Incremental Analysis Essay Example for Free

Incremental Analysis Essay Incremental in comprehensive analyses both serve similar purposes in decision making in the workplace. The argument is that incremental is more economical than and just as effective as comprehensive analyses. Since both are used to make important decisions within a company, which one will serve the best purpose while still being justifiable and cost effective to complete? Both will complete the same task, but one will do it better and we will be explaining why incremental analyses are the better ones to use. Incremental Analysis Incremental analysis is important and standardized approach to determine various business decisions concerning cost and revenue. This tool is very crucial and time saving; it leads in a systematic way to identify the probable effects of decisions on future earnings in order to make better decisions concerning the profitability of the company. Management utilizes incremental analysis to identify relevant information related to costs and revenues associated and impacted by the decision; this information is further compared to make the most profitable decision. Examples of decisions best made through incremental analysis include – whether to accept an order at special price, make-or-buy, sell or process further, retain or replace equipment, eliminate an unprofitable segment decision and allocate limited resources, and decisions (Kimmel et.al, 2011). Comprehensive Analysis Comprehensive analysis is the financial term used for evaluating every financial detail of the entire operation in a company. The purpose of conducting comprehensive analysis is to determine a company’s present financial position as well as its expected financial standing in the future. In conducting comprehensive analysis, both current and historical fiscal reports must be collected to analyze the status of the company’s investments. These reports are also needed to calculate the financial ratios of different companies. Determining the financial ratios is the next step when conducting comprehensive analysis as these ratios will determine the company’s performance and its effectiveness. The ratios will give a snap shot of the company’s overall financial condition, strengths and weaknesses of its financial activities which will help creditors and investors decide  whether company is worth investing in. And finally, compare the company’s ratio, to the ratio of another organization with similar production processes to determine if the company will succeed or needs enhancement. Disagree/ or Agree According to our research we have come to an agreement that Incremental Analysis is the best decision and focus tool that we have. The reasoning is because it reveals faster results and cost less. Another two are when reports are shown and analysis are done it reveals the same results. It also focus on a specific subject or topic. Incremental analysis also pulls reports and help management make decisions whether to accept orders, to make a product or purchase, sell and process products furthers, or even the retaining and replacement of equipment that are used by the business. References JIm, B., Hughes, M.C. (2014, April). What is comprehensive analysis. Wise Geek, (). Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-comprehensive-analysis.htm Virtual Advisors Inc. (2011) Analyzing your financial ratios retrieved from http://www.bbt.com/bbtdotcom/business/small-business-resource-center/growing-a-business/financial-ratios.page

The internationalization of IKEA into China

The internationalization of IKEA into China Introduction When dealing with international marketing is one of the key points you should consider whether the product or marketing to be standardized or adapted to each local market. The question is one of the most debated in the international marketing literature by authors such as (XXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXX). The focal point of this task is the issue between standardization and adaptation in the international campaign. First reviewed a theoretical perspective on the issue, based on Levitts controversial and much omdoskiterede article from XXXXX, XXXXX, followed by an outline of the criticism has been against Levitt and the whole theory about standardization. A critical evaluation of the whole issue of standardizing versus adaptation follows then And finally rounded off with conclusions and further reading. Teoretiske koncepter standadisering versus adaption According to Levitt the most radical of the proponents of standardization thinking there is much in favor of a standardization strategy. In Theodore Levitts article from 1983 (FIND XXXX Overview about Globalization Thoughts Fra pdf med GlobaliseringXXXXX), where he discusses the globalization of markets and the standardization of products and production processes, Levitt stated, Only global companies will achieve long-term success by concentrating on what everyone wants in rather than worrying about the details of what everyone thinks they like His basic idea was to show the need for standardization in industry processes and products to be able to increase the relative quality of falling costs and so the price per item . This idea was founded by awareness of globalization and the coupled development of subsequent homogenization of consumers and their needs. In his book from 1995 The Globalization of Markets in Global Marketing Management. Cases and Readings Levitt argues, first, that markets the world over converge and as a follow consumer preferences worldwide becoming more more uniform. A global demand pattern emerges which can be satisfied through a global and standardized XXXXXudbudXXXXX. Second, a standardization of products and marketing provides an opportunity to achieve economies of scale in production and lower costs. This leads to low price of the products thus freeing resources to product development. Standardization implies that you refrain from accommodating local preferences, and instead concentrate on developing the core qualities of the product. Whatever the preferences in a given time might be for a local custom product, consumers will end up prefer global, standardized products, because of their basic quality and cheap price. If companies want to succeed in the global competition, they should assume that the needs arou nd the world are basically alike. Theodore Levits article in Harvard Business Review in 1983, XXXXX The Globalization of Markets XXXXX since it was created was one of the most controversial marketing hypotheses. Most of the discussion has gone on the accuracy of the Levite central idea, namely that the most successful, future business strategy will be the completely standardized, which takes no account of what is regarded as superficial differences between world markets. Rather than being paralyzed by differences in individual markets to develop global business opportunities to see the similarities between consumers across various markets. Faced with this view highlights the supporters of an increased focus on locating and individual market adjustment that supporters of globalization, including working from an unrealistic understanding of globalization pace where the marketing function apparently globalizing at a faster pace than the consumers, it postulates that turn tilXXXXX Usunier, Jean-Claude, 1997: Marketing Across Cultures, Prentice Hall XXXXX The cultural differences between markets are weighted more heavily than the proponents of globalization expresses particular in connection with marketing communication. The differences between markets outweigh the similarities. Nobody and nothing is solved culture. Both products and consumers should be seen and understood in their cultural context XXXXX Mooij, Marieke those, 1998: Global Marketing and A dvertising: Understanding Cultural Paradoxes, Sage. XXXXX . For example, the companys marketing communication contains a number of standardization immediately obvious benefits of resource characteristics. The idea of one global theme for the companys marketing communication is tempting, but may pose a risk to cultural and linguistic differences between the markets examined. Several brands have thus different image to different markets. Thus connected instance Honda with properties like reliability and quality in the U.S. while the Japanese market, where these properties are considered self-evident, see Honda as an expression of speed, youth and energy XXXXX Aaker, David A. and Joachimsthaler, Erich, The Lure of Global Branding , Harvard Business Review, Vol 77, No. 2, 1999. XXXXX A sales argument would not necessarily have the same appeal in all markets, simply because the text is translated into the language market. Theories that argue against Levitts thoughts on globalization illustrate that standards in general do not meet consumer needs and lifestyles. These theories imply that consumers are becoming more diverse globally, which means that products and services must change with the adjustment and use of standards in the direction of regional segments. The critics of global marketing mean that cultural, political, and economic differences in different countries call for an adaption to local markets XXXXX (Boddewyn, Soehl and Picard 1986; Hill and Still 1984; Quelch and Hoff 1986; Sorenson and Wiechmann 1975; Wind 1986). XXXXX The thought of standadisation is an oversimplification of reality. There are variations between different countries in terms of consumer needs, purchasing power, commercial infrastructure, culture and traditions, laws and regulations, and technological progress. These factors are still to different from country to country so its necessary to adjust the marketing strategy for each market XXXXX (Terpstra Sarathy, 2000) (Standardization versus adaptation of international marketing strategy: an integrative assessment of the empirical research)). XXXXX Common to the authors, highlighting the limitations of standardization strategy is that they point to the cultural differences as one of the key barriers to a standardization strategy. The key concept that has been used to describe the importance of culture in marketing strategy is cultural bind. This suggests that products can be more or less tied to the cultures they consumed, and that the degree of cultural bonding determines whether they can be standardized or not. Food and clothing should therefore be strongly culture-bound products, which are difficult to standardize, while industrial goods are kulturfri, and therefore easier to standardize. In between you place the consumer durables, which more than kulturfri eg food but more culture bound than industrial goods XXXXX (Usunier 1993). XXXXX The classic debate on standardization versus adaptation is increasingly proving to be based on some outdated terms. Culture is the habits and ways of thinking, we take for granted. This is also the understanding of culture that underlie the traditional debate on the Levites point: to what extent can something fit into the existing culture. This papers argument is that it is not so much a question of whether the market is (or marketing) is substantially different from the culture, it must fit in. What matters is rather whether it can operate in different discourses on cultural identity in local markets. Cultural Understanding yesterday to predict the problems and potential misunderstandings arising from different cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, the fundamental question of the relationship between marketing and culture in this perspective, to what extent an individual, current marketing strategy or tactic is applicable in another cultural context. The main problem with the Levites argument is that the globalization process basic viewed as driven by demand. This is summarized in the following lines: The uniformity of preferences will inevitably lead to standardization of products of industrial and commercial and business enterprises XXXXX Levitt, Theodore (1983), The Globalization of Markets, Harvard Business Review (May-June) , 92-102. pp 93, XXXXX. But, as we have seen, there is both a strong tendency towards standardization and perhaps even more likely that globalization is carried forward by competitive supply rather than demand side, and that those in each case are not independent of each other. This has opened Levits argument for a critique from various scientists, whereas Levits lack of understanding of the concept of culture and persistent cultural differences in the globalizing world. Yet other theorists XXXXX Robertson, Roland (1992), Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture, London: Sage. XXXXX Robertson, Roland (1995), Glocalization: Time-Space and Homogeneity-Heterogeneity, M. Featherstone, S. Lash R. Robertson, eds, Global Modernities, London: Sage, 25-44. XXXXX has tried to move beyond this dichotomous debate a counterpart to the debate that has been conveyed in marketing literature on standardized or customized wine promotion (see Wind Douglas comment XXXXX Wind, Yoram and Susan P. Douglas (1988), The Myth of Globalization , Columbia Journal of World Business, Vol 12 (Winter). XXXXX to Levite thesis). Here it is suggested that you talk about glocalisation since both homogenizing (globalizing) and heterogeniserende (localising) processes is an essential part of globalization. Robertson emphasizes this when he sees the local (and location) as a fundamental rather than a conflicting part of globalization. Thus in one sense, such as Levitt argues a homogenization of demand but it is a demand for differences rather than according to uniform, standardized Western products. Levite mistake is to have considered culture as something that exists independently of the market, an external factor, whose consequences (special preferences, etc.) could and would be overcome by so-called objective product qualities. Rather, it shows above that culture is something that is demanded and also very much created the market. In the following we will therefore argue that culture is not such a market external factor, but something that is reflexive. This means that culture is not something that can be taken for granted as if it had an unchanging essence Critical assessment XXXXXXX Contingency Theory: from Product and Promotion adaption in Export Ventures XXXXXXX The term globalization is the last decade become one of the most used and abused buzzword. Just within the marketing area is the concept of globalization somewhat more advanced in years, since it was used by a discipline of great old masters in a seminal article as long as 20 years ago. We refer of course to Theodore Levits article in Harvard Business Review in 1983, The Globalization of Markets XXXXX Levitt, Theodore (1983), The Globalization of Markets, Harvard Business Review (May-June), 92-102. XXXXX This has since been one of the most controversial marketing hypotheses. Most of the discussion has gone on the accuracy of the Levite central idea, namely that the most successful, future business strategy will be the completely standardized, which takes no account of what is regarded as superficial differences between world markets. XXXXX Bauman, Zygmunt (1999), Culture as Praxis, 2nd edition, London: Sage XXXXX Levite argument is the idea that companies can gain competitive advantage by exploiting economies of scale XXXXX Levitt, Theodore (1983), The Globalization of Markets, Harvard Business Review (May-June), 92-102. pp 92]. XXXXX On the one hand it is true that globalization leads to new market conditions, where such is impossible for companies to sit international market development ignored, though they only operate domestically. On the other hand, it has demonstrated how local companies can push their global competitors precisely by emphasizing their local roots. The fact that the local should be a quality in itself, completely overlooked by Levitt XXXXX Ger, Gà ¼liz and Russell W. Belk (1996), Id Like to Buy the World a Coke: Consumption-scapes of the Less Affluent World , Journal of Consumer Policy, 19 (3), 1-34. XXXXX The usual argument for standardization is still out on that brand names and products have a defined meaning which affects the customer when he / she meets these products or brands. But as so aptly demonstrated, is even Coca-Cola (king of global brands) importance universe subject to local interpretations. And even Coca-Colas management has said it is a multi-local rather than a global product XXXXXAskegaard, Soren Fabian Csaba (2001), The Good, the Bad and the Jolly: Taste, Image and Symbolic Resistance To The Coca-Colonization of New Zealand , S. Brown A. Patterson, eds, Imagining Marketing, London: Routledge, 124-140 .. XXXXX also express statement that Coca-Cola is welcomed by alle XXXXX Levitt, Theodore (1983), The Globalization of Markets, Harvard Business Review (May-June), 92-102. pp 93, a XXXXX oversight of the global on Coca-Cola are both preference for and resistance to brand as expressed through the concept of Coca-Colonization which conceals the fact that the American / western lifestyle brand represents, not welcomed by everyone. Neither or Stadardisation and adaption à ¤r tvà ¥ Extremes in marketing. I sin article Kelloggs Internationalisation versus globaliseringen of the marketing mix (2001) Claudio Vignali cites Terpstra, V. and Sarathy, R. (1994) for writing att nà ¤r adopting a helt localized marketing strategy only coincidental ligheder EXIST. Completely standardised marketing is identical in all markets. Neither extreme in Usually used. I wish to give some examples of how various multinational companies engaged in or have used the global market. The examples are taken from international journals, and gives each of them an insight into situations that underpins kompleksitetetn in a global markedsfà ¦rinbgs maneuver. First beskrivesd viorksomheder and products briefly, then Objectives, Strategies, and challenges etableret and encounters and Endelig the responses, resultater, og er rekommendationer Collected. The two cases chosen are, respectively, McDonalds and IKEA. These cases are particularly interesting b ecause it has two large viorksomheder whose basic concept is tight concept management and standardizing for obtaining econmicies of scale in both marketing, sales and production. These descriptions provide examples of how, despite that we have a standardization strategy must adapt to local markets because of culture. Foreign Markets: An Integrated Approach Research shows that standardization of marketing solutions determines the use of the same marketing mix in throughout the global marketplace, but standardization is often not used to companies due to differences in language, culture, consumer preferences, laws and regulations, marketing infrastructure and competition structure in various countries. Complete adaptation of marketing solutions are not suitable because in this case, companies can not use the advantages of scale economics, marketing knowledge and information acquired in other markets. But adaptation helps companies to evaluate and effectively use cultural differences foreign markets and different products, their properties and potential use. Recent research shows that changes in the global market affected by globalization has changed also solutions of international marketing: looking for a successful international performance companies do not have to choose one end, and companies that can combine multiple options to meet consumer needs in the global market and to pursue their goals more effectively. The purpose of the global m arketing strategy is to find an optimal combination of integration and rationalization of operations and settlement systems in a global market. Standardization in International Retailing: Transferring Storebrand Image Salmon and Tordjman (1989) introduced one of the most recognized classifications of international sales strategies. This classification can be viewed in terms of global / multinational strategies and the implications for standardization or adaptation of marketing activities and the seat of decision making for the international distributor. The authors define a global strategy that faithful replication of a notion abroad, which corresponds to a formula already established in the country. According to the authors, a company that has decided to choose this strategy is a homogeneous consumer audience with similar lifestyles and expectations. These companies were seen as McDonalds and IKEA. The means to achieve such a strategy is to use a standardized marketing lists. This implies that companies use a standardized or similar retail mix in each of the foreign markets they have entered. Specific product range and stor e format, services, marketing and advertising strategies, pricing policies and store layout is more or less standardized, in whatever country they operate. But as the authors note, are global retailers over the two controversies. The first is the need to adapt to local markets and thus satisfy consumer expectations, and the second is to utilize their corporate resources in order to benefit from the economies of scale derived from a standardization strategy. The authors state that the original concept or the uniqueness and distinctiveness of a product, combined with business acumen, is the competitive advantage for global retailers succeed. Besides this, these products have a long life, thus reducing the risk associated with them as fashion items. McDonalds is the world, aos largest fast-food restaurant chain. It has more than 30,000 restaurants in over 100 countries. McDonalds Corporation is the worlds largest seller of hamburgers and other fast foods. Although largely an American operation, and one of the best known American symbols, most of income from activities outside the USA. In its 2000 annual report XXXXXXXX, states that 62 percent of their annual revenue is allocated to operations outside America. This provides an interesting situation for a company that has built his empire out from doing all the food produced the same. Hamburg They have exactly the same size, the same amount of pickles are put on each bun, and milkshakes are measured with extreme precision. McDonalds business model is basically the same regardless of which country it goes to, but there are local differences, the company may face. The case of McDonalds ice dircribed pà ¥ article McDonalds: Think global, act local the marketing mix (Vignali XXXXXXXX. McDonalds expand globally mens Adjusting sina local communities. McDonalds er standadised in large scale, men de har allso adapted to the local Markets fordi of Religious Laws, Costume eller kultur. In Israel two mà ¸der Kosher Tradition Big Macs gà ¥r utan cheeseburger served two separate Meat and Diary products. In India de har serve Vegetablke McNuggets Mutton-based Maharaja Mac (Big Mac) as Hindus do not eat meat. Muslims Do Not eat pork and McDonalds ice rewarded med halal certificate att sometimes advocates total Absence of pork pà ¥ muxlim lande. In its 2000 annual report is based on three elements: A) Adding restaurants, B) Improve revenue and profit existing restaurants, and C) to improve international profitabi lity in a culturally sensitive way. This implies that a McDonalds opening in a foreign country does more than just change its menus. It adapts its operating manual for the convenience of the local franchisee. Quote from report: Maximizing sales and profits at existing restaurants will be done through better management, reinvestment, product development and refinement of effective marketing and lower development and operating costs. Improved international profitability will be realized as economies of scale are achieved in different markets, and since it is covered by the global infrastructure. .. Another case of a largely standadised company is IKEA. I artiklen A standardized approach to the world? IKEA in China,( Johannson, U. and Thelander, A., 2009), giver forfatterne et indblik i de udfordringer IKEA har haft med global markedsfà ¸ring i en casebeskrivelse af deres introduktion og markedsfà ¸ring i Kina. IKEA har med stor succes standardiseret al markedsfà ¸ring og roll out i store dele af verden, men Kina blev en speciel udfordring, hvor standadiseringskonceptet ikke var gangbar pga. markedets, isà ¦r, kulturelle forskelle. IKEA expanded to China in 1998. The main target group are women, because they were considered those who make decisions at home. IKEA believes its core customer to be around 30 years old. This target group are the generation born under the one child policy and they are believed to be impulsive, easy to influence, very social and committed to leading international consumer brands. In most countries image of IKEA is a company with low prices. In China the opposite is true. The main strategy has been to reduce prices and make the IKEA in China for the low cost concept (roughly) as known ra worldwide. IKEA stores in China is closer to town than stores in other parts of the world where they are usually located well outside city centers. In China, consumers have less access to cars and butikkernw have to be public transport routes. Nevertheless, IKEA built 700 parking spaces under a shop in Shanghai in anticipation of that shopping patterns will change. In China there is not a DIY culture Chinas consumers are using the store as social venues. For them it is a pleasant environment and a completely removed from other furnishings stores in China where you do not have permission to feel and touch the product. People in Shanghai shop may still be seen apparently sleeping in beds and on sofas and read a book with their feet on the tables. Rather than address the issue, IKEA staff hopes that these same people will later return as customers. While IKEA is often seen as a model for standardization among retailers, it is clear that it has had to make significant adjustments in China. Offers an attractive and unusual product was never alone will be enough. IKEA claims that the worst is now getting established in China, and that experience will stand it in good Instead, as it expands into other culturally-different markets. IKEA will argue that it has adapted, while remaining true to its business concept. But its experience also shows that there are limits to how far a company can go with standardization, and how far along this road consumers are willing to be taken. XXXXXStandardization / Adaptation of Marketing Solutions in Companies Operating in Foreign Markets: An Integrated ApproachXXXXXX Research shows that standardization of marketing solutions is crucial for applying the same marketing mix throughout the global marketplace, but standardization is often no use to companies because of differences in language, culture, consumer preferences, laws and regulations, marketing infrastructure and competition structure in different countries. Complete adaptation of marketing solutions is also not useful because in that case, firms can not use the benefits of scale economics, marketing knowledge and information acquired in other markets. But adaptation helps companies to evaluate and effectively use cultural differences foreign markets as well as separate products, their properties and potential use. Recent research shows that changes in the global market affected by globalization has changed also solutions of international marketing: looking for a successful international performance companies need not select one end, and companies that can combine multiple options to meet consumer needs for global market and pursue its goals more effectively. The objectives of the global marketing strategy is to find an optimal combination of integration and rationalization of operations and settlement systems in a global market. Standardization versus adaptation of international marketing strategy: an integrative assessment of the research empirisk To overcome the above polarization, a third group of researchers offer a contingency perspective on the standardization / adaptation debate. In their view: (a) standardization or adaptation should not be viewed in isolation from each other, but as two ends of the same continuum, where the degree of corporate marketing strategy standardization / adaptation can vary between them (b) the decision to standardize or adapt marketing strategy is tailored to the specific situation and this should be the result of a thorough analysis and assessment of relevant contingency factors prevailing in a particular market at a given time and (c) the appropriateness of the chosen level of strategy standardization / adaptation shall be assessed on the basis of its impact on company performance in international markets (Quelch Hoff, 1986; Onkvisit Shaw, 1987, Jain, 1989; Cavusgil Zou, 1994) . Therefore, the challenge for the international firm is to determine what specific elements of the strategy is possible or desirable to standardize or adapt the conditions under which and to what extent. Konklusion og videre là ¦sning Konklutionen I To what extent should a consumei goods multinational corporation vary its marketing from country to countryl Konklusion à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Should marketers attempt to standardize their products and marketing communications so as to minimize the costs of doing business internationally? Or should they adapt their products and messages depending on the market in which they wish to operate? XXXXXInternational markedskommunikation XXXXXStandardization/Adaptation of Marketing Solutions in Companies Operating in Foreign Markets: An Integrated ApproachXXXXXX I denne artikel har vi prà ¸vet at efterkomme opfordringen til at komme ud over at  »pjaske rundt pà ¥ overfladen af sà ¸en «, nà ¥r det drejer sig om at studere relationen mellem marketing og kultur [11].Inden for marketing er indstillingen til kultur, mà ¥ske ikke overraskende, dybt forankret i den vestlige modernismes tendens til at  »Ãƒ ¦ndre forskel til essens « [20: 80]. Imidlertid minder  »skaberne « (etnoskaber, teknoskaber osv.) os om, at kultur praktiseres og konstitueres ud fra praksis [1]; [12]; [20: 81]. Endvidere bliver vi mindet om marketings rolle som et globalt system, der frembringer forskellige identitetsrum: livsstil, kultur, subkultur, etnicitet, hybridisering, kreolisering osv. I lyset af dette bliver markedsfà ¸rte varer til materielle manifestationer af ideen om kultur, af  »det kulturelle ideoskab «, som vist ved eksemplet med belizisk madkultur [36]. Dette bà ¸r ikke lede os til at forveksle và ¦sentliggà ¸relse med và ¦sen. Det er ikke, fordi mange forbrugere enten sà ¸ger efter eller har en opfattelse af deres egen faste kulturelle identitet, at vi som forskere kan konkludere, at en sà ¥dan eksisterer, og markedsanalytikere har hidtil và ¦ret tilbà ¸jelige til at ignorere de indviklede forhold, der gà ¦lder inden for kulturelle udviklingsprocesser.  »Sà ¥ là ¦nge kulturel mangfoldighed bliver forstà ¥et som en mangfoldighed af kulturer, kan kulturstuderende kun se tvà ¦rkulturel kommunikation og tvà ¦rkulturel sammenligning som et af deres centrale problemer « [6: xlv] . For et marketing- og forbrugerforskningsmiljà ¸, der interesserer sig for den kulturelle dimension i international marketing, betyder dette, at komparativ analyse ikke là ¦ngere er det mest indlysende mà ¥l for forskningsaktiviteter, men snarere et udgangspunkt. Kultur, snarere end en forklarende struktur af và ¦sentlige trà ¦k, bliver et paradigme, pà ¥ basis af hvilket marketingpraktikeres og forbrugeres praksis og tilgang fà ¥r betydning for forskerne. Kultur er ikke et studieobjekt, men et nà ¸dvendigt perspektiv for at fà ¥ indsigt i det menneskelige samfunds struktur og forandringsprocesser. Referencer

The Essence Of Pop Culture Essay -- essays research papers fc

â€Å"Talk about Pop Music, Talk about Pop Music†¦Ã¢â‚¬  was one of the most catchy phrases of the 1980’s. Just as in the 80’s, today we see many characteristics of â€Å"pop culture† effecting our lives. But, what is â€Å"pop culture?† I spent some time online trying to answer my question and time after time I was led to the same direction: pop culture is what we see, hear, speak, and are otherwise exposed to on a daily basis. The infomercials we see late on television, the billboards we see on the side of the road, the junk mail we receive, the links on the web pages we visit, and the radio commercials we hear all tie together to form this idea of pop culture. These, plus many other aspects, form our minds and teach us how to be culturally smart. To be culturally smart is to understand and know pop culture. For example, if someone were to say â€Å"BUD!† it is automatically assumed that they would get a â€Å"WIES† in reply. If a person were to say â€Å"Just Do It!† Nike would be directly thought of. What elements define â€Å"Pop Culture?† Television stars, such as Drew Carey; musicians, such as Santana; public figures, such as Monica Lewinski; politicians, such as Bill Clinton; athletes, such as Michael Jordan; large corporations with their slogans; and movies are all, but not limited to, pop culture. In a Journal I found online of a study of pop culture, it compared the link of religion and a pop culture icon, Star Wars. The study was conducted with people and it read: â€Å"The comparisons and shared philos...

The Physics of Skiing Essay -- Sports Athletics Essays

The Physics of Skiing I have been skiing for about five years and I find it to be one of the most fun and challenging sports there is. A lot of the reason it is so challenging is because of the laws of physics such as gravity and friction. In this essay I will discuss how physics relates to skiing and how this physics makes skiing so fun and challenging. I will also discuss how things like wax and the shape and width of your skis can affect these laws of physics and enhance your skiing. There are really only two main forces acting on a skier, they are gravity and air resistance. The first and most important thing relating to the physics of skiing is the law of gravity. Gravity is the most familiar force in our everyday lives it is the force that keeps us on the ground it is also the force that makes things fall. We have all heard the saying, â€Å"what goes up must come down.† This saying is relating to gravity. Near the earths surface the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. When you ski you are taken up to the top of a mountain by a chair lift once you reach the top of the mountain gravity wants to pull you back down the mountain. These forces of gravity and air resistance are what make skiing happen. The air resistance of a skier has a huge effect on how fast a skier is going to go. Air resistance is major factor in ski racing. A skier may reduce his or her air resistance by skiing in a tucked position. This reduces the amount of area that the wind has to hit, thus creating less drag and causing the skier to go a lot faster. Some world class skiers even have helmets that come to a point a few inches behind their head like an airplane wing to further reduce their drag. The reason that gravity is able to pull ... ...I would ski everyday if I could. I am so glad that there are such things as gravity, friction, air resistance, and kinetic and potential energy because without some of these skiing would not even be possible and without the others skiing would be really boring. If there were no gravity or kinetic and potential energy skiing could not exist. If there were no friction you would not be able to stop, and if there were too much friction you would not be able to move. And last but certainly not least if there were no air resistance there would be no ski racing. If nobody had any air resistance and they all just went straight down the hill they would all go about the same speed. There would be no way of going into a tighter tuck to go faster that another person. You may have never thought that if there were no such thing as physics there would be no skiing but it is true.

Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” Essay

Who does not want to live the perfect life, the American Dream? Throughout Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman is in pursuit of this Dream. Willy focuses on the idealistic American dream his entire life, associating it with financial success, an excellent reputation and being well liked. He makes victims of his wife and of his sons by subjecting them to mistreatment and deprivation of a strong male role model. According to the Webster’s Dictionary a victim is one who is subjected to oppression, hardship or mistreatment. Willy puts far too much pressure on his elder son Biff, not enough on his younger son Happy, and he makes a â€Å"yes-woman† out of his doting wife Linda. Willy’s ideas of the American Dream outweigh the realistic trials and tribulations that need to be overcome in order to achieve the Dream. The American Dream is one of success and Willy views success as being well liked. He wants Biff to be well liked and hence puts much pressure on him to be popular. During Willy’s flashbacks to 1929, Willy encourages Biff to be a good football player rather than a good student. Willy pays so much attention to Biff and puts so much pressure on him to succeed and to be well liked that Biff does not have anything concrete (such as marks) as a backup. Willy believes that even though Bernard can get the best marks in school, that he will not survive in the business world because he is not well liked (Miller 33). Biff wants to live up to his father’s dreams. He wants his dad to be proud of him. Before the football game at Ebbets Field, Biff promises â€Å"to break through for a touchdown,† just for his dad (32). As a teenager, and right up until he catches Willy cheating, Biff does everything he can to get into Willy’s good books. He is the star football player and popular enough to order his friends around: â€Å"Fellas! Everybody sweep out the furnace room!† (34). Then, all of a sudden, things change. After finding Willy and Miss Francis together, Biff comes to the conclusion that his father is not as important as he makes himself out to be: â€Å"he [Mr. Birnbaum] wouldn’t listen to you [Willy]† (120). This is the turning point in Biff’s life because he becomes a victim of Willy’s actions. At this point, in a hotel room in Boston, Biff gives up on his life and the dream of success when he decides that he is â€Å"not going there [the University of Virginia]† (120). Willy has ruined his son’s chances at getting a good education and a  successful career. Willy puts so much emphasis on Biff’s success, that he neglects Happy. As a result, Happy feels the need to follow in Willy’s footsteps in order to gain the level of respect and attention from his father that is given to Biff. Happy feels this neglect as a teenager and feels the need to satisfy his dad: â€Å"I’m losing weight, you notice, Pop?† (33). Happy wants to be popular and well liked in order to get some positive attention from Willy. Even as an adult, Happy holds on to the need to impress his dad and to keep him content with his life. Happy wants Biff to lie to their father about seeing Bill Oliver because Willy â€Å"is never so happy as when he’s looking forward to something† (105). Happy wants Willy to be pleased with Biff because that would keep Willy happy and could stop him from having flashbacks and talking to himself. Success in business is one of Willy’s goals for the American Dream and thus, Happy wants to be a businessman because he is seeking his father’s approval. While in pursuit of the American Dream, Willy needs someone to support him and to agree with all of his decisions. Linda is there for him throughout the hard times. She guides him by being supportive of his decisions and even supports his lying. She knows that he goes to Charley to â€Å"borrow fifty dollars a week and pretend[s] to [her] that it’s his pay† (57). Linda allows him to feel important, at least in front of his own family. Not only does she defend him in front of their sons, but she also tries to keep the peace between her husband and Biff. Willy doesn’t appreciate this as he should, turning on her when she tries to get him to listen to Biff, telling her † don’t take his [Biff’s] side all the time† (65 ). Later, when she tries to comfort him, he tells her to â€Å"get to bed† (134). She endures him yelling, â€Å"stop interrupting† (64) without breaking down, only to ask him whether she â€Å"should?sing† (68) to soothe him. He has trained her to take his harsh words and act like nothing has happened. Linda is the glue that keeps the Loman family together as she tries to get Willy and her sons to speak calmly and peacefully and to see the best in each other. Ultimately, the Loman family is affected by the American Dream gone awry.  Willy Loman is very focused on this dream and his family’s success in business. Consequently, he mistreats his sons and his wife, making victims of them. His sons do not have a strong male role model who they can look up to during their maturing years. Instead, they have a daydreaming, failing salesman for a father, whose sole objective in life is to live the American Dream. He has also trained their mother to agree and comply with everything he says. The American Dream implies happiness and for Willy Loman that happiness is to die the death of a salesman. We have to wonder how the idea of death can bring happiness to someone’s life.

Is a Fair Trade Policy Superior to a Free Trade Policy?

Graduate Business Ethics-Section 01 March 5, 2013 Is a Fair Trade Policy Superior to a Free Trade Policy? In the past 30 years the business world has changed tremendously because of globalization. It has allowed a trading relationship grow between the developed and developing countries. The United States has greatly profited from this relationship; American business have been able to cut their labor costs by moving majority of the low skilled jobs to countries such as China, India, and Mexico. In The Fair Play Debate, Joseph Stiglitz fights for fair trade.He believes fair trade policies are needed to protect the poor from the rich. On the other hand, Gary Hufbauer argues for free trade; stating that it is a superior policy because it can benefit everyone in the developed and developing world. I agree with Joseph Stiglitz in this matter, because I believe fair trade is the best policy for the business world today. When people speak of globalization they only speak of the â€Å"positi ves. † They say free trade has increased the American household income by lowering costs of products and this was possible because labor costs were cut.Joseph Stiglitz speaks of the other side of globalization. He states Americans who used to work these low skilled jobs have lost their jobs and are having a difficult time finding employment. Not only that, but the workers in these countries are also suffering because the work environment isn’t safe and they are underpaid. The unemployment rate in the United States has been increasing over the past 30 years. Factories have been closing and businesses have permanently shut down all over the U. S. Many Americans have packed up their belongings and moved to other areas to find work.In the article Can the Midwest Regain its Economic Clout, by Richard Longworth, it says places like Dayton, Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis have seen a decrease in their population because many have left to find work. These areas have lost anyw here from 40-60% of their populations. I understand from a business point of view globalization is a good way to make profit by keeping the cost down and individuals in other countries have work, however, the environment isn’t always safe and they are getting paid next to nothing.Meanwhile, in the United States, so many people are struggling to find a job and keep their families financially afloat. I believe if companies want to send the work overseas, they have to make fair trade rules. The working conditions need to better and so does the pay. This way both the rich businessmen and the poor workers benefit. I also believe that maybe not all the work from one company should be sent overseas; send some work there and keep some here, this way more people will benefit I think fair trade is the morally just way to conduct business.Not only will Americans benefit, but so will the workers in developing countries. Most importantly this would keep the rich from getting richer and th e poor from struggling to keep afloat. I believe this could really help close the gap between the two. It would also help lower the unemployment rate in the United States and will hopefully bring up the average household income. Fair trade will build a strong foundation and a sense of camaraderie with developing countries.

Takaki History

1. What surprised you or what did you learn as you read Takaki's piece? The laborer has no name. When they get into the island, they have a small brass disks with their identification numbers on it. Worker was called by number, but never by name 2. What were the conditions like for Hawaii's laborers? The laborers were brought to Hawaii as cheap labors. Their labor enables the planters to transform sugar production into Hawaii's leading industry. Low wage, long working hour. 3. What was the ethnic makeup of Hawaii's immigrant workers? How was this exploited by plantation owners? 923: Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians: 16. 3 %Caucasians 7. 7%Chinese 9. 2%Japanese 42. 7% Portuguese: 10. 6%Puerto Ricans: 2. 2%Filipinos: 8. 2% 4. What were some of the ways the plantation owners used to keep the workers â€Å"under control? † Were these attempts always successful? How did the workers respond or even counter some of those methods? Paternalism: Designed to pacify labor's unrest and served to maintain a racial and class hierarchy. Coercion: Punish the workers. control workers with authority. (fines, arrestment, physical punishment: whip) Occupational structure stratifying employment according to race.Supervisory: white, 1900, contract labor system still worked, under contract were bound by law to serve 3~5 yrs. Organic Act of 1900 abolished the contract labor system 1904, Hawaiian Sugar Planters restricted skill position. â€Å"exclude Asians. Were not white hence ineligible to become citizens† Establish central labor bureau to set wage rates. Utilized a multitiered wage system to pay different wage rates to different nationalities. Divide-and-control system Provide incentive for bonus system. Paid once a year (similar to the year-end bonus) President Theodore Roosevelt prohibit the passage of Japanese from Hawaii to the mainland.Fight back violentlycounterfeit couponspretend illness/workingresorted to opium and alcohol desertion from service Striking mainly by Japanese : Most important event of â€Å"blood unionism†: Japanese Strike of 1909, Portugese 22. 5 per month, japanese 18 A transformation from sojourners to settlers, from Japanese to Japanese American. They succeed. 1920 strike: 1909: Japanese has 70% of working force, 1920 Japanese: 44% Filipino: 30% – first major interethnic working-class unity. Head of Filipino union start the strike but the planters offered him a bribe and he called off the strike. Divide and control) The strike was not succeed. During 1920: the planter enlisted Hawaiians, Portuguese and koreans as strikebreakers. Japanese and Filipino have formed Hawaii Laborers' Association (multiethnic class) Housing Pattern: Pyramid and sewage system, managers, spanish, japanese and Filipino Divide and control: organization of camps into different nationalities After 1909: planters improve the conditions of camps (abandon barrack system to provide cottage) 5. What were some of the specific ways the workers t ried to deal with their hard labor and lifestyle? Be specific.Small bit of extravagance and a reminder of homeland (Japanese plants bonsai, gardenn and flower around their cottage) traditional hot baths, furos (tubs) resorted to opium and alcohol Sport (baseball) gambling (Chinese Japanese) Taxi-dance (Filipino) Religious activities: Christian and Buddhism (not only a spiritual requirement but also a broad need for ethnicity) National identities (festivals): Chinese new yearJapanese traditional festival of SoulsRizal Day Filipino Also food: Chinese (bao) Japanese (sashimi or sushi or tofu) Filipino abodo (stewed garlic pork), Korean Kimchi . What were some of the ways the workers assimilated into Hawaiian American culture and on the flip side, how did the different ethnic heritages and cultures of the workers become assimilated into Hawaiian society? Hawaiian dish Chinese-Hawaiian Parents Workers of different nationalities began to acquire a common language: pidgin English (combinat ion of Hawaiian, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese and other languages) 7. We will discuss the concept of the â€Å"model minority. † In the articles, do you see examples of the possible origins behind this concept?Model minority, also  overachieving minority  or  overrepresented minority  refers to a minority  ethnic,  racial, or  religious  group  whose members achieve a higher degree of  success  than the population  average. It is most commonly applied to ethnic minorities. This success is typically measured in income,  education. In the  United States, the term is associated with  Asian Americans, primarily Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean Americans. 8. Throughout the course of the semester, we will be discussing in greater detail the idea of â€Å"the American Dream. Does Takaki's narrative of the Hawaiian laborers fit into the idealistic image of the American Dream? Why or why not? life should be better and richer and fuller for ev eryone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement† regardless of  social class  or circumstances of birth. I don't think the Hawaiian laborers completely fit into the idealistic image of the American dream, there are still discrimination in the working class. Most sojourners original plan is to make enough money and go back to their own countries for better life.They didn't actually arise their standard of living in Hawaii. However, Hawaii becomes their home. Different from the continent, racial divisions is less. and they constituted a majority of population (different from the mainland. ) Also, their children were having higher education at Hawaii. Children of immigrant workers learned about freedom and equality and they are looking for better occupation to work (in the article, photographer, engineers, businessman†¦.. etc)