Saturday, August 31, 2019

A Visit to a Famous City

A few months ago my father and I visited Singapore, one of the most famous cities in Asia. Singapore, a small island, lies at the southern and of West Malaysia. A long and narrow piece of land joins Singapore with Johore Hahru, the southern-most town of West Malaysia. Singapore is now an independent state. The city of Singapore is extremely beautiful. It is well known for its centers of business and other activities. There are many places of interest such as the Tiger Balm Garden, the Botanical Gardens and Raffles Museum.There are also many important centers of learning such as the University of Singapore, Science Centre, the Nanyang University and the Polytechnic. Being a famous city, hundreds of people come everyday from various parts of the world to do business or to enjoy the sights of the city. Singapore therefore has large and beautiful airports and its harbors are full of ships. There are many night schools where people who cannot go to the day schools for some reason or other can continue their studies. And, the government of Singapore is still doing its best to make further improvements in the city for the benefit of the people.During my stay in Singapore, I went out everyday with my father to see the beautiful and interesting places and things in the city. One day we went to the Tiger Balm Garden where I saw several statues of people, animals and other strange creature beautifully made and kept. The sea near this garden makes it a pleasant place to visit. We spent almost half of the day at this place. Another day we visited the museum where I saw hundreds of curious things preserved for scholars and others. It was indeed an education to see all those things.There is so much to learn here that every visit by any person is sure to add to his knowledge. I also visited some of the harbors and saw the large ships anchored there. The sight of the ships aroused a desire in me to cross the oceans and go round the world. I was indeed deeply impressed by activi ties at the harbor. Then every night, I went round the town and visited some of the parks and other places of interest. The numerous lights and the constant stream of traffic kept the city alive. I visited a few of the cinemas as well. In short, I enjoyed every moment of my stay in this famous city of Singapore.

Friday, August 30, 2019

ABC Co. Marketing Strategy Case Essay

ABC Manufacturing Company is a manufacturer of fine furniture designed to resemble the furniture used in various historical periods. The company’s furniture is sold by approximately fifty dealers throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. Dealers are carefully selected by ABC to be sure they maintain the high quality imagine that ABC has established in its 100-year history of making fine furniture. Most dealers sell only ABC’s furniture, but a few also sell noncompeting lines of similar quality. Dealers who sell only ABC’s furniture are franchised to do business under ABC’s trade name and would appear to the public to be branch stores rather than independent business. ABC’s factory is a three-story building of heavy timber (mill) construction located in a New England town of 2,500 population. The first floor is used for warehousing and office space, and the two upper floors house the production facilities. The building is 75 years old and has been occupied by ABC since its construction. The local fire department is above average for towns of this size, but its water supply system does not have adequate reserve capacity to maintain pressure for fighting a major fire over a period of several hours. See more:Â  First Poem for You Essay Adjacent to the factory building is a large frame structure used by ABC to store seasoned lumber for its furniture. Lumber is first air dried in the yard adjoining the shed, with the exact drying period depending on the kind of wood involved. The air-dried wood is then kiln dried in ABC’s own kiln, after which it is stored in the frame storage building until needed. ABC’s power plant is located in a brick building about 50 feet from the main plant. It furnishes heat and steam for all operations. Water for the stream boilers is drawn from a large river adjacent to the power plant. Electricity is purchased from a public utility. Due to the length of the seasoning period, ABC usually has on the premises a supply of lumber adequate for four months of operations. Much of the lumber is purchased within a 200-mile radius of the factory, but substantial amounts are purchased from more distant sections of the United States or from foreign countries. For example, mahogany lumber, which is used in almost half of ABC’s products, is imported by ABC from Latin American and Africa. Most of the lumber arrives at ABC’s yard by railroad and is shipped FOB point of origin. The imported lumber is shipped by water to the nearest port, approximately 100 miles from ABC’s factory, and then by train to the factory. Some locally produced lumber is delivered to ABC by truck, FOB ABC’s yard. Workers in ABC’s factory use some small power tools, such as saws, planers, lathes, and similar equipment. However, the production process is primarily manual. Highly skilled craftsmen build the company’s products, using many of the same techniques that were used two centuries ago. Furniture finishing is done by hand, and most of the stains, varnishes and other finishing materials are compounded by ABC’s employees according to the company’s proprietary formulas. ABC’s labour force is very stable because each craftsman undergoes a lengthy apprenticeship in the plant and because ABC pays wages that are relatively high by the standards of the community. Management considers the high wages to be necessary because of the time and expense required to hire and train a replacement for a craftsman who leaves the firm. Some finished furniture is shipped by railroad, but most of it is shipped by contract carrier trucks. The contract with the trucker does not include any provision relative to liability for damage to goods in transit. Export shipments are transported by truck to the nearest port and by water to the country of destination. All shipments are made FOB purchaser’s warehouse. All sales, including export sales, are made on open account and only to ABC’s established dealers. Export accounts usually are denominated in and payable in the currency of the importer’s country. Accounts receivable, on the average, are equal to about one-eighth of annual sales. Accounts receivable records are kept on ABC’s computer in the office section of the first floor of the factory building. The computer is also used for inventory and production control, payroll management, and other accounting functions. The computer equipment is owned by ABC. The office is cut off from the warehouse section of the first floor by a wood partition. The office and computer room are air conditioned, but the remainder of the building is not. Duplicate computer tapes, updated weekly, are stored in a well-protected vault in another part of the city. A monthly fee is paid for the tape storage. ABC owns several small trucks that are used to move lumber about its own premises and for local pickup and delivery. The trucks are kept in the lumber storage shed when they are not in use. Several lift trucks are used for moving lumber and other heavy items in and around the factory and lumber storage area. A freight elevator moves materials, finished furniture, lift trucks, and other equipment between floors in the factory. Automatic grillwork gates have been installed to prevent workers from falling into the elevator shaft. There is no passenger elevator. Workers use either the freight elevator or the open stairwells when moving between floors. Steel fire escapes have been installed on the exterior of the building to facilitate evacuation of the upper floors in case of fire or other catastrophe. ABC Manufacturing Company is wholly owned by its president, Mr. Carpenter, who is the grandson of the company’s founder. Mr. Carpenter is considered wealthy by local standards. However, his fortune consists almost entirely of the stock of ABC Manufacturing Company, and he is dependent on his salary and company dividends for his livelihood. Nearly all of ABC’s operating profit has been paid in dividends in recent years. Consequently, the company has only a modest cushion of liquid assets in excess of its operating needs. Profits have been consistent, but they have been relatively low because of the inefficiency of the present factory facilities. Although the dollar amount of ABC’s sales has increased steadily because of price increases, the physical volume of sales has remained almost constant over the past several years. The lack of growth has resulted primarily from two factors. First, the present plant cannot accommodate greater production because of space limitations, and there is no available land adjacent to the plant to permit expansion. Second, the long training period required for new employees prevents rapid expansion of production. Mr. Carpenter has considered building a new factory at another location in the same town. However, such a move is not financially feasible unless the present plant can be sold, and no prospective purchasers have been found. A move to any location outside its present hometown would not be practical because of the company’s dependence on its well-trained craftsman. The sales manager estimates that both the dealer network and sales could be increased by 30% over the next 5 years if production facilities could be provided. The cost to rebuild the present factory building in its present form would be $2.5 million. However, Mr. Carpenter has indicated that he would not build a new mill-type building to replace the current structure because of the high cost of the thick brick walls and heavy timber interior construction. A new, one-story, noncombustible masonry and steel building of comparable floor area would cost approximately $2 million to build and would be more efficient for ABC’s purpose. The actual cash value of the present factory building is estimated to be $1.5 million, and ABC has insured it for that amount against fire and the extended coverage perils. The lumber storage shed, power plant, table and lumber kiln are also insured for their actual cash values. The following table shows the actual cash value and replacement cost for each of the structures. Table 1: ABC Company Building Values ___________________________________________________________________________________ BuildingActual Cash ValueReplacement Cost Factory$1,500,000$2,500,000 Lumber shed 150,000 200,000 Power plant 230,000 300,000 Kiln 270,000 320,000 ___________________________________________________________________________________ ABC’s annual premium for fire and extended coverage insurance is $136,000, including the coverage for contends of the buildings and for lumber stored in the yard. There have been no fire or extended coverage losses during the past five years and only minor losses prior to that time. The company’s estimated annual workers’ compensation premium is $165,000. Loss experience has been fairly consistent from year to year. Based on past experience, with adjustments for inflation and current benefit levels, normal losses of $104,000 can be expected. The most frequent claims have been small and have resulted from such minor injuries as splinters in hands, several minor dermatitis cases, and sawdust or metal particles in eyes. The more serious injuries have included back strains and loss of fingers in power saws and other power tools. ABC now has 15 percent debit under workers’ compensation experience rating plan. (That is, they are paying a rate 15% greater than manual rates). Questions 1. Identify the following loss exposures faced by ABC Manufacturing Company: 1) Direct property loss exposures 2) Indirect property loss exposures 3) Liability exposures 2. Your suggestions in risk management for ABC Company Case 2: Bite-O-Burger Company (Risk Management and Insurance) Description of Operations The Bite-O-Burger Company is a publicly held corporation. It owns and operates 843 fast-food restaurants located in eleven states in the United States. The restaurants feature a limited menu consisting of hamburgers, French fried potatoes, fried chicken, chili, related food items, and nonalcoholic beverages. The restaurants vary in size, but each is located in a free-standing building and surrounded by customer parking areas. All of the buildings were built to Bite-O-Burger’s plans and specifications and share enough architectural characteristics to make them easily recognized as units of the chain. All have forced air heat and are air conditioned. At current prices, the average replacement cost of the restaurants is estimated at $125,000 per unit for the building and $100,000 for the equipment. Because of differences in size, the replacement cost, including building and equipment, ranges from $175,000 for the smallest restaurants to $300,000 for the largest. The average actual cash value is $205,000 for building and equipment combined. The restaurants vary in age from a few days to approximately 20 years. All of them are owned by Bite-O-Burger, but the newer ones are subject to substantial mortgages. The home office of the company is located in leased space in a building in the business district of a midwestern city. Bite-O-Burger occupies the upper three floors of the thirty-story building. The company’s data processing centre is located on the top floor. All of the computer equipment is leased from the manufacturer. Bite-O-Burger also occupies a leased warehouse near the home office. It is used for storage and distribution of supplies (paper cups, wrapping materials, etc.) and nonperishable food items. Perishable food items are purchased from local suppliers near the restaurants in which they will be used, and they are delivered directly to the restaurants by the suppliers. There is no refrigeration equipment at the warehouse, but each restaurant has a large, walk-in refrigerator. Items from the company warehouse are distributed to the individual restaurants by a fleet of 30 owned tractor-trailer units. The same units also transport goods from the suppliers to the central warehouse when truck-load quantities are purchased. Smaller lots are shipped by common carrier FOB point of shipment. The values of the contents at the warehouse and home office are $15,750,000 and $3,200,000, respectively. Values at both locations are relatively constant throughout the year. Bite-O-Burger advertises extensively in newspapers in the cities in which it has several restaurants. Many of its advertisements feature endorsements of its products by prominent athletes and theatre personalities. Some advertisements feature pictures of local people and their favourable comments on the company’s food and service. The company also sponsors softball and bowling teams in some cities as a part of its public relations program. Bite-O-Burger’s profit and loss statement and an abbreviated balance sheet for last year are shown in Tables 2-1 and 2-2. The company’s operating results for last year were typical of past years, but sales and assets have been growing at a rate of approximately 20% per year. Bite-O-Burger’s fire and extended coverage losses for the five years are shown in Table 2-3. The quotations shown in Table 2-4 have been obtained for fire and extended coverage protection–blanket on buildings and contents on an actual cash value basis. Bite-O-Burger is well aware of the fire exposures associated with restaurants. Extensive fire control equipment has been installed in the kitchens of all units, and especially in the range hoods and in the cooking areas.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

American During its longest war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American During its longest war - Essay Example Thesis statement: America’s wars on poverty and Southeast Asia relate in the sense that social legislation slowed down because Johnson’s government did not have enough economic power to deal with domestic poverty. The military spent a majority of the budget on the Southeast Asia war. America underwent several encounters during its longest war. With this new convention, Social Security and welfare were born. These programs were part of social legislation in the United States. In the process, insuring the jobless, helping senior citizens and the blind directly, and payments to orphans or absentee fathers were the duty of the government (Murrin, Johnson, McPherson, Fahs, Gerstle, Rosenberg, and Rosenberg 989). In 1966, Johnson managed to construct a Congress that settled on domestic war, as well as the progress it made towards its fulfillment. Even so, incidents in Southeast Asia started to outshine Johnson’s national accomplishments slowly (Murrin, Johnson, McPherson, Fahs, Gerstle, Rosenberg, and Rosenberg 991). For instance, finances Johnson intended on combating poverty in the United States began redirection to the Vietnam War. Conservatives in Johnson’s administration slandered him for his national policies and liberals for his aggressive position on Southeast Asia. When America’s war in Vietnam became mostly violent in 1965, Johnson made them the topic of his secretly recorded and annotated transcriptions. Johnson discusses consecutive developments of the United States’ connection with the Vietnam War. These developments changed an assisting and advice-giving military effort into a radical, complete American war (Murrin, Johnson, McPherson, Fahs, Gerstle, Rosenberg, and Rosenberg 998). Between 1964 and 1965, a series of congressional decisions to take serious military action in Vietnam simply Americanized the Southeast Asian conflict. These decisions range from the events of the Tonkin

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Communication - Essay Example One very important area of communication where I feel need for personal improvement is oral and public communication. Oral and public communication forms a major part of our lives as the communication that takes place, majority of them takes place in oral form. Thus, it is very important to focus on this part of communication as it can really make or change our lives. There are many examples in our daily lives that can be linked to this type of communication. For instance, relationship manager in a bank is responsible for approaching the customers and develop relationship with them through this type of communication. Similarly, a lecturer in a university transfers most of the data to its students by communicating orally. A politician a leader or a reformer addresses the public by communicating with them orally. However, what if a manager is not able to communicate with the customers effectively because of poor oral and public communication skills, a lecturer fails to make his student understand the topic, or a politician fails to draw attention of the mob towards what he has to say? In order to avoid this scenario, we must focus on certain aspects that can make us better at oral and public communication. Following things should be kept in mind for oral communication: A speaker should always use appropriate volume level. It should not be too low so people have difficulty in listening to you and it should not be too high. The volume should be adjusted according to the situation as for instance, when addressing a mob speaker must be loud and clear so that he can effectively transfer his message. Similarly, if we are talking to a person who is standing near us then we should talk with a polite tone. The main goal should be to ensure that everyone understands what we want to say without straining their ear or by irritating them by speaking too loudly. The speaker should be assertive in what he has to say. For

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Analyze the Sociological Contexts of Economics, Influence, and Power Coursework

Analyze the Sociological Contexts of Economics, Influence, and Power - Coursework Example However, the extent of this participation is greatly influenced by the changing sociological contexts within the community. As a state, Arkansas is endowed with lots of lucrative natural resources. Over the years, they have been tapped to help in promoting the economic progress of the nation. In particular, the Liberty community has been actively involved in the agricultural, tourism and mining industries. The production of meat, milk, lettuce, cotton, cauliflowers, sorghum, broccoli, copper, molybdenum, sand and cement has positively impacted on the development of this community. However, just like the rest of the society, this community is quite dynamic. It has now shifted to the manufacturing sector with concentrations in electronics, publishing and printing. With the increased research on Information Communication Technology (ICT), the members of this community have shifted their attention to this sector. Thus, there are increased scientific research and innovations embraced by the community. This has indeed strengthened the school-community relationships in many ways. Through engagements in such activities, the local populations get employment opportunities. This enables them to get income which they in turn invest in the education of their children. At the same time, they can use such funds to initiate various development projects in the local schools. At the same time, the local businessmen can be relied upon to supply the school with books, laboratory equipments, boarding facilities and other essential materials. This helps to strengthen their relationships (Delgado-Gaitan, C., 2013). With the rampant innovations in the field of ICT, this community is rapidly shifting from the traditional agricultural and mining to manufacturing and tourism industries. The members of this community have been compelled to change their attention and focus on these progressive sectors because they have a place in the

Monday, August 26, 2019

School Voucher System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

School Voucher System - Research Paper Example Let us look at a graphical interpretation: Now, the initial equilibrium of education lies at the point S1 where the cost of education comes to $3000. Now, for this example we will suppose that the subsidy that will be provided, assuming that it is portable which would ensure that the sorting of schools in the city would not remain an endogenous variable in this matrix, will move the budget line from MN to M'N'. Therefore, with the voucher system the increase in education from S1 to S2 will cost around $200, an amount which will be covered by the subsidy that is provided by the government via this voucher system as the new equilibrium is now at S2. Due to the portability factor of the voucher i.e. the voucher can be used anywhere in the city, the link between the quality of the education that is provided to children and the location of the public school ceases to exist as families do not have to relocate to the urban city centers now in order to ascertain better levels of education for their children. Therefore, the role of u rban housing markets takes greater importance in the decline of cities with the implementation of this policy as the decision to move to an urban housing area does not remain dependent on the level of education provided by the schools in the suburbs. We will now look at an economic model which will shed some light on the role urban housing markets play in the decline for cities: As we can see from the graph, the supply curve of housing is defined from the equilibrium point determined at quantity Q1. This price is the minimum price level that can lead to housing construction which implies that if prices were to fall below the premium then no new housing would be built. Therefore, urban housing markets provide the greater supply in relation to the increased demand for housing due to which the equilibrium shifts to D1. This leads to the greater decline of cities as people move towards the suburban areas created by these urban housing markets. Final Remark: Moving on to the practical side of this discussion i.e. the expected impact of the voucher system on the decline of cities it is clearly evident from the fact that the quality of education plays a significant role in determining where people choose to reside and the voucher system provides an incentive to people which basically eliminates education as a line of argumentation in their decision of choosing their area of housing. In addition, as the proposed vouchers are portable, these can be used in any public educational institution due which there will not be much difference of quality between city schools and suburban schools, therefore, people will not be essentially hard pushed to level the city, due to which we can say that the voucher system will have a positive effect on the proposition of resuscitating central

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Legal Stanpoint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legal Stanpoint - Essay Example This will be done by me in accordance with the Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, dealing with search and seizure (Cornell University Law School, 2012: Online). I will submit an affidavit under oath before the competent authority who will issue the search and seizure warrant against Jojo Ross. While doing so I will present my informer who extended to me the lead regarding Jojo Ross’ drug business as a witness before the warrant issuing authority. This will not only bolster my claim for a search and seizure warrant against Jojo Ross, but will also help me assure that the tip given by the informer is honest and correct to his knowledge. The most important thing in this scenario is that as per the informer, Jojo Ross is armed and watchful and is capable of disposing of the drugs he has at a short notice. So, as such, Jojo Ross is not an immediate threat to anybody’s life. However, once the warrant is procured, the search and seizure operation, if not properly planned and executed, may jeopardize the life of Jojo Ross, the police team conducting the raid and other people in the house and its vicinity. I believe that the most important thing for a law enforcement officer is to respect life as far as possible. To respect life means to fear the earthly and divine authority. Hence, it will be crucial for me to plan the timing of the intended raid when Jojo Ross is least prepared and alert (Rutledge, 2001). The Federal Rule 41 on Search and seizure says to execute the warrant during the daytime, unless the judge for good cause expressly authorizes execution at other time (Cornell University Law School, 2012: Online).† So I will request the warrant issuing authority to allow for a late night execution, to avoid unwanted violence and loss of life. I have a firm conviction that if everything goes according to the plan, I will be able to

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Designing for the Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Designing for the Future - Essay Example According to Professor David Leon, epidemiologist of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, WHO (World Health Organisation) Health for All Database, and the Human Mortality Database, statistical analysis of the UK’s life expectancy and lifespan change is the research topic of relevant epidemiological studies. Mortality data reveals â€Å"†¦Britains are living longer than ever before. Average life expectancy has increased to eighty years old – eight years higher than the 1970s† (Leon, 2011, p. 1). The ageing population of Western Europe, including the UK, has experienced steady increases since the 1970s. â€Å"One reason for the increase and change in lifespan and life expectancy is the decline of deaths due to cardiovascular disease. However, there has been an increase in obesity† (Leon, 2011, p. 1) The Foresight Ageing Population Panel is a collaborative of the voices of the businesses, government, and the sciences that address the threats and opportunities that the UK may face over the next ten to twenty years. â€Å"Foresight is about being ready for the future. The future is shaped by the decisions we make today†¦we will encounter old age†¦it is important to be concerned. If we wait for the future to happen to us, the UK will miss out on opportunities for wealth creation and better quality of life† (Foresight Ageing Population Panel, 2000, p. 6). Over the span of thirty years, the UK’s population will change significantly. â€Å"The postwar baby boom generation will age first into middle age and then into older age. Rapid changes in lifespan and life expectancy of the ageing population means that successive generations of older people are living much longer† (p. 6). There are advantages in acknowledging the opportunities and challenges of changes in lifespan of the UK ageing population. By planning for demographic change of the population, economic, social,

Terrorism and Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Terrorism and Human Rights - Essay Example As contemporary issue for the purpose of this foreign policy brief, terrorism refers "to any violent act directed against noncombatants and carried out by an organized group rationalizing such behavior with political and religious arguments."(Davidson, 20 April 2009) Terrorism is the issue on every one's mind these days. It is global disorder that we have been fighting, and probably will be fighting for many years to come. What is terrorism The word refers different things to different people at different times and the same is very evident. "Violent activity at one point in time may be called terrorism, while the same action may be deemed war, liberation, or crime at another time in history." (Chossudovsky, 24 April 2009) The most accepted definition of terrorism is the illegitimate use of force on innocent people to achieve political objective. National groups or clandestine agents usually intended to influence an audience." These inflictions cannot be performed directly by any government, but they can be funded by government. If these actions were inflicted directly by government, this is known as terror, not terrorism. However, with these definitions you can see how difficult it is to define terrorism. Terrorism has been around long time and often appears in poor second and third world countries. Since terrorism has affected the world so hard recently, the United States and other countries are trying to find way to end or limit terrorism as much as possible. However, the best way to solve terrorism is to learn the causes of it and then to come up with reasonable method to solve it. Tony Blair's reaction after 7 July 2005 When the terrorist struck in London year ago, Prime Minister Tony Blair had been on an emotional roller-coaster. "From the elation of winning the 2012 Olympic bid for London he flew home from Singapore to chair the G8 summit at Glen eagles in Scotland, only to be woken from few hours sleep to the grim reality of the first suicide attack on Britain." (Tony Blair, 20 April 2009). 'This is very sad day for the British people, but we will hold true to our British way of life,' said Blair, breaking off from the G8 proceedings to chair the government's emergency meetings in London. Opinion polls have consistently shown that, even though his government has been buffeted by many a scandal and internal squabbling, many Britons feel secure with Blair's 'sure touch' on terrorism. "Unlike US President George W Bush, who initially hesitated to return to Washington after the attacks, and Spanish leader Jos Maria Aznar, who by blaming the separatist movement ETA turned the 2004 Madrid bombings into an instant political football, Blair showed leadership in crisis, analysts believe." (Tony Blair, 24 April 2009). 'His initial response showed that he was very much in touch with the British public,' said Frederick Fors, Swedish author of the study Bombings in London: Terrorism and institutionalized crisis management. Fors, from Crisis mart, the National Center for Crisis Management Research and Training of the Swedish National Defense College in Stockholm, believes that Britain's long experience with Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorism, and Blair's conviction that Britain would become target after 9/11, helped prevent an 'overreaction' to July 7. 'Given the scale of events in London, it might have

Friday, August 23, 2019

Final scenerio analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Final scenerio analysis - Essay Example Based on the Global Enterprise, we take an analysis of the case facts and ethical issues concerning the enterprise’s operations (Nakmwil, 2012). In addition, we also take into account the ethical alternatives and recommendations the business has at their disposal in order to survive the legal accusations they have (Nakmwil, 2012). Case facts Global enterprise international (GEI) is a military contractor charged with the responsibility of manufacturing protective body armor, ammunition equipments and armored vehicles that are all useful during military operations (Nakmwil, 2012). The company has employed 140 workers who are all highly paid union technicians, mechanics, union members and Armor workers (Nakmwil, 2012). For the United States military, Global Enterprise International manufactures body flask jackets, night vision riflescopes and armored tank vehicles (Nakmwil, 2012). Contrary to the spelt out international laws and treaties, Global Enterprise International also part icipates in the manufacturing of land mine explosives (Nakmwil, 2012). The company’s best customers for the illegal land mines products are Afghanistan and Iran (Nakmwil, 2012). Based on these sales, more than half the company’s profits come from these stealthy operations (Nakmwil, 2012). ... For instance, the flak jackets do not effectively protect military soldiers as required from personal ammunition (Nakmwil, 2012). In addition, the night vision rifles produced by the company in many cases end up causing severe injuries and deaths to the users while in combat situations (Nakmwil, 2012). Besides, armored vehicles despite having strong sides and tops, the composition comprises solely of a single thin sheet layer emended on the undersides (Nakmwil, 2012). This makes them very vulnerable and weak to IED (Improvised Explosive Device) explosives (Nakmwil, 2012). Despite all these modifications, the inclusion of superior and quality materials in the flak jackets are capable of effectively preventing the unnecessary injuries encountered when utilizing fake products produced by the company (Nakmwil, 2012). However, Global Enterprise International spitefully declines altering their materials because this would cost the company a fortune and probably at the end lose the contract (Nakmwil, 2012). In addition, most of the landmines sold by the company to the Taliban in Afghanistan and Iran are not effective (Nakmwil, 2012). Those who attempted to plant the mines died in the process as they contained faulty switches. Later on, United States military realized numerous flaws characterizing these jackets, night vision rifles and armored vehicles, which it purchased from Global Enterprises International (Nakmwil, 2012). The United States justice department initiated legal investigations and the families of the deceased military members followed suit (Nakmwil, 2012). They also started forming mass actions and filing lawsuits against the concerned company. A

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Thomas Cook Essay Example for Free

Thomas Cook Essay Introduction Thomas Cook is the current leader in the UK transport industry. Thomas Cook is a huge organization employing 11,000 people and serving more than 4 million customers annually. After being acquired by CN Touristic AG in 2000, it was discovered that their travel business was not only unprofitable but facing significant losses. Something had to be done and in face of stiff competition, any strategy devised needed to be implemented as soon as possible. Executives saw that the task however was too complicated and extensive to be handled by Thomas Cook alone. This is where Accenture comes in. Accenture is primarily a research organization. With extensive experience in practically every industry, Accenture has become a brand many firms feel proud to be associated with. As per its website, ‘Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company with net revenues of US$16.65 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2006.’ Accenture has been expanding its offerings and capitalizing on evolving management trends and technologies. Its main services revolve around systems integration and business integration and deployment of enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management and electronic services. Thus Accenture over the years has established itself as a leader in todays global marketplace. Thomas Cook was thus in an urgent need of not only a solution but also an expert implementer of the solution which they found in Accenture. Accenture with its extensive experience in the IT and travel industry along with cutting edge research became the perfect choice for Thomas Cook and resulted in a profitable partnership for both. Analysis Thomas Cook, instead of outsourcing its IT and business requirements to Accenture completely formed a partnership. A partnership is more than just a contract. On the business to business transaction continuum, transactions are the simplest form of exchange between two businesses. Contracts define a specific time period of a service or product being provided with specific fees. An outsourcing is more of a contract than a partnership with the provider firm charging for services over a period of time. In a partnership however, interest of both parties are at stake and this is exactly what is happening here. Accenture not only shares in Thomas Cook’s profits but also puts itself at a risk of losing money. Thus a co sourcing agreement differs from a normal outsourcing one in this way that both parties mutually proceed to achieve specific goals rather than one being the service receiver and the other charging for it. The new system at Thomas Cook was enabled and setup completely by Accenture. A turnaround strategy was implemented over a period of time to do so. We will now analyze the new system using two popular methods of analysis namely SWOT and Porters Five Forces model. SWOT Analysis of Thomas Cook Strengths: Thomas Cook is a widely recognized and accepted brand worldwide and a large organization with a widespread network of travel agents resulting in a wide reach. Along with this, it has over the years developed 10 tourism brands. These brands should be treated as assets and nurtured further to gain profits. Its large customer base too contributes to its success and has been the main reason behind its long sustainability. Accenture too itself is a respected brand and a global leader in the field of change management and outsourcing facilities. Since a partnership benefits both arties, Thomas Cook has benefited a lot from not only Accenture’s expertise but also due to their status in the research and IT industry. Weaknesses: The sheer size of the firm can be seen by some as a weakness. The number of staff too is too high and Thomas Cook could look into this matter and find that they probably need downsizing as well. Thomas Cook doesn’t seem to have paid enough attention to brand management. These brands should be treated as assets rather than just the name of a service they provide and by doing so they will realize higher brand equity resulting in customer loyalty and lifetime value. Opportunities: Thomas Cook had a major opportunity when it decided to move over to a completely IT enable business model and they grasped it. Further opportunities may include the option to bring all their systems online rather than just integrating them. Furthermore, other departments can be also be integrated within the current system resulting in a more IT oriented business model. Having an IT infrastructure also gives rise to opportunities such as partnering with other firms in the industry and linking with travel agents as well. Threats: major threats at this stage would be other firms emulating Thomas Cook or coming up with a more sophisticated and agile business model. Nowadays, market responsiveness is a major determining factor in a firm’s failure or success. More adaptive firms can give Thomas Cook a hard time in the market arena. Moreover, any firm realizing the above stated opportunities and seizing them before Thomas Cook can prove as major threat to Thomas Cook as well. Other brands existing in the market can also be seen as threats. These results can be used by Thomas Cook as inputs to the creative generation of possible strategies, by asking and answering the following four questions: How to Use each Strength? How to Stop each Weakness? How to Exploit each Opportunity? How to Defend against each Threat? Thomas Cook according to Porters Five Forces model The Five Forces model developed by Porter can be used to analyze the current industry and its effects on Thomas Cook. Existing Competition: Thomas Cook should look at the existing competition within its industry (and indirect competition as well). By doing so, they should realize where they stand in terms of the industry standard and how they can increase this gap between themselves and the competition. This would result in higher profits and greater lead time. Competition will also not be able to ‘cherry pick’ Thomas Cooks customers and lag behind them. Threat of Substitutes: a major threat to a firm in any given industry is when the competition starts emulating and selling its products. This results in customers transferring to the other offerings (depending on their propensity to transfer). Thomas Cook here has the edge due to the brands it owns. Brands position themselves uniquely in the minds of the customers and thus increase their loyalty whilst decreasing the chances of transferring to another product. Thomas Cook should devise a marketing strategy centered around promoting not only its brands but also its corporate image. IT systems in this regard can be used by implementing a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system to asses consumer needs. This will not only cater their needs but also set the bar higher for competition. Threat of New Entrants: Thomas Cook, by partnering with Accenture and deploying a state of the IT system has already set high standards in the industry. This has resulted in barriers to entry for new firms. Each new firm entering will have to think twice due to the high investment required now to set up an IT infrastructure and then operate within the industry. They should however be mindful of entrants with strong financial backing who would be willing to invest more than Thomas Cook already has. Such entrants can be further deterred by setting up more barriers by enhancing the IT infrastructure even more. Moreover, Thomas Cook can become the leader and by doing so set newer and higher standards which will be hard to achieve not only for new entrants but current competitors as well. Bargaining Power of: Supplier: Since being in the travel industry, Thomas Cooks main suppliers are airlines and the raw materials which go into operating them. Petroleum prices have risen considerably and thus suppliers of petroleum have a high bargaining power. Along with this, suppliers of airplane maintenance products too enjoy a strong bargaining power as their products are highly specialized and industry specific. One factor however has been the decline in air travel which could have resulted in a decrease in supplier bargaining power. Buyer: Consumers are well aware nowadays of the various services offered to them by the various firm in the industry. Consumers nowadays have many choices, customization options, free offerings etc. to lure them and garner their loyalties. This makes it harder to deal with. Furthermore, their fickle demands require a firm to be very agile in order to fulfill them. This has resulted in an increase in the customers buying power. No wonder the whole economy is moving towards a customer oriented approach rather than the old product oriented approach that existed a few decades ago. Thomas cook thus should be mindful of this and strive to keep its customers from transferring to other service providers via newer and better offerings. Thomas Cook’s IT solution is not unique when it comes to the actual technology implemented. The uniqueness lies in the fact that they were able to not only implement a system in such a short time (considering the sheer size of the firm) but also the fact that they realized huge cost reductions and profits within a short period of time. In IT systems of such caliber, the major issues pertain to the actual transition phase and gatting existing employees to accept the changes. Thomas Cook not only successfully implemented in the wake of the 9/11 catastrophe but managed to make a smooth transition from a disparate, loss prone organization to a smooth running, integrated one with higher returns. Co-sourcing and Outsourcing In the Thomas Cook case, not only was a new system implemented but a whole organizational culture was turned around. This could not have been possible without the key input of an expert firm in this regard like Accenture. Thomas Cook realized this in the very beginning and went ahead with the decision to co source the strategy with Accenture. The question here arises as to why co sourcing rather than the conventional outsourcing? Outsourcing, as the name suggest, technically means to allot ones non-core business function(s) to an external organization which is an expert in that field. Example could include the various U.S. firms outsourcing IT services to firms in India who have the skill set and expertise to develop software solutions. The need to outsource can arise due to various factors. The most obvious reason to outsource is usually a step towards cost cutting and ‘shedding off’ unnecessary responsibilities thus enabling a firm to concentrate on its core competencies. Apart from this, outsourcing to other countries (off shoring) is seen as a major cost cutting method due to the cheap labor available than ones own country. Cosorucing in the Thomas Cook case is more of a partnering strategy than an outsourcing one. In this, two or more firms decide to get together and work towards a common goal, with both benefiting form the others expertise. Unlike a partnership however, the scope is usually different. In a full fledged partnership, employees from both firms get together as teams (strategic alliance) and add their expertise to develop products and services to maximize profits or to become industry leaders. In a co sourcing alliance, a number of employees only (Accenture employees) get together with the other firms employees (Thomas Cook) to assist them in non core activities. Unlike outsourcing where both firms are separated and work independently from one another, co sourcing allows sets of employees from both firms to work together to achieve organizational objectives. Both methods have their own pros and cons. Outsourcing is currently the hype and the best strategy to cut down costs. Doing so enables a firm to keep its costs low and concentrate on its core activities. Opponents of these strategies however state that product quality drops due to lack of standardization of labor employed and security issues can also arise due to transfer of sensitive data. In co sourcing, one does not see these disadvantages. The reason being that both firms share from the firms overall success and thus both equally strive to develop improved products and services. The main problem with co sourcing however is the sharing of sensitive data which if revealed to competitors can spell disaster to a firm. Apart from this, partnering firms can have different ideas as to the direction where the business should go towards. Employees can also pose a major problem here especially if they are not willing t accept the changes and see the other firm as outsiders. In the end, it is matter of trust and cohesion and this can only be achieved if both firms clearly lay down the gorudn rules and work towards their respective incentives with one playing the role of the leader and the other the facilitator (as Thomas Cook is being facilitated but not lead by Accenture). Alternative Strategies The current strategy seems to work pretty well for Thomas Cook. They could have however spent a little more time and devised a better strategy. Some suggestions are: Re-engineering is a good way to asses current business processes and improve them by setting up better and more efficient ones. Since a change management strategy was used, Thomas Cook could also have taken a good look at current business processes and implemented new ones. In the current strategy, a new IT system has just been implemented over the current practices. Number of employees and the ratio with the HR personnel should be maintained. Industry standards should be researched and then Thomas Cook can adjust accordingly. Current employees can also be trained and not all should be entrusted to another firm. Transfer of knowledge over the years could have also resulted in current employees gaining enough knowledge to run the system themselves. Although Thomas Cook has co sourced with Accenture, in the long run an outsourcing strategy would have proven more profitable. Since Accenture is now a partner and sharing in profits rather than working at a certain fees, it makes sense to assess and reevaluate whether outsourcing would be more profitable or the current strategy is still better. Thomas Cook implemented this strategy at its headquarters so far. It should also be keen on implementing in other locations and integrate them as one whole. Opportunities and Risks of Virtualization Virtualization reveals many opportunities for a firm. It not only affects the internal environment of a firm but also has lasting effects on the external environment. Increase in profitability, efficiency and improved service to customers are all seen in most of the projects implemented. There are some risks however which have to be assessed: High risk of failure associated with projects of such magnitude. Employee acceptance. Cost effectiveness. Proper usage of the system Integration and proper maintenance of system. Maintenance of backups. Change of requirements and expansion of system. Handling affects on internal and external environment. Thomas Cook will need to conduct a context analysis to assess the real scope of changes the system has and will cause in the future. In doing so, not only will they able to fully asses the risks associated but also the obvious benefits such as realization of profits, efficiency, cost cutting and hidden benefits such as competitive advantage, customer relationships and deterrent to new entrants. Pervious analysis has already revealed the advantages of this system and strengths of Thomas Cook. What now needs to be done is eliminate the threats and overcome weaknesses along with enhancing the strengths and translating them into larger profits. References: Accenture, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.accenture.com/home/default.htm?viewType=Flash BEA Systems Inc., 2005. Turning IT Vision Into Business Value, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.bea.com/content/news_events/white_papers/BEA_Vision_Reality.pdf Business Integration Journal, Integration Appliances: Deliver Application Integration Projects in Days, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.bijonline.com/redir.cfm?type=whitepaperid=7 Business Integration Journal, Web Integration Technical Whitepaper retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.bijonline.com/redir.cfm?type=whitepaperid=10 Business Integration Journal, Why Application Automation Should Be Part of IT Infrastructure, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.bijonline.com/redir.cfm?type=whitepaperid=12 Business Process Co-sourcing: Imperative, Historically Inevitable, Ready to Go. 2004, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.peterkeen.com/recent/articles/cosourci.htm Compensation Management Co-sourcing: A new way to achieve Strategic Compensation Success 200, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.mercerhr.com/compensationcosourcing Context Analysis, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://changingminds.org/disciplines/change_management/diagnosing_change/context_analysis.htm Co-sourcing vs Outsourcing: No Substantive Difference 2003 retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.ciol.com/content/search/showarticle1.asp?artid=44524 ICMBA Inc., 2004. SWOT Analysis, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/swot Compensation Management Co-sourcing: A new way to achieve Strategic Compensation Success 200, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.mercerhr.com/compensationcosourcing Context Analysis, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://changingminds.org/disciplines/change_management/diagnosing_change/context_analysis.htm Co-sourcing vs Outsourcing: No Substantive Difference 2003 retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.ciol.com/content/search/showarticle1.asp?artid=44524 Fabio Casati, Angela Discenza. Modeling and Managing Interactions among Business Processes.Journal of Systems Integration, Volume 10, Number 1, April 2001. Hoon Seong Leem, Bumyong Oh. Evaluating Information Strategic Planning: An Evaluation System and Its Application, 2001, Journal of Systems Integration, Volume 10, Number 3, July 2001. Marketing Teacher, Five Forces Analysis retrieved 10 January 2007, http://marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_fivefoces.htm Marketing Teacher, SWOT Analysis: Lesson. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunites and Threats (SWOT), retrieved 10 January 2007, http://marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_swot.htm Usability Context Analysis, retrieved 10 January 2007, http://www.ucc.ie/hfrg/projects/respect/urmethods/usability.htm

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Driver For Change In Bbc Resources Management Essay

Driver For Change In Bbc Resources Management Essay Evaluate the importance of business processes in delivering outcomes based upon business goals and objectives P1.1 Describe the structure and culture of an organisation and evaluate the inter-relationships between the different processes and functions of an organisation P1.2 Identify the mission, aims and objectives of an organisation and analyse the effect of these on the structure and culture of the organisation. P1.3 Define the methodology to be used to map processes to the organisations objectives and functions and evaluate the output of the process and analyse quality gateways Learning Outcome 2: Develop plans for their areas of responsibility and implement operational plans P2.1 Develop plans which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility and ensure plans are consistent with legal, regulatory and ethical requirements P2.2 Use objectives which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way. P2.3 Prepare and agree implementation plans which translate strategic targets into practical efficient and effective actions. P2.4 Manage work activities to prevent ineffective and inefficient deviations from the operational plan through effective monitoring and control P2.5 Implement appropriate systems to achieve objectives and goals of the plan in the most effective and efficient way, on time and to budget and to meet organisational standards of quality. Learning Outcome 3: Design and monitor appropriate systems to ensure quality of product and services P3.1 Define the resources, tools and systems required to support the business process. P3.2 Define and implement quality audit systems/practice to manage and monitor quality to standards specified by the organisation and process operated. P3.3 Embed a quality culture to ensure continuous monitoring and development of the process. Learning Outcome 4: Manage health and safety in the workplace. P4.1 Carry out risk assessments as required by legislation, regulation and organisational requirements and ensure appropriate action is taken. P4.2 Identify health and safety regulations and legislation applicable in specific work situations and ensure these are correctly and effectively applied P4.3 Systematically review organisational health and safety policies and procedures in order to ensure they are effective and that they comply with the appropriate legislation and regulations P4.4 Ensure practical application of health and safety policies and procedures in the workplace. Learning Outcome 5: Improve organisational performance. P5.1 Monitor systems and work activities and identifyproblems and opportunities for improvement P5.2 Recommend improvements which align with the organisations objectives and goals and which result in a reduction in the variation between what customers and other stakeholders want and what products, processes and services deliver. P5.3 Identify the wider implications of proposed changes within the organisation P5.4 Plan, implement and evaluate changes within an organisation Please go through the case below and attempt tasks in the assignment. DRIVER for change in BBC resources Background. London Operations, part BBC Resources Ltd, provides studio, outside broadcast and post production facilities to customers both within and outside the BBC. It was hemorrhaging money at the rate of over  £ 7 million (c. $ 10 million) a year. It was overstaffed and locked into inefficient, outmoded work practices. Under Producers Choice, it was being increasingly ignored by BBC program makers who were going outside the corporation to obtain better terms for production facilities. Under political pressure, the Corporation was so concerned that it was considering selling off all or part of BBC Resources. The companys management required insight and plans to determine whether Resources Ltd could become competitive, and how it could rapidly implement the changes needed to transform the business from its current loss-making situation . Resources management carried out a program of improvement that began with a review of the London Operations to assess current performance, recomended the necessary steps to achieve profitability and to plan and implement the changes. A rigorous analysis of key drivers and levers for cost and performance was carried out. Core processess were identified and mapped and an approach to improvement was adopted, bringing together changes in people, technology and processes. Delivery and Support processes were appraised and simplified, current rules and assumptions governing these processess were challenged and opportunities for radical re-engineering highlighted. The review suggested ways in which the situation could be completly turned around. Resources management used these finidngs to support its case that the facilities should be kept in public ownership, and began a program of implementation of its recomendations to make the operations viable. The approach The approach taken was based around the DRIVER methodology The review suggested a number of improvements, for example reduced process waste, more efficient staffing, supplier rationalisation, improved seasonal management of facilities and customer billing accuracy. The recomendations were supported by rigorous benchmarking exercise within the industry. The review highlighted the many ways of doing business had simply grown up and turned into traditions. the approach taken showed that it was often valid to take a complete fresh look at the way work could be undertaken. This was all the more important since in some of London Operations, major jobs came round on a regular basis, and if a big saving could be made on Wimbledon coverage for example, that saving would be repeated in future years. The opportunities to improve were clear. reduced staffing, modified work practices and a general focus by the managers on the bottom line. Maintaining the new ways of working. One of the organisations key concern was that, although the proposals might be implemented initially, there would be gradual or indeed not so gradual return to old ways with inefficiencies returning and staffing levels rising again, especially through the employment of outside freelance staff. To combat this, a management structure was created that supported the new processess, defined the necessary role and responsibilities to successfully operate the new processes and develop a framework of balanced performance measures, to ensure that the overall performance of London Operations was visible to senior managers. As improvements and changes were implemented and as the senior management became more aware of commercial pressures it was recongnised that, for these changes to have any durability and long lasting impact on the business, it was vitally important that everyone in the organisation understood the part that they had to play in helping run the business around. Furthermore the management team needed to have a clear understanding of what they were doing, why there were doing it and how they needed to do it. To this end the senior management team indentified the need to understand and further develop the mission and vision for the business. Then to be able to cascade these down through the organisation, focussed around a small number of factors that were deemed critical to the achievement of the mission and vision. Mission and Vision Vision Turning Ideas into Reality Mission We will enrich the BBC creatively and financially by helping customers create the sounds of vision of the future. Relied upon for innovation, efficiency and service working with us will be inspirational and fun. Define the project Review the business baseline Identify Opportunities Verify the Opportunities Evaluate and plan implementation Review and Report (Figure C 1.0) DRIVER Methodology Page 02 of 06 Case Study / Scenario Defining measurable Objectives From the mission statement the key words were identified to form the basis for the development of strategic frame work: CASH , CREATIVITY , INNOVATION , SERVICE , EFFICIENCY Using these key words eight factors critical to the achievement of the mission were identified. 1. Skilled, Motivated and Flexible people. 2. Key talent that is industry recognised. 3. Focussed investment in products and services. 4. Profitable revenue growth. 5. Efficent and effective processess. 6. Effective customer relationships. 7. Strong leadership, clarity of direction and cooperation. 8. Industry recognised customer base. To help the business to remain focussed on the achievement of the eight critical factors a set of guiding principles were defined. (Figure C 2.0) Through a series of senior management workshops, the eight factors were further developed to indentify their key activities and performance measures. These performance indicators were then arranged into a balanced set of measures and appropriate targets for the comming year defined for each Sharing S . We will share in the sucess of our business. . Our sucess will be built on team work and cooperation. . We will develop mutually profitable partnerships with our customers based on trust. . Our sucess will be built on team work and cooperation. Partnerships P Equal Opportunities E . We will promote our role as an Equal Opportunity employer to all communities . We encourage open and regular communication throughout the business. Communication C Customer Customer satisfaction Survey Results. No. of Customer Complaints Resolved. Post Contract Review Results. Commendations Resulting in Awards. Strength of Cutomer Relationship. Market Profile Staff Utilisation Facilities Utilisation Quotation Turn-around Time Invoices Issued within 5 Days Processes Finance Return on Sales Return on Capital Employed Market Share external and internal Variance from Cash Flow Budget Performance to Investment Budget Staff Satisfaction survey Results % of staff Within Appraisal Process Turnover of Key Talent Number of Identified Leaders Within a Leadership development programme. Staff Turnover. Absence Rate People Figure C 3.0 Balanced Scorecard of Measures To assist in the development of these key activities, the senior management team used a CSF planning document. ( Figure C 4.0). One planning sheet is detailed for every measure for each CSF. The CSF itself defines what must be achieved. In the example Resources Must have skilled, motiovated and Flexible People. This is linked to one of the performance measures (KPI) and an appropriate description of what that KPI represents is provided. In addition the current performance is given, where applicable, together with its target. The bottom section of the document identifies how the KPI will be achieved. By doing this the business identifies the lower level of specific actions that should be held to achieve the specific sucess factor. Each of these actions is allocated an owner and a date for completion. CSF 1 We must have skilled, motivated and flexible people. Owner A.N. Other. No. KPI Definition Current Measure Target Due Date 1 June 2001 50% N/A Overall staff rating against satisfaction/motivation index Staff satisfaction survey results No. KPI No. Activity Current Measure Driver Measure Resp 1 1 Compile London Operations specific staff survey which asks staff to identify 3 priority issues that motivate/demotivate the. Ask staff to rate how well the business delivers on these issues. AN Other May Staff Satisfaction 1 2 Identify action plan to address these issues. Identify those issues within Studios, OBs and Post Production control and those outside our direct control AN Other July Staff Satisfaction 1 3 Communicate survey results and intended actions. AN Other August Staff Satisfaction 1 4 Implement communication plan to improve staff understanding about the direction of RES Ltd, recognise peoples value, encourages a sense of identity. AN Other July 1 Agree dates for follow up audit. AN Other August The activities that will take place to address the identified performance gaps. Figure C 4.0 CSF Planning document As the whats are cascaded down the hows, responsibility is likely to be cascaded down to the most appropriate level within the organisation. For example, The KPI is owned by a member of the senior management team, as are the 4 identified actions. However, these 4 actions, if cascaded to the next level of detail, would become the whats that would require their own series of hows to be defined and probably be owned functionally by a department or business unit. Implementation of these process allowed for a link to be created from the highest level of critical sucess factor right down to individual or team obejctives and goals. Furthermore it provides a means of feedback through the chain to the CSFs and enables performance to be monitored and aligned to corporate objectives. Achivemenets The project helped London Operations to dramatically enhance its understanding of the business and its performance and identified opportunities to reduce costs by nearly 20%, while maintaining levels o f customer satisfaction and market share. Furthermore the approach has led to these changes being locked into the future working of the business. Many attitutes have changed and barriers broken down to secure the future of Resources Ltd. The schedule for implementation was less than 18 months and the transformation in operations has made Resources Ltd. an attractive commercial proposition. Satisfaction with the approach towards the project can be measured by a number of yard sticks. BBC managers have acknowledged that the savings proposed are far greater than they had anticipated, even in their optimistic moments. One senior BBC manager commented that as a rule of thumb a restructuting exercise costing  £12 million (c. $ 18 m) would be expected to yield savings of around  £6 Millions (c. $9 m) a year in other words it should pay for itself within 2 years. The  £12 million (c. $18 m) resturctuting for London Operations, however, is set to impact the bottom line by over  £ 13 million (c. $20m) per year. This reflects the innovative and creative way in which the project was progressed. Direct feedback has been very positive. The project team were praised particulalry for their interpersonel skills in working with and involving staff, and for the continiously high levels of communications with management on the progress of the work. Senior management recognised and appreciated the Hardsoft approach that blends a rigorous establishment of the hard facts of the situation with a positive effort to communicate details to staff, involve them in the changes and generally build good relationships. Resources staff viewed these as the most inclusive project they had experienced. managers regarded the project as creative, innovative and practical, acheieving the support of employees and achieving benefits that other approaches had failed to do. Tasks Involved in respect to the Case Study / Scenario and Possible Evidence The case study is of BBC resources Limited, a group company of BBC Limited. BBC Resources is in the business of providing studio services to its customers, including BBC itself. BBC Resources has gone through a bad phase where it made losses, but now it seems to have turned around. Case study captures how the company went around turning its fortunes. With reference to the case study, carry out following tasks: Task 1: Describe the culture and structure of BBC resource before the turn around? How did it re-define its mission and objectives? Are these objectives SMART? What changes were made in the structure and culture? How did it go about identifying the processes which need to be worked upon to achieve its goals/objectives? Task 2: Describe the plan which BBC resources made to achieve its goals? How did it go about implementing the plan? How did it decide to monitor and control the plan? Task 3: What resources and tools did BBC Resources use to support the business processes? How did they monitor the quality of processes? What did they do to embed the quality culture? Task 4: What health and safety regulations are applicable to BBC Resources as per UK laws? What are the likely safety risks BBC resources need to worry about? What would you advise BBC Resources to ensure health and safety of its employees given the nature of the business? Task 5: What systems/processes has BBC Resources put in place to identify problems and opportunities for improvement? What were the outcomes of changes that BBC resources implemented? How do you evaluate the outcomes of what BBC Resources has already done for improvement? What are some of the un-anticipated implications of changes that BBC Resources introduced? What are some of the improvements that you would recommend to BBC resources? Grading Criterias MERIT DESCRIPTORS M1. Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions M1.1 Effective judgements have been made M1.2 Complex problems with more than one variable have been explored M1.3 An effective approach to study and research has been applied M2. Select/ design and apply/ appropriate methods/ techniques M2.1 A range of methods and techniques have been applied M2.2 The selection of methods and techniques/ sources has been justified M2.3 Complex information/ data has been synthesized and processed M3. Present and communicate appropriate findings M3.1 The appropriate structure and approach has been used M3.2 Coherent, logical development of principles/ concepts for the intended audience M3.3 The communication is appropriate for familiar and unfamiliar audiences and appropriate media have been used  · Word Process the assignment using font Calibri, size 11 points and convert the same to PDF document before submission.  · Zero percentage (0%) Plagiarism is allowed in your work, however referenced material should be appropriately quoted.  · Use the Harvard Referencing System for referencing and provide complete bibliography.  · Complete the title page and sign the statement of authenticity in your work submission.  · Use Business Report format while creating your case portfolio.  · Do not wait for the last date to submit your work, if you fail to submit in time, no extension would be provided. Important Instructions. Other Notes (if any) Grading Criterias DISTINCTION DESCRIPTORS D1. Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusion D1.1 Conclusion have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas and have been justified D1.2 The validity of results has been evaluated using defined criteria D1.3 Realistic improvement have been proposed against defined characteristics for success D2. Take responsibility for managing and organising activities D2.1 Autonomy/ independence has been demonstrated D2.2 Substantial activities, projects or investigation have been planned, managed and organised D2.3 The important of interdependence has been recognised and achieved D3. Demonstrate convergent/ lateral/ creative thinking D3.1 Ideas have been generated and decisions taken D3.2 Self evaluation has taken place D3.3 Convergent and lateral thinking have been applied

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Eco-Friendly Sustainable Building

Eco-Friendly Sustainable Building People build building and structures for meet their social need and for shelter from out sided attack which is like wind, rain, sunlight and etc. For developer, they build building is to meet economic needs which is for investment and to satisfy corporate objectives. Peoples lifestyle and the standard of living and also modernized a community can be improved by the grown of building. Essential and highly visible construction contributor to the process of grown of the country, which means the more of the construction industry grown, the more the country grown. But however, the growing of construction industry brings adverse impacts to environment. So growing acceptance and realization throughout the world that there is a need for more responsible approach to environment. Sustainable building is a UK strategy for more sustainable construction. The other word for sustainable building is Green building; it is design for minimum waste during the construction and after the construction. Mo re construction used a lot of energy and makes a lot of pollution, but in green construction there is minimize of energy used and also never pollute the environment. Most of these points make a good business to developer which is minimizing the waste and increase the efficiency. Advantages of sustainable building Energy efficiency Water efficiency Material efficiency Indoor environment quality enhancement Operation and maintenance optimization Waste reduction Cost and payoff Reduce environmental impact Energy efficiency Green buildings are designed to use renewable energy efficiently and reduce the dependency of non renewable energy source supplied through the use of non renewable materials which is like coal diesel, etc. For example, solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, polystyrene as heat insulation in reinforced concrete wall. Energy efficiency helps to reduce CO2 emissions. Use high efficiency window or insulator in wall floors and ceilings to release heat in summer time Efficiency window allowed sunlight go into house, so we no need switch on light during day time Plant tree at the outside of house to shade roofs or window during the summer time Renewable energy such as solar power, hydro power, wind power or biomass can reduce the impact of the building to the environment Water efficiency Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives in a green building Done through on site collection of rain water, purification and reused on site Utilization of waterless urinal or low amount flush allows the efficiency use of water Install purification system can purify Water which from tank Water collect tank. Collect rain, human waste and store it temporary Use purified water to bath, wash cloth, wash car, and for cook Conversation of water reduce the cost Material efficiency Green buildings can be constructed using renewable materials like bamboo, timbers from sustainable managed forests Construction material derived from recycled raw material such as : dredged material from seabed, incineration ash, construction and demolition waste, copper slag, steel slag. Non toxic, renewable and recyclable product for example: Trass, Linoleum, sheep wool, panels made from paper flakes, compressed earth block, adobe, baked earth and ect. Use recycled industrial goods such as coal combustions products, demolition debris and foundry sand in construction site. Material of building must have extractable and manufacturable, so that it can minimize the energy embedded in transportation. Material done at factory can reduce the sound pollution Indoor environment quality enhancement Requires the less usage of indoor air conditioned and reduction in artificial lighting Done through efficient design of windows, air sills, chimney that allows wind to pass within the building Careful integration of nature and artificial light sources to improve on the lighting quality of a structure HVAC system control by the air flow and peoples temperature, AC will start working when only room temperature is no longer comfortable. Light will switch on automatically which only got people Operation and maintenance optimization Operation and maintenance optimization personnel of the building will help the green criteria designed at the onset of the project through proper training and sustainable guidelines of the recycling and maintenance of the quality of the indoor environment No matter how sustainable a building may have been it design and construction, it can only remain so if it is operated responsibly and maintained properly Waste reduction Sustainable construction also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and material used during the construction process. Green buildings also promotes on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce waste going to landfills Conversion of human waste into organic fertilizers for agricultural use.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Sickle Cell Anemia Essay -- essays research papers

The sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. People with sickle cell have red blood cells that have mostly hemoglobin's, Sometimes these red blood cells become sickle-shaped or crescent shaped and have trouble going through small blood vessels. When sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood can get to that part of the body. Tissue that does not get a normal blood flow eventually becomes damaged.This is what causes the problems of sickle cell disease.As to this day there is really no cure for sickle cell disease.Red blood cells take oxygen from the air we breathe into our lungs to all parts of the body. Oxygen is carried in red blood cells by a substance called hemoglobin(Hemoglobin – is the main substance of the red blood cell. It helps red blood cells carry oxygen from the air in our lungs to all parts of the body). Normal red blood cells contain hemoglobin A. Hemoglobin S and hemoglobin C are abnormal types of hemoglobin.Oxygen is carried in red blood cells by a substance called hemoglobin.The main hemoglobin in normal red blood cells is hemoglobin A. Normal red blood cells are soft and round and can squeeze through tiny blood tubes (vessels). Normally, red blood cells live for about 120 days before new ones replace them.People with sickle cell conditions make a different form of hemoglobin A called hemoglobin S (S stands for sickle). Red blood cells containing mostly hemoglobin S do not live as long as normal red blood cells (normally about 16 days). They also become stiff, distorted in shape and have difficulty passing through the body's small blood vessels. When sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood can get to that part of the body. Tissue that does not receive a normal blood flow eventually becomes damaged. This is what causes the complications of sickle cell disease. There are several types of sickle cell disease. The most common are: Sickle Cell Anemia (SS), Sickle-Hemoglobin C Disease (SC)Sickle Beta-Plus Thalassemia and Sickle Beta-Zero Thalassemia. Sickle Cell trait (AS) is an inherited condition in which both hemoglobin A and S are made in the red blood cells, there are always more A than S. Sickle cell trait is not a type of sickle cell disease. People with sickle cell trait are generally healthy. Sickle cell conditions are inherited from parents in much the same way as... ... will have a negative charge under normal body conditions and thus likes to be surrounded by water molecules. Valine, on the other hand, is a neutral, or uncharged, amino acid. Under normal conditions it behaves like a hydrophobic, organic molecule and wants to hide from water. This difference makes the globin chains of hemoglobin fold differently, especially in the absence of oxygen. Normal hemoglobin just gives up its oxygen when it gets to the tissue that needs it, but it retains its shape. Sickle hemoglobin, on the other hand, loses its oxygen, and becomes relatively insoluble. In the deoxygenated form, it forms into long arrays that come out the shape of the red cell and produce the characteristic sickling that characterizes the disease. The insolubility of deoxygenated (reduced) sickle hemoglobin is the basis of two rapid diagnostic laboratory tests for sickle cell anemia. Scientists recently have had some limited success in using genetic engineering techniques to get good copies of the beta globin gene into people with sickle cell anemia. If they can succeed in this endeavor, people with the disease may be cured but will still be able to pass the genes onto their offspring.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Parental Involvement in Childs Education :: Parent Involvement in Education, Teaching

Parental involvement promotes the social growth of a child. Children whose parents are involved in their education have many advantages. They have better grades, test scores, long-term academic achievement, attitudes and behavior than those with disinterested mothers and fathers (Gestwicki, 2001). Parents becoming involved in their child's schooling creates extra sources of social constraint to influence the child's behavior (McNeal, 2001). For example, parents talking to their children and becoming involved in the school conveys a message to the child of education being important. Parents should be talking with your children's teacher and letting her know about your family. The more she knows about your child, the better she will be able to connect with your child. Telling your child's hobbies, pets, as well as learning difficulties and strengths will provide for a more intimate school year (Spencer, 2001). One of the ways in which parents play a critical role in their children?s social development is by encouraging their interactions with other youth (Updegraff, 2001). If children are able to work in group settings, this will not only help the child get along with other students, but it will also lessen the amount of disruptions in class thereby making it easier for the teacher to teach (Barbour, 1997). Parents need to stress the importance of little things your child can do to smooth the teacher?s day and help himself learn, such as listening when classmates answer questions, writing his name on assignments, and keeping his desk and work area tidy (Spencer, 2001). Parents can help your children avoid interrupting. Teachers love enthusiasm but yelling out too often will cause unneeded disruptions. Explain the good times to speak, such a s when the teacher is inviting questions and the not so good times, such as when the teacher is talking to another student or giving directions (Spencer, 2001). Practicing these classroom manners will help with less disruptions and a better teaching and learning environment. Parental involvement promotes emotional growth of a child. The attachment between a child and parent is a long-lasting, emotional, learned response. It is the attachment in a parent and child relationship that forms the basis for a child to trust or not to trust their environment (Gestwicki, 2000). This proper attachment is essential for a child to trust other adults, such as their teachers and also to trust other students and make friends.

Wedding Speech - Best Woman or Maid of Honor :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Wedding Speech – Best Woman or Maid of Honor I just want to tell Paula how honoured I am today to stand by your side on this special day.. On behalf of the bridesmaids and myself I just want to say how beautiful and radiant your look today, it truly has been a special day for all of us. Paula and I have been friends for a number of years now. Over the years, she has taught me the valuable lesson that friendship is the most important thing next to family. We have supported each other through good times and bad. I have many memories of wonderful times spent with Paula, as we all have. And will cherish them forever. The fondest memory I will now have is watching Paula marry her best friend, the love of her life and companion. I love you both very much, you are two very dear friends to me. In the past year I have seen you both grow as individuals and flourish as a couple. Separately you both are very special, remarkable people, but together you are complete.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Impacting police policies

Policing † measured by: trends, practices, practices† Question How did post 9/1 1 Terrorism Policies impact modern police policies, practices? Abstract The purpose of this article is to describe the concept of the post 9/1 1 terrorism policies, and how they impacted community policing. The knowledge gained can assist in the development and evaluation of improved emergency responses and police, community relationships. The literature includes many definitions of policing, some of which have been derived by studying various organizations and their police culture.This summary highlights overall broad definitions and goes beyond definitions specific to upcoming issues with the community police organizations. This is an important topic for society because it will give a better understanding of how police will interact and respond to the community and the need for assistance. According to scholar Eggnog Bittern's definition of the police, which defines the police in terms of th eir capacity to use nonnegotiable coercive force in any situation that appears to require a prompt and decisive response (Willis, 2014).Many findings hold promise for police concerned about problems in the near future. Data from a study conducted by John P. Crank, Colleen Saddled and Came M. Kiosks show that the biggest problem coming in the next 10 years for police: the continued expansion of the boundaries of the police function. The panelist of scholars suggested that focusing on innovation technology and the professionalism model of policing using COMPOSTS and surveillance imaging will best address it. In addition to focusing on innovation technology and the professionalism model using COMPOSTS and surveillance imaging.The margins of police include: intelligence and privacy, security and crime control, cultural and roommate changes, and the expansion of the institution of formal crime control. The panelist forecast on expansion of police functions is in the areas of community po licing, terrorism and security, technology change, sub population bias issues, militarism. The study was an ensemble effort designed to identify principal issues facing the police in the USA over the next 10 years. This data was collected using an expert panel methodology to assess significant issues affecting police in the near term future.Fourteen established scholars agreed to participate in the survey The authors collected responses to surveys sent to the fourteen panelist experts for data. The panelist responded through email and phone. This data was collected and organized under topics. The authors are affiliated with the University of Nebraska Omaha it was published on October 5, 2010 One particular area where police duties are expanding is in the area of intelligence and privacy and technology. Police are better informed than before because intelligence is relaying information through innovated technology.Innovated technology provides police with a more efficient use of info rmation collected and analyzed. The authors also noted that there might be concerns regarding older officers who resent change because they are not tech savvy. The patriot act of 2001 post 9/1 1 law, expanded the use of technology to gather intelligence, thus giving the right to infringe into the publics civil rights. Security and crime control uses a security discourse approach that protects the United States from terrorism. The Patriot Act permitted the expansion of counter terrorism laws to not only suspected terrorists but felons as well.The post 9/1 1 changes allow co- authorship of criminal investigations for counter terrorism between municipal and deader agencies, permitting for a larger based security force. Thus making it harder to deal with community problems as well as federal problems. Police have changed their cultural views on work and how they act and perceive these values. The authors note that a cultural shift in police work from a punitive culture where enforcement of the law and discipline those who break it, to a regulative based culture with health, Juvenile, family service to regulate relationships.The authors note that prisons are costly financially and ineffective. It is suggested that the role to a regulative-based culture based on education and services will be ore effective. Normative changes in the identification of the central roles and missions of the police. The authors note that due to the transition of counter terrorism policing, the police will shift emphasis on security for the public to more for the government. Thus raising concerns for society.The transition of roles and the expansion of police functions consist of a shift to all hazards approach to police work, planning activities around a threat perspective, and implementing intelligence led policing. The professionalism model of policing uses the COMPOSTS model quenches and surveillance imaging will be the best option for future policing. A shift of police professionalis m will act as a stronger version of the current model for policing. Because it will increase invasiveness in the lives of citizen interactions.The innovated technology has improved the crime mapping by face recognition, finger printing, and iris identification. COMPOSTS suggest improvements of crime statistics in the area with crime mapping. The authors note that the expansion of police institutions is growing not because of crime increases, but because of the expansion of police functions, counter terrorism, and minimizing risk. A growing number of researchers recognize the importance of Normative changes in the identification of the central roles and missions of the police, Transitioning to counter terrorism policing.However this transition has its limitations on the correct policies to implement, for instance theses studies fail to include lack of knowledge of technology in older police officers, and because of the sharp downturn in the US economy police technologies will be very limited due to restrictive police budgets. Also the future economic crisis that will place stress on the government, consequently increasing crime and unemployment. Because of the decline of the nation, expanding Jurisdiction to other countries will take effect. The police expansion will consist of local, national, international affairs.The panelist in the issues facing police in the future study suggested that there are hiring concerns in the small and larger agencies because of enlistment of police personnel into the military service, thus limiting the qualified pool for police work The findings hold promise for police concerned about problems in the near future. The implementation of expansion of police work and innovated security technology using COMPOSTS will best address the issues in the future. The expansion of counterterrorism increases a larger security force.The culture change to regulative-based culture may be a viable alternative to the punitive culture, where police w ill find themselves in different environments. Because of the transition to counter terrorism policing, the police will take a shift more towards government affairs instead of public. The police are adaptable and responsive to a technological innovation, utilize the professionalism model of COMPOSTS techniques and surveillance imaging appears to be the way of the future.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Plasma Television And LCD Television Essay

Introduction Television technology has continued to evolve to be what it is today since the late 1930s when it was first commercially available. Today the television set has become a very basic household commodity in institutions and homes as source of entertainment and news. The T.V. today has evolved from the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to such advanced technology like the Plasma and LCD televisions that have taken the world by storm. But what’s the difference between these two latest models? Outwardly the models are almost alike, they are thin and flat. However, they differ in the technology behind them though they deliver almost similar results. (Robert Silva) The technology behind the Plasma television is based on the fluorescent light lamb and the display consists of cells. A narrow gap separates the two glass panels within each cell, where neon-xenon gas is injected and sealed in plasma form in the process of manufacturing. The LCD television on the hand uses a different technology of manufacture. LCD panels that are made of two layers of transparent material are â€Å"polarized† and bound together. (Robert Silva)   A special polymer is coated in one of the layers that hold the various liquid crystals. To create an image, current is passed through each individual crystal, these allows the crystals to pass or block light forming an image. Because the crystals by nature do not produce their own light, external lights like a fluorescent bulb are required to illuminate the created images for visibility. (Robert Silva) LCD television is more expensive than the Plasma television, however most consumers or users are never interested in the technicalities thus do not understand the difference, all they look for is a stylish set to suit their homes. (Robert Silva) REFERENCE Robert Silva: What are the Differences Between an LCD TV and a Plasma TV? Retrieved on 17th March 2008, from http://hometheater.about.com/od/lcdtvfaqs/f/lcdfaq2.htm

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Italy – Research Paper

Geographically, Italy is comprised of a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, as well as two large islands. The shape of Italy has been depicted as a ‘boot’ in many cartoons and drawings for years. The country covers over 116,000 square miles, making it approximately the combined size of Florida and Georgia. Killinger, 2002) Italy is a democratic republic that has a current population of around 60 million people, making it the twenty-third most populous country in the world. Italy is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the ‘Group of Six’, which later became the G8, and the European Union. (â€Å"Italy,† 2010) Italians are primarily Roman Catholic and are required to have fourteen years of formal education.This has lead to a 98 percent literacy rate among the population that only has a growth rate of 0. 02 percent per year, which is one of the lowest growth rates in the world. Killinger, 2002) After the decl ine of the Roman Empire, it took what is now Italy over fourteen centuries to become unified and drive out foreign rule. The state of Italy was formed following the Italian unification movement, known as Risorgimento. Italy installed their first Parliament and declared the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. (Killinger, 2002) In 1922, Benito Mussolini created the first Fascist regime in history. Mussolini later established the Lateran Pact of 1929 with Pope Pius XI, which recognized the Catholic religion as the ‘sole religion of the state’ and the Vatican as an independent state.Italy entered World War II in October of 1940 by attacking Greece from Albania. In December of the same year, the victorious Greeks invaded Albania. Their advance was only stopped by German support. In North Africa the Italians were handed multiple defeats by the British and again had to be rescued by the Germans. In July of 1943, American and British forces landed in Sicily. Fifteen days later Mussolini was arrested and power was returned the parliament and the king. In April of 1946, Mussolini attempted escape, and was caught, shot, and hung in Milan.A few days later, the German army corps in Italy surrendered to allies. (Hearder, 1990) At the end of World War II, a vote by the people concluded that the kingdom of Italy would be replaced by the Republic of Italy. In 1948, a new constitution granted the President of the Republic the powers of the chief of state while the head of government was a prime minister with the title of President of the Council of Ministers. A constitutional court holds the supreme judicial power in Italy, while a lower and upper house were set up and were given the legislative power. (Killinger, 2002)After World War II, Italy entered a period known as the ‘Economic Miracle’, which was driven by multiple industries and firms that contributed to the production of cars. These included the steel, rubber, and oil industries. (Amyot, 2004) Oil was d iscovered in the South, in the Northern Po Valley, and in Sicily in 1949. Natural gas was found the following year. (Hearder, 1990) The Marshall Plan also sent more than $1. 2 billion from the United States to Italy for reconstruction. The strong growth that Italy experienced after World War II helped it become a major player in the business world.Italy’s Quality of Life Index was eighth in the world in 2005 (the United States was ranked thirteenth) and was ranked as the eighteenth most developed country in the world. (â€Å"Members of the,† 2010) Some major international companies based in Italy are Versace, Gucci, and Armani in the fashion industry, Pirelli automobile tires, Beretta firearms, and car manufacturers Fiat, Alfa Romero, Maserati, Ferrari, and Lamborghini. In total the automobile industry contributes 8. 5 percent of Italy’s GDP. Italy is also the world’s leading producer and exporter of grapes, artichokes, and kiwis, and produces about a fif th of the world’s wine.Italy is also the fourth largest tourism earning nation in the world and the fifth most visited country. (â€Å"Economy of Italy,† 2010) Italy is currently said to be in a recession, with industrial output dropping 6. 6 percent in the last year. The shutdown of factories has been announced by Fiat in the wake of falling car sales. Italy is referred to as the â€Å"sick man of Europe† due to political instability, lack of infrastructure development and economic stagnation. The average annual rate of growth in Italy is 1. 23 percent compared to the 2. 28 percent average growth rate in the EU over the last ten years.In January of this year unemployment hit 8. 6 percent yet it is predicated that Italy will pull out of its recession by the end of 2010. (â€Å"Economy of Italy,† 2010) Culture Values and Norms Since World War II, Italian society has profoundly changed, with a significant impact on daily life. One of the main elements of ch ange is the more visible role women play in society outside the home, such as increased participation in higher education and various professions. One aspect of this changed role is that Italy records one of the lowest average numbers of children per woman in the world, as well as some of the lowest birth and fertility rates. Brittanica Online Encyclopedia) For Italian families, popular daily leisure activities include watching television, listening to the radio, reading newspapers, and going to movies. Italians are also known for their love of sports, something that can be traced back to the ancient Gladiatorial games. Sport is an important part of many Italian festivities like Palio and the Gondola race in Venice. Popular sports include football, cycling, and auto racing. (The Culture of Italy) Italians are very satisfied with their family relations, friendships, and health status, while their economic status and their working positions are less satisfactory.This is especially the case in southern Italy, where there are fewer job opportunities and where unemployment is high. (Brittanica Online Encyclopedia) Though the popularity of home entertainment has grown, the use of public spaces remains important. Young Italians meet friends on a daily basis, often in the cities’ piazzas in the evenings, making frequent trips to bars, cinemas, pizzerias, and discos. Coastal areas are popular destinations in the summer. The automobile retains a strong hold on daily life as well. Ownership levels are high, and many cities and towns suffer severe congestion and pollution as a result. Brittanica Online Encyclopedia) Regional life in Italy is typified by a diversity of customs and a great variety of festivals, even if it is their appeal to the tourist industry and to television that helps keep them alive. The majority of religious festivals are dedicated to the Madonna or to different saints of the Roman Catholic faith. The most notable Carnival celebrations are hel d in the cities of Viareggio and Venice, where in 1992 they were financed for the first time by major sponsors. Italy’s strong agricultural tradition gives rise to a multitude of festivals celebrating the harvest, food, country, and seafaring pursuits.These festivals reflect the traditional activities of the area in which they are held. (Brittanica Online Encyclopedia) Language The official language of Italy is Italian, a descendant of Tuscan dialect and a direct descendant of Latin. When Italy was unified in 1861, the Italian language existed mainly as a literary language and almost each region had its own dialect. Standardizing the language was an important step in unifying Italians, and the standardized language was based on the Florentine dialect spoken in most of Tuscany. The Languages Spoken in Italy) The largest group of non-Italian speakers includes those who speak Sardinian, a Romance language, which retains many pre-Latin words. Some of the other languages spoken ar e German, French, and Slovene. (The Languages Spoken in Italy) Religion 90 percent of Italy’s population is Roman Catholic. The remainder of the population is comprised mostly of Jews, along with some Muslims and Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholics. Supernatural beliefs are based in the Catholic Church and mixed with older beliefs stretching back to antiquity.In Sicily, for example, Arabic and Greek influences have mixed with popular Spanish beliefs and been incorporated into Catholicism. Thus, there are beliefs in the ‘Evil Eye’, charms, spells, messages through dreams, and various other types of omens. People believe witches have powers and in the existence of anti–witches. Many of these beliefs have yielded to the rationalism of the modern age. Others, however, exist below the surface. (Culture of Italy) Italy is filled with over 2000 years worth of holy places. Rome and the Vatican City alone have thousands of shrines, relics, and churches.There are re lics of Saint Peter and other popes. Various relics of many saints, places holy to Saint Francis of Assisi, shrines, places where the Virgin Mary is reputed to have appeared, and sites of numerous miracles are found across the country. Similarly, religious ceremonies are frequent. There are the usual holy days of the Roman Catholic Church—Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, the Immaculate Conception, and others. In addition, there are local saints and appearances by the Pope. The sanctification of new saints, various blessings, personal, family, and regional feast days, and daily and weekly masses are observed.There are also various novenas, rosary rituals, sodalities, men's and women's clubs, and other religious or quasi–religious activities. (Culture of Italy) Education Education in Italy is free and compulsory for eight years for children between the ages of 6 and 14. Primary school lasts 5 years and secondary education (Scuole medie) is further divided in two stages: Med ie Inferiori, which correspond to the middle school grades and lasts for 3 years, and Medie Superiori, which correspond to the secondary school level and lasts another 5 years.Every tier involves an exam at the end of the final year. Secondary schools are of different types and allow students to choose alternative career paths depending on their interests and aptitude. These include the Liceo, the Istituto Tecnico (technical institute) and the Istituto Professionale (professional institute). The Liceo includes secondary schools oriented towards the study of the arts and sciences. TheLicei are again divided into four types: Liceo Classico, which offers Latin, Ancient Greek, Italian, History, and Philosophy as its most important subjects; Liceo Scientifico, where the emphasis is on scientific and mathematical topics; Liceo Linguistico, which focuses on languages; and Liceo Artistico, which is oriented toward the arts. The university system in Italy is similar to that of the United Kin gdom, where students concentrate on one subject throughout their degree. Courses consist of the Laurea (roughly equivalent to a bachelor's degree) and the Laurea Specialistica (roughly equivalent to a master's degree).There are 41 state universities and 15 other universities, colleges, and higher learning institutes. These include the University of Bologna (the oldest in Italy, founded in the 11th century), and the University of Rome, which is the country's largest. (The Education System in Italy) Social Structure The Italian Institute of Statistics assesses the class system using 6 different categories. The first is the bourgeoisie, which includes entrepreneurs employing a minimum of 6 people, self-employed professionals, and managers. This category accounts for 10 percent of the working population.The white collar middle class covers employees engaged in non-manual jobs and makes up 17 percent of the working population. The urban petit bourgeoisie comprises 14 percent of the worki ng population, defined as small entrepreneurs with a maximum of 6 employees, shopkeepers, and self-employed artisans. The rural petit bourgeoisie, at 10 percent, own and operate small enterprises in the primary sectors of agriculture, forestry, hunting, and fishing. The urban working class is the 37 percent of the workforce who engage in manual labor. Finally, the rural working class, at 9 percent, are employees of the primary sector.This class breakdown, in identifying two categories each of the working and entrepreneurial classes, is considered to be a more precise method of class division, and has been used since the mid-1980s. (Italian Poverty and Wealth) Despite being a wealthy country, Italy suffers from serious inequality in the distribution of wealth and resources. These dramatic statistics stand out: in 1998, 11. 8 percent of families lived in poverty. The figure was even higher at the end of the 1980s, when families living in poverty represented 14 percent of the populatio n. The contrast between north and south was very clear, with over 5 percent of impoverished families living in southern regions. The gap between the rich north and the impoverished south continues to increase, as does the depth of poverty itself. Of those classified as poor, elderly people living on a simple state pension make up 53 percent of households living in poverty. Their numbers, however, are steadily decreasing, to be overtaken by the working poor. This phenomenon, which looks likely to become a permanent feature of Italian society, affects couples with one or more children, where only one parent works, is under 40 years old, and has few qualifications and, thus, low earning power. Italian Poverty and Wealth) As a result of Italy's generous welfare state, the great majority of poor families do not live in extremes of squalor or deprivation. Essential needs provided by the state include basic health care and education, clean water supplies, and housing. Moreover, extensive f amily networks help those living in poverty to feel less isolated and are sometimes a source of financial help. However, it is extremely difficult for families in poverty to improve their circumstances, and over 70 percent of households classified as poor in 1994 remained poor 2 years later. Italian Poverty and Wealth) Necessity often forces individuals in poverty to accept low-paying and unsafe jobs in the informal economy, where they are subject to threats and blackmail. In urban areas of the south, the younger generation finds it very difficult to obtain work, and poverty drives some of them into the arms of organized crime. Migrations to the north or leaving Italy altogether still remain ways out for many. While poverty is less visible in the wealthy north, it does exist.In particular, young couples with 2 or more children who struggle to meet the high cost of living on low salaries find themselves caught in the poverty trap. (Italian Poverty and Wealth) Economy Italy has a dive rsified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. The economy is split between the developed industrial belt in the north and a less-developed, agricultural region in the south. According to nominal GDP calculations, Italy was ranked as the seventh largest economy in the world in 2006, behind the United States, Japan, Germany, China, UK, and France, and the fourth largest in Europe. The Economy of Italy) Italy's major exports are precision machinery, motor vehicles, chemicals and electric goods, but the country's more famous exports are food, clothing, and luxury vehicles. With over 37 million tourists a year, Italy is also ranked as the fourth major tourist destination in the world. (The Economy of Italy) Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75 percent of energy requirements are imported. Despite some short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth, the economy experienced low growth in 2006, and unemployment remained at a high level. The Economy of Italy) The currency of Italy is the Euro. Politics Italy has a bicameral parliament consisting of a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate, a separate judiciary, and an executive branch composed of a Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. (The Government in Italy) The President of the Italian Republic heads the armed forces and has powers to veto legislation, disband parliament and call elections. He is elected for seven years by the parliament sitting jointly with a small number of regional delegates. The president nominates the prime minister, who proposes the other ministers.The Council of Ministers must retain the support of both houses. (The Government in Italy) The houses of parliament are popularly and directly elected through a complex electoral system (latest amendment in 2005), which combines proportional representation with a majority prize for the largest coalition. All Italian citizens, who are older than 18, can vote. (The Government in Italy) Former Communist Party member, Giorgio Napolitano, is Italy's 11th President and Romano Prodi, an economist and former academic, is currently Prime Minister. Economy Current Statistics After the end of World War II, Italy was left a ravaged and broken country.Struggling both economically and culturally, a culture that was once dominated by farming now developed into cities. â€Å"Italy has the world's 6th (7th including the  European Union) highest exports,  that of US $546,900,000,000 (est. ) in 2008. Italy, also, is the world's fifth largest industrial goods producer with a US $381 billion output in 2008. † (CIA World Fact Book) Italy has a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of $2. 09 trillion. According to the IMF and World Bank Italy, is the tenth ranking country for purchasing power in the world, based on its purchasing power parity (PPP).The Italian economy’s inflation rate is estimated to be 0. 6 percent. The current exchange rates are euros (Italy’s official currency) per US dollar – 0. 7153 (2009). (CIA World Fact Book) The current interest rate in Italy is 1. 00 percent (2010). (Trading Economics) Despite achievements made since the 1940’s, Italy struggles with growth in the current world wide financial crisis, considering their heavy dependence based on exports and tourism. As the world tightens their belts, Italy’s pockets feel the difference. When adjusted to the U. S concept, their unemployment rate as of April 2010 is 9. percent, making them the fourth highest in the world, with the U. S. at number one with 9. 8 percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Currency While the infrastructures of the Italian market and government have evolved, so has the country’s currency. The original dominant coin, the Florin, was created in the thirteenth century in Florence. Each city-state at the time had differing money system and coins. When the country became unified in 1861, the  Italian lira  became the dominate trade coin. The Italian lira â€Å"was taken out of circulation in 2002. (World Book Encyclopedia) Though the primary currency now used in Italy is the euro, the city of Campione d’Italia uses the Swiss Franc. The European Union countries that currently use the euro as their currency are Italy, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, and Finland. â€Å"Euro banknote denominations for the euro are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500. Coin denominations are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cent and 1 and 2 euro. † (seeitalia) With a history richly based in the arts, it is no surprise that each coin and bill has been created with a uniquely different design and theme.Designs were created by different artists to depict the works of one of the most influential artists, Raphael. The original coin, the euro 2. 00, set the standard and is a depiction of Dante Alighieri (one of Raph ael’s works). Despite attempts to be unique, there are standards required of each coin. Each must have twelve stars to represent the twelve countries unified with this currency. Each must also have the year of imprint under overlapping letters â€Å"RI† for  Repubblica Italiana (meaning Italian Republic). Below this is a letter R, representing Rome.Trading Policies In the 1950’s, Italy helped found the European Community (EC). The European Community consists of four components: the European Coal Community, the Steel Community, the European Atomic Energy Community, and the European Economic Community. Italy was able to strengthen their economy through increased trade with the nations of the European Community. â€Å"In 1993, Italy and the other European Community countries formed the European Union, which works for both economic and political cooperation among its member nations.The European Community was incorporated into the European Union. † (The Worl d Book Encyclopedia) Through trade, preferential trade agreements can be used to build strong relationships. Some trade policies can be used to punish those who do not abide by international law. â€Å"Italy’s trade policy is the same as that of other members of the European Union. The common (EU) weighted average tariff rate was 1. 3 percent in 2008. However, the (EU) has high or escalating tariffs for agricultural and manufacturing products and its most favored nation (MFN) tariff code is complex.Non-tariff barriers reflected in (EU) and Italian policies include agricultural and manufacturing subsidies, quotas, import restrictions and bans for some goods and services, market access restrictions in some services sectors, non-transparent and restrictive regulations and standards, and inconsistent regulatory and customs administration among (EU) members. † (2010 INDEX of ECONOMIC FREEDOM) Trading Partners As most countries do, Italy relies on international trade to help sustain their economy.Italy depends a great deal on imports such as food, machinery, metals, motor vehicles, petroleum, and textile yarns. â€Å"Italy’s principal trading partner is Germany. Other leading trading partners include Belgium, France, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. † (The World Book Encyclopedia) Because Italy is such a mountainous region, farming and cultivation are very difficult. While the majority of exports are chemicals and machinery, Italy is known for such world class luxury brand as Prada, Armani, Versace, Valentine, and Maserati.Trade Agreements Italy has often led the way for European economic development and international integration. For example, Italy has a membership in several trade agreements. â€Å"Under the European Free-Trade Association (EFTA) member states constitute an enlarged single market. The European Economic Area (EEA) extends (EU) commercial law to the (EFTA) states, thereby providing for the f ree circulation of goods, services, capital and labor, giving businesses the right to establish themselves or subsidiaries throughout the (EEA).Other commercially significant international agreements include numerous tax treaties. † (Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada) â€Å"Italy was admitted to the United Nations in 1955 and is a member and strong supporter of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World Trade Organization (GATT/WTO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Council of Europe. † (U. S.Department of State) In 2009, Italy was the president of the G8 Summit held in L’Aquila, Italy. Member of the G8 Summit have come together annually since 1975 to discuss and debate important economic issues on the global agenda . The G8 member countries are Italy, Canada, the Russian Federation, France, Ger many, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Dominant Industries ; Companies Italy’s massive post World War II trend toward the industrialization of its nation has changed due to the recent global recession.High unemployment rates exist, and a lack of natural resources has slowed the industrial growth of Italy dramatically. â€Å"Three state-holding companies have played a large role in industry: ENI (National Hydrocarbon Agency), IRI (Industrial Reconstruction Institute), and EFIM (Agency for Participation and Financing of Manufacturing Industry). † (Encyclopedia of the Nations) The economic situation of the world has deeply affected these companies. As of 2001, IRI became dismantled, and ENI sold stakes in the company in an attempt to eliminate high debt.Despite economic difficulties, iron and steel, food processing (including olive oil, wine, and cheese), textiles, footwear, and ceramics remain thriving Italian industries. â€Å"The bulk of industry is c oncentrated in the northwest, in the Milan-Turin-Genoa industrial triangle. The government has made concerted efforts to attract industry to the underdeveloped southeast. (Encyclopedia of the Nations) Several major successful private companies include the Fiat automobile company, the Olivetti company (office computers and telecommunications), the Montedison chemical firm, and the Pirelli rubber company. Encyclopedia of the Nations) Italy is home of some of the world’s most popular fashion designers. â€Å"Black Market† Transactions Despite its relatively high standard of living, problems with crime and the existence of a ‘black market’ exist in Italy. The estimated black market value is around $111. 05 billion. Unfortunately, these markets are everywhere. Usually these markets target tourists by selling fake designer goods such as Prada, Armani, and Versace. Italy is also a breeding ground for organized crime. Due to high unemployment rates, mobsters have found a cheap workforce within the recently unemployed.Taking advantage of the economic situation in Italy, the mafia has struck it rich using any and all means of crime to turn a profit. â€Å"It is estimated the mob’s joint turnover last year at 135 billion euros, topped by trafficking in drugs, people, weapons and contraband worth just under 68 billion euros. Second came â€Å"business† interests like public contracts, gambling, forgeries and supplying illegal labor at 25 billion euros, then extortion and loan sharking at 25 billion euros. † (Reuters) The Italian mafia is big business, and would possibly be the largest company in Italy – if it was one.Unless the Italian government can intervene, huge amounts of revenue will continue to be lost due to arms trafficking, drug sales, counterfeit, piracy, Ecstasy, human trafficking, and trash smuggling. Standard Operating Practices Conducting Business in General As a business manager wishing to conduct busi ness in Italy or with Italian businesses, having a good understanding about how the country conducts business can yield many benefits. Demonstrating your understanding of their culture and background information will help you refine your approach and be more appealing to them. Spend time reviewing the company dynamics.Italy has a large portion of small and medium sized companies financed primarily by families. As such, the center of influence and decision making typically happens in upper management, which is likely to be staffed by family members. It is also important to know that the time spent on cultivating a relationship is equally as worthwhile an investment as knowing the culture. It serves to position you ahead of competitors that may not have done their homework on the nuisances of the Italian business and culture. Italian style should also be noted as it something not taken very lightly. Italians are very fashionable.You will be judged by your dress code, including accesso ries and how you carry yourself. It’s a first impression and a lasting one. You must look the part to garner the respect you seek and expect. Business dress does vary between industries and formality can go from suits and ties to somewhat less formal attire. Managers tend to be well groomed with tailored quality clothing. In an ever changing business and cultural world, Italians do not have high regard for in-depth long term planning. It is viewed as a waste of time and at most they will commit to very high level plans and leave room for flexibility and growth.Foreign women can do business without great difficulty in Italy. Being a woman may even be considered an advantage in some circumstances. Statistically speaking, only 38 percent of Italian women under the age of 65 are in the labor market — one of the lowest percentages in Western Europe. Few Italian women hold managerial positions. The Italians are generally not inhibited when interacting with the opposite sex. Flirtation is part of the spirit of life in Italy. Business Entry Strategies Entering the Italian market can be accomplished in two simple steps. The first is planning.You should complete extensive research of the market and develop a thoughtful business plan. Second, leverage the U. S. and Foreign Commercial Service (US;FCS) trade events in Italy. The US;FCS Service Program facilitates companies testing the Italian market through an inexpensive agent/distributor dynamic. Participating in the trade events is not only about exposure, but potential sales based on relationships that are seeded. As noted previously, rapport and trusting relationships is a great benefit when doing business in Italy. The trade events can lend themselves to exposing companies to other countries in addition to Italy. http://findarticles. com) Relationships are critically important. From relationships, cooperation can be established for business success. Verbal communication and how articulate you are is muc h more heavily weighted than written communication. It is highly beneficial to brush up on your speaking skills for clarity and conciseness. Conducting Meetings In Italy, meetings are to be scheduled in writing two or three weeks in advance and followed up with a phone call to confirm the details. Depending on what region you are in, punctuality relevance may vary.In northern Italy, punctuality is a virtue and your business associates will likely be on time. You should be early or on time, unless you have a good excuse for tardiness. Whatever materials you have to present should be in print form in both English and Italian. Another cultural influence is how meetings are managed. Meetings are generally informal and the smaller the group the less formality exercised. Agendas tend to be flexible as the meetings are highly interactive due to participant engagement, not to mention that there are multiple streams of conversations going on.There may also be changes in audience members or p articipants throughout the meeting. It is important to start meetings with small talk to get to know your Italian peer otherwise you are viewed as being weak. A few safe conversational topics would be around Italian culture, food, family, movies, wine and art. You should make sure to pay special attention to the eldest person at an Italian business function. If you are expecting negotiations to occur, this is another area that differs by region. Northern Italians are more direct and see time as money.They want to get down to business immediately following brief small talk. However, in the southern part of the country, people tend to be more leisurely and rely on personal relationship development to know who they are doing business with. It is ill-advised to use high pressure sales tactics but you may need to indulge in some haggling over price and delivery. (www. worldbusinessculture. com) You should have a clear understanding of who the authority figures or decision makers are in t he company and for the business transaction you are trying to negotiate.You may expect to have some dialogue with stakeholders and influence a favorable decision, but frequently the decisions are made prior to the â€Å"formal† meeting with a smaller group of people to hash out the deal. Essentially, in order to be able to influence the group and the outcome, you will need to be present in the pre-meeting to provide perspective. Before the pre-meeting, the stakeholders would have likely had the information in hand and have had time to review at their leisure, prior to making any decisions in the pre-meeting. It is acceptable to give out business cards while in business meetings, but not in social settings.Many Italians carry two different cards one for business and the other with personal information for less formal relationships. Business cards are exchanged only at the first meeting and should be a hand to hand exchange with the intended recipient. Do not give a business ca rd to the same person more than once. (www. kwintessential. co. uk) You should make sure to pay special attention to the eldest person present at a business function. Business Etiquette Italian culture is inviting and personal, thus when talking, people are up close and personal.While respecting someone’s personal space is preferred in the American culture, in Italy any attempt to create space or distance from the person or people you are talking to is seen as disrespectful and rude. Handshakes are common for both men and women and may also include grasping the arm with the other hand. You will shake hands both coming and departing from your company. As the relationship develops, the greeting may grow to an embrace and air kisses on the both sides of the cheeks. (www. ehow. com) Formal names and titles should be used until you are invited to use first names.Generally in business women will use their maiden names for business and legal affairs, but outside of business they may use their married name or combination of married and maiden name. (www. ediplomat. com) When talking, maintain eye contact with the person or persons you are speaking with, otherwise you will be perceived as hiding something or being deceptive. (www. ediplomat. com) Time Orientation When scheduling meetings, timely starts are important, but it is understood that situations arise that will need attention and interfere with punctuality.Meetings should be avoided during the month of August, as that is a time of national holidays and many companies will be low on staff. In terms of optimal meeting times, it is best to schedule meetings between 10 – 11 AM and after 3 pm. (www. ehow. com) You should also make note of time zone differences when making contact by telephone. Italy’s time is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) +1, which is equivalent to five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST). Gifts/Incentives You should follow some general guidelines for gift giving. Refrain fro m giving a business gift until you receive one first.Gifts are expected for social events, especially to express your thanks after you have been invited to a dinner party at a home. Gifts are usually opened at the time they are given and received. Your gift should be a prestigious brand name that is at the same time small and not obviously expensive. Gifts of alcohol or crafts from your own country are often good choices. If you want to give a gift to someone who has been particularly helpful around the office, good choices include fine pens, a framed print/picture, silver key chains, or calculators.Regardless, make sure your gift is a reputable name-brand! Secretaries generally appreciate a gift of flowers or chocolates. If you are invited to a home, bring gift-wrapped chocolates or flowers. Never give an even number of flowers. Do not give chrysanthemums; they are acceptable only for funerals. Moreover, red roses are reserved for romantic occasions. If you are invited to a home an d decide to give wine, buy a good vintage. Bring one or two (maximum) bottles. A good wine or spirit from your country could be an excellent choice as Italians are interested in learning about other countries.If you bring a present from your home country, be ready with a short description of what it is and why you have chosen it [e. g. it is from your home town and has an interesting and unique way of being made, etc]. If you are staying with a family, good gift selections can include coffee table books about your home country, or anything that reflects the interests of your hosts and is representative of your country. Holiday cards can be appropriate, particularly as an expression of thanks to your business associates. Ensure that your cards are mailed in time to be received a week before Christmas.Card sending is not very common in Italy, so your card will be received with interest. There are some gifts to avoid giving to Italian business associates. These include gifts showcasing your company's logo, brooches and handkerchiefs (these items are associated with funerals), gifts wrapped in black and gold paper (traditionally, these are the colors of mourning) or purple (this color is considered a symbol of bad luck), and knives or any other type of sharp object–such items may be interpreted to suggest the severing of a friendship or other close bond. www. 1worldglobalgifts. com) Legal Issues FITA provides this chart to explain the legal forms of companies in Italy: |Form |Number of |Minimum and/or maximum capital |Liability |Registration fee |Release of | | |partners/shareholders | | |financial | | | | | | |documents | |Societa a responsabilita |No minimum |Minimum 10,000 â‚ ¬, totally subscribed |Liability is limited|About 100 â‚ ¬ |No | |limitata (SRL) is a |nb: 1 partner for a sole |and released up to 3/10 at the |to the amount | | | |Private Limited Company. proprietorship. |creation. |contributed. | | | |Societa per azioni (SpA) |Minimum 2 sh areholders. |Minimum 100,000 â‚ ¬, totally subscribed|Liability is limited|About 1,000 â‚ ¬ | | |is a Public Limited | |and released up to 3/10 at the |to the amount | | | |Company. | |creation. Their liability is limited |contributed. | | | | |to the amount contributed. | | | | |Societa in nome Colletivo| | |Partners' liability |Lower expenses | | |(SNC) is a general |Minimum 2 partners |No minimum capital. |is joint and |compared with Private |No | |partnership. | | |several. Limited Company | | |Societa in Accomanditari |Two types of partners: |No minimum capital. |Liability of active |Lower expenses as |No | |Semplice(SAS) is a |active partners and | |partners is |compared to a Private | | |limited partnership. |sleeping partners. | |unlimited |Limited Company | | |Societa Cooperativa (SC) |Minimum 9 partners |No minimum capital. Liability is limited|Lower expenses as |No | |is a co-operative company| | |or unlimited |compared to a Private | | | | | |depending on the |Limi ted Company | | | | | |status. | | | According to the FITA website, Italy encourages the development of small and medium sized businesses and promotes jobs creation.Companies receive incentives through grants and tax exemptions if they are working in sectors of decline. Registration and licensing status must be drawn up in a deed by the solicitor. They must be introduced within 30 days with the register of companies, then with the Commercial Court of the province where the company will be located. A registration with the local Chamber of Commerce is also required, as well as a notice in the official journal of advertisements. These formalities take about 4 weeks. (www. fita. org) SWOT Analysis Strengths |Weaknesses | |   |   | |Tourism |Slow Developing Capitalist Economy | |Cotton Commodity |Declining Birth Rate | |Textiles Industry |High Debt Level | |European Union Member |Fiscal Budget Deficit | |   |Unskilled Workers | |   |   | |   |   | |Opportunities |Threats | |   |   | |Jobs Yielded From Tourism |Unemployment | |Jobs Yielded From Cotton |Poverty |High Investment Flow Potential |Potentially Insurmountable Debt | |High Export Country |   | |   |   | STRENGTHS Tourism â€Å"Rome, Venice, and Florence are the top three destinations for tourism in Italy. Other major tourist locations include Turin, Milan, Naples, Padua, Bologna, Perugia, Genoa, Sicily, Sardinia, Salento, and Cinque Terre. Two factors in each of these locations are history and geography. The Roman Empire, middle ages, and renaissance have left many cultural artifacts for the Italian tourist industry to use. Many northern cities are also able to use the Alps as an attraction for winter sports, while coastal southern cities have the Mediterranean Sea to draw tourists looking for sun.Italy is home to forty three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, more than any other country, including many entire cities such as Verona, Siena, Vicenza, Ferrara, San Gimignano, and Urbino. Rave nna hosts an unprecedented eight different internationally recognized sites. Italy is a true open-air museum with 65 percent of the world's artworks and historical monuments. † (Korea Times) Cotton Commodity † Cotton is a the fiber grown to make yarn, thread and a textile called â€Å"cotton† that is the most widely used natural fiber cloth in the world. Cotton’s long term growth potential is moderately favorable due to low scores on short supply and substitute products. † (Wiki Wealth) Textile Industry â€Å"The Italian textile and clothing industry is unique, lively, innovative, and leader in the world.Its innovation ability represents its main and most lasting competitive advantage. The â€Å"mission† of the Italian fashion system lies in offering original and very distinctive products, which meanwhile answer to consumer’s taste and meet his needs. This also implies a continuous improvement in technical performances of fibers, yarns, fabrics, and finishing. The success of the whole chain – from the first processes on fibers to fabrics, finishing operations, and final products for the market – is favored by the interaction of a sophisticated manufacturing network, where the strength of each element is at the same time a condition and a function of the vitality of the whole system.This dynamic combination of productive, creative, and managing activities involves about 67,500 industrial companies with large, medium, and even very small scale operations. This unique mix still turns out to be the main point of strength of Italian T/C industry, whose about 540,000 employees contribute to roughly 10 percent of the manufacturing sector’s added value. The strong export trend of the T/C industry is shown by the turnover share totalized abroad, amounting to 62 percent of total sales. The significant flow of exports ensures a foreign trade surplus of about 12 billion Euros, which compensate, to a large extent, the country’s deficit in energy and agriculture.Besides the value which can be measured in figures, Italian fashion, strongly founded on T/C, has enormously contributed to the definition of the ideas of Italian â€Å"good taste† and â€Å"life quality†, with positive effects on Italian products all over the world† (Slide Share) European Union Member â€Å"The European Union (EU) is a political and economic community of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Europe. It was established in 1993 by the Treaty of Maastricht, adding new areas of policy to the existing European Community founded in 1957. With almost 500  million citizens the EU is generating an estimated 33 percent share of the world's nominal gross domestic product (US$16. 6 trillion) in 2007.The EU comprises a single market created by a system of laws which apply in all member states, guaranteeing the freedom of movement of people, goods, services and capital. Fifteen memb er states have adopted a common currency, the euro. Passport control between many members has been abolished under the Schengen Agreement. The EU maintains common trade and agricultural policies, and a regional development policy. It has developed a role in foreign and security policies, and in justice and home affairs. The EU represents its members in the World Trade Organization and attends at G8 summits and at the United Nations. Twenty-one EU countries are members of NATO. The functioning of the EU involves a hybrid of government and supranational.Particularly the need for moderation of the single market has prompted the establishment of bodies capable of making decisions without the consent of national governments. The exact distribution of competences between member states and Union is explicitly defined in the proposed Treaty of Lisbon. Important institutions and bodies of the EU include the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Court of Justice , the European Central Bank, and the European Parliament which citizens elect every five years. † (EU School) WEAKNESSES Slow Developing Capitalist Economy â€Å"The Italian economy has changed dramatically since the end of World War II.From an agriculturally based economy, it has developed into an industrial state ranked as the world's fifth-largest industrial economy. Italy belongs to the Group of Eight (G-8) industrialized nations; it is a member of the European Union and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Italy has few natural resources. With much of the land unsuited for farming, it is a net food importer. There are no substantial deposits of iron, coal, or oil. Proven natural gas reserves, mainly in the Po Valley and offshore Adriatic, have grown in recent years and constitute the country's most important mineral resource. Most raw materials needed for manufacturing and more than 80 percent of the country's energy sources are imported.Ital y's economic strength is in the processing and the manufacturing of goods, primarily in small and medium-sized family-owned firms. Its major industries are precision machinery, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electric goods, and fashion and clothing. Italy continues to grapple with budget deficits and high public debt–2. 6 percent and 105. 9 percent of GDP for 2008, respectively. Italy joined the European Monetary Union in 1998 by signing the Stability and Growth Pact, and as a condition of this Euro zone membership, Italy must keep its budget deficit beneath a 3 percent ceiling. The Italian Government has found it difficult to bring the budget deficit down to a level that would allow a rapid decrease of that debt.The worsening of the economic situation is expected to jeopardize this effort. The deficit is expected to grow well above the 3 percent ceiling in 2009 and 2010. Italy's economic growth averaged only 0. 8 percent in the period 2001-2008; 2008 GDP decreas ed 1. 0 percent, largely due to the global economic crisis and its impact on exports and domestic demand. GDP is expected to contract further, with a huge decrease in 2009 (ranging from 2 percent to 3 percent) as the Euro zone and world economies slow. Italy's closest trade ties are with the other countries of the European Union, with whom it conducts about 60. 1 percent of its total trade (2007 data).Italy's largest EU trade partners, in order of market share, are Germany (12. 9 percent), France (11. 4 percent), and the United Kingdom (5. 8 percent). Italy continues to grapple with the effects of globalization, where certain countries (notably China) have eroded the Italian lower-end industrial product sector. The Italian economy is also affected by a large underground economy–worth some 27 percent of Italy’s GDP. This production is not subject, of course, to taxation and thus remains a source of lost revenue to the local and central government. † (Travel Docs) Declining Birth Rate â€Å"Italy, as we all know, is the world center of the Catholic Church.Strangely, in spite of its deep-rooted Catholic culture and tradition, it has today changed into a nation having the second lowest birth rates in Europe, next only to Spain. At 1. 2 per woman that means one child per woman, according to Global Agenda Magazine. It was brought out in an article in April 2004 in the Sunday Telegraph that Sweden's Birth rate was close to Italy's though 50 percent higher. In order to arrest this situation, the Italian Government started offering 1,000 Euros to every woman who had a second child. Other traditionally Catholic nations, like Ireland and France, have the highest and second highest birth rates in Europe.Even Sweden has a 50 percent higher birth rate in comparison to Italy. These increased numbers may be due to better government-controlled child and health care facilities as well as incentives for families that have more children. † (Trans4Mind) High Debt Level â€Å"Italy’s public debt, the highest among the 27 nations of the European Union, rose last year as the economy contracted the most in more than 30 years, the country’s central bank said today. The debt climbed to 105. 8 percent of gross domestic product from 103. 5 in December 2007, the Bank of Italy said in a faxed statement. The debt reached 108. 1 percent of GDP in January 2009, the central bank also said. Italy will contract 2. percent in 2009 after shrinking 1 percent last year, Bank of Italy’s deputy director general, Ignacio Viscous, said on March 4. The budget deficit rose in 2008 to 2. 7 percent of GDP, the Rome-based national statistics office, Istat, said on March2. This year’s budget deficit will widen to 3. 7 percent of GDP and overall debt will soar to 110. 5 percent of output from 105. 9 percent, the government forecast on Feb. 9. Italy should raise the retirement age for women as a way to stop pension costs from increasi ng, European Union finance ministers said on March 10. As pensioners become a larger part of the population, falling tax receipts and increased government spending threaten to swell the overall debt. † (Italian Economy) Fiscal Budget Deficit Italy’s government cut its economic growth forecasts for this year and next, citing a â€Å"more contained† recovery in exports than in other European nations, and also raised its debt projections. Gross domestic product will rise 1 percent in 2010 and 1. 5 percent in 2011, down respectively from the 1. 1 percent and 2 percent predicted in January, according to the forecast included in a document posted on the Finance Ministry’s website today. The government raised its debt forecast to 118. 4 percent of GDP this year and 118. 7 percent next year, from a previous prediction of 116. 9 percent and 116. 5 percent, respectively. This month, the European Commission forecast Italian debt of 118. percent of GDP this year and 1 18. 9 percent in 2011. † (Italian Economy) Unskilled Workforce â€Å"Unemployment is a regional issue in Italy–low in the north, high in the south. The overall national rate is at its lowest level since 1992. Chronic problems of inadequate infrastructure, corruption, and organized crime act as disincentives to investment and job creation in the south. A significant underground economy absorbs substantial numbers of people, but they work for low wages and without standard social benefits and protections. Women and youth have significantly higher rates of unemployment than do men. Unions claim to represent 40 percent of the work force.Most Italian unions are grouped in four major confederations: the General Italian Confederation of Labor (CGIL), the Italian Confederation of Workers' Unions (CISL), the Italian Union of Labor (UIL), and the General Union of Labor (UGL), which together claim 35 percent of the work force. These confederations formerly were associated with im portant political parties or currents, but they have evolved into fully autonomous, professional bodies. The CGIL, CISL, and UIL are affiliated with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and customarily coordinate their positions before confronting management or lobbying the government. The confederations have had an important consultative role on national social and economic issues. † (Travel Docs) OPPORTUNITIES Jobs Yielded from Tourism â€Å"With more than 43. 7 million tourists a year, Italy ranks fourth among tourists destination in the world.People mainly come to Italy for its rich art, cuisine, history, fashion and culture, it's beautiful coastline and beaches, its mountains, and priceless ancient monuments, especially those from the Greek civilization and Roman civilization. Tourism is one of Italy's fastest growing and most profitable industrial sectors, with an estimated revenue of $42. 7 billion. † (Tourism In Italy) Jobs Yielded from C otton † Cotton is a the fiber grown to make yarn, thread and a textile called â€Å"cotton† that is the most widely used natural fiber cloth in the world. Cotton’s long term growth potential is moderately favorable due to low scores on short supply and substitute products. † (Cotton Commodity)High Investment Flow Potential Italy welcomes and encourages foreign direct investment, but the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi that took office in April 2008 has taken only modest steps toward structural economic reform that could increase investment, business creation, production and employment. Economic policymakers have been mainly preoccupied addressing the effects on Italy of the severe global economic downturn. The GOI has focused on measures to stimulate aggregate demand and demand for products of sensitive sectors such as autos and household durable goods. In early 2009 the government adopted additional modest fiscal incentives for companies, fo reign ones included, investing in research and some new equipment, and temporarily eliminated a small surtax on firms. As an EU Member State, Italy is bound by EU treaties and legislation, some of which have an impact on business investment.Under the EU treaty’s right of establishment, Italy is generally obliged to provide national treatment to foreign investors established in Italy or in another EU member state. Exceptions include access to government subsidies for the film industry, capital requirements for banks domiciled in non-EU member countries, and restrictions on non-EU-based airlines operating domestic routes. Italy also has investment restrictions in the shipping sector. EU and Italian anti-trust laws give EU and Italian authorities the right to review mergers and acquisitions over a certain financial threshold. The government may block mergers involving foreign firms for â€Å"reasons essential to the national economy† or if the home government of the forei gn firm applies discriminatory measures against Italian firms.Foreign investors in the defense or aircraft manufacturing sectors are likely to encounter an opaque process and resistance from the many ministries charged with approving foreign acquisitions of existing assets or firms, most of which are controlled to some degree by the para-statal defense conglomerate Finmeccanica. The EU in 2009 ordered the GOI to recover from a US investor previously agreed subsidies for electricity. The GOI had provided these subsidies to induce the investor to keep two plants operating in Italy. The fate of the plants is up in the air, pending the GOI finding an acceptable mechanism to make energy available to the investor at a market-comparable price, i. e. , close to the median cost of electricity in other western European countries. † (Investment Climate) High Export Country â€Å"The demand for Italian products is at an all time high.Italy has become known for niche products, including f ashion eye-wear, specialized machine tools, packaging, stylish furniture, and other products featuring high design. Italy produced 1,579,656 automobiles in 2001, a 9 percent drop from 2000. It also manufactured 42,618 heavy trucks in 2000. The construction industry stands to gain in importance in the early 2000s, as Italy's less-developed regions are slated for infrastructure development. † (Industry in Italy) THREATS Unemployment â€Å"Unemployment is a regional issue in Italy–low in the north, high in the south. The overall national rate is at its lowest level since 1992. Chronic problems of inadequate infrastructure, corruption, and organized crime act as disincentives to investment and job creation in the south.A significant underground economy absorbs substantial numbers of people, but they work for low wages and without standard social benefits and protections. Women and youth have significantly higher rates of unemployment than do men. Unions claim to represent 40 percent of the work force. Most Italian unions are grouped in four major confederations: the General Italian Confederation of Labor (CGIL), the Italian Confederation of Workers' Unions (CISL), the Italian Union of Labor (UIL), and the General Union of Labor (UGL), which together claim 35 percent of the work force. These confederations formerly were associated with important political parties or currents, but they have evolved into fully autonomous, professional bodies.The CGIL, CISL, and UIL are affiliated with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and customarily coordinate their positions before confronting management or lobbying the government. The confederations have had an important consultative role on national social and economic issues. † (Travel Docs) Poverty â€Å"More than one in 25 Italians lived in absolute poverty before the latest recession hit the country as difficulty in entering the labor market made it hard for people to reach an a cceptable living standard. The number of Italians living below the level of absolute poverty reached 2. 4 million in 2007, statistics office Istat said today. That’s equivalent to 4. 1 percent of the population, up from 3. percent in 2006, the Rome-based statistics agency said in a report today. The absolute poverty threshold is based on a basket of necessary goods and services rather than on average household consumption, as in relative poverty.Italy entered its fourth recession since 2001 in the third quarter of last year as the global financial crisis aggravated the effects of waning productivity, prompting companies including Fiat Spa, Italy’s biggest manufacturer, and Luxottica Group Spa, the world’s largest eyeglasses maker, to cut jobs. Earlier this year, the government gave 1 million of the poorest pensioners and 300,000 of the lowest-paid employees shopping cards inspired by the U. S. subsidy program known as food stamps. The position of family members in the labor market is clearly related to whether the family is under the level of absolute poverty,† Istat said. â€Å"The most serious problems arise when no family member is employed or when a worker has retired and has no current or past income from employment; 20. 5 percent of people in this situation are in absolute poverty. † † (Italian Economy) Potentially Insurmountable Debt â€Å"Fears are mounting that Italy will be the next European country to be hit by the sovereign debt crisis, which has seen Greece’s credit rating slashed to junk. Markets believe Italy will be the next Euro zone country to see its credit rating downgraded due to its high levels of debt and weak economy.Were that to happen, it would severely impact Italy’s ability to borrow money and finance its operations. The panic in financial markets started with Greece – struggling to repay its creditors due to massive debts, low tax receipts, messy public finances and an a iling economy. † (Fears for Italy) Conclusion Global expansion to Italy should be favorable, especially among companies that can contribute to the country’s already booming tourism industries. Companies that specialize in economies of scale in production of textiles, precision machinery, chemicals, electric goods, food, and clothing could locate production facilities in this country. Jobs provided to unemployed workers would make up for the increased competition with domestic companies.Businesses could enter the Italian market and provide jobs to unemployed workers. This might persuade many younger citizens to turn away from crime and the mafia. These workers could then learn employment skills and earn an income to support their families. Unemployment rates would improve, and the workforce would be much more skilled and have more discretionary income per family. There are many strengths and opportunities to take advantage of, such as Italy’s membership in the EU, and the potential to create jobs. Although Italy is considered to currently be in a recession, it is not expected to last very much longer. Italy has experienced strong growth throughout various periods of time.Italians still continue to hold fast o their strong cultural values, and business is expected to continue to prosper. If the decision to expand business within Italy is made, the optimal mode of entry would be to enter the country with production facilities of goods that are not overly expensive. Italy has seen a decline in production of expensive luxury items such as the Fiat and various fashion designer items. It would be beneficial to a company entering the host country of Italy to consider the current status of the worldwide economy and Italy’s unmanageable high debt. It may be preferred to delay entering the Italian market until the temporary recession the country is in passes. Governments ay still block mergers and acquisitions, so a method of entry may be a Gre enfield operation, where the company enters the foreign market as a new operation.References Killinger, Charles. (2002). The History of Italy. Greenwood Pub Group. Hearder, H. (1990). Italy: A Short History. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Italy. (2010, June 15). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Italy Amyot, G. (2004). Business, The State and Economic Policy – The Case of Italy. New York, NY: 2004. Members of the EU – Italy. (2010, June 15). Retrieved from http://europa. eu/abc/european_countries/eu_members/italy/index_en. htm Ecomony of Italy. (2010, June 15). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Italy