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Monday, September 30, 2019

Walking Alone – Original Writing

Dew clings to the harsh pale grass. The cool droplets of water stick to my bare legs as I brush past, silently, stealthily. Where am I going? It'll come back to me in a moment. I'll just follow my instinct. Right, if I'm automatically taking this direction to Wherever, then this is the right way. Wearing my jacket was a good idea. I had to rummage to find it. I can't remember the last time I wore it. I can't even remember when I was last out of town for a weekend. That would be nice; a weekend out with a few friends- not that I'd ask. They'd probably be busy anyway. Ok, I cannot get distracted. I shall walk on. Left, right, left, right. I'm starting to enjoy this monotony. Yes, this is rather pleasant, rather agreeable. I look around for some sort of landmark, or something to help me recognise where I am. I won't admit to being lost because that would call into the question of my destination, which, to be honest, is still unbeknownst to me. I'll just meander along this way. God, I'm knackered, I could use a chocolate bar. Yes, a chocolate bar is what I need, along with a nice drink. But not until I get there, I must keep on going. Oh, a house. It's a tall looming house, with ivy crawling over it, its brambles resembling long green tendrils, or fingers, curling crispy and brown at the tips. What's that scuttling across the front porch? A grubby, greasy blur darts past. I lean forward as if to grab it, but it's gone before I'm even close. I force myself upwards, and see a door in front of me. The faded red paint is flaking. I reach my hand towards it and absentmindedly begin to peel it back. I wonder why I've never seen this house before. I wonder why I haven't seen any of this area before whatsoever. A chill overcomes me, engulfing me in a stuttering shudder. It's cold, and late. It must be gone five in the morning by now. Oh well. A bleak throng of clouds tumble over the night's sky, devouring any lingering traces of warmth. I pull my jacket tighter around me and shiver again, glancing around, praying, pleading, for some form of refuge. The house is not an option, it's someone's home. I can't break in. Not now, anyway. I trudge towards a large wooden gate. I thwack it open, shocking myself as I do so. An ear-piercing screech of pain comes from the gate, like a toddler protesting against eating the remnants of her cereal. I guess my thwacking skills aren't quite up to par, the gate's stuck. What now? Onwards again? Alright, I'll stomp my feel around a bit to restore some warmth to my pathetic shell of a body. That's better, slightly. Argh, my eyes! Some plonker has his headlights on full and he's facing me head-on. Perhaps I should step out the way. Oh, he's slowing down. My rescuer, maybe? That would be nice†¦ What the hell do you think you were doing, standing in the middle of the road at this ungodly hour? † â€Å"I see spots†¦. † I whimper. The man's face is weathered and tired. It reminds me of Father Christmas, now he's a lovely bloke. A dreamy smile is wafting onto my face. The man looks at me as if I'm deranged and creepy, and then accelerates off into the night. I'm shivering. I am literally shivering. I desperately need shelter before I get pneumonia. That house. That old, ruinous house. I turn around, stumbling over a rock. There it is, standing tall and imposing, yet strangely familiar. Whoever owns it has made a hapless attempt at remodelling it, adding a modern extension and painting the wall. Well, some of it at least. The path has deep, cavernous cracks and so I have to be careful not to cut my bare feet on the fragments. A desolate flowerbox hangs by a window, the flowers long dead. I examine it closer, noting the what-used-to-be-dark-green-but-is-now-discoloured-pale-turquoise crusty paint on the criss-crossed wood. Again, I feel a faint wave of familiarity- like an echo from the past. With a shudder I glance around fleetingly for a side entrance. A swing. An old, plastic-y swing, with faded yellow rope, neglected and left to rot in the grass for the next millennia. A child's laughter, my laughter. A hot summer morning: we were having a barbeque. I swung on this swing. I lived in this house. The memories come flooding, hitting me with a wave of nausea. I look up at the house, my house, my poor, poor house. Mutilated, derelict, left piteously to ruin. It's ugly, horrific. My once beautiful house is looking like a dump. This grass was once green, and this porch was once magnificently up kept. Memories. I now know why I didn't recognise it at first. All those memories, those awful memories, blocked out for all these years. I clutch my head and keel over, onto the callous ground. There is an immense pressure on my head. Bottled up for all these years, it's finally unleashed on me again. I convulse and vomit, thus further disfiguring the house. Another sharp burst of pain in my side. I'm in agony, reliving the past. I'm dying. I'm dying at the place of my birth; whoever came up with the Circle of Life must be smug. I convulse one more time and pass out, my head in a fug of trapped memories, waiting to be recollected.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Racism and Stereotypes Essay

â€Å"Sport provides a particularly public display of relations of dominance and subordination†¦. The point of sport is to display publicly the processes of challenge and struggle between two sides alleged to begin in equal terms but determined to produce and sustain relations of dominance vis-a-vis one another. Moreover, sport as a meritocracy based on skill quietly reaffirms our national common sense; individuals who work hard and possess the right stuff will always prevail. Turned on its head, this lesson becomes even more insidious: those who are at the top must have risen to the top through fair means and thus deserve their position. In contrast, those not at the top do not possess the requisite talent for such privilege. Even the runner-up is a loser†(Wulfemeyer & Rada, 2005). Sport provides an objective measure to evaluate the performance of a player and/or a team. There are countless statistics for athletes in every sport, which are evaluated on a daily basis. Statistics show how well an athlete performs and how good of an player they truly are. As an athlete, talent is all that should matter and be looked at when making a judgment of whether they are good or not, unfortunately this does not always hold true today. Stereotyping, racism, sexism and all those negative aspects of life, which were thought to have diminished over the years, are still prominent and portrayed through the media to this day. Stereotyping is the process of imposing characteristics on people based on their perceived group membership (Harrison, 2001). Based on stereotypical beliefs, we make social assumptions and make judgments on our knowledge of the perceived traits of those that fit into social categories. Viewing groups in terms of stereotypes is the brain’s way of filling in missing information about individuals we know little about by superimposing perceived traits of the group to which they belong. This is an efficient adaptation of the human mind to allow us to get out of â€Å"getting to know† everyone we encounter. Humans have neither the cognitive capacity, time, nor the desire to process all of the information available to us. We therefore use our cognitive space as efficiently as possible by categorizing and compressing information in an attempt to store more (Rose & Christina, 2006). When stereotypes are based on a wealth of accumulated social and factual knowledge and are not used to make trait assumptions about individual group members, they are generally accurate and pose few problems. It is when stereotypes are based on false, misleading, or limited information that they become problematic. While most stereotyping, even the problematic variety, can be considered harmless it holds potential for quick activation if circumstances and situations present themselves (Harrison Jr. , 2001). Sport and physical activity provide an abundant ground for the development, utilization, and prolongation of stereotypes. Racial stereotypes regarding the abilities of African Americans and Europeans are very much prominent in the realm of sport and physical activity. These stereotypes have been fueled historically by theories developed to explain the perceived performance differences between African Americans and European Americans. Many years of theorizing and hypothesizing about the natural physical abilities of African American athletes have shaped the thinking of entire populations. These seemingly scientific theories and hypotheses have formed the origin of today’s African American athlete stereotype (Armstrong, 2011). The former United Nations’ Secretary General, Kofi Annan was quoted saying â€Å"sport is a universal language that can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status† (United Nations, 2005) but this was not always the case. Major barriers have been conquered over the years to bring equality to this nation and validate the former Secretary General’s above statement. One of the biggest issues that was dealt with was racism. This is a topic many like to tiptoe around and believe is nonexistent in American, the so-called melting pot of the world. Ethnic groups are equal if not more dominant in professional sports today in their participation in sport but the same cannot be said for the coverage of the events that they participate in. Research shows that there are still priming racial stereotypes made by sport announcers (Westerfield, Johnson, Hallian). â€Å"African American athletes, once excluded from participating in professional and intercollegiate sports because of institutionalized discrimination, now participate in many sports at a rate that equals or greatly exceeds their representation in the population. This is especially true in the case of intercollegiate and professional football and basketball† (Center for the Study of Sport in Society, 2001). As equality became more evident in sport, especially football and basketball, so did the media coverage of these sports. The development of technologies, such as the television or Internet, allows people all over the world to watch a growing increase in the popularity of sport. Over the years sports coverage has given a larger viewing population to the networks and the sporting entities have used that coverage to increase their revenue. Even though both equality for the minority player and the media were growing at the same time they were not growing together. It was true that blacks were getting more rights to play but they were not being broadcasted out to a larger audience by the media. For years African Americans and the African American community have been underrepresented in television coverage. When African Americans did appear they were often pigeonholed into demeaning, stereotype ridden portrayals, showing them as â€Å"bestial, brutish, buffoonish, comical, criminal, dependant of government entitlements or support, ignorant, lazy, menacing, oversexed, and prone to out-of wedlock births† (Wulfemeyer & Rada, 2005). The question of bias in sports coverage is neither new nor limited to race. To date, several research projects have uncovered bias across race, gender, and ethnicity (Wulfemeyer & Rada, 2005). The presence of bias has not been limited by venue either. Research has found bias across a wide range of sporting events ranging from professional and intercollegiate sports in the United States to international events such as the Olympics. Research has also demonstrated that bias can take many forms, from what is heard from the spoken commentary on-air to what is seen from the game coverage (Wulfemeyer & Rada, 2005). One form of racial bias that researchers have consistently uncovered is the brawn versus brains descriptions directed toward the players. It would seem as though complimenting an athlete for his or her athletic ability and physical attributes would seem positive and encouraging to a player but that is not always the case. Sometimes these seemingly positive comments have an underlying bias that is revealed by the commentary’s views of the players. This image that is made by the media that African Americans are naturally athletic and are blessed with God given talent can portray the negative creation and perception of the lazy athlete who does not have to work hard or at all at his/her craft. Many times it was also portrayed that blacks were more animalistic and farther away from being civilized than the rest of the population as well. These stereotypical expressions were put into the open in 1989 when Jimmy Snyder, an on-air personality for CBS Sports, openly told the public that the success of African American athletes was the result of selective and effective breeding on the part of the slave owners. Announcers negate not just physical and intellectual ability; intellect and character were also commented on, further negating the African American athlete. These stereotypes are not just targeted towards African Americans; they apply and are present for all races. Examples of these stereotypes are things such as blacks don’t feel pain, have no morals, are not team players have animal instincts, etc. Caucasian players can’t jump, they are hickish, and they are too loud or to opinionated and are very naive to everyday life. People of Asian decent are always good at math, cant drive well and are very strict with their children. Native Americans are lazy and sometimes alcoholics, and only live off the casinos. Hispanics are not patriotic, they all drive trucks; they are all-good at yard work and like to have a lot of children. All of these are examples of stereotypes that are out in society today and the list could continue to go on and on. These stereotypes that are portrayed by the media have prominent effect of the sports that athletes choose to participate in, in many cases it probably even effect what position they play. Since media has become such a big part of today’s society and is incorporated into our everyday lives young athletes watch sports on television and listen to what is being said about certain athletes and are likely to base what they want to do on the sport that they best fit into. For example if you are black you best fit in playing either basketball or football, if you are white you best fit in playing baseball or swimming, if you are of some sort of Hispanic decent you should play soccer or maybe even baseball. Even though racism is suppose to be a topic that was squashed long ago it still lives very much through stereotyping and is successfully denying full integration throughout the spectrum of sport. These same stereotypes that are made by the media towards the male roles of sport also apply to females as well. Even though woman around the world now participate in sport they are still not held to the same standard as males. â€Å"When female athletes transgress gender norms and boundaries, even in a â€Å"Post-Title IX† moment, they are still held to antiquated societal standards of emphasized femininity and feminine appearance by the mainstream news media† (Waches, Messner, Dworkin, Cooky, 2010). A great examples of this taking place is the Don Imus controversy in 2007 when he made stereotypical, sexist and offensive comments about the Rutgers University woman’s basketball team. Sexism is the belief or attitude that women are inferior to men, the application of masculine stereotypes to women or the hatred of one gender or sex (Griffin, 1992). â€Å"In collegiate sports, sexism can manifest itself in several ways including inequitable funding dedicated to women’s sports, media coverage of women’s sporting events, women’s college coaching salaries, views on elite female athletes and prejudice and discrimination against lesbians† (Whiteside & Hardin, 2009). Sexist views on female athletes originated in the 1920s, from medical establishment concerns about the masculinizing effects of sport participation on women. From a contemporary standpoint, football, men’s basketball and most male college sports draw more interest and revenue than women’s college sports. This reality provides the foundation for beliefs about female athletic inferiority (Griffin, 1992). Sexism appears most often in women’s basketball, in part, because the game draws the most attention among women’s college sports and because women’s basketball is more similar to a men’s sport than any other college sport. In addition, women’s basketball is not one of the socially approved feminine sports like tennis or golf. Traditionally, prissy sports like tennis, golf and gymnastics are viewed as more feminine and these sports are, coincidentally, inundated with White women. Black women have customarily participated in basketball and track, which have long been considered as masculine sports. Sport controversies can alienate and oppress Black female student-athletes who already confront isolation, media criticism, prejudice and stereotypes. Neglecting race and gender controversies in sport can impact athletic department’s brand name recognition, alumni donations, corporate sponsorships and game attendance. More important, race and gender controversies also can negatively affect minority and female student-athletes’ recruitment, student-athletes’ social development and social justice for all student-athletes. â€Å"Inquires should uncover sociocultural implications that can be used to craft recommendations in instances when race, gender, and sport adversely intersect† (Waches, Messner, Dworkin, Cooky, 2010). It is said that racism is something of the pass and in today’s society it is non-existence but according to Gill (2011) there is a modern type of racism called new racism. New racism is based on the widespread belief that racism no longer exists and civil rights legislation created an equal playing field. New racism includes feeling a way of life is threatened by others and different cultures are assumed to be incompatible. The traits that truly distinguish new racism from historical racism are: racial ambiguity, blaming Blacks for their problems, and the use of the media to facilitate racism. Racial ambiguity refers to putting forth a non-prejudiced explanation for what might be considered as a prejudiced statement. For instance, when Don Imus was asked to explain his comments about the comment he had made about the woman’s Rutger team he stated that his comments were intended to be a joke. Present in new racism, unlike historical racism, is the belief that the problems Blacks experience are not a result of social disadvantage, but rather a result of some predisposed deviance in Black culture (Gill, 2011). It is evident that racism, sexism, prejudice, stereotyping and a lack of equality are still very much present it sport today. Even with all the equality acts and laws that have been passed the playing field has yet to be leveled amongst different races, ethnic groups, and genders. Even though many sports have been intermingled there are still many sports that are dominated by one specific minority and that is not how it should be. The media needs stop putting emphasis and specific aspects of certain people’s life because in doing this they are generalizing a group. Through generalization the media is implying that a certain group of people are all the same and thus should all be expected to act the same way. This brings a very negative aspect to sport. Since sport is such a big part of American culture I believe that the media should really begin to change their ways and stay as unbiased as possible to allow the viewing population to make their own judgments and opinions on people based on their talent, not on what generalized group they have been placed in. References Armstrong L., Ketra (2011). ‘Lifting the Veils and Illuminating the Shadows’: Furthering the Explorations of Race and Ethnicity in Sport Management. Journal of Sport Management 25, 95-106. Gill Jr, L. Emmett (2011). The Rutgers Woman’s Basketball & Don Imus Controversey (RUINUS): White Privlages, New Racism, and the Implications for College Sport Management. Journal of Sport Management 25, 118-130. Griffin, Pat (1992). Changing the Game: Homophobia, Sexism, and Lesbians in Sport. QUEST 4, 251-265. Harrison Jr, Louis (2001). Understanding the Influences of Stereotypes: Implications for the African American in Sport and Physical Activity. QUEST 53, 97-114. Rose, J. Debra, Christina, W. Robert (2006). A multilevel Approach to the Study of Motor Control and Learning (2nd ed). University of North Carolina-Greensboro: Pearson. Wachs L. Faye, Messner Michael, Dworkin L. Sheri, Cooky Cheryl (2010). It’s Not About the Game: Don Imus, Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Media. Sociology of Sport Journal 27, 139-159. Westerfield R. Carl, Johnson L. Darrell, Hallinan J. Christopher. Picturing Success: Photographs and Stereotyping in Men’s Collegiate Basketball. Journal of Sport Behavior 22:1. Whiteside E. Erin, Hardin Marie (2009). The Power of â€Å"Small Stories:† Narratives and Notions of Gender Equality in Conversations About Sport. Sociology of Sport Journal 26, 255-278. Wulfemeyer K. Tim, Rada A. James (2005). Color Coded: Racial Descriptors in Television Coverage of Intercollegiate Sports. Journal o Broadcasting & Electronic Media 49, 65-85.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Summary on Globalization

Globalization describes an ongoing process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a network of communication and execution. Globalization is often term or refers to economic globalization i. e. the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment, capital flows, migration, and the spread of technology. The driving forces of globalization are a combination of Economic, Technological, Socio-cultural and Political factors. Scholars indicate the increasing economic integration and interdependence of national economies across the world through a rapid increase in cross-border movement of goods, service, technology, and capital. It can be said that globalization is the door to global resources that opens up to the international market. Economic and financial globalization and the expansion of world trade have brought substantial benefits to countries around the world. But the current financial crisis has put globalization on hold, with capital flows reversing and global trade shrinking. There are countless indicators that illustrate how goods, capital, and people, have become more globalized. †¢The value of trade (goods and services) as a percentage of world GDP increased from 42. 1 percent in 1980 to 62. 1 percent in 2007. †¢Foreign direct investment increased from 6. 5 percent of world GDP in 1980 to 31. 8 percent in 2006. †¢The stock of international claims (primarily bank loans), as a percentage of world GDP, increased from roughly 10 percent in 1980 to 48 percent in 2006. The number of minutes spent on cross-border telephone calls, on a per-capita basis, increased from 7. 3 in 1991 to 28. 8 in 2006. †¢The number of foreign workers has increased from 78 million people (2. 4 percent of the world population) in 1965 to 191 million people (3. 0 percent of the world population) in 2005. There is a long debate about the effects of globalization, as the most common phenomenon that we heard is the capitalizing the resources of developing countries b y developed countries, brain drains as opportunities in richer countries droves talent away. In many poorer nations globalization is actually the result of the foreign businesses investing in the country to take advantage of the lower wage rate, foreign resources and engraving more markets. The anti-globalization movement developed in opposition to the perceived negative aspects of globalization. The group represents a wide range of interests and issues. Opponents of globalization point out to its negative effects. Some of them are listed below. †¢Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. †¢Job insecurity. Earlier people had stable, permanent jobs. Now people live in constant dread of losing their jobs to competition. †¢Terrorists have access to sophisticated weapons enhancing their ability to inflict damage. †¢Companies have set up industries causing pollution in countries with poor regulation of pollution. †¢Fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC are spreading in the developing world. People are consuming more junk food from these joints which has an adverse impact on their health. †¢Local industries are being taken over by foreign multinationals. †¢The increase in prices has reduced the government’s ability to sustain social welfare schemes in developed countries. †¢Multinational Companies and corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions. It is important to ensure that the gains from globalization are more broadly shared across the population. For this purpose reforms to strengthen education and training would help ensure that workers have the appropriate skills for the evolving global economy. Policies that broaden the access of finance to the poor would also help, as would further trade liberalization that boosts agricultural exports from developing countries. Additional programs may include providing adequate income support to moderate, but not block, the process of change, and also making health care less dependent on continued employment and increasing the portability of pension benefits in some countries.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Marketing Law and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Law and Ethics - Essay Example Marketing has become an authority in the society. It shows people the way to become models; images they see in various advertisements. The marketer tells us; buy it, use it. They also tell us; we can buy success, happiness and love with the advertised products, service and brands so that consumer also buys the life-style with the product. The advertisements have become the role of educators and family. While watching these advertisements, consumer compares the life he is watching and his own life and finds his life ordinary and meaningless. Because of this reason, the advertisements became an imitated model ethic is known as moral values and plays a role as social rules in a society. In today's world, in marketing, through advertisements the messages are given with help of the cultural differences, social class differences; also using color differences as a tool, so it is one of the biggest arguments of ethic. The most definite dilemma of modern-day advertising is its manipulation on the individual and societal growth, significance in formation of people's values in rapidly globalizing world. At the same time, mounting globalization process grounds seriously the query about the social accountability of business need essential deliberation of long-term benefit of consumers and society as a whole. It is important to note the reciprocity of advertising technological development process and scrutinizing of human rights and standards of living in the society. In other words, transformation in one way requires immediate change in other (Harris 2001). The world of advertising, made up of advertisers, agencies, the media and the various specialized services, constitutes an environment which is in a constant state of flux; examples include new marketing and advertising techniques, changing markets, changing consumer requirements, new products, new media and a constant turnover of staff. As well as the whole commerce industry, marketing has its own ethical problems. Several marketing experts or their representatives have deliberately confirmed and implemented different activities, assertions or set of laws concerning the requirement that marketing people believe ethics regulations and values, so that they become much more responsible towards the members of society (Brassington & Pettitt 2003). Most controversial cases in the legal system are the discrimination cases which base their allegations on race, color, gender, sexual orientation,national origin and religion, age. For years the mainstream media has cleanly pushed the idea that being darker as a person of color is thought to be inferior. Discrimination has diffused onto a wider massive scale. In an undeniably capitalist society, leading marketers and entrepreneurs use subtle suggestive means to accomplish their selfish, profitable motives. As in the case of promotional campaign of the world's largest cosmetics firm, based in France, L'Oreal, which specializes in perfumes, beauty aids, and related products. The ad-campaign featuring pop-star Beyonce Knowles for this cosmetics giant shows that all is not well with the face of its promotion. The company was accused of whitening Beyonce Knowles who has been the L'Oral Paris brand ambassador since 2001. The contract signed between the cosmetics company and the singer in 2001, was worth 2.4m ($4.7m) for five years. The contract stipulated that the singer had to work 10

Thursday, September 26, 2019

External analysis of Logoplaste Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

External analysis of Logoplaste - Essay Example Logoplaste exists in a highly competitive market and faces stiff competition from Alpla-Werke, Amcor, Graham Packaging, and Plastipak. Amcor, an Australian packaging giant, is the largest player in the plastic manufacturing industry and packaging business. Alpla-Werke has a large market base in Europe and Latin America, which holds half of its manufacturing plants ((Alcacer and Leitao, 2013, 8). The company seeks to consolidate its place in the fast-growing Asian market. Graham packaging uses manufacturing processes and technologies to produce plastic containers from various resins. It has its presence in North America, Latin America, and Europe. Plastipak is an American company with several plants in America and Europe and has been a lead supplier for Pepsi. All the companies are great competitors and are currently competing for the Asian market. Logoplaste has a loyal customer base owing to its beneficial relationship with customers. Its main customers are fast-moving consumer goods such as Coca-Cola and P&G. Innovative packing attracts positive customer attention, and this is an important factor in the challenging retail market. Logoplaste are forced to expand internationally owing to the presence of their customers globally (Alcacer and Leitao, 2013, 3). They ventured into the Asia Pacific region, and started up a new production unit for P&G in Kuantan, Malaysia to produce packaging for domestic

Article critique Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Article critique - Lab Report Example This practical value of this model makes this study stand out among the existing publications in the field. The recent projections forecast increasing deficit in the future demand for registered nurses. Thus, according to the HRSA estimate published in 2002, the demand for registered nurses (RN) will reach 2.8 million nurses by 2020 (HRSA 2002). The primary purpose of their study is to correct the existing RN shortage projections by taking into account the recently increasing tendency of late entry into nursing profession. The authors believe that the declining interest in the nursing profession the HRSA and other projections rely upon might have been only a temporary phenomenon related to the choice of first career; on the other hand, the number of people entering nursing at later ages (late twenties – thirties) commonly has not been taken into account despite the rapidly increasing weight of this cohort. Auerbach and colleagues aim to correct this essential drawback by proposing a specific model that considers the tendency of late nursing entry. The research purpose formulated by the authors did not imply any too specific requirements to be addressed: large massive of reliable representative data was, in fact, the only serious requirement. The fact that Auerbach and colleagues employed a simple statistical model, commonly used by demographers and economists, to reveal changes the number and age of RNs over time confirms the assumption that the study did not represent much of a challenge in terms of methodology. Therefore, reliability and representativeness of input data could be considered the most important problem. The authors used data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) from 1973 to 2005 which provided comprehensive nationally representative information on demographics, earnings, hours worked, industry sector, and employment of more than 3,000 RNs employed in nursing

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Franchising of SMEs in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Franchising of SMEs in China - Essay Example Franchising in China proposes great opportunities for local businesses and international small and medium-size enterprises to expand their activities and enter new markets. Following Welsh et al (2006): "franchising is seen as a means of obtaining scarce capital, as the franchise is generally required to make a substantial investment in the business. Franchisees share risk with the franchiser. Franchising is also identified as a way of addressing the agency problem, specifically, the issue of monitoring managers" (2006, p. 130). In China, key to the success of the organization is the mutually dependent relationship between the two companies-the franchisors and the franchise. Miller and Grossman (1986) described franchising as an organizational form structured by a long-term contract whereby the franchisor (usual owner) of a product and service grants the non-exclusive rights to a franchise for the local (in this case Chinese) distribution of the particular product or service. The franchise has to pay a fee and ongoing royalties and agrees to follow to quality standards. Also, a franchise can be defined as "an incentive distribution system for organizing individual firms pursuing their own rewards" (Abbott 1998, p. 76). Taking this perspective into account, researchers determine the phenomenon as an inter-organizational form. A possible, roughly natural rate of SME density also has limited implications for policies designed to promote 'entrepreneurship'. The logic is as follows: Let's assume that heading a small firm is an important mark of entrepreneurship, since the founder of a firm that quickly disappears may be less entrepreneurial than the leader of an SME that exists and survives, whether or not the leader was the original founder. In this analysis, the number of SMEs then becomes a proxy for the number of 'entrepreneurs': Entrepreneurs are the independent leaders of SMEs (Abbott 1998). Once economists accept that this assumption is one logical proxy of entrepreneurial activity (although by no means the only one), we can then say that a roughly natural rate of SME density implies there is little that can help, or hinder, ent repreneurship at the national level in a broadly liberal trading environment (Ambler & Witzel 2003). Ratios of 'entrepreneurs' (leaders of SMEs) are somewhat constant across European national populations. If one measures entrepreneurial activity by the rates of start-ups, then the analysis would change; but it is not clear that high start-up rates on a national scale really correlate with economic success either. The lowest start-up rates in Europe are in rich Sweden, the highest are in southern Europe, where unemployment is high and GDP per capita is lower. Definitions of entrepreneurship should encompass success measured by economic production and profits, and not just frenetic activities, primarily in the low-tech service sector (Justis & Judd 1999). In China, the majority of franchising companies operate as SMEs. In emerging markets like China, "retail franchising can sometimes supplant traditional and local cultural elements, which over time can lead to homogenization and westernization of preferences, especially among the youth. The older generations and the political establishments often resist such cultural shifts" (Welsh et al 2006, p. 132).

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Curriculum Evaluation Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Curriculum Evaluation - Research Paper Example The curriculum aims to meet their needs, and have notable and measurable outcomes from the program (Keating, 2010). There are different models that nursing educators have designed over time so as to evaluate different curricula used in nursing education. There is the Nightingale Model, the Tyler Model, the Baldridge Evaluation System and the CIPP. This essay examines the Nursing curriculum of the University of Phoenix according to the CIPP model of curriculum evaluation. CIPP model This model is a qualitative method of evaluating curricula. The initials CIPP stand for â€Å"context, inputs, processes, and products.† It uncovers aspects that more contextual approaches have hidden. This is one of the advantages of this method, it brings to light, social processes that influence curriculum implementation, such as power relationships. It also helps the audience to understand the details of the situations. The CIPP model further helps in the development of instruments for quantitat ive evaluation of curricula (Utley, 2011). This model allows for the core components of nursing education to be evaluated at formative and summative levels. The components that are analysed in this case are as given by the initials the model name indicates. The curriculum The curriculum in issue builds up on previous knowledge as the learners are expected to add to their knowledge on several body systems. This knowledge is to be used in training the future nurses how to manage care of complex adult clients. It also aims to explain the role a nurse has to play in the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of interventions used. All these processes have to be carried out in line with supporting data. Clinical experiences are also integrated into the learning process. This is to give the learners an opportunity to put into practice the theoretical knowledge gained from the classroom. Findings To evaluate this curriculum using the CIPP model, the components of the model ha ve to be related to the curriculum. It is vital to consider this curriculum as per the components of the model. The context examines the curriculum under two categories. First the fit between the vision of the organization and the program is examined. The ability of the organization to attain the goals and objectives it has in place is considered. All areas of training covered by the curriculum require both theoretical and practical know-how. This is observed in the learning objectives that have been set for each section. The University is well within its capability to attain the set course objectives. For teaching in theory, the university uses electronic resources, books, learning software, and other outlined course materials. Clinical conferencing and other practical activities such as filling in Preparatory Client Care Plan give the learners practical knowledge. Another aspect that helps in this aspect is that the University has set out the goals it wants to accomplish by comple tion of the specified learning period. Planning is vital for the achievement of anything. Inputs evaluation reveals the human and other resources in the institution, and their allocation. It also considers the cost-effectiveness of the curriculum (Young & Paterson, 2006). Curriculum implementation takes place in different modes. The classroom setting requires physical resources in order to create a conducive learning atmosphere. For a classroom to allow for students to learn well, it needs instructors, electricity,

Monday, September 23, 2019

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - Essay Example These are not only concerning financial dealings but also about the readiness of an individual to own up actions, learn from mistakes and strive for improvement. Here again, supervisor can give a value judgment. Format devised above relies substantially upon measurable parameters on the one hand and upon the assessment of supervisor which itself has a direct relationship with the measurable parameters, thus eliminating subjectivity to a large extent. Greater emphasis is laid on behavioral aspects of an employee compared to traits since the former has a direct and greater bearing upon the success of the individual and his team in achieving the performance targets. Based on the elements of evaluation, in association with the line supervisor concerned, I will develop format for periodical recording of performance. These records are to be maintained by the supervisor for on-going review and also overall review at the time of annual assessment. For annual assessment, I will devise a separate format (again based on the same elements of evaluation) which will be filled-in by the supervisor. This format will have not only the supervisor’s assessment but also a record of his interaction with the employee on the assessment itself and the employee’s own remarks. This will commit the employee for owning up his shortfalls (if any) and spur him to greater efforts in areas of deficiency. Thus, I will work towards an open and transparent system of appraisal, which will meet the due process of assessment. Team performance appraisals are not very relevant in the sales department of an auto company unless the sales persons are grouped as teams. Assuming that Luxurion Auto has teams of salesmen (divided on some basis like a territory or a market segment) and group targets are set for such teams, I will certainly create team performance appraisal

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Edward Snowden Essay Example for Free

Edward Snowden Essay One of the biggest leaks in U. S happened this month. Edward Joseph Snowden leaked information about the government and and they are, a former technical contractor and CIA employee who worked for Booz Allen Hamilton a contractor for the NSA, before leaking details of classified NSA mass surveillance programs to the press. Snowden shared classified material on a variety of top-secret NSA programs, including the interception of US telephone metadata and the PRISM surveillance program, primarily with Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian, which published a series of exposes based on Snowdens disclosures in June 2013. Snowden said the leaks were an effort to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them† The individual responsible for one of the most significant leaks in US political history is Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA and current employee of the defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. Snowden has been working at the National Security Agency for the last four years as an employee Snowdens alleged leaks are said to rank among the most significant breaches in the history of the NSA. [8] Matthew M. Aid, an intelligence historian in Washington, said disclosures linked to Snowden have confirmed longstanding suspicions that NSAs surveillance in this country is far more intrusive than we knew. [8] On June 14, 2013, US federal prosecutors filed a sealed complaint, made public on June 21,[9][10] charging Snowden with theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified intelligence with an unauthorized person; the latter two allegations are under the Espionage Act. [11] Father of Edward Snowden Urges Son Not To Commit Treason, to Return Home The father of the former NSA contractor who leaked details of the governments massive Internet- and phone-tracking programs made an impassioned plea to his son to stop leaking, telling Fox News that I hope, I pray he does not do anything considered treasonous. Lon Snowden spoke at length with Fox News about his son Edwards decision to leak sensitive security details about U. S. intelligence-gathering operations. While defending his sons integrity and criticizing the government, he pleaded with his son who is thought to be weathering the political storm from a location in Hong Kong to return home and not to leak more information. I hope, I pray and I ask that you will not release any secrets that could constitute treason, Snowden told Fox News, in a message meant for his sons ears. He added: I sense that youre under much stress [from] what Ive read recently, and [ask] that you not succumb to that stress and make a bad decision. Further, Snowden said he would rather see his son return to the U.  S. and face the U. S. justice system than stay abroad. I would like to see Ed come home and face this. I shared that with the government when I spoke with them. I love my son, he told Fox News Eric Bolling. Snowden claimed there are some people who want him to cross that line and do something that constitutes treason, or they would like to see him disappear. But Snowden said hes sure that the moment he landed that there would be a line of attorneys waiting to defend him. Edward Snowden himself did not voice that level of confidence. During a live online chat hosted by Guardian. com on Monday, Snowden said he doesnt think he would receive a fair trial in the U. S. The U. S. Government, just as they did with other whistle-blowers, immediately and predictably destroyed any possibility of a fair trial at home, openly declaring me guilty of treason and that the disclosure of secret, criminal and even unconstitutional acts is an unforgivable crime. Thats not justice, and it would be foolish to volunteer yourself to it if you can do more good outside of prison than in it, he said during the chat. Snowden also claimed he did not reveal any U. S. operations against legitimate military targets, but rather NSA efforts against civilian infrastructure. Snowden has emerged at the center of one of the biggest security leaks in U. S. history. After The Guardian news organization and Washington Post reported on government programs that monitor massive troves of phone and Internet records, Snowden was revealed as the source of that information. According to The Guardian, Snowden continues to provide sensitive information The Guardian most recently reported on a British effort to hack into foreign diplomats phones and emails during conferences, citing Snowden as the source. Snowden could face serious charges if he returns to the U. S. Former Vice President Dick Cheney called Snowden a traitor on Fox News Sunday. But others have praised his decision to come forward, citing the civil liberties at stake. Lon Snowden said he was saddened by his sons decision, but criticized the government for the surveillance efforts his son helped expose. Some people are suggesting that whats occurring is very similar to every morning the government walks up to your mailbox, or afternoon. They pull the envelopes out. They open them. They look at your mail. They copy it. They archive it in case they wanna look at it sometime in the future in case you do something wrong sometime in the future. They re-seal the envelopes, they put them back in your mailbox. And they do it every day over and over and over again. He continued: I dont want them reading my email. If we say, Oh my gosh, were going to have to sacrifice our freedoms because of the threat of terrorism, well, the terrorists have already won, because its our freedoms that make us Americans. He said hes concerned his son is in peril, but voiced confidence that if he returns to the U. S. , that would be best. I have faith in our justice system applied correctly, absolutely. You know, I would rather my son be a prisoner in the U. S. than a free man in a country that did not have the freedoms that are protected in the U. S. , he said. He complained there are a lot of misconceptions about his son, including speculation about why he chose to stay in Hong Kong. Snowden said his son was simply comfortable there and with Asian culture in general, since he used to live in Japan. As for media reports that hes a high-school dropout, he explained that his son actually had an illness during his sophomore year likely mono. But after he dropped out, he said his son completed his high-school equivalency and went on to take college courses. He said he last saw his son on April 4. Wed gone out to dinner, he said, adding that his son seemed to be carrying a burden. We hugged as we always do. He said, I love you Dad. I said, I love you, Ed. And I expected to see him see him again, Snowden recalled. Fox News Eric Bolling contributed to this report.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

INTERNATIONALISATION STRATEGY OF THE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

INTERNATIONALISATION STRATEGY OF THE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY The concepts, models and ideas related to internationalisation has been provided by, who provided a comprehensive study that, discussed several theories in detail related to issues of internationalisation. These interests in the internationalisation strategies and processes of firms have arisen to the development of models used to illustrate how firms internationalise. Mintzberg, 1987 stipulated that strategy making is about changing perspectives and positions which involves international operations across borders (Welch and Luostarinen, 1988) encompassing changed perspectives and changed positions. Lyles (1990) also argued that the internationalisation theme concerning global competition has been viewed as the coming decades most important area of strategic management research. Therefore, this concept or idea of internationalisation is defined below to give a clear and vivid understanding as to what researchers in the past have been able to develop. DEFINITION OF INTERNATIONALISATION Cavusgil (1980) describes Internationalisation as the process through which firms adopt international business activities or the process by which firms gradually increase their international involvement (Johanson and Vahnlne 1977 p.23). According to Cavusgil (1980, pp. 273-8), it is a gradual process taking place in incremental stages, and over a relatively long period of time as a result of greater uncertainty, higher costs of information and the lack of experiential knowledge in foreign marketing activities . In other words, it involves the process of increased involvement in international operations which involve the inward and outward processes linked with the dynamics of international trade. While some researchers have attempted to give clarity concerning trade flows (i.e. inter industry and intra industry trade) on a country level, others have given explanations as to the processes of internationalisation on an industry or firm level. For the purpose of this research however, the main focus would be on internationalisation processes on the industry level (i.e. the automobile industry). Certain factors, internal and external have played major roles to these processes and in understanding those processes, initial studies of internationalisation is explained below in detail. The FDI theory and the establishment of chain or stage models of internationalisation are research areas identified by Johanson and Vahlne (1990) in the understanding and concepts of internationalisation. THEORETICAL CONCEPTS OF INTERNATIONALISATION To understand the concepts of internationalisation, Johanson and Vahlne (1990) identified three general research areas. They include; the establishment chain or stage models of internationalisation, FDI (I.e. Foreign Direct Investment) theory, and the network perspective. FDI THEORY According to Ruigrok and Wagner (2003), FDI theories which are economics driven and hence focused on the factors located in the firms external environment gives an explanation as to why multinational companies exist. For example, Hymer (1970) theory of market imperfections and Buckley (1982, 1988); Buckley and Casson (1976, 1985) theory on internalisation have led to the concerns extending direct operations of firms and bringing collective ownerships and control of activities conducted by intermediate markets with links of firms and consumers. They argue that firms would expand their internal market so that transactions are carried out at a lower cost within the firm. In contrast to these views, Dunning (1980) and Fayerweather (1982) argue that the propensity of a firm to initiate foreign production would depend on the specific attractions of its home country such as internalisation gains, ownership specific advantages and location specific advantages, compared with resour ce implications of locating in another country. THE ESTABLISHMENT CHAIN OR STAGE MODELS OF INTERNATIONALISATION The establishment chain theory is also known as the stage model of internationalisation. It has been questioned by authors who have associated the Uppsala model with earlier works of Johanson Wiederheim-Paul (1975) stating that these studies only concentrate on the exporting and non-exporting factor, identifying a number of firms that have been active in international markets shortly after they have been established. (Moen Servais 2002). However, Zannder Zander 1997 challenged that notion by stating that firms follow a number of alternative routes to foreign markets. The establishment chain theory generally concerns the idea of incremental development in foreign markets as well as uni-linear sequences of servicing modes and how they should be de-emphasised in favour of irregular and reduced routes where different patterns of change is common (Turnbull and Ellwood, 1986; Zander 1997). Mahoney (2000) contends that irregular processes are explained by the fact that a particular internationalisation process is embedded in a network of other internationalisation processes. They go on to further explain that at points where different processes collide, discontinuities may arise, i.e. a particular internationalisation process may break by taking a path that does not bear the imprint of the initial choice. In other words, they suggested that a particular internationalisation process is not an autonomous sequence of servicing modes, but instead, it is subject to the effect of other sequences of servicing modes. THE NETWORK PERSPECTIVE According to this perspective, firms internationalise because other firms in their national network internationalise. The industrial system is made up of firms engaged in production, distribution and the use of goods and services. The relationship between firms is described as a network. Firms within the network rely on each other and their activities therefore need to be co-ordinated. These networks are stable and changing but the transactions take place within the framework of these established relationships. However, Johanson Mattson 1988; Thorelli 1990; Ghauri 1992 argue that some new relationships are developed and some old ones are disrupted because of competitive activities. Therefore, although there are competitive relationships in the network approach, interdependences are stressed. Firms develop and maintain relationships with other firms within the network which in most cases is of a cumulative nature as firms strive to establish prominent positions in their networks. The firm, at each point, has a position in the network which explains its relationship to other firms. A fundamental assumption however is the fact that a firm is solely dependent on its network while internationalising. A high degree of internationalisation would mean that there are strong relationships between different national networks which are thus considered as market investments. On the other hand, the firms which are highly internationalised would prefer to have a number of activities performed by subcontractors and can still have the desired control arising from these relationships The above mentioned are the most established theoretical concepts of internationalisation. The establishment chain theory has initiated a vast amount of research which has suggested that omissions in the stage pattern in any one foreign market may result from learning across the firm. In other words, learning from other foreign markets. MOTIVATIONS FOR INTERNATIONALISATION Empirical studies done by Kogut Chang, (1991); Pugel, (1985); and McClain (1983); have found a positive correlation between outward investment activities and intangible assets measured as RD and advertising intensities. Foreign direct investment according to Kindleberger (1969) has been treated as a kind of international capital movement subject to interest rate differentials accompanied by differing degrees of control. Hymer (1960) argued that a monopolistic advantage encouraged firms to invest overseas. Caves (1971) interpreted it by identifying the sources of monopoly power with rent-yielding intangible assets such as technology and marking skills- the knowledge base of a firm. Furthermore, another important stream of research on foreign direct investment done by Buckley Casson, (1976); Hennart, (1982) and Rugman (1981) concerned multinational enterprises minimising transaction costs not only by internalizing technology or marketing know-how but also by internalising the sourcing of raw materials and intermediate goods (Hennart, 1982). For example, Hennart and Park (1994) showed that the larger a Japanese firms RD expenditures, the greater it is to most likely manufacture in the United States. From the transaction mode perspective, Hennart (1991) and Hennart and Park (1993) examined the mode of Japanese entries into the United States and found that the higher the RD expenditures, the more likely it is to enter via Greenfield operations rather than acquisition. However, they highlighted that RD expenditures were not related to decisions concerning the choice of a joint venture or a wholly owned subsidiary structure. While the monopolistic advantage theory and the transaction cost theory have explained the motivations for foreign direct investment to an extent; from different theoretical perspectives, the key motivations for this strategy identified by previous scholars are identified below. KEY MOTIVATIONS FOR INTERNATIONALISATION Resource seeking, market seeking, strategic asset-seeking and efficiency seeking according to the World investment report (WIR 1998) and Dunning 1993 are the key motivations for extending production activities across national boundaries. Market Seekers- This motive for internationalisation focuses on how decision makers in an organisation acknowledge the importance of accessing specific target markets abroad. In other words, it focuses on demand aspects and the belief that an international direct presence is essential for this access that would focus on market seeking motives. Dunning (1993) argued that there are several other reasons why companies take such actions. He stipulates that firms carry out investments on foreign markets in order to exploit new markets and to take advantage of market share indicating that the Company would generate profit. Furthermore, foreign governments encourage investments from companies in other countries by providing incentives such as subsidized labour; trade barriers also play a major role for companies to invest in these countries. According to Harris Wheeler 2005, much of government export promotion policies centre on encouraging organisations to internationalise using business education and training. In essence, this fosters direct trade links in other countries and financial incentives. Strategic resource seeking- These are intangible resources that deal with the technology and core competence of the firm; for example, patents, knowledge, skills of the employees and strategic supplies necessary for competitive advantage. The main motive is to sustain and strengthen the competitive position or to weaken that of their competitors (Dunning 1993) Efficiency seekers- Dunning (1993) established that the purpose of efficiency seeking is to rationalize structures of established investments in order to gain from common governance. He argued that those benefits came from economies of scale and scope as well as risk diversification. In other words, efficiency seeking serves as an advantage because firms gain from factor endowments (value-adding activities that are labour or resource intensive), cultures, institutional arrangements, and economic systems which in most cases imply the concentration of production in limited number of places. Firms that seek efficiency are often experienced, large and diversified multinational enterprises. On the other hand, Root (1987) noted that manufacturing and service internationalise for the following reasons: Stagnation of home market and a faster growing foreign market The need to follow domestic customers who have gone international Firms in oligopolistic industries go abroad to match the international market entry of domestic rivals (also known as the bandwagon effect) or counter foreign firms penetrating domestic markets. Search for greater sales volumes in order to reduce the unit cost of manufacturing overheads, thus strengthening competitiveness at home and abroad. He finally concludes by stating that the fundamental or strategic motives for internationalising or entering foreign markets becomes apparent only after it first tentative venture in that direction is made THEORIES OF INTERNATIONALISATION The theories mentioned above are early theories on international trade and investments written by classical economists whose main concern was on the political economy of a nation (Tayeb 2000). Recently, the internationalisation processes has been explained with the use of simplified models and frameworks to analyse internationalisation processes. They include; The Uppsala model, The OLI framework, and the Product life cycle. These theories focus on firms that are heavily involved with exporting and international trade and are therefore relevant for this research. UPPSALA MODEL Johanson and Vahlne 1977, 1990 argue that the central issues on the Uppsala model are concerned with knowledge acquisition, how organisations learn and how their learning affects their investment behaviours. According to Cyert March 1963; Johanson Wiedersheim-Paul 1975, a firm undergoes expansion starting from psychically closer countries in a sequential process in order to avoid uncertainty and minimise risks. The interplay between knowledge of and commitment to a particular foreign market (Johanson Vahlne, 1977) comes as a result of the internationalisation pattern of the firm. Secondly, internationalisation processes are often slow and gradual (Johanson Vahlne 1977, 1990) which usually comes as a result of the incremental expansion of a firms absorptive capacity (Cohen Levinthal, 1990) Examining theoretical assumptions and implications across various spatial and temporal contexts has sparked off a number of empirical studies since the Uppsala model was introduced (Andersen 1993, 1997; Casson, 1994; Forsgren, 2001; Hedlund Kverneland, 1985; Sullivan Bauerschmidt, 1990). Luis and Sergios (2004) article paid particular attention to an interesting argument on the notion that the Uppsala model pays little attention to the internationalisation processes of multinational corporations (MNCs); a point which was acknowledged by the originators of the model (Johanson Vahlne, 1990). Secondly, decisions and implementation concerning foreign investments are made incrementally as a result of market uncertainty. This can be seen as a management learning process whereby learning through doing is the basic logic (Lindblom 1959, Quinn 1980, Johnson 1988). Therefore, as a result, the more a firm knows about the market, the lower the perceived market risk would be and the higher the level of foreign investment in that market. According to Johanson and Vahlne 1977, p. 34, the firm postpones the each successive step into a certain market until the perceived risk associated with the new investment is lower than the maximum tolerable risk. In other words, the perceived risk is the main function of the level of market knowledge acquired through owned operations. OLI FRAMEWORK The OLI framework provided by Dunning (1988) is also known as the Eclectic Paradigm. The model asserts that at any given moment in time, production financed by FDI and undertaken by MNEs would be determined by the configuration of three sets of forces. The competitive advantages which firms of one country posses over another in supplying any particular market may arise due to either the firms privileged ownership of, or access to, a set of incoming generating assets or from their ability to co-ordinate these assets with other assets across national boundaries in a way that benefits them relative to their competitors, or potential competitors. The extent to which firms perceive it to be in their best interest to internationalise the markets for the generation and the use of these assets; and by so doing, add value to them The extent to which firms choose to locate these value adding activities outside their national boundaries. The eclectic paradigm asserts that the significance of the advantages listed above and the configuration between them is most likely to be context specific; and is likely to vary across industries and geographical dimension among firms. For example, while the relationship to the comparative location advantages of the Chinese and Japanese manufacturing base for motor vehicles may be differently regarded by (say) Toyota than (say) the Honda Corporation. Furthermore, Arvidsson (1997) emphasizes that; it is favourable to internalize the function which may occur due to high transaction costs in the market for this specific function, instead of selling to local firms through a market. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE MODEL According to this theory, a product goes through several stages of development with the first stage being the innovation stage. When the product is newly invented, it attracts high income groups as customers because its demand grows more rapidly in more developed countries where this target group is mostly present. At this stage, the production also starts in other advanced countries, sometimes in a subsidiary of the inventing country. If at this stage, the cost benefits of producing in the second or third country are large enough to offset transportation cost, then the foreign producer may export back to its home country. With the benefits of these operations, a number of firms start producing and exporting the product. The companies imitate the original innovating company and would often even produce in the same geographic locations. The second stage is the introduction of the product to the domestic market. The third stage is the export of the product while the final stage is the maturity stage. As the product becomes standardised at this phase, it is imitated and is even produced overseas by foreign markets. **insert brief intro THEORETICAL CONCEPTS FOR ENTRY MODES BY MNEs From the points listed above, the choice of entry mode is an important part of a firm or industrys decision to internationalise and it would depend on factors associated with the companys business interest. Chang and Rosenzweig 2001 laid emphasis on the fact that firms are not only concerned with what foreign to enter, and on what activities they perform in those markets, but also on how to enter i.e. whether by Greenfield investment, by acquisition or by joint venture. This is because choosing a mode of entry can have enormous strategic consequences for the firm. Research on the performance outcomes of foreign market entry strategies has been primarily considered from the perspective of multinational corporations (Ghosal 1987; Burgers 1989). The internationalisation trend for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has prompted increased research interest in explaining the factors that contribute to success, but sufficient theoretical framework is lacking (Lu Beamish 2001) which is why the main focus of this research would be on Multinational Enterprises. Entry modes have diverse implications depending on the degree of control the firm can exercise over foreign operations (Anderson Gatignon 1986; Caves 1982; Root 1987), the resources it must commit to the foreign market (Hill et al 1990; Venon 1983); the risks it must bear to enter that market (Hill et al 1990; Hill Kim 1988); and the share of economic rents the firm can generate and keep for itself (Anderson Gatignon 1986; Buckley Casson 1996). For these reasons, the entry modes used to penetrate foreign market can have a profound impact on the success of international operations, even among large multinational corporations (Hill et al 1990; Root 1987). An excellent lens through which the benefits of relative costs are examined is provided by the transaction cost theory (Wiliamson 1975; 1985); and more importantly, for understanding how those costs and benefits vary based on the type of knowledge that is transferred between partners. This theory is also called the internalisation theory within the international business literature (Rugman 1981) and has been used to examine the entry mode choices of multinational firms (Denkamp 1995) on an extensive scale. It has also been advocated as a means of understanding the entry of entrepreneurial firms into foreign markets. However, the use of large samples of international new ventures has not been tested empirically. Furthermore, the collaboration with local partners benefit multinational firms by providing knowledge and access that might otherwise be unobtainable or extremely costly to obtain experientially via internalisation or repeated arms-length market transactions (Kogut 1988). Specifically, local partners provide knowledge about local economies, politics, business customs, demands and tastes and other factors required to conduct business in their countries. Knowledge gained this way is particularly beneficial to high-technology firms because the geographic scope with which technology can be exploited is normally much wider that a firms marketing expertise (Buckley Casson 1996), especially among international new ventures (Coviello Munro 1992) Hence, if the entry mode decision is considered such an important strategic decision and the success of MNEs under globalisation depends on the formulation and implementation of strategy (Knight 2000 p. 13), then the strategic decisions on whether MNEs follow similar patterns as their large counterparts; and whether the strategic decision processes that influence success for larger companies should be examined. ENTRY MODE CHOICES Foreign market entry mode according to Calof (1993) is defined as institutional arrangements that allow firms to use their product or service in a country or an institutional arrangement that makes possible the entry of a companys products, technology, human skills, management, or other resources into a foreign country (Root 1987 p.5). Firms enter foreign markets in different ways. From a management perspective, firms entering new foreign markets choose from a variety of different forms of entry, ranging from: Exporting (directly or through independent channels). Licensing and franchising. Foreign direct investment (FDI) i.e. joint ventures, acquisitions, mergers. Wholly owned new ventures. Calvet (1984); Caves 1982; and Root (1987) suggested that each of these entry modes is consistent with a different level of control. Control according to them means authority over operational and strategic decision making. Resource commitment means dedicated assets that cannot be redeployed to alternative uses without loss of value. A review of the literature of manufacturing firms by Hill et al (1990) suggests that while wholly owned subsidiaries can be characterised by a relatively high level of control and resource commitments, the opposite can be said of licensing agreements. With respect to joint ventures, although the levels of control and resource commitments vary with the nature of the ownership split between the manufacturing firms, their extent can nevertheless be said to lie between that of wholly owned subsidiaries and licensing agreements From an economists perspective however, a company can enter a foreign market through exporting its product or transfer its resources in technology, capital, human skills, and enterprise to the foreign country, where they may be sold directly to customers or combined with local resources in the manufacturing process for sale to the local market. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CHOICE OF ENTRY MODE. In order to expand the existing entry mode analysis beyond the narrow confines of each entry decision listed above in isolation; this research would also consider the extent of global concentration, global synergies and global strategic motivations exercised by manufacturing firms. This broader concept gives an opportunity to expressly consider and understand the strategic relationship a multinational firm envisages within the manufacturing industry on its operations across borders in reaching its entry mode decision. The diagram below shows three groups of variables that are believed to influence entry mode decision. These variables are the global strategic variables which have already been highlighted as well as the already well established environmental variable (host country risk, location unfamiliarity, demand uncertainty, and competition intensity) and transaction-specific variables (i.e. the value of firm-specific-know-how and tacit nature of know-how) Firm specific know-how is knowledge that is proprietary to a given firm. Tacit know-how involves non-codifiable knowledge not embodied in physical items such as capital, goods, equipment, and blueprints. While it is believed that this is collective, simultaneous considerations of all three groups of factors that determine the ultimate entry mode decision, it is also argued that environmental and transaction specific factors and global strategic Source: Kim Hwang 1992 Global concentration on the other hand, involves multinational corporations (MNCs) increasingly finding themselves in industries that are characterised by a limited number of players who confront each other in many different national markets around the globe; i.e. the global industry has become highly concentrated. In such industries, conditions of oligopolistic interdependence spill over national creating a high level of competitive interdependence among players. When global competitive interdependence exists, the actions taken by an MNC in the manufacturing industry would often have repercussions in other national markets (Watson 1982; Kim Mauborgne 1988). Competitive interdependence implies that organisations can influence one another not only directly, but also indirectly in any of the diverse national markets in which they compete. INTERNATIONALISATION AND THE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. The automobile industry has played a significant role in the advancement of industrialisation in many countries in this century. Automakers have internationalised their operations for a number of reasons that have led way for moving production abroad. Its significance arises from the fact that the industry has been a major pioneer in inventing cutting edge innovations that has changed the organisation process of manufacturing. As a result, it has dramatically increased labour productivity and industrial development to varying degrees that has transformed the manufacturing industry as a whole. There is a mounting interest in the internationalisation of Research and development (RD) activities by multinational firms. The two motives for this are the exploitation of the firms technology abroad through adaptation of technologies and local circumstances and the creation of technologies through access to overseas technology and know-how. Recent work has suggested an increasing importance of foreign RD associated with a growing role of global technology creation. Evidence provided by Kuemmerle, 1997 and Gerybadze and Reger 1999 has shown that more RD sites are assigned the role of creators of basic technologies and developers of completely new products for world markets. Foreign direct investment plays a major role in the internationalisation of RD, and MNEs are the main actors (OECD 2008). According to UNCTAD 2005, more than 95% of the 700 firms with the largest RD expenditure are MNEs; they account for close to half of the worlds total RD expenditure and more than two-thirds of the worlds business RD. An analysis of the top spenders reveals that over 80% come from Japan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Only 1% is from emerging countries but their importance is growing especially the MNEs from China, Korea, Brazil, South Africa and Chinese Taipei. In 2004, expenditure on RD by top MNEs grew much more in the rest of the world (+17%) than the Triad (+4%); (UNCTAD 2005; European Commission 2005) Based on the above, it is important to highlight and note the relative contribution that the theories of internationalisation play to manufacturing firms. In essence, the OLI framework, Uppsala model of internationalisation and the network perspective previously mentioned would be applied to the internationalisation of manufacturing firms so as to give a better understanding of the theoretical frameworks. OLI FRAMEWORK AND THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS According to the eclectic theory, all three OLI factors (i.e. Ownership, location and internalisation) play a significant role to the entry mode decision and strategy of manufacturing firms. Dunning (1980, 1988) laid emphasis on the fact that the ownership advantages of a firm will dictate the internalisation advantages and that location advantages would depend on the combination of the two former advantages. Moreover, following the OLI framework, Ekeledo and Sivakumar (1998) suggests that of the three factors, location advantages is the most important factor applicable to the internationalisation of manufacturing firms. This is because location is almost defined as where they choose to start up their international activity abroad which is the whole essence of their motive to investment. This distinction is likely made on the basis of their comparison of manufacturing and service firms as some services such as restaurants are non-separable from their location. It is most likely that for service firms, the internalisation factor would be the most important (Arvidsson, 1992a). UPPSALA MODEL AND THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS Psychic distance is an issue addressed Johanson and Vahlne (1977) in explaining the fundamentals of firms facing internationalisation. According to them, this includes factors such as language barriers, culture as well as differences in consumer taste and preferences in values behaviours and attitudes. Based on the experiences of Swedish manufacturing firms, Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul (1975) highlighted four stages of the internationalisation process starting with exporting through independent representatives to a final phase of overseas production. The Uppsala internationalisation model assumes the process is made up of stages too and that manufacturing firms begin with less risky ventures in physically close markets and gradually increase it commitment and it geographical reach through a process of experiential learning. Valne (1995) suggested that MNEs engaged in manufacturing are influenced by their internal resources in terms of their business territory. That is, social networking and entrepreneurial quality may influence a firms ability to identify and acquire external resources, as well as its ability to utilize such resources for its operations and marketing mix. However, Andersen (1993) suggested that the Uppsala model of internationalisation which is based on empirical findings from manufacturing firms is more general and is further developed that other process models. He argues that the model applies both to small and large manufacturing firms and that time and space play a lesser role, giving the model higher generalisability that other process models. NETWORK PERSPECTIVE AND THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS Most manufacturing firms are initially engaged in primary domestic networks. As ar

Friday, September 20, 2019

CRISPR-Cas9 History and Engineering

CRISPR-Cas9 History and Engineering A modular platform using engineered single short guide RNA to allow programming of CRISPR specificity, permitting high efficacy gene induction for analysis of gene function. The ability to control gene expression has been the key method in elucidating their respective functions, pathways, and regulatory elements; paving a way for future therapeutic applications. The two main approaches of determining gene function involve the analysis of loss-of-function (LOF) and gain-of-function (GOF) mutations. LOF involves a mutation in an allele where partial or full loss in genetic function occurs. GOF involves the introduction of a mutation which generates a new allele associated with a new function. The problem with GOF screening approaches is that theyre hindered by a requirement for large comprehensive cDNA library overexpression systems which rarely encompass the full spectrum of isoform variation. Viral expression vectors are not large enough to allow these to be cloned. LOF screening is the predominant way of analysing gene function, using techniques such as Transcription-activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) RNA interference and Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs). However, these are difficult to construct on a genome wide scale, unlike CRISPR-Cas9. A brief history of CRISPR-Cas9 In 1987, Ishino et al observed the presence of CRISPR repeats within bacterial genomes, but it wasnt until 2006 that Makarova proposed for its use as an adaptive immune system. Cas9 or CRISPR associated protein 9 is an endonuclease, guided by RNA and associated with CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). The system functions by interrogating and cleaving foreign DNA from bacteriophages by unwinding the foreign DNA and checking its complementation to a 20 base pair spacer region on the guide RNA. If the DNA substrate is complementary to the guide RNA, cleavage of the DNA occurs (Heler R, 2015). (Jinek M, 2012) discovered that by inactivating Cas9s two catalytic domains, its DNA cleavage ability is disrupted thereby creating catalytically dead or dCas9. This provides a platform for an RNA-guided transcript activator (dCas9-activator) using a single short guided RNA (sgRNA). Engineering CRISPR-Cas9 In their article: Genome-scale transcriptional activation by an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 complex, Konermann et al develop a system using programmable DNA binding proteins for engineering synthetic transcription factors for the modulation of endogenous gene expression. This allowed GOF screening and was successful in turning on tens of thousands of individual genes in parallel. To allow rational engineering of the CRISPR-Cas9 system, the structure of the Cas9-sg-RBA-target DNA tertiary complex had to be elucidated. To do this, crystallographic studies were performed. Optimal anchoring positions were determined for the activation domains. The team settled on the addition of protein interacting RNA aptamers to the tetraloop and stemloop 2 to facilitate the recruitment of effector domains to the Cas9, as illustrated in figure 1. Fusion of the dCas9 to transcriptional activation domains converts the Cas9 nuclease into an dCas9-activator. Linking the dCas9 to domains of proteins involved in transcriptional activation and allowing CRISPR to target promotor sequences regulating transcription of particular genes provides a means of modulating natural gene expression. The efficacy of this system is low causing at most a fivefold increase in activation. Tiling the promoter region with several sgRNAs can produce a substantial transcriptional activation. Konermann et al overcame this low efficiency by turning CRISPR sgRNA into a modular platform which assembles multiple different transcriptional activators. The addition of the protein interacting RNA aptamers attracts RNA binding proteins. The complex can be used to target the transcription activation domains of different transcription factors, creating a system termed the synergistic activator mediator (SAM) by its authors. Astonishingly, this complex can induce more than 100-fold activation of genes. Parallels can be drawn with the cells natural mechanisms of gene regulation; enhancers can turn on gene expression by generating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) which act as modular scaffolds, recruiting cellular machinery similarly to CRISPR. Konnermanns findings appear to mimic the lncRNAs by orchestrating the use of multiple proteins to have them work in cohesion. Current Applications The authors displayed the applications of this response by creating a library of sgRNAs, thereby allowing individual activation of over 23,000 genes. Their experiments were centred around melanoma cancer cells. PLX-4720 is a common drug treatment, capable of killing these cancerous cells. The experiment involved activation of individual genes to establish which ones would provide resistance to the killing effects of the PLX-4720 treatment. Drug resistance was determined by calculating the relative frequency of sgRNAs in melanoma cells post drug treatment. sgRNAs were correspondent to the genes involved in known drug-resistance pathways.   This verified that the SAM technique could identify biologically significant outcomes of varied gene expression. It was determined that 13 genes whose altered gene expression produced a state of drug resistance. Potential applications The significance of the findings of Konnermann et al are a new and improved programmable targeting system for DNA by which RNA sequences can be engineered to determine specificity. Through this, single sgRNA-mediated gene upregulation can be performed.This next generation of CRISPR expands the Cas9 toolbox, further engineering may take advantage of the modular nature of this system. The scaffolding allows variation in the use of aptamers, for recruitment of specific effectors It has been proposed to replace the MS2 stem loops with PP7 elements to recruit repressive elements as opposed to activators, thereby opening the possibility of bidirectional transcript control. Further research is required to determine off target effects of CRISPR and validate experiments to confirm effects of altered gene expression. This will require a detailed understanding of regulatory elements and further experiments with gene sub libraries. Future applications will involve positive and negative selectio n screens to determine genetic elements in cells.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Physics of Swinging :: Physics Swinging Essays

The Physics of Swinging My son begs to watch me swing on one of the swing sets at the park. I tell him that there is so much work involved and I don’t know if I have the energy to do all of the many things it takes to make a swing move. It’s such an innocent plea, but complicated in the terms of the actual process of it. The physics of swinging has so many components. From resonance to force, and from the period of the swing to the conversion of energy, the process of swinging is actually a complicated matter. While you watch a person swing, place your hand at the maximum point of the swing’s achieved height and then count how many seconds it takes to return back to that same height. You have just measured the period of the swing. The period of the swing is the time it takes the swing to make one full move back and forth. The equation used to solve for the period mathematically is T = 2p (square root of L/g), where L is the length of the pendulum, and g is gravity. There are a few things that can change the period of a pendulum. As length increases and as the force of gravity increases so will the period. Likewise, when both gravity and length of the chains decrease, the period does also. My reference Mark Nethercott says that if there are no outside influences, the period stays constant at about 15 degrees of arch, but the amplitude must be low. This statement corresponds with Newton’s first law of motion (law of inertia) that says, â€Å"Every object remains at rest or in motion in a straight line at constant speed unless acted on by an unbalanced force.† (Physics, A World View p.31). A force other than gravity and the length of the swing can alter the outcome of a period. While standing with your hand out, measuring the period, give the person on the swing a push. â€Å"Periodic motion is motion that repeats itself at regular intervals of time and resonance is periodic increases of the amplitude of periodic motion due to a force at a constant interval. So while you push the person on the swing, you are creating a form of resonance for the swing.† –Mark Nethercott. There is one last force that changes the period of a swing, and that is squatting and standing, or leaning back and forth.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Brontës Depiction of Women in Jane Eyre :: essays research papers

In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontà « uses the female characters to convey her views on Victorian conventions of womanhood. She does this initially by using first-person narrative to help us see the characters in their true form. In this essay I'm going to explain how Brontà « uses the character Jane as porthole for her own views and beliefs. During the period Jane Eyre was set, the 1840's, it was conventional that women were inferior to men and were not entitled to their own opinions or freedom of mind. Brontà « uses Blanche Ingram as an example of a typical woman of the time and the consequences of being so are shown throughout. Brontà « argues this view in her preface that ?conventionality is not morality,? this means that what society may think is widely accepted and respectable, is not necessarily what is right, and she creates Jane Eyre as an example of a woman who believes just this but who has, in the end, become more successful than Blanche. Women in the 19th Century were expected to be beautiful and accomplished or they were nothing. Their decisions were made for them and their work was in the home. Charlotte Brontà « thought this immoral and believed that women should be admired for who they are, not what they look like. To highlight this point she uses the character Blanche Ingram, a young lady ?moulded like a Dian?. When reading of Blanche, we are not presented with a complimentary description, for although many other people may describe her as a beautiful, young and accomplished woman, we hear her description from the voice of Jane, who evidently tends to analyse people with a much deeper meaning than just their appearance, and although Jane does admit that Blanche is young and beautiful, she also describes her to be self-centred and inconsiderate towards others - including Mr. Rochester - to who she appears to show no emotion. This is noticeably illustrated when Jane has been observing Blanche and notes that ?her laugh was satirical and so was the habitual expression of her arched and haughty lip?. The choice of the word ?habitual? shows us that this sort of action is typical of her and that she often acts haughty and satirical. The reader immediately feels contempt for Blanche after this observation, as it portrays her to be arrogant and pretentious, especially as it was an action made towards Adele, who is a described to be a sweet young girl who Jane is fond of. Brontà «'s Depiction of Women in Jane Eyre :: essays research papers In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontà « uses the female characters to convey her views on Victorian conventions of womanhood. She does this initially by using first-person narrative to help us see the characters in their true form. In this essay I'm going to explain how Brontà « uses the character Jane as porthole for her own views and beliefs. During the period Jane Eyre was set, the 1840's, it was conventional that women were inferior to men and were not entitled to their own opinions or freedom of mind. Brontà « uses Blanche Ingram as an example of a typical woman of the time and the consequences of being so are shown throughout. Brontà « argues this view in her preface that ?conventionality is not morality,? this means that what society may think is widely accepted and respectable, is not necessarily what is right, and she creates Jane Eyre as an example of a woman who believes just this but who has, in the end, become more successful than Blanche. Women in the 19th Century were expected to be beautiful and accomplished or they were nothing. Their decisions were made for them and their work was in the home. Charlotte Brontà « thought this immoral and believed that women should be admired for who they are, not what they look like. To highlight this point she uses the character Blanche Ingram, a young lady ?moulded like a Dian?. When reading of Blanche, we are not presented with a complimentary description, for although many other people may describe her as a beautiful, young and accomplished woman, we hear her description from the voice of Jane, who evidently tends to analyse people with a much deeper meaning than just their appearance, and although Jane does admit that Blanche is young and beautiful, she also describes her to be self-centred and inconsiderate towards others - including Mr. Rochester - to who she appears to show no emotion. This is noticeably illustrated when Jane has been observing Blanche and notes that ?her laugh was satirical and so was the habitual expression of her arched and haughty lip?. The choice of the word ?habitual? shows us that this sort of action is typical of her and that she often acts haughty and satirical. The reader immediately feels contempt for Blanche after this observation, as it portrays her to be arrogant and pretentious, especially as it was an action made towards Adele, who is a described to be a sweet young girl who Jane is fond of.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Boo.Com, the Failure

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Boo. com, Online Fashion Retailer, Goes Out of Business By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN Published: May 19, 2000 It was supposed to follow the dot-com fairy tale script. Two young entrepreneurs devise an idea for the next big e-commerce Web site, raise enormous sums of cash, spend lavishly on advertising, lose money on every sale, take the company public and make every employee a billionaire. Today, Boo. com, a European fashion e-tailer backed by the French luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault, the Benetton family, Goldman, Sachs & Company and J. P.Morgan, among others, is insolvent and has been forced to call the liquidators, six months after its Internet debut. The concept for Boo. com seemed plausible enough. Ernst Malmsten and Kajsa Leander, two 29-year-old Swedes, founded Boo. com here in 1998, planning to create an online fashion retailer that would provide global service in seven languages and multiple currencies. And, of course, the site would use the most advanc ed technology. Boo. com bragged of its ability to let users view products in three dimensions from 360 degrees, giving them a true sense of how a garment looked.Investors were so taken with the idea and its two founders — Ms. Leander had been an Elite model and both had started an online bookstore called Bokus. com — that Boo. com was able raise $125 million almost immediately from an elite roster of the extremely wealthy. Before even starting Boo. com, the founders promoted the site in trade journals and glossy fashion magazines. But it was also clear that the founders were excessively ambitious. The company established its headquarters on swanky Carnaby Street in London, with satellite offices in New York, Paris, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Munich.The staff expanded from 40 initially to more than 400. Employees routinely flew first class and stayed in five-star hotels, according to a former staff member. Many were given laptops and Palm Pilots for home use, according to this person, and the company used Federal Express to send regular mail. †They had very little spending restraint, to put it mildly,† said Noah Yasskin, an analyst at the London office of Jupiter Communications, an Internet research firm. The site itself was also plagued by technical problems and delays, and took twice as long as anticipated to evelop. Once up and running, it became clear that users without fast connections to the Internet could not use the site, a point Boo. com boasted about. That e-snobbery alienated customers with more modest modem speeds, which happened to be most of Europe and the United States, Boo. com's two most important markets. †Ninety-nine percent of European and 98 percent of U. S. homes lack the bandwidth needed to easily access such animation,† Therese Torris, an analyst at Forrester Research in Amsterdam, wrote in a report.And anyone with a Macintosh computer could not use the site. While Boo. com later adjusted itself to all ow users with slower connections and Macs to gain access, the changes came too late. Sales for the first three months of the site's operation were $680,000, while the company was blowing through more than $1 million a month. The end came as Boo. com's founders, with only $500,000 left, struggled in vain to find backers to plow more money into the site. ‘We are deeply disappointed that it has been necessary to ask KPMG to become liquidators of the company,† the co-founders and investors said in a joint statement. †The senior management of Boo. com has made strenuous efforts over the last few weeks to raise the additional funds which would have allowed the company to go forward with a clear plan. † Over the last several weeks, Mr. Malmsten and Ms. Leander, who together own about 40 percent of the company, had been pleading with investors to ante up more. According to a spokesman for Mr.Arnault: †He didn't want to take the risk. He would have been willing to stay involved if he could have had more control. † In fact, in an interview in Paris several weeks ago about his Internet holdings, Mr. Arnault refused to discuss Boo. com. Whether Boo. com's failure presages further problems for clothing e-tailers is unclear. But some Internet analysts said Boo. com's rise and fall reflect a problem that goes beyond just selling clothes. . †The market has woken up to the fact that the amount of business e-tailers like Boo. om generate is a lot lower than we anticipated,† said Tony Shiret, an analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston in London. †A key turning point was what happened in the U. S. over Christmas,† he added, referring to many online retailers that reported missed sales projections. †It's been disappointing. † On Wednesday, PricewaterhouseCoopers released a report predicting that 25 percent of all Internet companies in Britain could exhaust their cash within six months. Still, the problems at Boo . com problems were somewhat self-inflicted, Mr.Yasskin said. †They tried to do too much,† he said. †Opening up in multiple countries simultaneously is impossible. † One major stumbling block for Boo. com may simply have been the type of merchandise it was trying to sell. †If you look at successful sites, they are driven by price,† Mr. Shiret said. †It is very hard to sell clothing at a cost base that makes sense without the scale. † Indeed, Boo. com never competed on price like most other retailers; it hoped to woo customers with its interactive services and convenience.Nonetheless, Boo. com might be worth something, even if it is only a fraction of the $400 million value its founders once ascribed to the company. KPMG, which is managing the liquidation process, said today that it had received more than 30 inquiries. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph earlier this month, Mr. Malmsten admitted he might have made missteps. †We have made some mistakes and we were late with our launch, yes,† he said. †But people are welcome to come 'round here into our offices and see what is going on now. †