The Biggest Challenges Facing Mncs Commerce Essay

The Biggest Challenges Facing Mncs Commerce Essay There are several challenges faced by MNCs while competing in the global dynamic business environment today. One of the biggest challenges today is being global while acting locally by understanding the culture of location in which they operate (Firoz, Maghrabi Kim, 2002). It is vital for firms to understand the local culture to negotiate with local suppliers, government and other stakeholders. Furthermore understanding the moral and ethical values of targeted consumers is also essential so that companies can market the right product to the right market in the right manners. Another challenge for MNCs is economic and political condition of the country in which they operate since political instability may lead to economic instability with changing inflation rates, taxes, regulations, exchange rates etc. Another challenge is integrating marketing strategies according to the cultural values of the region in which the MNC operates so that no blunders might be committed such as the case of Nestle in Africa. Competing with local vendor is also a grave challenge since MNCs need to differentiate their products in quality and price to compete with local competition that have greater knowledge of the country and people. Since MNCs employ people from a diverse cultural background therefore the managers need to create synergy through their workforce. Q2)  Why is it useful to have an 8-step negotiation model? What are the consequences if a step is skipped? Companies need to understand the negotiation model since they have to negotiate with several stakeholders inside and outside the organization such as suppliers, labor unions, government etc. Using the 8-step model can enforce an efficient negotiation process through which companies can avoid turning a conflict into crisis. The 8-step model provides the company with step by step solution to every kind of negotiation the company might have to consider. The characteristics of various steps in this model understand the scenario, listening to all parties, create alternative solutions, offer BATNA, reaching a final agreement, coming to a conclusion and making sure that the decision is implemented   (The Negotiation Experts, 2012). A company must go through each and every step when on a negotiation table for several reasons. First reason is that if companies miss any single step such as offering BATNA incase an agreement is decided upon then a minor conflict may turn into a crisis. Furthe r if organizations miss an important step like looking for alternative solutions then the companies might not know what possible solutions exist which can help the company negotiate with any party while keeping the companys interest intact. As companies follows the steps for negotiation managers can find solutions in an efficient manner. Q3)  Which of the cross-cultural theme do you feel is most vital to the success of an MNC and why? Cross-cultural management is essential for MNCs since multi-national corporations have to deal with people from a diverse cultural background. One cross-cultural theme which companies need to incorporate in their business strategy and with prove vital for the success of the firm is creation of synergy within the workforce. MNCs tend to work across geographical boundaries and employee people from various locations and cultures. All these people are different in demographical characteristics like caste, sex, religion, color and other values. Now as human-resource is the biggest asset of a firm therefore it is essential that the workers work in a harmonious manner. There are several ways of creating synergy such as sharing a common vision and goals aligned with the companys strategic objectives along with creation of trust, compassion and companionship in the company (Kusumowidagdo, 2011). Such methods can help firms to develop a well-integrated corporate culture so that all the departm ents work in unity towards achieving the strategic objectives of an organization. It is vital for an MNC to create such a corporate culture so that corporations can succeed in different countries. It is therefore vital for companies to follow this cross-cultural theme to gain the maximum advantage from a diverse workforce.   Q4)  How should an HR department evolve to match a companys expansion overseas? Which leadership roles are most important in this scenario? HR department needs to evolve in accordance with the companys expansion overseas and form strategies which assist in staffing and motivating the organizations human resource. It is important that while staffing HR department take into consideration the importance of aligning people to the corporate values of the organization. The company should make sure that HR department should conduct value-based interviewing techniques so that only those individuals whos attitude match with the values of the organization. HR department should also incorporate talent pools which integrate strategies of selection and succession through a continuous development process. Leadership roles are also important for MNCs since a good leadership in one country might not be considered good in other country as well. Every culture has its own cultural and social standard when leadership is considered. Therefore a leader should have knowledge regarding the beliefs, ethics, customs and beliefs so that they may b e able to successfully lead business in another country. There are several skills which a leader must have and which might make leaders globally successful. These skills include integrity, courage, standards, awareness, business knowledge, commitment and sensitivity towards cultural differences. A leader must be aware of good work ethics, professional and personal integrity and determination to lead. Q5)  Characterize the future of US-based companies desiring to expand overseas within the next 5 years. What political, economic, and technological challenges might those companies face and why? How can they be overcome? US-based firms thinking of expanding globally may have to face several social, political and economic practices in the coming years due to a change in perception of United States in the developing and developed countries. Furthermore exchange rates of developing countries are being unstable across the globe due to a dynamic change in the socio-political and economic factor. The world is going through a global recession and the next 5 years might see a global change towards business practices with a massive shift towards e-business plans. The war against terror has distorted US economy and made it politically unstable with a distorted image in the Muslim world where US products have a great potential target market. However this situation might change in the next 5 years with emerging markets like Brazil, India, Russia, China and Pakistan on the globe. These countries will have a suitable working environment for US-based business with high demand for US-based high quality products as l ocal vendors will not be able to provide such products due to lack of technology and financial resources. US-based organization can utilize this opportunity and gain maximum profit through expanding business in developing countries along with thinking of ways to reduce manufacturing cost. Q6)  Describe the relevant factors when considering localization of HR activities. HR department needs to consider several factors when operating globally so that their activities are developed in accordance with the local cultures. HR department must organize their activities according to the cultural values, habits and requirement of business operations in the country they operate. First factor to be considered is the cultural dimensions of Hofstedes which include factors like masculinity, long-term orientation and individualism are important when considering HR strategies. For example individualism approach should be considered when developing human resource development strategies since employees from American background and Asian culture are different in their approach towards career. Asian employees are more of collectivism nature and tend to prefer working in groups whereas American employees need to be of individualistic nature and prefer working alone or not sharing their success with anyone. Further motivational factors are also different among different c ultures since different cultures have different motivational drives which are to be considered when motivational strategies are developed. Q7)  Discuss the impact and implications of Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions on MNCs today. Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions have a grave impact on strategies of MNCs today since they have to deal with diverse cultures. Whenever a company works outside its local geographical boundary it comes across a different set of cultural values. Hofstede has regarded these cultural values into five cultural dimensions called power distance, individualism, uncertainty, masculinity and long-term orientation. A MNC needs to take all these cultural dimensions into consideration when making strategies to target consumers in different countries. For example when making the organizational hierarchy when establishing a foreign subsidiary the company must acknowledge the power distance cultural values in that country so that the managers can incorporate an organizational culture with accordance to the local values. Further there are certain scenarios in which a firm develops relationship with the suppliers or form a joint-venture agreement in which values like long-term approach and uncertainty m ust be taken into consideration. For example when forming collaboration with a local company the foreign firm must know what cultural norms such as risk taking or long-term approach embodies the local culture. All these dimensions identified by Hofstede also play a major role in the strategies for global branding and advertising strategy so that strategies are developed according to local habits and preferences (Mooij Hofstede, 2010).

Comparing Ulysses by Lord Tennyson and My Last Duchess by Robert Essay

Comparing Ulysses by Lord Tennyson and My Last Duchess by Robert Browning. â€Å"Ulysses† was written by Lord Tennyson and is a poem about a mythical Greek character and is a dramatic monologue. Another poem that is a dramatic monologue is â€Å"My Last Duchess†, by Robert Browning. Both poems are similar, for example they are both structured similarly, and are both different, one difference being their subject. In this essay I will compare the two poems, focusing on form, and how language helps to build up subject matter. Ulysses is a Greek mythical character, and was famous for being a pirate, ransacking villages and being a warrior. In Greek literature, Ulysses just seemed to disappear after he got home, and Tennyson decided to write about Ulysses and his thoughts after ‘retiring’ from fighting. The poem is written in verse, and seems to be either a dramatic monologue or monologue interior. It is hard to know which one, as a dramatic monologue must have a listener (other than the audience. Ulysses is talking to someone, his dead soldiers, but as they are deceased it is difficult to decide if they count as a listener to the poem. â€Å"My Last Duchess† by Robert Browning was written in the same era as â€Å"Ulysses† and is written in Verse. This poem is different to â€Å"Ulysses† as this poem is about a fictional character which is created by Browning. This is a Dramatic Monologue, as the duke (the character created by Browning) is talking to the servant of the father of a possible bride. To create the effect of speech, Browning uses Iambic Pentameter, which helps to imitate the rhythm of conversational speech, and enjambment frequently. The use of language to present the subject matter is important for both poets. I... ...is displeasure from his wife and why, almost acting as a warning to his next wife. So a poem about the â€Å"Last Duchess† is actually a poem about the Duke’s likes and dislikes, which again helps to subtly build up the self centred nature of the character without revealing too much and loosing the readers’ interest. Both poems are similar and different in many different ways. The most obvious similarity to both poems is their form, but if we look deeper into the poem we see that their content and their characters are very similar. However, some differences still remain in the poem. The main subject matter for both poems is death, but the two poems have different feelings towards death. For the Duke, it is something ordered and controlled by him, but for Ulysses, even though he has encountered death within his life so much he cannot accept that he will die.

Free Will and Conclusion

In the shooting case of Trayvor Martin, George Zimmerman should not go to prison. A significant amount of speculation exists around the shootings circumstances. There lacks an indisputable, completely factual account of the shooting and its preceding events. Without the support of concrete evidence murder can not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. I intend to show the conclusion, that George Zimmerman should not go to jail, is true because the argument is sound. I think my argument is valid because of the premises that support it.The first premise being that the Stand Your Ground Law in Florida permits the use of a fire arm in self defense. There is no definite proof that George Zimmerman killed for any reason other then his personal protection. He therefore did not break the law. The second premise shows that during the altercation between Trayvor Martin and George Zimmerman, Zimmerman sustained injuries to the back of the head and nose. There severity could not be accounted for b ut their presence is undeniable insinuating the shooting was in fact an act of self defense. The third premise is based on the phone call to the police station moments before the murder.A struggle can be heard along with a voice screaming for help. The voice can not be identified without uncertainty to be that of Martin or Zimmerman. Zimmerman's defense can argue is was him calling for help and there is no way to prove or disprove that claim. The last premise illustrates that it is still unknown if Martin aggressively approached Zimmerman from behind while he was retreating to his S. U. V.. Zimmerman admitted to initially following Martin suspecting he was a hoodlum up to no good, but claims to have given up after losing track of the teenager.According to Zimmerman their next encounter consisted of Martin approaching him from behind and asking him his what his problem, Zimmerman denied having a problem, and claims Martin then reacted by punching him in the nose. Witnesses reported s eeing the two fighting in the distance, while others recount hearing whining followed by a gun shot. Consequently since no spectator observed the incident up close or in entirety, Zimmerman's version which states Martin approached and attacked him can not be disproven with total certainty.These premises support that my argument is sound and help prove my conclusion is true. George Zimmerman should not go to prison for the shooting of Trayvor Martin because of the problems of free will. The problems of free will has two premises that lead to the conclusion that no action is free. The first premise states that if an action must occur it is not free. The second premise is based on determinism and the idea that every event occurs because of antecedent events, dating back to before birth even, ensured the occurrence. Hard determinism believes both of these premises and therefore accepts the conclusion.They do not feel we are responsible for our actions because they are not free. Soft det erminism believes only the second premise, that a there is a past chain of events effecting present actions however they think our own free will is included in the chain. Therefore soft determinism do not accept the conclusion and in assuming we have some free will declare we can be held responsible for our free actions. Libertarianism supports the first premise saying that if an action must occur it is not free but denies the second premise concerning the idea of determinism. They reject the conclusion.They feel you have chance to change a decision in the early stages of deliberation, that being the case they feel we can be held responsible for our actions only when we had the opportunity to do otherwise. The position holding the most merit is soft determinism. It can be used to view the Zimmerman case. George Zimmerman could not control the events leading up to final fatal action. We have no proof denying that Martin aggressively approached him from behind and initiated the violen ce. Based on the only known information we have Zimmerman had no control over this prior event.His next action was in self defense something he could not control therefore can not be held responsible for. If he had shot Martin before the physical clash occurred he would have demonstrated using free will. Since he could not control the fights progression he is not accountable for his actions. This further proves he should not go to jail for the shooting. Morally killing in self defense is a justified action. We previously conveyed the lack of concrete evidence refuting Zimmerman's recollection of the shooting as an act of self defense.Based on this we can determine Zimmerman's killing is morally justified because as far as we know it was an act of self defense. If he had shot Martin before being physically attacked his actions would not be justified and in turn considered immoral. Morally his actions were justified as far as we can prove, adding to the reasons why he should not go to jail. In the shooting case of Trayvor Martin, George Zimmerman should not go to jail. It can not be proven without reasonable doubt that he was not acting in self defense. Disputes over the shootings circumstances provide uncertainty in the case.The arguments presented are sound and prove the conclusion, that George Zimmerman should not go to prison, is true. Bibliography http://topics. nytimes. com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/trayvon_martin/index. html http://www. nytimes. com/interactive/2012/04/02/us/the-events-leading-to-the-shooting-of-trayvon-martin. html http://www. nytimes. com/2012/04/12/us/zimmerman-to-be-charged-in-trayvon-martin-shooting. html? pagewanted=all http://www. nytimes. com/2012/04/24/us/george-zimmerman-released-after-posting-bail-in-trayvon-martin-case. html? gwh=7C04C601D11A47D31E9BF5FF98E24EF4

Child Abuse and Neglect Essay - 2083 Words

Child abuse is the â€Å"saddest and most tragic problem† in the United States today (Child Abuse). Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving more than 6 million children. Victims range from ages of a few weeks to late teenage years. While most child abuse cases are not fatal, some do end in death. Some researchers have even labeled child abuse an â€Å"epidemic.† Because more than fifty percent of child abuse cases are not reported, the exact numbers will never be known. In the 1970s the United States government issued a survey about the number of child abuse cases. The survey showed that there are more than 60,000 cases of child abuse in some form each year. Another survey, in 1976†¦show more content†¦Sexual child abuse has no real definition. It can be characterized as â€Å"any adult that allows themselves to force or coerce a child into a sexual activity† (Understanding . . . 1). This may include fondling a child’s genitals, masturbation, oral-genital contact, digital penetration, and vaginal or anal intercourse. Effects of sexual child abuse on the victim may include anxiety, guilt, fear, sexual dysfunction, withdrawal, and acting out. More long term effects may include anxiety went associating with the opposite sex or inappropriate sexual knowledge, sexual interest, or sexual acting out by the young victim. Research has led researchers to believe that child sexual abuse victims are more likely to be victims of rape or physically abusive relationships as adults. Studies also show that the majority of perpetrators are family members or are known by the child. Although it is thought that homosexual men are more commonly the perpetrators, heterosexual men are actually more likely to be the perpetrator (Understanding . . . 4). Emotional abuse is classified as â€Å"anything that is said or done to hurt a child’s feelings or self-esteem†(Havelin 7). Words ar e not the only type of emotional abuse. Locking a child in a closet is also emotional abuse because it causes the child to feel negatively about themselves. Neglect is when a parent or guardian ignores or chooses not to take care of a child’s physical needs. Under law, parents mustShow MoreRelatedChild Abuse and Neglect1653 Words   |  7 Pages Child Abuse and Neglect Child abuse, or child maltreatment, is an act by a parent or caretaker that results in or allows the child to be subjected to death, physical injury, sexual assault, or emotional harm. Emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse are all different forms of child abuse. Child abuse is more than bruises and broken bones. While physical abuse might be the most visible, other types of abuse, such as emotional abuse and neglect, also leave deep, lastingRead MoreChild Abuse And Neglect704 Words   |  3 Pagesexperience this feeling, not just for a second, but throughout their childhood. Neglect is child abuse, as well as physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Child abuse is awful because it causes the child to feel worthless, to lose trust, and to have serious psychological problems early on in life. Neglect is the most common form of child abuse. The parent or caregiver fails to provide basic needs for the child. Neglected children are constantly being told that they are worthless orRead MoreChild Neglect : Neglect As A Form Of Child Abuse2216 Words   |  9 PagesChild Abuse: Neglect Has The Community Done Enough To Reduce Cases Of Neglect As A Form Of Child Abuse? Thesis statement: most scholars and practitioners have elaborated adverse impacts of child abuse, especially child neglect, but the research focuses on the positive side of the discourse; it concentrates on the community contribution and the steps that have helped to reduce and stop the act in many nations. 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The parent could ask theRead More Child Abuse and Neglect814 Words   |  4 Pages Child Abuse Child abuse and neglect is frightfully high. As a country this is unacceptable. We need to come up with better ways to fight this â€Å"disease† before we destroy our children, our future. An estimated 903,000 children across the country were victims of abuse or neglect in 2001, according to national data released by the Department of Health and Human Services. The statistics indicate that about 12.4 out of every 1,000 children were victims of abuse or neglect, a rate comparable to the previousRead More Child Abuse and Neglect1102 Words   |  5 Pageswhat effects abuse can have on a child? The effects abuse can have on a child is very serious. Children can obtain serious problems from child abuse. They can develop social problems, depression, and anxiety. There are four types of abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Physical abuse can injure a child severely. 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