Global Strategies in International Business

Global Strategies in International Business The industry based view of strategy explains how industry attributes affect the performance of companies. According to Peng et al., the industry specific attributes relate to factors in the external environment of a company (1). These are factors that are determined by many players in the market and not just an operating company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Global Strategies in International Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This means that the company in question does not have full control over how it performs in the market because of the power of external factors. This approach to strategy formation brings out that managers should consider external factors that affect their operations. The manager should not just consider internal characteristics of his company but also those of competitors and other market stakeholders. Even though businesses operate independently in markets, their activities are affec ted by those of other similar businesses in the same industry. Many markets are perfectly competitive and so prices and the level of output produced are determined by many parties. The business level model of global competitive dynamics brings out how different organizational functions enable companies to compete in the global market. Businesses must make use of different functions such as production, accounts and marketing so as to create competitive advantage. Since profits are what keep businesses in operation, all activities must be competitive so that the organization gains advantage over its rivals in the global market. The industry based view of strategy works well with the business level model of entrepreneurship since the two factors are inter-related. Managers must develop strategies in relation to industry factors. When this is done, the strategies become practical and realistic in relation to the market. This approach enables managers to consider how industry factors aff ect individual business functions and the demand and supply of their products so that pricing and product strategies can be effective in creating profits. The industry based approach however neglects the firm’s internal capabilities of dealing with challenges. At times the resources and skills possessed internally are enough to meet the needs of the market while industry factors complicate what could have been solved easily.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The corporate-level model of multinational strategy, structure, and learning looks at the firm as a corporate body. This means that all activities are interrelated so that the organization moves in one direction. In the global arena, organizations need to develop strategies that create harmony and cooperation between individual departments. Corporate strategies also determine organizational activities, str ucture and acquisition of knowledge. The industry based approach to strategy formulation puts the focus of managers on industry factors. When managers consider the impact of industry forces on the firm’s activities, they are able to develop strategies that can overcome challenges from the external environment. When global strategies are based on the industry view, organizations gain the advantage of being in touch with the actual situation in the market. The industry based view however does not optimize on available resources within the organization such as manpower, time, finances and skills since its focus is on the industry factors. In conclusion, the industry based view on strategy has both advantages and disadvantages in relation to the business-level model of global competitive dynamics and the corporate-level model of multinational strategy, structure, and learning. The industry specific factors affect corporate strategies especially in the global business environment. Strategy formulation and implementation should be based on the global perspective of markets. Global strategies therefore have to consider industry factors and how these affect the operations of individual businesses. Managers are faced with the task of ensuring that their organizations remain competitive so that they gain advantage over their competitors. Bibliography Peng Mike W, Wang Denis Y and Jiang Yi. â€Å"An institution-based view of international business strategy: a focus on Emerging economies†. Journal of International Business Studies. 39(2008): 920–936. Web. https://www.utdallas.edu/~mikepeng/documents/articles/Peng08JIBSWangJiang39(5)pp920-936.pdf

The Many Forms of Plurals

The Many Forms of Plurals The Many Forms of Plurals The Many Forms of Plurals By Mark Nichol Plurals take many (sometimes curious or counterintuitive) forms. Here is an outline of how to form various types of plurals according to the word form or ending: For words ending in: nonsibilant, or voiceless, consonants: add -s (dogs). voiced, or sibilant, consonant blends: add -es (riches). vowels: add -s (knees). -f: delete -f and add -ves (loaves) or -s (chiefs). -x: add -es (foxes). -y: delete -y and add -ies (bodies). For words of Latin or Greek origin ending in: -a: add -s or -e, depending on context (formulas/formulae). -ex: add -es or delete -x and add -ces, depending on context (indexes/indices). -ies: leave as is (species). -is: change to -es (axis). -ma: add -s or -ata, depending on context (stigmas/stigmata). -um: add -s (aquariums), delete -um and add -a (curricula), or either depending on context (mediums/media). -us: delete -us and add -i (alumni), -ii (radii), -era (genera), or -ora (corpora), or leave -us and add -es (octopuses) or use another form, depending on context (cactuses/cacti). Types of irregular forms include: ablaut, or mutated, plurals, with changes in the midst of a word (tooth/teeth; louse/lice). identical singular and plural forms (deer, spacecraft). -en and -ren endings (oxen, children). Some words have more than one plural form, one of which may be archaic (cows/kine) or reserved for a distinct meaning (dice/dies). One problematic category is in referring to fish in general and specific varieties of fish in particular: â€Å"Look at all the fish!† but â€Å"Gars are long, slender, predatory fishes.† Also, some types are given a distinct plural form (sharks, barracudas), though for others, the plural form is identical to the singular one (salmon, sturgeon). Plurals of letters, numbers, or abbreviations are generally formed simply by adding -s, although occasionally, the otherwise incorrect use of an interceding apostrophe is warranted (â€Å"Mind your p’s and q’s†). Usually, however, pluralizing names of letters requires no special treatment, especially when the letter is italicized, as here: â€Å"There are five es in beekeeper.† Initialisms and acronyms also require only an -s: â€Å"Many NGOs are headquartered here,† â€Å"It’s like having two NASAs.† The singular forms of some words are, because they end in s include gyros, kudos, and biceps (as well as triceps and quadriceps). The plural forms are the same, although the latter examples are also pluralized by adding -es. For other words, the original singular has been supplanted by a plural form used in both cases (alga by algae; graffito by graffiti). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of LanguageHow to Pronounce MobileEbook, eBook, ebook or e-book?

Disucssion Question 1 week 2 Investment Information Assignment

Disucssion Question 1 week 2 Investment Information - Assignment Example s on a company with a good record of cash generation from its daily business so as to reduce risk of investment and boost prospects of positive returns. The firms being considered by the investor might have realized high returns resulting to good cash flows. In such cases, the criteria of choosing a suitable business entity to invest in will change- the investor should go for the company which invests its returns in a manner that would benefit him (Brigham & Ehrhardt, 2011). For example, Company A saves most of its return for a rainy day while company B pays its shareholders A balance sheet is often described as a "snapshot of a companys financial condition" categorically stating the balances of the business at the end of each financial year. The left side comprises of the Assets (things the company owns ) listed in order of the time taken to change them to money (liquidity), and the right side made up of debts of the business and amounts payable. Thus, an investor should choose to invest his or her financial assets on a company with a large asset base which will ensure security of his invested capital in case of anything, and refrain from investing in companies with a high gearing ratio since it will result to a little or zero return on his investment and the risk of losing the invested capital increases

Very easy no essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Very easy no essay - Assignment Example y-four year olds owning their own businesses: "The trend may dilute corporate pools of promotable junior managers but provide a needed infrastructure for corporate outsourcing" (Keaveney 102-103). Which paraphrase is acceptable? A necessary infrastructure for corporate outsourcing is provided even though the trend of members of the younger generation owning their own businesses is weakening the availability of potential executives (Keaveney 102-103). Increasingly, members of the younger generation are becoming entrepreneurs rather than making themselves available to work their way up the management scale for an individual company; the difficulties this may cause for companies is offset by the services as subcontractors they can provide as outsourcing becomes more necessary and more common (Keaveney 102-103). The current fashion of members of the younger generation owning their own businesses might water down the numbers of available potential low-ranking administrators; however, it might also supply a necessary means at a basic level for business to subcontract (Keaveney 102-103). The original quotation from Bob Simpson on a website reads "Although some people believe the Lamborgotti Fasterossa is the fastest car in the world, others name the Ferrari as the fastest." Which is an unfair and misleading use of this quotation? You are using material from a newspaper article. There is no author given, but the title of the article is "Was Emerson lying to his constituents?," published in the  Edmonton Journal  on Feb. 14, 2006, on p. A2. Which is the proper parenthetical citation for this

The High Dropout Rate for College Students Essay Example for Free

The High Dropout Rate for College Students Essay Everyone should believe that our education is crucial being that this would actuates the amplitude of progress of an individual’s civil and industrial contentment. You can’t tell me one specific person who would not want to have a degree under their belt along with attaining a very high paying job in the future. What a lot of people fail to realize is that prior to accomplishing a degree, and reaping the benefits, adversity as well as many different problems has to be conquered first. These same adversities and problems are the leading causes why most college students were and are still unable to graduate and they just give up and dropout. That is because when starting school they don’t prepare themselves for these things so when they come along the most inconsiderable thing for them to do is give up. The cause of students dropping out of college is not entirely the student’s indiscretion alone but comparatively with different circumstantial and social elements. Overall dropping out of college is a huge issue for many people today and in this paper I will discuss the many causes why there are high dropout rates and the remedies there is to empower us to finish (www. solutionsforamerica. org). Many undergraduates find that college is not exactly what they thought it would be and that definitely includes me. In my opinion as I’m sure any other college student would agree, whether they be young or old is that there is a lot more reading, studying, you have greater expectations that you have to fulfill and of course the work is much harder. Many people can testify to the fact that the workload is a bit much compared to what we were used to doing back in high school. The whole idea of having to read a whole lot then having to sit and listen to lectures and takes notes believe it or not scares a lot of people; my sister was one of them which is the reason why she dropped out her first time around. Some people have a lack of self control and balancing the new work load with their so called social lives isn’t what they really want to do. Some students are used to the high school teachers staying on top of them for the works that needs to be done, but when you are in college you get a list which is called a syllabus for every class with all the assignments that needs to be done and when they are due. When you don’t have any motivation to push you, this can be one of the very reasons why many person dropout of college. Its obvious that one of the reasons why the dropout rates for college students is so high is they financially just cannot do it. Yes there is the option of financial aid but there are many rules and regulations behind it. For instance I wanted to attend college right after I got my GED in 2006 but because my grandmother did not want to sign any papers for me or give any of her information I was not allowed to. I had to wait until I was of age to be considered an independent student to apply for my FAFSA and be eligible. There are a lot of low income families where they have to work in order to survive because they have large families and going to just isn’t what is in their interest. Tuition for college can be very expensive and if you can’t get a loan they paying for it will be a headache. My sister attends Mercy College and her tuition is almost $9000 a semester and that’s not even including books, possible school supplies or any other charges (Krystal Berry). Some students don’t get enough financial aid and are forced to drop out because they can’t get any loans or find a job that will cover the remaining balance. Most of the time they are unaware of the other options that they have but I will speak on that later on in my essay about the things that can be done to help people in these different situations. Attending college is no walk in the park and there will be many hurdles, hardships, trials and tribulations along the way but we just have to fight through it and not let our finances by any means hold us back. Studies show that most students who enter into the ninth grade won’t graduate with their peers four years later. The reason being is because many of those same children live in these in these under privileged areas and most of them can’t read better than a third grade level. A lot of things showed that because these students can’t read past the third grade level they have a higher chance of dropping out of high school and never make it to college. The high dropout rates in college and the dropout rates in high school have a lot to do with each other in more ways than we think. There a lot of things that advocate that the students are not being supported in any way in their education and honestly that’s sad. Most people in those areas urge the young people to get a job instead of making them understand that if they stay in school and do well that when they finish they can get an even igher pay. These students aren’t prepared for what’s to come in high school, let alone are able to survive enough to make it to graduation and then into college. There are these programs called the GPS-NYC and STEPS that work with these students. The GPS-NYC (Graduate, Prepare, and Succeed) helps ninth grade students with a history of chronic absen teeism graduate on time and ready for college. GPS works to significantly improve educational outcomes throughout New York City through a program policy proposition. STEPS (Supporting Transitions from Early Education to Public Schools) wishes to better early grade literacy by ensuring that a child’s learning and development needs are perpetually met in the first eight years of life. The point is to help bridge the gaps between pre-school and elementary schools (www. unitedwaynyc. org/education). I think with these programs it has helped these students continue on to get a better education; it starts from young. A majority of the people that dropout of college just don’t go to class; they party all night and sleep all day. They have the mentality that going to class is a waste of time; they don’t feel the need to study because in high school they didn’t have to and still passed. Most people are just not prepared for what’s to come in school which is a horrible thing. A lot of high schools reassure the students that they are preparing them for the college life but in actuality aren’t even coming close to what they need to be taught. I think that when entering in college for your first year you should have a guidance counselor to somewhat guide and counsel you. Though there are some student advisors that may act as counselors because they truly do care about the students they have other things to do. When in high school it should be required for all students to take at least two college level course and if they did exceptionally well then some credits will be received for it. It’s the lack of interest that is the reason why now more than ever the high dropout rates are kind of increasing. Financial reason is the number one reason why there is a high dropout rate in college and I don’t know about any other school or state but there are many options. You can either get financial aid or even get a loan from the bank if your credit is good or you can get a co-signer. There are certain programs that if you qualify for you will get funding some kind of funding to help you with school. Most people have the mentality that they have to take four classes at a time when in reality you really don’t have to. Many individuals can afford to pay for at least one class with some serious sacrifices but they don’t want to shell out the money for it; if it’s not financial aid paying for it then they don’t want to do it which is a shame. We all should at least take one class if possible to prevent from staying out for so long. Smaller classes, better communication, and increase supervision are some things that can prevent the high dropout rate in college. If there were a lot more good teachers who keep the classes interesting and parents were more involved that would make it a lot easier. Most parents kind of forget about their children and are not as active in their lives when they go to college especially if they go away (www. dosomething. org). .

Andrew Carnegie Lived The American Dream :: Andrew Carnegie

What is the American Dream? According to Webster the American Dream is the ideal according to which equality of opportunity permits any American to aspire to high attainment and material success. Andrew Carnegie is the epitome of the American Dream because he is a classic example of rags to riches success story. He seemed to be touched by an angel. No matter what was wrong with the world, Andrew Carnegie was to consistently capitalize on success. Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, in 1835. â€Å"Protected by proud and self-sacrificing parents, Andrew may not have known in these years what real poverty was†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Wall, Andrew Carnegie) Andrew Carnegie’s formal education ended after elementary school, the family's respect for books and learning ensured that Carnegie's education would continue throughout his life. Born the son of a weaver, Carnegie’s family suffered the effects of the industrial revolution. The mass production of the new steam looms left countless families out of work. To escape the depression of their hometown his family immigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1848. At the age of thirteen, Carnegie began his new life in America as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory. Through a connection from his uncle, Carnegie was offered a job as a messenger boy and operator for the Telegraph Office. From the promotion of his new job, Carnegie became acquainted with Pittsburgh’s most Well-known men. While employed by the Telegraph Office Carnegie met Thomas A. Scott, the superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who offered him a job. It was while being employed by Scott, that he was given a proposal to invest in the Adams Express Company. Carnegie was able to convince his mother to mortgage their home and loan him $500 to begin his first investment. In 1865 Carnegie left Pennsylvania Railroad after 12 years to concentrate on his own businesses, the first being the Keystone Bridge Company, which made iron and steel. Carnegie surrounded himself with intelligent advisors, made heavy investments in new equipment, and maintained his ownership stake in all his enterprises, enabling him to exponentially increase his wealth. During his trips to business trips Carnegie he came to meet steel-makers. At about age 38, he began concentrating on steel, founding the J. Edgar Thomson Steel Works near Pittsburgh, which would eventually evolve into the Carnegie Steel Company. In the 1870s Carnegie's new company built the first steel plants in the United States to use the new Bessemer steel-making process, borrowed from Britain. Andrew Carnegie Lived The American Dream :: Andrew Carnegie What is the American Dream? According to Webster the American Dream is the ideal according to which equality of opportunity permits any American to aspire to high attainment and material success. Andrew Carnegie is the epitome of the American Dream because he is a classic example of rags to riches success story. He seemed to be touched by an angel. No matter what was wrong with the world, Andrew Carnegie was to consistently capitalize on success. Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, in 1835. â€Å"Protected by proud and self-sacrificing parents, Andrew may not have known in these years what real poverty was†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Wall, Andrew Carnegie) Andrew Carnegie’s formal education ended after elementary school, the family's respect for books and learning ensured that Carnegie's education would continue throughout his life. Born the son of a weaver, Carnegie’s family suffered the effects of the industrial revolution. The mass production of the new steam looms left countless families out of work. To escape the depression of their hometown his family immigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1848. At the age of thirteen, Carnegie began his new life in America as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory. Through a connection from his uncle, Carnegie was offered a job as a messenger boy and operator for the Telegraph Office. From the promotion of his new job, Carnegie became acquainted with Pittsburgh’s most Well-known men. While employed by the Telegraph Office Carnegie met Thomas A. Scott, the superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who offered him a job. It was while being employed by Scott, that he was given a proposal to invest in the Adams Express Company. Carnegie was able to convince his mother to mortgage their home and loan him $500 to begin his first investment. In 1865 Carnegie left Pennsylvania Railroad after 12 years to concentrate on his own businesses, the first being the Keystone Bridge Company, which made iron and steel. Carnegie surrounded himself with intelligent advisors, made heavy investments in new equipment, and maintained his ownership stake in all his enterprises, enabling him to exponentially increase his wealth. During his trips to business trips Carnegie he came to meet steel-makers. At about age 38, he began concentrating on steel, founding the J. Edgar Thomson Steel Works near Pittsburgh, which would eventually evolve into the Carnegie Steel Company. In the 1870s Carnegie's new company built the first steel plants in the United States to use the new Bessemer steel-making process, borrowed from Britain.

Report to the Management of Wilson, Tan & Associates

Introduction This report provides an evaluation of the performance of the performance of two U.K companies that operate in the fashion industry with the objective of identifying a suitable takeover target for Wilson & Tan Associates. The report covers the financial performance of the two companies based interpreted in the context of the business environment in which they operate. The two companies included in the report include Supergroup Plc and Mulberry Plc. The analysis is based on the group statement of financial position as at 2011 and 2010 and the group income statement for the years ending 2010 and 2011. The rest of the report is organised as follows: section 2 focuses on analysing the financial performance of both companies in relation to their industry and economic environment; and section 3 provides conclusions and recommendations on which company to take over. Analysis of the Performance of Supergroup Plc and Mulberry Plc Appendix 1 contains the ratios of both companies over the period 2010 and 2011. The ratios cover a variety of areas including profitability, liquidity, management efficiency and long-term solvency.ProfitabilityThe ability of a company to generate a return on invested capital is a critical factor in determining the value of the company. Profitability serves as a measure of the competitive position of a company as well as the quality of the management (Penman, 2007; Robinson et al., 2009). It can be observed from appendix 1 that overall profitability of Mulberry Plc is better than that of Supergroup Plc. Supergroup Plc realised a gross profit margin of 55.82% in 2011 up by 6% from its 2010 figure of 52.58%. Despite this high ratio, that of Mulberry Plc was high. The company realised a gross profit margin of 65.4% in 2011 up 11% from its 2010 figure of 59.0%. The operating profit margin of Supergroup Plc was higher than that of Mulberry Plc for both 2011 and 201. However, Mulberry Plc r ealised a greater improvement in the operating profit margin from 2010 to 2011. If the company continues with this spirit it will soon outperform Supergroup Plc. In terms of the net profit margin, return on assets, and return on equity, Mulberry Plc outperformed Supergroup Plc. In addition, Mulberry Plc witnessed a significant improvement in these ratios from 2010 to 2011 while Supergroup Plc witnessed a significant decline in these ratios over the same period. With respect to profitability, both companies appear to be profitable. However, the performance of Mulberry Plc surpasses that of Supergroup Plc. The high profitability observed for these two companies can be attributed to positive developments in the fashion industry. Despite the poor economic climate, the U.K fashion industry is experiencing a growth in revenue. The U.K remains a major manufacturer of clothing and high quality fabrics. The combined textile and clothing industry in the U.K is valued at ?8.5billion worth of goods. Retail sales in the fashion industry in 2009 were approximately ?285billion. Export sales amounted to approximately ?7.3billion at manufacturer’s prices with the U.S.A, Japan, Russia, France, Italy the Middle East, Hong Kong and China being major export destinations (Fashion United, 2011). Rising trends in both export and domestic sales explain why companies in the industry are experiencing increasing profit margins and return on investment as indicated by the ratios of Supergroup Plc and Mulberry Group Plc.LiquidityLiquidity measures a firm’s ability to meet its current financial oblig ations. It is a measure of how well the firm can pay its short-term creditors with its current assets without having to liquidate its non-current assets. In order words, liquidity measures how quickly the company converts assets into cash (Myers and Brealey, 2002; Penman, 2007). Appendix 1 also presents liquidity ratios for Supergroup Plc and Mulberry Plc. It can be observed that Supergroup Plc has a better liquidity position than Mulberry Plc. Supergroup Plc had a current ratio of 2.81 in 2011 up 1% from 2.79 in 2010. On the contrary, Mulberry Plc had a current ratio of 1.62 in 2011 down 24% from 2010. The quick ratio of Supergroup Plc was 1.59 in 2011 down 17% from 1.91 in 2010 compared to a quick ratio of 0.97 for Mulberry plc in 2011 down 34% from 1.48 in 2010. Considering only the current and quick ratios, it can be observed that Supergroup plc can meet its current liabilities with its current assets better than Mulberry plc can do. The cash ratio for both companies in 2011 was less than 1.0 suggesting that cash and cash equivalents are not enough to meet current liabilities. This means that if both companies suffer a write-down in the value of inventory or an increase in bad debts, they would be unable to meet their current liabilities with their current base of cash and cash equivalents. Overall, the liquidity position for both companies is declining although Supergroup Plc appears to be doing better than Mulberry Plc. The deteriorating liquidity for both companies can be attributed to the current economic climate. Bank lending has declined significantly as a result of the global financial crisis. Arranging an overdraft facility has become more difficult compared to what use to be the case before the global financial crisis. Declining liquidity too can be as a result of the constant change in the fashion industry. Clothing inventory becomes obsolete too quickly. This suggests slow moving inventory can result to liquidity constraints for companies that operate in the fashion industry.Management EfficiencyEfficiency ratios are aimed at understanding how well a company manages its activities especially how it efficiently manages its assets. Appendix 1 illustrates a number of efficiency ratios for Supergoup Plc and Mulberry Plc. The inventory turnover of Supergroup plc declined from by 36% from 3.13times in 2010 to 2.01times in 2011. Supergroup is able to turnover more inventory than Mulberry plc who s aw a decline in inventory turnover by 42% from 3.25times in 2010 to 1.88 times in 2011. The decline in the number of times that inventory is turned over led to an increase in the number of days that inventory is outstanding by 56% from 117 days in 2010 to 182days in 2011 for Supergroup Plc and by 73 % from 112 days in 2010 to 194 days in 2011 for Mulberry Plc. This decline in inventory turnover for both companies helps to explain why the liquidity ratios declined. Both companies have increased the number of days that inventory is held thus increasing the probability that inventory may become obsolete and thus result to a deterioration in its value. As far as inventory turnover is concerned, the management of Supergroup Plc is more efficient. The receivables turnover of Mulberry Plc however, is better than that of Supergroup Plc. Mulberry Plc is able to collect its outstanding receivables faster than Supergroup Plc can do. This is reflected in the lower number of days that its receiv ables remain outstanding compared to Mulberry Plc. The purchases turnover of Supergroup Plc is higher than that of Mulberry Plc. In addition, the number of days of payables of Supergroup Plc is higher than that of Mulberry Plc. This suggests that Mulberry Plc is either defaulting on its payments or has a higher bargaining power over its suppliers. The results for Supergroup Plc suggest that it either has a lower bargaining power or does not default on its short term debts. In terms of Payables turnover and receivables turnover, Mulberry Plc outperformed Supergroup plc indicating that the management of Mulberry plc is more efficient in managing its assets than Supergroup plc. Looking at the working capital, fixed asset, and total asset turnover, it can be observed that the performance of Mulberry Plc was better than that of Supergroup plc.Long-term SolvencyThe solvency ratios indicate that Mulberry Plc is in a better solvency position than Supergroup Plc. The company has no long-term debt which makes its debt-to-equity and debt-to-capital ratios equal to zero. Conclusions and Recommendations One can conclude from the above analysis that Mulberry Plc performed better than Supergroup plc over the 2 year period under investigation. While Supergroup plc appears to have a better liquidity position than Mulberry plc, Mulberry plc is more profitable, has a better management and is in a better solvency position than Supergroup Plc. Given its more efficient management, it can work on its liquidity position and improve in subsequent years. In the light of these findings, this report considers Mulberry Plc a better takeover target and thus recommends that the management of Wilson, Tan & Associates should consider placing a takeover bid for it. References Fashion United (2011) Facts and Figures in the UK fashion industry, available online at: http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/facts-and-figures-in-the-uk-fashion-industry, [accessed: 1st February 2012]. Myers, S. C. Brealey, R. A. (2002). Principles of Corporate Finance. 7th Edition McGraw-Hill. Penman, S. (2007) Financial Statements Analysis and Securities Valuation.3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill. Robinson, T. R., Greuning, J. H., Henry, E., Broihahn, M. A. (2009), â€Å"Financial Analysis Techniques† in Financial Reporting and Analysis, CFA Program Curriculum, vol. 3, Pearson Custom Publishing.

Bus303 Final Paper

Human Resources Management Reflective Paper BUS 303 Human Resource Management Reflective Paper In analyzing the concepts discussed in Human Resource Management, I have found an interesting mix of education and forethought into the role of a human resource manager. Many of the aspect of human resource management such as HR planning, recruitment and selection, as well as, human resources development and labor relations all play a significant role in the success of any organization.There are many benefits to the learning that has taken place in this course that has helped me better understand HRM and its roll that will shape not only my position in business now but for future positions in the years to come. The primary function of human resource management is to increase the effectiveness and contribution of employees in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. For a human resource department to function correctly its many functions need to work together and it all starts with human resource planning.All businesses have a human resource planning process. Many times upper management teams work with human resource experts when it comes to human resource decisions. These HR decisions help to shape the overall strategic plan of an organization. Human Resource departments function at their best when they are viewed within an organization as a partner with upper management that will aid with the planning and administration of human resource decisions. The HR head is a centerpiece to the decision making process.HR managers often times evaluate the availability of talent, employee behavior and analyze current skills that are needed within the organization. Human resource planning is â€Å"the ongoing process of systematic planning to achieve optimum use of an organization's most valuable asset – its human resources. † (http://www. investopedia. com) The main goal of human resource planning is to make sure there is a functional and working conne ction between employees and the jobs in which they do. There has to be a balanced pproached for human resource managers because there is a fine line trying to avoid deficiencies and surpluses of labor within the organization. For HR managers the balance is kept by analyzing current labor demand verses future labor demand and balancing the supply and demand between the two. Often times HR planning has to be flexible so that organizations can adapt and keep up with the changing business environments in the markets in which they serve. Human resource planning is an ongoing task that must look at the long term and short-term goals of an organization.Without the flexibility and the ability to adapt to a changing business environment, organizations could be left behind in the competitive marketplace. Planning needs to take into account many factors such as recruiting, training, outsourcing, employee development, job analysis and others just to name a few. Ultimately, it is human resources responsibility to make sure that the organization has the right people in the right place in order to successfully navigate the organization to fulfill its strategic plan. When it comes to HR planning there are six specific factors for the HR planning process.They are environmental scanning, labor market analysis and forecast, internal analysis and forecast, gap analysis, developing HR plans and strategies, and HR strategy implementation and assessment. â€Å"HR planning and organizational strategic planning should not be treated as separate activities: they must have a mutual relationship for their integration to be valuable. Similarly, HR planning should be guided by organizational goals and strategies and should inform each and every one of those processes; the various HRM processes can then be conducted effectively. (Youssef, C. 2012) I believe that the HR planning process is the absolute most important part of an HR management team’s work. The reason is that there is s o much that goes into the planning that shapes the overall strategic plan of an organization. The many other factors that HR deals with are important, yet without an overall plan and vision, the overall long-term goals of the organization could not be reached in an efficient manner. For example, I had worked at a small local company that had started up about a year prior to my arrival.At the time that I had started it was ran by a husband and wife both of which did not have any HR experience. They had goals on what they wanted to do both long term and short term yet the organization was unable to reach many of those goals primarily because of the lack of an HR professional. In order to recruit new people the owners relied on referrals from other business owners in the area and ads that were posted in the local newspaper. They had no online presence and they were not able to keep up with the competition for qualified candidates.They were losing quality potential employees to their co mpetition because of a lack of planning and non-flexibility. After about a year of continuous struggles, they brought in an HR consultant that brought many good ideas and the owners fortunately embraced many of them. They had decided to recruit and bring on board a professional HR manager with many years of experience that helped the owners in an area that was one of their weaknesses, HR management. The new HR manager brought plenty of changes to the processes within the organization while keeping in mind the overall long-term goals of the owners.Many of the changes were to the recruitment process. She did things such as adding an â€Å"apply now† link on the company’s website and got the organization more of an online presence in on-line job boards within the area. Along with that, the interview process was more formal with the changes that she made. More of the work was done electronically such as applications, and resume submitting. The owners of the company also in vested with an organization that provided services for companies to give personality and aptitude assessments so that they could better understand a potential employee.Of course, this all happened over time and the organization became better at understanding what type of labor force they needed. This is exactly why the planning process is so important. It helps to organize and execute the overall strategic plan of an organization and that is the exact reason that HR exists, to increase the effectiveness and contribution of employees in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Culture, it comes down to organizational and employee behavior and HRM plays the biggest role. â€Å"There is no one omnipotent culture.What works this year may not work in the next†. (www. sjsu. edu) The culture of an organization is not automatic. It takes time and hard work for an organization to build and cultivate its own identity and culture within the workplace. Many times HR manager s forget the importance they have in shaping the culture of an organization. I have seen it before in companies in which I have worked. For instance, the organization that I currently work for had sort of a laid-back culture one in which it was ok for sales people to work in business casual clothes such as slacks and a polo shirt.A couple of years ago the CEO was replaced and when the new CEO came in, change came to the culture. No longer, was the sales team allowed to wear business casual, it was professional dress only and it made a big difference in the professionalism with the organization. It also made a difference with new hires and made the biggest impact with our customers. This is just one example of the how the culture changed within my organization but the important thing to note was that the new CEO led this change by example as he did with everything else.He would only wear suits and ties and never did we see him or any other person on the management team in business ca sual. It was just one-step but a very important one in changing the culture of the organization. The best way for HRM to shape organizational and employee behavior is to lead by example. There are other control methods to make sure individual employee behavior is kept in check, such as utilizing a corporate code of conduct that must be signed and followed by all of the employees.For this to work, an organization must have meaningful penalties when the code of conduct is violated, and it must make sure that those policies are enforced and that enforcement is structured and consistent. Overall, HR managers need to lead by example to create or maintain a positive culture within their workplace. It is critical that all managers are aware of their roles and responsibilities in upholding positive workplace environments that can increase employee satisfaction and it all starts with HRM. In conclusion, HRM plays one of the biggest and most important roles in the success or failure of an org anization.Without the right planning and having the right people in the right place, it is very hard for an organization to meet the overall goals in which they have set out to succeed. Looking at the learning that has taken place in this course, it has opened my eyes to the importance of a competent and structured HR department. The course has helped me to look at past experiences and better appreciate the HR directors that I have worked with in the past and it has helped me better understand HRM and its roll that will shape not only my osition in business now but for future positions in the years to come. References Youssef, C. (2012). Human resource management. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education http://www. investopedia. com/terms/h/human-resource-planning. asp#axzz2LJdsjswT (Retrieved from World Wide Web, February 16, 2013) http://www. sjsu. edu/people/phyllis. connolly/courses/c17/s1/kane_umanageroleorgcul200(Retrieved from the World Wide Web, February 18, 2013

The Jungle Essays - Economic Ideologies, Production Economics

The Jungle Essays - Economic Ideologies, Production Economics The Jungle A French philosopher once said that the greatest tyranny of democracy was when the minority ruled the majority. Upton Sinclairs The Jungle gives the reader a great example of exactly this. A man who earns his living honestly and through hard work will always be trapped in poverty, but a man who earns his living through lies and cheating will be wealthy. The Jungle portrays a Lithuanian family stuck in a Capitalistic country. It shows the ongoing struggle of a lower class that will never get farther in life as long as the minority of rich people rule over them. The Jungle conveys a struggle between Capitalism and Socialism. Socialism is the best way out for the peasants, but a Capitalistic America has already trapped them. When Jurgis Rudkus and his family first come to America, they do not know how it was run. Once Jurgis begins working in the stockyards, he finds out that the upper class dominates over the lower class. Supposedly America is a democratic nation, but this is not true. Capitalism rules the nation. The upper class bosses rule what goes on in the peasants lives. It is a form of slavery. Sinclair writes: Things that were quite unspeakable went on there in the packing houses all the time, and were taken for granted by everybody; only they did not show, as in old slavery times, because there was no difference in color between master and slave. (106) Sinclair compares the conditions of the factories to that of slavery. The rich boss is the master and the peasant is the lowly slave. Capitalism rules in the stockyards of Chicago. The higher class people can get ahead in life because they have an in with the system, but the peasants will forever be stuck at their work on the machines in a packing plant. Jurgis Rudkus endures the work in the factory system. He comes across Capitalism first hand here. Through his work in the meat packing plant, he sees how they are able to work around government regulation through bribes and deceit. He also soon learns that everyone steals from the people below them in the system. Sinclair writes, ...the bosses grafted off the men, and they grafted off each other; and someday the superintendent would find out about the boss, and then he would graft off the boss (59). Sinclair reveals that men of a higher status were able to steal freely from others and get away with it. If one found out, he just stole right back from another. This was Capitalism in and of itself. Here, in the stockyards of Chicago, the upper class rules over the lower class. In Packingtown, Jurgis Rudkus and his family face many difficulties with the Capitalistic rule. The people take advantage of them and steal their money. When they first came to America, they had to pay many fees because they were foreigners and did not know better. Eventually, Jurgis decides to buy a house. He thinks he is getting a good deal, but in reality is not. The real estate agent tells him that it is a brand new house, but this is a lie. Sinclair writes, ...it was not new at all, as they had supposed; it was about fifteen years old, and there was nothing new upon it but the paint (65). The real estate agent took advantage of them because they were lower class. He was able to do so because they did not know any better. The upper class ruled over them. They lived in a Capitalistic nation that trapped them as lower class citizens. The Capitalistic way of life allows for a lot of corruption in the government and police department. Many people pay off high officials in order to get lead way in court and other places. Men who own saloons pay the police so they can sell liquor on Sundays. At one point in the book Jurgis beats up a bartender because he will not give him his change for a hundred dollar bill. The bartender does not get in trouble for this because he has paid people off. Sinclair writes, ...the owner of the saloon had paid five dollars each to the policemen alone

To B or Not to B

To B or Not to B To B or Not to B To B or Not to B By Maeve Maddox English words ending in the spelling -mb occasionally give English learners difficulty. The error arises in trying to pronounce the final b. Some of these words derive from originals that included the b sound and spelling. Some, however, had the unnecessary, (sometimes called the parasitic), -b added after the words were in common use. Here are some -mb words that come from roots that included the b as part of the spelling. bomb [bÃ… m]- noun meaning an explosive device. From Italian bomba, possibly from Latin bombus, a buzzing or booming sound and Greek bombos deep and hollow sound. climb [klÄ «m] verb meaning to ascend. He climbed the stairs. He climbed the cliff face. As a noun it means an ascent. It was an arduous climb. Climb is from the Old English verb climban. comb [kÃ… m] noun (OE camb) meaning a toothed implement. As a verb it means to perform the act of running a comb through hair. It is also used figuratively to mean examine with care. She combed (or combed through) the files, looking for evidence. dumb [dÃ… ­m] (OE thumb; ON dumbr) meaning mute. The modern sense of stupid was influenced by German dumm, stupid. jamb [jÄÆ'm] (Old French jambe, side post of a door) Ultimately from words meaning leg, a jamb is an upright piece of wood or other material that forms the side of a door, window, or other opening. lamb [lÄÆ'm] This word for a baby sheep retains its OE spelling. plumb [(plÃ… ­m)] The noun refers to a heavy object (usually a lead weight) tied to a string, used by builders to establish a vertical line. Plumb comes into English by way of Old French from the Latin word for lead [lÄ•d]:plumbum. (In case you ever wondered about the abbreviation for lead on the Periodic Table, now you know.) As a verb plumb can mean to make a wall straight, or determine the depth of something. It is used figuratively in the sense of examining something closely. Ex. He plumbed the depths of his soul. tomb [tÃ… «m or toom] a noun meaning a place of burial. The verb is to entomb. It came into English from French. At first the b was pronounced, but fell silent at some time in the 14th century. womb [wÃ… «m or woom] the uterus. From OE wamb or womb meaning belly or uterus. The following words had the -b added to them after they had been in use without it. crumb [krÃ… ­m] a small piece of something; from OE cruma. The verb crumble derives from OE gecrymman to break into crumbs. The -b may have got into the act by analogy with the French word humble. limb [lÄ ­m] OE lim could mean the branch of a tree or a body member. The final -b began to appear on the word in the late 1500s. numb [nÃ… ­m] The adjective numb, meaning devoid of feeling, comes from the OE verb niman, to take. In 1440 the word existed as nome, taken, seized. A person who had been taken with shock or cold couldnt feel normally. The unnecessary -b attached itself to the word during the 17th century, giving us numb. thumb [thÃ… ­m] This word for the short fat digit that enables us to pick up things comes from OE thuma. The -b got attached to the word about 1290. morewords.com/ends-with/mb/ Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†A While vs Awhile20 Slang Terms for Law Enforcement Personnel

One word description speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

One word description speech - Essay Example Well, this is not competition but rather trying to determine where I need to improve on. It is worth noting that my confidence and enthusiasm also complements my greatest trait. I socialize a lot because I believe in the power of being together and sharing. In fact, I believe that my social nature helps me deals with anxiety, depression and anger. I have human nature and believe that honesty is one of the avenues of success. Just not to keep you waiting for long, I was trying to justify my major trait; which is ambitious. That is the kind of a person I am. Just to add on top, being an ambitious person has enabled me to be very organized, academically prepared and successful in various situations. As they say, each and every human has the weakness and the strength side of him/herself. My weakness is that I sometimes solve my problems in a simple way; that sometimes do not give me the ultimate solutions to the problem I am faced. To summarize it all, my ambition is my strength and I believe it is my driver to

Support to SMEs in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Support to SMEs in the UK - Essay Example This importance of the sector can therefore not be overlooked. Moreover, with the increased shift towards government and private sector alliances in most nations, it is impediment upon the government of the day to closely monitor and support the activities of the small businesses in the country. It is through the recognition of this fact that the government has the obligation of providing support to the various SMEs in the country. Another important factor about SMEs is through the characteristic growth that they have exhibited in major economies of the world including the United Kingdom. To harness this growth to the national economic growth, there is a need for a good operational environment for such enterprises. The government, private sector and other parties have therefore taken measures to ensure that the businesses are supported for an enhanced growth that will translate into an economic improvement. This paper will critically analyze the support and resources that have been a vailed to the SMEs in the country in terms of linguistic and cultural support. ... First, there are two major national wide financial assistance programs. They include the enterprise finance guarantee (EFG) and the enterprise capital funds (ECF). Secondly, there are other separate programs that are concerned with supporting the enterprises within England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales (BBC, 2011). The EFG is a nationwide financial assistance program to SMEs that was established to encourage and enhance lending to the various enterprises from the various commercial banks. Since lending tradition in the country has always followed strict requirement criteria, the government has been able to use this program to assist the enterprises meet these standards. This is through providing a guarantee of 75% to their loans on commercial banks. The enterprises also need to show that they have an annual income or turnover of about 25 million pounds (BBC, 2011). This program is flexible to all enterprises except in the coal industry. The EFG program is therefore a resourceful finan cial guarantee program that helps enterprises overcome the cultural barriers imposed by commercial banks that traditionally prefer to deal with established organizations because of the strict requirements of lending in the country. Through this program, the enterprises are able to acquire loans, repay their existing loans among other financial undertakings for the support of business growth and expansion. As a result, it is estimated that about 6000 enterprises benefit from this resourceful program annually in the country with enterprises required to access the program through their banks. Likewise, the ECFs are another move by the national government aimed at supporting the growth of SMEs. The program is a capital oriented initiative that involves