Procter & Gamble in Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Procter & Gamble in Japan - Essay Example 1. Proctor & Gamble during the 1970’s and 1980’s utilized a centralized marketing approach in which the US headquarters had full control of the marketing initiatives both in the United States and abroad. The company felt that this strategy was more effective because it provided a simple method that could be transferred elsewhere which provided savings and helped the company achieved benefits associated with economies of scale. The reality of this strategy in Japan was that the company was not doing poorly in this international market. The company by 1985 after being established in Japan for 13 years was losing nearly $40 million a year (Hill, 2007). Along with the obvious monetary losses the disadvantages of the centralized marketing strategy in Japan was that the company was not able to fully meet the consumer needs. The culture of Japan and the consumer taste were much different than in the United States. The strategy was inflexible and did not provide room for the ne cessary changes based on market research and consumer trends. Â  2. After years of struggling in the Japanese market with various products after 1990, the company decided a new approach. It created products based on the specific cultural profile Japan. A product that was introducing utilizing this new decentralized marketing approach was Joy detergent. The country-specific research showed that the Japanese people were changing their cooking habits towards the higher volume of fried foods which meant that the people needed a product that was more powerful cleaning up grease dishes. The company also considered other key stakeholders in its design in the process in order to ensure success. The packaging of the product was tailored made to ensure supermarkets and other stores could maximize its shelf space. The strategy provided many benefits for the company, but there were some drawbacks.

The Issue of Human Cloning Essay Example for Free

The Issue of Human Cloning Essay INTRODUCTION Human cloning has been a favorite subject in science fiction stories, but has in recent years, it has become front page news. Anytime that a new scientific debate is born, many details about the topic itself is muddled with many inaccuracies. The problem is: do people understand enough of the science to predict whether cloning will be acceptable or not ethically and/or legally? Does it make sense to bring new people in the world whose origin is drastically different than the majority of people? This short review will focus first on arguments for cloning human beings based on scientific arguments and second on arguments against human cloning from the book by Leon Kass â€Å"The Ethics of Human Cloning. † REPRODUCTIVE AND RESEARCH CLONING Cloning is done in adult animals by somatic cell nuclear transfer. In the case of sheep like Dolly, the nucleus of a cell from a sheep is placed inside the cell of another sheep that has been emptied from its nucleus. However, contrary to the popular belief, the cloned sheep will not be 100% genetically identical to the donor sheep. The enucleated cell still has some DNA inside in organelles like the mitochondria that will be different than the donor’s DNA. The main arguments for cloning deal with the potential medical as well as scientific benefits that would be conferred upon humanity if adult humans could be cloned. The first reason is that cloning humans would bring forth medical breakthroughs for curing diseases like cancer. The rationale is that cloning involved in the differentiation of a cell may be an advantage that could help in the comprehension of how a cell differentiates and divides. Cancerous cells are multiplying without restraints since the cellular mechanisms for regulating cell division and cell growth are non-functional. Usually, unrestrained division and growth in normal cells do not continue because the cell has safety mechanisms that will induce death or apoptosis to stop this uncontrollable process. Other ideas about the benefit of cloning are cloning organs that could replace defective ones like heart, kidneys, and liver. This type of cloning is called research cloning contrasting with reproductive cloning. Another argument deals with infertility and reproduction. Many people cannot have children. Reproductive cloning would not only give them a child, but an ideal child in terms of genomic inheritance, implying that a clone could have its genome altered based on the parent’s disease history. This would guarantee a healthy child or some kind of twin to the parent. In essence, identical twins are clones of each other since their genome is identical. Cloning also happens all the time in nature. So, why not in humans too whenever it is wanted? ARGUMENTS AGAINST CLONING Leon Kass in his book â€Å"The Ethics of Human Cloning† analyzes the reasons why human cloning should never be used in our society. Dr. Kass expresses a fundamental distrust of human cloning based on the fact that human intervention is involved in the process. In effect, he draws a parallel between artificial insemination and cloning since both are in vitro processes in the beginning, being transferred to a host in vivo at the end. The problem with â€Å"human hands† is that ‘good intentions pave the way to Hell’ as the saying goes. We can start as wanting the best child, better health, and more intelligence, but in any case, we are not very far from eugenics. Eugenics have a strong opposition because it relies on selecting people based on genetic traits that are changed in order to bring about a specific characteristic in an individual. Eugenics may be the start of a socially unacceptable bias or discrimination based on the fact that the majority of mankind is naturally not fit genetically to qualify as persons almost physically and mentally perfect. In a world where only the most perfect humans would be chosen to survive, no room would be left for ‘inferior’ people. A past historical event connected with this idea is the Holocaust during which, people were gassed in order to get rid of their races or experimented upon in order to find out what physical perfection meant in order to improve the superior race. In addition, Dr. Kass deals with the traditional way of reproduction. Humans reproduce by sexual reproduction and have done so since the beginning of times. Since the announcement about cloning the first sheep, people have been upset about it because they feel that developing the technique further opens the proverbial Pandora’s Box. Will cloning affect our human dignity or our human nature? Moreover, based on the assumption that cloning humans would be accepted, he asks what status a clone would hold in our society. Past historical experiences with slavery and racism have troubled society till today. In fact, the general human population alienates who is different. It has been our nature people to ostracize others who are not judged normal. What would be the place of a clone in our society? What about a social status? What about legal perspectives concerning the rights and connections to their family? Dr. Kass also explains that science has more and more meddled with human reproduction, which he finds troublesome. He believes that there is an excess of consideration of what science in general can do to solve problems. In fact, by remedying one problem, it always creates new ones. In conclusion, cloning seems to possess multiple challenges to its establishment in society. The majority of humans feel that it is an attack on their human nature (reproduction and morality), which they hold sacred. The supporters of cloning are mainly concerned with what cloning can do for mankind in terms of acquiring scientific knowledge to cure diseases like cancer. Time will tell if cloning will bring doom or a better lot in life for humans.

E-Project Management Essay Example for Free

E-Project Management Essay Information is king to any business. Optimum utilization of information for efficient and timely retrieval is crucial to every business and people for their well being and proper nurturing. Every business functions with knowledge and effective use of it reflects in solving issues and conflicts. Every enterprise places great importance for its customers who drive their organization. Providing online facilities to them would prove access anywhere anytime. Businesses learned with time the project management techniques for effective delivery and service. Library of templates, checklists and pre-approved processes take a project from idea generation stage to completion. The customized dynamic applications which are pre-configured helps in the process of adding a shining touch to the finished product. Online repositories and expert systems have facilitated this process. Unique software for risk management, communication planning, stakeholder analysis, scope management, stock analysis and tracking of project schedule are the essentials which help in the entire process. It also proposes efficient MIS reports and decision support systems to take care of the communication strategies and tracking of reports. It is capable to present a picturesque view of the entire project management activities through several intermediaries such as Gantt charts and other illustrations. The efficient tracking mechanism in eProject management would result in greater flexibility of operations and larger penetrations to detect risks and associated problems. It also facilitates the risk handling process by identifying and capitalizing on them timely to prevent efficient managing of resources. The greatest incentive is the importance given to knowledge and its appropriate use. The use of knowledge repositories and capabilities of internet has facilitated the process of concept through revenue generation taking into account the dynamic movements in schedule, cost and resources.

Changes in International Financial Markets

Changes in International Financial Markets What forces have brought a rapid change in the field of IFM? Today’s financial reality is that fiat money knows no national boundary. We do live in a global village era. Development in one country or region can spill over across borders. One branch of study that consider the financial landscape is Financial Management (FM) which is mainly concerned with optimal financial decisions, such as those pertaining to corporate finance with a view to maximize shareholders’ wealth. In case of International Finance the objective becomes more complex and importance of Management is inevitable because it is intricate to determine exchange rate fluctuations and to forecast the cash flow. So, International Finance Management (IFM) is thus, essential for financial managers to fully understand vital international dimensions in the light of maximizing stakeholders’ wealth. Rapid Changes In International Financial Markets Brought About By: The Internationalization Phase On the forefront, the greed to go international stems from the quest of being market seekers, raw material seekers and cost minimizers. Internationalization refers to the increasing importance of international trade, international relations, treaties, alliances and so forth. For these reasons, FM has expanded its global footprint. Included in this wave were the efforts to introduce a dramatic new commercial reality—the global market for standardized consumer products on a previously unimagined scale. Subsequently, IFM provides the required tools and expertise to deal with the international complexities encountered on the way. The Invisible Hand According to neo-classical economics, the market, left of its own devices, will efficiently allocate goods, resources, and services. Promising to benefit the entire globe via unfettered trade and growth, Adam Smith, the father of â€Å"invisible hand†, argued that the basic forces of supply and demand will help allocate resources efficiently. Consequently, the notion of the free market has expanded and today it is practiced on a global scale thus, further fuels the practice of IFM. Advances In Technology IFM gained momentum in the wake of a technological world. Technology has long been a crucial behind-the-scenes financial collaborator. On one side of the coin, online transactions allow for very fast movements of capital between countries, facilitating information dissemination, and clearance and settlement payments without the need of a physical marketplace – often in a matter of seconds. It reduces the cost of doing business internationally. On the flip side, these advances threaten to eclipse the international infrastructure. The importance of IFM is critically questioned when hackers have access to sensitive information with a few clicks of a computer mouse. Liberalization IFM came into being when various countries started opening their doors to each other. This phenomenon is well known as â€Å"liberalization† whereby entrepreneurshad the freedom to capitalizethe opportunity to step their foot in different parts of the world. The spark of liberalization was further aired by swift development in telecommunications and transportation technologies. The resultant of liberalization is today’s dynamic IFM. Globalisation Companies today operate on a global stage and can ignore this fact only at their peril. The term globalization is no longer a buzzword; it already transpired. For Khoo (2003), globalization is understood as the trans-boundary movements of capital, people, goods, information and culture, burst into intellectual awareness in the late 1980s and the 1990s. Globalization allows firms to view the world as one marketplace for all goods and services. The impetus for globalized financial markets came from the governments that had begun to deregulate their foreign exchange and capital markets. For instance, in 1980 Japan deregulated its foreign exchange market. Perhaps the most celebrated deregulation occurred in London on October 27, 1986, and is known as the â€Å"Big Bang.† On that date, the London Stock Exchange eliminated fixed brokerage commissions. These changes were designed to give London the most open and competitive capital markets in the world. It has worked, and today the competition in London is especially fierce among the worlds major financial centers. Deregulated financial markets and heightened competition in financial services provided a natural environment for financial innovations that resulted in the introduction of various complex and sophisticated derivatives products, in particular in over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives markets with interest rates and equities as underlying securities. While the lever aged nature of derivative instruments poses risks to individual investors, IFM provides scope for a more efficient allocation of risks. Integration After the Second World War, the outstanding ingredient influencing trends in IFM is integration. The boundaries between national markets rapidly became blurred leading to the emergence of a global unified financial market. Banks in major industrialized countries increased their presence in each others countries considerably. Non-resident borrowers on an extensive scale are tapping major national market such as the US, Japan, Germany. Today both the potential borrower and the potential investor have a wide range of choice of markets. There are various challenges from the environment and accordingly the scope and relevance of IFM has increased in recent past. Capital Mobility The international mobility of capital has benefited firms by giving them more financial options which has made international finance more dynamic and complex. Capital moves around the world in huge amount; corporations are free to access different markets for raising finance. The enormous opportunities of investments, savings, consumption and market accessibility have given rise to IFM. It is important to note that in IFM, stakeholders are spread all over the world. This development allows investors to diversify their investment portfolios internationally. In the words of a recent Wall Street Journal article, â€Å"Over the past decade, US investors have poured buckets of money into overseas markets, in the form of international mutual funds. At the same time, Japanese investors are investing heavily in US and other foreign financial markets in efforts to recycle their enormous trade surpluses. Privatization The economic integration and globalization that began in the eighties was picking up speed in the 1990s via privatization. Privatization is the process by which a country divests itself of the ownership and operation of a business venture by turning it over to the free market system. Additionally, privatization is often seen as a cure for bureaucratic inefficiency and waste; some economists estimate that privatization improves efficiency and reduces operating costs by as much as 20 per cent. Free- Trade Agreements And Rise of Regional Economic Blocs The doctrine of comparative advantagestates that everyone gains if each nation specializes in the production of those goods that it produces relatively most efficiently and imports those goods that other countries produces most relatively efficiently. In this vein, during the post-war years, theGeneral Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT, founded in 1947)was established in order to improve trade. It has played a key role in dismantling barriers (tariffs, subsidies, quotas) over the years, as a result of which international trade grew manifold. The financial participation of the traders exporters and importers and the international transactions flowed significantly. It also created a permanent World Trade Organization (WTO), which has more power to enforce the rules. Also, The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has give promoted international trade and given it a shape. These advancements put into the idea of FM both domestically and globally. On the regional level, formal arrangements among countries have been instituted to promote economic integration. The European Union (EU) is a prime example. The EU includes 28 member states that have eliminated barriers to the free flow of goods, capital, and people. The EU is one of the most advanced forms of economic integration, a free trade area (like the NAFTA) is the most basic. Recently, however, the euro’s emergence as a global currency was dealt a serious setback in the midst of the debt crisis. It started in December 2009 when Greece revealed its budget deficit, surprising financial markets. The panic spread to other weak European countries, making borrowing and refinancing extremely costly and threatening the nascent recovery of the world economy from the global financial crisis of 2008. This debt crisis revealed a profound weakness of the euro as the common currency: the participating countries have achieved monetary integration, but without fiscal integration. Mea ning that taxation, spending, and borrowing remain under control of national governments. Therefore, a lack of fiscal discipline in one country can become a Europe wide crisis. So, what has been the role of IFM? Even the effective use of IFM could not prevent the disaster. The Rise of MNCs All because of liberalization and those international agreements, we have a buzz word called â€Å"MNC† i.e. Multinational Corporations. In the post WTO regime (after 1999 onwards), it has became pertinent to note that MNCs enjoy an edge over other normal companies because of its international setting and best opportunities with their world-wide. IFM has become an important wing for all big MNCs. Without the expertise in IFM it can be difficult to sustain in the market because international financial markets have a total different shape and analytics compared to the domestic financial markets. A sound management of international finances can help an organization achieve same efficiency and effectiveness in all markets. So far, so good! Foreign exchange risk As discussed above that globalization opened new horizons, but it also brings companies to a variety of risks that they can face while operating in an international arena and in this regard IFM is the only solution to mitigate these risks. One such risk is foreign exchange risk Seventeen years ago, The Bretton Woods System gasped its final breath whereby the present International Monetary System set up is characterised by a mix of floating and managed exchange rate policies adopted by each nation keeping in view its interests. The foreign exchange risks states the variation in the prices of currency will have a tendency to convert a profitable deal to a loss making one. If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. The wisdom of this old adage is just as applicable in risk management. IFM provides a variety of hedging techniques to control foreign exchange exposure since it jeopardizes profitability of all firms. They consider any use of risk management tools, such as forwards, futures and options that previously were virtually unknown. Financial innovation has played a role in promoting this unexpectedly good economic performance. At the same time, IFM has helped to raise global growth and to have made the economy more flexible and more resilient. Conclusion The foremost rapid changes in IFM have been the accelerating globalisation and integration. These developments have been fostered by the liberalisation of markets, rapid technological progress and major advances in telecommunications. Further the scope of IFM has widened its horizon with mechanism supported by multilateral trade agencies like WTO- and regional blocks like ASEAN, NAFTA, EU etc and the emergence of innovative financial instruments. In view of globalization and its impact on the economy of the world, it is pertinent to note that the theory and practice of IFM is in consonance with the tax environment, legal obligations, foreign exchange rates, interest rate fluctuation, capital market movements, inflationary trends, political risk and country risk, micro and macroeconomic environment changes, ethical constraints etc. These problems can be managed through proper adaptation of IFM methodologies. IFM is crucial to the success of every multinational business because the increase in complication and challenges for managers. The current scenario and outlook for evolution of the IFM registered sharp deterioration over the last years. To a great extent, the unfavorable environment is a result of cutbacks in net inflows of private capital. Among the factors responsible one could list the slow pace of world economic recovery, particularly in the United States in the wake of the 2007 recession; Ponzi scheme frauds; forecasts of lower business profits; reductions in consumer confidence; and accentuated growth in risk aversion on the part of investors. References Online EBook: Eun−Resnick: International Financial Management, Third Edition I. Foundations of International Financial Management.  © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2004

Graduation Speech: Dont Let Them Crush Your Dreams :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Twelve years ago we started a journey. Today marks the end of that journey, and the beginning of another. For some, the road getting here was smooth. For others, the road was rough. But today, we leave all of those rough times behind us. We all set a goal, and now we have all achieved it. We have succeeded. Those of us who have made it here tonight have passed an immensely crucial milestone in our lives. From this point on our lives are entirely up to us. We have the power to become whatever we want, and to do anything we want to. Remember that every day, every hour, and every second which passes is what you make of it. From our last four years at Stanwood High, we have learned some sensible lessons. The first of which is that for every action we take, there will be consequences, good and bad. The discipline we encountered from the hands of the administrators was often swift and resolute. Secondly, we have all had friendships which weren't cemented in stone. In the future, don't be fooled by "pretend friends" as they tend to take advantage of you. In the famous words of our high school principal, Mr. Smith, "Don't bring drugs or alcohol to Stanwood High School." Drugs and alcohol will only get you in trouble. In the days ahead, we will encounter obstacles which must be hurdled. Do not succumb to these roadblocks and do not be fooled by detours. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always remember that if you make a decision by yourself, you are solely responsible for the outcome. And one last word of wisdom, people will always try to stand in the way of your dreams. Whether it's your cruel boss, or a jealous person, you must learn to get past them, or else they will always try to bring you down.

The Satirical Essence Of Monty Python Imbibed Into Cotemporary Theatre

The very essence of Contemporary Theatre is that is such a diverse realm of performance art. Many different playwrights have contributed to this post World War Two theatre that instead of keeping to just one narrow genre it was able to branch out to cover all aspects and views of an ever transitional modern society. Theatrical pieces from this time period have ranged from Existentialism, pioneered by Jean Paul Sartre, to the Theatre of the Absurd, which was precedented by Samuel Beckett, and all along the way a myriad of performance genres sprung up to support this new post-war society. Most plays of the contemporary theatre tended to focus up on one single aspect of theatre, though a group of men formed a performance troupe that would ever change such a notion. Monty Python’s Flying Circus revolutionized the stage performance, incorporating many aspects of modern day theatre; such as realism, surrealism, futurism, existentialism and of course Theatre of the Absurd, for no Py thon sketch was sans an eccentric dash of absurdity.The very roots of Monty Python lay in the humble beginnings of six men, five British and one American, who took to the stage in college and never looked back. The six Pythons; Graham Chapman, Eric Idel, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, John Cleese, and Terry Gilliam, began their acting drudgeries before the footlights but not without a struggle. Much of their work was initially considered too risquà © for college theatre, though eventually, but a few years down the road, after several stints with other performance acts one of the greatest comedic troupes to ever be born of the British Theatre were gathered for their first show on October 5, 1969 to a mediocre crowd at best. Michael Palin said it best when he claimed that â€Å"their first viewers were insomniacs, intellectuals, and burglars† (Howard xxiv). Though many failed to realize it, it was that initial audience that was attracted, the combination of such extremes that would come to make up many of the Troupe’s future fans. It is theorized that it might have been their middle class upbringing, either in the States or in England, which lead to form a structure up on which to base their comic stylings, societal attitudes leading them to become exposed to society and in turn gave them something to rebel against. From such humble beginnings, and a rather slow start ratings wise, Monty Python... ...e, whether it be live theatre or even movies in our modern society do have those pieces of Python influence in them with each stabbing satirical remark about the government or sexual innuendos. Actor Kevin Klein had once said that much of his own comedic style was rooted in the Pythonian way of visual comedy, not only audible. Lorne Michaels the creator of Saturday Night Live has oftentimes given credit to Python for setting the standards for sketch television as well as theatre. Though the actual birth of Monty Python’s Flying Circus was up on the sound stage of a television studio the live theatre roots were imbibed into each performance. Leave it Monty Python to find a way to make sketches about the Spanish Inquisition, Death, buying a dead parrot, and a song about Lumberjacks more than just highly amusing. The comedic team was a tight knit netting of brilliance matched with humor, which has in turn kept the troupe going strong still more than thirty years later and still appearing to the new generations with what would be otherwise considered outdated humor. A true indication of permanant influnce is time, and Monty Python’s Fling Circus has certainly got that decades later.

The War At Gettysburg :: essays research papers

The War at Gettysburg Getting There On the way to Gettysburg was tough. It was a long hard and tough journey getting there because there was no other way to get there for the army besides walking. It was so hard that some people died, and some got sick. The trip there was very long. Only about half all the people going there survived. The most of all people that died were Confederate men. The Population There was a lot of people involved in The War at Gettysburg. Major Joseph Hooker had 115,000 men in his army. Major Robert E. Lee had only 70,000 Confederate men in his army. Brig. General John Buford had opnly 4,000 men in his section of the confederate army. 9,000 of the Union died, 5,000 of the men scattered, and some 40,000 of the men held the ridge. Their Life The sodliers had a horrible life. Almost all of the soldiers worked night and day.They all risked their life to defend their armys and Union. Most of them got scared. Most died because they either got shot or the war was to hard for them. Some ran away, because they got scared, Their goal was to defend their Union. What Happened The Confederate went to war with the union in a small town called Gettysburg. The Union majorally beat the Confederate. 28,000 were wounded, captured, and killed from the Confederate. Major General George Meade some 23,000 Union Men, that was nearly a quater of his men. The war was over on July 3, 1863. The Union had won the war. Supplies The men nedded alot and I mean alot of supplies. Most men needed Clothes, Blankets,food, medicine, gun supplies, horses, wagons, cattle,and scores. They needed sauerkraut, thought to be remedy for diarrhea that plagued thousands of soldiers. They basically needed everything. Important People There was alot of people in The War at Gettysburg. Her are all of the names of the army people. Union: The Army of the potomac Major General George Meade; Commanding