Week Four Assignment Essay Example for Free

Week Four Assignment Essay All Americans regardless of their economic standing in the community deserve access to essential and quality preventative, and primary healthcare. Those Americans who currently fall under the â€Å"publicly insured† category (Medicaid), and the medically uninsured, are at similar risk for delayed or non-existent required medical care. Establishing a free, 24 hour accessible Shelby County Primary Care Clinic would eliminate patient medical care delay, and result in large scale overall savings in projected annual medical care costs. (So You Want to Start a Health Center?, 2011) The advantage of free and charitable medical clinics vs. federally funded medical clinics reaches beyond the access to quality care component. Free and charitable clinics are at a financial advantage typically, due to many varying factors. Federally funded clinics fall under the financial responsibility of Federal Government grants, Medicare, state government/Medicaid reimbursement, insurance payers, self-pay, public and private gifts and grants. Free and charitable clinics are financially supported by grants and donations, exclusively. Volunteers provide most if not all primary care, specialty care, dental care and vision care which eliminates a direct savings of 1.28 million for future healthcare costs. (Comparison of Free Charitable Clinics to Federally Funded Clinics, n.d.) The Shelby County community has a longstanding history of community members that struggle to afford basic primary healthcare. Majority of those who reside in this area work non-union, blue-collar jobs that do not provide â€Å"sick† time or the ability to take time off to meet medical needs. Oftentimes, a community member will make just above the poverty level each month to ensure they do not qualify for Medicaid/Medicare, but not enough to afford the standard monthly costs  of medical insurance. Medical issues that could easily be resolved with one or two primary care appointments, end up becoming a medical emergency often times of high expense. The establishment of a 24 hour accessible free medical clinic in the Shelby County comm unity, physically accessible to all, would provide the necessary gap-fill for those who aren’t Medicaid/Medicare applicable. (Why Free Medical Clinics Benefit Everyone, n.d.) Many prepatory considerations must be made in order to ensure the successful establishment and functioning of any free medical clinic. Support of local area hospitals is essential, in order to provide the ancillary services needed such as lab work, radiology/x-rays, and medical providers willing to volunteer both for services provided, and to be members of the respective clinic Board. An acceptable and effective business and strategic plan must be developed and in place prior to the establishment of any free medical clinic. Volunteer staff need to be abreast of all HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations, and the process of credentialing providers, in order to fall under the established medical legal guidelines. A Standard of Clinic Operating Procedures must be created and in place, prior to any clinic operations actually occurring, so all volunteers are educated in the many facets of their job responsibilities and clinic procedures. (OhioFreeClinics.o rg, n.d.) (So You Want to Start a Health Center?, 2011) The result of providing free medical care for those in need is not simply an improved medical and physical state, however important this factor is. The result of preventative care that comes from regular primary care appointments, can eliminate the crowding of emergency rooms for primary care issues such as blood pressure, common colds, asthma (non- emergent) and diabetes (maintenance). When â€Å"standard† primary care issues are managed with education, medication and follow up, patients are stable to live and work without issue. Patients who can afford care are not charged increased amounts to cover for the loss of those who need care, and cannot pay. Businesses avoid losing millions of dollars a year that typically result from productivity loss, due to illness and medical emergency. (Why Free Medical Clinics Benefit Everyone, n.d.) (Kiesel, 2013) Shelby County would not only benefit financially with the implementation of a free medical clinic, but the overall quality of life for those who reside in this county would improve exponentially. Families will no longer have to panic when a  child becomes sick or injured, and does not qualify for Medicaid/Medicare. Businesses do not lose valuable man-hours due to illnesses not treated and managed, resulting in time off work. Pregnant mothers have access to medical care and choices outside of the Medicaid/Medicare system. The positive results coming from this potential endeavor are not just immediate or financial, but continue and expand over time, in the improvement of life in Shelby County as a whole. (Why Free Medical Clinics Benefit Everyone, n.d.) References Comparison of Free Charitable Clinics to Federally Funded Clinics. (n.d.). Retrieved from NAFC: http://nafcclinics.org/sites/default/files/Comparison%20of%20Free%20clinics%20to%20FQHS%202012.pdf Kiesel, L. (2013, December 26). Free Medical Clinics Might Save Millions. Retrieved from The Street: http://www.thestreet.com/story/12176795/1/free-medical-clinics-might-save-millions.html OhioFreeClinics.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from Starting a Free Clinic/A Volunteers in Health Care Guide: http://www.ohiofreeclinics.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/VIHStartingFreeClinic.pdf So You Want to Start a Health Center? (2011, July). Retrieved from NACH: http://www.nachc.com/client/documents/So%20you%20want%20to%20Start-Final%20July%202011.pdf Understanding Health Information Privacy. (n.d.). Retrieved from HHS.gov: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/ Why Free Medical Clinics Benefit Everyone. (n.d.). Retrieved from Friendship Medical Clinic: http://www.friendshipmedicalclinic.org/about /benefit.html

A Non Excusable Delay Construction Essay

A Non Excusable Delay Construction Essay 2.1 Introduction In this chapter, I will discuss types, causes and effects of delay of project in the construction industry. Besides that, I will also discuss the method to minimize the delays happening in construction industry 2.2 Type of Delay In construction industry, there are the categories of delays used in determining delay damage as shown in table 2.1 Delay Concurrent Delay Excusable Delay Non-Excusable Delay Entitlement for time Compensable Non-compensable Figure 2.1 Types of Delay 2.2.1 Excusable delays Excusable delay as define a delay that is due to an unforeseeable event beyond the contractors or the subcontractors control. Usually, based on common general provisions in public agency specifications, delay resulting from the following events would be considered excusable such as fires, floods, owner-directed changes, errors and omissions in the contract drawing, unusually severe weather and etc. Excusable delays can be further classified into excusable with compensation and excusable without compensation. (Ibnu Abbas Majid,2006) 2.2.1.1 Excusable with compensation Compensation delays are caused by the owner or the owners agents. An example of this would be the drawings late release from the owners architect. An excusable, compensable delay normally leads to a schedule extension and exposes the owner to financial damages claimed by the contractor. In this scenario, the contractor incurs additional indirect costs for both extended field office and home office overhead and unabsorbed home office overhead. (Abdul Hamid Kadir Pakir 2009) 2.2.1.2 Excusable delays without compensation Non-compensable delays are caused by third parties or incidents beyond the control of both the owner and the contractor. Examples typically include acts of God, unusual weather, strikes, fires, acts of government in its sovereign capacity, etc. In this case, the contractor is normally entitled to claim extension of time but no compensation for delay damages. (Abdul Hamid Kadir Pakir 2009) 2.2.2 Non-excusable delays Non-excusable delays are cause by lack of performance of the contractor on the construction project. This delay can be cause by underestimates of productivity, improper project planning and scheduling, poor site management and supervision, wrong construction methods, equipment breakdowns, unreliable subcontractors or suppliers. Therefore, it is contractor responsibilities to continue their work with no entitlement to claim for extension of time or delay damages until they completed the project. For instance, a contractor failure to provide an adequate material to completed their job. 2.2.3 Concurrent Delay Concurrent delay is a problem that happening on most of the construction industry project. This issue arises when two or more delaying event at the same time in a project cannot complete on time. In this situation, both owner and contractor are responsible for the delay. Commonly concurrent delays which involve any two or more excusable delays result in extension of time. When excusable with compensation and non-excusable delays are concurrent, an extension of time can be issued or the delay can be distribution between the owner and the contractor. Concurrent delay can be categories in three types of delays: If excusable and non-excusable delays occur concurrently, the contractor only to allow claim for extension of time: If excusable with compensation and excusable without compensation delays occur concurrently, the contractor is entitle to claim extension of time but no delay damages: If two excusable with compensation delays occur concurrently, the contractor is entitled to claim extension of time and delay damages. For instance, a concurrent delay would be if the owner failure to give more detail regarding either using ceramic tile or homogeneous tile for toilet floor finishes. But at the same time contractor made with own decision and using ceramic tile for toilet floor finishes but actually owner plan using homogeneous tile. In this situation, the contractor cannot claim for damages. It is because contractor is not follow owner instruction but he can claim for extension of time with owner failure to give more detail of drawing 2.3 Cause of delay Bramble and Callahan (1987) have defined that ; a delay is the time during which some part of the construction project has been extended or not performed due to an unanticipated circumstance. An incident of delay can originate from within the contractors organization or from any of the other factors interfacing upon construction Project. Some projects are only a few days behind the schedule; some are delayed over a year. So it is essential to define the actual causes of delay in order to minimize and avoid the delays in any construction project. Many and various studies were carried to assess the causes of delays in construction projects. Assaf et al., (1995) surveyed the causes of delay in large building construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The most important causes of delay project in construction industry included approval of delays in payments to contractors and the resulting cash-flow problems during construction, shop drawings, design changes, conflicts in work schedules of subcontractors, design errors, labor shortage and inadequate labor skills, slow decision making and executive bureaucracy in the owners organizations. Mezher et al., (1998) conducted a survey of the causes of delays in the construction industry in Lebanon from the viewpoint of owners, contractors and architectural/engineering firms. It was found that owners had more concerns with regard to financial issues; contractors regarded contractual relationships the most important, while consultants considered project management issues to be the most important causes of delays. Ogunlana et al., (1996) studied the delays in building projects in Thailand, as an example of developing economies. They concluded that the problems of the construction industry in developing economies could be nested in three layers: problem of shortages or inadequacies in industry infrastructure, mainly supply of resources, problems caused by clients and consultants, and problems caused by incompetence of contractors. Kumaraswamy et al., (1998) surveyed the causes of construction delays in Hong Kong as seen by clients, contractors and consultants, and examined the factors affecting productivity. The survey revealed differences in perceptions of the relative significance of factors between the three groups, indicative of their experiences, possible prejudices and lack of effective communication. Chan and Kumaraswamy (1996) conducted a survey to evaluate the relative importance of 83 potential delay factors in Hong Kong construction projects and found five principal factors: poor risk management and supervision, unforeseen site conditions, slow decision making, client-initiated variations, and work variations.these causes were categorized into the following into eight groups: Project-related factors include project characteristics, necessary variations, communication among the various parties, speed of decision making involving all project teams, and ground conditions; Client-related factors include those concerned with client characteristics, project financing, their variations and requirements, and interim payments to contractors; Design team-related factors include design team experience, project design complexity, and mistakes and delays in (producing) design documents; Contractor-related factors include contractor experience in planning and controlling the projects, site management and supervisions, degree of subcontracting, and their cash-flow; Materials related factors include shortages, materials changes, procurement programming, and proportion of off-site prefabrication; Labor factors related include labor shortages, low skill levels, weak motivation, and low productivity; Plant/Equipment related factors include shortages, low efficiency, breakdowns, and wrong selection; and External factors include waiting time for approval of drawings and test samples of materials and environmental concerns and restrictions. Abd. Majid and McCaffer (1998) studied the factors of non-excusable delays that influence contractors performance. They classified the main causes of non excusable delays according to the source of occurrence, and then identified the factor contributing to those causes. It is assumed that the client has more control over the compensable delays and can take action to prevent them. The contractor is expected to have control over the non-excusable delays and, presumably, do more to prevent them. They classified the factor of causes of non-excusable delays into twelve groups: material-related delays; labor-related delays; equipment-related delays; financial-related delays; improper planning; lack of control; subcontractor-related delays; poor coordination; inadequate supervision; improper construction methods; technical personnel shortages; and poor communication. Mansfield et al., (1994) studied the causes of delay and cost overrun in construction projects in Nigeria. The results showed that the most important factors are financing and payment for completed works, poor contract management, changes in site conditions, shortage of material, and improper planning. Al-Momani (2000) conducted a quantitative analysis of construction delays by examining the records of 130 public building projects constructed in Jordan during the period of 1990Â ¯1997. The researcher presented regression models of the relationship between actual and planned project duration for different types of building facilities. The analysis also included the reported frequencies of time extensions for the different causes of delays. The researcher concluded that the main causes of delay in construction projects relate to designers, user changes, weather, site conditions, late deliveries, economic conditions, and increase in quantities.

Essay --

Eileen Furnish Soc 343 Assignment #1 2/15/2014 The women I decided to interview is my boyfriend’s great-aunt Mary J. Spletter. I selected Mary J. Spletter because she has inspired and helped guide women through breast cancer. I also selected her because at the age of 25 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and she still remained positive and strong. I’m currently 25 years old and it made me realize not to take things for granted and to always stay positive regardless of what situation your in. I’m interviewing Mary in The Bellevue Club on the shores of Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA. This historical building has breathtaking views of Lake Merritt and a local bird sanctuary. We decided on this place because Mary is a member here. She also enjoys the rich history, having meals and takes swimming classes here. We decided to do the interview over lunch in the main dining room, which had high ceilings, marble flooring, and floral long curtains. This club was a former women’s social club and had a style of the 1920’s. Mary was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. While growing up she lived with her mother, her brother and youngest sister. Her father was in the military and eventually left them and moved to California. She lived a pretty good childhood, she attended church every Sunday and she was always interested in reading and writing. While growing up she saw her mother struggle to support 3 children but her mother was always strong and positive. Mary knew she wanted to do something with her life that inspired others and she knew that her writing could take her there. She also in enjoyed French and took many classes in high school and college. She graduated from University of Wisconsin, Madison with a Bachelor’s of Science in Journalism in ... ... Mary publish a book on breast cancer but she also counseled women who were going through breast cancer and undergone mastectomies. Her book has changed many lives and has opened our eyes on new procedures and treatments. Before dating her great nephew, my mother was also a breast cancer survivor who received Mary’s book â€Å"A Women’s Choice† and many other books on battling breast cancer. Even though Mary’s book was already outdated (my mom had breast cancer 14 years ago), my mother was able to gain knowledge on the certain points Mary explained in her book, it kept her mind off the chemotherapy she was doing and it also helped her stay positive. Mary J. Spletter wanted to help other women and share her story to the world since there weren’t many resources out there. She continues to mentor women and travels to speak with women about her personal experiences.

Themes in Rain of Gold, by Victor Villasenor Essay -- Rain of Gold Ess

Rain of Gold, is a true story about the history of Mexican people, their culture, traditions and customs that were passed down from the Euro-Indian heritage of Mexico. Rain of Gold was written by Juan Villasenor in search for his ancestral roots. The people of this story are real and not fiction. The places that are discussed are true. And the incidents did actually happen to his family. There are several underlying themes that need addressing. Such as: the importance of family, the importance of religion and spiritualism, woman as center of home and family, respect--protection of woman's virtue; ideal of women as pure, power of the woman--the mother, being a man-man as protector of the family, pride of man to be a provider, importance of traditions, respect for life, work and education/learning, death as part of life, honor, dignity, and finally discrimination and prejudice. I will be using this book as a reference and as a guide throughout this review to discuss t he themes that are stated above. "La Lluvia de Oro" that means Rain of Gold in English, was the name of a gold mine located in a box canyon in the mountains of Chihuahua. I would first like to introduce you to the Gomez family. There's Dona Guadalupe who was an unofficial adopted Yaqui child of Leonides and Rosa Camargo. Dona Guadalupe married Victor Gomez, and they had Sophia, Maria, Carlota, Victoriano, and Lupe. Lupe was conceived in 1910 when a huge meteorite hit the box canyon where her family lived. It was said that her parents thought that it was the end of the world so they prayed and made desperate love, asking God to spare them (p. 9). Lupe was referred to as the meteorite child. Next, I would like to introduce you to the Villas... ... the street. "They're dirty!" (p. 302) The lady did not know anything about Juan and she had a stereotype of what Mexican's were. This happens to many people. People are ignorant and don't watch what they are saying. This type of behavior leads to discrimination, prejudice and racism. I really enjoyed all of the characters and this book tremendously. Both Lupe's and Juan's mother were very strong and God fearing women. They had a very strong bind between their children who were taught values and morals. This book made me want to know my ancestral routes and learn more about my culture. Since this book was a true story about Victor Villasenor's family, it made the stories even more real. I would recommend this book to everyone who loves to read. Bibliography Villasenor, Victor. Rain of Gold. Arte Publico Press, 1991.

Murderer – creative writing

It was an exquisite day. A 15-year-old boy called Tom who is in year 11 at Charlton high school. Tom is a skinny boy with brown hair and blue eyes. Tom walks to school every school day. As Tom walked he thought back at the day he had yesterday. â€Å"It wasn't bad† Tom said to himself. But there is always something in your self, which says opposite to whatever you say or do. It's of course your mind and it said â€Å"No you didn't you had an awful day yesterday. You killed a man!† Yes, Tom did kill a man and he is called Mr.Diver. It's not because he wanted to kill him it's because he had to if he want to see his mum and dad together. He wanted his mum and dad together since they divorced. They divorced when Tom was very little so he doesn't have that much memory of his mum and dad together. Mr.Diver is Tom's mum's future husband. Tom hated Mr.Diver since he first met him. Mr.Diver is a fat man with hardly any neck. Mr.Diver is a bus driver. If you ask Tom what is his favourite day is he would say Friday because that is the day Tom meets his dad. Mr.Newton is his dad and there is a big difference between Mr.Newton and Mr.Diver maybe this is the reason why Tom hates Mr.Diver. Mr.Newton is a skinny man with long neck. Normally Tom and his dad spend Friday afternoons either playing football or go to a restaurant. In restaurant they talk about what happened during the week. Since Tom heard that his mum is going to marry Mr.Diver he thought he must stop this marriage if he doesn't his dreams will be shattered. So he planned to kill Mr.Diver. He came up with a brilliant plan. The plan was to kill Mr.Diver when he comes around Tom's house. But there shouldn't be anyone in Tom's house apart from Tom and Mr.Diver. The day came when Tom's mother told Tom and Mr.Diver that they have to stay alone. That night Tom made a plan that he is going to stab Mr.Diver and he kept things normal as possible. He didn't make sudden movements or speak to Mr.Diver too much because he never speaks to Mr.Diver normally. Tom kept penknives in his pocket and waited for exact moment to come. The moment came when Mr.Diver asked Tom if he want something to eat? Tom thought that when Mr.Diver is preparing the food he could go behind him and stab him. â€Å"Do you want anything to eat Tom?† asked Mr.Diver again. â€Å"Can I have a sandwich please?† said Tom. â€Å"I'll make one quickly,† said Mr.Diver. When Mr.Diver went to the kitchen to make a sandwich Tom went quietly behind him. Tom stopped near the kitchen door for a few seconds and took two penknives out. Tom saw that Mr.Diver is showing his back to him so Tom seized the chance and walked behind Mr.Diver and stabbed him once in the back and once in the neck. Tom put the body in Mr.Diver's car, which was a bit far away from Tom's house so it would look like when Mr.Diver got on the car someone stabbed him. When his mum Tom said nothing he just watched TV. â€Å"Where's Mr.Diver?† asked Tom's mum. â€Å"Oh he left already,† said Tom. â€Å"You should go to bed,† said Tom's mum. â€Å"Why what is the time?† asked Tom. He wants to keep things as normal as possible. â€Å"It's ten,† said Tom's mum. â€Å"Ok,† said Tom. At school Tom didn't concentrate on anything apart from Mr.Diver. He wanted to find out if the police had found it out. Third lesson the receptionist came and asked Tom to take his things and come with her and Tom knew that it was about Mr.Diver. His mum was in the reception and she said Tom to come with her and tom asked why and she said that she'd tell him on the way. â€Å"Why did you come to the school? What's wrong? â€Å"Mr.Diver is dead,† said Tom's mum â€Å"Who did a such a terrible thing?† asked Tom. â€Å"That's what police trying to find out. He was found in his car stabbed and the police things that someone tried to steal his car and didn't succeed so they killed him,† said Tom's mum. Tom was about to ask why didn't they take the car but he thought better leave it. When he and his mum came to their house they saw that the police was in. â€Å"Don't worry they just taking photos of the scene,† said Tom's mum. Tom now felt that his next step was to tell his father what happened and say to him that he should speak to Tom's mum and tell her exactly what happened and the reason for Tom to kill Mr.Diver and Tom believed by this his mum and dad would come together. The following Friday Tom met his dad and his dad asked him what happened to Mr.Diver and Tom told him exactly what happened and told him to say to his mum. His dad told him that he will talk to her and advised him to don't kill any one again. The following day when Tom woke up he saw that his dad was with his mum and his mum was crying and asked Tom â€Å"Why did you do this? You should've told me that you don't like Mr.Diver and you shouldn't have killed Mr.Diver† † I'm sorry mum,† said Tom â€Å"Now on we'll forget what happened in the past and thing of what will happen in future,† said Tom's dad.

The International Strategy of TESCO PLC

Abstract This study explores the different theories of international entry strategies and then analyses the international strategy of Tesco Plc. Firms can enter the international markets through different strategies, including licensing technology abroad, direct investment acquisition, exporting, strategic alliance in foreign market and establishing joint ventures. The findings of this study indicate that Tesco Plc uses international joint ventures, acquisitions and Greenfield investments to enter into foreign markets. However, Greenfield investments have led to failures and as such it is recommendable that the company explores international joint ventures and acquisitions as part of its future entry strategies. Introduction International strategy is very important for all business organisations operating in the international market. This is because the strategy plays an important role in determining the opportunities present in the international market and how to exploit them (Hensmans et al., 2013). Tesco Plc. is one such company with significant development in the international market. The supermarket chain has managed to expand its operations across Europe, Asia and North America with huge success. This international expansion has affected all the facets of the company like business structure, financial status, corporate culture and organisational structure (Ryans, 2013). This study looks at different international strategies, why they are important to Tesco Plc, related theories and their applications. International Strategies The current business environment is very competitive and as such companies need to venture into the international markets in order to generate more profits (Hitt et al 2008). However, choosing the right international strategy is never easy; whether it is licensing technology abroad, direct investment acquisition, exporting, strategic alliance in foreign market, or establishing joint ventures. This study will focus on a few of these strategies that are of importance to Tesco Plc. These strategies are joint ventures, foreign acquisitions, and Greenfield investments. All these strategies have their own benefits and risks arising from the products or services being offered and the cultural, economic and political environment of the target market (Sternquist & Witter 2011). However the choice of the choice of international strategy is highly dependent on organisational resources, commitment and the extent of risk that it is willing to incur. Joint ventures involve cooperation among different companies. The partners often come together to consign risks, allocate resources and delegate responsibilities (Krafft & Mantrala 2010). These ventures are often disbanded once the project is completed. Joint ventures can enable an organisation to market its products or establish its manufacturing plants in a foreign country with the assistance of the local foreign partners. These local partners equip the foreign organisations with the relevant knowledge on government regulations, workings, local markets and the available channels of distribution. Joint ventures are ideal for Tesco Plc. as it will help it in understanding the foreign markets and mitigate risks (McLoughlin & Aaker 2010). In foreign acquisitions a foreign organisation acquires an interest in a local firm through foreign direct investment (Hensmans et al 2013). In most cases foreign acquisitions occur only in proven markets after years of exporting or success experienced through existent joint ventures. Once an organisation has obtained controlling interests, it attains full authority over policies regarding aspects like quality control, finance, production, marketing strategies and expansion programs. Foreign acquisitions are ideal for Tesco Plc. as it will help it acquire other companies that are already performing well in foreign markets. The last strategy is Greenfield investment which is a type of foreign investment that entails investing in foreign markets by starting new subsidiaries and then fully owning them. This is a strategy that is suitable for Tesco Plc. because it allows it to venture into new unexploited markets and exploit the opportunities present. Theories of International Strategies There are different theories that explain the reasons why an organisation opts to pursue a specific international strategy in a specific target market. This is the reason why organisations pursue different foreign markets using different strategies depending on their unique characteristics (Hitt et al 2008). These theories are monopolistic advantages, transaction cost, internalisation, strategic behaviour, internationalisation, bargaining and eclectic theories. These theoretical perspectives at times hold divergent perceptions on the relative importance of the different factors that influence choice of entry into foreign markets. The monopolistic advantage theory was proposed by Hymer and represented a major shift from the previous theories of capital investments and international trade (Sternquist & Witter 2011). The previous theories like that of Heckscher and Ohlin had restrictive assumptions on the immobility of the factors of production. Hymer argued that organisations could use their firm-specific advantages or monopolistic advantages that other organisations do not have to expand into foreign markets. These advantages are things like superior technology, economies of scale, superior knowledge in finance, marketing or management (McLoughlin & Aaker 2010). Therefore foreign direct investment was made possible by product and market imperfections. These market imperfections are structural and are as a result of control ownership advantages like proprietary technology, economies of scale, special access to inputs, product differentiation and gathered managerial expertise. According to this theory, the dir ect investor is often a monopolist or an oligopilist in product markets. Therefore these organisations pursue market power and monopolistic advantages in the foreign markets leading to the increased growth of international trade. Internationalisation theory builds on the monopolistic advantage theory and it holds that firms often expand into foreign markets whenever there are market imperfections and they can gain advantage by internalising markets across countries (Seth & Randall 2011). This results to the growth of the firms as they increase their operations across the borders to take advantage of the existent opportunities. As the organisations increase their efficiency through internalisation of transactions, the vertical integration of operations across the world lead to efficiencies and economies that include long term contracts, opportunity to exploit tax differentials and better quality control. The theory perceives the internalisation process and entry strategies as being products of series of incremental decisions that result in increases involvement in international operations (Alexander & Doherty 2009). Therefore firms move from exporting to foreign production as they continually gain internatio nal experience. This experience enables the firms to build their knowledge and developing deeper understanding of the foreign markets. The transaction cost theory holds that firms try to minimise the costs associated with exchanging resources with the environment and the bureaucratic costs of exchanges within the firm (Krafft & Mantrala 2010). Therefore they weigh the costs of exchanging resources with the environment against the bureaucratic ones that arise from performing the same operations within the firm. It perceives institutions and markets as possible forms of organising and coordinating economic transactions. Firms grow whenever the external costs exceed the internal bureaucratic costs because they are able to operate more cheaply compared to performing the same operations in the market (Seth & Randall 2011). However, the firms should be downsized whenever the bureaucratic costs exceed the external transaction costs. Therefore the firms will keep expanding for as long as they can perform their operations cheaply within the companies compared outsourcing them to external market providers. The bargaining theory was advocated by Fagre and other scholars and holds that the choice of entry is a function of the bargaining processes between the firm and the host countries (Ryans 2013). The interaction between the host country and the firms is often characterised by power struggles. Although the host country can exercise its bargaining power through controlling market access, the bargaining power of the firms lie in the ownership advantages that they have (Hensmans et al 2013). Therefore the relative power determines the entry strategy of a firm into a foreign market. The last theory is the strategic behaviour theory and it is based on the premise that firms derive comparative advantage from the resources that contribute towards giving them the advantage over the others (Thain & Bradley 2012). This is particularly true when some resources are worth more to an organisation owing to the special linkages between the firm and such resources. When the firms have such resources, t hey are more likely to opt for high control strategies for instance wholly owned subsidiaries. This decision is mostly made with the assumption that such linkages will be influential in enhancing the relative position of the firm in the new foreign market. In addition to the highlighted theories, the integrative theoretical perspective on foreign market entry holds that the firm’s decision to enter into a foreign market and its choice of entry are functions of multiple factors that arise from location and ownership-specific advantages (Alexander & Doherty 2009). Although these theories differ in many important aspects they allow for broad generalisations on the factors that influence an organisation to enter into a foreign market and the entry strategy. The next section analyses the international strategy of Tesco Plc based on the integrative framework. Tesco Plc International Strategy The company enters foreign markets mainly through joint ventures with local firms, acquisitions and Greenfield investments (Mosley & Barrow 2013). The company aims at being the market leader in the foreign country it enters within a period of five years. It has registered huge successes in Asia and most of the European markets. However, the situation in America has been different because the company has struggled to gain market control (Harrison 2013). The success of Tesco Plc in the international market has been aided by its sensitivity to the local culture of the host countries and the market environment. This has mainly been done through partnerships, mergers and acquisitions which have made it easier for the company to offer the local markets with what they want by serving their unique needs. This has been particularly helpful in high context cultures like in the Asian market. The global expansion and diversification of Tesco Plc are based on the long-term desire for the company to develop sustainable growth and development. Morschett (2011) claims that one of the main reasons why the company decided to pursue the international market was that the local UK market had reached saturation and maturity making it very difficult to grow without exploiting overseas opportunities. This was therefore the only viable solution for the company if it was to remain relevant for the economy in the long run. The main factors influencing the choice of entry for Tesco Plc are the different threats that it may encounter in the international markets. Some of the common threats are industrial structures and cultural factors. Nonetheless, the primary influencers of the choice of entry for the company are based on cultural factors (Harrison 2013). Tesco Plc has consistently preferred to use international joint ventures as an entry strategy in the Asian market. This is partly because these countries have high context cultures that require organisations to build interpersonal relationships (Alexander & Doherty 2009). In these cultures, relationship networks among business associates, colleagues and even clients tend to be close and personal. As a consequence, it is important for firms to build trust and relationships during business interactions. The importance of these relationships arises from the fact that they have high uncertainty avoidance levels; therefore relationships and trust reduce the level of uncertainties, risks and ambiguities (McLoughlin & Aaker 2010). For instance in South Korea, the international joint venture with Samsung helped the company establish contacts with the local suppliers and manufacturers. This was very important in penetrating the market in South Korea because the customers there often shop freq uently as they prefer fresh and quality products like vegetables and meat which is different from the customers in the UK who like piling stock. Based on the internalisation theory, Tesco Plc gained advantage by internalising the market in South Korea. This was done through building local networks to ensure that the company sales remain as high as possible. Therefore it employed all the employees of Samsung to ensure that the normal operations were not interfered with. The local managers were also given the authority to make decisions on behalf of the company because of their experience with the local market. Additionally, this was part of the company’s plan to deal with the challenges associated with the competitive environment by positioning itself using localisation and decentralisation while the other players in the industry pursue globalisation strategies (Hitt et al 2008). According to the bargaining theory, localisation and decentralisation gives the company a local im age thus making it highly responsive to the tastes and lifestyles of the local consumers. This gave Tesco Plc a competitive advantage in the South Korean market compared to the other foreign firms like Wal-Mart and Carrefour. The entry strategies of Tesco Plc have also been shaped by cultural factors like psychic distance. Psychic distance refers to the extent to which a firm is uncertain on the nature of the foreign market (Thain & Bradley 2012). Acquisitions and international joint ventures with the local businesses in the high context cultures are important in reducing risks, adaptation costs, psychic distance and cultural barriers. The acquisition of the local distribution channels gave the company a huge advantage over the other multinationals like Wal-Mart which were struggling because the Korean market is characterised by a strong nationalist outlook. The company pursued the same strategies in Thailand and China and this enabled it to penetrate the market with ease compared to other multinational companies. Therefore international joint ventures and acquisitions enabled Tesco Plc. to succeed in markets where Carrefour and Wal-Mart had failed eventually being forced to exit the market in 2006 (Mosle y & Barrow, 2013). In Thailand for instance, after the acquisition of Lotus, Tesco Plc has managed to grow and is currently the market leader as it has pumped huge investments into organic management. The company also diversified its operations in Thailand to include smaller express stores so as to reach more customers. Tesco Plc has made huge successes whenever it chose to enter foreign markets through strategic alliances and acquisitions; however Greenfield entries have proved to be costly and inappropriate. Although Greenfield entries provide the company with full control and ownership over its operations, it has proved to be unsuitable because of the dismal results. Despite the extensive research that the company made prior to joining the US market, its failure there demonstrates that the research was either flawed or inadequate (Krafft & Mantrala 2010). Additionally, its operations in the US were an attempt to duplicate its operations in the UK because it tried to standardise instead of localising them. Part of the problem with the market research was that it only concentrated on the buying behaviour of the Americans and ignored other important variables like shopping experience, value, aesthetics, store atmosphere and quality. This was a great mistake because corrective investments should have been made in response to these marketing aspects (Morschett 2011). For instance the Tescosells pre-packaged fruits was a big mistake because Americans prefer selecting their own fresh fruits. Tesco failed to appreciate the US customer base because it underestimated it. This is the reason why the company handled its operations in the US as an extension of the UK market. The company was attracted to the US market by the booming economy and the ever rising property value (Ryans 2013). These are the factors that prompted it to go for Greenfield investments in US. This was a viable option; however the company failed to account for the deeper financial dynamics that could have saved it from the 2009 financial crisis. In addition to this, the choice of Tesco Plc to enter the US market through Greenfield investments was partly influenced by managerial short termism and egoism. As a consequence, several mistakes can be pointed out from its entry and post entry strategies. The first mistake that the company made at the point of entry is that it increased its exit barriers by aggressively increasing more stores despite the fact that it was making huge losses. Secondly, the company may have been driven by managerial subjective interest for power emanating from the previous international successes. This led to overconfidence therefore blurring the vision of the managers to see that they were driving the company in the wrong direction (Morschett 2011). However, the biggest mistakes that Tesco Plc made was that it failed to plan and strategize for post entry and this led to flaws in its quest to compete in the home market of the world’s largest retailer. As a result the company made huge loses in the US and was eventually forced to exit without ever recording any profits. In Taiwan, the situation was the same as that of the US; Tesco entered the market in 2000 without partnering with the local companies. The company was able to establish six hypermar kets through organic growth. However, just like in the US the Taiwanese retail market was hugely dominated by Carrefour which had the advantage of having all the strategic positions. Just like in the US, the company was unable to attain the market scale necessary for building central distribution centres. Therefore in 2005, it was forced to exit the market through a divestment deal with Carrefour. Recommendations Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations can be made for Tesco Plc for it to succeed in its quest to establish its presence in other international markets. First off, the company should abandon Greenfield investment strategies because they have proved to be very costly in the past. The company struggled in the US and Taiwan and was eventually forced to exit because lack of local partners made it very difficult for it to succeed in markets that are dominated by the two retail giants. The company should have strategies that fit into the culture of the target market like it did in South Korea. The retail industry is very sensitive because it represents the daily necessities of the consumers and as such must be responsive to their cultural habits. For a multinational company to succeed in a foreign market it must have strategies that are responsive to the needs and culture of the local people. Therefore Tesco Plc. should continue incorporating localisation strat egies and respond to the culture of the local markets. It should be more innovative and proactive in its marketing strategies in the international markets. For instance the company should enhance its market intelligence and customer database in order to be able to customise service delivery to the customers. References Alexander, N., & Doherty, A. M. (2009). International retailing. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cunningham, J., & Harney, B. (2012). Strategy & strategists. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Harrison, A. L. (2013). Business environment in a global context. Oxford: Oxford university press. Hensmans, M., Johnson, G., & Yip, G. S. (2013). Strategic transformation: Changing while winning. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2008). Strategic management: Competitiveness and globalization. Mason, Ohio: South-Western. Krafft, M., & Mantrala, M. K. (2010). Retailing in the 21st century: Current and future trends. Heidelberg: Springer. McLoughlin, D., & Aaker, D. A. (2010). Strategic market management: Global perspectives. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Morschett, D. (2011). European retail research: Volume 25, Issue I. Wiesbaden: Gabler Verlag. Mosley, R., & Barrow, S. (2013). The employer brand: Bringing the best of brand management to people at work. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Ryans, A. (2013). Beating low cost competition: How premium brands can respond to cut-price rivals. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Seth, A., & Randall, G. (2011). The grocers: The rise and rise of the supermarket chains. London: Kogan Page. Sternquist, B., & Witter, G. (2011). Retail strategic international expansion (SIRE?) theory and cases. Haslett, MI: BSC Publisher. Thain, G., & Bradley, J. (2012). Store wars: The worldwide battle for mindspace and shelfspace, online and in-store. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons.

Violence in the Media Essays - 684 Words

In 1884, a man by the name of Paul Nipkow invented a device called the scanning disk. Little did Nipkow know that years later his invention would be transformed into one of the most popular pastimes in America today (Inventors). Philo T. Farnsworth was the true inventor of television in 1927. He had no idea that thirty-five years later his inventions would not only be in ninety percent of Americans homes, but also strongly effect everyone that watched it. Following the introduction of television into the United States, the annual homicide rate increased by ninety-three percent(Journal of the American Medical Association). With the invention of television came the job of broadcasting shows on to the television. Broadcasters soon†¦show more content†¦The main conflict with whats being broadcast is the amount of violence being projected to the kids of America. Some people say, Its just TV and its not real others say How does my elementary age kid know it is not reality? This is where the controversy is drawn on whether or not television violence affects the actions of kids who watch TV on a regular basis. Ted Turner CEO of Turner Network Television and Cable News Network was quoted as saying that,TV is the single most significant factor contributing to violence in America.. The number of violent acts the average American child sees on TV by the age eighteen is two hundred thousand (Real). Average time per week that the American child spends watching television: nineteen hours and forty minutes. Number of murders witnessed by children on television by the age 18: 16,000, Percent of youth violence directly attributed to TV viewing is 10 percent (Real). These are just a few of the numerous amounts of statistics of Television violence. Even though these statistics send chills to our spines while reading them. Americas still seems to turn their eyes away from the problem. 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The Struggle of Nora Helmer - 1328 Words

The Struggle of Nora Helmer In the play, A Doll House, Nora Helmer is a house wife who experiences an unexpected event with her husband, Torvald, which led to a whole new understanding of her life and what she was going to do with it. Nora would always try to do anything that she could to please her husband so that she would always keep him happy towards her and never give him a reason to leave her because she felt that she loved him so much and she would not know what to do without him. Nora would constantly lie to make sure that Torvald was happy and she would make sure that he would not find out. At the beginning of the play, Nora was being accused by Torvald of eating macaroons and she stated â€Å"You know I could never think of going†¦show more content†¦Torvald was trying to cover up and say that it was not his fault that they had not had a serious talk because if they would have had a serious talk, it would just get Nora into problems that he has in his life. This r eally made Nora realize that their relationship was not real and that they did not truly care for each other and their problems like a normal couple would. Nora had also come to the conclusion that she has â€Å"lived by doing tricks† (III) for Torvald all of her the years that she has been with him and she was tired of it. This is showing that Nora is claiming that she felt like Torvalds doll wife and that she was always just there for fun for Torvald and not for being in a serious relationship with him. This made Nora realize that she was never happy when she lived with Torvald and that she wanted to leave and start a whole new life. The letter, the fighting, and Nora taking off her costume were all part of the journey that Nora had taken to realize that she was never happy with her life when she lived with Torvald and that she was ready for everything in her life to change. 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Also, Rank refers to Christine Linde as quot;a name I have often heard in this house,quot; when Helmer is virtually unaware of Lindes existence (Ibsen 542). The quote further indicates Rank and Nora share things in which Helmer is not includedRead MoreA Dolls House by Henrik Isben1646 Words   |  7 Pagesthe character, Nora. Nora is a woman, whose whole life is ruled by either her father or husband. Nora Helmer, tries hard to perform the roles expected of a woman, which, however, has led to her sacrifice of individual ideals and fulfillment of personal freedom. Ibsen reveals Nora’s grasp of independence through his use of symboli sm, irony, and development of characters. Nora’s first impression of the audience is being an obedient, money-loving, childish wife. In the first act, Nora seems to justRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen929 Words   |  4 Pagesstory appears moderately innocent and light-hearted, there is much conflict. 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