Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Economic and social conditions Essay

If one is not historical, then it was unscientific. The historical process that had commenced for millennia in the development of societies was a product of scientific processes and vice versa. Friedrich Engels had greatly contributed to the exposition of historical dynamics. A history that was ever changing was always in constant contradiction with the forces within and without. As it had been definitely asserted, historical materialism being a part of a dialectic philosophy was not just narrowly limited to a â€Å"study†. It was a scientific process wherein events were investigated and researched. From these gathered data a hypothesis was derived and tested or compared if that assertion applied to universal condition. History thereof was a result of contradictions, a making of man, not just simply a compilation of events that transpired in the past. Only in such a way that history became a science. Thus Engels, a true revolutionary in his time, presented history according to the material basis of the existence of societies. He discussed the evolution of such societies as subsequent effects of the past that were constantly playing interconnected and interwoven stories. These stories without the other were simply incomplete, hence unscientific. Here he illustrated the formation of history as a result of humanity’s struggle to attain its aims, therefore its own creation and its own being. However, Engels’ history did not consider man simply a being with presupposed actions, knowledge or decisions. To him man was a becoming which had moulded the society that he belongs to. His propensity to survive had been inseparably intertwined with the progress of the economy and to all other aspects of social existence Facts and figures were simply not what history was. Facts and figures did say something but not substantially anything. History was a correlation and interrelationships between and among facts and figures. Without finding those connections, these facts and figures were mere ink and paper –insignificant. Hitherto, Engels’ works remained to be of great influence in the struggles of oppressed peoples and of the international proletariat. This came into reality because Engels’ works were connected to the material foundations of human existence. His ideas and theories were not alienated: theories that were felt and ideas that were tangible and inseparable from the activities of societies. As materialists viewed the nature of humankind and the processes that commenced herein, matter preceded consciousness. Engels’ historical and philosophical analysis did not surface out of mere conception of abstract economic and historical fables. They were a result of the effects of the economic and social conditions existing at that time. Societies came into reality first. From those realities a consciousness was obtained. Engels was enabled to scientifically analyze the future of societies based on the reasons that had caused past societies to progress into what they are at present. Certainly, Engels’ life was no different from the society he intended to explain. What had moulded him in becoming such a great influence in socio-economic paradigms and in the formulation of Marxism surely had a basis in his past. The events that took place during that time were interconnected with his identity. Engels himself was a laboratory of proving that man is a â€Å"becoming† and of contradictions. From these contradictions of the positive and negative factors that had gone through his age, a new form from the antagonisms of the old was drawn. Hence, his life and works were a result of scientific processes. The Friedrich Engels that we knew was a fruit of the reactions among the material conditions that he was exposed to and a synthesis of numerous theses and anti-theses.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Challenge of Training Global Workers Education_revised final

Challenge of Training Global Workers: Education Recently, globalization has become more and more common in everyday business and world politics. Different countries can contact each other easily allowing foreign trade to flourish, but, with the ease of communication and travel comes some issues that should be accounted for, for example, before hiring workers from different countries, you need to get to know their individual culture, which in turn would be beneficial in training them.There are too many problems with global workers, as we know, training a global employee requires the company to rely on a mass of vigor, manpower, and financial ability, so it is not easy to do business in foreign countries. In my opinion, the key to success of a company is its workers, even though business strategies are made by the leaders, it is the workers who turn these ideas into products and services. And the quality of products and efficiency of labor are the critical factors are indispensable in the company's prosperity. However, training the higher-qualified workers is not as easy as it appears.Diversity, language, educational background, and religion are all important aspects of international workers that quire not only training, but adjustment to the new country and way of business. The business world has witnessed the globalization of different cultures over the decades. It is inevitable for people from different backgrounds having opposite opinions on the same things. Maybe you tell them they should do it in this way, but they think they can't do it in your way, because it's not allowed in their culture. As a transfer student coming from China, Vive been here for about 2 years.So I know the differences between China and America, such as social structure, collectivism vs.. Individualism, business relations, freedom of speech, etc. As I know, China has a very formal and hierarchical social structure that extends to business, institutional and family life. In my homeland, my education and culture teach people that they must follow elders' advice, even if they make the wrong decision, but in America, they could talk equally and exchange ideas without much consideration for identity and to pick up the one decision that suits them best.With collectivism and individualism in China, people always consider others more than themselves. Before Chinese people cake decisions, they always consider what they can do to satisfy others. In America, people consider themselves more than others. American people prefer to consider what they can do to get the most profit for themselves. Considering freedom of speech, as I said, Chinese people always consider others more, so before they speak, they always think about how should they express themselves to avoid to hurt others. In America, people can express themselves freely.They don't need to consider whether this conversation is suitable or not. So diversity would be a challenge for raining international workers. Secon dly, language is another challenge due to the rising trend of globalization, international companies are more likely to hire workers from developing countries. This results in the difficulties of communication. People need to communicate with others that they can express their idea and exchange them. Sometimes they can combine them to think out a better idea. Also when they communicate, they should notice the way to speak, because most conflicts are caused by lack of communication.The world today is not only globalizes in terms of companies and products, but errors as well, and with that, comes difficulty for managers to see eye-to-eye with their workers when training them. With the vast differences of cultures and levels of education, overseas workers could bring new ideas to the table, or, it could adversely slow development and production for companies. Entirely dependent on the type of industry, an international worker might not be able to comprehend the culture of another count ry that can make or break a product's appeal to the consumers.Creativity and Ability are two entirely different attributes that a worker can have, and it's up to their educational background to determine which will take precedence and will be their strength or weakness. The easiest way to show these differentiation in skill assets is the influences of the American and Chinese education systems on their students. Boiled down, Ghana Ruffian, a Chinese student studying in the U. S. Says â€Å"Back in China I learned about gravity from a Powering slide†¦ That's it. † (2013).China's Education system is less about application and firsthand experience, and more about data and memorization of formulas. Tests and exams replace lab experiments, and codebooks replace classroom discussions. In Mining, director of the Shanghai Education Commission's basic education department, stated at an education convening in Shanghai, â€Å"When American high school students are discussing the l atest models of airplanes, satellites and submarines, China's smartest students are buried in homework and examination papers,†¦ † (2012).In explicitly states the stark difference between American and Chinese education, which to the very educators themselves, know is a problem. In the United States, we imagine high school and university science classrooms as avian 2 or 3 person shared desks, with lab equipment scattering the classroom, from beakers, to Bunsen burners, and even having dissecting tables in a stack in the back of the room. In China the same classroom would have individual desks, and the most colorful object in the room might be a AD molecular model made of toothpicks and colored cotton balls.A student's education is not dependent on the school's department's ideas of what should be taught, but what is tested in the infamous GAO college entrance test. If it is not in the entrance exam, it is not needed in the lassoers, and since lab experiments are not tested , schools in China will not spend money on lab equipment. â€Å"On a 2009 standardized test that drew worldwide attention, students in Shanghai finished first in the sciences among peers from more than 70 countries, while the United States came in 23rd†¦ † (Levin, 2013).Chinese censorship and limitations inversely affect the country's ability to be creative and increasing individual freedom of expression seems to be near impossible. Without political and social restraints, China could slip below that 1st place mark, but in the end, is being #1 truly the best? Having not produced any Nobel Prize winners in the past, is being number one truly the best thing? Without having students think outside the box, China will surely plateau in terms of science and innovation. If a Chinese graduate comes to the U.S. And works for a tech company that relies on innovation and engineering, the manager would find that despite the Chinese worker's high test scores, asking him to come up wi th a new idea would simply be too much. China must foster innovation before it can truly call itself a world leader in technology and science. Chinese students can complete the most difficult math equations ever deemed possible a million times over, but if they cannot simply find new ideas and create new things, then China will go nowhere. Most students in the U. S. Therapeutically think of Chinese students as walking, talking calculators†¦ And sadly they are not far from the truth. Ghana Ruffian's mother explains her reasons for sending her son to high school abroad as â€Å"l didn't want my son to become a book-cramming robot,† (2013) But even with the issue of innovation in Chinese education, why then, are Chinese workers sought after in the Job market? If Chinese workers can't innovate, their next best attribute, thanks to the Chinese education system, is their efficiency and dedication to getting the answer as soon as possible and with as few mistakes as possible.To Chinese workers, the answer is the priority, and the question is Just an obstacle. In America, where questions are encouraged, living here can make a lot of workers become overwhelmed by how many flaws their American counterparts make. So who is truly behind? American workers in China are equally sought after, with the rowing western culture in China and other Asian countries, as such, Americans are just as easily wanted as Chinese workers are in America for their ability to be creative and innovative.Another aspect in the training of international workers that could make or break any good manager-worker relationship that is more far-reaching than culture, but more impacting, is the different in religion. To the business world, profit and production take control of business culture, and a company's workers are expected to understand this. For example, all workers in a company are required to show up for ark, wear clothes according to a dress code, or even come to work on specific d ays.This is extremely touchy in the event that a new international worker might be hired. When considering other cultures, it also requires the consideration of the culture's religion, or else there would be drastic deficiency in training the workers, and you could also inadvertently offend his religion. If a manager is not well educated in world cultures, most workers will overlook this and understand their misconceptions, however it seems that in this day and age, if a manager does not understand elisions beliefs, it tends to be more offensive.If a manager has a new international worker come work on Saturdays, when it is expected that he should know his new worker practices his recognized religion on Saturdays, it could cause some cultural or even legal issues with the company policy. † Overall, the incidence of workplace conflicts and discrimination over religion seems to be a fairly significant issue, (Gibson 2013) Thanks to globalization and business culture becoming more international, cultures can mix easily without too much hesitation, but to say that without talking bout education backgrounds is something to be argued.Is it Chinese culture to study the way they do now? Or will the culture change as soon as the demand for innovation becomes more prevalent in the future? With workplace diversity comes intermixing of ideas, but in the case of western development, it seems that the need for Chinese workers is not strictly for exchanging of ideas, but to increase workplace efficiency and accuracy. If China becomes more open to innovation and creativity, would Chinese workers be less sought after? Reference Bennett, R. (n. D). Difference Between American & Chinese Culture. How.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Litigation, Censures, and Fines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Litigation, Censures, and Fines - Essay Example In an argument by Mills (2003), ethical responsibilities in accounting cannot be assured without the implementation of litigations, censures and fines. This ensures that organizations and auditors are responsible when handling the accounts of the organization. Conan, Chad & Mark (2011) also point out that minus litigations, censures and fines investors and creditors would be exposed to greater risks involved in fraud cases created by management teams and auditors. This paper will analyze the possible causes at which legislations, fines and censures can be imposed on an organization. The analysis will be done by reviewing the case of Phar-Mor case of 1992. In 1992, the United States saw the closure of one of the most promising retail outlets in the country. Phar-Mor was cited to be the next Wal-Mart as it recorded great numbers in its sales. In an argument by Conan, Chad & Mark (2011) Phar-Mor had a great future in the United States market if only its accounts recordings were legit. T he organization had contracted Coopers & Lybrand as their auditors. In the Phar-Mor case the top management team confessed to financial statement fraud after creditors and investors in the organization filled cases challenging the legibility of their financial statements after a massive loss was recorded. ... ary issue on the case against Coopers and Lybrand was under the crux that they recklessly made confirmation and representations of financial statements without confirming if they were true or false. According to Conan, Chad & Mark (2011) this gives the plaintiffs the opportunity to file a strong case under the statutory and common law. In terms of litigation and fines, both Coopers & Lybrand and the mangers of Phar-Mor received hefty fines. Coopers & Lybrand had to pay claims to creditors and investors worth more that $1 billion. Phar-Mor mangers collectively received a fine of 41 million as two of its mangers received prison sentences. The $ 500 million fraud however, led to bankruptcy of Phar-Mor leading to its closure. Numerous internal controls and accounting principles were breached in this particular incident. In an argument by Conan, Chad & Mark (2011), it is the duty of the management team to provide accurate representation of financial statements to investors and creditors. The breach of this duty is liable to fines and litigation on the organization. Providing false financial statements to investors is punishable by labor laws in the United States. In this situation, it is the duty of the auditing company to ensure financial representations are accurate and reflect the real financial situation in the organization (Conan, Chad & Mark, 2011). Failure to this, an auditing company is liable and should be fines and pay up all claims by plaintiffs in terms of incurred loss (Hoffman, 1996). The approval of these accounting issues were based on the breach and disregard of leadership and accounting ethics. Hoffman (1996) points out that any organization that depends on investors and creditors for funds has to ensure clarity, accuracy and transparency of their

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Introduction to political ideologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Introduction to political ideologies - Essay Example s "a cluster of doctrines and attitudes centered on the belief that government is both harmful and unnecessary†, by the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics (Carl Slevin) Anarchism can be of many types (Fowler,738 -752 ). But, all of them are not mutually exclusive (Sylvan, 231). According to the Oxford Companion to Philosophy, "there is no single defining position that all anarchists hold," beyond their rejection of compulsory government, "and those considered anarchists at best share a certain family resemblance." (Anarchism. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy, 31). Anarchists hold different opinions like, as to the economic organization of society; some favor libertarian communism, collectivist anarchism or participatory economics while others believes that supporting free market systems like mutualism, agorism, or anarcho-capitalism is beneficial for the society (Brooks, xi). Most of the anarchists firmly oppose voting or participating in the State institution. Still there there are a few that disagree. The prominent anarchist, Proudhon stood for election to the French Constituent Assembly twice in 1848. Paul Brousse developed a concept Libertarian municipalism in Switzerland in the 1890s which involved participating in local elections (George H. Smith). There are three reasons behind the opposition of election by anarchist. the anarchist collective CrimethInc. launched "Dont Just Vote, Get Active," during the 2004 US Presidential election. This was a campaign to promote the importance of direct action instead of just an electoral change. Anarchists in other countries quite often engage in similar anti-voting campaigns. Some anarchists propose a more pragmatic approach which includes voting in referenda

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Business Issues and the Context of Human Resources Assignment

Business Issues and the Context of Human Resources - Assignment Example In the year 2007, Vodafone Group achieved the permission or license of mobile phone within the region of Qatar. It is recognized with the name, Vodafone Qatar, which is situated in Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP). However, within a very small time frame, it become successful in positioning itself as one of the reliable and admirable brand in the region of Qatar among other rival players. It is mainly due to its aim to offer distinctive services to its customers so as to create a different image in the market. This strategy proved effective for the organization that enhanced almost 32.3 percent of the total market share and brand value of Qatar among many other contenders such as Qtel. Furthermore, the range of customers also increased from 151,000 in the year 2009 to 814,000 in September, 2011 (Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C, 2011). In this age of competitiveness, sustainability is the prime requirement of any organization, operating in any segment. However, in order to attain sustainability, it’s extremely to analyze the capabilities and evaluate the resources in the best way so as to attain remarkable results. Only then, the productivity of the organization might get enhanced resulting in amplification of the brand image and equity in the market among other existing contenders. Thus, it might be stated that in order to attain competitive position, the business or human resource strategies or tactics need to be shaped in an effective way. Similarly, the organization of Vodafone Qatar, also comprises of varied types of forces that helps in shaping its human resource strategy for future growth and development. Some of these factors are presented below: Talent management: It is recognized as one of the most important factor or force that helps in shaping the human resource strategies or policies of the organization of Vodafone Qatar. This is because in this age, talent or experienced employee is the prime weapon that may help the organization in inventing

What are the most important parts of a financial statement for an Essay

What are the most important parts of a financial statement for an investor to look at when deciding on a long-term financial investment - Essay Example If an investor buys shares of a company whose profits have been deteriorating over the years then it is likely that the impact of the falling profits will also be reflected in the price of its shares. This will erode the value of the company’s shares and the investment will result in losses. For this reason a careful analysis of the financial statements is a must before taking a long position in the shares of the company. The investors must make investments from long term point of view as this gives them the power to exercise control over their investments. An intelligent investor must not focus on the short term movements in the market rather one should concentrate on intelligent selection (Bogle & Swensen, 2009, pp.40). Ideally the return on a long term investment should be 7% (Campbell et al., 2001). Stocks generally offer best possible returns over the long term (Bodnar, 2006, pp.121). For the period 1926 to 1998 the common stocks of large companies offered an annual return of 11.2 percent. When compared with other instruments it shows that the stocks offered a risk premium of 7.2 percent annually. Even though the returns earned on large cap and small cap stocks is higher as compared to other assets classes their returns are more volatile. The return on long term bonds issued by US government is 5.3 percent per year i.e. a real return of 2.2 percent. Though the returns on such bonds are less as compared to the stocks but their returns are comparatively less volatile when compared to volatility in stock returns (Reilly & Brown, 2002, pp.92). The financial statements comprise of- Income Statement, Cash flow Statement and Balance Sheet. Income Statement is an estimation of the profits incurred or losses suffered by the business over a specified period of time. Cash Flow Statement is a summary of the net cash position of the business. Balance Sheet is a summarized statement of the assets owned by the business and the liabilities owed by it. Using these

Friday, July 26, 2019

Macroeconomic Objectives of the UK Govenment Economic Policy Assignment

Macroeconomic Objectives of the UK Govenment Economic Policy - Assignment Example This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the framework of macroeconomic policies of the government of the UK. In order to exercise effective administration of the country the government must determine the objectives of its policy. Then the target has to be selected. The next task is to choose the instruments of policy to be used in pursuit of the objectives. Four major economic objectives, that any government should pursue, include low unemployment level, price stability, satisfactory balance of payment position and sufficient sustainable economic growth. In addition to four major economic objectives a government may have other objectives for the economy. These may include a more even distribution income of wealth and a cleaner environment. It is difficult to achieve all four macro economic objectives at a time. Countries rarely experience stable economic growth. Instead they experience business cycles. Periods of rapid economic growth are followed by periods of low growth or even a fall in output. Sometimes, these cycles can be the result of government policy of raising taxes in a recession in order to compensate for falling tax revenues caused by lower incomes and expenditures. Unemployment fluctuates with business cycles. High employment has a number of significant advantages. Most people receive higher incomes from employment than from state benefits. Governments usually not aim for complete price stability but for low and stable rate of inflation. The government also is to ensure balance of payment equilibrium. ... New classical economist refers to the non-accelerating rate of unemployment ( NAIRU). It can also be called the natural rate of unemployment. It is the rate of unemployment which exists when all those who want to work at the going wage rate and who have the appropriate skills can find a job (Storm & Naastepad 2012).  . Whether it is example four percent or 8 percent will depend on a number of factors. These include the gap between paid employment and state benefit, attitudes towards living on benefits, labor market information and skill levels. A government basing its policies on new classical theory would seek to reduce NAIRU by improving the working of the labor market ( Top of Form Fabiani 1998).   Bottom of Form . Furthermore, Governments usually not aim for complete price stability but for a low and stable rate of inflation. Complete price stability or zero inflation would mean that the general price level is not changing. In practice, in a dynamic, growing economy the gener al price the general price level is likely to rise by between 1% and 2% per year. This rise will reflect the buoyancy level of demand and the fact that the quality of goods tends to rise. For example, a television purchased in the year 2013 may be 5% more expensive than one purchased in 2012 but it may also, for instance, have extra channels and give better reception. If the rate of inflation is equal to or below rival countries, the countries can at least maintain its international price competitiveness. If it is stable then firms do not have to guess what wage claims they need to make to maintain their real wages. However, high and accelerating inflation is clearly undesirable. It can reduce a country’s international competitiveness, reduce the real income of some groups, create

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Public sphere in Australia today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Public sphere in Australia today - Essay Example Lower secondary starts at the 7th or 8th year and continue throughout the 10th year of education. The 7th during 9th years of education are known as "preparatory years." Towards the end of the 9th year, students may choose to abandon school or to continue to the 10th year. During the 10th year of education, students may abandon school with a School Leaving Certificate (SLC), in many situations provided by the individual school. Upper secondary consists of the 11th and 12th years of education. Instead of leaving school upon conclusion of the 10th grade, students may carry on for two extra years of education, upon conclusion of which students also get a SLC, provided by the school or by an external examining authority. Once attended almost exclusively by students going to university study, an increasing number of Australian students, irrespective of their plans for advanced study, are attaining the whole 12-year term. While some time ago, professional and scholastic secondary schools were mostly distinct institutes, the majority public secondary schools in Australia at present are "comprehensive high schools" Such schools offer programs both for university-bound students and for students who intend to do different jobs after leaving school or who will take up postsecondary technical or professional education. A number of public schools, on the other hand, maintain to offer only educational, college-introductory programs for students who are registered to the optional programs. Some advanced secondary schools offer agricultural or other education. Nearly all the students in Australia accomplish the 10th year of schooling and get a SLC. The number of students who carry on to the 12th year of education is about 71 % of all students all over the country in 1991. The majority of young students in Australia are registered in some kind of kindergarten program, although attendance is not obligatory. Nearly all states offer a "pre-Year 1" program, and both the government and private agencies offer other pre-school activities for the two years before the commencement of Year 1. School Governance & Finance In each Australian state, the education system is extremely centralized. The Education Ministry and a Director-General of Education administer the educational system. Of late, nevertheless, there has been a growing tendency to decentralize several organizational functions from the state level towards the local level. Governance The ministry of education exercises extensive power over schools all over the state. The states develop policies in the fields of schooling and teacher enrollment, teacher service, student registration, program content, course authorization and student appraisal. The education ministry hires and employs the teachers in government schools, construct buildings, equipment and materials, and grant subsidy for utilization by schools. Hence almost all

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Motivation -wk3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Motivation -wk3 - Essay Example When I look at my description of a good day, I can say that emotionally I would be feeling happy and peaceful during the day. I would have autonomy because I was working alone, getting things done, and having good conversation with a friend. This would be my example of autonomy support. I believe that competence would be shown in my ability to do my job well and identify prospects to finish. This action gives me a high feeling of competence. Structure is very important to me and the more organized I am, the more competent I fee. My conversation with my friends appeals to my sense of involvement because the conversation showed we are caring people and we enjoy being together. This action brings me a sense of well being and I feel that I am loved by my friend and my family. Reeves (2009) states that vitality is associated with the way in which people feel during a good day. When people feel "autonomous, competent and interpersonally related (p. 168) they also feel vital or like their life has meaning. In terms of psychological need, people need to feel a sense of self-worth in anything they do. I would think that a person who is feeling vibrant and needed would be more motivated to do more than those who are not. Motivation would be enhanced for someone when they knew they were needed. My final project will research the educational needs of teenagers in Liberia. I will concentrate on the needs of teenage girls. This is a social change issue because there are many challenges that girls in Liberia have that influence their education. Some of these challenges are teen pregnancy, rape, and fall out from their past civil war. I would like to understand the motivation for teens to become educated despite all of these issues. Generally speaking, in most countries teens may be motivated to become educated because the laws say that children must go to school from an early age to about the age of 18. In Liberia, the

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Before Sunset Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Before Sunset - Essay Example The movie has rightfully earned great critical acclaim for portraying the lives of two individuals, who love each other dearly but are always pulled apart because of their circumstances. Moreover, it was not just the plot of the story that was laudable but the premise of the film further entails several themes regarding the geographical and urban design of the contemporary society that has greatly isolated people and restricted interaction on a daily basis. Even in the past, films were tools that were used vastly as a means to promote a particular city or culture. The entire filming before sunrise was done in Paris, providing insight into how urban structure seems to have affected the lives of the masses. The film depicts the life of both the protagonists and the degree to which their lives had changed over the period of their separation. Both Jesse and Celine portray contemporary individuals, who experience the rising problems of an urban society; loneliness being one of the primary issues. This concept is called urban isolation, which arises as a result of the layout of our society that prevents social encounters and interactions. From architecture to the overall communication network, modern civilization has been developed in such a way to protect the privacy of individuals that besides making things easier for people often results in people becoming more and more distant from each other. As a matter of fact, from residential buildings to everyday travel, privacy and seclusion are marketed as an asset and this feature is being made more attractive that makes people want to achieve it. This aspect is ostensible in the movie through the segregation that is believed to have been prolonged because of this aspect of the society. From the first movie, both of them had been heading towards opposite directions, although their circumstances kept them from reaching out to each other, but the period of their separation was further

Monday, July 22, 2019

Reality Shows Should Be Banned Essay Example for Free

Reality Shows Should Be Banned Essay The main essence of reality shows is to put ordinary people in a social confined setting with extraordinary environment and activities with the aim of entertaining audiences with the illusion that what is going on is not scripted nor rehearsed. Most reality shows attempt to convince the audience that the participants of the show are being pushed to their physical, emotional or physiological limits in order to complete a specific task or attain a certain goal of which audience cheer on their favorite participant. With the change in times and technology most reality shows have gone over board and have forgotten the basic concept of reality shows and are now focusing more on entertainment than reality that has lead to increase in sexual exposure, humiliation and immorality. Reality shows have lost their way from original series like survivor to the new mediocre series of two celebrities living in a farm yard for a week. Reality TV has joined the ranks of day time entertainment and has lost the spark of spontaneous originality from other forms of scripted entertainment. Additionally, the most famous reality shows worldwide are big brother and Idols; these two are examples of scripted and well rehearsed reality shows. In the just concluded episode of idols a judge was dared to sing out of the blue and it so happened just by â€Å"coincidence† that the band started playing a song which the judge joined in emphatically without hesitation. The crowed cheered and applauded for the â€Å"unexpected† performance by the judge. Such reality T.V. shows give viewers and more so children false hope of a â€Å"happily ever after† reality were heroes and heroines live thus insulting the intelligence of the viewers. In the case of big brother viewers are subjected to sex as a form of entertainment. Relationships formed in the big brother house give the participant a better chance of winning the competition and increase his/her ratings thus the audience spends time and money voting for the participant so they can enjoy seeing the participants relationship grow. And due to the full disclosure nature of the show all activities are broadcasted and shown live on our T.V. sets exposing and encouraging our youths, young adults and children to sex, immorality and promiscuous behaviors. Furthermore, the common comic saying â€Å"its funny until someone gets hurt, then its hilarious† comes to life in most reality shows. Producers of reality shows capitalize  on the demise and misfortunes of participants. When a contestant falls down or gets hurt in anyway it is taken as a form of entertainment or comedy not knowing the humiliation and psychological trauma they instill in the participant. Examples of such shows are â€Å"show me the funny† â€Å"Real T.V.† and â€Å"Fear factor†. Show me the funny capitalizes on bloopers of home made videos which show family member having accidents such as hitting each other being bitten by a snake or having a ball hit them on their faces. Turning such perilous or even fatal accidents to o form of humor encourages children to view violence and accidents as vivacious events and not the precarious activities they are. Producers also capitalize on the eviction or the inability of a participant to complete a certain assignment. The humiliation and reaction of a participant being evicted or accepting defeat is a high point of most reality T.V. which is morally and ethically wrong. The failure of a fellow human being should be frowned upon and not celebrated. 2) Here are plenty of reality shows which are being shown on television channels world wide, in which one can see lots of aspirants taking to the stunts and heroic acts as they want to win the coveted title and they did some shots which amaze the audiances and keep them on their tender nooks, its also done to increase the rating of the channel in the tele shows. There are plenty of reality shows which are being shown on television channels world wide, in which one can see lots of aspirants taking to the stunts and heroic acts as they want to win the coveted title and they did some shots which amaze the audiences and keep them on their tender nooks, its also done to increase the rating of the channel in the tele shows. I am not sure if they are there in your part of the world, channels like Sony and Zee TV they show lot of enthusiasm in such things. The weird things they shown on the small screen are hair raising and put a lot of questions in viewers minds as to such things can be accomplished in real life or not. But the stunt mania grips the minds of innocent public and kids alike. They all want feats and also want to show off to their genre of friends and foes. In the process they might hurt themselves badly. Although there are several reports of teen-aged children being hurt in the process of macho man image building but to no avail as the generation is fast and furious, they just want their way and life to be left to them. I am not sure about consequences and impact  they could have but it is for sure, every one wants his part of fame and attention in public, for we are mortal beings and success is our ambition in life. Effect on teenagers Social cognitive theory suggests that meaningful sources of identity can be discovered by people in their teens who feel connected to what they’re viewing. Thus, when attempting to understand media’s role in the development of teenagers, it is crucial to be aware of the time they devote to their shows like reality television due to this strong influence[48] America’s Next Top Model is often criticized for it’s portrayal of women and poor body image. When faced with the image of a thin, beautiful, successful models, young girls may feel inferior, leading to low self-esteem and eating disorders. Likewise, Jersey Shore is denounced for it’s representation of being a single, young adult. Young people idolize the show’s cast, making them susceptible to imitate their actions, such as promiscuity, violence, and binge drinking.[citation needed]

A new life Bully Essay Example for Free

A new life Bully Essay A new life. An new school. A new bully. Thats what Darrell Mercer faces when he and his mother move from Philadelphia to California. After spending months living in fear, Darrell is faced with a big decision: He can keep running from this bully, or find a way to fight back. AuthorBorn in Philadelphia, Paul Langan spent his early childhood in the city before moving with his single mother to southern New Jersey. There he attended public school and worked a variety of jobs—including salesperson at a shoe store, attendant at a horse ranch, landscaper at a mental hospital, and a night-shift stockperson in a warehouse store near Atlantic City. â€Å"Each job,† he says today, â€Å"could be the topic of several juicy novels.† STORYThe story was about a boy name darell Mercer he live in Philadelphia, he had a friend named Mark which fought all of his fights because Darrell was a small and skinny punk. But then his mom found a better job in California and when they moved Darrel was scared of school because he had no friends. So he thought people will bully him and then he went to the supermarket and he saw a girl that was going to the same school as him which was Bluford high school. So then they talk and they where both freshmen’s.Then Darrel went to his first day of school and there was a boy who started bulling him and his name was Tyran .Darrel was scared of him and then he started paying him $10 every Friday. Then the same girl that he met at the supermarket he found out she liked him but Tyray the one that was bulling him he liked her so he was scared to ask her out. Darrel even tried out for the wrestling team and he made it and he had got good at it but he lost the first match by two points and the second he won eight- two .But he went to a dance which she went but Tyray went to and Darrel danced with the her and her name is Amberlynn and then Tyray came and humiliated Darrel and then Darrel went home. Then it was Christmas brake and for new years Darrel said he did not want to be scared of Tyray and will not pay him again. So then he went to school it was a Friday and he did not go to the supermarket to pay Tyray but he went straight to school. So then Tyray went and he asked him were was his money but the teacher came in and Tyray was scared. So then at lunch Tyray and Darrel started fighting and Darrel toke him down using the tricks he learned in wrestling and Tyray was crying that he broke his wrist and they were both sent to the principals office and Darrel told the principal what happened since the begging of the school year and Tyray got suspended but not Darrel he got out with a warning.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Talisman Energy

Talisman Energy 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The following report outline research that will evaluate the goals and objective within organization. In doing so a series of interview with the relevant personal of Talisman (M) Sdn Bhd is done. Talisman Energy (Talisman) is an independent international upstream oil and gas company undertaking exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). Talisman was establish in 1992. The company primarily operates in North America, the North Sea, and Southeast Asia. It is headquartered in Alberta, Canada and employs over 2,600 people. The Malaysia branch is located at Menara Citibank Kuala Lumpur. Refer to appendix 1 for location and subsidiaries. Talisman is listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TLM. Talisman is also part of the SP/TSX 60 Index. At year end, the company value was over $16 billion with 1,1019 million shares outstanding 2.0 INTRODUCTION The history of Talisman Energy (Talisman) dates back to 1953, when the company was established as BP Canada. It later became an independent company, in 1992. In the same year, Talisman Energy discontinued its mining operations in order to focus on its core areas. Talisman Energy (Talisman) is one of the largest independent oil and gas producers in Canada. Its main business activities include exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). It has about seven operating subsidiaries. Talisman has ongoing production, development, and exploration operations in North America, the North Sea, Southeast Asia and Australia, North Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago. Talismans operations are conducted principally in five geographic segments: North America, UK, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, and other. The company produced over 430,000 boe/d in 2008, approximately 50% oil and 50% natural gas. The North America segment includes operations in Canada and the US. The UK segment includes operations in the UK and the Netherlands. The Scandinavia segment includes operations in Norway and Denmark. The Southeast Asia segment includes operations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. The other segment includes operations in North Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Peru, and Qatar as well as other international exploration areas. 3.0 ANALYSIS AND FINDING OF THE SUMMARY SCENARIO 3.1 Company Goal and objective In any planning process, objectives and goals must be carefully established. Starting from the proposed objectives and goals, the strategies to reach them will be outlined The lack of clarity of the proposed objectives can compromise the whole sequence. According to Oliveira (2002), the objectives serve the following company purposes: 1. provide to people the feeling of a specific and adequate role in the company 2. give consistency to decision making among a large number of different executives; 3. encourage dedication and fulfillment based on expected results; and 4. supply a base for corrective actions and control. In charting direction of the company Talisman Energy (Talisman) has set three priorities objectives. Refer Table 1 Developing long-term growth opportunities Building high impact exploration Continue focusing on current portfolio Table 1 Goal Strategy The main elements of Talismans objective are: †¢ To establish sustainable, profitable growth from its unconventional gas business in North America, as well as Southeast Asia, and Norway. †¢ To create an exploration portfolio, which contributes to renewal by finding material hydrocarbons over time. †¢ And to underpin this with sustainable sources of cash from mature areas, as well as focusing the portfolio. Two main reasons the objective was introduced were to lower finding and development (FD) costs, and to increase the reserve life index over time. FD costs will be bought down in several ways: †¢ The unconventional business model has structurally lower FD costs than the conventional gas business model. †¢ Talisman is looking to expand activity in Southeast Asia, where FD costs are generally lower. †¢ If the exploration shift to larger prospects is successful, FD costs will fall. 3.2 SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Strong market position Diversified geographical presence Lack of scale High debt Opportunities Threats Acquisitions and agreements New oil and gas production Economic slowdown in the US and Euro zone Environmental regulations Saturation of resources Table 2 Swot Analysis Table Strengths Strong market position Talisman Energy is an independent, international upstream oil and gas company whose main business activities include exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The companys three core areas are North America, the North Sea, and Southeast Asia. In North America, Talisman is a leading deep gas explorer and has significant unconventional natural gas potential. In the North Sea, the company operates more than 40 oilfields and has extensive exploration acreage in Norway. In Southeast Asia, Talisman has substantial long-life natural gas reserves and highly prospective exploration acreage. Opportunity : A strong market position helps the company to leverage its market share. Diversified geographical presence Talisman Energy has ongoing production, development, and exploration operations in North America, the North Sea, Southeast Asia and Australia, North Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago. The companys operations are conducted principally in five geographic segments: North America, UK, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, and others (comprising North Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Peru, and Qatar). Talismans aggregate production for the year ended December 31, 2008 was approximately 452,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), consisting of approximately 189,000 boe/d from North America, 117,000 boe/d from the UK segment, 33,000 boe/d from the Scandinavia segment, 92,000 boe/d from Southeast Asia, and 21,000 boe/d from the rest of the world. Opportunity : A diversified geographical presence enables the company to reduce business risks arising in a particular geography. Weaknesses Lack of scale The company lacks the desired scale to compete with large players in the industry. Many of the companys competitors are much larger in size in terms of revenue generated, number of employees, and their presence in Europe and other developing market. One of its key competitors, British Petroleum (BP), generated revenues of about $288,951 million and employed about 97,600 people worldwide for the financial year ended December 2007 (FY2007). Another key competitor of the company Exxon Mobil Corporation (Exxon Mobil) generated revenues of about $390,328 million and employed 81,000 people as on FY2007. However, Talisman generated revenues of about C$7,919 million during the FY2008, and employed about 2,600 people worldwide as of FY2008. Problem : Owing to its relatively small scale of operations, the company could find it difficult to face competition. High debt The company has a significant amount of debt. For the FY2008, the company has an outstanding debt of C$3,949 million. Even though it is a decrease of 9% from FY2007 which stood at CAD$4,341 million, this figure is still high especially during the credit crunch. The companys substantial debt could limit its ability to obtain additional financing to operate its business. Further, it would make it difficult for the company to satisfy its obligations including making interest payments on debt obligations. Opportunities Acquisitions and agreements The company has been expanding its geographic reach through acquisitions and agreements. In January 2008, Talisman announced that one of its subsidiaries have acquired all the shares of CNOOC Wiriagar Overseas from a subsidiary of CNOOC for a consideration of $212.5 million. CNOOC Wiriagar Overseas holds a 3.06% interest in the Tangguh LNG Project. The Tangguh LNG Project, located in West Papua, Indonesia, consists of a number of offshore gas wells, production facilities, pipelines, and LNG plant facilities with a nameplate capacity of 7.6 million tons per year. In June 2008, two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Talisman Energy entered into agreements with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) within Iraq for interests in Blocks K44 and K39 respectively. In the same month, Talisman Energy announced that its wholly-owned limited partnership FEI Shale (Fortuna) reached agreement to earn up to a one-third working interest in US properties owned by Hallwood Energy (Hallwood). Upon completion of the capital program, Fortuna will have earned a one-third interest in substantially all of Hallwoods assets, including properties in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, for a total of 108,000 acres (net to Fortuna). These agreements and acquisitions would provide Talisman with growth opportunities and drive its revenue growth. New oil and gas production New oil and gas production Talisman Energy has considerably increased its oil and gas production in recent times. In December 2008, Talisman (Vietnam 46/02), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Talisman, announced first oil production from the Song Doc field in Block 46/02 offshore Vietnam. Gross production from five pre-drilled wells is expected to reach approximately 25,000 bbls/d by early 2009. An additional three development wells are currently being drilled. Talismans share of proved and probable reserves in the Song Doc field is estimated at six million barrels (mmbbls), with proved reserves of three mmbbls. Talisman Energy announced first gas production from the Rev Field in Norway, in January 2009. The field is expected to produce at a plateau rate of 100 mmcf/d of gas and 6,000 bbls/d of condensate and natural gas liquids from two subsea wells. A third producer, the Rev East well, is expected to be brought on-stream later in 2009. Talismans share of proved and probable reserves in the Rev Field at year end 2007 is estimated at 26 million boe, with proved reserves of 16 million boe.Talisman Energy Norge, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Talisman, has a 70% interest in the Field, with Petoro holding the remaining 30%. Production is transported via a nine kilometer pipeline to the Armada platform in the UK, operated by BG International (CNS), for processing and final export to the UK. The new oil and gas production would increase the companys output which in turn increases its revenues. Threats Economic slowdown in the US and Eurozone The US and European Union are the two key markets for Talisman. According to International Monetary Funds (IMF) World Economic Outlook, January 2009, the US and Eurozone economies could face slowdown in 2009. The GDP growth rate in the US has decreased from 2% in 2007 to 1.1% in 2008 and is projected to record a negative growth of 1.6% in 2009. The GDP growth rate in the Eurozone has declined from 2.6% in 2007 to 1% in 2008 and is projected to record a negative growth of 2% in 2009. A weak economic outlook for Eurozone and the US would put pressure on the revenues of the company. Economic slow down in the US and Eurozone could impact industrial development, which could adversely affect demand for Talismans products. Environmental regulations As a result of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the worldwide Port State Control initiative, stringent new regulations have been enacted. These regulations pose the possibility of unlimited financial liability for pollution damages. Companies operating in the oil and gas industry are subject to strict environmental regulations. Distribution and storage houses need to strictly comply with environmental regulations which keep changing frequently. Compliance with these regulations forces distributors, such as Talisman, to incur high costs. These factors can have a potential negative impact on the companys margins. Saturation of resources The maturity of the North America basin reserve continues to give rise to increases in both replacement costs and operating costs. Larger companies are finding it increasingly difficult to increase their North American production as conventional production is declining in these more mature basins. Furthermore, output from proven natural gas reserves in Canada has been declining significantly. Although the development of Mackenzie Valley reserves would boost gas reserves to some extent, decreasing output is a long-term threat for Canadian oil and gas companies such as Talisman. In addition, offshore exploration space and the existing reserves are maturing and are slowly being saturated. There has been a succession of dry holes being drilled in the region in the last two years. The saturation of reserves in North America would severely impact the companys operations. 3.3 Current Year Performance Talisman generated a record $3.5 billion in net income in 2008, benefiting from high commodity prices during the year. Net income included a $1.7 billion recorded gain on held-for-trading financial instruments, primarily commodity contracts. Talisman entered into these contracts to protect 2009 cash flow and their capital program against a significant drop in prices. They also set a new record for cash flow of $6.2 billion, an increase of 42% over the previous year. Production from continuing operations averaged 419,000 boe/d for the year, 3% above 2007. Including non-core assets that were sold or are scheduled for sale, production was down 4%. Talisman used this record cash flow to strengthen the balance sheet, reducing long-term net debt to $3.9 billion, down from $4.3 billion a year earlier. In total, they paid down approximately $900 million in debt. The Company also spent a record $5.1 billion on exploration and development. North America accounted for 48% of spending, North Sea development projects 25%, Southeast Asia development 9% and international exploration 17%. Talisman replaced 75% of its production with proved reserves from drilling and non-price revisions in 2008. Refer to table 3 for further details (millions of C$ unless otherwise stated) 2008 2007 2006 Cash flow1 6,163 4,327 4,748 Net income 3,519 2,078 2,005 Earnings from continuing operations1,2 2,544 952 1,424 Per common share Cash flow ($)1 6.06 4.19 4.35 Net income ($) 3.46 2.01 1.84 Earnings from continuing operations ($)1,2 2.5 0.92 1.3 Oil production (mbbls/d) 3 224 241 262 Gas production (mmcf/d) 3 1,247 1,265 1,342 Total production (mboe/d) 3,4 432 452 485 Total production from continuing operations (mboe/d) 2,4 419 405 410 Average sales price ($/boe) 76.03 59.57 57.45 Exploration and development spending 5,106 4,449 4,578 Net debt1 3,949 4,341 4,496 Table 3 Current Year Performance 3.4 Recommended Strategies From the SWOT we found a few problems arising from the analysis below are the few strategies recommended in order to ensure the efficiency of the performance Weakness High Debt In order to reduce the high debt the company should emphasize on the strategic areas and exiting the non strategic areas. By selling of the non strategic area could increase the cash flow and therefore the company could drastically reduce greater amount of debt. Lack of scale In order to gain competitive advantages against the large scale companies such as BP (British Petroleum). The company should using the differentiate strategy. According to Micheal Porter differentiation advantage occurs when a firm delivers greater services for the same price of its competitors. They are collectively known as positional advantages because they denote the firms position in its industry as a leader in either superior services or cost. A firm possesses a sustainable competitive advantage when its value-creating processes and position have not been able to be duplicated or imitated by other firms Threat Economic slowdown in the US and Euro zone -This issue based on global issue the best way to mitigate the impact of economic slowdown is by improving the efficiency. During economic crisis the company must focus on their bottom line. Productivity, energy usage, etc. all must be made more effective. Environmental regulations Due to stringent and frequently change of oil pollution act the company might incurred high cost on compliance to the act. The best strategy for the company is to setup a team on monitoring closely on the compliance process. This is to avoid sudden change or adhoc changing process. Any sudden changes without a proper planning definitely incurred a very high cost. Saturation of resources Saturation of resources could have an impact on the company operation. The best way to deal with it is through Focusing on portfolio strategy. By focusing on high impact exploration area and exiting on depleting area or countries 3.4 Action programme The following action programme express on how Talisman could aligns with the goals and objectives of many diverse sites 1. Focus the Portfolio (core asset) Exit non strategic areas †¢ Potential non-core asset sales of 35,000-45,000 boe/d, with expected proceeds of $1.5-2.0 billion by the end of 2009. †¢ Exit some countries (i.e., the Netherlands, Denmark, Trinidad Tobago). †¢ Additional non-core asset sales in the UK and North America. 2. Grow Existing Base Maintain existing assets as firm base †¢ Size the UK to produce 80,000-100,000 boe/d through at least 2013 from existing assets. †¢ Continue to invest in core conventional North America natural gas areas with a view to keeping conventional production relatively flat. †¢ Southeast Asia production has doubled in the past five years and has the potential to double again in the next five (e.g. increasing Corridor volumes, Northern Fields development, Song Doc). 3. Findings on new Growth Opportunities Determine unconventional potential †¢ Talisman has built a large (2.5 million net acre) unconventional land base. †¢ The Company plans to spend $800-900 million on unconventional development projects over the next 18 months. †¢ An additional $300-400 million is planned for unconventional pilots over the same period. †¢ A total of 240-290 wells could be drilled as part of these program. Potential Future Growth in North Africa, South America †¢ Talisman has been active in Algeria since 1994. This is a very prolific hydrocarbon basin. †¢ The Company plans to drill up to eight exploration wells in Colombia and Peru through the end of 2009. 4. Optimize Global Exploration Support core area growth in the short term †¢ The Company will maintain active exploration programs in its core areas. †¢ Exploration spending is expected to average $700 million per year through 2010. Increase focus toward larger pool sizes †¢ Future focus areas include the Barents Sea (Norway), the central North Sea (UK), Colombia and Peru. †¢ The Company plans to drill up to 28 key exploration wells over the next 18 months. 3.4 Implementation Control Developing an effective company goals and objective is only half the battle. Getting it implemented is the other, and generally it is the tougher half. The most important part of implementation is monitoring taking a periodic look at how its going. Monitoring the implementation of objective is important for a number of reasons. First, it helps to assure that the efforts conform to the plan. Meaning the company is on track. Second, to make sure the results achieved align with objectives. Monitoring allows for corrective action and making the necessary changes along the way. To fine tune, not only strategies, but planning process as well. And since monitoring is part of a control process, it encourages improved performance. Knowing theyll be measured stimulates employees to do a better job. Finally, and most importantly, monitoring provides the essential link between the written plan and the day-to-day operation of your business. It demonstrates to all that the company are really managing the business according to plan. A significant benefit of the monitoring process is that it serves as your early warning system. It gives Talisman the opportunity to communicate how they are doing. For example, In Focus the Portfolio action program, the company may run into a technical problem such as delay on bidding process and slip its schedule by six weeks. The management needs to know about it. Through such feedback, the company can improve the implementation and reinforce the spirit of cooperation within organization. But lets be realistic. The company will run into implementation problems. Every company does. Some of the strategies may prove ineffective or strategies wont work as intended. The company can take one of four corrective actions. First, the company can change the schedule slipping in due date. Second, they can change the tactics in performing to implement the strategy. Third, by changing the strategy. Finally, as a last resort, the organisation can compromise the objective. Each of these corrective actions is applicable under specific circumstances 4.0 Conclusion Goals serve as a stimulus for effort by giving company something to strive for, the most important things must know where they are heading so they can effectively plan to get there. Goal setting, when supported by careful planning, provides a sense of direction to keep company focused on the most important activities. For Talisman they emphasize on three main objectives which are developing long-term growth opportunities, building high impact exploration and continue focusing on current portfolio. From the research we can conclude that goals serve as filters to eliminate extraneous demands. Over a period time, goals can bring to life order, meaning, and purpose that will sustain interest of stakeholder and motivation. By setting goals, an individual expresses their desire to achieve, to improve life, and to be more effective, more productive, and more successful tomorrow than today. Being a successful organization does not come by accident. It depends on following a practice of goal-setting and continuous growth (kaizen), as well as seeking predetermined goals. We could say then Success is the progressive realization of worthwhile, predetermined goals. Abbreviation Definitions bbl barrel bbls/d barrels per day bcfe/d billion cubic feet of gas equivalent per day boe barrels of oil equivalent boe/d barrels of oil equivalent per day C$ Canadian dollar LNG Liquefied Natural Gas mbbls/d thousand barrels per day mboe/d thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day mcf thousand cubic feet mcfe/d thousands of cubic feet of gas equivalent per day mmboe million barrels of oil equivalent mmcf/d million cubic feet per day mmcfe/d million cubic feet of gas equivalent per day Reference and Bibliography Goh Ing King, Lecturer Notes Purchasing Management Azlina Ghazaly, Senior Buyer Talisman Malaysia Sdn Bhd Menara Citibank CIPS Course Book. Level 5 study guide Management in the Purchasing Function Micheal E. Porter, From Competitive Advantage to Corporate Strategy Talisman Energy Inc. http://www.talisman-energy.com Appendix Appendix 1 : Location and Subsidiaries

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Love and Time in Rossettis Poems Essay -- Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poet

Love and Time in Rossetti's Poems It is evident that themes of love and time are frequently referred to in several of Rossetti’s poems and I believe that she treats these themes in a variety of ways. Regarding love, Rossetti explores the disappointment and betrayal caused by love, her love of God as though part of an intimate relationship and the temptation that love causes young women to abandon the traditional rules. Using seasonal imagery, Rossetti relates to time contradicting herself as she often implies that we should take time to enjoy and observe life whilst she also states that she is unable to be satisfied with earthly life and it is death that will provide the ultimate fulfilment. Aware of the inevitable that seasons will always change and can never be controlled, Rossetti uses the motif of life cycles in order to demonstrate that we should be satisfied with all that God provided us with on earth. â€Å"Life nursed in its grave by death†, In ‘Spring’ Rossetti implies a significant image that death is the protector of life and nurtures new growing life. Supporting this in ‘Bitter for sweet’, Rossetti stimulates us not to rush through life but observe more and slow down, â€Å"Its sun and perfumes and sweet flowers†. Demonstrating that rapid changes in life take place and as humans we never notice these Rossetti chose to present this poem in only 8 lines, however in this she progresses through 4 months. This conveys that cycles are to be anticipated and using a passage of time through seasons she is able to symbolise the journey through life, â€Å"And even autumn closes†. Looking back at her life in regret in ‘Another Spring’ she confesses â€Å"If I might see another Spring/ I’d listen to the daylight birds†... ...ing to look forward to as she believes that death will enable her a truly satisfying life. To conclude, I believe that Rossetti treats the theme of time by creating a parallel to the inevitability of seasons emphasizing that with all good comes bad and that however hard you try to control life, it never stands still and you will never be able to turn back in time. Presenting her warnings about love and her doubts that she will ever find happiness, Rossetti treats the theme of love as a challenge as she states that if you are able to find love on earth, you are lucky and therefore able to enjoy your time on earth. However if like Rossetti you are unable to find your perfect partner, you may resolve into finding your faith in God as inevitably no one will ever match up to him and he is responsible for our happiness whether we find it on earth or by death.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Changes in Rita and Frank in Acts One and Two Essay -- Educating Rita

Changes in Rita and Frank in Acts One and Two Nicola White The ways in which Russell portrays the changes and developments in the characters of Rita and Frank in Act 1 scene 1 and Act 2 scene 1 of Educating Rita The play ‘Educating Rita’ written by Willy Russell explores the life of Rita, a twenty-six year old woman from a working class background, who is trying to find a new identity by becoming more independent, educated and cultured. Rita goes to the Open University and meets her tutor Frank. She is determined to learn from him and will not let anything step in her way. On closer analysis of Act 1 scene 1 and Act 2 scene 2 of this play and the changes in the relationship between Frank and Rita in these two scenes. When Rita enters Frank’s office at the beginning of Act 1 she is very talkative and excited. Frank is having problems with his life but he makes an obvious connection with Rita. In Act 2 scene 1 Rita returns from her holiday she is more mature and also widely educated and does not have to completely rely on Frank anymore. He does not approve of this and tries to become very controlling over Rita. In ‘Educating Rita’ there are two acts. In the first act there are eight scenes and there are seven scenes in the second, fifteen altogether. This whole book is over a one year period and Frank and Rita are the only two spoken characters in the play. The scene is set at the Open University inside Frank’s office in England. This is effective because it shows you how the characters change but the setting will always stay the same. It shows the change more effectively. Frank’s office is very dark, there are a lot of books against the wall, a large bay window and a large painting Rita describes a... ...en in a dark office for so long. â€Å"It hasn’t been opened for generations,† Frank explains to Rita. At the end of Act 2 scene 1 Rita uses higher vocabulary words and recites a poem by William Blake. She explains the Frank how they covered Blake at summer school and Frank is a bit shocked but also disappointed that he cannot teach her Blake. Frank thinks more of Rita than just her tutor and friend, he has stronger feelings for Rita but she does not notice at all. Rita and Frank have become closer; the audience knows Frank has feelings for Rita although she does not. Rita’s change in Character makes her more exciting and willing, but Frank seemed to like her better in Act 1 scene 1. Rita sees Frank as someone she an share things with in Act 1 but in Act 2 scene 1 she does not tell him she has a new flat mate or some other new things happening in her life.

Individuals vs. Society Essay -- essays research papers

An individual’s role in society can vary with the number themes the characters exhibit. When there are signs of fate, cruelties, weaknesses, and desires for justice and catharsis the role of an individual becomes more complicated. In Antigone, most of those themes are shown thus a single person’s influence or role on society is very small and complicated to attain. However in The Lottery the society has most of the control and there is not many signs of those characteristics so the role of a person is simplified because they are nothing compared to the society combined. Finally, in The Penalty of Death, there are signs of many of the themes but since it is the societies influence against that of an individuals, it is simplified because they have to work together. Out of the three readings, I believe that Antigone exhibits most of the characteristics that complicates an individual’s role in society. There is a considerable amount of fate shown in this story. For example, the most evident is that of our main character Antigone. Her fate is shown from the Prologue where she makes her decision to bury her brother Polyneices. â€Å"Ismene, I am going to bury him. Will you come?† There is a point that sort of suggests where her conflict will arise where she defies Creon’s law by saying, â€Å"Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way.† Weakness was shown on the part of Creon. His main weaknesses were his cruelty and hubris. He seems especially cruel when he is enraged with Haimon for t...

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Character Analysis of Harold Pinter’s the Caretaker

Erlina Suwardi 2009-031-055 Character Analysis of Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker In drama, characters play a dominant role in order to present the scenes. Whether good or bad the characters are, they are the ones who make the play and without them, there will be no play can be presented. In this play , there are only three characters, the brothers, which are Aston and Mick, and the old tramp, Davies. It begins with Aston who brings Davies to his place owned by his brother, Mick. Aston allows and offers Davies, who seems to be homeless, to stay in his room.From the very beginning of the play until the end, the characters do not allow themselves to form good relationship with one another, as they come and go without certain purpose, and also their conversation seems often has no relevance to the situation they are in. Aston, the person who brings Davies to his place, is a mentally retarded man because of the brain treatment given to him forcefully by his mother and brother. Actua lly, Aston was a very talkative person before he was given the therapy. As he says, â€Å" I thought†¦they understood what I said. I mean I used to talk to them. I talked too much. That was my mistake.The same in the factory. † (p. 906, line 58-60). He used to question about the certain things in society and thus he is made mentally retarded. After that, Aston not only loses questioning ability but also hard to communicate properly (p. 907, line 54-71). In my opinion, Aston’s weakness is trusting people too much. Aston even believes a person like Davies. As a result, he is betrayed by not only an intruder like Davies but also by his mother and brother. On the other hand, Davies is an old tramp which is homeless, in need of companionship and a place to stay. It is Aston who shows some kind of kindness to Davies.He gets the opportunity to stay in Aston’s room. However, instead of enjoying what he has already got and being thankful, Davies always complains abo ut a number of thing, for example like shoes (p. 891 line 36-57; p. 910, line 40-60) and the window (p. 906, line 16-20). Davies is a kind of back-stabber person when he turns against Aston and asks Aston to leave from his own place, â€Å".. Find somewhere else?.. Me? You talking to me?†¦ Not me man, you! .. You better find somewhere else.. I live here. I been offered a job here.. I’m going to be his caretaker, he’s going to run this place, and I’m staying with him†¦ (p. 911 line 81- p. 912 line 5). He also seems to be racist person not only to Black people but also Greeks, Poles and Scotch eventhough they do no harm to him (p. 888 line 29-38; p889 line 19-20; p. 894 line48-54). Mick, who plays the role of Aston’s brother, is the one who is actually responsible to treat Aston with brotherly affection. However, Mick treats Aston as the outsider. Moreover, Mick is also not a responsible person because he is trying to switch responsibility from h imself to Davies by offering Davies to be a caretaker eventhough he knows that Davies is not a qualified person. Related essay: â€Å"Stand and Deliver Character Analysis†Though there is a hope between the brothers to communicate each other again when Mick smiles while looking Aston at the end of the play (p. 914, line 47-52), he does not stay or live with him. He chooses to leave Aston at the end. For overall, with these three different characters, the whole story just simpy does not make any sense. It is illogical, conflictless, plotless and meaningless and that is what it meant by the absurd play. Everything is pointless and beyond human rationality to understand. Absurd play came after the World War II to represent freedom.It rebels against conventional plays which used to deal with language as a tool of logical communication and cause and effect relationships. However, the absurd authors seem to have reasons for the fight against the society. They want to explain the society, the world, and the life using a different point of view that life is indeed absurd. In this play, Pinter als o reflects the life, the absurdness of the world and the poor communication among the characters. The play finally ends as it begins. All the three characters remains separated from each other and continues to live the life on their own.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Internationanl Business Essay

The giving medication that I piss chosen is Sony potentiometer. Sony association is one of the just about thriving multinational potorations in the macrocosm it is excessively one of the best-kn let name in consumer electronics industry. Since it was fit(p) up shortly after(prenominal) World War 2, Sony has introduced a stream of revolutionary proceedss, including the transistor radio, the Trinitron idiot box, the Betamax VCR, and the Walkman portable cas pilete fraud (FundingUniverse, 2000). Over the years Sony has successfully authentic into one of the biggest player in the consumer electronics industry, producing a wide range of products including Audio system, pictorial matter cameras, Television, gaming system, Semiconductors and also electronic Components. determine at $17.12 Billion in the mart (Forbes, 2011), Sony batch is a great mannikin of successful multinational fel misfortunateship that has combative advantage in the ball-shaped securities in dustry place.Daniel Spulbers angiotensin-converting enzyme depth psychology is an analytical framework that services outline makers in meeting and processing data about inventetary grocery (D.F.Spulbur, 2007). By identifying the culture, feature and social organization of the occupation environment in divergent res publica, Spulbers lead-in compendium fecal matter assist the manager in development a spheric scheme that ex bunk their organization with the war-ridden advantage to pull round in the outside(a)isticistic commercialise. Star Analysis is based around five study components, which is the features of the friendships denture argona, supplier countries, customers countries, set outner countries and competitor countries. In this incident, Star analysis forget be employ to evaluate the combative schema of Sony good deal and how Sony gage im prove their spheric hawkishness. family demesneA companions fel modestship agricultural refers to the commonwealth where the melodic line has its headquarters (D.F.Spulber, 2007). In this suit, the home country for Sony grass is japan. D.F.Spulber (2007) express the features of home country argon often a hot guide to the companys origin figures, corporate culture, and core competencies. D.F.Spulber (2007) also stated that a company can re kink from home-country strengths by using the home country as a launching fill in for world(prenominal) expansion, and this is the case for Sony Corporation. Benefiting from the culture and features of japan, Sony Corporation has developed a beefed-up human foot for their international expansion. This can be justify using the ostiarys diamond theory. M. Porter states that basic factors of endowment, much(prenominal)(prenominal) as natural resources, climate, location and demo in writing(p)s, can hand over an initial advantage that is subsequently rein teard and extended by coronation in good factors, interpreters of rip e factors are converse infrastructure, sophisticated and skilled labor, seek facilities and scientific know-how.Conversely, disadvantages in basic factors can arrive at force to invest in advanced factors (Charles.W.L.Hills, 2010). That is the case in Japan, where they privation cultivatable land and mineral deposit, and yet by investment from government and organizations has built a substantial endowment of advanced factors. Japan governments subsidies and investment in education system, has created enormous pool of engineers, which is zippy to Japans success in many manufacturing industries (Charles.W.L.Hills, 2010). This environment provides Sony Corporation with fitted workforce and skilled labor. Japaneses constant investment on look for & Development has developed the scientific know-how of the country. This practice can also be seen in Sony Corporations strategy, which spent virtually 6.99% of their revenue enhancement, which is $5.5 billion on R&D annually a nd the percentage of employees engaged in R&D is 32.49% (TechnologyRe get word, 2012).This gives Sony Corporation the competitive advantage in the global technical market. An an other(a)(prenominal) attri simplye in Porters Diamond is pray actor In this case, the pressure from Japans sophisticated and companionshipable buyers of cameras has befriended stimulate the Japanese camera industry, including Sony Corporation, to improve product whole tone and to introduce modern expressive stylels (Charles.W.L.Hills, 2010). This constant demand for modernistic and uplifted quality product has forced Sony Corporation to invest in R&D and hence, improved the exertion of the company and at that placefore, gained competitive advantage in the global market. The next attribute is the mien of suppliers or related industries that are internationally competitive. In this case, most of the suppliers of Sony Corporation, for example, Dai Nippon Printing Co, Ltd are one of the top smart w ittiness vendors in Asia (Sony.Net, 2011).Successful electronic IT manufacturers including Hitachi Ltd., Fujitsu Ltd. and NEC Corp has contributed to the semiconductor industry in Japan, which provided the land for Sony Corporations success in cameras and other technically advanced electronic products (DailyYomiuriOnline, 2012) The last attribute of Portals Diamond is the strategy, structure and rivalry of steadys within a nation (Charles.W.L.Hills, 2010). ). In this case, there are many successful Multinational Corporation in Japans technological manufacturing field, such as Toyota, has love out with management philosophies like make out Quality Management, Just-in Time Philosophy and so on ( James et al, 2009). By practicing the corresponding Sony Corporation has benefited from these practices and be to a greater extent comprise effective(Richard A.Gershon, 2007). Major domestic competitors such as Panasonic Corporation also induce Sony Corporation to look for ways to impr ove aptitude and s tool more innovative products. in all these factors have improved Sony Corporations boilers suit global competitiveness.Supplier landed estateSupplier countries refer to those countries in which the international business transacts with its input suppliers and countries in which the international business manufactures its products (Daniel.F.Spulber, 2007). In this case, Sony Corporation antecedently had more than 2,500 suppliers around the globe so far after incurring heavy bemused in year 2009, Sony Corporation has determined to cut down the number of suppliers (CRN, 2009). To strive global competitiveness advantage, Sony Corporations strategy is to outsource, or externalize part of their value chain activities to different supplier countries, and internalize their core competence, which in this case is their innovative design and technology of their product. Their afoot(predicate) major suppliers are companies from china and USA, for example Shenzhen LVSUN electronics Co., Ltd, which supplied laptop batteries and Nvidia Corporation, which supplied Laptops graphic cards (Sony.Net, 2010). China are known for their confused wage labor force so the speak to of action for Sony will be oftentimes lower comparison to their global competitors.USA is a technology-advanced country and by buying new technologies from firms in USA, Sony Corporations products are much more advance and best(p) in quality, which in turn increase their global competitiveness. The company is vertically integrated in their suppliers countries. Sony Corporation posit a leaked production facilities such as manufacturing fixs in Japan, China, USA, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand (Sony Supply arrange Solution. Inc, 2011). Country like USA and Singapore has low trade-barriers and their government policies encouraged Foreign send off investment, which smoothen Sonys plan to cave in manufacturing plant in their land. Conversely, China and Malaysia has hi gh trade barriers and strict government policies that susceptibility increase the risk of recovering the woo of investment.This strategy has both positive and ostracise effects on Sony Corporation. By establishing their own manufacturing plants in suppliers countries, Sony are able to shelter their proprietary product technology from their competitors, this cerebration is countenanceed by Charles.W.L.Hills (pg 558, 2010). overly that, majority of Sonys manufacturing plant are locate in technologically advanced countries such as Japan and USA. Therefore with the advanced infrastructure and skilled labor, Sonys production are more cost-savings and businesslike. However, on the other hand, managing and operating(a) plants and firms in different countries has increased Sonys organization scope, which in turn will increase the organizational complexity and hence raise the firms cost structure, this cost is known as cost of hierarchical governance.This view is support by Charle s W.L.Hills (pg 559, 2010). In fact, the high cost of governance in different country has been such a burden to Sony that the top management has decided to shutter almost of the factories and manufacturing plants, in station to descend overall cost (CRN, 2009). Furthermore, to overcome this issue, Sony has decided to outsource part of their production to companies in China and USA. Examples are Foxconn Technology Group for the manufacturing of Sony liquid crystal display TV and Blackboard Inc for the manufacturing of Sonys FeliCa bank bill readers (Sony.Net, 2011). By outsourcing part of the manufacturing,, Sony was able to take advantage of less costly workforce in China and more efficient production facilities in USA. As a result, Sony has been able to avoid bureaucratic inefficiencies and reduce their cost of movement that arise from vertically integrate, and the resulting increased in global competitiveness. This view is supported by Charles.W.L.Hills (pg 559, 2010).Custome r CountriesIn this case, Sony Corporations major customers, or target market are the home country itself, Japan, USA and atomic number 63 countries. The Japan market is accounted for 24.2% of Sony Corporations revenue while USA market is accounted for 23.6%, atomic number 63 market for 25.7% and others minor customercountries for 26.5% (Sony.Net,2010). Evaluating the founding mode of Sony Corporation, the company has ab initio chosen wholly owned subsidiaries as their strategy to get into the U.S market. More specifically, Sony Corporation practices Greenfield hypothesiss, by establishing manufacturing plants and retails stores in U.S. Sony Corporation first plump was the establishment of a small television assembly plant in San Diego, calcium back in 1972. Sony then spread out and diversified its U.S operation by adding more production facilities in different neighbourhood of U.S (Sony.com, 2011). In 1960, Sony Corporation of America (SONAM) was schematic in the United Stat es to manage operation in U.S (Sony.com, 2011).Sony Corporations initial entry to U.S. market was facilitated by the uncomplimentary ex veer rate surrounded by ache and dollars at that feature period of time, and also the U.S government policies that encouraged orthogonal investment (SonyNet-history, 2011).Similar scenario happened in Europe, where Sony Corporation initially enter the Europe market by Greenfield ventures, establishing operating firms such as Sony (U.K.) Ltd in United Kingdom, Sony G.m.b.H.in Germany and so on. This strategy proved to be hearty(p) because this entry mode allowed Sony to protect their technological competence and gives Sony the faculty to engage in global strategic coordination. However, the drawback is that this method of entry can be very costly. This view is supported by Charles.W.L.Hills (pg 482, 2010) After establishing firms and production facilities in conflicting market, Sony Corporation march on strengthen their sentiment by recip rocal ventures with Tektronic Inc from U.S and Ericsson in Sweden, which subsequent on has been wholly acquired by Sony (Sony.com, 2011). withal that, Sony Corporation has also established absolute distribution network, by having retail stores and distributors passim the U.S and Europe region.Through the establishment of operating firms in foreign market and reefer ventures with topical anaesthetic companies, Sony Corporation has managed to get close and understand the demand and preference of consumers in the U.S and Europe market. Consumers in the USA and EU are generally technologically sagaciousness and have always been demanding innovative technological products The income per capita for US is 47199 US dollars and research shows that the highest technology expenditure for households in US is at around $94 per month ( Huffingpost.com, 2011). They are certainly willing to spend more on technologically products (Accenture, 2010). By brain these preferences and demand of co nsumers in USA and Europe, Sony Corporation is able to design and produce innovative products that satisfied consumers, hence achieving the global competitive advantage.Partner CountriesAccording to Daniel.F.Spulber (2007), the features of coadjutor countries are highly useful in find the potential contribution that the business and its partner will bring to the joint activities. unitary of Sony Corporations most beneficial and strategic unions is their partnership with Koreas Samsung. Sony and Samsung overlap complementary technology that would benefit all(prenominal) other. Sony was able to utilize Samsungs knowledge and technology to make LCD, which is critical for the large flat panel TVs that were in high demand. Samsungs skills were complementary to Sonys since they were tuned to figurer displays while Sony brought TV display knowledge (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). According to Charles W.L.Hill (2010), one of the benefits of strategic alliance is the share of cost and risk. This is certainly the case for the Sony-Samsung joint venture. The Sony-Samsung Joint venture set up a manufacturing facility in Tangjung, atomic number 16 Korea (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007).The joint venture service of processed Sony and Samsung unbosom significant cost in R&D and manufacturing and helped the companies gain substantial economies of shell in manufacturing (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). By sharing ideas between both companies, product innovation is enhanced, allowing Sony to come along its global sales of flat-panel TVs (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). In order to keep up with advances in digital technologies that was driving innovations in the global market, Sony and Samsung concord to share patents for a variety of technologies-13,000 patents from Sony and 11,000 patents from Samsung (Daniel F.Spulber, 2007). other successful alliance for Sony Corporation is the research joint venture between IBM and Toshiba. This particular joint venture had developed the cellular phone chip that powered the Sony PlayStation 3 (SonyNet, 2011).The companies adjourn the high development costs and sedulous engineers around the world. Besides that, Sony Corporations joint venture with Ericsson from Sweden allowed Sony to enter the wandering communication industry in Europe, which after expand to Asia with the name of Sony Ericsson. Sonys successful alliance with global companies like Samsung, IBM and Ericsson has allowed Sony to produce and design innovative products with high quality. Besides that, joint venture with Ericsson allowed Sony to understand Europes market condition better which smoothen their entry to Europe market and all these have helped Sony to grasp global competitive advantage.Competitor CountriesOne of Sony Corporations major competitors is LG Electronics. LG Electronics is a Korean-based company that sells electronic products such as televisions, smooth phone, Air conditioners, Home appliances and a carry on more. The features of LG Electronic ss Home Country, South Korea, has contend an important role in the companys business culture and global strategy. South Koreas government has set their goal to open new opportunities for the electronics industry and this has disposed(p) LG Electronics an extra boost for expanding their market internationally (Frost-Sullivan, 2007), which is a treat to Sony Corporation in the global market. However, Koreans culture of high uncertainty turning away mogul be the reason they are less innovative, since LG Electronic employed their staffs from Korea, their products might non be as innovative as Japanese companies like Sony. As for LG Electronics supplier countries, their major suppliers are Hong Kong HuiChun Co.Ltd and Veise Electronic Co.Ltd from China mainland.Utilizing the labor of lower remuneration in China, the cost of production for LG electronics might be lower than other companies in the industry, which is a treat to Sony as well (GlobalSources, 2012). As for LG Electronics partner countries, LG Electronics has established unafraid alliance with multinational companies like Intel, Microsoft and Mozilla has given them the technological advantage to compete in the global market. These alliances have helped LG Electronics to overcome their lack of technological innovation in their home country. In order to compete with LG Electronics in the global market, Sony Corporation has initially practices the international strategy. According to Charles W.L.Hill, an enterprise pursuing an international strategy is confronted with low cost pressures and low pressures for local responsiveness. These type of enterprise tend to centralize product development at home but tend to establish manufacturing and marketing function in each major country or geographical region in which they do business (Charles W.L.Hill, 2010).This is initially the case for Sony Corporation, who started their entry to foreign market in such pattern. By centralizing R&D in Japan, Sony entered foreign market by establishing manufacturing plant and operating firms in USA, Europe and other Asia countries. However, as the cost pressure and pressure for local responsiveness increases, Sony Corporation has change to transnational strategy. According to Charles W.L.Hill (2010), a firm that pursue a transnational strategy is trying to simultaneously achieve low costs through location economies, economies of plateful, and knowledge effects differentiate their product whirl across geographic markets to account for local differences and foster a multidirectional time period of skills between different subsidiaries in the firms global network of operations.By partnering with severe suppliers in China and USA, economics of scale can be achieved. Besides that, multidirectional flow of technological skills and knowledge from different subsidiaries, such as Sony Ericsson in Sweden, and the Samsung-Sony joint venture in South Korea and so on is also happening constantly. However, s uch strategy is so difficult to implement that Sony Corporation has faced some negative impact, having too high cost due to specialism of product in different market. refinementAs a conclusion, by applying the Spulbers Star Analysis, Sony Corporation was able to achieve global competitive advantage in the global market. By using their strong foundation in Japan, where they receive not only support from government but also the culture, knowledge and infrastructure, Sony successfully expanded their business worldwide. Economics of scale has been achieved with the help of strong suppliers from mainland China and USA. Sony was able to enter their customers countries easily with joint ventures with local firms and Greenfield ventures. Using the data collect they managed to understand the demand and consumer preferences of each market.Sony further strengthens their positions in the global market with help from their strong alliances such as IBM, Ericsson, and Samsung and so on. Evaluat ing the function of Star Analysis, such analysis is fairly useful for international managers to plan their strategy. By studying the features of the home, suppliers, customers, partners and competitors countries, the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a organization can be found and this information can be use to help the organization achieve global competitive advantage. For example, the SWOT of Sony has been identified after applying the Star Analysis. Therefore, international managers should practice Star Analysis before implementing their global strategy.ReferenceCharles W.L.Hill (2010). world(prenominal) Business, Competing in the global marketplace. 8th ed. bare-assed York McGraw-Hill. pg181-183, pg255, pg405-407, pg487-489, pg556-560.Spulber, F.Daniel (2007). Global Competitive Strategy. London Cambridge University Press. pg 134-150.Michele Masterson. (2009). Sony Says pass to 1250 Suppliers. News, Analysis, and Perspective for Vars and Technology integrato rs. 13 (2), pg23-24 tail Ferrari. (2011). Sonys Supply Chain dust in Turmoil. Supply Chain Strategy. 12 (5), pg 5-6. anon.(2011).Partner&Supplier.Availablehttp//www.sony.net/Products/felica/business/partners/index.html. finish accessed twenty-ninth Feb 2012. unidentified (2010). Sony said to be outsourcing production of high-end LCDs, Foxconn and Wistron acquire the nod. 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