Describe the attitude and values underlining beliefs of Mr Briggs and Mrs Kay in text 23 ‘Our day Out’

Text 23 is taken from ‘our day out' by Willy Russel. In the text it describes of a school trip where a class of students are taken on a day out. Two of the main teachers in the text Mr Briggs and Mrs Kay have conflicting ideas on the purpose of the trip. They also believe differently about the education of the children and the reality of their situation. The children are less interested in learning and more interested in enjoying their day out much to the dislike of Mr Briggs. Mr Briggs believes that even though the students are on a school trip they should still behave in an orderly fashion and that they should be learning at the same time as behaving themselves. Mr Briggs has much more stricter views and ideas on how a school trips should be conducted. Mrs Kay realises and is very aware that none of the children are interested in anything other than enjoying themselves and since the children are, in her words, ‘rejects since the day they came into the world' so what is the point in trying to make them learn. When Mrs Kay makes these views clear, Mr Briggs is horrified even though he most likely knows its true. The main difference between Mr Briggs and Mrs Kay is that Mrs Kay has accepted the truth that these children haven't learnt and aren't going to start on there big day out. Mrs Kay has much more realistic values and beliefs such as, it's too late for teaching the children anything and they aren't interested. In her opinion the children should at least enjoy there one day out they have although Mr Briggs thinks much more differently. She hides truths from the children so they are not disheartened such as when a girl asks her whether one day she could own a nice house she basically says you might do instead of being pessimistic like maybe Briggs might have been if asked a similar question. The attitudes of Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs are hugely different. Mr Briggs is constantly ignoring the fact that the children don't want to learn and in Mrs Kay's opinion it's too late for that now. In some ways Mr Briggs still believes that the children can be educated either that or he is just kidding himself. Throughout the text Mr Briggs is constantly trying to show his authority over everyone claiming â€Å"I was sent by the headmaster to supervise this trip†. Mrs Kay has a different attitude towards the children. She knows that they are troublesome but claims its too late for the children and that no one will teach them because no-one knows what to do with them. She also mentions that what the children are good for, or would have been good for, she uses the term ‘factory fodder' but mentions that the factories have closed down so what future do the children have. Overall Mr Briggs and Mrs Kay have totally different opinions and beliefs about the children. Ideally Briggs would like to see the children behaving and trying to learn but as both Mr Briggs and Mrs Kay knows it wont happen. Whereas Mrs Kay is more realistic and is looking out for the children's enjoyment instead of further making there lives a misery.

Karl Marx Philosophy Essay

Karl Marx is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of the 19th century. He was born and raised in Prussia and got influenced by Ludwig Feuerbach amongst other radical Hegelians. Though he subscribed to the Hegelian belief regarding the dialectical structure and the historical inevitability, Karl Marx believed that the fundamental reality was to be found in the material base of the economy as opposed to the conceptual ideal found in philosophy. Marx graduated with a doctoral degree at Jena in the year 1841 after writing about the materialism and atheism of Greek atomists. He later moved to Koln where he established a radical newspaper known as Rheinische Zeitung becoming its editor. He later moved to France and Belgium where he practiced some journalism before he finally settled in England in the year 1849 (Kemerling, para 1). Here he lived in poor conditions and engaged in the study and development of his theories that cut across politics and economy. Karl Marx was of the belief that philosophy should be practical in order to change the world. This paper shall discuss the philosophical works of Karl Marx and how his work was regarded in the capitalistic society of the time. Karl Marx’s Philosophy Karl Marx’s work was primarily based on the economy. In his work that was published in 1844 entitled ‘Economic and Political Manuscripts of 1844’, Marx presents an argument that the circumstances of the current industrial societies usually leads to workers being alienated from their own labor. He reviewed a book by Bruno Baier, ‘On the Jewish Question’ and concluded that religion had great influence on the political situation in Europe at the time. He was of the view that Europe needed restructuring that could only be brought about through revolutionary activities. Marx went further to elaborate on his economic theories in subsequent works that included the ‘Capital’ of 1867-95 and ‘Theory of surplus value’ of 1862 (Kemerling, para 2). Karl Marx in conjunction with his colleague Friedrich Engels published their work entitled ‘The Communist Manifesto’ in the year 1848 which was aimed at initiating social revolution. In this work, the two focused on the struggles that are experienced between the social classes of the proletariats and bourgeoisies. It also elaborates on the distinction between the communism and other forms of socialist movements. This piece of work also proposes the various social reforms and encourages the laborers to revolt against the incumbent regimes (Kemerling, para 3). Karl Marx and the Historical Materialism Karl Marx’s take on the historical materialism was greatly influenced by Hegel’s argument that human history should be viewed based on the dialectical aspect. Karl Marx developed a link between the Hegelian dialect and the materialism of his time. To Marx, human history was influenced by economics. He argued that from the beginning of times, humans have never been motivated by ideologies but instead, they have usually been motivated by material concerns. This includes the need to eat and to continue to exist. This forms the basis for the historical materialism as propounded by Marx (Tucker, p 12). Marx observes that, initially humans used to work together and in unity, however, the development of agriculture and the issue of private property ownership spoilt the collective style of living. Agriculture and private ownership of property gave rise to the division of labor and differentiation in the society leading to different classes that were based on power and wealth. Eventually, all this led to social conflicts which are characterizing the capitalistic society in which we live (Tucker, p 15). Capitalism has worsened the situation by increasing the disparities between the haves and have-nots. Karl Marx postulated that the class struggles are inevitable given the historical forces which can not be controlled by individuals. He also claimed that capitalism came up with a new misery which he termed as â€Å"exploitation of surplus value† (German, para 18). Marx agitated for an economy that would involve the exchanging of value in commensurate measures. In this regard, Marx argued that the value of the laborers could be determined simply by their labor input in production of goods and services. Capitalism was seen as exploitative as it driven by profit motives and Marx argued that the profits originate from the surplus value that is produced by the laborers. Capitalism therefore was seen as having the desire to produce an unbalanced exchange system where they exchange less for greater value (Tucker, p 25). The communist manifesto This was compiled following a combined effort of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and published in 1848. The Communist Manifesto is regarded as one of the most influential political work to have ever been published. The writing of the Manifesto was commissioned by the Communist League and written by the two respected figures Marx and Engels and it provided the League with purpose and program of their duties. In this work, analysis of class struggles and problems associated with capitalism are well elaborated (German, para 6). The manifesto explains that historically, human society has been characterized by class struggles. These struggles become essential in determining the reorganization of work and way of life in general through a revolutionary means. In their view, Marx and Engels observed that in case the struggles fail to have a breakthrough, then the society is doomed to slide backwards instead of leaping forward. Historically, the society had been shaped with such struggles as observed in England in 1640s and France in the late 18th century where the bourgeoisies prevailed over feudalism. Engels and Marx theorized that the bourgeoisie’s revolutions were to spread in other parts of Europe hence ushering in a rapid growth in the forces of production. In return, there will be rapid growth of the working class which will in turn precipitate the proletariat revolution (Marx, Engels & Jones, p 45). Karl Marx and Engels believed that capitalism was in the process of establishing itself and causing destruction to the feudalism that had preceded it. The two believed that capitalism would later create the prerequisite conditions for the establishment of socialism. They believed that this was going to happen since capitalism was aimed at creating mass production and a revolutionary working class. The Communist Manifesto provides a sketch of capitalism development which is marked by the rise of towns during the Middle Ages, voyages that gave rise to merchant capitalism, and the growth of manufacturing sector that was meant to address the new market demands (Marx, Engels & Jones, p 48). The working class is described by Karl Marx and Engels as those who do not own the means of production. They thus earn their living through laboring for those with the means of production. They become enslaved to the machinery and their lives are dominated by exploitative processes. The workers then shall become collectively organized through trade unions and political organizations. The perennial struggle between the classes leads to solidarity and Marx and Engels believe that this class is the sure revolutionary class based on the position they occupy in the workplace. Since they hold the potential to run the production of wealth in the society, the working class is seen to be potential leaders of the revolution. The revolution that Marx and Engels anticipated was to result in a classless society as opposed to the previous revolutions that had only managed to lead to ruling classes being replaced by a small group of individuals. The revolution by the working class would abolish the stratified society to emancipate all the dispossessed (German, para 11). Conclusion According to Marx, individuals are born into the world in which they do not have much control. They are supposed to follow the conventional rules like everyone else. He however proposed a breakthrough to the predetermined nature of life by offering an alternative in the name of communism. Marx called for the overthrow of the bourgeoisies through the revolutionary activities of the proletariats or the laborers. The working class was called upon to unite and revolt against what he termed as oppressive capitalist regime. However, it can be argued that this utopian view of society was unachievable since naturally, the human society gets divided into the leaders and the followers. Even if the working class was to overthrow the bourgeoisie, there was going to be very little change in the social structuring contrary to what Karl Marx had believed. The laborers are bound to categorize themselves into different groups and the exploitation would continue to be felt amongst the different classes. Nevertheless, Karl Marx gave us a political philosophy which would later contribute immensely to the shaping of the world politics as communism remains a significant force in world politics. Work Cited German, Lindsey. Reflections on the Communist Manifesto. Retrieved on 6th May 2010 from; http://pubs. socialistreviewindex. org. uk/isj79/german. htm. Kemerling, Garth. Karl Marx (1818-1883). 2006. Retrieved on 6th May 2010 from; http://www. philosophypages. com/ph/marx. htm. Marx, Karl; Friedrich Engels & Gareth Stedman Jones. The communist manifesto. 2002. London: Penguin. Tucker, Robert C. Philosophy & myth in Karl Marx. 2000. New Brunswick, N. J. : Transaction.

7 Eleven Target Market

7 Eleven Target Market This investigation of the small business, 7-Eleven chain store, was conducted over two month period from July, with many sources of information, such as the actual stores and the information from internet. The 7-Eleven chain store was established as an ice house in Dallas, Texas in 1927, and it is one of the world’s largest operator, franchisor and licensor of convenience stores. This article seeks to explore a comprehensive description and understanding about 7-Eleven and try to find out the secret of success, as well as giving some suggestions. The 7-eleven chain store was started out in 1927 and was introduced to Australia in 1977. An ice dock employee in the Southland Ice Company began to offer milk, bread and eggs on Sundays and evenings when grocery stores were closed. This new business idea produced satisfied customers and then the chain store was established. In November 2005, 7-Eleven, Inc. became an indirect subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings Company, a Japan-based or ganization. Their prime function is to consistently serve the changing needs of customers for their convenience. The store can always adapt quickly to meet the customer’s changing needs. It is the most obvious feature that makes it different from other convenience stores. With the newest products and services applying in the store, and the newest ways of business operation, the store can be operated more efficiently than others. For short, the perpetual improvement made the store keeping ahead in so many brands of chain stores. As a convenience store, 7-Eleven mainly faces three types of competitors. The first on is supermarkets, such as Wal-Mart. Second, small shops (probably not has a brand). Third, other brands of convenience stores, such as Lawson (founded in 1975 in Japan). The targeted customer is young single working people, usually un-married, as a result, the location of 7-Eleven always near office buildings, shopping malls, parking lots, subway station, et al. Besid es the traveler is also its main customer. In Australia, â€Å"stores in suburban areas often operate as petrol stations† (wikipedia.org, 2010). 7-eleven, Inc. is the word’s largest convenience retail chain. The company operates franchises and licenses more than 7,100 stores in the U.S. and 7-Eleven licensees and affiliates operate approximately 31,400 7-Eleven and other convenience stores in countries including Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, China, Australia, et al (7-eleven.com, 2010). The main distribution of 7-eleven around the word can be seem in the table bellow fig.1 Fig.1 the main distribution of 7-Eleven around the word Territory First Store Opened Number of Locations United States 1968 584 Canada + 1969 457 Mexico 1971 1,180 Japan 1971 12,753 Australia 1977 397 Sweden 1978 191 Taiwan 1980 4,735 China (Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou & Macau) 1981, 1992, 1996, and 2005, respectively 1,680 Singapore 1983 493 Philippines 1984 469 Malaysia 1984 1,115 Norway 1986 177 South Korea 1989 2,282 Thailand 1989 5,409 Denmark 1993 126 Beijing, PRC 2004 93 Shanghai, PRC 2009 20 Indonesia 2009 5 Rsource: http://corp.7-eleven.com/AboutUs/InternationalLicensing/tabid/115/Default.aspx (4) Suppliers It can be seen from the table bellow that the most commodity of 7-Eleven is food, in which the processed food account most. As a result, the main supplier of 7-Eleven is food maker, especially who produce the processed food. The non-food products suppliers is various, such the provider of a variety of prepaid card.

The Effects of the Cold War on the Middle East Essay

The Effects of the Cold War on the Middle East - Essay Example The condition for the communism’ triumph was to bring the whole world under communist rule, whereas the West’s target was to thwart the threat of communism. Eventually with the dissolution of the former Soviet Union, the West had been able to destroy the main drive of expansionist communism. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the remnants of communism were no more threat to the capitalist world. Thus the US-led west proved itself to be the true claimant of communism. Yet the United States’ success to eliminate the threat of communism through the dissolution of the Soviet Union perpetuates the debate on whether the United States as a superpower can, decidedly, declare its authority unchallenged. From a different perspective the Cold War can be viewed as the superpowers’ conflicts of interests. In plain eye, on the Soviet Union’s part, the war was a fight of idealism and on the United States’ part, it was a moral defense against expansionist c ommunism. But beneath both these moralist and idealist apparels lies the superpowers’ contest for a superior position in international politics. Through the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1989, the threat from the communist front simply changed its platform from the communist block to the Islamic block and the Cold War turns into â€Å"War on Terror†. Indeed the threat from the extremist Islamists was one of the direct derivatives of the Cold War. Since even after the Cold War, the United States had to face additional Islamic threat, once watered by the Reagan Administration, one can deem that the US did not really win the War; rather the communist just lost it. A Brief Overview of the Cold War The Cold War can be defined as the conflicts of interests between the two superpowers, the United States of America and the Soviet Union, in the post Second World War period. It existed from 1947 to 1991. After the Second World War, the US President Franklin D. Roosevelt d id not need the Soviet support any more to win over Japan after testing the atomic bomb, ensuing the 50 years long Cold War. Thus, the Yalta Conference in the Crimea, Soviet Union, in February 1945 between the â€Å"Big Three† allies of the Second World War was one such event that structured the start of the Cold War (â€Å"The Cold War† 1). Though during the Cold War, ideological, political, economic and military tensions existed at an extreme level, the superpowers did not become involved in any direct war. Rather their military involvements were confined to proxy wars in various geographical regions of interests. Nuclear arm race between the two main parties of the war, the USA and the Soviet Union, began as a response to the superpowers’ desire to overpower each other. During the period, the world experienced a worldwide regrouping of the countries into the US block and the Soviet block. This regrouping in the Soviet block was mainly based on the Marxist pol itical ideology of Communism, whereas capitalism and democratic interests dominated the countries in the US block. This regroupings in both of the blocks often turned into expansionism and counter-expansionism. (Schweizer, 1994, pp. 69-74) Reagan’s Policy to Win the Cold War Reagan’s policy towards the Soviet Union can significantly be marked as a dual approach in the sense that on one hand Reagan’s administration chose to provide both overt and covert support to anti-communist communities and guerrilla movements in order to â€Å"roll back† â€Å"Soviet-backed communist governments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America† (D'Souza, 2003) and on the other hand, it put effort on growing an intimate, but cautious, relationship

Selection of Global Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Selection of Global Leadership - Assignment Example Nevertheless, experts have reacted by instigating broad appraisal concepts covering the obligation to comprehend what is expected from institutional directors, as well as to analyze the mindset along with individual probabilities critical for constructive administration. Though, only minimal basic analysis has been accomplished in the faculty, while a separate recent evaluation in the field has instead opposes most of the reports that were forwarded for the shortage of systematical multiplicity along with logical elasticity. However, generally the appraisal conception is broad and necessitates a lengthy duration to establish as well as to incorporate in the central proficiencies for constructive international direction alongside how to effectually nurture such qualities. Selection practices Among the most dynamic mechanism accessible for global agencies is recruitment; which in the presence of appropriate approach might be the most decisive in appraising latent executive contenders. Even though, integral diversity of an agency as well as the contender could prove to be permanent obstruct during the cross-examination program. Numerous aspects should be weighed when analyzing the ideal mechanism to utilize during a recruitment course, since edifying diversities presents a vast liability in choosing the most predisposed examination practice an agency might adopt to find the most productive workforce. If the company’s resource agent is incompetent of handling cultural diversities imposed by the contenders then the recruitment might definitely result in unconstructive outcome. In such a situation, the foundation would aspire to acquire personnel’s with critical ability to integrate ethical assortments. The interviewee should also be capable of detecting the clandestine distinctions such as eye contact among other individual characters that would represent dissimilar features in separate societies as reported by Mendenhall (2008). According to Edwards ( 2011), numerous models of expression should notably be comprehended for effectual cross-examination program. If recruiting proves to be unfeasible, ethnic understanding entailing various societal coaching concepts might be incorporated to ensure vibrant hiring. Guaranteeing that a recruiter is expansively informed as well as conscious of the duty prior to an interview course should be basic to outlining dynamic staff. Familiarity with the local language can also prove to be an essential device for ensuring an effective interview course. Since the contenders would presume that the agency has no contemplation for the native culture if the executive has not displayed the basic sensitiveness of the surrounding ethnicity and customs. Common variations in linguistics could also result in reflective implication as well as create language obstacles. Over the recruitment course, it might further be extensively constructive to master facts of the interview sessions as well as to be certain th at the contenders have comprehended the relevant inquiries they are to answer (Edwards, 2011). Verifying the scope of hatred that might be apparent between the agency and the immediate contiguous society would also be a prime aspect in outlining an appropriate hiring model. In case there is considerable scope of hatred, then an appraisal model should be adopted to instigate ideal staff for the firm. Assessment might be applied to verify if an aspirant has the precise

Managing Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Conflict - Essay Example As people interact with one another, conflict inevitably develops. People very often encounter conflicts in their day to day life (Kekes, 1993, p.53). According to Boulding (1963 cited in Chou & Yeh, 2007), conflict is the involved parties’ awareness of differences and discrepancies in ideas, opinions, and ‘incompatible wishes, or irreconcilable desires.’ Conflict arises due to the individuals’ different mental framework and interests. Boulding’s definition, however, is quite striking for this implies that people with ‘irreconcilable desires’ could never reach a reconciliation to their conflict. Clearly, conflict is neither bad nor good, ‘[c]onflict just is’ (Cohen, 2008). On the other hand, conflict can be destructive or constructive depending on the involved party’s reaction or response in dealing with and managing conflict. While some conflicts can be resolved, there are others that cannot. The person’s individuality and his or her response to conflict management are two main reasons why not all conflicts can be resolved. Firstly, the individuals’ unique personality -- which includes, but not limited to, values, emotional makeup, and interests -- is a factor why conflict is difficult or cannot be resolved. According to Kekes (1993, p.55), the incompatibility of values is due to the intrinsic qualities of values. Committed political activism and solitude, for instance, are totally incompatible. The activists’ and the apolitical individuals’ ‘irreconcilable desires’ make negotiation far from possible. Secondly, the individuals’ different perspectives and responses toward conflict management affect the outcome of conflict resolution or non-resolution. Conflict management is defined as what people -- involved in the conflict -- intend to, and actually, do in order to solve or reduce such conflict (Chou & Yeh, 2007). For instance, people who prefer problem-solving or collaboration

Assessment of parental satisfaction with dental treatment under Thesis - 1

Assessment of parental satisfaction with dental treatment under general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry - Thesis Example In order to provide health professionals, health plans and health care providers, purchasers, integrated delivery systems and others with an comprehensive and accessible tool that will help them obtain objectives and exhaustive information on evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, a complete database called The National Guideline Clearinghouseâ„ ¢ (NGC) was initiated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which was formerly created by AHRQ in collaboration with the American Association of Health Plans (now Americas Health Insurance Plans [AHIP]) and the American Medical Association (NGC 2008). One of the guidelines presented in the NCG is the Guideline on Behaviour Guidance for the Paediatric Dental Patient published by the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD) in 2006. This guideline was the result of the symposium held by AAPD in 2003. Behaviour guidance is based on scientific principles, which requires communication and interpersonal skills such as empathy, coaching and listening. The guideline states the importance for dental practitioners to have acquired adequate knowledge and skills all through dental education regarding the effective treatment of childhood dental diseases. Careful and effective handling of these diseases systematically requires modification of the behaviour the child under treatment. This practice is referred to as behaviour guidance which is a continuum of interaction engaging the dentist and/or dental team, the patient and the parent/s bound on the subject of communication and education. The goal here is to advocate a deeper understand ing of the importance of good oral health and the relevant procedures undertaken for this to be accomplished and, in the process, assuage dental care apprehensions and anxieties. Another guideline presented in the NCG is the Safe Sedation of Children Undergoing

Conscious and subconscious information processing Essay

Conscious and subconscious information processing - Essay Example Many analogies have been made to describe the conscious mind. One effective metaphor might be the telescope. Our conscious mind looks through it and sees a particular object in focus, unaware of the world outside of that telescope lens. Thus consciousness is limited to a small radius, although it serves its purpose. Another metaphor for the conscious mind would be an iceberg. The conscious mind is the tip of the iceberg that extends out of the ocean. The conscious mind perceives the world from information derived from the subconscious below, and from the physical world around it. Subconsciousness literally means beneath the threshold of consciousness, or that part of the mind that lies just below the level of conscious thinking. In the example of the telescope, while the conscious mind is looking through the small opening, the subconscious is recording the impressions while also searching memory banks for corroborating information. The subconscious mind acts as a personal secretary who records conscious data and who also retrieves relevant memories from the unconscious mind. It behaves like the RAM (random access memory) in a computer. It filters and retains information for the purpose of directing it to its necessary applications. A very active subconscious mind detects patterns to predetermine conscious thinking and behavior. For example, when we are first learning how to drive a car, our conscious awareness must be extremely focused in order to learn the skill. Once we have learned how to drive, the conscious mind goes on autopilot, and the subconscious t akes over, doing the driving for us. The way the subconscious operates is far different from the way conscious mind works. While the conscious mind is objective, relying on logic and literal thinking, the subconscious is subjective, processing the subliminal and symbolic meaning of words and imagery. Thus it is the subconscious mind that retains feelings and images from

The Impact of Consumer Culture on the Advertisement of Oligo.Dx Assignment

The Impact of Consumer Culture on the Advertisement of Oligo.Dx - Assignment Example The representation of the body as promotional material and the connection of the same with the prevailing consumer culture of the catered customer base also is being critically evaluated. The advertisement does the extension of the product through directly noticeable images and also through critically relevant promotional text. The advertisement basically can be analyzed in two portions of which the first is the picture of a lady highlighting the cellulitis in her thighs. This image is captioned by the catchword, ‘90% of all women have cellulite’. This picture and the caption intend to cater for a broader range of customer base. This caption gives the reader a feeling that she is also included in the target group. This automatically adds to the range of the customer base. On the other side, this has an important link with the consumer culture as well. Featherstone (18-33) has opined that within a consumer culture, advertisement materials and other promotional media provides a proliferation of stylized images of the body. This has caused acute changes in the consumer culture of the society as the same has influenced their attention on both inner and outer body maintenance (Featherstone, 18-33). It should be taken into account that the advertisement of ‘Oligo. Dx’ caters to such a consumer base whose consumer culture is heavily influenced by these changes. Thus this caption along with the image contributes much towards the expansion of the consumer base. In this context, it can be well stated that the image and the caption in the advertisement successfully connect with the consumer culture and resultantly broadens the customer base for the product. In other words, these components the in the advertisement could successfully drag the reader into the customer base by utilizing the consumer culture pattern.  

Intel China Essay Example for Free

Intel China Essay As we know from the case Intel is a big company which produces microprocessors and software. From the case we have three characters; Charles Tang, Yong Li, and Qing Chen. The issue of the case is the termination of a project that is been carried out by Li that must be terminated. In the case Tang informs Chen to inform Li that he will have to finish the project he is in due the objectives we not reached or followed. The main issue is that the manual of software that was originally supposed to be made by Li has turned into a book, therefore missing the purpose of the project. When Li is informed by Chen about the orders stated by Tang, Li gets upset and furious with Chen ignoring her authority. The reasons for Li to get upset are that he has developed self interests on the project. This lack of authority from Li could be a consequence of the power he indirectly gets from the guanxi he has built over the years with senior managers. Also the fact that Chen is a woman may have influenced his reaction. Tang should have communicated himself to Li about the project change due to the importance of the matter to Li. Also Charles attitude to fit a horizontal rather than a vertical communication flow. Things in America might work that way but in Chinese are not used to direct negative forms. When a Chinese wants to express a negative answer, he or she will never say no directly but they will go around the subject and look for excuses not to make it. All about saving face. Like Chen, any person who is humiliated losses face. In the case of Chen the questioning of her authority over Li was the fact that made her lose face. In a personal opinion the way Tang managed his personnel was inappropriate. As mentioned before, Tang should have informed directly to Li about his decision to move him to another project. In the case that Chen still communicates to Li the termination of the project Li should be punish for the reaction. By being a subordinate of Chen, Li must obey orders from above. Otherwise I believe that he should be reminded of his position in this company. Furthermore instruct Chen in the art of negotiation and human resource management. Another issue is Tang wanting to be â€Å"one of the bunch of Intel employees† which means that he wants to be considered and treated as one more which could confuse the employees used to almost not treating with their bosses. Again the big issue in this case seems to be communication. Tang must find a way to reach their employees in a fair and effective way so situations like this not happen again. Also the fact that he has been away from China so long may cause him to forget basics in treating with his compatriots.

Mcdonalds In The Global Environment Marketing Essay

Mcdonalds In The Global Environment Marketing Essay McDonalds is one of the oldest and powerful fast food chain in the world. Originally, McDonalds is something special for U.S. culture. Americans trust McDonalds brand, many were raised on this meal and it is food No.1 in the country. Its not just standard fast-food restaurant chain, its a cultural mirror. All changes in this company reflect the evolution of American eating habits. For instance, family gathering is no more tradition in the U.S.; and at the moment the dining room change into a car seat in the family SUV. What will be the next step? The life is becoming faster and complicated. Of course, its not McDonalds responsibility what and how Americans and other nations eat, but the burger company should consider them, because after all it feeds more than 27 million people every day, 1 million more every year. McDonalds is also the symbol of globalization because this company imposes to some extent American habits to the rest of the world. The burger giant has implemented several changes for last 10 years. New policy of McDonalds corporate headquarters was to go 24/7 in order to increase profits by extending restaurant working hours. Some U.S. franchisees doubted at first, but practice showed that revenue has boosted due to the night owls and early birds catering. Globally, business owners have a certain freedom about how to run a business and they of course have marketing support of global company. For example, during 20 years since 1955 McDonalds was a two-meal cafà ©, opening shortly before lunch and closing just after dinner. In 1975 company transformed breakfast into a fast-food meal, introducing Egg McMuffin nationally. Today McDonalds intention is to capture the rest of the day. About 90% of the 13,700 U.S. restaurants extended their working hours beyond the traditional 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. day, and about 40% of them run around a clock. The modern life dictates its rules breakfast is no more limited by its traditional time; McDonalds restaurants provide seven hours breakfast offer in many places and some are considering to make it all-day option. It is really major change in McDonalds strategy during last 10 years, because historically the growth means more outlets for this company. And that approach was successful for many years up to the saturation point. It was company global strategy. Studies showed that in spite of revenue increasing, new restaurants just stole clients from existing locations. Todays McDonalds global motto is better, not just bigger. The company tries to get more from existing outlets instead of building new ones. Changes are concerning many aspects, from marketing and product development to design and technology. McDonalds intends to adjust its performance according fastidious tastes of twenty-first century customers. Modern McCafà © doesnt smell burgers and fries; it uses sophisticated air filtration systems. And appearance of these cafà ©s is different: dark wood and glass, flat-screens, leather lounge chairs, etc. The burger company feeds enormous number of people in the world but sometimes it is out of modern health problems. The double cheeseburger and fries are the most popular products of the chain, but they are high in fat and sodium. Other fast-food companies like Wendys or KFC are going to quit using trans fats in their meal, but McDonalds contends that substitutes spoil the traditional taste of fries. Most McDonalds meals remain to be high in fat, sugar, salt or all three despite of introducing new options like fruit smoothies and salads. Another challenge which rose to the surface in 2006 is the Greenpeace accusation McDonalds of contributing to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Greens alleged that soy-based animal feed used by McDonalds in order to fatten chickens is taken from soybeans of the Amazon Basin of Brazil. Protestors dressed as giant chickens invaded to fast-food restaurants and in some places activists put the posters of Ronald McDonald carrying a chain saw. The burger company initiated investigation about Greenpeace claims immediately. And the result of further fact-finding expedition was that McDonalds confirmed his commitment to help prevent decimation of the Amazon rainforest. McDonalds has very strong competitors like Starbucks, Wendys, Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, etc., and competition will increase in the nearest future. Since breakfast business is the most profitable one for McDonalds, Starbucks and Wendys are going to introduce hot breakfast sandwiches. Nevertheless, McDonalds is the undoubted leader, having about half of the U.S. hamburger market. Analysts predict that McDonalds will win this battle. Breakfast habits are not easy to break. His success based also on that fact that Americans like to eat at home and standard U.S. order includes 2.5 lunches and about 2 dinners, so company tested different innovations from a darker and stronger coffee to Southern-style fried chicken and Newmans Own iced coffee. Company thoroughly analyses any new product. For instance, Snack Wrap (strip of fried chicken with cheese, lettuce and sauce tucked into a folded tortilla), which was introduced in August 2006, was considered in every detail. Its easy to hold Snack Wrap in one hand while gripping a wheel in the other. McDonalds has special food studio in Oak Brook with staff which includes chefs, market researchers and culinary innovators. Another potential innovation concerns McDonalds equipment. Company is going to work on a portable electric unit that helps to provide breakfast twenty-four hours a day. Standard kitchen permits only one built-in grill. Such innovations helps McDonalds to correspond to global changes in tastes. Recently McDonalds provided the interesting initiative, which involved establishing a page on an independent web site (www.whatdoyouwanttoknow) for questions from consumers. Web site is controlled by non-McDonalds website administrator just to guarantee that questions correspond with decency standards and agree with the point. But McDonalds provides quite formulaic answers, which do not satisfy consumers in full measure. McDonalds is active in Twitter and Facebook and the necessity of taking part in web technologies will rise in the future. One of the most discussing topics is a somewhat strange and creepy emblem of the company, Ronald McDonald. McDonalds officials declare that mission of this character is to spread happiness and educate children, while this figure is represented as slightly sinister personage. And actor who played Ronald left his job because of the ethical implications of marketing targeted to children. B) Evaluate the potential global changes that may take place within the next 5-10 years, and indicate how the company will need to change in order to stay competitive in the new business environment. Big size of McDonalds (32,478 restaurants worldwide) is the great advantage and marketing opportunity in the face of global changes. About 57% of these restaurants are outside North America, while Burger King has 40% overseas and Wendys is limited within U.S. McDonalds should continue use wide-ranging advertising campaigns, remembering success of Chicken McNuggets advertisements connected with the Olympic Winter Games. McDonalds still will be the sponsor of national and international sporting events, and declare that food intake should coordinate with physical expenditures. Anyway, the pressure of health organization throughout the world will grow because exercise alone doesnt save from heart disease menace. The current economic slowdown is the good news for the fast-food industry, McDonalds could account on new cash-poor consumers forced to refuse from more refined eating. For instance, on March 2010 McDonalds reported the February global sales increase at 11.2% level. This tendency will continue, and the main catalysts of growth will be McCafà © line of beverages and introducing of new smoothies. The global competitive struggle will increase in the nearest time, because fast-food chains begin to conquer customers with doubled efforts. Price war and new product introducing are the consequences of these efforts. Commodity prices are expected to rise, so the company should think about cutting costs. Competitors will grow internationally, but McDonalds has his first movers advantage. Though U.S. market will remain the key market for the company, McDonalds should continue its expansion in Russia, Eastern Europe and Asia. These regions were the main drivers of global development in 2008. The proliferation of alternatives will possibly lead to losing share on some markets. McDonalds suffered from negative publicity in a number of European countries so it also will have some influences. The company introduced healthier options on menus and provided several green initiatives, for example using unbleached cotton in napkins. McDonalds should establish environmentally friendly services i f it wants to be successful company now days. Company should take into consideration differences in culture and McDonalds brand perception. While Americans prefer to eat on the go (about 70% of U.S. sales get from drive-throughs), Europeans tend to sit in the restaurant for some time. Since in Europe eating in fast-food outlet is mostly about place and comfort, top managers should remodel existing restaurants and include in design modern and efficient elements. As for product development, company should continue experiments in their food studios in order to meet squeamish tastes worldwide. Russian-themed week in Russia and Mexican-themed week in Germany had great success. McDonalds should strengthen its positions in dominant economies of Asia Japan, China, and India. The burger giant is tailoring its restaurants design to local conditions, trying new menus. Considering that fact that China is the worlds fastest-growth car market, company should concentrate on drive-through restaurant concept. India is a very unusual with local preferences for non-meat dishes. Interestingly that some local product invention becomes very popular in other part of the world. For example, McArabia (a flatbread, chicken fillet, onion mayonnaise sandwich) that was introduced in the Middle East, has great success in Malaysia and South Africa. Sometimes minority tastes can influence overall preferences. McDonalds is armed with ethnic marketing concept, which means that the company takes cues from local tastes in order to market them then to all customers. The company will forced to analyze global changes in population. For instance, McDonalds must take into consideration the demographic shift in the U.S., which means that Hispanics, Asians, and African-Americans population are growing faster. Actually, we shouldnt forget that the consistency in product line is the feature that makes McDonalds successful company. People in every part of the world are expected the same type of double cheeseburger, vanilla shake and a large order of fries, when they visit outlet. But though this expectation, the company made and will make significant changes in its offer. Diversity at McDonalds connected with U.S. Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer Patricia Harris. She is the outstanding African-American person who provided sophisticated and sometimes unnoticeable changes, which greatly influence the global operation of the company. One of the serious innovations was the establishment of employee network groups (for example, for women, for African-American, for Hispanic workers and for Gay and Lesbian workers). Today when McDonalds operates globally as never before, such networks will get additional value. Probably, McDonalds will proceed with supporting these communities with in next years, because it reflects cultural diversity of the company. It is something that too hard to replicate in a short period of time. McDonalds established an award in Pat Harriss name. Her position as Global Chief Diversity Officer gives the advantage to study how diversity could be implemented in countries with another racial, cultural and religious background. The role of such researches will increase in the nearest time because running fast-food business in U.S. and globally is something different. The burger giant commonly associated with the younger workers, but its an impression that is going change nevertheless. For example, McDonalds UK employs more than 500 people over the age of 60, which are more skillful in service operation. The attitudes concerning the low wages of serving crews, McDonalds anti-union position and targeting children with advertising will grow. The company protested against conception Mcjob, which is the slang for low-paying and low-status job characterized high turnover and little training. The company needs to invest into changing global perception of work for the McDonalds. The McDonalds system provides employment and growth advantages to a great number of minority groups throughout the globe. About 40% of its operators are minorities and women. This approach will give international bonuses in some countries, for example in India. More people begin to understand that McDonalds regulars face such menaces as obesity, heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. This is one of the real global challenges in the nearest time. The burger giant admitted this fact already, for instance during its French ad campaign, when it was recommended to visit outlet only once a week. Many franchisers will be forced to reconsider their attitude that its not their job to influence on people eating styles. Nevertheless, the accusations in childhood obesity epidemic will continue and company should suit new stream. In the U.S. Michelle Obama provides anti-obesity initiative. Over the past years U.S. administration has got several concessions from soft drink and fast food companies, for example a Pepsi pledge to reduce sodium, sugar and saturated fat in its famous products. The World Health Organization, for instance, declares that approximately 45% of North African and Middle Eastern women are overweight due to nutrition transition. Approaching threat for the company is that fact that federal health regulations become stricter, especially in the developed countries. McDonalds must find the innovative ways to not only increase revenue but to provide its obligations to the societies in which company operates. For instance, offer healthier meals for children. One of the successful strategies to be continued is donating large funds to various countries and environment. The current global threat is the strengthening of terrorist attacks. McDonalds becomes one of the attractive targets for demonstrating anti-American stance. There were lot explosions in restaurants throughout the world. The company should take into consideration that fact when assess risks in particular country. Now days customers become increasingly clever and informed, products more customized and options more rich, so companies are finding out that just satisfying consumer needs does not lead to loyalty and success. It wont differentiate company from the rest of marketplace. Customer service should exceed expectations and inspires customers to proceed to have relationship with the organization.