Different Approach of International Business

Different approach of International Business In truth, we have become part of a global village and have a global economy where no organization is insulted from the effects foreign markets and competition. Indeed, more and more firm are reshaping themselves for international competition and discovering new ways to exploit markets in every corner of the world. Failure to take a global perspective in one of the biggest mistakes managers can make. Thus we start laying the foundation for our discussion by introducing and describing the basic of international business. International Business: An international business is one that is based primarily in a single country but acquires some meaningful share of its resources or revenues (or both) from other countries. Sears fits this description. Most of its stores are in the United States. For example, and the retailer earns around 90 percent of its revenues from its U. S. operation with the remaining 10 percent coming sears stores in Canada. At the same time however, many of the products it sells, such as tools and clothing are made abroad from any perspective. Then it is clear that we live in a truly global economy. Virtually all business today must be concerned with the competitive situations they face in lands for from home and with how companies from distant lands are competing in their homelands. Difference approaches of international business are given below: †¢ Importing and Exporting †¢ Franchising †¢ Licensing †¢ Joint Venture †¢ Foreign Direct Investment †¢ Management contact Importing and Exporting: Imports: Imports† consist of transactions in goods and services (sales, barter, gifts or grants) from non-residents residents to residents. The exact definition of imports in national accounts includes and excludes specific â€Å"borderline† cases. A general delimitation of imports in national accounts is given below: †¢ An import of a good occurs when there is a change of ownership from a non-resident to a resident; this does not necessarily imply that the good in question physically crosses the frontier. However, in specific cases national accounts impute changes of ownership even though in legal terms no change of ownership takes place (e. g. ross border financial leasing, cross border deliveries between affiliates of the same enterprise, goods crossing the border for significant processing to order or repair). Also smuggled goods must be included in the import measurement. †¢ Imports of services consist of all services rendered by non-residents to residents. In national accounts any direct purchases by residents outside the economic territory of a country are recorded as imports of services; therefor e all expenditure by tourists in the economic territory of another country are considered as part of the imports of services. Also international flows of illegal services must be included. Basic trade statistics often differ in terms of definition and coverage from the requirements in the national accounts: †¢ Data on international trade in goods are mostly obtained through declarations to custom services. If a country applies the general trade system, all goods entering the country are recorded as imports. If the special trade system (e. g. extra-EU trade statistics) is applied goods which are received into customs warehouses are not recorded in external trade statistics unless they subsequently go into free circulation of the importing country. A special case is the intra-EU trade statistics. Since goods move freely between the member states of the EU without customs controls, statistics on trade in goods between the member states must be obtained through surveys. To reduce the statistical burden on the respondents small scale traders are excluded from the reporting obligation. †¢ Statistical re cording of trade in services is based on declarations by banks to their central banks or by surveys of the main operators. In a globalized economy where services can be rendered via electronic means (e. . internet) the related international flows of services are difficult to identify. †¢ Basic statistics on international trade normally do not record smuggled goods or international flows of illegal services. A small fraction of the smuggled goods and illegal services may nevertheless be included in official trade statistics through dummy shipments or dummy declarations that serve to conceal the illegal nature of the activities. Balance of trade Balance of trade represents a difference in value for import and export for a country. A country has demand for an import when domestic quantity demanded exceeds domestic quantity supplied, or when the price of the good (or service) on the world market is less than the price on the domestic market. The balance of trade, usually denoted NX, is the difference between the value of the goods (and services) a country exports and the value of the goods the country imports: NX = X ? I, or equivalently I = X ? NX A trade deficit occurs when imports are large relative to exports. Imports are impacted principally by a country's income and its productive resources. For example, the US imports oil from Canada even though the US has oil and Canada uses oil. However, consumers in the US are willing to pay more for the marginal barrel of oil than Canadian consumers are, because there is more oil demanded in the US than there is oil produced. In macroeconomic theory, the value of imports I can be modeled as a function of the domestic absorption A and the real exchange rate ?. These are the two largest factors of imports and they both affect imports positively: I = I(A,? ) Types of import There are two basic types of import: 1. Industrial and consumer goods 2. Intermediate goods and services Companies import goods and services to supply to the domestic market at a cheaper price and better quality than competing goods manufactured in the domestic market. Companies import products that are not available in the local market. There are three broad types of importers: 1. Looking for any product around the world to import and sell. 2. Looking for foreign sourcing to get their products at the cheapest price. 3. Using foreign sourcing as part of their global supply chain. Direct-import refers to a type of business importation involving a major retailer (e. g. Wal-Mart) and an overseas manufacturer. A retailer typically purchases products designed by local companies that can be manufactured overseas. In a direct-import program, the retailer bypasses the local supplier (colloquial middle-man) and buys the final product directly from the manufacturer, possibly saving in added costs. This type of business is fairly recent and follows the trends of the global economy. Role of the Internet Many online auction websites are now providing wholesalers through a wholesale list, generally, the lists that require a fee to view, may not be updated frequently, the data may be old, and the companies listed may no longer be in business. Another form of online middlemen are B2B trade companies. These cater mainly to big businesses who are importing large quantities of goods from foreign countries. They also have sister sites that serve smaller orders for small businesses. In addressing the concerns of listed companies' legitimacy and dependability, such B2B portals may inspect suppliers at their actual premises before they list suppliers. Alternatively, these companies may also branch out of cyberspace and organize their own sourcing fairs, where thousands of buyers and suppliers can meet face-to-face. Statistical data Data on the value of imports and their quantities often broken down by detailed lists of products are available in statistical collections on international trade published by the statistical services of intergovernmental organizations (e. g. UNSTAT, FAOSTAT, OECD), supranational statistical institutes (e. g. Eurostat) and national statistical institutes. Exports: The definition of â€Å"export† is when you trade something out of the country. In economics, an export is any good or commodity, transported from one country to another country in a legitimate fashion, typically for use in trade. In national accounts â€Å"exports† consist of transactions in goods and services (sales, barter, gifts or grants) from residents to non-residents. The exact definition of exports includes and excludes specific â€Å"borderline† cases. A general delimitation of exports in national accounts is given below: †¢ An export of a good occurs when there is a change of ownership from a resident to a non-resident; this does not necessarily imply that the good in question physically crosses the frontier. However, in specific cases national accounts impute changes of ownership even though in legal terms no change of ownership takes place (e. . cross border financial leasing, cross border deliveries between affiliates of the same enterprise, goods crossing the border for significant processing to order or repair). Also smuggled goods must be included in the export measurement. †¢ Export of services consist of all services rendered by residents to non-residents. In national accounts any direct purchases by non-residents in the economic territory of a country are recorded as exports of services; therefore all expenditure by foreign tourists in the economic territory of a country is considered as part of the exports of services of that country. Also international flows of illegal services must be included. Process Methods of export include a product or good or information being mailed, hand-delivered, shipped by air, shipped by boat, uploaded to an internet site, or downloaded from an internet site. Exports also include the distribution of information that can be sent in the form of an email, an email attachment, a fax or can be shared during a telephone conversation. Advantages of exporting Ownership advantages are the firm's specific assets, international experience, and the ability to develop either low-cost or differentiated products within the contacts of its value chain. The vocational advantages of a particular market are a combination of market potential and investment risk. Internationalization advantages are the benefits of retaining a core competence within the company and threading it though the value chain rather than obtain to license, outsource, or sell it. In relation to the Eclectic paradigm, companies that have low levels of ownership advantages either do not enter foreign markets. If the company and its products are equipped with ownership advantage and internalization advantage, they enter through low-risk modes such as exporting. Exporting requires significantly lower level of investment than other modes of international expansion, such as FDI. As you might expect, the lower risk of export typically results in a lower rate of return on sales than possible though other modes of international business. In other words, the usual return on export sales may not be tremendous, but neither is the risk. Exporting allows managers to exercise operation control but does not provide them the option to exercise as much marketing control. An exporter usually resides far from the end consumer and often enlists various intermediaries to manage marketing activities. Disadvantages of exporting For Small-and-Medium Enterprises (SME) with less than 250 employees, selling goods and services to foreign markets seems to be more difficult than serving the domestic market. The lack of knowledge for trade regulations, cultural differences, different languages and foreign-exchange situations as well as the strain of resources and staff interact like a block for exporting. Indeed there are some SME's which are exporting, but nearly two-third of them sell in only to one foreign market. The following assumption shows the main disadvantages: †¢ Financial management effort: To minimize the risk of exchange-rate fluctuation and transactions processes of export activity the financial management needs more capacity to cope the major effort †¢ Customer demand: International customers demand more services from their vendor like installation and startup of equipment, maintenance or more delivery services. Communication technologies improvement: The improvement of communication technologies in recent years enable the customer to interact with more suppliers while receiving more information and cheaper communications cost at the same time like 20 years ago. This leads to more transparency. The vendor is in duty to follow the real-time demand and to submit all transaction details. †¢ Management mistakes: The management might tap in some of the organi zational pitfalls, like poor selection of oversea agents or distributors or chaotic global organization. Ways of exporting The company can decide to export directly or indirectly to a foreign country. Direct selling in export strategy Direct selling involves sales representatives, distributors, or retailers who are located outside the exporter's home country. Direct exports are goods and services that are sold to an independent party outside of the exporter’s home country. Mainly the companies are pushed by core competencies and improving their performance of value chain. Direct selling through distributors It is considered to be the most popular option to companies, to develop their own international marketing capability. This is achieved by charging personnel from the company to give them greater control over their operations. Direct selling also give the company greater control over the marketing function and the opportunity to earn more profits. In other cases where network of sales representative, they company can transfer them exclusive rights to sell in a particular geographic region. A distributor in a foreign country is a merchant who purchases the product from the manufacturer and sells them at profit. Distributors usually carry stock inventory and service the product, and in most cases distributes deals with retailers rather than end users. Evaluating Distributors †¢ The size and capabilities of its sales force. †¢ Its sales record. †¢ An analysis of its territory. †¢ Its current product mix. †¢ Its facilities and equipment. †¢ Its marketing polices. †¢ Its customer profit. †¢ Its promotional strategy. Direct selling through foreign retailers and end users Exporters can also sell directly to foreign retailers. Usually, products are limited to consumer lines; it can also sell to direct end users. A good way to generate such sales is by printing catalogs or attending trade shows. Direct selling over the Internet Electronic commerce is an important mean to small and big companies all over the world, to trade internationally. We already can see how important E-commerce is for marketing growth among exporters companies in emerging economies, in order to overcome capital and infrastructure barriers. E-commerce eased engagements, provided faster and cheaper delivery of information, generates quick feedback on new products, improves customer service, accesses a global audience, levels the field of companies, and support electronics data interchange with suppliers and customers. Indirect selling Indirect exports, is simply selling goods to or through an independent domestic intermediary in their own home county. Then intermediaries export the products to customers foreign markets. Making the export decision Once a company determines it has exportable products, it must still consider other factors, such as the following: †¢ What does the company want to gain from exporting? †¢ Is exporting consistent with other company goals? †¢ What demands will export place on the company's key resources – management and personnel, production capacity, and finance – and how will these demands be met? Are the expected benefits worth the costs, or would company resources be better used for developing new domestic business? Challenges Exporting to foreign countries poses challenges not found in domestic sales. With domestic sales, manufacturers typically sell to wholesalers or direct to retailer or even direct to consumers. When exporting, manufacturers may have to sell to importers who then in turn sell to wholesalers. Extra layer(s) in the chain of distribution squeezes margins and manufacturers may need to offer lower prices to importers than to domestic wholesalers. Franchising Why choose franchising? Although many people dream about running their own business, few actually possess the experience or the capital needed to turn that dream into a reality. Franchising however, is a comfortable alternative to running a business entirely on your own. After purchasing a franchise license, you're ready to set up a business for yourself – but not by yourself. What is franchising? The term ‘franchising' can describe some very different business arrangements. It is important to understand exactly what you're being offered. Advantages Independence: You are your own boss, the business’ success depends on you and you will spend a big part of your life surrounded by learning children. †¢ [pic][pic]Minimized risk: A team of experienced business people with a vested interest in your success is waiting to guide you through the process: From writing a yearly Business Plan, through choosing the best marketing tactics to defining your commer cial goals. †¢ Brand recognition: Helen Doron Early English is an internationally acknowledged and respected brand, granting you a strong position in the market from day one. Thorough training: Our intensive training courses prepare you with the highest level of organizational, business, administrative and pedagogic know-how. †¢ On Going support: Even after the first few months, the business team is always there to offer advice and support. †¢ Educational excellence: Teaching English to children with the Helen Doron Early English method ensures that your students will be fluent speakers and thus have access to better education and professions Disadvantages †¢ Costs may be higher than you expect. As well as the initial costs of buying the franchise, you pay continuing management service fees and you may have to agree to buy products from the franchisor. †¢ †¢ The franchise agreement usually includes restrictions on how you run the business. You might not be able to make changes to suit your local market. †¢ †¢ The franchisor might go out of business. †¢ †¢ Other franchisees could give the brand a bad reputation. †¢ †¢ You may find it difficult to sell your franchise – you can only sell it to someone approved by the franchisor. †¢ †¢ All profits are shared with the franchisor Business format franchise This is the most common form of franchising. A true business format franchise occurs when the owner of a business (the franchisor) grants a licence to another person or business (the franchisee) to use their business idea – often in a specific geographical area. The franchisee sells the franchisor's product or services, trades under the franchisor's trade mark or trade name and benefits from the franchisor's help and support. In return, the franchisee usually pays an initial fee to the franchisor and then a percentage of the sales revenue. The franchisee owns the outlet they run. But the franchisor keeps control over how products are marketed and sold and how their business idea is used. Well-known businesses that offer franchises of this kind include Prontaprint, Dyno-Rod and McDonald's. Other types of arrangement Different types of sales relationships are also sometimes referred to as franchises. For example: †¢ Distributorship and dealership – you sell the product but don't usually trade under the franchise name. You have more freedom over how you run the business. †¢ Agency – you sell goods or services on behalf of the supplier. Licensee – you have a licence giving you the right to make and sell the licensor's product. There are usually no extra restrictions on how you run your business. Multi-level marketing Some businesses offer franchises that are really multi-level marketing. Self-employed distributors sell goods on a manufacturer's behalf. You get commission on any sales you make , and also on sales made by other distributors you recruit. Be aware that some multi-level marketing schemes may be dishonest or illegal Pizza hut †¢ Are your core business processes falling through the cracks in a flood of E-mail? Does your small or medium business have to coordinate with people in several other companies and with freelancers? †¢ Not sure where work is getting stuck in the pipeline? †¢ Ever forgotten to send or chase up an invoice? It’s a commonplace that business owners should work on their business, not in it. Businesses need architecting and structuring in the same way as software does, so that they can run without you; the best way to do that is through careful design and automation of the underlying processes. Becoming a member of the New Rich is not just about working smarter. It’s about building a system to replace yourself. – Tim Ferriss, â€Å"The 4-Hour Work Week† The discipline of Business Process Modeling has long been seen as the preserve of enterprises, who invest tens of thousands of dollars and many man-months in building complex installed systems designed to manage thousands of employees. But the same techniques, made much more affordable and simple, are just as important for small and medium businesses, particularly as these companies rely more and more on home workers and get distributed across multiple countries and time-zones. Process modeling and automation can be affordable and simple, with Rain flow, a cloud based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) process design and execution platform. Rain Flow allows you quickly build a set of processes that don’t stop at your company’s boundaries! Pretend that your business is going to serve as the model for 5,000 more just like it – Michael E. Gerber, â€Å"The E-myth Revisited† Process automation ensures that tasks don’t â€Å"fall through the cracks†: †¢ Import processes from our Pre-defined Process Library, covering a variety of common needs (invoicing, document approval, support etc. †¢ Import your contacts from G mail or Outlook and create your own Org-Chart †¢ Customize or create brand new processes using our online graphic Process Design Tool †¢ Automatically generate documentation for the processes, a great first step towards ISO 9001 compliance †¢ Low monthly fee – don’t get hammere d every time you add a collaborator Investors invest in good systems and people who can build good systems. Investors do not like to invest in businesses where the system, goes home at night. Robert Kiyosaki, â€Å"Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing† †¢ Tasks are automatically assigned to employees, freelancers and even workers in other companies †¢ Customizable E-mail alerts and reminders †¢ Web-based UI for all participants show their current tasks and processes, wherever they access from †¢ Managers get an overview of what processes are in operation, where they â€Å"get stuck† and how they can be improved Franchising Conclusion The franchising can give you a good start into the entry of the business for some people, sometimes entirely new running any business of their own. All you need to do is to follow the already existing formula with the training, advice and marketing. But, you are still investing some of your life savings. So it is best to do research before you invest and take the advice of experienced professionals. For the franchisors, to be this experienced advice is as least beneficial, for without it, they may have an unsuccessful franchise but they will also put their whole business in a bad position and place their livelihoods, lifesavings and all of their franchisees in danger. Licensing: An arrangement where by one company allows another company to use its brand name, trade-mark, technology, patent, copyright or other assets in exchange for a royally based on sales. A company may prefer to arrange for a foreign company to manufacture or market its products under a licensing agreement. Factor that may lead to this decision include excessive transportation costs, government regulations and home production costs. ? Licensed a legal document giving official permission to do something. ? Having been issued with a license by the required authority. License is Aya Ueto’s fourth Japanese solo studio album. ? Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practice. Securing a patent license or an invention license is hard, frustration and the consuming. The all ration of licensing trade mark for business intention. Appears to be at an all time high mostly in the fashion area, where by customers are buying more licensed products and brand names than e ver before. For example: Coca-cola is licensing company. Coca-cola company’s details: Coca-cola Hellenic was a pioneer foreign investor in Belarus first licensing a local manufacture in 1994 and than setting up its own production facilities in 1997. Its original us $42 million investment was the first green field development in Belarus by a foreign investor. Today, after almost us $ 120 million of investment, Coca-cola Hellanic has four production lines in Belarus producing Coca-cola, Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes, local brand Frunktime. In the summer and over Christmas the lines run 24 hours a day and it employs 550 people in its manufacturing head quarters and across its nation wide sales, warehouse and distribution network. Because of its early entry to the market, Coca-cola Helenic now has approximately 25% of rapidly growing soft drinks market in Belarus. Coca-cola Hellenic also plays an active role in helping the government improve the business climate in Belarus through its founding member ship of the foreign investment advisory council. Coca-cola’s task environment: Competitor Pepsi – cola Seven up 8 Inca Kola Strategic Partner Wash vile Coca-cola system evolution Supplier’s Human right alert Covalence SA Coca-cola trading company Customers Coca-cola Global History of Bottling Regulations Government Licensing is leasing a legally protected property like trade marked or copy righted name, logo, likeness, character, phrase or design to another party in combination with a product service or promotion. It is a process which lays stress on consumer management, development of brand equity in the with international imagery, providing right shopping ambience and perhaps is less about manufacturing. Advantages of Licensing: 1. An invention incentive:- We believe that having a stake in a products actual commercial success unleashes the ultimate incentive for the inventor and results in the best design solutions. A â€Å"licensing agreement† accomplishes this by rewarding an inventor with a reasonable royalty for his or her. 2. A product head start:- The times and money that a company normally spends on the R & D phase can instead be invested in a products a creative resource and a business ally,. 3. Fair & balanced :- The royally can very with each product in order to consider such factors as the license’s to be ling, manufacturing and promotional expense. Product Exclusivity: A license can grant to a manufacture exclusive right to make and sell products relating to the license and any associated patents. 4. Licensing is often the best bet for an inventory. 5. Licensing is less risky for inventory because the license assume all business task 6. Less expensive and inventory to spend more time inventing. 7. Less money and offers freedom to live and work any where. Disadvantages: 1. Very few inventors can retire and their inventory royalties. 2. If license invention only receive a small percentage of sales. 3. Potential pay of for licensing an invention is much smaller that introduction. License is a process which lays stress on consumer management, development of brand equity in the international imagery, providing right shopping ambience and perhaps is less about manufacturing. Licensing is away of growing with an already established brand. It provides the brand recall benefit, which are not achievable is case one comes out with a brand new image. There are many types of licensing business like art & design, corporate brands, events, fashion brand, food & drinks. Strategic Alliances Elmuti and Kathawala (2001) and Wild et al. (2008) explain that a strategic alliance consists of companies who do business together to reach each company’s strategic goals. Wild et al. (2008) state that strategic alliances are similar to joint ventures since they can take place for a short period of time up to several months, depending on the strategic goals. Example 1: Motorola initially found it very difficult to gain access to the Japanese cellular telephone market in the mid 1980s as the firm complained loudly about formal and informal Japanese trade barriers. The turning point for Motorola came in 1987 when it allied itself with Toshiba to build microprocessor. As part of this deal, Toshiba provided Motorola with marketing help, including some of its best managers. This helped Motorola in the political game of securing government approval to enter Japanese market and getting radio frequencies assigned for its mobile communications systems (Hill, 2006). Example 2: In 2003, Microsoft and Toshiba established an alliance aimed at developing embedded microprocessors that can perform a variety of entertainment functions in an automobile. The processors will run a version of Microsoft’s Windows CE operating system. Microsoft brings its software engineering skills to the alliance and Toshiba its skills in developing microprocessors (Hill, 2006). Example 3: In 1999, Palm Computer, the leading maker of personal digital assistance entered into an alliance with Sony under which Sony agreed to license and use Palm’s operating system in Sony PDAs. The motivation for the alliance was in part to help establish Palm’s operating system as the industry standard for PDAs, as opposed to a rival Windows based operating system from Microsoft (Hill, 2006). Elmuti and Kathawala (2001) and Wild et al. (2008) also explain that a strategic alliance can give a company several advantages. Advantages of Strategic Alliances †¢ Reduction of costs †¢ Decreased financial and economic risks †¢ Getting a glimpse of the other’s competitive advantages such as technology †¢ Getting access to the other’s market and distribution channel Disadvantages of Strategic Alliances The primary disadvantage of strategic alliances is that it can create disagreements between the companies which can create a future competitor (Wild et al. 008). Joint Venture A joint venture is when two or more firms establish a new firm that is jointly owned, but sometimes one company has a majority share. The main reason to use a joint venture as entry mode is that the companies share the risk and costs amongst them. But there is also the benefit of entering a market with a company from the host country as they have experience of doing business in that specific country. The local alliance partner has a firsthand knowledge of the political and cultural system in the host country. In some countries, this is the only entry mode possible for companies due to political and legal policies that prohibit foreign ownership (Hill, 2006). Example 1: The Adidas Group and Vulcabras SA have agreed to form a joint venture company with Reebok International Ltd to distribute Reebok footwear, apparel and accessories in Brazil and Paraguay. Financial details were not disclosed, but under the terms of the agreement Pedro Grendene Bartelle will be president and chairman of the new joint venture company, which will be governed by a board of directors to be comprised of Reebok and Vulcabras executives. The joint venture agreement expires at the end of 2015 (Globe Business Publishing Ltd, 2008). Example 2: Toshiba Storage Device Division has introduced its new DVD ROM, which is the first drive to ship from the new Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology (TSST) joint venture. Headquartered in Japan, the TSST joint venture involves product and business planning, product development, procurement and sales for optical disk-drives, including CD-ROM, CD Recordable, DVD Recordable and DVD-ROM drives. The organization is 51 percent owned by Toshiba and 49 ercent owned by Samsung and has combined annual sales exceeding $1. 8 billion (eMedia Asia Ltd, 2008). Example 3: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB is a joint venture between Ericsson and Sony. It offers mobile communications products for people who appreciate the possibilities of powerful technology. Established in 2001 by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson and Sony Corporation, the joint venture continues to build on the success of its two innovative parent companies. Sony Ericsson creates value for its operator customers by bringing new ways of using multimedia communications while mobile. The company’s management is based in London, and has 4,000 employees across the globe working on research, development, design, sales, marketing, distribution and support Advantages of Joint Venture Wild et al. (2008) state that using a joint venture while entering a country decreases the risk since the exposure is reduced to the parts of the company they have contributed to the joint venture. Joint ventures can also provide an access to the other partner’s distribution channels. However, Wild et al. (2008) and Osland et al. 2001) further point out that joint ventures can create disagreements between the owners and a loss of control when one owner has knowledge or information that the other lacks. Disadvantages of Joint Venture There are several disadvantages with a joint venture. As in every partnership there is a possibility that friction will occur. It can easily be conflicts in a joint venture in questions of investments and corporate goals. There is also the possib ility of a power struggle in order to gain control. Joint venture also has some disadvantages similar to licensing as it can reduce the ability to achieve experience curve economies and location advantages. The risk of losing control of the company’s specific assets such as technological know-how may also occur (Hill, 2006). Foreign Direct Investment: Foreign direct investment occurs when a firm headquartered in one country builds or purchases operating facilities or subsidiaries in a foreign country. The foreign operations then become wholly owned subsidiaries of the firm. For example, Ford’s acquisition of Jaguar, Volvo and Kia. Dell Computer’s new factory in china is a direct investment. A major reason many firms make foreign direct investments is to capitalize on lower labor costs. In other words, the goal is often to transfer production to locations where labor is cheap. Japanese businesses have moved much of their production to Thailand because labor costs are much lower there than in Japan. There are two strategies used in foreign direct investment. 1. Brownfield 2. Greenfield Brownfield Investment: When a company or government entity purchases or leases existing production facilities to launch a new production activity. For example, BANGLALINK Banglalink: Banglalink is the second largest cellular service provider in Bangladesh after Grameenphone. In September 2004, Orascom Telecom holding purchase 100% of the share of Sheba Telecom (Pvt. ) Ltd. Sheba had a base of 59000 users, of whom 49000 were regular when it was sold. Afterward it was re-branded and launched its service under the Banglalink brand on February 10, 2005. The task environments of Banglalink are: Competitors:  · Grameen  · Aktel  · Warid  · Citycell  · Teletalk Customers:  · Individual consumers  · Institutional customers Suppliers:  · Siemens  · Wholesale parts processors  · Packaging manufacturers Strategic partners:  · BTRC  · Nokia-Siemens  · Network Regulators:  · BRTC  · Securities and Exchange commission  · Police department Greenfield Investment: A Greenfield investment is the investment in a manufacturing, office, or other physical company related structure or group of structures in an area where no previous facilities exist. Greenfield investing is usually offered as an alternative to another form of investment such as merger and acquisition, joint venture or licensing agreement. Greenfield investing is often mentioned in the context of Foreign Direct Investment. For example: Warid Telecom Warid Telecom: Warid Telecom International Ltd. is a GSM based cellular operator in Bangladesh. Warid was the sixth mobile phone carrier to enter the Bangladesh market and launched commercial operation on May 10, 2007. Warid telecom international LLC an Abu Dhabi based consortium, sold a majority 70% stake in the company to Indian’s Bharti Airtel Ltd. for US $300 million. The task environments of Warid are: Competitors:  · Grameen Aktel  · Citycell  · Teletalk  · Banglalink Customers:  · Individual consumers  · Institutional customers Suppliers:  · Samsung  · Wholesale parts processors  · Packaging manufacturers Strategic partners:  · BTRC  · Samsung  · Network Regulators:  · BRTC  · Securities and Exchange commission  · Police department Like the other approaches for increasing a firm’s level of internationalization, direct inves tment carries with it a number of advantages and disadvantages. They are discussed below: Advantages of foreign direct investment: Enhanced control: In foreign direct investment managerial control is more complete and profits do not have to be shared as they do in joint ventures. Existing infrastructure: Existing infrastructure is another advantages of foreign direct investment. Purchasing an existing organization provides additional benefits is that the human resources and organizational infrastructure are already in place. Consume the cost of introducing a new brand: Acquisition is also a way to purchase the brand name identification of a product. This could be particularly important if the cost of introducing a new brand is high. Disadvantages of foreign direct investment: Complexity: Complexity is one of the disadvantages of foreign direct investment. In decision making it creates great complexity. Greater economic and political risk: In this approach a firm starts business in foreign country in greater economic and political risk. Greater uncertainty: Foreign direct investments have some advantage but the firm work in greater uncertainty. Management Contract Wild et al. (2008) explain that a management indenture is when one business gives another managerial expertise. The authors further point out that management contracts are often used by the public sector moreover. This entry mode is not used on a one time basis but rather during an extended time period. There are several advantages to gain by using management contracts as an entry mode, for example international business opportunities can arise and there may be an increase of expertise of local workers. This entry mode reduces the exposure and risk of losing physical assets, however the employees may still be exposed to risks and management contracts can create a future competitor in the local market. Conclusion From the above discussion following conclusion can be drawn: †¢ In accordance with the view of (Hill, 2006) managers of international businesses need to remember that foreign assembly can improve their capabilities over time, and this can be of immense strategic benefit to the firm. Rather than viewing foreign assembly process as sweatshops where unskilled labor churns out low cost goods, manager need to view them as otential centers of excellence and to encourage and foster attempts by local managers to upgrade the capabilities of their factories and thereby, foreign assembly can serve as a source of competitive advantage. And the various case studies discussed in the easy supports this statement. †¢ In accordance with the view of (Lankford & Parsa, 1999), contrac t manufacturing can enable an organization to gain competitive advantage when products or services are produced more effectively and efficiently by outside suppliers. The advantages in contract manufacturing can be operational, strategic, or both. Operational advantages usually provide for short-term trouble avoidance, while strategic advantages offer long-term contributions in maximizing opportunities. However, suggestions of (Harland et al. 2005) cannot be under estimated who suggested that the failure to manage outsourcing relationships properly, perhaps through service level agreements, may reduce customer service, levels of control and contact with the international customers and suppliers. Finally it may be mentioned that it is appropriate to use contract manufacturing or foreign assembly within an international marketing strategy when risk factors are identified and dealt with precision and careful strategic analysis. Appropriateness of embedding contract manufacturing and foreign assembly within an international marketing strategy depends of how precisely an organization can manage multiple relationships in different environmental context and gain competitive advantage. The main goal of foreign manufacturing and foreign assembly process is to increase and sustain the organizational competency. As stated in the discussion that the rationale behind establishing a foreign manufacturing facility, the strategic role of foreign factories can evolve over time and success of such strategy depends on the organization’s ability to respond in the ever changing global environment.

Developmental Milestones: Birth to Age Three Essay

After birth, babies will start to grow at an incredibly fast rate during their first year of life. As they grow, babies will experience developmental milestones. Developmental milestones are skills that babies will acquire such as recognizing the voices of their parents, smiling, making sounds, rolling over, sitting up. Throughout the rest of their young lives, children will experience developmental milestones. Milestones are categorized into three areas of development: motor development, language development, and social/emotional development. Some children will develop and achieve certain milestones in accordance with a milestone chart, or by the prediction of a physician. While each child will experience developmental milestones, they will do so at varying rates. Every child will develop at their own rate, and within their own time. Although, there are special instances where development has been arrested due to an illness or premature birth. In instances such as these, it is necessary for the parents to consult their physician to determine a developmental time line for their child’s particular need. In general, it should be understood that babies will crawl, and take that first step, when the time is right for them.

Age of Exploration Essay Example for Free (#3)

Age of Exploration Essay ? The age of exploration had many varied effects on the countries involved, mainly Spain, France, and England. By establishing a prosperous empire in South America by conquering the native people, Spain became vastly wealthy off of the gold collected by its native subjects. However, since the native people were dying off rapidly due to the foreign diseases brought over by the Conquistadors, as well as malnutrition and fatigue, Spain and Portugal were the first to introduce slavery to the New World by replacing them with African slaves brought over by Portuguese slave traders. The silver mining by these slaves caused world trade to increase. Often, silver brought to Europe from America was then traded with China and other Asian countries, making silk, porcelain, and Indian spices more prevalent in Europe. Products from America that became popular in Europe included corn, potatoes, pineapples, and sugar cane. Many cultures spread and combined with others: Spanish missionaries converted natives to Christianity, which then combined the new Christian beliefs with the natives’ cultural traditions. Another example, Arabian coffee with American sugar became quite popular throughout Europe. Although saying that anyone who crossed the Atlantic (at least when referring to modern theories) truly discovered America is ridiculous, I believe that the first to do so was Leif Eriksson and his group of Vikings whose settlement was found in Canada. According to the Greenlander saga and the Eric saga, his father, Eric the Red, a Viking outlaw, discovered Greenland. In order to establish himself as a man separate from his father, Leif sailed to the west in order to discover his own land. He sailed west because there had been a rumor in Greenland for the past fifteen years of a merchant sailing from Iceland to Greenland whose ship had been blown off course in a storm. According to the rumor, the merchant claimed that there were three separate lands west of Greenland. Around the year 1000, Leif purchased the merchant’s ship from the story, and obtained directions from the same merchant. He set sail only for a few days, which was reportedly was miserable due to the conditions on the open boat. On this expedition, they were seeking trees, which were scare in Greenland, but abundant in what is now northern Newfoundland, Canada, where the party landed. Leif named the new land Vinland after the wild grapes found there and the wine the grapes produced. Shortly thereafter, the settlers began to erect a settlement and scouted the land. In 1960, the archeologist and set out to find the fabled Vinland, using a four hundred year old Icelandic map and descriptions from the sagas. On the very northern tip of Newfoundland, they came across an area of mounds and ruins near a small town. Because the ruins predated the settlement of the area, the locals had always believed that Native Americans created the mounds. In fact, through almost seven years of painstaking excavations and radiocarbon testing, it was proven that the ruins were of a settlement dating back to the year 1000. Various artifacts found at the site also confirmed its Norse origins. Archeologists have gone so far as to pinpoint which ‘house’ was Leif Eriksson’s, based on size and complexity of the structure. I believe that Leif Eriksson was the first to cross the Atlantic and settle in America because of many factors. The radiocarbon dating of the site which puts it at 1000 C. E. immediately eliminates any of the explorers from the age of exploration, as well as the Chinese in 1492, in addition to the obvious implausibility of traveling above Canada in ice riddled waters in a flimsy wooden vessel. A case could perhaps be made for the merchant in the sagas who started the rumor, but as with all epic stories, the Icelanders who were the ones to transcribe the sagas based on oral stories, may have simply added him in as a fictional supporting character. Because of this and other equally plausible scenarios, I have to concede that Leif Eriksson was the first to reach the New World by crossing the Atlantic. There is confusion among certain people about whether America was colonized because of a desire for more money on the part of England or because the colonists were seeking religious freedom from the Roman Catholic Church. This confusion stems mainly from the watered down version of Jamestown and the Mayflower that we teach students at a young age. While it is true that Puritans did indeed come to the New World seeking religious freedom, the initial desire to colonize America was all about the desire for wealth. Because of Spain’s conquests in South America, the gold it had acquired from the natives and silver mining had made the country vastly wealthy and other nations were eager to get their share of the riches. America also had an abundant supply of farmland at a time when many farmers had small farms that they toiled over in an effort to merely support their families. In addition, as more settlers moved to America and created a demand for indulgences that they were accustomed to in Europe, the companies that sold such items made more money because of the higher prices the settlers had to pay in order to accommodate shipping costs. In short, while religious freedom was a noble and idealistic dream, it wouldn’t benefit anyone or make any money, which is what people were chiefly concerned with. How would America be different if it had been settled one hundred years later, in 1592? To begin with, it probably would not be called ‘America’. America is so named after Amerigo Vespucci; however, as he died in 1512, it is unlikely that we would have been named after him. Perhaps we would be named Raleigh, after Walter Raleigh, a British explorer of both North and South America in our actual history. Christopher Columbus would not be in history books, as he would not have been to Raleigh. Native Americans thus would have never been referred to as Indians. Because of our late start as a nation, it is reasonable to assume that certain historical events in our country would be delayed, let us say, fifty years or so. Because colonization was delayed, it would take longer for tensions to raise between the colonists and the French, so the French and Indian War would not have started in 1689, but around 1739 instead. This in turn would delay the Seven years war and thus the taxed imposed by the British that led to the American Revolution, which would now begin in 1825. Thus, we would have the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1826 and become our own country in 1833. Or alternatively, because of the differing technology, we might have lost the war and still been English today. But lets assume that we won and Raleigh was founded. I believe the Civil War would have been delayed as well until 1911, three years before World War One started. Both world wars, because we did not start them, would have happened the same years as they actually did, 1914 and 1939 respectably. However, I believe that the issue of civil and women’s’ rights would have been later in coming, perhaps in the 80’s. We would probably be dealing with racism more than gay rights today, if that were the case. And our music would be behind as well, so 60’s music today would then be 80’s music now. Age of Exploration. (2016, Oct 23).

Primary Source analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Primary Source analysis - Essay Example Before our modern, liberating era, the world had no room for independent women. A little more than a century ago, women were property and were like slaves, being only allowed to do what their husbands demanded of them. They lived under the rule of their husbands and fathers, unable to escape from the shadows of men. The concept of an independent woman was nothing other than a myth, a dream that was more of a fantasy than anything conceivable. Though they were not allowed in schools, colleges, the majority of professions, or in any offices of government, Elizabeth Cady Stanton pointed out that these women were lacking something even more important, which was â€Å"no proper appreciation of themselves as factors in civilization.†1 Women were not only viewed as less than human, with men considered them to be lower than males, but it was a position that they allowed and accepted. When women today realize what they are capable of and allowed to engage in, it becomes almost baffling to remember that the majority of these options were not acceptable to women in a world that existed only a hundred years ago. Even in Stanton’s article, she acknowledges that a time would come when women can enjoy the rights of person and property. Yet despite this optimism, a stance that has proven itself real in our present day and age, Stanton still states that â€Å"the true woman is as yet a dream of the future†2. Since the post-Civil War era, women became increasingly more free. But is there still more for women to discover about themselves and their abilities? Stanton seemed to believe so. In Stanton’s words, â€Å"we have a government of the people, by the people, for the people [...] we soon shall have that important half, called women ...†3. Women of Stanton’s day and age did not have the freedom that we do now, yet even she was optimistic that one day women would be considered just as vital to society as men. Regardless of the life that Stanton herself led

Entrepreneurial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Entrepreneurial Management - Essay Example My particular area of interest is the EXPEC Computer Centre which is the technological department of Saudi Aramco, and which majors in the technological issues of the company (Oxford Business Group, 2009). The company has commanded a sizeable market share as well as gained respect in its exploration into technology. Through this, the company has remained remarkably relevant in the oil industry in the region, commanding a particularly sizeable market share and respect in technology related to exploration. EXPEC forms the basis of the company’s success in technological issues. It will be an honor to get the opportunity to work in this unit since it is paramount in the prestigious Saudi Aramco Company. It will be a pleasure to be a member of the team responsible for taking Saudi Aramco to its current height of Technology. The Company has had a crucial role to play when it comes to the journey of industrialization in the Saudi Kingdom (Oxford Business Group, 2009). The EXPEC Compu ter Centre has played a role in the company when it comes to finding solutions to technological problems and creating various solutions in the same field. The company boasts of technology that is as a result of EXPEC ARC actions. EXPEC ARC gas has been recognized and received various awards in the Saudi Kingdom and from the rest of the world (Vitalis 2006). ... Various production techniques are dependent on technology. There are various production techniques that rely on EXPEC ARC, and which have played a crucial role of pushing Saudi Armaco to greater heights. So far, EXPEC ARC has been able to make major strides in simulations, visualizations as well as land seismic (Vitalis 2006). I am a young man full of ambition, and it will be absolute honor if I become part of the scientists who will be working towards the achievement of the 2020 goals set by Saudi Aramco Company. The aim of the company is to be transformed into an integrated, global chemicals and energy company by 2020. In this case, the company needs to harness the skills and creativity of young people like me in order to realize these goals. If given a chance to work at the EXPEC ARC, I will focus all my energy on coming up with new technologies and ideas to improve production and other operations within the Saudi Aramco company. Job details Computer programmer The position is for a junior/graduate who will write computer programs for the company and use them to perform various functions as a member of the team working on the various ongoing projects. Personal information From the early stages of my life, I always had a keen interest on computers, and most of my activities such as games, entertainment, exploration and a part of my education revolved around the computer. As a result of my interest in computers, I decided to take up computer studies. I am currently undertaking a course in computer science, and currently in my final year, last semester of my undergraduate course. Since I would like to apply my computer skills in business, I plan to take up a master degree course in Digital Business next year. With the knowledge

Injury and violence free living Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Injury and violence free living - Research Paper Example The rate of unintentional injury deaths were noted to be 40.0 deaths per 100,000 population with 2007 as the baseline year and as much as 60.6% of children have been exposed and affected by violence, either directly or indirectly (National Prevention Strategy Indicators, n.d.). In this regard, the current discourse aims to investigate and explore this priority area in terms of providing details on evidence-based approaches to address injuries and violence in identified populations and communities. Evidence-Based Approaches to Addressing the Priority Area o Healthy and Safe Community Environments In a study written by Merzel & D'Affliti (2003), the authors have delved into evaluating 20 years of community-based programs to determine effectiveness in promoting healthy and safe community environments. According to their findings, â€Å"the evidence from the past 20 years indicates, however, that many community-based programs have had only modest impact, with the notable exception of a number of HIV prevention programs† (Merzel & D'Affliti, 2003, p. 557). ... Negative health and developmental outcomes are concentrated among children living within high-poverty and disadvantaged neighborhoods† (Komro, Flay, Biglan, & Consortium: Summary, 2011, par. 1). It was therefore aptly recommended that collaborative efforts among community members are needed to design integrated strategies which would address physical and social factors that influence the well-being and development of children. These efforts are therefore consistent with the thrust of addresssing the priority area of injury and violence free living, as prescribed. o Clinical and Community Preventive Services The research study written by McElwaine, et al., (2013) identified behavioral risk factors that allegedly contribute to increased preponderance for mortality and morbidity. These factors included poor nutrition, smoking, physical inactivity and risky alcohol use. The findings revealed that despite efforts instituted in community settings, â€Å"preventive care was not provi ded opportunistically to all, and was preferentially provided to select groups. This suggests a need for practice change strategies to enhance preventive care provision to achieve adherence to clinical guidelines† (McElwaine, et al., 2013, p. 1). The information disclosed herein could be used by policymakers to focus on improving strategies to effectively provide preventive services that would ultimately address injuries and violence in the various communities. o Empowering People The facet of empowering people was specifically explored in the study conducted by Samoocha, Bruinvels, Elbers, Anema, & van der Beek (2010). Due to technological advancements in contemporary times, the authors explored patient empowerment through the provision of accessible information through

Minorities in criminal justice Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Minorities in criminal justice - Dissertation Example Overrepresentation occurs at all levels of justice system. Those who oppose the opinion that minorities are overrepresented say that the average percent of arrests of black people, for example, is only 26 compared to 74 of whites. However, these 26% result in 45% of cases with detention (Miller 1997). In addition, the overrepresentation of minorities is found in violent crimes and confinement. Thus, the overrepresentation can be explained with other factors, different from discrimination but some prejudice still plays an important role. Further, there is enough evidence to prove the notion that the minority groups are in reality treated differently from the majority groups by the representatives of the justice system. Approximately 75 percent of the researchers in this question have concluded that racial and ethnic differences have influenced the decision making in the justice system (Miller 1997). Some believe that the overrepresentation of the minority groups in the justice system is not discriminatory because these minority groups tend to commit more crimes than Whites, for example. However the following examples prove that the problem is not in amount of committed crimes: (1) police policies and practices: targeting the low income neighbourhoods, group arrest procedures; (2) location of the crime: minorities tend to sell drugs on the street while the white youth does it at home where the chances to be caught are much lower; (3) different reaction of the victim committed by the majority or minority representative.

Ernie Davis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ernie Davis - Essay Example Ernie Davis also holds the honor of being the first athlete of the African American race to be selected in the NFL Draft. In the capacity of being an African American athlete popular for his exceptional performance in many sports in the south, Ernie Davis was racially discriminated against at several occasions. One such event was when Ernie Davis was chosen as the most valuable player (MVP) of the Cotton Bowl in the year 1960 (â€Å"Ernie Davis biography†). The organizers told him to collect his award at the banquet arranged after the game, and leave the facility immediately thereafter. Upon his refusal to accept this proposal, the entire team boycotted the post-game banquet. Ernie Davis died from cancer when he was only 23 years old. His fans continue to wonder what more Ernie Davis might have achieved had he been able to continue playing for the Cleveland Browns. Ernie Davis was young and ambitious, and no hurdle could stop him from earning the fame he has

Marketing Mix Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Mix Project - Essay Example Another important criterion that needs to be highlighted is that the target group has to be clearly examined. The price and the product provide some directions in recognizing the right audience. Choi, et al., (2014) defined marketing mix as the set of strategies that a company applies to promote and advertise its goods or services. It is the crux of marketing process. It has to be reviewed constantly to meet the changing requirements. The changes in the external environment and changes within the firm necessitate alterations in the mix. There are 4Ps which typically constitute a marketing mix. They are Place, Price, Promotion and Price. However, it has started including other Ps as well like positioning, people, packaging and politics. Nike, Inc. is a renowned designer and manufacturer of footwear, services, accessories, apparel and equipment. It is an American Multinational Corporation established in 1971. It was earlier founded by the name Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight (Gordon, 2012). Product mix is defined as the total variety of goods or services offered by the company. Nike Inc. provides a wide range of products like athletic footwear like running shoes, cleats and apparels that include jerseys, layered clothes, shorts, sports equipments for wide range of sports like baseball, tennis, ice hockey, soccer, cricket, basketball, golf, athletics, combat sports, cross training for men, women and children, etc (Huang & Sarigà ¶llà ¼, 2012). It also manufactures shoes for other outdoor sports and activities like cycling, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, auto racing, aquatic sports, etc. Apparels also include urban fashion clothing. The first line of shoes released by Nike, Inc. in 1987 was Nike Air Max. Air Huarache, an additional line of products, was introduced in 1992. The new lines of goods that are recently added are the Nike NYX, Nike 6.0 and Nike SB shoes especially designed for

Developmental Assets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Developmental Assets - Essay Example Thus, cognitive engagement and behavior engagement encompasses the assets of school engagement and school boundaries in terms of the students’ involvement in learning activities and their adherence to school rules respectively. Similarly, emotional engagement covers the development asset of school climate adequately. The caring school climate involves an atmosphere of respect for each other as purported by progressivism. Ackerman (2003) insists that demonstrating respect for the student would foster a reciprocation of respect for the teacher thereby promoting an atmosphere of care and respect. The school personnel such as the teachers, the administrative staff and other such personnel would encourage the student to do the best that they can do at all times. The idea of showing favor to one student over the other would therefore be non existent. The second asset of school engagement incorporates the idea of a student being actively involved in learning. At no time is the student seen as a passive observer but the student is constantly involved in every dimension of the learning environment. The third assset which promotes the school as the primary promoter entails school boundaries. School boundaries emphasizes the fact that each school should have clear rules and consequences for breaking these rules. One risk factor that a student may experience without the strengthening of the caring school climate is the risk of cultural isolation or intolerance.This intolerance could lead to a rapid deterioration of the student’s self identity and self esteem. Such a decline in self worth may result in a number of inappropriate behaviors such as absenteeism, school drop out and delinquency. However, given a caring environment the students would understand the need to tolerate differences in each other whether it is colour, religion, or way of

Charles Chocolate case Essay Example for Free

Charles Chocolate case Essay Traelene beals â€Å"9am Friday† First, a formal case analysis This should be written in a business style format using short paragraphs and sentences, self-explanatory headings, and any figures/tables that would facilitate reading. Reports are to be no longer than 2000 words (excluding appendices Issues to be addressed – No measures of productivity or efficiaency in the plant- no way of telling if the plant was doing a good job. Difficult demand forcasting due to seasonality of sales. 2 new stores had ok type sales. Best clients of Wholesale sales changed focus on cheaper items and also own products. Sales agents could be fired with 90 days notice. Other parts of US haven’t heard of us. Of the 221 wholesale customers purchase just $1000 worth of products. Other 125 purchase between 1000 and 2000 per year. Sales agents, don’t know how to represent the all products. Speculating future orders from wholesale clients to customize boxes and logos-waste of capital. 60% of the total online/phone orders were from existing customers. Online sales haven’t grown – orders processed within 3-4 days. Why ship internationaly(only 5%)—Antartica Really Summer problem at Sandwich heaven – why did staff leave? How to get new staff in this tight labour market. Marketing service – old fashioned — Undefined Target market? Packaging ? (tourists publicatins, seasonal print media and radio spots) How to increase awareness without diluting the brand. Leverage on solid search engine raankings to promote online sales Basic website, reminder service to customers-good/bad? Sales agents dint provide links to top accounts. Companies revenues had grown because of Sandwich heaven(franchising) High reliability on tourism. Corporate gift marketing – 25% discount – market was good – Explore boston ? ice cream sales Increase retail penetration? Acquire a niche chocolate company? What about the tradiotnal brand name? Internal capacity? Relocate factory? Background Charles produced high-quality, hand wrapped chocolates, Portland creams. Best quality, many loyal customers across the world. Huge factory(24000 sq foot)-owned-. Only 75 retail and 35 production employees, 20 in management. Working hours 7am-4pm(each day). Leverage long shelf life Wholesale production required early planning and online sales required late production†¦ Production planning was completed by data distortions arising from out-of stock and over stock issues. – out of stock-over production – killed the pricing – by discount pricing. Special orders put the whole order on a stand still Retail stores provided 50% of sales. – Wholesale had 30% of sales – Charles is just used as an add on product. Online and phone – online 4% of total sales. –phone is 6% of total sales60% of all these orders were from regular orders.. Avg sales $138 by phone and $91 from website†¦High growth industry†¦ Sandwich heaven – 10% of sales Industry High demand for organic/dark chocolate- anti oxidant properties.

Negative Aspects of Stereotype Essay Example for Free

Negative Aspects of Stereotype Essay What is diversity? Why is diversity valued? Diversity is the difference by race, age, ethnicity and culture. Diversity is valued because the it is what makes everyone and everything unique. If we were all the same this would be a boring world we live in with no room for growth. With diversity everyone has something to offer society in their own unique way. What is ethnocentrism? In what ways can ethnocentrism be detrimental to a society? Ethnocentrism is judging another culture or way of living solely based off your own culture or way of living. This can be detrimental to society because it is border line racism. To judge someone because they do not believe what you believe or live the way you live is wrong. It is almost like not giving someone a job because they dont believe what you believe. Define emigration and immigration. Emigration is when Mexicans leave Mexico to settle in American illegally and immigration when someone from another country leaves their country to become a permanent resident of America. What are some of the ways groups of people are identified? Groups of people are identified by race, gender, age, religion, social status i.e. Rich, middle class and poor. Why do people label and group other people? People label and group other people out of habit and in order to give them a distant identity in society. Define culture. Is culture limited to racial and ethnic backgrounds? Explain. Culture is your way of life. Your beliefs on how you think you should live and conduct yourself. Culture is not limited to race or ethnic background because several groups of people regardless of race can be from the same culture. Source for all answers: Racial and Ethnic Groups, Thirteenth Ed. Richard T. Schaefer. Merrill Prentice Hall. 2012.

Reading Comprehension Strategies And Reading Skills English Language Essay

Reading Comprehension Strategies And Reading Skills English Language Essay Hammadon (1991) says: Reading comprehension is not just understanding words, sentences, or even texts, but involves a complex interartion of the readers prior knowledge, language profiency and their learning strategies (p.30). So reading strategies are very important to achieve the comprehension. Many types of reading strategies are introduced to guide students of all different levels. However, there were few researchers who investigate the relationship of reading comprehension strategies and reading comprehension of students. At HETC, reading has a key place in any English courses when students study English not only as the interest but also the demand for improving their study and promoting in their careers to achieve the long-term goals, especially some of them were assigned to live and work abroad. In their learning process, almost the students meet great challenges when dealing with the reading texts. They usually do not understand texts and cannot complete the tasks so they fee l tired in reading lessons. Therefore, what are the main causes of this current situation? In order to find out the answer, the researcher started a survey on the reading comprehension strategy use. For teachers at HETC, it is hoped that this study may offer them the ways on how to identify strategies used by the students and then they can decide what they should do to promote their students reading comprehension and in their learning as well. Literature review 2.1. Reading comprehension strategies and reading skills Oxford (1990) gives a detailed definition of language learning strategies: Learning strategies are specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective, and more transferable to new situations (p.8) and described concretely how learning strategies are applied to the four language skills: listening, speaking, writing and reading. According to her, four strategies: listening strategies, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, or reading strategies are those learning strategies themselves that applied to each of the four skills. Of course, skills and strategies are two big words and common terms of the reading activities, as well. Nutall (1982) pointed out that reading was certainly a process of the readers, who used strategies to work with the meaning of the texts actively and then made sense from them. By the interesting interactions from the readers and texts, more and more researchers keep working to research the relationship between the use of reading strategies and reading comprehension. However, strategy and skill, are they different? Yes, it was actually apparent that they were different. Strategy meant people used the planned methods and implements to achieve their goals, but skill was known as a routine. Moreover, strategy was the result of conciously work towards goals. It helped readers to understand the meaning of contents in order to find out the answer or obtain a certain performance level in reading that they want for themselves (Gagnà ©, 1985). However, it is not always easy to make such a clear differnces between these two terms. Grabe and Stoller (2002) said that many abilities that are commonly identified as strategies are relatively automatic in their use by fluent readers (e.g. skipping an unknown word while reading, rereading to reestabilsh text meaning (p.15) Paris et al (1991) supposed an emerging skill can become more efficient and developmentally advanced when they become generated and applied automatically as skills (p.61). Sometimes this diff erence is not clear at all because that is part of the nature of reading. In this study, reading strategies are used to show specific actions, steps and plans that students conciously apply in their reading process to improve their comprehension. 2.2. The relationship between reading strategies and reading comprehension Reading comprehension must occur rapid in almost any purposeful context, and the more rapidly a text is read, the better reading processes are to effect. Those specific processes must be implemented effectively in combination to ensure the reading comprhension. Reading comprehension requires the reader be strategic. The reader needs to identify processing difficulties, address balances between text information and background knowledge, decide for monitoring comprhension, and shifing goals for reading. When a good reader use strategies, they can read fluently, flexible in line with changing purpose and then continue monitoring the comprehension. Similarly, reading is an process that evaluating the reader, who must decide if the reading information is coherent and finds out the purpose for reading.Alderson (2003) said reading as the interaction of four things. He claimed that the reader and the text together must be fluent reading or the ability to reach at an appropriate rate with ad equate comprehension, or the ability of the reader to use a wide variety of reading strategies to accomplish a purpose for reading (p.149). So discovering the best methods and strategies are the way that a good learner apply during a reading process. 2.3. Previous research on reading comprhension strategies Grellet, F. (1981) wrote a book Developing Reading Skills. This book showed the important role of reading and provided some techniques which help learners improve their reading skill. Nutal, C. (1989) proved reading is to enable students to read without help unfamiliar authentic texts at appropriate speed, silently with adequate understanding. Ozek, O. (2006) researched A study on the Use of Cognitive Reading Strategies by ELT Students. This study carried out to find out which reading strategies are commonly employed by ELT students while reading a text, and which reading strategies are needed to be developed to understand the text better, and to continue academic studies successfully. San San Kung (2007) did an investigation into the relationship between reading comprehension and the use of reading strategies among EFL students in colleges in Taiwan. Through the study, the researcher knew what the reading strategies the EFL students use more or less and what the differences between different grade students. Methodology This chapter will describe research methods used to collect data to answer the research questions and then explain how and why the methods are used. 3.1. Research questions This study aims to find out reading strategy use of HETCs students. This also has objectives to discover if there are any differences in strategy use between lower and higher proficiency readers, as well. Then to suggest some recommendations to raise students awareness of using reading comprehension strategies in the classroom. It aims at answering the following questions: What reading strategies are used by students at HETC? What are the differences in the use of reading strategies between lower and higher proficiency readers? 3.2. Descriptions of variables 3.2.1. Independent variables In this study, the independence variables were the students at HETC. 51 students were chosen as representatives of this particular group sudents to collect needed data. These 51 students were divided into four groups in which students are the members of higher and lower proficiency groups. These 2 groups were chosen to get information to answer the second research question ( More details about these groups and about higher and lower proficiency readers will be found in 3.3.1 and 3.4.2) 3.2.2. Dependent variable: The dependent variable in this research were the strategies applied in reading comprehension, i.e. reading comprehension strategies. 3.3. The data collection instruments: This study employs a combibation of 3 data collection instruments: General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) Questionaire Think-aloud interviews As one of the objectives of this study is to find out if there are any dfferences in the strategy use between higher proficiency (HP) and lower proficiency (LP) readers. The test was used to divide the subjects into difference groups in which groups of higher and lower proficiency were chosen to collect the data. Think-aloud interviews aimed at getting qualitative data and quesionaire was used to get quantiative data. The author can collect a large information of all mentioned strategies and the information from students who share their thought of strategy use in the think-aloud interviews. Of course, the think a loud interviews in this study can be one of the best ways to reaffirm the result got from the questionaire. For example, in the questionaire, the subjects report that they use life experiences to understand the meaning of texts or read the first and last paragraphs and then go back to read the paragraphs; the author will know they use these strategies or not in the interview. 3.3.1. Test A General English proficiency test is a procedure taken to collect data on students ability or the knowledge of disciplines as Information about peoples language ability is often very useful and necessary (Nunan, 1992). The GEPT was taken form the book IELTS for Academic Purpose: A short insentive course (see the appendix 3). Based on the result of the test, the subjects were classified into 4 groups. Group 1 consists students who just got from mark 1 to 2.5; group 2 has those who got mark from 3 to 5. The students in these 2 groups are LP learners. Meanwhile, the students who are in group 3 got mark from 5.5 to 6.5 they are at medium levels. And the last group group 4 consists of HP ones who got mark from 7 and over. After having the result of the test, the author decided to chose group 2 and 4 to collect the data to answer the second research question. So there are 51 subjects in these 2 groups. The author did not choose group 1 because their proficiency were too low and they we re only 1% of the subjects. Details of the test can be found in Appendix 1. 3.3.2. Questionaire: Questionaire is the second data collection instrument in this study. This is also a pretty popular means of data collection. Many researchers suppose that using questionaire in language research has many advantages. First, questionaire can be given to a great amount of students at the same time and it is self-administered. Second, to protect the privacy and keep the fairness, the subjects names might not be appeared on the questionaire. So subjects tend to share the information more naturally, even some sensitive information. Third, the data collected are more accurate because questionaire is usually given to all the subjects at the same time. This study used one survey questionaire to gather the information about reading strategies as well as the differences in strategy use between these two kinds of readers. According to the result of the questionaire (and interviews), the athor can make some recommendation to help students improve their reading abilities. The quesionaire was designed based on the questionaire of Shan Shan Kung (2007). This part consists 3 parts. Of couse, in this study, the author modified the first part personal information part. The next part concept of reading had 3 questions to explore the perceptions of English reading. The last part had thirty eight questions of strategy use. In the beginning of third section, thirty four questions utilized a Liker Scale point systems. The subjects were asked to respond to each statement by choosing among four answers: 1) usually; 2) sometimes; 3) rarely; 4) never. Each section has four to six questions (except section 1 has 10 questions because of discoverin g the reading process). Through the survey, the author found out which strategies actually actracted HP readers more than LP readers. 3.3.3. Think aloud interviews In addition to the quetionaire, interviews are used to obtain information by actually talking to the subject. The interviewer asks questions and the subject responds. Interviews are the good way for collecting data as Seliger, H.W. (1989) claimed Interviews are personalized and therefore permit a level of in-depth information gathering, free response and flexibility that cannot be obtained by other procedures (p.166). However, it can be costly and time consuming. In this study, think aloud interviews were used to collect the data about the students reading strategy. The Interviewer Guide for Reading Strategies developed by Honsenfeld et al. (1981). In oder to make the Guide appropriate for objectives of thi study, the researcher has made some changes in the strategies they posed ( see Appendix 3). 3.4. Participants in the study: At the time the study was carried out, the subjects had just finished an English course. Their textbook was à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Therefore, their commonly assumed proficiency was intermidiate. They were members of three classes. One class included 25 students , 24 in the other class and 21 in the last one and they stuied the same textbook. Their ages ranged from 19 to 24. Almost all of students had at least 3 years of learning English before this class. They were delivered a reading proficiency test to be divided into higher and lower proficiency readers. In this study, gender has minimal effect on the results because the number of male students is quite small in the total of the subjects. 3.5. Procedure The data were collected by the researcher during a week in autum 2009. After contacting the English teachers of the subjects in person to get approval for asking their students to participate in the study, the researcher pre-arranged the time. The researcher went to English classes to administer the tests. The students were asked to complete the test in 60 minutes. The English teachers and the researcher supervised and marked the test papers later. The 2 days after, subjects were distributed the questionanires. The researcher gave some directions to the subjects and of then encouraged students to ask for any clarifications they might need and any other extra time when they filled out the questionaire. And of couse, the researcher wanted to protect the privacy and the students fairness, so the students names would not fill in the questionaires. In order to advoid misunderstanding the questions, the questionaire were translated into Vietnamese which were enclosed with the English version. The questionaire administration took about 30 minutes in each class. For days later, six chosen students were interviewed individually at the researcher s office in HETC. The reseacher pre-arranged the time and contacted to the students by the phone. Before the interview, the reseacher gave the instructions and explained the purpose of the study to students so they could understand what they had to do clearly. Each interview took from 10 to 15 minutes. Data analysis and findings 4.1. The result of the questionaire 4.1.1. Demographic Data Table 4.1 Demographic Information of Students (N=51) Subject Frequency Percentage Total N % Gender Male 9 17.6 51 100 Female 42 82.4 Level Lower proficiency 32 63.7 Higher proficiency 19 36.3 Years of English learning experience 2 3 5.9 51 100 4 9 17.6 5 15 29.4 6 11 21.6 7 6 11.8 8 2 3.9 9 4 7.8 10 1 2.0 Look at the table 4.1, of the 51 students participating in the study, 9 (17.6%) were males and 43 (82.4%) were females. Of the 19 HP students (36.3%) and 32 (63.7%) were LP students. When asking about years of English learning experience, just 1 students (2.0%) has been studying English for ten years. 9 students (17.6%) have been studying English for four years, 15 students (29.4%) have been studying English for five years, 11 students (21.6%) have been studying English for six years, 6 students (11.8%) have been studying English for seven years, 2 students (3.9%) have been studying English for eight years, 4 students (7.8%) have been studying English for nine years. Because foreign language in general and English in particular were given into school from sixth grade in secondary school, and from tenth grade in high school ( in some remote areas), the most students years of English learning experience were between four and seven years. To answer the second section of the questionnaire about concepts of reading, the results were presented in Table 4.2. Table 4.2 The Relationship between the Important of Reading for Language Learning and Reading Hours per Week by higher and lower proficiency students Reading hours per week 2 3 4 Over 4 N % N % N % N % Higher proficiency students (N =19) Very important 2 10.5 5 26.3 6 31.6 3 15.8 important 1 5.3 2 10.5 Not important Lower proficiency students (N =32) Very important 6 18.8 7 21.9 5 15.6 important 4 12.5 5 15.6 4 12.5 Not important 1 3.1 According to the illustration of Table 4.2, HP students who thought reading was very important for language learning were 2 (10.5%) spent two hours per week on reading, 5(26.3%) for three hours per week, 6 (31.6%), for four hours per week and 3 (15.8%) for over four hours per week. HP students who thought reading was important for language learning were 1 (5.3%) spent two hours per week on reading, 2 (10.5%) for four hours per week. There were not any students who thought reading was not important for language learning. In the LP group, 6 (18.8%) students thought reading was very important for language learning and spent two hours per week for it, 7 (21.9%) spent three hours for reading, 5 (15.6%) spent four hours for reading. These LP students supposed reading was important for language learning were 4 (12.5%) spent two hours per week on reading, 5 (15.6%) for three hours per week. There was 1 (3.1%) students said reading was not important for language learning but still spent two hours per week on it. 4.1.2. Findings for Research Question One The research question one was What reading comprehension strategies are used by students at HETC ? After collecting data, it showed what the same or different strategies were used more or less by HP or LP students for helping them understand the contents of the reading materials in different reading situations and were ranked from low to high to represent which strategy would be used more or less by the students during their reading process in different situations. The results were listed in the following by all of students reading ability levels when they used reading strategies in different reading situations. The total results came from the 51 students in Table 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6. Table 4.3 Means, Ranks, and Standard Deviations of the Uses of Reading Strategies in First Section by students at HETC When I read English materials, Mean Mean SD Rank 1. I read a table of contents, and then read the contents 1.82 1 .90 2. I focus on the first sentence of each paragraph for helping me understand the main points of the whole paragraph 2.51 7 .12 3. I underline the main points when I am reading 2.03 4 .97 4. I write Vietnamese on the margin for vocabulary words I dont understand during reading 1.86 2 .90 5 I skim over the full text, and then read details 1.88 3 .92 6 I use life experiences helping me understand the meaning of texts 1.86 2 .90 7 I use the background knowledge of the English culture to understand the contents 2.57 8 1.03 8 I use key words or sentences to guess the main idea of the articles 1.88 3 1.08 9 After reading each paragraph, I ask myself if I understand what I read before, and paraphrase the main idea, then keep reading the next paragraph 2.25 5 1.09 10 I discuss what I read with classmates 2.45 6 1.05 In Table 4.3, the result indicated which strategies the 51 students used more or less when they read English materials. The table showed the data with mean, mean rank, and standard deviation. As illustration of Table 4.3, the mean was from 1.82 to 2.51 and the rank was S1 (1.82) Table 4.4 Means, Ranks, and Standard Deviations of the Uses of Reading Strategies in First Section by students at HETC When I do not understand a vocabulary, Mean Mean SD Rank 11 I check the dictionary immediately 2.37 3 1.1 12 I mark and pass it, keep reading and then go back 2.33 2 1.08 13 I use other words in the sentence to infer the meaning of vocabulary 2.09 1 .87 14 I analyze its suffix and prefix to get its meaning 3.00 4 1.21 Through Table 4.4, strategy 13 I use other words in the sentence to infer the meaning of vocabulary was most used by the students when they did not understand a vocabulary during the reading process. On contrary, strategy 14 I analyze its suffix and prefix to get its meaning was the strategy which most students used least in this reading situation. Table 4.5 Means, Ranks, and Standard Deviations of the Uses of Reading Strategies in First Section by students at HETC When I do not understand a sentence, Mean Mean SD Rank 15 I use the context (topic, subject) to derive the meaning of each sentence 1.86 1 .91 16 I translate word for word into Vietnamese to better understand the meaning of the sentences 2.35 4 1.12 17 I take grammar analysis (ex: finding subject and verb etc.) to understand the meaning of the sentences 2.33 3 1.02 18 I analyze the structure of sentences (ex: sample sentence, adjective clause, or adverb clause, etc.)to derive the meaning of sentence 2.37 5 .97 19 I will analyze the verb tense (ex: past tense or future tense) or verb mood (ex: subjunctive mood or imperative mood) for better understanding 2.27 2 .95 In Table 4.5, those strategies had close mean scores between each other, but it also pointed out the differences from 2.27 to 2.37, except the strategy 15 had the mean score less 1.86. It described that strategy 15 I use the context (topic, subject) to derive the meaning of each sentence were the most used by the students when they did not understand a sentence during reading process. Vice versa, the means of the strategy 16 and strategy 18 to derive the meaning of sentence meant that they were used least than other strategies in this section. Table 4.6 Means, Ranks, and Standard Deviations of the Uses of Reading Strategies in First Section by students When I dont understand (including vocabulary and sentences,) except above reading strategies, Mean Mean SD Rank 20 I check books (ex: grammar books or encyclopedia) for references 2.16 2 1.14 21 I go on the Internet to find related information 1.98 1 .92 22 I ask teachers or classmates for clarification 2.27 3 1.03 23 I read the difficult parts several times 2.63 5 1.12 24 I read the contents orally several times 2.47 4 .94 25 I will memorize the vocabulary pertaining to the contents before reading 2.16 2 .99 According to the data, it presented that strategy 21 I go on Internet to find related information was used by almost students. The information technology nowaday becomes quite popular to students so they would like to search information on the Internet. The S20 = S25 (2.16) both stood the second position. The strategy that students used least was strategy 23 I read difficult parts several times. 4.1.3. Findings for Research Question Two Research question two was What are the differences in the use of reading strategies of the higher and lower proficiency students at HETC? Through mean, standard deviation, t-tests and p value, the data analysis depicted detailed information about the differences of reading strategy performance between these two groups of students. The comparative groups focused on higher and lower proficiency student. Table 4.7 Means, Standard Deviations, t-Tests and p Value between higher and lower proficiency students at HETC when I read English materials, Lower proficiency students Higher proficiency students T p (N=19) (N=32) Mean SD Mean SD 1. I read a table of contents, and then read the contents 2.00 1.054 1.72 .813 .999 .322 2. I focus on the first sentence of each paragraph for helping me understand the main points of the whole paragraph 2.16 1.118 1.78 .792 1.288 .20 3. I underline the main points when I am reading 2.00 1.105 2.06 .914 -.208 .84 4. I write Vietnamese on the margin for vocabulary words I dont understand during reading 2.79 1.084 2.78 1.069 .026 .98 5. I skim over the full text, and then read details 2.05 1.026 1.78 .870 .965 .34 6. I use life experiences helping me understand the meaning of texts 1.89 .937 1.84 .917 .189 .85 7. I use the background knowledge of the English culture to understand the contents 2.05 1.129 2.86 .871 -2.729 .00** 8. I use key words or sentences to guess the main idea of the articles 2.37 1.261 1.59 .911 2.412 .02* 9. After reading each paragraph, I ask myself if I understand what I read before, and paraphase the main idea, then keep reading the next paragraph 2.00 1.202 2.53 .983 -1.630 .11 10. I discuss what I read with classmates 2.53 1.264 2.41 .946 .359 .72 p As indicated in Table 4.7, strategy 7 and strategy 8 attended to the significant difference level (p Table 4.8 Means, Standard Deviations, t-Tests and p Value between higher and lower proficiency students at HETC When I do not understand a vocabulary, Higher proficiency students Lower proficiency students t p (N=19) (N=32) Mean SD Mean SD 11. I check the dictionary immediately 3.32 .749 1.81 .896 6.432 .00** 12. I mark and pass it, keep reading and then go back 2.89 1.1 2.06 .878 2.809 .00** 13. I use other words in the sentence to infer the meaning of vocabulary 2.05 .911 2.13 .871 -.279 .78 14. I analyze its suffix and prefix to get its meaning 2.84 1.344 3.13 1.07 -.782 .44 p In table 4.8, strategy 11 and strategy 12 attended to the significant different level (p

Justice in Socrates’ City Essay -- Socrates Book IV Justice

Justice in Socrates’ City While Adeimantus and Glaucon appear to enthusiastically accept Socrates’ conclusions about the nature and benefits of justice at the end of Book IV, even going so far as to complete his argument about the profit of justice themselves, they only do so because they have followed Socrates’ argument linearly without going back to test new claims against established premises. Had they done so, they would have been to discover the gaps in Socrates’ logic and the full implications of his constructed city—a city that not only failed to illustrate how justice was profitable in itself and correlated with happiness, but actually proved the precise view of justice as a sacrificial act that it was constructed to disprove. Glaucon and Adeimantus’ uncritical willingness to agree with Socrates’ claims throughout the argument is especially dangerous when it leads them to ignore cues that something in his argument is misleading. They assent to the censorship rules he puts forth even as he admits himself that they are somewhat questionable. When Socrates suggests banning all poetry that paints a bleak picture of Hades, he admits that they would, in effect, be banning the best poetry when he says, â€Å"the more poetic [the verses] are, the less they should be heard† (III, 387) . Later, when he suggests banning sensuous Marsyan instruments, he admits that the move constitutes â€Å"purging the city that a while ago we said was luxurious† (III, 399). In both cases, Glaucon and Adeimantus are quick to justify the suppression of things even Socrates ascribes virtue to in the name of the greater good of the city, but in so doing, they are themselves subverting one of their own purpose s in the argument—to show that the common good co... ...le to be both happy and just for the city’s citizens, but it is the existence of men like Glaucon and Adeimantus—those whose knowledge extends beyond the city and from whom the â€Å"noble lie† emanates—that in effect proves Thrasymachus’ point that justice is unprofitable drudgery on someone else’s behalf. The rulers, Socrates explains earlier, are the only citizens permitted to lie (III, 389). Since it is agreed that â€Å"to possess the truth [is] a good,†(III, 413) when the citizens are necessarily deprived of the good, it is in their best interest to grasp for power, as Thrasymachus suggests, because power confers knowledge in the city. Thus, we are returned to Thrasymachus’ introduction to the dialogue, which begins when he demands a fine if Socrates is found to err. His conflation of knowledge and power at the expense of justice is precisely the method of Socrates’ city. Justice in Socrates’ City Essay -- Socrates Book IV Justice Justice in Socrates’ City While Adeimantus and Glaucon appear to enthusiastically accept Socrates’ conclusions about the nature and benefits of justice at the end of Book IV, even going so far as to complete his argument about the profit of justice themselves, they only do so because they have followed Socrates’ argument linearly without going back to test new claims against established premises. Had they done so, they would have been to discover the gaps in Socrates’ logic and the full implications of his constructed city—a city that not only failed to illustrate how justice was profitable in itself and correlated with happiness, but actually proved the precise view of justice as a sacrificial act that it was constructed to disprove. Glaucon and Adeimantus’ uncritical willingness to agree with Socrates’ claims throughout the argument is especially dangerous when it leads them to ignore cues that something in his argument is misleading. They assent to the censorship rules he puts forth even as he admits himself that they are somewhat questionable. When Socrates suggests banning all poetry that paints a bleak picture of Hades, he admits that they would, in effect, be banning the best poetry when he says, â€Å"the more poetic [the verses] are, the less they should be heard† (III, 387) . Later, when he suggests banning sensuous Marsyan instruments, he admits that the move constitutes â€Å"purging the city that a while ago we said was luxurious† (III, 399). In both cases, Glaucon and Adeimantus are quick to justify the suppression of things even Socrates ascribes virtue to in the name of the greater good of the city, but in so doing, they are themselves subverting one of their own purpose s in the argument—to show that the common good co... ...le to be both happy and just for the city’s citizens, but it is the existence of men like Glaucon and Adeimantus—those whose knowledge extends beyond the city and from whom the â€Å"noble lie† emanates—that in effect proves Thrasymachus’ point that justice is unprofitable drudgery on someone else’s behalf. The rulers, Socrates explains earlier, are the only citizens permitted to lie (III, 389). Since it is agreed that â€Å"to possess the truth [is] a good,†(III, 413) when the citizens are necessarily deprived of the good, it is in their best interest to grasp for power, as Thrasymachus suggests, because power confers knowledge in the city. Thus, we are returned to Thrasymachus’ introduction to the dialogue, which begins when he demands a fine if Socrates is found to err. His conflation of knowledge and power at the expense of justice is precisely the method of Socrates’ city.