IKEA Business Research Paper Essay

IKEA is a world renowned furniture and home goods provider. Like all international businesses they have challenges and dilemmas that effect how they approach different aspects of their business. By identifying issues and how to combat them by analyzing accurate data IKEA can better handle situations and ensure continued profitability and company success Statistical Analysis The first level of measurement that IKEA used was nominal measurement. With this level of measurement, items were assigned into groups or categories. This evaluated data was definitive and was captured with the questions that have a â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† answer. The next measurement level was the ordinal level of measurement. This level signified several specific reason behind the assignment and indicated an approximate ordering of the measurements. This evaluated the captured data using median and mode, with questions that have the answer choice for example; satisfied and unsatisfied. This allowed IKEA to determine how often customers were satisfied or unsatisfied with their goods and services. The third level deals with the interval which classified along with ordered the measurements; this level specified the distances between each interval on the scale were equivalent along the scale from low interval to high interval. The final level was the ratio level of measurement, this level the measurements can have a value of zero and the divisions between the points on the scale have an equivalent distance between them, and the rankings assigned to the items are according to their size (Marchal, William & Whaten 2009). To evaluate the data, each answer will be given a ranking; excellent (100% satisfaction), average (50% satisfaction), and terrible (0% satisfaction). This was used to measure the level of consumer satisfaction. Challenges to Validity and Reliability Validity and reliability are the two critical factors to be considered during a sample design and data collection. Survey is a very expensive approach. Therefore it is very important to do it right in the first time. Carefully evaluating the potential challenges to validity and reliability of survey question, data and analysis is crucial. Cooper, D & Schindler, P (2006) indicated that there were four major faults of the survey instrument design are 1) the respondent error; 2) the situation error; 3) the measurer; and 4) the data collection instrument (Cooper, D. R. , & Schindler, P. S. 2006. ) At least two potential challenges for the survey should be considered. Different ethic group membership could have different answer to a same question. For example, the customers in some countries may be reluctant to select â€Å"extremely satisfied† or â€Å"extremely satisfied† in the survey questionnaire to express their satisfaction level. This could cause the external validity issues when collecting the data. A defective instrument can cause distortion in a way of too confusing and ambiguous. When the researchers design the questionnaire, they should consider the participants’ education level and comprehension capability. Leading questions, ambiguous meanings, mechanical defects are also mistakes that could cause instrument errors. For example, in the questionnaire one question is â€Å"What are the main reasons you chose IKEA for your shopping needs? † This is an open question to the customers, the outcome of the answers may not be able to quantify for data analysis. It will be better to list the possible reasons to let the customers to choose. The researchers have to carefully determine the instrument scales Steps to Minimize Challenges Our reasoning for the minimization of these potential challenges is to save the company time and money. Having a properly outlined and well prepared survey will lead to validity and reliability. Both validity and reliability are again the two critical factors to consider in the sample design and data collection processes. As stated in our previous section, we have chosen to utilize the following two challenges: ethnical differences and evaluation of the potential challenges to validity and reliability of survey question, data and analysis. Consideration for both challenges can be addressed and identified under the four major faults of the survey instrument design. In order to properly prepare the survey and minimize challenges, IKEA must act as the end user. What essentially will happen is that IKEA will see how the final output questions can be effected by multiple factors. These factors can include the following but are not limited to: age, race, background, and educational background. When looking into these factors they will help to identify potential initial faults of the survey. Finally, the questions should be compared and analyzed to avoid more simplistic issues. The following simplistic issues that could occur and IKEA should be prepared for are the following: leading questions, ambiguous meanings, mechanical defects, and comprehension. When covering all of the bases listed in the above paragraphs only then can IKEA’s final questionnaire/survey be complete. There is no way to eliminate the margin for error in any test such as a questionnaire. However when properly addressed the potential for challenges effecting data validity and reliability can be minimized. Classification of Findings Currently, IKEA’s main focus is on profit sustainability and determining if true brand loyalty or short term effects of the world’s recession have affected buying behaviors which has lead to an increase in profits. IKEA can classify the order of power using the fundamental categories; nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio. The nominal measurement scales categorize or put items in groups. The data that can be collected from a nominal scale will be definitive. For example IKEA will be able to determine regular customers from first time buyers and will be better able to analyze the data accordingly. The data reported that 8 out of 10 IKEA shoppers were returning customers. This data suggests that the economy did not have an effect on determining on where consumers were deciding to shop. With the ordinal level of measurement, it will evaluate the captured data using median and mode, with questions that have an answer choice. The data retrieved showed that for every 10 customers 9 were satisfied, which suggested that customers were returning customers because of true satisfaction and company loyalty. The interval along with ratio determines the distances between each interval on the scale are equivalent along the scale from low interval to high interval (Marchal, William & Whaten 2009). This will help to determine trend. This will happen from data being retrieved from questions like; what was your main reason for shopping at IKEA? If you could change something about your shopping experience what would it be? The ratio level is where the points on the scale have an equivalent distance between them, and the rankings assigned to the items are according to their size (Marchal, William & Whaten 2009). To evaluate the data each answer will be given a ranking; excellent (100% satisfaction), good (75% satisfaction), average (50% satisfaction), poor (25% satisfaction) and terrible (0% satisfaction). From the data collected it shows that there was 100% satisfaction 90% of the time. From this data we can conclude that customers are generally satisfied. By collecting data in an accurate and reasonably cost effective manner IKEA can determine their business success and shortcomings. This allows management to make educated decisions to continue company profitability and success.

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions (China and Germany) Essay

Gerard Hendrik Hofstede (born October 2, 1928 in Haarlem) is a Dutch expert in cultural studies [GHW]. Hofstede (1980) surveyed 88,000 IBM employees working in 66 countries and then ranked the countries on different cultural dimensions. His research resulted in four dimensions (power distance; individualism versus collectivism; uncertainty avoidance; and masculinity and femininity). In the beginning, China was not included in this study but later Bond and Hofstede looked at Chinese values. From this research they included a fifth cultural value dimension called: long-term versus short-term orientation [SKR]. Power Distance Index (PDI) The Power Distance index shows how less powerful individuals accept and expect an unequal distribution of power. High power distance means that power is unevenly distributed; low power distance means that power is more evenly distributed [TIP]. According to Geert Hofstede’s 5 dimensions China is located in the higher ranking at 80. That means that this society â€Å"believes that inequalities amongst people are acceptable† [GER]. The Power is centralised and the management is autocratic. The subordinate-superior relationship tends to be cleaved and â€Å"there is no defence against power abuse by superiors† [GER]. This means that â€Å"people are less willing to challenge authority which is likely due to old communism beliefs which still have a strong influence on people’s behaviour† [SKR]. Managers expect subordinates to obey them. Subordinates automatically show respect and know that they have to earn their respect. They also expect to be told what to do. Therefore social interactions are formal. In general we can say that the Chinese are â€Å"optimistic about people’s capacity for leadership and initiative† [GER]. The general attitude of the Chinese is that you should not fulfil any duties beyond your rank [GER]. In class I have noticed that the status of the teacher has to be respected and privileges are expected. To listen to a different example: In China it is very common that the workers should come 15 minutes earlier to a meeting and the manager with the most power is always five to fifteen minutes later. That shows that the managers enjoy more privileges. I was able to observe that the compliance of  the hierarchy is maintained very strictly. Individualism versus Collectivism(IDV) This index shows the extent to which individuals are integrated into groups or not [TIP]. In societies with a high IDV index particularly individual rights are protected: self-determination, I experience and personal responsibility are important. In a collectivist culture with a low IDV-index contrast, the integration dominates in any kind of networks. The team spirit is much more characteristic of such a culture [GHW]. According to Geert Hofstede China is located in the lower ranking at 20. â€Å"In collectivist cultures such as China, people work together in groups and often put the needs of that group ahead of their own personal wants† [SKR]. They share responsibility. The Chinese who are doing business tend to stay with the same partners and suppliers to keep loyalty and not worsen relationships [SKR]. In China the community had always the priority. Tian xia wei gong said the ancients – under the sky everything serves the community. In the Confucian influenced social system everyone expects from the individual subordination, self-control and willingness to make sacrifices in order that the family and state can benefit from it. Individualism is a term which has always had a negative connotation in China, because people associated it with egoism. The Chinese prefer a holistic thinking. An example, if a Chinese writes his address down he will start with the country, then the city and the street and at the end his own name. The traditional Chinese medicine is a prime example for holistic thinking. Each disease is always seen in the context of the whole body. Collectivism promotes harmony. In China people focus on harmony and shun the direct confrontation. Harmony is achieved by giving â€Å"face† to others and avoiding losing your own â€Å"face†. When I talked to my Chinese friend â€Å"David Zhang† and asked him about his study he will begin in Germany, he told me that this was a family decision. Of course, it was his wish but without the consent of the family he could never study abroad. Even if he had the money for it he would not do so, because his family is much more important to him. Masculinity / Femininity(MAS) This MAS index shows the expression of the dominant values that are  established in both sexes. Hofstede ranks to the female values of care, cooperation and modesty. As masculine values ​​Hofstede defines competitive readiness and self-confidence. A high MAS index shows a dominance of â€Å"typically male† values, a low MAS index shows a dominance of â€Å"typically female† values [GHW]. ​​According to Geert Hofstede China is located in the higher ranking at 66. It is more a masculine society – a society which is success oriented. You can see it on the fact that many of the Chinese sacrifice their leisure time to work [SKR]. I have noticed that shops are open until very late at night. Officially, nowadays women enjoy the same rights as men in the workplace. The Communist Party in China has made efforts to put both genders on almost the same level. Anyway traditional Confucian thinking does not fit easily with this term of gender equality. It seems to be a bit ironic that the liberalisation policies of the last decade might have turned around many of the advances made by women under the prevalent conditions of the hard-line regimes. Through the traditional values it is the boys who have strong preferences. The men own most of the power and responsibility although there is a high level of acceptance between genders in China [SKR]. Unfortunately, women in executive positions enjoy a low appreciation. There are successful women in all fields, they are among the winners of the economic reforms, but also among the losers. If the economic situation in the factories is poor and staff is reduced, they are the first to be fired. If high school fees are too high, it is usually the daughter, who leave school and has to go to work [BUC]. Uncertainty avoidance(UAI) The UAI index shows a society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. Cultures with a high UAI, want to avoid the uncertainty and are characterized by many uncommitted laws, policies and security measures. Members are emotional and nervous. Cultures which are tolerant to accept uncertainty have a few rules that are changeable and thus tend to relativism. The members are phlegmatic and expect from their environment not to show feelings [GHW]. According to Geert Hofstede China has a low score of 30 on uncertainty avoidance. China has a high degree of acceptance of uncertainty. This society does not try to take control of the future, and therefore China’s society is not afraid of unforeseen situations [SKR]. The  Chinese consider written and oral arrangements sceptical. Contracts should be structured so that there is still the possibility to change the contract afterwards. The Chinese are very flexible. In case of conflict, a mentor is used, which takes care of the problems of both families instead of going to court. Uncertainty avoidance means for the Chinese first: What does my boss want? If he agrees with my ideas, then I can put it on. But I do not certainly know if he will like my ideas, I rather not ask him indeed I better wait for instructions. In this case, I can do no wrong, because the manager is responsible for all decisions, therefore the uncertainty is resolved. I could observe that the Chinese remain calm when unforeseen situations occur. They do not get upset about the situation. They can quickly accept the situation and adapt their surroundings. Long-term or short-term orientation(LTO) This LTO index â€Å"deals with the issue of virtue. Long-term cultures value thrift and perseverance; short-term cultures value tradition, the fulfilment of social obligations and protecting one’s ‘face’ or honour. A long-term orientation is associated with East Asian countries† [TIP]. According to Geert Hofstede China has a high score of 118. Hofstede analysed that China has the highest ranking of all countries in long-term orientation. It is 30% higher than the Asian average score. China is a country with a strong long-term orientation. It can be seen from the fact that China preferred a long-term development and indirect enforcement strategies [SKR]. According to the Chinese way of thinking it is not the shortest route that leads to the destination but the more difficult path. Therefore the Chinese can handle complex situations without a lot of stress neither they let push themselves through time. The key for the Chinese is to build up strong, reliable, lasting relationships. Before any decision is met there must be gained a certain amount of trust. Obviously this takes longer to finish a business deal. They do not like to rush into things [SKR]. Once you build up the trust and a strong relationship you can rely on it. This culture is marked by loyalty and respect. If you are willing to maintain this relationship you can trust your entire life on Guanxi. Comparison between China and Germany As you can see there are a few differences between Germany and China. In contrast to China the power is decentralised. The German culture is marked by a low power distance and the subordinates expect to be consulted as well as they expect to offer their ideas to the managers. Flashing back to my work experience I can say that I often had to take initiative. Often people are confronted with the adage: â€Å"think by yourself†. The other difference is that the management and subordinates respect each other and treat one another as equals. Usually it is as described, but there are of course exceptions. In most cases, however, I have had the experience that I had a good relationship to my boss. Compared to China, Germany has a highly individualistic society. Personal responsibility, independence, self-determination and I-experience are highly valued in Germany. A prolonged stay abroad is much respected. It shows that you can independently fulfil tasks. Companies wish to have workers with international experience due to growing globalization. That individualism counts, can also be seen in the fact that you put your name first when writing an address. This is totally different to China where you put the country at first as I have already mentioned. According to Hofstede Germany and China have the same MAS index. Mostly it is the men who hold the most of the power. I have noticed women get more and more acceptance in the man dominated business world. For example we now have a woman (Angelika Merkel) as chancellor and not a man. I can see more and more woman taking part in higher positions. Therefore I would rate Germany at 55 because there is no doubt about the increasing acceptance of women. Another example shows that a women’s quota should be introduced in Germany, which includes that at least 10% of women should sit in the top management. Furthermore Germany is a country full of bureaucracy. We have laws for almost everything, insurance companies are supposed to protect us and the institutions should regulate everything imaginable. We want to have everything controlled in order to control the future. Therefore we make contracts and then we act accordingly. This is totally different to the Chinese Culture where people like to keep the possibility to change things afterwards. The highest difference between China and Germany is the LTO index. Unlike China, Germany is more short-term oriented. Managers in Germany try to make high profits in no time. We put  truth and directness before diplomacy. Furthermore I have noticed that German employers are impatient because they want to get fast results. Criticism Unfortunately, I could not check if I would spread as much points as Hofstede because there was too less time to make an intensive investigation. However, I found out through discussions and research that Hofstede was pretty accurate with his assumptions. Furthermore, I want to mention a couple of criticisms of his study. The main point is listed by critics that the drawn samples were not representative. So in the original study(1967-1972 ) information were used from a global survey made by IBM. Thus, it is uncertain whether the system actually worked out measures of national cultures or rather differences in corporate culture between the countries. Furthermore, Hofstede’s approach ignores differences within a nation. The model treats a nation as a homogeneous state of individuals who all share the same value system. This is in most cases incorrect. In addition, criticism of the validity of the items was practiced [4]. Hofstede cites no theoretical justification for the selection of items. House and other people criticizes in particular the failure to distinguish between values ​​and behavior. This is problematic because negative values ​​and behavior are linked. Source Material: [TIP] Geert Hofstede, Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviours, Institutions and Organisations across Nations (Place: Corwin Press, 2001). http://www.tiplady.org.uk/pdfs/LEA502-5-culturalissues.pdf [GER] The Hofstede Centre: http://geert-hofstede.com/china.html [SKR] Hofstede comparison of Germany and China: https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbuinternationalmanagement.wikispaces.com%2Ffile%2Fview%2FHofstede%2Bcomparison%2Bof%2BGermany%2Band%2BChina.doc&ei=vDRYUb6mKo7EswaMoICQAg&usg=AFQjCNHgjNwXhFqhxu015my2P3qIqIftMQ&sig2=MGY08eJFzKV1E–Q6iME-w&bvm=bv.44442042,d.Yms [GHW] Geert Hofstede http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Hofstede [BUC] Der China Knigge ; Yu-Chien Kuan, Petra Hà ¤ring-Kuan ; September 2006 ISBN: 978-3-596-16684-8 Persons I have talked to: David King (Banker / Chinese) David Zhang (Student / Chinese) Primel (Chinese Girl who studies German) Kim Lao (Chinese Business Man / employed by an American company) Lio (Student / Chinese)

Free Essays on Symphony With A Splash

Contrary to the atmosphere of most symphony concerts, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s â€Å"Symphony with a Splash† created a fun and easygoing setting. Both the conductor, Daniel Meyer, and host, Greg Sandow, encouraged clapping throughout the entire show including during the music. This crowd participation made for easy listening and enjoyment. The concert opened with a familiar song by Ennio Morricone, â€Å"Childhood/Manhood,† from the film â€Å"Cinema Paradiso.† This song can be recognized from a television ad for UPMC. Some people may agree with conductor Daniel Meyer when he said that â€Å"Childhood/Manhood† put them on the charts. Also preformed in the first half of the show was Gioachino Rossini’s â€Å"La Gazza Ladra [The Thieving Magpie].† This song, like most form this show, was not written for a formal concert setting. The percussion parts in this song were amazing. They were loud and captivating, forcing the audience to listen and hang on every note. With a similar feeling to the rest of this night’s performances was the Scherzo from the Tenth Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich. This song is similar because it was also not written for what people today believe is a formal concert. The Scherzo was written as a portrait of Joseph Stalin. The entire audience was able to feel the hatred toward Stalin through the tone of the music as well as the red lights that shined on the performers. Other music performed at this concert includes music from Handel’s â€Å"Music for the Royal Fireworks,† Mozart’s â€Å"Paris Symphony,† Mahler’s â€Å"Symphony Number 5", and Ravel’s â€Å"Bolà ©ro.† Of all the music performed, my favorite was the Scherzo from Shostakovich’s Symphony Number 10. I liked this piece the most because you could feel the song’s force and power. Walking into this concert I was expecting to hear a lot of soft music. However, this was not the case. The concert was filled with lively and e... Free Essays on Symphony With A Splash Free Essays on Symphony With A Splash Contrary to the atmosphere of most symphony concerts, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s â€Å"Symphony with a Splash† created a fun and easygoing setting. Both the conductor, Daniel Meyer, and host, Greg Sandow, encouraged clapping throughout the entire show including during the music. This crowd participation made for easy listening and enjoyment. The concert opened with a familiar song by Ennio Morricone, â€Å"Childhood/Manhood,† from the film â€Å"Cinema Paradiso.† This song can be recognized from a television ad for UPMC. Some people may agree with conductor Daniel Meyer when he said that â€Å"Childhood/Manhood† put them on the charts. Also preformed in the first half of the show was Gioachino Rossini’s â€Å"La Gazza Ladra [The Thieving Magpie].† This song, like most form this show, was not written for a formal concert setting. The percussion parts in this song were amazing. They were loud and captivating, forcing the audience to listen and hang on every note. With a similar feeling to the rest of this night’s performances was the Scherzo from the Tenth Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich. This song is similar because it was also not written for what people today believe is a formal concert. The Scherzo was written as a portrait of Joseph Stalin. The entire audience was able to feel the hatred toward Stalin through the tone of the music as well as the red lights that shined on the performers. Other music performed at this concert includes music from Handel’s â€Å"Music for the Royal Fireworks,† Mozart’s â€Å"Paris Symphony,† Mahler’s â€Å"Symphony Number 5", and Ravel’s â€Å"Bolà ©ro.† Of all the music performed, my favorite was the Scherzo from Shostakovich’s Symphony Number 10. I liked this piece the most because you could feel the song’s force and power. Walking into this concert I was expecting to hear a lot of soft music. However, this was not the case. The concert was filled with lively and e...

Fizzy Sherbet Powder Candy Recipe

Fizzy Sherbet Powder Candy Recipe Sherbet powder is a sweet powder that fizzes on the tongue. Its also called sherbet soda, kali, or keli. The usual way to eat it is to dip a finger, lollipop, or licorice whip into the powder. If you live in the right part of the world, you can purchase Dip Dab sherbet powder in a store or online. Its also super easy to make yourself, plus its an educational science project. Ingredients 6 teaspoons citric acid powder or crystals3 tablespoons sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)4 tablespoons (or more, adjust to taste) icing sugar or sweetened powdered drink mix (e.g., Kool-Aid) Substitutions: There are several possible ingredient substitutions that will produce fizzy carbon dioxide bubbles. You can mix-and-match citric acid, tartaric acid, or malic acid for the acidic ingredient.You can use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), baking powder, sodium carbonate (washing soda), and/or magnesium carbonate as the basic ingredient.The sugar or flavoring is up to you, but its worth knowing most flavored drink mixes contain an acidic ingredient, so if you cant find any of the acids, you can simply combine a flavored drink mix that contains one of the acidic ingredients with any of the basic ingredients.  The ratio of the ingredients is not critical. You can adjust the recipe to add more sugar, a sugar substitute, or a different amount of acidic and basic ingredients. Some recipes call for a 1:1 mix of acidic and basic components, for example. Make Fizzy Sherbet If your citric acid comes as large crystals rather than as a powder, you may wish to crush it with a spoon.Mix together these ingredients.Store sherbet powder in a sealed plastic bag until youre ready to use it. Exposure to moisture starts the reaction between the dry ingredients, so if the powder gets damp before you eat it, it wont fizz.You can eat it as-is, dip a lollipop or licorice into it, or add the powder to water or lemonade to make it fizz. How Sherbet Powder Fizzes The reaction that makes sherbet powder fizz is a variation of the baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction used to make the classic chemical volcano. The fizzy lava in the baking soda volcano forms from the chemical reaction between sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and acetic acid (in vinegar). In fizzy sherbet, sodium bicarbonate reacts with a different weak acid citric acid. The reaction between the base and the acid produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles. These bubbles are the fizz in sherbet.   While the baking soda and citric acid react slightly in the powder from the natural humidity in the air, exposure to water in saliva allows the two chemicals to react much more easily, so much more carbon dioxide fizz is released when the powder gets damp.

The Value of Academic Debate

The Value of Academic Debate Decision-making (i.e parliamentary, presidential, etc.) and competitive debate (i.e. academic) are two major types of debate. In the United States, the major forms of competitive debate in high school include Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Public Forum Debate. The outcome of Policy Debate according to literature is either a resolution of fact (ex. â€Å"Resolved: O.J. Simpson murdered his wife Nicole†), value (ex. â€Å"Resolved: Civil disobedience is justified in a democracy†), or policy (â€Å"Resolved: The United States should change its foreign policy toward China†) while the Lincoln-Douglas Debate yield resolution of value. The outcome of the Public Forum Debate, on the other hand, is mostly resolution of policy. High school competitive debates appear addressing social issues, reuniting its division, and establishing a moral order within the particular academic level. This type of debate is exclusive to high school and college and mainly participated by gifted adolescents engaging in brutal arguments, making claims, and depending conflicting ideas for social good. Moreover, competitive debate in this academic level is a reflection of American values, politics, and law. The long tradition of Academic Debate started in about 481 to 411 B.C. and persisted in American schools as an educational method in college and characterized by the debate tournament. A form of informal debate, academic debate merely allows students to systematically express their opinion and support their arguments with facts or evidence. They are designed to facilitate the development of advanced  speaking skills, improve critical thinking, and increase students’ confidence about participating in academic community discussions and dialogue. Get more information here: Unacceptable Words in Academic World The Importance of the Transitional Words and Phrases Service-Profit Value Chain Learning Moral Values in College Movies Human Dignity: How Is It Valued? The Value of Academic Debate Academic debate is simply defined as a debate conducted under the auspices of an educational institution aimed at providing educational opportunities for its students. The purpose of an academic debate is to allow evenly matched opponents to present balanced arguments and evidence about critical issues. Some of the benefits students gained from their debate experience include awareness and knowledge of social issues,  development of critical thinking and communication ability, appreciation of change, and respect for academic research. The philosophy of college debate, for example, is â€Å" to learn not to win† because the most important thing is to be able to present both sides of the issue and make a critical decision on matters concerning public interest. The debate in a college environment provides students opportunities to apply their knowledge of debate principles, develop proper attitudes and skills, and experience almost real-life debates. More importantly, debating is to keep political and public issues alive in the hearts and minds of the academic community. The value of academic debate for some critics is limited to discussing social issues and developing students’ attitudes and abilities. Others see it as a structured academic game with self-actualization and enjoyment as goals. In practice, however, academic debate influenced some of the most critical issues in society. For example, the goals and rationales of criminal punishment according to literature were not the only outcome of evolving criminal procedures and customs but painstaking academic debate. Another is a  strong influence of academic debate on public attitude and government policy towards the harmful effect of some media content such portrayal of sex and violence, food consumption and eating disorders, and direct behavioral effect of television advertising on children.

Philippines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philippines - Essay Example It has a land area of 114, 672 square miles and stretches almost 1, 150 miles. Its capital is Manila which is located on Luzon. According to Steinberg † The Philippines is one of the most disaster-struck countries in the world† (12). This country is located on the Ring of Fire and is subject to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Steinberg stated that â€Å"It is averages about five earthquakes a day of all grades and intensities up to 7.9 on the Richter Scale† (12). Its climate is tropical. The monsoons mark the rainy and the dry seasons. In Manila the rain starts from June to November. The cool dry season comes from December to February while the hot dry season is from March to May. It lies in the path of several tropical storms and suffers several strong typhoons between July and October. The Philippines has a long history of exporting agricultural products. Rice is the symbol of life (Steinberg, 2000: 15). It is the most important crop grown in the country. The farmers rely on the monsoons to give the plant the necessary water. Bad crops can affect the peasants. The tropical rain forests are one of the key sources of export income. However, tree cutting and milling are changing the landscape and causing disasters. There are major extractive mining industries as the country has large deposits of chromite and gold. Of the 49. 4 million acres of mineral land, only 34. 6 million have been geologically surveyed. (Steinberg, 2000: 29). The Philippine territorial waters offer 2,000 local species of fish, giving the people a new source of protein. In the past few decades, prawn farming has become the major industry throughout the archipelago, offering the promise of a new export product. The Philippines is a democratic country. The population of the Philippines was approximately 84.2 million in 2004 (Abinales & Amoroso, 2005: 16). Filipinos are distinguished by ethno linguistic groups originally corresponding to geographical

International Businesses And Knowledge Transfer Essay

International Businesses And Knowledge Transfer - Essay Example Focusing on this construct, the current discourse will be developed using theory and literature relevant to internationalization while focusing on the main factors driving or contributing to knowledge transfer and development as well as highlight factors, if any, that inhibit this process. An overall conclusion will be drawn based on the findings from the entire study before reflecting on the entire learning and relating the same to practical experiences wherever feasible.  Etemad (2013) stressed that literature points to numerous reasons why businesses decide to explore international opportunities that could be related to internal and/or external factors. Internal factors are usually related to organizational factors such as organizational goals and objectives; and external factors are related to the environmental drivers such as competition in host countries, the huge business potential in international locations/markets, changing workforce demographics and economic situations et c. Based on these factors, organizations adopt different approaches to establish their businesses in international spheres. Based on these approaches, various theories have been formulated to explain the nature and reasons of internationalization of firms, some of which include Vernon’s (1966) life-cycle theory, Johanson and Vahlne’s (1977) Process theories, Bilkey and Tsar’s (1977) innovation-diffusion theories, the internalization theories (Buckley & Cason, 1976) and the Eclectic paradigm of multinationals by Dunning (1988); the latest additions include two models: AAA-framework by Ghemawat (2007) and gateway-hub model by Prahalad and Bhattacharyya (2008).  Knowledge transfer is a part of knowledge management process, which has been comprehensively explained by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1994), and this forms the foundation of all knowledge-related studies in organizations Dalkir.