Power Of Clinton And Blair Essays - Rodham Family,

Power Of Clinton And Blair "We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it" . In co-operation President Clinton and Prime Minister Blair are renowned for being capable and powerful politicians, be it through the media or through the publics own perceptions this has been shown through high profile world politics in which both men have had major roles. An example of this has been with the Kosovan war in which both leaders joined together showing how important their decisions were. Clinton and Blair have both proved their abilities in gaining public support and retaining the approval given to them from the majority in the form of power. Equally they have retained this power in the face of austere media coverage, as with the Monica Lewinsky scandal involving Clinton or being Blair at the present time. The roles of President and Prime Minister have long been considered the highest positions of political power that resides in America and Britain. However both draw on different sources for their power and stability in these roles. It is for this reason that the stability of these sources and the extent to which Clinton and Blair can make independent changes must be accessed if we are to understand the limitations of their power. Both Clinton and Blair have different power bases from which to be judged. Ostensibly it is President Clinton who appears to have the most significant power base as the political leader of one of the most influential countries in the world. As a significant military power, America is seen as a powerful ally in times of conflict. In addition to, as commander and chief of a military superpower Clinton has reflected power with the ability to represent America's interests abroad with substantial force as with the Gulf War, in this way Clinton can certainly be perceived to be more militarily powerful than any other leader. America's economic force is also an essential factor in establishing the importance of Clinton's decisions and ultimately his power. With the economic strength to enforce trade sanctions and give out loans to large countries such as Russia, Clinton can certainly be seen as economically established. With the fall of Soviet Russia competition for world dominance has decreased and America can be seen to stand alone as a superpower and as its leader Clinton it can be argued is a super leader. Britain despite not being seen in the same way economically or militarily still remains an important world power. With A strong capitalist economy and a respected history of military strength, Britain remains respected by other countries, as does its leader Tony Blair. As a former empirical power Britain has retained important links with large countries such Australia through the Commonwealth. Organisations such as these show England to dominate in world politics. Britain has also although somewhat reluctantly joined one of the most power trades organisations in the world the European Union. The UK is also a member of Nato and combined with the expertise of the British army can be considered to be a strong military force. Because of Britain's status in the world's political forum Blair like Clinton can be considered powerful as a leader of a moderately powerful country. While America is more powerful its leader Clinton is more limited in the decisions he can make on behalf of this superpower.

Behavior developes from nurtur essays

Behavior developes from nurtur essays Behavior and emotion is what makes a man, we are all but little playing peices in a big world of mis understood knowlege.We are one of many complex species today because of the history of thoguth and emotion.Although genes influence human behavior,I am going to tell you Ms D, why it is I believe that nurture is a big factor in human behavior. The Fetus sits in it's mothers womb for 9 months. While in the womb, the baby is constantly growing and developing new features. The baby does it's time in its prison like perimiters until the mother gives birth. The baby is alive and well and now into a world wide cycle of being raised, just like many other children around the world. What I mean to say is, our behavior is originated only from the "envoiroment in which we are placed in throughout our upbringing". We do not come out of the womb with certain behaviors that we show today. We simply grow up and expand our range of knowlege and experiance from what is shown around us. I beleive that the humans great ability to learn is one of the best features of a human, if not a close second. "While a gene may increase the likelihood that you'll behave in a particular way, it does not make people do things." which means that we still get to choose who we'll be when we grow up. We all have control over what we choose to do in life and who we will become as people. These choices are triggered by thoughts in the mind. Different minds will chose differently becuase of different experiances and beleifs. This wide range of mind processing creates many differernt behaviors, which can be seen throughout many different people. It is said that "the behavior of an individual often comes from the way that person was raised". Now what does that mean? That means that Someone will act a certain way or respond to somthing from trigering brain cells. ...

Health and Safety Regulations of NSW and Risk Management Essay

Health and Safety Regulations of NSW and Risk Management - Essay Example According to the discussion, non-compliance issues consist of non-trained health and safety representatives handling important positions in the organization, appointment of ineligible candidates for places like bar and casino, etc. After conducting an audit of the whole situation and deriving the above finding several recommendations, the objectives behind them and a probable time estimate has been clearly mentioned in the action plan in Appendix 2. In Appendix 1 a risk assessment matrix has been developed to highlight the intensity of each hazard or risk that took place in the organization. The major laws which affect most of the business as Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) would be improved to Work Health Safety (WHS). The revised laws have been implemented from the year 2012. According to the new WHS, the focus of the employee should be on the making proper work arrangements and also maintaining good relationships for carrying out the business. The focus of the employer should be on the impact of the workplace, health and safety issues of the employees. Companies have the right to consult with other companies or organization regarding safety and health issues of the organization. The individuals in the organizations would be no longer termed as workers; rather they should be regarded as employees. Implementing health and safety measures in the organization would be given primary importance and the employees also have the right to raise voice if they find that these norms do not meet the standards in their organization. Every employee must hold an entry permit to enter the organization. These are the basic changes that have been made in the new guidelines. Now let us consider the breaches that took place in Titanic Cove Resort (TCR), with reference to WHS laws.

Cash study Case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cash - Case Study Example The growth in these sectors not only brings in additional income and revenue in the economy but also ensures that it remains stable. The decision by the Indian government to ease restriction on foreign ownership has attracted foreign players into the telecommunication, hospitality, aviation and transport industry. All these have led to economic growth thus making India a land of opportunities. The Indian government has continued to show a lot of interest in foreign investments. Policies intended to attract more investors have been passed. 2. The resources and capabilities of the international hotels are considered to be among the fundamental sources of competitive advantage within the areas they are operating in. Most of these international hotels have been in operation for quite a long time and they own several properties in various world locations. According to Enz (2010), international firms and hotels have resources that allow them to not only have an upper hand compared to local hotels but also attain superior performance. The advantage can be sustained over a long period of time to an extent that such hotels are able to protect themselves from resource imitation, substitution and even transfer. Armstrong (2011) points out that a company’s internal resources which include cash and other capabilities are more important than the external factors when it comes to achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. Resources like employee, experience and skills basically help in exploiting opportunities and also neutralizing potential threats. 3. India continues to grab headlines for its economic growth and boom. The high growth rates have not been ignored in the global discussion. International firms have therefore decided to open up their deep pockets as part of their investment strategies in the global markets. Despite the rising need for the services, the local firms and chains must come up with policies that will not only allow them

Budgeting, Costing and Casemix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Budgeting, Costing and Casemix - Essay Example as the NPV is less than zero so it is not advisable for the university to invest in this project. Had the NPV been greater than zero it would make sense to invest in this venture. Question Five Part (a) The state of revenues and expenses for the hospital are as shown in the table below: Revenues Direct Indirect 16 5.5 1.5 5 3.3 3.8 6 2.8 1.6 - - 4.4 - - 2.55 27 11.6 13.85 Projected Profit 1.55 Note: All values in millions of dollars. Therefore the hospital’s projected profit for the 2010 fiscal year is $1.55 million. Part (b) The allocation of indirect costs to the patient services departments are indicated in the table below along with the agreed cost drivers. Indirect Cost Cost Driver Cost (Millions of Dollars) Financial Services Patient Revenue 1.5 Maintenance Space Utilisation 3.8 Housekeeping Labour Hours 1.6 Administration Salary Dollars 4.4 Personnel Salary Dollars 2.55 The breakup of the indirect costs to each department is described below. Accounting Salaries: divided equally amongst all three departments, therefore cost to each department is 0.5 million dollars. Maintenance: divided amongst all three departments based on space utilisation (covered area), cost to each department is indicated in the table below: Department Space Utilisation (square meters) Percentage of Total Space Cost (millions of dollars) Routine Care 199,800 66 2.525 Laboratory 39,600 13 0.50 Radiology 61,200 20 0.774 Housekeeping: divided amongst all three departments based on labour hours utilised, cost to each department is indicated in the table below: Department Labour Hours Percentage of Total Cost (millions of dollars) Routine Care 76000 84% 1.34 Laboratory 6000 7% 0.105 Radiology 9000 10% 0.158 Administration: divided amongst all three departments based on salary dollars utilised, cost to each department is indicated in the table below: Salary Dollars Percentage of Total Cost (millions of dollars) Routine Care 5,709,000 56% 2.47 Laboratory 2,035,000 20% 0.879 Radiolog y 2,439,000 24% 1.05 Personnel: divided amongst all three departments based on salary dollars utilised, cost to each department is indicated in the table below: Salary Dollars Percentage of Total Cost (millions of dollars) Routine Care 5,709,000 56% 1.40 Laboratory 2,035,000 20% 0.50 Radiology 2,439,000 24% 0.60 Part (c) The allocation method utilised is well reasoned and makes a lot of sense on paper and on ground. The accounting salaries would in principle get divided amongst all three departments equally. The maintenance costs would get divided amongst all three departments based on the floor space allocated in principle. However it must be taken in mind that the routine care department would have little equipment that would require large maintenance costs but the laboratory and the radiology department would furnish such equipment e.g. centrifuges, x-ray machines and the like. Therefore using total space occupied alone would not really reflect the state of maintenance expenses a lone because routine care would always assume more space while laboratory and radiology would use

Chinese Negotiation Vs American Negotiation

Chinese Negotiation Vs American Negotiation This is an intercultural assignment for the subject Intercultural Sales Negotiation.. I am a student of the minor Latin American Business Studies. In the minor Latin American Business Studies that I am following, we got the assignment to study the Guanxi case and to do some research into the Chinese and US culture related to negotiation meetings. The last part of this assignment will be that I have to prepare a role of an American party in a negotiation standing between Electrowide and Motosuzhou. In this assignment you can expect the following subjects: there will be a short description of different cultures in the world. Next subject will be an intercultural research about the Chinese and US cultures and in which these various cultures will influence negotiation attitudes and positions. After this there will be a preparation about the Guanxi case. This preparation includes: BATNA, ideals, fallbacks, needs/priorities, assumptions and strategies/tactics. In this preparation there will be also quoted explicitly when and in what way the research has affected the preparation. Intercultural research between American and Chinese people doing negotiation The world has a lot of people. The people who are living in different parts of the world are not all the same. They belong to a certain culture. A culture includes the customs and traditions of a certain nation from a certain country. This includes the set of values, nutrition, diet, clothing, religion, music and dance. We can divide the world in several main cultures like: North American, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin American, Middle East/ African and Asian culture. During negotiation around the world you have to know the differences between all these different cultures. Doing some research before going into a negotiation is very important. This is important because there could appear some misunderstandings because of the differences in culture. If you work in a global commercial environment it is useful to have some knowledge of the impact of these cultural differences. This is one of the keys to international business success during negotiation. Regarding to these differences of culture, we now going to zoom in into the Chinese culture and the American culture doing negotiation with each other. We are going to look in what way the various cultures of American and Chinese people will influence negotiation attitudes and positions.   Chinese way of negotiation: If we look at the way Chinese business people negotiate, they are very different in comparison with other countries. They are very different in terms on how they approach a business negotiation. For Chinese business people a negotiation is more like an exchange of information. A getting to know you process. They consider it as a formal discussion. They are willing to negotiate for a long time to get to know each other and to create a long time partnership. The reason willing to negotiate for a long time is to get as much as information out of you. If they manage to get enough information out of you, they can adjust their arguments on what you are saying. They can also use all those information that you are telling them against you eventually. China is a society of high-context. This means that in this kind of society you do not have to say or write to much to make clear what you are meaning. For the Chinese business people it is not only verbal communication, but also a lot of non-verbal communication to express yourself. You only have to make a little part of your message explicit, because most of the information is already implicit in the environment or in the assumed prior knowledge of the person. The Chinese business people do not like the direct word no. They will find it very rude and disrespectful. It is better to avoid to say the word no to the Chinese party. It is difficult to avoid to say no, but there are several ways to say no indirectly. Little example: In the Western culture they would say: No, we cannot do that and in the Chinese culture would say: That may be difficult for us to do so. So it is really important that you think very clearly how you going to disagree to a Chinese party. An option is to shift you responsibility for your decisions to something else in the negotiation. If you do say no to a Chinese person you will lose face (mianzi in Chinese). This means that you are losing your good reputation and social standing compared to you Chinese business associate. This could be not good for the business negotiation. Chinese people are very good in saying no indirectly. The style of the Chinese business people of saying no is to apply objections to disagree with a proposal. Chinese are very collectively set. Functioning/thinking as a group and having a good relationship between parties has a big importance in the Chinese society. Relationship is called in Chinese: Guanxi. During negotiation this is very important for the Chinese business people to create with the other party. If you manage to have a good Guanxi with the other it is much easier to negotiate and to reach your goals. During the negotiation with your Chinese associate you have find out if you are talking with the right person who makes the final decisions. The fact is that it is very common in the Chinese way of negotiating that the person who makes the final decisions is not the person who is sitting in front of you but someone else. These people are intermediaries. This is because there is a hierargy in the Chinese society. This means they have limited authority in making final decisions. If you know it is not the right person in front of you who makes the final decisions, you can expect that they first have to discuss it with their companions before making the final deal. Chinese people appreciate if their foreign party speaks their language. As a foreign party this will improve your status compared to the Chinese party. Chinese people love to negotiate for a long time to make you impatient and exhausted to get the best deal possible out of it. They want you to feel like you need them more then they need you. At last Chinese culture is based on a survival of the fittest culture. They will say to the other party that they want the best deal for both, but the truth is that they doesnt mean that seriously. They want to have a win-lose deal. Win-win is mostly not an option. American way of negotiation: If we look at the way American business people negotiate, they are totally the opposite in doing negotiation then the Chinese business people. Americans want to negotiate to reach their goal, to make the best deal out of it and at the end to make a contract right away. Americans are very individual minded. For them counts the fewer the people the less confusion the quicker of making a deal. Time is money for them so they want to get the negotiation done in a hurry. This behavior is a big disadvantage for the Chinese people who want to make to negotiation as long as possible. The use the situation of the Americans willing to do everything as quick as possible. Americans are very straight to the point. They just want to reach their goals and do not look at the whole of the topic. If they would do that more they maybe could get more out of the deal. Americans do not like to negotiate. They are very informal when doing negotiations. Because Americans are very individualistic they have full authority during negotiations. They want to lead the negotiation and they want to make the final decisions. They are not an intermediary. They make a lot of proposals and they like to talk a lot. Unlike China, America is a low context society. They are a society which uses a lot of verbal communication. This makes it very hard for Americans to understand the Chinese, because it isnt always the words, it is the meaning behind the words which are important. Conclusion It is good for an American to understand how the culture of the Chinese business people works. Because if you dont, it would be difficult to get the best deal out of the negotiation. As an American it is important that you can adapt the behaviors of the Chinese. Be flexible. If you can try to speak their language this will improve your position compared to the Chinese. Do not be impatient, because the Chinese will use this against you. Find the right person to talk to, because if you are talking to an intermediary you know that he/she isnt the person who makes the final decisions. Try to minimize your nos to be not disrespectful and rude. Try to put your no in a indirect way. Be careful with giving too much information. Chinese are active listeners. They want to make you talk. Try to get an exchange of information. When you negotiate with your Chinese partner the most important thing you need to do is to established the relationship/partnership (Guanxi). The Guanxi in Jeopardy case Now that I have done the research about the Chinese and the American culture, I am now going to look how these differences in culture apply to the  ´Guanxi in Jeopardy ´ case. Description of the situation Our company Electrowide We are a multibillion dollar ($5B) manufacturer company called Electro wide located in the United States. We are a company which manufactures a broad range of automotive electronics products. Looking at the todays ever increasing competitive automotive electronics and becoming more proactive in this kind of market, we are undergoing a massive structural reformation. The purpose of this reformation is that the companys various product line departments have more autonomy. So that eventually each department will be responsible for its own profit and loss statements. One of our key strategic objectives is to become a big rival in the market of Asia. We are looking for an Asian associate to help manufacture and sell engine management systems that run emission-control, fuel nozzle, and ignition systems for Chinese-made vehicles. In the first place the output would be sold to the Chinese market with future plans to export later. We believe, as the company Electrowide, that the partnership with the Chinese associate will play a important role not only in the promotion of Electrowide business growth, but also in providing product development expertise in the region. The Chinese company Motosuzhou Motosuzhou is an enterprise of the Beijing municipal government. This small company has a top-heavy hierarchy with a representative director overseeing daily operations and various supervisors in charge of functional units. This means decision making is top-down. The company runs its own operations free from government intervention. Its labor force is consists mainly of rural employees. The companys strength is in achieving economies of scale in assembly-line manufacturing of engine control subassemblies. The competition in the local market is beginning to grow. Motosuzhous reason to do business with a foreign company is to develop a long-lasting relationship that will work in harmony with local government policies. Also acquire technology through transfer by importing equipment and designs and adapt them to the automotive industry in China. They do not want to fail in the eyes of the government or the community. The role We as the company Electrowide are interested in Motosuzhou because of the Chinese companys technical proficiency in its design of automotive subsystems. Obtaining this kind of knowledge would give Motosuzhou a competitive advantage in the industry. Motosuzhou would also rely on Electrowide because of financing most of the cost incurred in establishing the joint venture. The objective of Electrowide is to establish a joint venture with Motosuzhou of China to conduct manufacturing operations in China. Batna (best alternative to negotiating on agreement) Before we start to negotiate with Motosuzhou we need a steady BATNA (Best alternative to a negotiation agreement). Our BATNA is very important, because we cannot make a wise decision about whether to accept the negotiated agreement unless we know what our alternative is. Having a good BATNA increases our negotiating power to make a good deal out of it. So if the negotiation is not working we always can fall back on our BATNA. But the main point of our BATNA is to make us in a steady and strong position related to the other party Motosuzhou. Regarding to our study of the situation we have determined that we have a moderate BATNA compared to the Motosuzhou. We assume that we have a moderate BATNA considering the fact that China is becoming worlds number one economy. It is predicted that by the year of 2025, Chinas economy will be by far the largest economy in the world. Throughout all the years, China always has been a independent country. They would prefer not to get any help from abroad. They want to solve their own problems and deal with their own situations. This could also be the reason for Motosuzhou to choose to do business by themselves and try to improve their own situation without any help of Electrowide. If this would occur our BATNA would be as follow: we will have a look on certain other strong economic developed countries to do business with. If we look at Japan we also could do business with them or else we could do business with Brasil which is becoming quickly a strong economic country. Ideals Regarding to the ideals, we would like Motosuzhou to sign a contract for the joint venture. One of the ideals is that Motosuzhou will help us to manufacture and sell engine management systems that run emission-control, fuel nozzle, and ignition systems for Chinese-made vehicles. The output of this production would be sold to the Chinese market. After that we would like to export this output as soon as possible abroad. Another ideal would be that both parties Electrowide and Motosuzhou finance each 50% of the investments incurred in establishing the joint venture. This would be a good offer, because the joint venture will eventually have advantages for both parties. Fallbacks Regarding to the fallbacks, our fallback will be that Motosuzhou is not willing to sign the contract to start the joint venture. That they do not agree with the terms and conditions that we have set. This will mean that we have to find other business people to negotiate about starting a joint venture. Another fallback will be that Electrowide would finance most of the cost incurred in establishing the joint venture instead of the 50%-50% division what we had set as an ideal. Needs/Priorities Deciding our priorities will allow us to be more efficient, since not all issues tend to be equally important. In the first place we need to keep in mind that we are doing business with a different culture. We know that they could look at certain issues differently than us. This is why a good culture research is extremely important. This is our main priority to look at before doing business. Because we are in their country and we have to respect their rules and values. To have a good position compared to the Chinese associate our priority is to study their priorities they want to see from a foreign company. This means that we have to be respectful, honest and trustful towards our Chinese associates. We have to be patient and not willing to do a quick deal, because it is also good for us to search out all the issues that will emerge starting a joint venture. We have to look for a long-lasting relationship to have a good position and to have a good chance of reaching our contract with them. It is also pre if I could speak their language or anyone else of my team. So that they can see that I am really trying to get to know their culture and that I am interested in them. The second priority is to reach an agreement for having a joint venture in the future with Motosuzhou. By understanding their culture and willing to have a long-lasting partnership it would be easier for us to come to a agreement. We have to take the time to get to know each other. The final priority would be that both parties Electrowide and Motosuzhou finance each 50% of the investments incurred in establishing the joint venture. This would be a good offer, because the joint venture will eventually have advantages for both parties. Assumptions During my research I have investigate how the Chinese culture will influence the negotiation attitudes and positions. I assume that during this negotiation about the joint venture, they will set up a cool attitude and that will be very introvert and formal. They want to see what we have to say and what we have to offer. They want to see if we are a company who will offer them opportunities for expanding their business on the Chinese market and not only trying to make the best deal for ourselves. We assume that they first want to get to know us better. They will look if we are potential for them to create a long term relationship with. They would also trying to get as much as possible out of the deal. They will put us on a test, by coming with exaggerated offers to look how far they are able to go with us. We assume that the negotiation could last a long time. This will be one of their tactics knowing that Americans do not like to have a long negotiation. They will use a lot of silent moments because they know Americans will be uncomfortable with that. They know that if they negotiate as long as possible the American will give up and easily agree with a certain proposal. They will try to use our impatient against ourselves. We also assume that they are going to look for a good relationship (Guanxi). We assume that building a good relationship will take a lot of time. This means that we have to accept that for making a good deal. Strategies and tactics Given our moderate BATNA, a bargaining approach will be used during the negotiation. This will be the only approach we can use, because of our moderate position to negotiate against the other party and because of the differences in culture. During the research we have found out that they are growing in their bargaining stance. In order to negotiate we will trade options with each other. We will use the tactic of giving and taking. It will be a back and forth during the negotiation. With the right approach of bargaining we could make some arranges which will give eventually a win-win situation for both parties. We want to have a contract to build the joint venture and if we have an agreement they want us to finance most of the cost incurred in establishing the joint venture. This means that we have to look for the possibilities and this will explain our bargaining approach. We have to keep in mind that we do not have yet a good relationship with the Chinese. We should not demand to mu ch of the other party. In the future we can look for other opportunities, but first it is important to build a good relationship. It is good for an American to understand how the culture of the Chinese business people works. Because if you dont, it would be difficult to get the best deal out of the negotiation. As an American it is important that you can adapt the behaviors of the Chinese. Be flexible. If you can try to speak their language this will improve your position compared to the Chinese. Do not be impatient, because the Chinese will use this against you. Find the right person to talk to, because if you are talking to an intermediary you know that he/she isnt the person who makes the final decisions. Try to minimize your nos to be not disrespectful and rude. Try to put your no in a indirect way. Be careful with giving too much information. Chinese are active listeners. They want to make you talk. Try to get an exchange of information (bargaining). When you negotiate with you r Chinese partner the most important thing you need to do is to established the relationship/partnership (Guanxi). Furthermore, a lot of body language as eye contact will be used. Finally, active listening will be very important also used to confirm understanding.

Aeneid and Odyssey - A Comparison between Aeneas, Achilles and Odysseus

Aeneid and Odyssey - A Comparison between Aeneas, Achilles and Odysseus      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A comparison between Virgil's hero, Aeneas, and the Homeric heroes, Achilles and Odysseus, brings up the question concerning the relevance of the difference between the Homeric heroes and Aeneas. The differences in the poets' concerns are explained by the fact that Virgil lived many years after Homer, giving Virgil the advantage of a more developed literary and philosophical society than Homer had at his disposal. But the question remains: how are the differences between the Homeric heroes and Aeneas relevant to the epic at large? This question will be answered by first pointing out the differences between Greek and Roman society, then explaining how those differences relate to the heroes of the three epics at hand, and finally explaining how these differences allow Virgil to portray the Roman values and way of life as more structured and oriented towards a greater-good.    The differences in Greek and Roman societies arise primarily because of the different time periods in which they existed. But the geologic characteristics of Greece also played a role in the particularities of Greek society. The Greek peninsula is a mountainous region with neighboring islands that are known for their individualistic nature; in Homer's Odyssey islands are often occupied either by very few people or by people that are socially inept such as cannibals or the Cyclops. The Greek society, which was composed of various individual and independent city-states, followed from its geological surroundings since communication was such a difficult task. The few cultural aspects of life, such as language and religion, were the only things that gave... ... between Aeneas and the Homeric heroes, given an account of the historical and mythological background of Rome and demonstrated that the Roman way of life is necessarily more structured and community oriented than the Homeric Greek way of life.   Virgil wrote The Aeneid as an ode to the greatness of Rome, we could imagine that as he wrote it he was in constant competition with Homer because The Aeneid was a proclamation of greatness for the Romans as the Homeric epics were for the Greeks. But Virgil took advantage of the flaws that the Homeric Heroes had and gave the corresponding virtues to Aeneas thus ensuring Aeneas' superiority and consequently Rome's superiority.    Works Cited and Consulted: Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: 1996 Virgil.   The Aeneid.   Translated by Robert Fitzgerald.   New York: Vintage Books, 1990.   

Partner Selection in Joint Ventures Essay

Achieving constant business growth, in terms of size, sales, technology, skills, profits, and a host of other factors is the undeniable primary priority of most business corporations in today’s intensely competitive business scenario. Spurred by constantly changing technological, economic, and political conditions, most business managements continue to look towards achieving constant all round growth, not just to obtain competitive advantage and to satisfy their stakeholders, but also to fuel market prices of company shares, business valuations and the concomitant increases in performance bonuses and management remuneration (Beamish, 1988). Businesses have traditionally grown through strategies of internal growth and acquisition, acquisitions often enlarging the size of businesses manifold, much more in fact than organic internal growth could ever have done (Beamish, 1988). The recent acquisition of Arcelor by the Mittals of London is illustrative of how an acquisition can propel a company to the forefront of an industry in terms of size, sales, geographic spread, and profits. Capital acquisition, though undoubtedly the most effective vehicle for achieving strategic growth requires significant resources and is unfortunately not a very viable option for most companies, especially those which are young, dynamic, ambitious, and look towards achieving fast growth through enlargement of geographical spread, entry into new territories, accessing of new and more sophisticated technology, and enhancement of product portfolio (Gannon, 1993). Swallowing smaller businesses not being very possible for such organizations, their route for growth leads them towards forging alliances with other business firms through various arrangements, be they strategic alliances, representations, franchises or joint ventures (Gannon, 1993). Joint ventures (JVs) allow two business firms, irrespective of their legal status, (private/public stock corporations or partnerships) to come together through a legal entity in which both companies contribute equity and share in the control and profits of the venture. Very obviously joint ventures have many advantages (Geringer and Hebert, 1989). They enable and empower companies to increase and improve their operations by using their strengths, spreading costs as well as risks, enhancing financial access and strength, achieving economies of scale, and accessing technologies and markets (Geringer and Hebert, 1989). The JV process opens up companies to new thoughts, helps in increasing competitive advantages and enables them to achieve their strategic goals through the creation of synergies with other organizations, acquisition of technologies and skills and diversification of activity (Geringer and Hebert, 1989). With such a range of advantages to be gained from the activity the setting up of joint ventures has come to form an integral part of the corporate strategy of most progressive and ambitious companies. Definition of Problem Whilst joint ventures have become an accepted, popular and much used mechanism for the attainment of a number of strategic objectives of different companies, their rate of success ironically continues to be low (Harrigan, 1988). Some management experts, who have in the past attributed this low success rate to basic incompatibilities between different cultures and attitudes towards business, are at a loss to explain why the failure rate of such activity continues to be high even for ventures between companies that belong to the same country (Harrigan, 1988). To take the issue a step further there have also been occasions of JVs failing between two companies, not just of the same country but also of the same group (Harrigan, 1988). Although many such ventures do progress to doing business and making profits, their overall achievements tend to be less than what was originally envisaged, such mediocre results often leading to loss of partner interest, the relegation of the venture to that of a less important activity and subsequently to the search for buyers for the business (Beamish, 1988). International joint ventures of course fare even worse, a fact that has led many experts to wonder whether the establishment of joint ventures are strategically sound decisions or fall into the category of basically risky business decisions whose success depends on the playing out of a number of unpredictable factors (Beamish, 1988). One of the major reasons leading to failures or their less than happy performances of joint ventures, management experts believe, lies with the coming together of wrong people, or to put it in the perspective of one of the partners, the wrong selection of a JV partner (Geringer, 1988). Research Objective This research paper aims to investigate the various issues that are considered during the selection of JV partners, particularly the strategic reasons that are involved in the formation of international joint ventures, the areas of difficulty and the potential points of conflict that could occur between partners during the course of the JV, and the different issues that need to be considered at the time of selection of partner and the sealing of the JV. Methodology and Structure The methodology for researching this paper follows from the framing of the research objective and deals with the most appropriate means of accessing relevant data. Such methodology involves choosing between adoption of quantitative or qualitative research methods and deciding whether to obtain data from primary and/or secondary sources. Quantitative methods, being best suited for research papers that require data to be obtained from many respondents, are not appropriate in the present context. Considering the complexity of the issue being investigated, the subjective nature of information to be analysed, and the interpretation required, as also the need to answer â€Å"how† and â€Å"why† questions, the paper calls for the adoption of qualitative methods. The methodology entails collection of information from secondary and primary sources through the study of available literature on the subject, the bibliography at the end of the paper listing the various publications studied for the purpose. Whilst the study would have been qualitatively enhanced by direct 121 interviews with managers with experience of international joint ventures, such interviews are difficult to arrange at this moment because of the economic crisis and the tremendous disturbance in the corporate world. The paper thus depends exclusively upon a study of the relevant literature for arriving at the findings. Information available on JVs, although extensive and qualitatively rich, is fragmented, and information has had to be obtained from various sources. Whilst the paper is limited by lack of information from individuals with direct first hand experience of joint ventures, efforts have been taken to consult a variety of information sources from different authors and institutions for purposes of cross validation and verification. The review of literature is taken up in the following section, which in turn is followed by an analysis of the findings, conclusions, and suggestions.

Free Essays on The Road Is Not Taken

Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads to follow on the map of their continuous journey, life. There is never a straight path that leaves one with but a sole direction in which to head. In most poetry different people can choose certain characteristics that tend to appear in each piece of the Robert Frost’s work that they can relate to. In spite of the original message that Robert Frost had intended to convey in his poem, â€Å"The Road Not taken† has left its various readers with many different interpretations. The speaker is introduced as being faced with the decision of which path he will choose to travel. He has to choose only one path, therefore leaving one road that he will not get to experience. Furthermore, this poem clearly express’ Frost’s belief that it is the road that one chooses that makes him the man who he is; it is one’s past, present and the attitude with which he looks upon his future that determines the shadow of the light that he will see the poem in. It is always difficult to make a decision because it is impossible not to wonder about the opportunity cost, what will be missed out on. â€Å"And sorry I could not travel both...†(line2). There seems to be a strong sense of regret, disappointment and hesitancy before the choice is even made, it is impossible to travel down every path. In an attempt to make a decision, the traveler â€Å"looks down one as far as I could†. The road that will be chosen leads to unknown, as does any choice in life. As much he may strain his eyes to see as far the road stretches, eventually it goes beyond his vision and he can never see where it is going to lead him and the choice he made. It is the way that he chooses here that sets him off on his journey and decides where he is going. In our journey, we the travelers want to separate from others by choosing a path that has never been taken. Robert Frost emphasizes this idea by setting the two roads apart from one ano... Free Essays on The Road Is Not Taken Free Essays on The Road Is Not Taken Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads to follow on the map of their continuous journey, life. There is never a straight path that leaves one with but a sole direction in which to head. In most poetry different people can choose certain characteristics that tend to appear in each piece of the Robert Frost’s work that they can relate to. In spite of the original message that Robert Frost had intended to convey in his poem, â€Å"The Road Not taken† has left its various readers with many different interpretations. The speaker is introduced as being faced with the decision of which path he will choose to travel. He has to choose only one path, therefore leaving one road that he will not get to experience. Furthermore, this poem clearly express’ Frost’s belief that it is the road that one chooses that makes him the man who he is; it is one’s past, present and the attitude with which he looks upon his future that determines the shadow of the light that he will see the poem in. It is always difficult to make a decision because it is impossible not to wonder about the opportunity cost, what will be missed out on. â€Å"And sorry I could not travel both...†(line2). There seems to be a strong sense of regret, disappointment and hesitancy before the choice is even made, it is impossible to travel down every path. In an attempt to make a decision, the traveler â€Å"looks down one as far as I could†. The road that will be chosen leads to unknown, as does any choice in life. As much he may strain his eyes to see as far the road stretches, eventually it goes beyond his vision and he can never see where it is going to lead him and the choice he made. It is the way that he chooses here that sets him off on his journey and decides where he is going. In our journey, we the travelers want to separate from others by choosing a path that has never been taken. Robert Frost emphasizes this idea by setting the two roads apart from one ano...

Functioning Management Essay Example

Functioning Management Essay Example Functioning Management Essay Functioning Management Essay Qualcomm Incorporated: Functioning Management Katie Atkinson, Farrah Mason, Jennifer McMahan, Robert Briones, Nichol Vann University of Phoenix MGT 330; Israr Hayath Qualcomm Incorporated: Functioning Management Qualcomm is an American wireless telecommunications research and Development Company, as well as the largest fables chip supplier in the world, based in San Diego, California. Qualcomm was founded in 1985 by UC San Diego Professor Irwin Jacobs, MIT Alumni Andrew Viterbi, Harvey White, Adelia Coffman, Andrew Cohen, Klein Gilhousen, and Franklin Antonio. QUALCOMM, 2010) Qualcomm’s mission statement is: â€Å"Life, Connected with technology. From the written word, to image and photos, to music, to videos, games, streaming content, and more, Qualcomm is on a never-ending quest to feed the mind. Whether by developing our technologies or partnering with companies who share our vision, were leading the charge in the digital revolution. † (Qualcomm, 2010) The external and internal factors that affect Qualcomm’s four functions of management (planning, organizing, leading, and controlling) are as follows but not limited to; Globalization, Technology, Innovation, Diversity, and Ethics. This paper will review how external and internal factors affect the four functions of Qualcomm, and how managers and executives use delegation to manage the different factors and functions listed above. Qualcomm; Planning and management’s function When planning the future for any company, especially Qualcomm, you must consider internal and external factors. Qualcomm’s sustainability and value to its stockholders is dependent upon the ability to predict future trends in technology, the global environment and maintain its strategic advantage. For example, Qualcomm’s core objectives include expanding the use of 3G technologies in emerging markets (Business Civic Leadership Center, 2006). Realization of this objective requires that Qualcomm be aware of political, cultural and economic factors in the markets they may wish to enter. Internally, Qualcomm must be structured to be agile and prepared to quickly form partnerships in response to developing opportunities. : Like a manufacturer who uses the best quality materials to produce a product, Qualcomm’s most valuable asset is the intellectual capabilities of its engineers. Qualcomm must create a corporate environment that attracts and retains the best minds. Qualcomm is a global enterprise. The corporation is chartered to function in the international development of wireless technologies. Planning to achieve corporate objectives must scan the external horizon on an ongoing regular basis. This corporation cannot afford to publish a five year plan that sits on the self. Executive planners must evaluate what is going on in the world almost on a daily basis and asking the question, â€Å"How does this affect our objectives and positioning? † Intelligence is critical to this process. Information on the stability or instability of governments, financial markets and emerging research is critical to the sustainability of Qualcomm. Qualcomm is in the technology business. The future of Qualcomm is dependent upon the ability to invest and develop products that are compatible with and have an advantage over the competition. An innovator cannot assume that if they develop the best can opener, they will be the world’s leader in can opener sales. New technologies often compete until one becomes the industry standard upon which other compatible technologies are based. Qualcomm has declared that one of its core objectives is the expansion of 3G technologies in emerging markets (Business Civic Leadership Center, 2006). They are heavily invested in mobile platforms that utilize 3G technologies. G technology may be adequate to support the utilities presently needed by a small home based business in Malaysia, but will it be adequate to support explosion of demand as this market becomes more globally aware? Qualcomm planners must position the design of Qualcomm technologies to expand and morph to respond to tomorrow’s expectations. Qualcomm does business in almost every corner of the globe. As a corporation they must be prepared and plan to foster diversity in every aspect. They must foster a corpor ate culture that supports and respects the culture, religion, and ethnic backgrounds of employees, customers, and partners. Qualcomm takes to heart their Global Workforce Inclusion policy. The policy states in part: â€Å"Inclusion and Diversity are at the very heart of innovation. It requires different perspectives to take an idea, perfect it, and turn it into world-changing technology. And it requires an energetic, diverse workforce to come up with those different perspectives. Here at Qualcomm, we find diversity, and the creativity it brings, vital to our success. To this end, we are committed to providing all employees the opportunity to achieve their professional goals. † (Qualcomm, 2010) Qualcomm portrays itself as a responsible global corporate citizen. Cutting edge research and product development is the life’s blood of Qualcomm. Unethical practices that infringe on the research and product development of competitors may be costly and detrimental to the sustainability of the enterprise. Planning to mitigate the potential damage of infringement disputes was demonstrated by the recent settlement with Broadband wherein the two giants agreed to cross license each other’s patents. This agreement protects Qualcomm from future infringement lawsuits that could cripple its development (Sinapse, 2010). Qualcomm; Organizing and management’s function Organizing can be defined as â€Å"assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals† (Bateman Snell, 2009). The company called Qualcomm primarily operates in South Korea, where they employ over 16,100 employees. The external factors affecting organizing in Qualcomm are making sure there are enough resources to complete the jobs for the telecommunication devices. Having an organizational structure is the key to internal aspect of Qualcomm, with employing a lot of employees there must be a clear and concise structure of job duties assigned. Another internal factor is Qualcomm grants out their licenses for use of their telecommunication devices. â€Å"Qualcomm also grants licenses to use its intellectual property portfolio, which includes certain patent rights useful in the manufacture and sale of wireless products†. (Thompson, 2010). Qualcomm has stretched globally in areas such as Italy, Asia Pacific, and United Kingdom which reinforces there leadership in the worldwide messaging market. With Qualcomm going globally all employees have to be organized in the supplier chain of sending over the new product to the global areas as well as manufacturing the new product. This new technology was called Eudora, were it allowed different time zones to still communicate. With Qualcomm becoming so innovated, the company created an agreement with the international publishers which allowed for faster product delivery and improved distribution. With reaching out their market globally Qualcomm has become very diverse, by adding this new agreement it allowed the international countries to keep the delivery and distribution more organized. â€Å"Republisher’s customers will now be able to purchase these localized products and receive localized support in the respective countries† (Qualcomm, 2010). With it now being localized to re-publisher’s customers Eudora is also offered in different languages such as Italian, Chinese and Korean. Qualcomm is such a huge corporation that their ethics have to be very structured, and organized. All employees at the corporation are expected to do their job duties with honesty and in an ethical manner. It’s very important for managers to be organized and follow the code of ethics as well as all employees. By implementing a strong code of ethics all employees and managers will know what values are expected from them. Qualcomm; Leading and management’s function What is Leadership and what makes a good leader? Basically, a leader is one who is able to influence others to attain certain goals that must be met by the corporation or department. According to James Kouzes and Barry Posner, great leaders have five key traits or behaviors which make them outstanding at leading others (Bateman Snell, 2009). Those five traits are: challenging the process, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, leading by example, and being generous with affirmations. These traits are always being tested both internally and externally. The people who are being led have many things to deal with in their own lives which require them to juggle an enormous load, between work life and personal life it is enough to make anybody go mad if it wasn’t for effective leadership. Internally a leader must face the issues of budgeting effectively, creating a vision that he can get everyone on board with and the overall morale of the organization. There are many times a leader must put aside his own desires to be able to â€Å"lead by example† and show his subordinates what is best for the company as a whole. All in all a great leader is going to be able to nstill in his workers/followers a sense of ownership in the vision which he created. This vision can is affected not only by the internal factors previously stated, but also by those elements from outside the organization. So examples of external factors are the economy, world events, and the leaders’ personal life. If there is a bad economy he must know ho w to restructure while keeping morale high. If the world faces an immediate threat or, even, something positive that will change how his organization runs, how will he handle the change and lead his people in the same direction? Lastly, personal lives, everybody has them and something always happens that will potentially throw you off course, how do you plan for the worst or the best and keep your organization or department running like a well-oiled machine? The amount of knowledge of the vast array of topics a leader must be familiar with is astounding. They must know how everything from globalization and technology to diversity and ethics affects his organization. Globalization and technology are a huge area for a manager to have a handle on due to the advantages and disadvantages they bring. For example, an advantage technology can bring to a manager and his organization is the ability to serve his clients or customers quickly and more efficiently. The disadvantage is if the manager either doesn’t know of the technology available to him or doesn’t know how to use it properly, the client could decide to change providers due to lack of quality of service. Technology has also made it harder for managers to keep up with the demand. Technology has also affected the kind diversity the workforce can have. So often the baby boomers may be losing out on promotions due to the fact that they do not know how to use the technology given to them, which in turn allows the younger generation to take over their positions. On the flip side, the younger generations, know how to use the technology, may end up stuck at their current position because the boomers, with more experience, are better suited for the management positions. They will just need to have an advisor for things that they are not familiar with or take a class. Ethics has also being greatly affected by technology and diversity. Ethics, basically the theory of right and wrong, has been pushed to the background because of the insurmountable amount of information the manger most learn. Ethics can affect a leader’s role by the way he corresponds with and conducts himself around fellow employees. Qualcomm; Controlling and management’s function When reviewing the controlling aspect of management one should review how revenues are invested, and recognize the importance of the previous steps of planning, implementing and leading (Bateman Snell, 2009). A strong company will invest in its innovative team to plan out future or expected needs, and create viable, efficient and effective solutions to these problems. Pushing forward into new territories helps a company remain on the forefront of their industry, which is highly important in the fast pace business of technology and communications. Qualcomm has the opportunity to continue their innovative steps and continue to hold their established presence in the United States, while expanding to our European neighbors. The ability to properly control the leadership of the planning and implementing process will prove to be Qualcomm’s success. Qualcomm’s established presence as a communication provider prompts innovative thoughts and controlling of company policies that have been implemented. Qualcomm has expanded their presence globally and in doing so have extended their responsibilities for ensuring their company standards are upheld. The creation of operating procedures during the planning, organizing and leading processes allow for thorough monitoring. Qualcomm expresses the importance of controlling company assets by smartly investing â€Å"23% of our gross revenue †¦ into RD (research and development)† (Qualcomm, 2010). The monies invested into planning and implementing or research and development, has provided Qualcomm with the security of being the first to implement new technologies and upgrades to consumers (Qualcomm, 2010). Using Delegation to Manage Delegation is the assignment of tasks and responsibilities and has many potential advantages for managers, subordinates, and organizations. In order to be effective, the delegation process must be managed carefully, defining the goal, selecting the right person, soliciting opinions, providing resources, scheduling checkpoints, and discussing progress periodically. (Bateman Snell, 2009). Qualcomm used delegation by setting up different divisions within the company. Each division is responsible for different factors such as Qualcomm Global Trading Inc (QGT) is responsible for the globalization factor. (Qualcomm, 2010) Qualcomm uses a decentralization decision making process within each division. The decentralized decision making process allows the employees most directly affected by the decision that is made and have the hands on knowledge of the problem or project to make the decisions. (Bateman Snell, 2009). The authors of this paper believe planning is centered on all of the four functions of management. Managers of an organization are to carry out the functions to assist in the organizations growth. Therefore, they delegate and perform the functions of management. The functions the managers are using to delegate are planning, organizing, leading and controlling. They are to make sure that clients are valued by specific planning. They also must contain a certain amount of people skills. The managers are to lead, motivate, and communicate effectively. (Bateman Snell, 2009). Delegation is a critical skill in the effective management of organizations. Qualcomm has used delegating by first separating each function into a division such as Technology (IT) and each division has their own vice-president who does planning and his subordinates do the organizing, leading, and controlling of the different projects or product management. Qualcomm, 2010) In conclusion, to live up to their missions’ statement Qualcomm used the external and internal factors, the four functions of management, and the delegation management style. Qualcomm is now the world leader in next generation mobile technologies, Qualcomm’s ideas and inventions are driving wireless growth and helping to connect people to information, entertainment and one another. (Qualcomm , 2010) Qualcomm uses the four functions of management (planning, organizing, leading, and controlling) to manage globalization, technology, innovation, diversity, and ethics. In this paper you have read how the external and internal factors affect the four functions of Qualcomm, and how managers and executives use delegation to manage the different factors and functions listed above. Qualcomm management style allows them to evolve quicker then the competition and gives them the flexibility to change with the times. References Bateman, T. S. , Snell, S. S. (2009). Management: Leading collaborating in a competitive world (8th ed. ). Boston, MA: McGraw, Inc.. Business Civic Leadership Center. (2006). Qualcomm and Gramenn Foundation. Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC). Washington, D. C.. Retrieved on November 27, 2010 from http://bclc. uschamber. com/awards/qualcomm-and-grameen-foundation2006 Sinapse. (2010). Qualcomm and Broadcom settle. Sinapse; An Intellectual Property Rendezvous, A Brain League Institute. Powered by Blogger. Retrieved on November 27, 2010 from sinapseblog. com/2009/06/qualcom-and-broadcom-settle. html. Thompson, B. (July 5, 2010). New market research report: Qualcomm Incorporated – SWOT analysis. PR-inside. com; News and Free PR. Retrieved on November 24, 2010 from pr-inside. com/new-market-research-report-Qualcommm-incorporated-r1983909. tm. Qualcomm, (2010). Enabling small and diverse businesses. Qualcomm, Inc. San Diego, CA. Retrieved on November 27, 2010 fro m qualcomm. com/citizenship/diversity/supplier_diversity. html. Qualcomm: Italy, (June 15, 1998). Qualcomm increases worldwide presence of Eudora Pro ®. Qualcomm Italy, San Diego, CA. Retrieved on November 24, 2010 from http://italy. qualcomm. com/news/releases/1998/press843. html. Qualcomm, (2010). Pathway to innovation. Innovation. Qualcomm Incorporated, San Diego, CA. Retrieved November 26, 2010 from qualcomm. com/innovation/pathway/index. html.

Industrial Unrest in Abu Dhabi Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Industrial Unrest in Abu Dhabi - Case Study Example The fact that the parties involved are willing to come to the table and have a civil discussion is also very encouraging. This is a good indicator that the conflict will soon be put to rest. Willingness to talk and negotiate is the first step to solving any conflict. There is quite a range of weaknesses in the labor environment in the Abu Dhabi as shown by several surveys some of which were sparked by the recent strikes by worker most of who are migrants. One thing that contributes to the weakened working conditions is that there seems to be a breakdown in communication between the employers and employees. Whether deliberate or not it is a major cause of employee unrest (Williams, 2014).The workers seem to think that their employees are insensitive to their plight. There have been massive complaints about low pay and deplorable living conditions. The fact that the strikes caught the companies by surprise points to miscommunication or a total lack of it. Workers claim that their wages have remained the same for a long time despite changes in the working and economic environment which puts them at a disadvantage. They are agitating for an appraisal of their salaries in order to afford to continue working. The low wages can be attributed to the fact that there is availability of cheap labour as if the was scarcity of labour these companies would pay better without the need for strikes. Workers here also complain of poor living condition with a majority claiming to live in cramped spaces. Claims of six or more workers having to share living quarters are not uncommon. This they say they have had enough of hence the decision to strike, illegal as this may be. There are quite a few opportunities for labor sector to thrive but they will call for major changes within the sector if they are to be achieved (International, 2013).  

Brian Norris Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Brian Norris - Essay Example If an organization has to achieve its business objectives, its marketing manager has to look into the market demand, to determine the feasibility of marketing strategies. The marketing manager is responsible for attuning the level, timing and composition of customer demands to achieve business objectives. On the whole, marketing management all about determining and implementing effective marketing strategies. Marketing strategies are tactics by which an organization gains a competitive edge in the marketplace. Through these strategies an organization determines how to concentrate its resources to achieve, target business objectives. If a marketing strategy has to be effective, it must do research to find out if an organizational opportunity exists in the market in which they want to do business. The factors influencing organizational opportunity are environmental opportunity, distinctive competency and success requirements. Each of these factors is to be looked into during the process of market analysis. Marking analysis is a process which includes the process of ccustomer analysis, company analysis, collaborator analysis, competitor analysis, and analysis of the industry context. These five types of analysis constitute the four C's of marketing analysis and help to answer the following questions: In order to carry ou... What are the steps to be taken to gain a competitive edge in the market 2.1 Marketing Research In order to carry out marketing analysis, marketing research must be performed to collect the data required for analysis. Marketing research involved the employment of a variety of techniques. Some techniques of market research are: Qualitative marketing research, such as focus groups - Through Qualitative research, data can be collected from a relatively small group of respondents. This data will not be analyzed using statistical techniques, but its purpose is to help to determine the elements which drive the market on a product, generate a hypothesis on such elements and enable an organization to develop quantitative research designs for determine the feasibility of entry into a particular market. The methods used in this research include in-Depth Interviews, Focus Groups and Projective Techniques. Quantitative marketing research, such as statistical surveys - Quantitative marketing research applies quantitative research techniques, to understand the trends in the current market. The major steps involved in the research process include, definition of the problem of market to be studied, designing the search criteria, collecting data, analyzing the data collected and finally writing a report on what is understood from data gathered. The number of respondents from whom data is collected can range between something like a mere 10 in number to something like 10 million. This kind of marketing research may include a hypothesis on the trends found in the market. Random sampling methods can be used to draw inferences from people, who have provided information. Experimental techniques such as test markets - Experimental research