Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 41

Case Study Example They were also caught with the ethics issue when oil leaked into the ocean twice. They knew that the pipes needed to be repaired yet took no action. BP however, never learned from their mistakes. Other similar instances of an oil spill were repeated. The company also engaged in buying excessive propane and then re-selling it at a higher price a case that portrayed BP as an unethical business. BP also showed recklessness to the environment when cases of oil leak repeated over and over again killing plants and animals. BP did not also care about the welfare of their stakeholders when they engaged in some of these instances. A penalty was demanded from them every time they were caught in the wrong. Part of the money they were using to pay the penalties belonged to the shareholders. Thus, they were not mindful of the shareholders welfare. Product differentiation is crucial in an industry such as the oil industry. BP failed because they were unable to produce a high-quality product. Their product would emit a smell when used as paraffin. The effect of this was that the product was not able to tap into the market competitively as should have. The British parliament chipped in and supported the product and recommended it for their local market, a move that reinforced the product market, not because of quality but because it had been given preference. The strengths that the company had was that they were able to get support from the British government led by Churchill. Churchill desire to promote their group saw him chip into the company thus boosting its finances. Other people were also able to chip in and, therefore, funds ceased to be a hindrance. The company also had an advantage in that Churchill encouraged the use of the product locally, even though it was not the best quality. Thus, creating a market for its product. The company was also lucky to have areas it could still drill more oil

E-Business and Intellectual Property Essay Example for Free

E-Business and Intellectual Property Essay In today’s internet based society, deciding to start your own business requires much more than identifying a product you wish to produce or sell. Even when you have selected physical location to setup as your business, your job is not done. For a company to be successful it must be able to reach as many potential customers as possible. The internet is the perfect resource to promote your company and the products you wish to sell. Selecting a name for your business may not always be as easy as it seems. Trademarks and Trade Names play a big part in making your company and its product know to endless number of potential customers. LEGAL ISSUE Logos and trade names are methods of intellectual property used for actual physical businesses, and their use in the computer-generated e-business realm is normally administered by the similar principles and regulations as their use in modern industry (Burke 2002). If your products available to the public at an international level which is often the case when you market thru the internet, there is possibility that by marketing merchandise or proposing your amenities to patrons outside of your home nation your brands might encroach upon brands and service marks used by a homegrown rival in overseas countries. You could discover yourself confronting a litigation in an overseas dominion. If you need to thwart your challengers from using a alike realm name to that of your online company, choose one that is not a typical or graphic word for your merchandises or industry. MANAGERIAL PERSPECTIVE Record all obtainable similarities of that primary realm designation in order to thwart others from cataloging alike domain names, particularly if you  have chosen a general or graphic term for your domain name. Submit requests to catalogue your important logos in those nations from which you anticipate to lure fresh clients for your industry (Burke 2002). If you have previously registers your physical location trademark in the primary country you do business in, you may not be obligated to chronicle a domain name that is created on an previously listed logo or service mark. Reference Burke, M. C. (January 2002). Intellectual Property in the World of E-Business. Retrieved from http://www.mwe.com/publication/uniEntity.aspx

Issues Related To Global Training And Development Management Essay

Issues Related To Global Training And Development Management Essay For a multinational company that wishes to successfully implement a set of training and development initiatives, it will be imperative to establish coordination and cohesion between subsidiaries and headquarters. In doing so to, this will ensure people are trained and developed to their full potential and maximum effectiveness in line with organisational strategies and objectives. This essay aims to highlight the various issues concerning global training and development, with particular attention to the United Kingdom (Headquarters), Peoples Republic of China and the United States of America (Subsidiaries). Having highlighted the issues, the essay will then use relevant framework, theories and case studies to establish whether or not it is feasible for a multinational to implement a common set of training and development initiates across its global subsidiaries. Issues Related to Global Training and Development There are of course many issues related to global training and development that need to be addressed, some of which include the design, development and implementation of such initiatives (Briscoe, 2009). These are important issues for the UK multinational to consider, as they will determine the acceptance and effectiveness of the training and development schemes. In order to maximise the probability of success, Briscoe, 2009 suggests that translating and adapting to the local cultural practices, as well as compliance with local laws affecting training will greatly improve the feasibility of implementing training and development initiatives across a global platform. In order to do this, it will be important to gain insight into the training and development practices within the PRC and the USA. Training and Development in the Peoples Republic of China Over the past two decades, the training and development of managers has become an increasingly important issue for the government to promote its economic objectives (Nyaw, 1995). Chinese managers are being trained in modern management techniques, as well as appropriate industrial or commercial skills, by the companies themselves as well as by universities, professional associations, and foreign consulting firms. Companies are working with the government to develop school criteria that will produce skilled workers (Drost et. al., 2002). In addition, many multinationals, such as ABB, Ericsson, Procter Gamble, Motorola, and Siemens, have established state-of-the-art, corporate-style, campus training centers (Minehan, 1996). The establishment of corporate training centers sends a strong message to employees and prospective recruits that these employers are investing in China for the long term. Training and Development in the United States of America The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) reported that most organizations train about 74% of their employees (Drost et al., 2002). Moreover, a recent review of training practices in U.S. firms (Salas et al., 1999), Zenger (1996) argued that training has become peripheral to organizations rather than integrated into organizations. Similarly, recent data from ASTD indicated that the size of many training departments is shrinking while the use of training sources outside the organization is increasing. As training moves outside of the organization, training consultants may develop programs that might not fit the organizations training needs (Salas et al., 1999). Implications for the UK Multinational Having gained insight and perspective into the current training and development practices of the two countries concerned, it is now important to assess the implications for the UK based multinational. With regard to China, it is encouraging to learn that the government is promoting training and development not only at a local level, but also among international organizations. This will greatly increase the UK multinationals probability for success when implementing these initiatives. Given that China has a different culture, customs and language, it will be vital that the training is not generic and coincides with the learning styles, education levels and local laws in order to achieve the desired outcome. The increase of training and development outsourcing in the US presents some problems for the UK multinational. As the training initiatives being implemented may be job-specific and highly technically orientated, the idea of relying on a third party to delivering the training could cause employees to perceive that it is neither valued nor effective, which drastically reduces the probability for success when implementing these initiatives. It will therefore be necessary for the UK multinational to address this issue with caution, by ensuring that the training is delivered by only the most appropriate and suitable partner. In light of these implications it is now necessary to determine whether a localized or standardized approach to training and development is more feasible. Localized Approach to Global Training Development After understanding how training and development features in the two subsidiaries, it becomes apparent that there are few similarities. Therefore a localized approach would seem much more appropriate rather than to just apply successful training programs from headquarters and assume they will work elsewhere. This neglects the need to tailor training to the subsidiary environment where learning styles, education levels and language barrier may affect the transfer of learning. By successfully recognizing the requirements of each subsidiary the training will become much more relevant and allow the receiving participants to apply what they learn in the training programs into their day-to-day activities. Hofstedes Framework for Assessing Culture By utilizing Hofstedes cultural dimensions (please refer to Figure 1.0 2.0) to contrast and compare the differences between the UK, China and America, it will become apparent that there are profound differences that need to be addressed otherwise the multinational risks reducing the acceptance and effectiveness of the training interventions. Chinas high Power Distance Index (PDI) indicates that subordinates are much more likely to accept and except that power is distributed unequally. In the realm of training and development this means individuals are influenced by formal authority figures and are in general optimistic about peoples capacity for leadership and initiative (Hofstede, 1991). This implies that in order for the training to be effective and engaging, the candidate(s) responsible for delivering the training should come from a higher authority and position in the company hierarchy. Failure to acknowledge this may result in the training exercises not being taken seriously. This differs greatly from the UK and USA where PDI is low, suggesting that subordinates from these two countries are less likely to discriminate a person based on their background. China is also a highly collectivist society, where people belong in groups that take care of them in exchange for loyalty (Hofstede, 1991), the UK by comparison is a very individually driven society much like the Americans. Where training and development is concerned, this may present problems for the UK multinational. For failure to recognize that people in China are generally more inclined to accept and embrace new training methods if taught in a group rather than individually will determine the successfulness of these new initiatives. Long-term Orientation (LTO) is the third and final dimension that highlights the significant differences between the two cultures. This dimension has much to do with the teaching of Confucius (à ¥Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ), a deep rooted philosophy in Chinese tradition. The high score for China suggests that the people look at the bigger picture, whereas their western colleagues (from US and UK) focus more on the short-term gains. With regard to training and development, the UK multinational must ensure that the initiatives resonate with the Chinese people. It will be important to show how learning new skills and expertise will benefit them in the long term and enable them to develop skills that might help them in their future role within the company. Standardized Approach to Global Training Development While there are many reasons to localize training, Briscoe, 2009 outlines that MNEs also must integrate their training and development activities, not only to achieve economies of scale and scope, but to ensure that the same training and development is available for all of their worldwide employees. The Aditya Birla Group is a US$28 billion corporation. It employs 100,000 people belonging to 25 nationalities and over 50% of its revenues were attributed to its overseas operations in countries like the US, the UK, China, Germany, Hungary and Brazil. By instituting its own Gyanodaya learning centre, this helped facilitate the transfer of best practices across the group companies. The training methodology compromised of classroom teaching and e-learning initiatives and the training was accessible to the group employees through the group-wide intranet. The once very expensive development of computer-based training is being democratized and put to the fingertips of everyone through e-learning tools (Briscoe, 2009). This format for delivery would seem the most appropriate approach for the UK headquarters to implement its objectives across to the American subsidiary as these two countries share a similarities in language, culture and respective laws regarding training and development. Although this approach is simple, efficient and a cost effective means of delivering training across global platforms, there may still be implementation and cultural acceptance issues where China is concerned. Black, Mendenhall Oddous Framework for Selection Appropriate Training Methods A great example of how a multinational should go about implementing its training and development schemes is highlighted in Mendenhalls framework for selecting appropriate training methods (Please refer to Figiure 3.0 4.0). Taking the form of a questionnaire, this framework identifies and distinguishes different cultures through the degree of novelty the candidate (delivering the training) will be exposed to. The higher the degree of novelty, the more rigorous the training is. For example, if the UK based multinational had plans to send two candidates abroad (to implement the training) one to China, and the other to America. The candidate sent to China would surely need to undergo a more thorough training regimen than the colleague who is being sent to America. Tesco Plc. Tim Mason (CEO of Fresh and Easy) and Ken Towle (CEO of Tesco China) are the two highly paid, very experienced and well respected managers. Although they both cut their teeth climbing up the corporate ladder in the UK, when it came to implementing business strategy abroad, neither of their strategies came to fruition. For the purpose of this essay these two candidates will illustrate how Tesco Plc. have seriously underestimated the importance that training and development plays in the global context of business, and possibly suggest alternative approaches for future companies to consider when implementing such initiatives. Tim Mason relocated to the U.S. with his family as part of the assignment of building the U.S. presence. He led the team researching the U.S. market prior to the company opening its first American store. Despite initial plans to implement a similar business model to that of Tesco UK stores, in 2010 Tesco reported a trading loss of  £142m from Fresh Easy (This is Money, 2009). As of yet Fresh and Easy are still to break even, which can be attributed to high overheads that Tesco claim is necessary in order to successfully compete in the market. However, experts say that a misunderstanding of the American consumer was the real reason why the company had had to close stores all over the country and rethink its implementation strategy. Across the North Pacific Ocean, Ken Towel has been having his go at cracking one of the most lucrative markets in the world. Granted that China presents many opportunities, there are also many cultural, political and legislative nuances that have to be appropriately and effectively dealt with in order for them to reap the riches in this wild and wonderful country. Ken Towles approach to capturing market share, highlighted his naivety of the Chinese consumer, granted that he has now amended his short coming, this has still came at a high price to Tesco. Highlighted in this real life example, is the message that in order to succeed abroad, especially in countries where the degree of novelty and interaction is high; companies must tailor their training programs to be relevant and much more interactive rather than simply educational and informative. By enhancing the level of involvement i.e. through role playing exercises and visits, the candidate will feel confident and able, and hopefully develop global leadership skills that can be applied to future assignments and projects. This will enable career progression and enhance the talent pool, which will most certainly be a key attribute for any company wishing to succeed in an international business environment. Conclusion Recommendations Throughout, it has been stressed that relying on a common set of polices is limiting, and disregards many issues relating to the global training and development. In order to be able to successfully implement a set of initiatives globally, the multinational needs to take in to account the differences that are present between headquarters and respective subsidiary, whether they are language, culture, law or legislation. By recognizing these differences the company will develop a set of culturally sound and universally accepted HR practices, which will improve their chances of success. To conclude, America and the UK are in many ways similar. It would therefore be feasible to implement a common set of management training and development policies across these two platforms. However, when China is added to the equation this complicates matters slightly. Even though this country is becoming better understood and more economically developed, there is still a large difference between the East and the West. Where training and development is concerned, multinationals must adhere to the local way of life and understand the people and their environment in order develop a truly effective strategy. These Chinese have a saying that puts emphasis on many of the arguments made in this essay. à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ ©Ã… ¡Ã‚ Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¿- (rà ¹ xiÄ ng suà ­ sà º) When entering a village, follow the customs Personal Reflection Upon receiving this assignment it quickly became apparent that there was no yes or no answer to the question. After consulting with my other group members, we developed various arguments and ideas related to global training and development. For our presentation we decided to feature topics related to expatriation, carrier progression and gender equality to highlight the issues reading the posed question. After researching more around the subject area, I later found these to become less relevant and decided to take a different approach. For my essay I decided to focus more directly at addressing the issue Can a multinational have a common set of policies? Having debated what direction to take, I decided to explore the question by looking at the different approaches (Localization vs. Standardization) to training and development. I felt that this was more relevant due to the fact that it directly addresses the question and explores important themes related to the subject area. I attempted to put myself in the shoes of a business leader, and with the help of academic literature was able to arrive at a solid conclusion. Having not known much about training and development beforehand, I feel now that I have a good understanding of the problems that face multinational when trying to implement these initiatives abroad. Working in a group allowed me the chance to develop arguments, and contest ideas with my team members. We all worked well together and benefitted from one anothers input, which helped in our understanding of the subject and the question.

Visual Effects Created By E.E. Cummings In His Poetry Essay -- Cumming

Visual Effects Created By E.E. Cummings In His Poetry Edward Estlin Cummings, commonly referred to as E. E. Cummings, was born on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was a source of vast knowledge and was responsible for many creative works other than his poetry, such as novels, plays, and paintings. He published his first book of poetry Tulips and Chimneys in 1923. Many of his poems are known for the visual effects they create through his unusual placement of words on the page, as well as, his lack of punctuation and capitalization. The manner in which Cummings arranges the words of his poems creates an image in the reader's mind of the topic he is discussing, such as a season or climbing stairs. His visual style also brings emotions, such as loneliness or cheerfulness, to the reader's mind. Due to this creativity, Cummings won many awards, such as the National Book Award and the Bollingen Prize in poetry (Marks 17). In his poem "l(a", the words are arranged in such a way that they are falling down the page. He only puts several letters of each word on a line and then continues to spell the word down the page. The main focus of the poem is about loneliness and the words almost appear to be "lonely." He uses parentheses around the phrase "a leaf falls," which appears in the middle of the poem. The remaining letters in the poem spell "loneliness." When these are placed together in the same poem, it creates an effect that there is a leaf falling from a tree to the ground where it will be lonely because it will be separated from the tree. Cummings emphasizes the image of being alone or aloof by using two versions of the word one. On the first line, he uses the letter "l," which also looks like the number "1." On ... ...number of visual effects in his poetry. He combined the lack of punctuation, capitalization, and creative spacing with his topics, such as the seasons, to convey his messages. Some readers find the visual effects in his poems disconcerting and feel that they are meaningless because of it. However, others find his visual effects helpful in gaining a deeper understanding of his poems and the messages he was trying to convey. Cummings' poems were definitely meant to be viewed rather than simply listened to so that the reader can benefit from the full effect of them. His poetry does not follow traditional rules and is very unpredictable. As a result, they leave more room for your imagination to soar. Works Cited: Cummings, E. E. Poems 1923 ‚ 1954. New York : Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1926. Marks, Barry A. E. E. Cummings. New York : Twayne Publishers, Inc, 1964.

Organizational Behavior in Criminal Justice Essay

Organizational behavior in a criminal justice agency is the way in which employees and their superiors interact amongst themselves and with one another both positively and negatively. Organizational behavior itself is the study of social conduct as it relates to the confines of a specific group. It is the study of how an individual or group interacts with one another and the dynamics of the personal relationships that evolve from that contact (Duan, Lam, Chen, & Zhong, 2010). The shifting paradigm trends describe by Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn (2008) can be used to delve further into the understanding of the organizational behavior that exists in most criminal justice agencies. The archetypical performance falls into one of seven categories; commitment to ethical behavior, importance of human capital, demise of command-and-control, emphasis on team work, pervasive influence of information technology, respect for new workforce expectations, and changing careers. From these trends b oth positive and negative characteristics of criminal justice agencies can be identified. â€Å"Commitment to ethical behavior: Highly publicized scandals involving unethical and illegal business practices prompt concerns for ethical behavior in the workplace; there is growing intolerance for breaches of public faith by organizations and those who run them† (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, para. 14). In criminal justice agencies ethical violations often are handled with little fan fair. Any level of impropriety introduced in the prying public eye can have innumerous repercussions. The loss of public support and trust can be a huge problem, but it affects the internal structure too. Depending on how fairly and swiftly the situation is handled determines whether or not those in charge gain or lose respect. Judgments will be passed on how the situation was controlled, and how it should have been dealt with. In delicate matters like this behaviors of retaliation and accusations of bias are important to be kept at a minimum. â€Å"Importance of human capital: A dynamic and complex environment poses continuous challenges; sustained success is earned through knowledge, experience, and commitments of people as valuable human assets of organizations† (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, para. 14). The workforce is the heart of a criminal justice agency. It should be the single most cherished asset. The appreciation of experience by an organization is vital. But more importantly the recognition, respect, and aspiration by new members and seasoned is a must. This necessity recognizes a clear chain of command and model of training. â€Å"Demise of command-and-control: Traditional hierarchical structures are proving incapable of handling new environmental pressures and demands; they are being replaced by flexible structures and participatory work settings that fully value human capital† (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, para. 14). Shared responsibility and the extinction of the â€Å"because it has always been done that way† is a requirement in the modern criminal justice agency. It is being replaced by the attitude that the old way is not always the best way, and we all have a lot to learn from one another. While command still flows in one direction; ideas can come from anywhere. â€Å"Emphasis on teamwork: Organizations today are less vertical and more horizontal in focus; driven by complex environments and customer demands, work is increasingly team based with a focus on peer contributions† (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, para. 14). In a criminal justice agency teamwork may have become common place, but improvements still need to be made in the area of information sharing. While no man is an island, neither is an agency. For the sake of public welfare resources need to be pooled. â€Å"Pervasive influence of information technology: As computers penetrate all aspects of the workplace, implications for workflows, work arrangements, and organizational systems and processes are far-reaching† (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, para. 14). We are in the information technology age and the correct resources and know-how can be the deciding factor in the constant struggle b etween criminals and policing agencies. Increased educational and computer skills demands are needed to boost and maintain an advantage at any level of criminal justice agency. â€Å"Respect for new workforce expectations: The new generation of workers is less tolerant of hierarchy, more informal, and less concerned about status; organizations are paying more attention to helping members balance work responsibilities and personal affairs† (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, para. 14). While a certain amount of attention should be paid to new workforce expectations it is important not to compromise the integrity of the job expectations. A balanced life should lead to a happy and relaxed employee who theoretically should also be more effective and efficient in an effort to maintain employment in the desired environment. Employer’s must remain fair but also realize their top priority in the criminal justice field is not to ensure employee happiness. An employee who can balance work and a private life on his own should be a valuable commodity. â€Å"Changing careers: The new realities of a global economy find employers using more â€Å"offshoring† and â€Å"outsourcing† of jobs; more individuals are now working as independent contractors rather than as traditional full-time employees† (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, para. 14). In criminal justice agency this trend is no different. It is not uncommon for governments to hire private security firms and private corrections companies. However, by outsourcing such positions power is lost in the public sector. Monitoring a regulations create more work when dealing with outside policing forces. It also opens up a gray area for bad behavior and a hired gun mentality. While roles may be redefined privatization of criminal justice agencies can be more of a problem than a convenience. Study of workplace environments and the effects of the personnel’s behavior can only continue to bring about recognition of areas in need of improvement. Works Cited Duan, J., Lam, W., Chen, Z., & Zhong, J.A. (2010). Leadership justice, negative organizational behaviors, and the mediating effect of affective commitment. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 38(9), 1287-1296. Retrieved from http://biere.louisiana.edu:2092/ehost/detail?hid=17&sid=5d563aca-ec9a-43c49e42db48b73a6784%40sessionmgr4&vid=4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sih&AN=54018927 Schermerhorn, J.R., Hunt, J. G., & Osborn, R. N. (2008). Organizational Behavior. Available from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx.

Importance of Correlation Analysis in Decision Making

National language. Language plays an important role in the process of fostering unity among the races. Thus, the government has made Malay as the national language of our country. National Language Act 1967 has been allocated the Malay language as the official language. Starting in 1970, the discussion between the leaders has gradually replaced English as the medium of instruction in schools.Governments also undertook a campaign to promote the use of Malay with the launch of â€Å"Gerakan Cintailah Bahasa Kebangsaan†. Unity is an essential element for a country to be more advanced. In order to improve the quality of a country in all aspect, the citizen playing the most important roles. For an example, Malaysia is independent with the unity of people of different races in 1957. This shows that a country will not be established without the true unity among the people.If one country has no unity where people is not trusting one another, the country will fall apart and lead to the the internal strife among the people. An dramatic example is the issue of the races riot happened on May 13,1969 in Malaysia. The internal conflict had caused 2000 people kill. This brings awareness to Malaysian that people without the true unity and the no trustworthy is capable to ruin a country. So we should turn our face to the sun and the shadows fall behind us.In order to avoid infighting among people, the spirit of unity should be planted in our souls. National language is important in every country as it is not only allow communication among the people but also increase the understanding of different ethnics among different races. National language plays an important role in the process of fostering unity among the races. This is because toleration and trustworthy among each other is needed to unite the people through understanding.

Desert ecosystems essays

Desert ecosystems essays Desert ecosystems are one of the most extreme and diverse ecosystems of them all. Everything from the harsh climate changes, the animal inhabitants, and their creation make them the most unique. Even though this ecosystem is very intimidating it is very week. In this report we will try to explain everything there is to know about this very different ecosystem. The single factor that distinguishes desert ecosystems from other biomes is the minimal amount of rainfall received annually (no more than 10 inches). Most deserts lie between the latitudes of 15Â ° and 35Â ° on each side of the earth's equator. These latitudes are in zones of high atmospheric pressure. These high pressure zones are created by the way the air moves over the earth. At the equator where temperatures are high, air becomes warm and rises. As the air rises, it cools and releases moisture over regions near the equator. In time, the air descends over areas that extend between 15Â ° and 35Â ° both north and south of the equator. As it descends, it becomes warm and dry. This warm air causes desert conditions. The Sahara and several other great deserts lie in this region. Regions separated from an ocean by mountains also tend to be dry. A moist wind blowing inland from an ocean loses its moisture as it rises over mountains and becomes cool. As the wind descends on the side of the mountains facing land, it becomes warm and dry. This warm air creates a rain shadow, or dry area. The North American deserts developed partly because of the rain-shadow effect. Cold ocean currents flowing next to a continent can cause deserts to form in areas along the coast. Deserts form because the cool winds that blow across the cold water and onto the land can carry little moisture. The Atacama Desert in South America is an example of such a desert. A change in climate can cause changes in the location and extent of deserts. During the last few thousand years, many de ...