each other and they, as a result, incur less transaction costs, which allows a discounter like Lidl, to adhere to its cost leadership strategy in its foreign markets as well. Moreover, Germany’s central location in Europe as well as it being the largest economy in Europe increases the prospect and efficiency of trade. Furthermore, due to Lidl’s choice of internationalisation strategy, factor abundance plays an integral role, especially in terms of land and space. Greenfield investment requires land to build new stores or the availability of already built stores. â€Å"Discounters’ stores are standardized not only in neighbouring markets, but worldwide, which allows for efficient in-store processes† (Warschun, 2011). Therefore, Lidl which follows a similar standardization strategy, requires specific sizes of land and stores in different parts of the country it wants to expand to. An exception in this case is Sweden, which is geographically a bit farther relative to other countries. Lidl, establishing a Greenfield investment, built their own warehouse in South West of Sweden, however, the warehouse was still served by the same logistics firm used by Lidl in Germany, Pape (Nyberg, 2007). This still allowed for the standard distribution process to be implemented, as Pape is already familiar with Lidl’s business model and distribution modes. Government policies, in both domestic and foreign markets, also have a significant effect on food retailers and their decision to internationalise. In 1968, a retail planning policy was devised in Germany in order to protect the small stores by limiting the size of stores outside city centres and special zones (Geppert et.al, 2015). This helped discount stores like Lidl by stopping bigger competitors from introducing huge supermarkets and hypermarkets. As a result, Lidl gained a significant portion of the market share in the German food retailing market. This strong position in their domestic market meant they had the resources and the motivation to expand  into other markets and a strong domestic presence also benefits Lidl’s centralised business model. Since then, Lidl has expanded rapidly, mostly in European markets, and the number of Lidl stores in Lidl’s major operating countries can be seen from the table below. The table above shows that the total number of stores Lidl had in 2011 in its foreign markets is three times its number of stores in Germany, its domestic market. This shows that Lidl’s endeavours in foreign markets have been successful as majority of their international efforts have resulted in a profit. Lidl doesn’t publish country-by country profit figures, although, its turnover in the UK in 2012, which was  £202 million, increasing by around 40% in the five years since the recession hit (Gibb, 2013), shows that it is making a profit. In 2012, Lidl’s overall profits were up by 37% (Kantarretail, 2012). This can partly be attributed to the recession, because of which the demand for cheaper discounted goods increased, however, it can also be attributed to Lidl’s mode of entry into new markets and its business strategy which takes into account the local culture of the community and country in its foreign markets. For example: Lidl locally sources its pe rishable food products in the UK locally and uses it as its marketing strategy to attract local consumers and to create a friendly brand image. Similarly to Lidl, Tesco also has a very strong presence in its domestic market as it is the market leader in the UK. Being among the top five retailers in the world, Tesco has stores in various countries in Asia and Europe. After achieving rapid growth and gaining the highest market share in the UK, the move to enter foreign markets was part of Tesco’s disciplined international growth strategy (Tesco Annual Report, 2014). Tesco has also adopted Horizontal Foreign Direct Investment in most of its international expansions, usually acquiring existing retailers in foreign markets and implementing its own business strategy like undercutting competitors and introducing own brand products and its club card scheme and so on (corporatewatch.org, 2004). For example: Tesco’s acquisition of American company K-mart’s stores in Czech Republic in 1996 (tescoplc.com) and it currently has more than 300 stores there (Tescopoly.org) Tesco’s first  attempts at internationa lisation were not very successful as their acquisitions of relatively small supermarket chains in Ireland and France were divested soon after acquisition (Geppert et al., 2011). Tesco, then changed their strategy in acquisitions by acquiring larger foreign firms rather than smaller ones. In addition to the acquisition of K-mart in 1996, they acquired 26 S-Mart stores in Hungary in 1995, and ventured into the Irish market again in 1997, this time acquiring the market leader Associated British Food (ABF) (Geppert et al. 2011). As they grew Tesco has favoured large hypermarkets for its international stores rather than supermarkets, since in most countries it is easier to get planning permission for these than it is in the UK. (corporatewatch.org, 2004). One of Tesco’s main strategy in internationalisation has been to understand the market and operate in accordance with the local shopping culture to build better relationship with the consumers as well as suppliers. This is much easier to achieve in choosing acquisitions or joint ventures than through Greenfield investments. Through acquisitions, as a result of the knowledge of local customs and associations on part of the acquired firm, the investing firm can take advantage of pre-existing business network with suppliers and distribution chains. It also takes over the brands (in some cases), the reputation and the existing market share of the acquired firm and this can result in a stronger market presence very quickly (Marinescu & Constantin, 2008). Therefore, using an entry strategy suitable with a lot of market research, Tesco has had success in its foreign expansion in European markets. Some examples include its operations in Hungary, where they strongly focus on local suppliers and 85% of their sales are through local products and In India where they operate a scheme to donate to local charities and organisations (tescoplc.com). The following table with Tesco’s number of stores in 2011, shows that unlike Lidl, Tesco has more stores in its home market compared to all of its international inves tments and the proportion of sales is higher in its domestic market as well since it brings in about two thirds of its total revenues from its home market (Thomas et al., 2013). Contrary to its success in the European markets, Tesco has recently suffered some major setbacks in internationalisation in Asian markets like Japan and  China, and the US. Tesco entered the US market in 2007 and instead of using their tried and tested approach of acquisitions or joint ventures, they preferred to adopt a different strategy and entered the market by establishing a new wholly owned subsidiary as a Greenfield investment. This meant that they did not possess the local knowledge about the market and consumer behaviour. In addition, they initially filled their management positions with mostly British expats instead of hiring locally (Silverthorne, 2010). Competing as a new business in a highly oligopolistic market requires a strong strategy and considerable market research and knowledge about the consumer base so, a lack of that meant Tesco could not entice American consumers. Moreover, their timing of internationalisation was also unfortunate as recession had seriously effected Tesco’s chosen states of California, Nevada and Arizona. Tesco is estimated to have made more than  £1 billion in accumulated loss (Finch & Walsh, 2012). Similarly, also in China in 2013, Tesco had to fold its unprofitable business into a state-run company as a minority partner; this was attributed to a difficulty foreign companies like Tesco, have in negotiating with suppliers and regulators in a fast-growing but tricky market. Furthermore, Tesco also withdrew from the Japanese market in 2012 in a â€Å"move that follows decisions to†¦ focus on investing in its British home market† (Thomas et al., 2013). Tesco’s exit from Taiwan can be credited to low factor abundance, as all the most attractive sites for expansion already been developed or were held under future development option by Carrefour, who had been a well-established retailer in the country. In addition, the highly complex land ownership system was a hindrance for Tesco’s as it obstructed the transfer its skills in site location analysis and property development (Lowe & Wrigley, 2010). However, Tesco has had success in Asia, with Thailand, and South Korea, which is its largest foreign market. Tesco outperformed its global rivals Wal-Mart and Carrefour in South Korea and they were forced to exit the market leaving Tesco as the dominant international retailer there (Lowe & Wrigley, 2010). Tesco had entered both South Korea and Thailand through joint ventures rather than acquisition, this key difference helped the firm massively as the partnerships with local firms offered Tesco the knowledge of local business/regulatory conditions and consumer culture, plus it provided the opportunity to build upon the ‘local’ appeal, especially in  South Korea where Tesco had partnered with Samsung and the use of the name, Samsung-Tesco, proved to be vital (Lowe & Wrigley, 2010). Tesco’s failures in internationalization in some of the Asian and the American markets does show to some extent that geographical distance might have played a part even though the size of the economies involved were quite large. The culture of these markets were very different and as per Krug man’s love of variety model, individuals’ tastes are even more diverse, and Tesco could not adapt to these vastly different markets. In these kind of markets, a joint venture, like it adopted in its Korean and Thai markets, seemed to be the preferable option. Comparing and analysing the strategies of Tesco and Lidl’s shows that, in order to have a successful internationalisation and subsequently continue to have a strong foreign market, the firms must be strong in its domestic market. Both firms use different primary strategy to enter into foreign markets but their internationalisation strategy suits their respective business strategy, as Tesco’s opts for quick growth and seeks to be a market leader in all of its markets usually by acquiring large existing retailers, while Lidl opts for greenfield investments in order to maintain its cost leadership and utilize its standardized supply and distribution chains. Both firms use Horizontal FDI, which does decrease international trade as their services are usually aimed at host country, however, individual governments welcome Horizontal FDI as it boosts the local economy by providing jobs as well as increases competition. In Tesco’s case, it has recently turned its focus on its home market, as it has been losing market share in the UK and two thirds of its revenue come from the UK, however Lidl is growing more internationally and plans to open more stores in its already existing international markets like the UK (Butler, 2014). The world is very small now, especially with the ability to replicate technology easily and the power to move freely between countries. However, the strategies these two forms have used and their effectiveness in different countries show that, although there are fewer differences in consumer cultures and market structures, these differences still matter and play an important role in the success and failure of firms. The ability of a firm to understand the consumer culture is key when it comes to internationalisation. Furthermore, the gravity model does hold to an extent even in the case of internationalisation of firms, as evident from Tesco’s  failure to penetrate most Asian markets they entered compared to their successes in most European markets they ventured into. Tesco’s success in Thailand and Korea shows that a Joint venture with a locally established company would be the ideal mode of entry into risky markets. And a firm’s Internationalisation strategy must also be consistent with its business strategy in order to have a consistent growth in the foreign market after a successful entry. Reference: Baroto, M. B., Abdullah, M. M. B. and Wan, H. L. (2012) ‘Hybrid Strategy: A New Strategy for Competitive Advantage’, International Journal of Business and Management, 7. doi: 10.5539/ijbm.v7n20p120. Bartlett C.A., Ghoshal, S. (1989): Managing across Borders. The Transnational Solution. Boston., Mass: Harvard Business School press Butler, S. (2014a) ‘Lidl launches  £220m UK store expansion programme’, The Guardian, 27 June. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jun/27/lidl-launches-store-expansion-programme (Accessed: 7 April 2015). Corporate Watch (2004) Tesco Plc, Corporate Watch. Available at: http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/company-profiles/tesco-plc#international (Accessed: 9 April 2015). Deloitte (2014) http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/tw/Documents/consumer-business/tw-cb-retailing2014-en.pdf, Deloitte. Available at: http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/tw/Documents/consumer-business/tw-cb-retailing2014-en.pdf ( Accessed: 8 April 2015). Finch, J. and Walsh, F. (2012) ‘Tesco’s American dream over as US retreat confirmed’, The Guardian, 5 December. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/dec/05/tesco-american-dream-retreat-us-fresh-easy (Accessed: 6 April 2015). Geppert, M., Williams, K. and Wortmann, M. (2014) ‘Micro-political game playing in Lidl: A comparison of store-level employment relations’, European Journal of Industrial Relations. doi: 10.1177/0959680114544015. Geppert, M., Wortmann, M., Czarzasty, J., KaÄŸnicioÄŸlu, D., Kohler, H.-D., Rà ¼ckert, Y., Royle, T., Uà §kan, B. and Williams, K. (2011) Work and Employment Relations of European Multinational Grocery Retailers – Discounters and Hypermarkets. Hans-Bà ¶ckler-Stiftung. Available at: http://www.boeckler.de/pdf_fof/S-2009-317-1-1.pdf (Accessed: 6