Some people think that most employees like to earn money for a better life than any enjoyable job

In life, citizens are currently living in a very harsh existence that seems full of difficulties that they have to confront longer. Everybody acknowledge today’s economic situation is not as stable and safe as expected. On the other hand, humans demand more standards of living first in order to catch up with the high pace of developed nations. To achieve these ambitions, not a few of employees in the fact having been considered that they need to earn money at any career for a prosperous logistics life than any enjoyable job.Perhaps, the first mention is we should accept that money is primary reason for working though money does not bring happiness. It is often said that people need money for survive. Moreover, life will be easier for those who have plenty of money as they can do whatever they like and do not have to think constantly about whether they are able to afford something or not. In addition, earning a good salary makes it easier to be more healthy and supports them wi th wealthy. The ideal situation may be to have an enjoyable job that also provides a good salary, but this is not always possible.It is essential to remember that some people might not have a choice of jobs because they are not well educated or it chooses them, they cannot pick up one for their own. That is a reason why they mainly concentrate on spending most of their time to work hard any business that needs them for a seeking of money and dream pursuing even it is not their passion. No doubt, well-paid job enable people to live in luxury house with all modern conveniences. By this way, good salary possibly increases the quality of life.Another criticism I would like to comment is providing economic necessities is the most crucial condition of helping country to be well matched as others of five continents. In recent years, the economy status is facing some problem that leads us become jobless and country goes worse more than before. That is the disadvantage of choosing an enjoyab le job because the possibility of losing job is greatly high. Thus, perhaps I believe that  type of decision depends on the situation and scenario of the condition. Saying truthly, it will be risk if the individuals only wait for a job that they have a knowledge asset or an adoration of it.To emphasize, finding an enjoyable job can only suitable with previous situation in last few years. The best advice for employees here is they do not need to expect eagerly on the job that is matched with their education whatever it costs. To make a soon development, people should snatch an opportunity of job whenever it is available and put much effort in order to build up the national economy by having a stable financial statement with good job.To end up my point of view, I would like to go with reasons why others appreciate a work they enjoy. These people claim that money is not happiness, whereas enjoyable job not only makes their life happier, but also help them earn high income in the near future. This due to the fact that they will find something interesting in their job that might seem dull and boring to others. As a consequence, they inevitably devote themselves heart and soul to work, leading to them soon enhance the level of performance to get perfect effect.As well as this, it is highly likely that such job brings emotional satisfaction to worker and contributes to the development of company. It is reasonable to say that their boss will respect them, paying them, giving higher position. One more interesting pint here is some people insist that they could manage with less money and have a better life by taking a job they enjoy or by working fewer hours. Furthermore, a less well-paid job can enable them to spend more time at home.In conclusion, some people argue that money is not important, but I am sure that money is the solution to many problems. If employees earn more money at work, they will be able to meet family’s needs, in some aspect even they will be a kind of reputable person. What is more, by earning more money, people can enjoy life by making good living conditions and can help country go up as well.

International business project: A case of Mexico Essay

Mexico is the most populated Spanish speaking nation in the world and comes third in population in the Western hemisphere. Mexico holds more than 100 million inhabitants. In the early years of its history the government had embraced the protectionists policies of trade in order to motivate industrial growth and therefore ensure growth in the domestic economy. Unfortunately under these policies the country underwent a decline in living standards and inflation. The debt crisis in the year of 1982 that saw the country fail to meet its debt obligations primarily aggravated the challenges in the economy especially half way into the mid 1980’s (Pasco 72-73). The Mexican government therefore in the late years of 1980 adopted measures that were aimed at restructuring the country’s economy. The country’s efforts consequently shifted to trade liberalization and privatization of industries that were previously state owned. Privatization of infrastructures such as rail roads, natural gas distribution, telecommunications, electricity and the airports among others took place extensively. The country proceeded to make economic policy reforms in the early 1990’s consequently attracting large amounts of foreign investment cash. However in 1993 the flow of capital from foreign countries started to decline majorly as a result of political uncertainty and an exchange rate that was overvalued. The declined levels of international levels subsequently led to peso devaluation. By the last months of 1994 the country was experiencing a currency crisis forcing the government to take on the floating exchange rate system. The result was a deep recession of the economy six months later. The aftermath of the recession saw the government restructure the system again to create conditions that would hasten the recovery of the economy. An emergency package was received form the World Bank and a plan that increased value added tax, fostered budget cuts and even tighter monetary policies was implemented. Subsequent years saw the country increase its exports and softened the impact of the recession. The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in 2006 was 4. 8 percent but decreased to 3. 3 percent in the year 2007 and further down by approximately 1% in the year 2008. Mexico has not been left out and the country is significantly feeling the effects of the worldwide economic downturn. Economists forecast the contraction of its GDP this year by 2. 6 percent the sharpest ever contraction since the 95 crisis. The country is currently experiencing job losses, cut production capacities in plants and poverty levels have also short up with more than 5 million people living in impoverished conditions (Field 32-41). # Mexico’s trade position with Canada The trade relations between Canada and Mexico have strengthened because of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The trade flows between the two countries has shown an impressive gradual increase in the not less than nine years existence of the agreement. The results have now made Mexico, to become Canada’s major trading partner within the Latin America region. The country also ranks fourth as Canada’s trading partner in the globe after United States (US), China and Japan. For Canada, Mexico has become a very important destination and is positioned as Canada’s third biggest market for its exports. On the same note Canada in 2002 appeared on Mexico’s lists as the number five largest foreign supplier. The countries have continued over the years to strengthen their trade ties and now Canada is the first supplier of Mexican agricultural, mineral and metal products. On the other hand high production standards of Mexico have made it Canada’s top supplier in vehicles, agricultural goods and electronic equipment. Consumers in the two countries have taken advantage of the relations to access a wide range of affordable goods. On the other hand Mexico also has good trade relations with other countries such as the United States. America is basically the leading creditor and trade partner for most counties in the Latin region. The two countries are closely linked such that Mexico as a country is the most exposed to the U. S economy and any changes in it would largely affect the Mexicans. More so 80% of the Mexican exports find there way to America. Additionally the Mexican economy is greatly supported by the remittance from its working citizens who are in the United States, (Field 32-41). The remittances actually account for not less than 3 percent of its GDP and they form the second largest source of income to the nation after oil exports. The country has also taken advantage of its skilled labor force to attract high technology investors from the United States. The sectors in which America has invested in Mexico include the telecommunications, transport and agricultural industries to mention just a few. # Membership in trade blocks. Trade blocks play a very critical role especially when it comes to international trade negotiations. Mexico for example is a member of the G20 trade block which constitutes of other members such as Argentina, India, Brazil, Pakistan, China, South Africa. , Philippines, Bolivia, Thailand, Venezuela, Chile, Zimbabwe, Paraguay, among others. The G20 is developing countries grouping that resulted from the world trade talks in Cancun in the year 2003. The group is led by major exporters and countries that are rapidly growing such as India, China, Brazil, and South Africa making it strong and with the capacity to compete with the US and EU in trade negotiations. G20 has been noted for its emphatic rejection of the proposal by the EU to include competition and investment as critical elements in trade talks. The group has also been emphasizing that before they make any agreements on reduced tariffs for manufactured goods or services the rich nations must first put concessions on agriculture. Additionally Mexico together with the United States and Canada form the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The Agreement addresses the issues of labor, environment, trade and investment. Even then the Agreement has been criticized by some US environmental groups and unions who claim that its safeguards are weak. It was consolidated in the year 1992. The aim of the agreement was to remove trade tariffs on products for a period of not less than 15 years and at the same time limit trade contacts with outsider countries in the globe. The agreement was also expected to increase and enlarge their farmers markets and stimulate economic growth. Recently there have been calls to renegotiate or suspend the Agreement after fourteen years in operations. Clearly though Mexico has benefited from its membership in the block, which is said to be the among the world’s richest blocs. It has for example acted to increase Mexico’s amounts of exports, and also increase the amount the country receives from the United States in terms of foreign direct investments (Pasco 72-73). The agreement has also led to an increase of job opportunities for Mexicans also accompanied with an increase in wages especially in the areas with most foreign investors. #4 Governments position on trade and foreign investment In the past few decades Mexico has transitioned from a closed economy to an open economy. The policy of open trade has enabled the country to face the challenges brought by the economic slow down and financial markets that are not stable. In early years of the 80’s the country took a step towards unilaterally liberalizing its economy. The country then took domestic measures with the aim of encouraging foreign investment and deregulating business activities. In the early 90’s the country embraced the country took the initiative of opening its markets by undertaking international trade negotiations with the principles of reciprocity and balance in mind. The country has currently signed various bilateral investment agreements and not less than nine international free trade. The result has been export oriented growth and industrial competitiveness. The policies have also led to preferential market access of their exports to more than 800 million consumers that benefit from their exports and have additionally opened up new investment opportunities. Generally the Mexican strategy of free trade agreements has been critical in improving its competitiveness on a global scale, increased trade and long term growth. Its current network of trade agreements can be said to be the major cause of the impressive trade flows in the country. Mexico appears among the ten largest trading countries in the world. In 2003 for example the country had exports costing not less than $165 million. Basically its quantity of exports has tripled since 1993. Mexico has also been transformed to become a manufacturing export center courtesy of trade liberalization. Currently most of the country’s exports are largely manufactured goods a change from the early 80’s when the greater percentage of exports was oil. Their young productive labor together with the measures of investment protections and tariff elimination are among the factors that have encouraged foreign investments making it a manufacturing hub. Their auto, electronics and textile and apparel industries have industries have been the most beneficiaries of trade liberalization (Pasco 72-73). . # Reasons why Canadian companies should trade/invest there and reasons why they should not. Mexico comes across as a very viable country for Canada to invest in. Among the reasons are its strategic position, economic indicators, policies that aim at encouraging foreign investors and a conducive environment for investment among many others. The country is made up of 32 federal States of which each is free and sovereign and its territory extends to not less than one million square kilometers. The country borders Guatemala, Belize and the United States. The country additionally hosts more than one hundred million inhabitants of all religious affiliations meaning that all beliefs are represented without bias though the majority of the population is Christian. Spanish is the official language of Mexico although it has more than 66 kinds of languages. The country currency is called Peso. The country’s place of location allows it to supply the markets in North America and also to have access to potential world inputs and modern technologies. The Jalisco, Quintana Roo, Colimo are among the federative entities whose populations greatly participate in economic enhancement. Its population consists of not less than 1 million unemployed citizens. The country is endowed with an attractive investment environment even as demonstrated by the following statistics: in 2007 the country was ranked as the 12th largest economy in the world by the virtue of its GDP; with regards to its oil reserves it appears as number 17 globally; additionally the country is a very important tourist destination ranking eight globally in this regard. Moreover the country is among the top ten countries in the world that benefit most from foreign direct investment. Additionally their fiscal and monetary policies have served to ensure that the country enjoys periods of macroeconomic stability with reference to the recent years. In fact it was named the best Latin American country in terms of favourable business conditions and placement of foreigners’ capitals. The stable economy that it has enjoyed has led to it accommodating not less 30,000 foreign companies. The economic stability therefore makes it a good destination for conducting profitable business. In order to attract more investment the country has a consolidation of several sectors of production which include of industries such as the automobiles industry which was ranked 7th globally, electronic industry, telecommunications industry, the information technology and software industry. These sectors provide different kinds of opportunities for Canadian investors. The country additionally has good relationships business wise with other countries in the global scenario. This has allowed it to have preferential access to the markets in Israel, North America, and the European Union just to mention a few. The preferential access it enjoys combined with its cheap yet young and qualified labor force make the country a lucrative destination for investment by Canadians. The Bilateral Investment Treaties that the country has signed should be an attraction enough for Canadian investors. Through these treaties the country offers legal protection and security to it foreign investors. Moreover the country offers a low risk return combination that guarantees the investors markets access prevailing conditions of macroeconomic stability, transparency and political stability. Additionally investors have the opportunity of benefiting from the high quality inputs offered at affordable prices, growing domestic markets, and wide array of trade agreements. In spite of this Canada may not need to invest in Mexico because of the fact that Mexico is among the top countries with high levels of corruption in the region. Any country with high levels of corruption is should be scary to investors because it simply implies that investors will have to spend more than is necessary in order to get value for their money. The effects of corruption in fact go way past the monetary costs. The country also suffers from poor infrastructural networks although the government is taking steps to ensure that infrastructure is improved to allow investors to have access to any market and on time. The country is also consumed by the culture of drug abuse among its especially productive population. This means that in a way the investor security can not be guaranteed. The country also has strict legal and regulatory frameworks that may serve to impede the speed by which an investor can establish his business. The effects of agglomeration also may work to hinder any Canadians that would want to invest in Mexico. In conclusion Mexico would be a wise choice for any investor, this is because the country has done everything to ensure that its business people will not only be able to access the internal but also the external markets especially through the many trade agreements it has signed. This means that all the established businesses in the country have the potential to operate profitably.

Cross Cultural Experience

Back in 2010 when I was still a student at Singapore Polytechnic, I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to serve my Internship at the Royal Bank of Scotland (IRS). I must emphasize, that the 6 months spent was one of the most memorable life experience I have had. Personally It opened my eyes to what I'll call the ‘real' working environment, as the previous jobs I held were mainly serving as an assistant in retail (part-time).I termed it ‘real' working experience because the internship also offers me the chance to work in Hong Kong. At the age of 18, the opportunities given were more than could ask for and certainly the experience and lessons learnt had an Impact on me until today. The Internship provided me the opportunity to work under two different supervisors. I can remember them vividly as they are both different in terms of their leadership and yes, culture-wise as well.The first supervisor was Mr. Christopher Kim, head of Middle Office for Asia Pacific region. Mr. Christopher comes from Korea, and in my opinion Is someone who speaks his mind and puts his ideas across well. To put it bluntly, he expects subordinates to imply with his instructions unless there is a better alternate solution. He sets high expectations, even on work placement students like myself. One of the cultural etiquette that I noticed about Mr. Christopher Is that he was always punctual.In fact, never once have I seen him report late for work. Came to understand from colleagues that he would be in office earlier by an hour every work day. One of the first few ground rules set for me as an intern is to be punctual, unless for valid reasons of course. As a head of department, Mr. Christopher certainly proved himself to be a good role model for others to look up to. In my pollen, he had on him the ‘strict and stern' appearance, which inevitably makes me feel afraid to talk to him.A month into the internship, I got a surprise when received an email from him c omplimenting me for Job well done on one of the task he had assigned. This humble demonstration of appreciation led me to see the good side of Asian culture ? treating people with sincerity. Looking back, culturally Mr. Christopher like most East Asian nations practices hierarchy within an organization where someone in a higher rank or post usually commands greater authority amongst his lower peers. Respect is meeting that Is valued highly and this can be seen evidently In Mr. Christopher.As a leader of the department, he would organize group meeting fortnightly to check on the status of each individual in a bid to ensure everyone keeps up with the pace and to feel integrated within the team. Work aside, he encourages team bonding through simple dinner and drinks every once In a while. 2 months Into the Internship, I was transferred to a project team as additional manpower was needed meet deadlines. My new supervisor is an Australian by the name of Miss Us-Ling Regress, who takes on the role of Senior Business Analyst in the bank.As a Singapore brought up in a Chinese family, I was taught since young to respect elders and to obey Instructions without questioning. Working under Miss Us-Long helped me to comprehend the meaning of cultural differences, as she had a very different approach compared to 1 OFF Mr. Christopher. The deterrence in approach probably stems trot near cultural upbringing, which encourages free thought and self-involvement at work; to be more independent in learning. Miss Us-Ling with her consultative style of management gives me the impression of being approachable and easy to talk to.Unlike most Asians who adopt hierarchical structure, she brought about a direct style of communication which encourages an open debate of ideas. Anyone, no matter his/ her position is encouraged to contribute during discussions and Miss Us-Ling is receptive to all of them. Her good man-management skills rubbed off the whole team and even as an intern I can see and feel the strong team spirit fostered. For instance, most members have no qualms working additional hours on some days if deadlines are needs to be met urgently.As opposed to Asians, she encourages freedom of beech' where challenging of ideas in meetings are not seen as disrespectful as long as it leads to getting the Job done efficiently and effectively. More importantly, she does not see herself in any way superior to her subordinates. I got the biggest surprise 4 months into the internship when I was informed I have the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong for work. The time spent in Hong Kong enabled me to grow as an individual, since it was the first time I traveled alone. I used to think that Gingersnaps are always indulged in work; they hardly have time for themselves.However, Hong Kong changed my perspective. Very much like Singapore, Hong Kong is a hustle and bustle city where everyone can hardly stop their pace for a moment. In the morning while going to the train statio n for work, I was amazed that the walking pace of the people in Hong Kong is even faster than in Singapore. I had an experience once whereby on a rainy day, a woman carrying an umbrella on the opposite direction almost walked her umbrella through' my face because she was apparently shorter and only focus on the road ahead!Otherwise, culturally people have Confucianism roots where decisions made by management are seldom contested as they are seen as rude and disrespectful. . 2. NATIONAL SERVICE In a multi-cultural Singapore, National Service is a period of unique experience for all Gingersnaps, as it bonds all of us together as one. I was enlisted to the Home Team Academy, Singapore Police Force. During this period of my life, I learnt to appreciate and respect the culture norms of the different races.NSA not only opened my eyes to the different culture among races, it also taught me the culture of an order and regimental lifestyle, where teamwork is often highlighted as they key to solving problems. The 9 months of training taught me to adapt to changes and live together ruinously. Often, people are not receptive to change and are usually bonded by friends of similar culture, and NSA is there to help rectify the problem of social integration. Besides the Chinese, the Malay Muslims form the majority of the cohort in my training batch.Of course the minority – the Indians and Eurasian are part of it as well. Living together for about 9 months taught me quite a fair bit on Malay culture I would never have come to know if not for NSA. For instance, the Malay Muslims have to pray 5 times a day, and that they have to go through a month of fasting before their new year. In adapting to one another, the rest would ensure there is quiet when they are conducting their prayers and the rest would also practice sensitivity during fasting month, such as not consuming food in their presence.I have also come to understand the Malay language, although I am not able to spe ak it dulcetly. Currently, in order to gain some experience while studying, I applied to become a brand ambassador at the Duty-Free Shop in the airport selling tobacco and alcohol. This Job provides me with the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Each work day opens my eyes to different culture as customers from different surrounds will walk into the shop and purchase duty free items. One of the most frequent visitors we have in Singapore is the Chinese (Pres).My time in UDF enabled me to see that the Chinese has very big spending power and their purchase is often linked to face'. They often snap up the exclusive items that are not available in their domestic market as having them signifies their wealth and status. This is an opinion agreed upon by the Chinese colleagues as well! 2. 0. CONCLUSION From the humble experiences I have in life, I feel it is essential to appreciate other culture of the different people we meet along the way.We should all respect and embrac e the culture norms of each individual as this will not only enable us to grow as a person, but also allows us to understand that the way one behave or act could actually stem from an upbringing that are different from us. Amidst the online saga where people are posting rude/inflammatory remarks about other cultures, I feel that this is all a result of cultural misunderstanding. We should all take a step back and reflect upon ourselves, and seek first to understand the situation before pointing the finger at others. Only then can we achieve peace and live together harmoniously as

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Ideal Leader - Essay Example They have a tendency to learn fast from their mistakes and take different actions to produce different results. Common people keep on repeating the same action expecting a different result. stick to the tried and tested formulas even if they think that something else might work better. Society has a tendency to follow the age old practices and rules without really thinking about their results. Even if they think that the things going on are wrong and unfair, they do not have guts to raise their voice against it and take responsibility for that. They fear the repercussions of going against the authority. Leaders take the decisions on the behalf of all the people who he is leading. When leaders take a decision, they are well aware of the fact that their decisions are going to affect the lives of all the people who they are leading. This is a huge responsibility to bear. However, they are not scared of shouldering this responsibility (Fairholm 2000. p. 66). Society if full of people who follow the rules, thinking patterns and social practices that are set from ages together. They hardly question the injustice and the bias towards people of particular ethnic background. Raising a voice against the social injustice means going against the ancestors and the authority that supports those rules. It is like going against the orthodox religious practices and government rules. This could mean punishment, criticism from the authoritative figures and isolation by the society. However, leaders are not afraid of it. They know what they are doing is right and no threat can suppress them from taking the action against it. People who dare to talk against the traditional practices are often alone in their journey

Economics Race and Gender in the Economics of Women, Men, and Work Assignment

Economics Race and Gender in the Economics of Women, Men, and Work - Assignment Example The book gives out the various challenges they face. The book also analyzes different rationales that assist the workers through the Government and Employer Policies. The book further gives the various policies that are applied to the rationalization of the workers. The families leave and childcare is well analyzed in the chapter. The family leave is termed to be paid and it is being discussed as per the locations. The program is well discussed by giving out the various requirements a worker needs to acquire the paid leave. The book also explains how the leave assists the workers giving them enough time to take care of their loved ones. Childcare is also discussed in details giving examples. The book states the various regulations and backgrounds required in the child care programs. The importance of the childcare is also given stating the program to be responsible for administering the licenses required for the child care in different states in the United States and other countries. The book gives an analysis of various differences in gender all over the world giving out various examples. The gap across the cultures is also discussed opening gender stereotypes. The book further explains giving different indicators that predict the economic status of women. The book analyzes the various indicators in countries like United Status and how they empower women in other developing countries. The book further compiles all the social indicators in the situation of women. The labor force participation is also discussed in the book along with the occupation. The book also briefly gives the Bureau of labor statistics with the Labor Force Participation Rate. The women in the labor force are also discussed including the databook statistics of 2013. Women are further grouped in terms of hours worked, unemployment classes. The earning is also discussed over the CBO projects along with the working age.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Essay Example for Free

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Essay Tony Morrison became the prominent American writer of the second half of the 20th century mainly because of her novel â€Å"The Bluest Eye† published in 1970. The novel is narrated by a young black girl, Claudia MacTeer and the reader realizes through her perception the atmosphere in the family of her friend Pecola Breedlove. The family relations in the Pecola’s family are very hostile. The topic of racial inequality is one of the central topics. African Americans and their tragedy of the lost culture are in the center of the novel.   The novel is built on the passionate desire of Pecola to be loved by her family and her school friends. Pecola thinks that the reason of the hostile attitude towards her is her black skin and she wants to resemble the American idols like Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple is just an ideal created by the mass culture, an idol which is a part of American dream. The conventional American perception of beauty is connected with the blue eyes and white skin like those of Shirley Temple. Tony Morison studies the position of the blacks in America. She names the things which sometimes are not in public but in minds. American society is divided according to the racial principle and nobody can do anything with it.    The author states that America treats its black citizens like people of a lower grade, pariahs, â€Å"There are several levels of the pariah figure working in my writing. The black community is a pariah community. Black people are pariahs. The civilization of black people that lives apart from but in juxtaposition to other civilizations is a pariah relationship. In fact, the concept of the black in this country is almost always one of the pariahs. But a community contains pariahs within it that are very useful for the conscience of that community.†(The Bluest Eye. Review). American culture has produced a utopian image of America, called â€Å"an American Dream†. It is not bad at all; it indicates, at least the standards to be reached and the goals to be gained.   This collective image is an image of a rich country populated with the nice successful people. There is only one problem in this image. The country is rich and the society is successful, but people personifying this success are narrated with the blond hair and white skin. This is just what great American Martin Luther King said about. The racial inequity is in the very essence of the American society. Pecola identifies her personal position in the community with the position of the black community in the American society, i.e. as soon as the Blacks are pariahs in the society; she feels herself a pariah within the community. What is more, she understands the position of the black community in the American society and naively associates it with her personal position in the black community. Her dream of blue eyes is a naà ¯ve attempt to break through the concept of the faceless, i.e. it is a protest against her position of a pariah. Tony Morison intentionally uses a dream of a small girl which would never come true to underline the improbability of such a dream to resemble an American icon Shirley Temple in the same way as black community would never become an equal part of the society. The values of the society imposed on the black children are destructive. Pecola is morally suppressed by the values she accepts. These values are dominant and black children are not able to evaluate them critically. Pecola is destroyed by the cultural values she has to adopt. The white culture influences the personalities of the black people especially young ones. The Anglo Saxon standards of beauty follow the children outside the class. Movie blondes with blue eyes catch their sight from the cinema screens, billboards, newspapers and magazines. There is no place to hide from the bluest eyes. These beauties keep telling the children that if they were white with blue eyes they would achieve success. This destroys the girl’s identity. She mistakenly associates her physical appearance with the wealth and happiness. White mass culture shows white skin, blue eyes and blonde hair in association with wealth, happiness and success and a young girl realizes erroneously that her life is defined by her appearance. Pecola’s admiration of Sherley Temple is one of her personal tragic illusions. The success of the movie star Temple poisons the life of Pecola. The mass culture shows the physical beauty in the context of prosperity. This self humiliation develops the complex of inferiority of the girl. â€Å"Long hours she sat looking in the mirror, trying to discover the secret of the ugliness, the ugliness that made her ignored or despised at school, by teachers and classmates alike, She was the only member of her class who sat alone at a double desk.†( Tirell, Lynne) A utopian desire to resemble an American idol became an obsession for Pecola. â€Å"Each night, without fail, she prayed for blue eyes. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ She would see only what there was to see: the eyes of other people.†( Morrison, Toni, p.45) The Pecola’s aspiration to resemble the American idol drives the girl crazy. She looses the connections with the reality. As soon as the world does not understand her desire and does not want to give her a chance to become closer to her idol she decides to lock in herself and find a piece of mind keeping her dreams in herself without letting them out. The hate of people, ideal dream on the movie star physical appearance, the hostile atmosphere at school and in the family and the rape by her father followed by the hate of her mother made the girl crazy. But she is still dreaming of her ideal. It is not the white community that has directly destroyed Pecola, but the black community and her parents. They should have insulated her from the white communitys values and have protected her (Hinda Barlaz). The words of narrator about the destructiveness of the physical beauty and romantic love are given in the context when Pauline, pregnant black American woman was watching history of romantic love in the movie theatre. She broke her tooth then as if recapitulating the comparison of romantic love in the movie with her current position. The image of Jean Harlow from the screen destroys the Pauline’s identity as a woman, her belief in American dream and her own beauty. The broken tooth symbolizes her belief in happiness which is destroyed. Toni Morrison and a great American Martin Luther King, Pecola and Pauline, Hero of the Doctorow’s Ragtime and The Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, all of them have the common feature. They are all looking for identity as well as other best representatives of the humanity. Martin Luther King and Pecola, no matter how strange it may seem had the same dream, a dream of equality for all disregarding the color of the skin. Hero of the Doctorow’s novel and Oedipus Rex were looking for their lost identity. John Lennon joined Great American King in his dream of â€Å"a brotherhood of men† in his â€Å"Imagine†. Martin Luther King was looking for the identity of the black people of America and paid his life for it. Pecola was looking for her own identity and paid her mentality. John Lennon was looking for a â€Å"brotherhood of men† and paid his life for his search. These principles can not come from the outside; they should be in the people’s mind which is an identity. A hero of one Russian classic (Bulgakov, The Heart of the Dog) kept threatening himself, â€Å"there is a devastation in the country!!!† and he got a respond â€Å"this devastation is in your mind†. The same could be said of identity. We create the identity in our minds and then we apply it to the entire society. Bibliography I Have A Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr, Delivered on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. Source: Martin Luther King, Jr: The Peaceful Warrior, Pocket Books, NY 1968, available at http://www.mecca.org/~crights/dream.html, retrieved 7.04.2005 Tirell, Lynne. â€Å"Storytelling and Moral Agency.† Toni Morrison’s Fiction: Contemporary Criticism. Ed. David Middleton. New York: Garland, 2000. 3-25. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Penguin, 1994. Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye, Review, available at http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html#pv Hedin, Raymond. The Structuring of Emotion in Black American Fiction. Novel 16 (1982): 35-54. Edmund A. Napieralski, Morrisons The Bluest Eye., 1994 Heldref Publications, The Explicator, Fall 1994 v53 n1 p59(4), available at http://www.cofc.edu/~farrells/Farrell/oedipus.html, retrieved 6.04.2005 Hinda A. Barlaz, A Reading Guide to Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, available at http://students.adelphi.edu/learningcenter/pdfs/tonimorrison.pdf, retrieved 6.04.2005 Trudy Mercer. Female Childhood Icons in Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye, available at http://www.drizzle.com/~tmercer/write/morrison/bluesteye.shtml Chris Booker, The Social Status of the African American Male: 1999, available at http://www.pressroom.com/~afrimale/status99.htm Gibson, Donald B. (1989), â€Å"Text and Countertext in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye†, Taylor, Paul C., Journal of Aesthetics Art Criticism, MALCOLMS CONK AND DANTOS COLORS; OR, FOUR LOGICAL PETITIONS CONCERNING RACE, BEAUTY, AND ,  , available at http://www.lib.tjfsu.edu.cn/ymwx/essay/The%20Bluest%20Eye1.htm Bjork, Patrick B. The novels of Toni Morrison: the search for self and place within the community. NY: P. Lang,1996.

Ethical concerns of the little albert study

Ethical concerns of the little albert study 1. The first major ethical concern we encountered in this exam period was that of Watson and his Little Albert study. The modern code of ethics denounces evoking fear responses from human participants, unless the participant has been made aware of and consented beforehand. As an infant, Albert was obviously unable to give consent and also unable to realize that what he was taking part in was controlled research. Scaring a child to the point where he is visibly terrified and crying seems unequivocally immoral. I take more issue with the fact that Watson didnt remove the fear in Albert by de-conditioning him, even though he had time to allow for it. The impact of the study might justify ethical wrongs it committed. It is one of the most influential studies on phobias of all time, paving the way for counterconditioning (Cover Jones) and other therapies that have allowed millions of people to overcome incapacitating fears and emotional issues. Another case briefly covered this exam period was the study done by Schreiner and Kling on Kluver-Bocy Syndrome. The syndrome is a behavioral disorder that typically occurs as a result of damage or malfunction of the amygdale. In carrying out their research, Schreiner and Kling removed the amygdale of cats and monkeys (Squire 201). This research led to a greater understanding of the brain and the importance of the amygdale, but obviously came at a cost to the animals involved in the testing. Modern research by Rusiko Bourtchouladze has shown the syndrome to hinder the ability to understand feelings and emotions. He describes how they lose their desire to compete or cooperate and an inability to detect sadness, disgust, fear or rage (Bourtchouladze 83). This is in addition to highly unusual sexual practices and various memory and recognition problems. The research was illuminating, but in retrospect, leaving an animal with a disorder in the process seems unethical and avoidable. The last psychologist Ill highlight is Harry Harlow, one of the most ethically controversial figures of modern psychology. The knowledge he attempted to gain from his research was noble; understanding the caretaker-child relationship and how this relationship leads to certain behaviors and abnormalities in the childs maturation. The execution, however, is highly unethical by todays standards. Many of the monkeys Harlow experimented on were severely traumatized by their time in the research lab. Harlow employed devices such as his rape rack to artificially inseminate monkeys and also a pit of despair to produce isolation and depression. In addition, he purposefully tried to evoke fear responses in the animals and admitted to physically abusing some of the subjects. It really doesnt come as a surprise that many of the subjects of his studies were left permanently psychotic upon the completion of the research. As ethically deplorable as Harlows studies may seem today, the impact of his studies do seem to justify their moral impropriety. The influence and impact of Harlows studies are high; they helped improve and educate society about parenting. Many of those from my fathers generation grew up with limited intimacy and affection from their parents. My dad told me that his father rarely showed any sort of physical affection towards him, never once hugging him or telling him that he loved him. The work of Harlow helped illuminate just how important contact comfort and affection is in the relationship between a child and its caregivers. This principle has also helped positively shape the methods used in dealing with children that have been abused and children in orphanages. Furthermore, some study had to be the one that led to a major push in ethical reform of psychological research. Harlows highly unethical treatment of his rhesus monkeys was a major factor in the animal advocacy movement an d also in the creation of the American Psychological Associations code of ethics. Harlow was wrong, but the publicity and attention he brought to his studies had the side effect of revealing some of the improper and unethical practices that had been occurring within psychological research. Bourtchouladze, Rusiko. Memories are made of this: how memory works in humans and animals. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002. Print. Squire, Larry R.. The history of neuroscience in autobiography . Washington D.C.: Society for Neuroscience, 1996. Print. 2. In contrast to the dominant thinking of the time, John Watsons behaviorism relied only on observable behav ­ior for its information. His Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It is now known as the behaviorist manifesto and is one of the most influential documents in the formation of behaviorism. The prevailing school of thought in psychology at the time relied heavily on introspection, but Watson did not believe introspection to be objective enough to be measured and accurately portrayed as science. In hoping to increase this objectivity, he took the focus away from enigmatic mental processes and placed it on empiricist principles that sought to predict and control actions. Emotions to him werent understandable through introspection but rather as a response to a stimuli. One of his major pieces of research was his study of Little Albert. Albert, an infant, was exposed to a white rat which he showed no visible fear towards. Watson then began accompanying the presentation of the ra t with a loud noise. Eventually Albert was conditioned to associate the two; even when the noise was discontinued, Albert kept his fear response when presented with the rat. This study verified to Watson that conditioned reflexes could be used to explain behavior and that psychological research should be rooted in observable stimuli and responses to these stimuli. Skinner was a proponent of a school of behaviorism called radical behaviorism. In many ways, his behaviorism, which focuses on operant conditioning, has supplanted the behaviorism of Watson. Skinner was focused on behavior as a function of schedules under which rewards are attained. Rather than the reflex focused theory of Watson, Skinner incorporated more the role of consequences in behavior and conditioning. Many human and animal actions cant simply be explained as reflexes. Writing this paper, for example, is not a reflex and the stimuli that govern it do not precede it. Rather, it is influenced by what follows it, its consequences, such as a good grade and the outcome of a good grade. Of interest to Skinner in understanding behavior are the types of reinforcement we get from our actions. Positive results from a behavior will typically increase that behavior and negative results will decrease it. One of Skinners famous studies was that of superstition in the pigeon. Placing pigeon s in a box that would release food at regular intervals, Skinner found that the pigeons associated the release of the food with whatever coincidental action they had performed as it was delivered. The pigeons would then repeat this action, believing it to have an effect on the releasing of the food. This study helped continue to cement Skinners belief in and support for operant conditioning. Tolman rejected Watsons reflex based form of behaviorism. He felt that mental processes could be objective and measurable in the same way physical ones were, broadening behaviorism to incorporate the psychological concepts of purpose and cognition. To Tolman, learning does not have to manifest itself in performance, nor is reinforcement needed to connect stimuli. For Tolman, reinforcement is not the essential aspect of learning that Skinner claims it to be. Rather, we can learn things latently and then use them in a flexible manner that may not necessarily be immediate. He used studies involving rats and various mazes to demonstrate that we can learn even when rewards are not present. Rather than a rigid model based in automatic responses, Tolman saw us as creating tentative, cognitive maps that indicate to us routes, paths and relationships that are relevant to goal orientation. His theory of goal-directed behavior focuses on an organisms behavior, what it is attempting to accomplis h with the behavior and where it is going. Tolman also took Skinners idea of a third variable (a variable other than stimuli and response) and tweaked it to suit his own form of behaviorism. Rather than something external in the environment as Skinner posited, Tolmans intervening variable was something mental occurring within the person or animal, such as hunger, motivation, intelligence, or intention. A June 2002 survey by the Review of General Psychology chose Skinner as the most influential psychologist of the 20th century and I agree. He is often credited with the change in terminology for renaming academic psychology departments behaviorism departments during the 1950s. His work is highly influential in academia, psychological treatment and therapy, and the understanding of learning, education, communication, and human behavior. 3. The person in psychology that we have covered in class that has resonated most with me is Mortons study on skull size and its use to justify racism. Morton conducted an extremely biased study where he found the skull size of Caucasians to be largest and North American Indian and Africans to be smallest. His study prompted many to believe that Indians and blacks were of a different species and, in a highly Christian influenced culture, that the bible was not directed at them. This implied that African and Native Americans were not destined to heaven as their Caucasian and Asiatic counterparts were. His ethnology was accepted as a way to justify racism and slavery against the Africans who were forcefully brought to the U.S. against their will for labor. In regards to the Indians, their mistreatment was justified since they were looked at as savages or a subhuman race. In this theory, it was believed that the size of one skull is the decisive factor in terms of ones mental capacities and belief system where a larger skull is most desirable. Even if skull size was an accurate way to determine intelligence, it is obviously not true that all Caucasians would have larger skulls than all blacks. There might be some Caucasians with small skulls and blacks with larger. He was selective in choosing his subjects though where he had more women for the groups that were supposedly inferior since generally, women have smaller skulls sizes than men. This produced his desired outcome. This was a landmark study because racism had existed long before this study was published. It still continues today after this study was found to be erroneous. At the time of the study though, Caucasians justified the mistreatment of other races. They were inferior and lacked the intellectual capacities so it was not immoral. It was found though that Morton only used data that supported this conclusion and rejected data that might counter his argument. It is interesting that after this study was found to be false, other eugenic studies have come out insinuating that whites were superior. (Herrnstein and Murrays The Bell Curve comes to mind as a modern example.) These studies show the way the human mind operates. It is obvious that there was a sense of guilt in the mistreatment of other races. The only way to justify these actions to God would be through science where treating an inferior group poorly would not be immoral. The inferior group would not understand this mistreatment. Mortons study also shows that the groups doing the mistreating knew that what they were doing was not right. They knew that it was not moral to forcefully remove a race and ultimately annihilate it as they did with the Native American race and on the other hand, forcefully bring another race in a country, stripping them from their families, to act as slaves. Another way that the Caucasian race showed their sense of superiority was through the assimilation of other groups. Many Native American tribes were forced into boarding schools where their language was forbidden, converted into Christianity, and forced to embrace western culture. They did not believe the Native culture to be as refined or sophisticated as theirs. This study seems absurd through the 21st century lens however it was widely accepted at the time. Racism still exists today in more subtle ways. The American Dream is supposedly attainable for all yet there are still disproportionate numbers of whites at the top and racial minorities at the bottom in terms of wealth. Success in this country is determined by factors that are biased towards the upper class Caucasian group. It is possible for other races to be successful but there are more barriers to entry. For one, racism makes some racial groups believe that they are not good enough to make it to college or top jobs in a self fulfilling prophecy. It is disheartening to think that the remnants of this study, however absurd they seem, still negatively affect the out groups today. 5) In class we discussed different cases in which scientists have cheated. There are different reasons why these scientists cheated but all are for personal gain or simplifying their studies. The types of cheating are data fabrication, selective exclusion of results, plagiarism, and ghost-writers. We see these same types of cheating in our world today whether it is in our peers, ourselves, our government, or large corporations. Comparing the case of Kammerer and the actions that resulted in the 2008 government bailout, we see two instances where data fabrication occurred. In Kammerers studies he was trying to prove that acquired traits could be passed down through heredity. Today this is known not to be true but Kammerer proved it through cheating in a study with toads and nuptial pads. The nuptial pads were acquired when toads lived and mated in an aquarium.   He claimed that the offspring of these toads who lived in aquariums and acquired the nuptial pads were born with the pads as well.   It was later found that he had actually injected the offspring with ink to imitate the nuptial pads to support his theory of heredity of acquired traits. Kammerer committed suicide and in a last note, he stood by his word that he did not commit fraud but was suspicious of someone who manipulated his study. During the financial crisis many large financial institutions were selling securities that they knew were not good investments to their clients. Selling these securities would give them money in the short term. In the long run though, they lost money and many organizations had to declare bankruptcy. They claimed that the government had to bail them out otherwise the whole countrys finances would collapse, which arguably happened anyway. The average American was defrauded into debt through the credit rating system. The ratings are used by investors to determine the risk of the credit ideally making the costs lowest for both borrowers and lenders. Financial products and investments were given high grades even if they were risky or bad investments. The low interest rates were an incentive for Americans to buy things they simply could not afford through borrowing. Often times the bankers would bet against an investment or loan that they gave a high rating to. This would give them more mo ney if the loan failed. In both cases the motives involved personal gain. In the Kammerer case, he wanted to make a landmark discovery that would put him down in history as one of the greatest scientists. He did not directly have innocent victims but could have misled the public to believe that something was possible that was not. Also, being a scientist, he should have known that future studies would be done involving his theory and would undoubtedly find his theory to be false. In the case of the large financial institutions giving bad loans and falsely rating investments, their incentive was to get more money for themselves regardless of who would suffer. The United States was the victim in this matter causing the greatest recession since the great depression. People lost their savings and homes. The perpetrators were not punished and should have been. I found the latter case to be far more problematic with fewer consequences. The financial institutions did not seem to have any sort of guilt since it was a large umbrella organization and not one single individual as in the former case. Kammamer obviously felt guilty about his actions and took his own life as a result. In that case tangible things were not taken but rather a false idea was put in the minds of the public. In the latter case, many people lost everything they had. Their careless actions caused many people depression in the aftermath. The individuals on Wall Street failed to perform their job and made the American people pay for their mistakes through their losses and in the tax dollars they used in bailing them out.

International market analysis for Natura cosmetics

International market analysis for Natura cosmetics Natura Cosmetics Company was founded in 1969 as a small laboratory and cosmetics shop in Sao Paulo, Brazil by Luis Seabra; and it is the industry leader in the cosmetics, fragrances and personal hygiene market. Natura Company offers a full range of products with solutions for consumers various needs, regardless of age. It includes products for the face and body, hair care and treatment products, make-up, fragrances, bath products, sun protection products, oral hygiene products and product lines for children. In 1974, the company decided to follow direct sales operation and the strategy allowed to continue expansion at low to moderate cost. Then it becomes the industry leader in direct sale, surpassing even the giant the Avon Company. In 1982, it started its internationalization process when it arrived in Chile. Six years later, it added the Bolivian market. In 1994, it decided to pursue a new international business and opened in Argentina market. Besides, at the beginning of the 1990 s, the company focused on their stakeholders relationship, defined its beliefs and values. Thus, a recent annual report indicates that the companys direct sales in the region will reach a turnover in the order of US$ 500 million in 2012à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In the report, it is analyzed and consulted for the Natura Cosmetics international development as well as the relationship strategy, international strategy, learning and innovation, and the companys portfolio of domestic, regional and international market. CASE ANALYSIS Natura You work as an analyst for a specialist consultancy and have been tasked with producing an assessment of certain aspects of the Natura organizations international development, as set out in the case study Natura Cosmetic. In your answer to the four tasks set out below you are required to: evaluate the information contained within the case study provided; and make reference to relevant theoretical concepts/models derived from the lecture programme and/or your reading of recommended academic texts. You must not try to access, or include in your assignment, information or analysis drawn from any other resources than those noted above. You are permitted, however, to visit the Natura Companys website (see case study) in order to familiarize yourself with the company, its operations and products. Task 1: In his analysis of companies, that are successful (internationally), Perlmutter identifies: Effectiveness of an organizations relationship strategy; and Learning innovation As two key factors. Using examples from the case study; assess to what extent Natura supports Perlmutters theory. - Firstly, Johnson and Scholes (1993:10) state that Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long term: ideally which matches its resources to the changing environment and in particular its market, customers or clients so as to meet stakeholder expectations. Stakeholder analysis aims to identify the stakeholders who are affected by the results of the companys project with the results success depending on the cooperation between the stakeholder and the project. It is important to identify all stakeholders for the purpose of identifying their success criteria and turning these into quality goals. It brings out the interests of the stakeholders and compares them to the purpose of the project. It relates each stakeholder to the project at hand, and points out potential conflicts to assign a level of risk or challenges to the projects success. It also helps identify existing relationships between stakeholders that can be influenced on build corporation and potential p artnerships to further champion the effort. And there are three types of stakeholders which available in Natura Cosmetic Co. Internal stakeholders: they include employees and managers. The company has employees and management team effectiveness with driving their company as a big family. The organizational culture of Natura is characterized by its openness, transparency and respect for its stakeholders. The managers always care how to make stakeholders interest and satisfy in order to make its operation effectiveness. Middle management is constantly challenged and empowered to assume new projects and loftier goals. Besides, their employees are important internal stakeholders of Southwest with high skills and experiences. They directly work with customers, so the company needs to motivate them. Moreover, the company usually has strategy for new talents who are developed in-house or hired from the outside, creating a diversified group of managers. Connected stakeholders: shareholders, customers, and suppliers. Shareholders are important because they are directly holding the share and they have voting right in businesss activities. They can buy their share or vote to change Naturas management if the company is not good in business, or bad treating them, and then it directs influence on their profits and interest in investment. In contrast, if the company is good performance, shareholders will get profitsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ So, good relationship with shareholders is necessary for Natura to develop their business. Additionally, customers are the most important stakeholders because the company is not operating and survive without them. The company has various of customers as middle and upper class customer segments, both female and male, even childrenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, and they always make products to satisfy various of customers needs. In order to get profits, the company based on customers using services, so their services should be h igh quality to serve, to keep and attract customers. At the customers end, Naturas products are based on the well-being concept, which refers to the harmonious, pleasant relationship between oneself and ones body, combined with the concept of rewarding, empathetic relationships with others and with natureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Thus, the company believes this approach has contributed to strengthening relationships along the value chain. Moreover, in order to serve the customers needs, the company has sale force and consultant system. The relationships with the sales force are carefully maintained and the Naturas focus on sales allows consultants to place orders at any time and to place more than one order within the same sales cycleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Additionally, suppliers are one of connected stakeholder to help Natura doing business effectively. Operating in cosmetic market, Natura is required to produce the best quality of products as premium, high-margin cosmetics, personal care products, perfumes, creams or make upà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Thus, it needs to have the best quality of ingredients, raw materialà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, so how to make close relationship with suppliers is important. Beside the self-produced material, the company has produced some products as soap bars, products containing aerosols which are outsourced to a third party. The company buys its raw materials from diverse suppliers, many of which have been partners with Natura for over 20 years. So good relationship with suppliers is essential for the company to operate and perform their business. External stakeholders: competitors (Avon, or other multinational companies), government or social community All the company must pay tax for government, so they are external stakeholder that the firm should have good relationship. Besides, competitors in the market are so important that the firm needs to focus on to compete in the market and to get strong position in the cosmetics market. Additionally, Natura produces cosmetics products that influence directly on the customers health, as results, the company needs focusing on the health community and build strong relationship with each other in order to get more successful in operation business. All of them are affected directly and indirectly to operations of the company, so focusing on them is very important for the company to achieve success in business because they have sufficient power to influence managements choice of strategy. In other side of Naturas operation business, they also focus on the key factor of learning and innovation. Learning is about work, work is about learning, and both are social. The social world is a rich resource, not a distraction (Brown Gray, 1995; Stamps, 1997; Wenger, 1996b). According to Lave Wenger (1991), it is believed that social practice is the primary, generative phenomenon, and learning is one of its characteristics. Thus learning should be analyzed as an integral part of the social practice in which it is occurring. Learning is not simply a transfer of knowledge, but a process of building understanding (Galagan, 1993). In the case of Natura, the company applies both learning and innovation for improving their products and their performance in business, competition in the cosmetic market and international market. It is innovated and developed the products in house on a continuous basis. The company has research and development centre in Brazil and abroad, it acquires pat ents and technology from universities and RD centre for innovating and improving their products. It also has the timeline for the creation and commercialization a new product ranges which is from six months to five years, and the timeline depends on the degree of innovation. Task 2: Using relevant theoretical models and with examples from the case study evaluate the companys internationalization strategy in the period 1982 2005. - Natura Cosmetics decides to go international market by undertaking field primary research, traveling abroad that leads to explore and understand different markets, trends and strategies internationally. Johanson Vahlne (1977) defined internationalization as a process in which the companies gradually increase their international involvement. They claimed that internationalization is the product of a series of incremental decisions. In other words, internationalization can be a process by which the companies both increase their awareness of the direct and indirect influences of international transactions on their future establish and conduct transactions with other countries (Beamish, 1990). Then an international strategy is a strategy through which the firm sells its goods or services outside its domestic market (Hill 378). One of the primary reasons for implementing an international strategy is that international markets yield potential new opportunities. Moreover, for international ization theories, it focuses on internationalization in networks, by which the company has different relationships not only with customers but also with other actions in the environments. According to Hollensen, S. (2007), there are some theories of internationalization as the traditional marketing approach, life cycle concept for international trade, the Uppsala internationalization model and the internationalization cost approach, dunnings electric approach, the network approach or the difference between cultural distance and psychic distanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Traditional marketing approach: It focuses on the companys core competences combined with opportunities in the foreign environment (Penrose, 1959; Prahalad and Hamel, 1990). It leads the company to possess a compensating advantage in order to overcome the cost of foreignness, and then identification of technological and marketing skills are the key elements in successful foreign entry (Kindleberger, 1969; Hymer, 1976). Life cycle concept of international trade: According to Vernons Product Cycle Hypothesis (1966), the companies go through an exporting phase before switching first to market seeking foreign direct investment (FDI), then to cost oriented FDI. The technology and marketing factors combine in order to explain standardization that drives location decisions. This hypothesis is that producers in advanced countries are closer to the markets than producers elsewhere; consequently the first production facilities for these products will be in the advanced countries. For the standardized products, the less developed countries may offer competitive advantages as production locations. The Uppsala internationalization model: Its model is developed by Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul (1975) and Johanson and Vahlne (1977). Based on this model, when the company faces with unknown markets, incomplete information, and being in a state of constant incertitude, the company develops in foreign markets by adopting a process which evolves by increments. The model suggests a sequential pattern of entry into successive foreign markets, coupled with progressive deepening of commitment to each market. According to this model, the company tends to intensify their commitment towards foreign markets as their experience grows, and psychic distance which attempts to conceptualize and measure the cultural distance between countries and markets (Hollensen, S. (2007)). The internationalization/transaction cost approach: Buckley and Casson (1976) expanded the choice to include licensing as a means of reaching customers abroad, in other words, licensing can reach customers abroad. However, in the perspective the multinational company would usually prefer to internalize transactions via direct equity investment rather than license its capability. The international involves two interdependent decisions as regarding location and mode of control and it is related to transaction cost theory. The internationalization and transaction cost (TC) perspective are both concerned with the minimization of TC and the conditions underlying market failure. Dunnings eclectic approach: Dunning (1988) discussed the importance of locational variables in foreign investment decisions. The eclectic means that a full explanation of the transnational activities of the companies needs to draw on several strands of economic theory. According to the model, the propensity of the company to engage itself in international production increases if three conditions if ownership advantages, locational advantages and internationalization advantages are being satisfied. The network approach: It means the international firm cannot be analyzed as an isolated actor; it has to be viewed in relation to other actors in the international environment. According to Johanson and Mattson, the relationships of the company within a domestic network can be used as connections to other networks in other countries. The different between cultural distance and psychic distance: According to Hollensen (2007), cultural distance refers to the macro cultural level of a country and is defined as the degree to which cultural values in one country are different from those in another country. And psychic distance is defined as the individual managers perception of the differences between the home and the foreign market and it is a highly subjective interpretation of reality. In the circumstance, Natura goes international through an agreement with an independent distributor in Chile in 1982. Based on traditional marketing approach, the company audits their resources which are core competence and provide distinctive competitive advantages. All the resources of Natura, such as: financial, RD skills, knowledge, experiences, sales and distribution channel or sale forceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are valuable, hard to copy, exploited and they are sources of core competences and competitive advantages in foreign environment. Beside, marketing capability has its greatest impact on the innovative output for the firm that has a strong resources and competences. Natura has strong RD which means the company with a strong RD base is the ones with the most to gain from a strong marketing capability. Furthermore, the most important determinant of its performance is the interaction of marketing and RD capabilities. And RD is one of the best internal factors which bring opportunitie s for Natura to do business in new market. For example, the company acquires patents and technology from universities and research centers in Brazil and abroad, and then they focus particular research efforts on skin care products and on the sustainable use of ingredients from Brazils biodiversity, launching their product lines. Besides, the employees are responsible for the local operation that means Natura has also strong human resources. Moreover, in the 1990s, the political and macro economic changes in Brazil and other South and Central American countries; and other Latin American countries experience growth rates and try to develop their commercial tines with Brazil, as a result, Natura decides to expand their business internationally. Additionally, following mass advertising, it creates a rising uniform trend in beauty concepts and demands in the region which leads a cultural emphasis on beauty and a better understanding of how to use beauty products. Further, Natura identifi es the technology and marketing skills on foreign market, such as in Argentina, the company tries to avoid risk, looks the ways to decrease costs and put advertisements in the major magazines stating, and then they build the good relationship with social pact (suppliers, employees and customers)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Besides, Natura builds brand equity, quickly developing a sizable network of consultants, managing and promoting their productivity as well as mastering logistics and distribution. (CEO, Alessandro Carlucci, quoted in the Harvard Business School case study: Natura: Global Beaty Made in Brazil, Sept, 2006). According to Uppsala model, Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul (1975) distinguish between four different modes of entering an international market, where the stages represent higher degrees of international involvement or market commitment: No regular export activities: Export via independent representatives Establishment of a foreign sale subsidiary: Foreign production or manufacturing units: The enterprises passes from one stage to another as it progressively acquires international experience. The internationalization process evolves between the development and knowledge of foreign markets and the growing commitment of its resources in the market. The Uppsala model is supported by many studies which have shown both small and large enterprises passing through distinct and gradual stages during the development of their international affairs (Johanson and Vahlne, 1990; Oviatt and Phillips-McDougall, 1994). From the case, during 1970s and 1980s, the Brazilian cosmetics and toiletries market is relatively closed to imports, and competitors are mostly multinational companies who manufactured mass market products locally, but some US based companies face with the instable political and hyperinflation in Brazil. As a result, until the early 1990s, it facilitates the growth of companies as Natura that are developing high quality products for local customers. Through direct sales, franchises or retail channels, Natura is widely known brand in the home market and high reputation. However, the most relevant competitor in the direct sales segment of Natura is Avon, and the company also competes global consumer products giants as Unilever, or Johnson Johnsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The Brazilian cosmetics and toiletries market is one of the largest and most developed in Latin America, so the company faces with increasing competitive environment. That leads Natura to stimulate their capacity for developin g more technological advanced products and products tailored to the requirements of a broad range of consumers. They focus on their product development and marketing strategies as marketing and advertising campaigns, or sales channel, and then they also target products for target consumers. From 1982, Natura decides to expand their business internationally that starts in Chile, and expand more in other South, Central American countries, Latin American countries, such as: Mexico, Argentinaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Natura uses direct selling and retail network or agents for distribute products in foreign markets. For example, in 2003, the company creates Naturas house concept that sale representatives could be in touch with the brand and could meet each other, exchange experiences, be trained through speeches and exhibitions, or test our productsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Besides, it is the place that can be seen as a middle ground between a pure direct selling model and a store chain. At the same time, the company has to introduce new marketing tools for developing their brand and rising consumers awareness. In French market, Natura opens a two storey flagship store in April 2005. The store is designed to be used as a place where Naturas beliefs and vision can be displayed. However, the stor e opens that means the company has to adopt a new sales model, and Paris store marked the first time that Natura devotes to the direct sale model, has opened a retail store. Thus, the Naturas expansion of international operation still deals with problems and it is difficult to control and manage their operations international markets. Task 3: Using relevant theory, argue the case either for or against Natura adopting a mode (or modes) of international market entry that differ(s) from the direct sales/distribution model employed. In international market entry, export is the most common mode which is typically used in initial entry and gradually evolves towards foreign based operations. It is organized in a variety of ways that depends on the number and type of intermediaries. In establishing export channels, the company has to decide that functions will be the responsibility of external agents and that will be handled by the company itself. (Hollensen, 2007). In the export mode, companies face two channel options as export directly to customers abroad or export indirectly with the help of an intermediary (Peng and York, 2001). As the direct mode is the most common path to companies internationalization and well-addressed in the extant literature, that focus on indirect means to internationalize. Indirect paths to internationalization are those whereby small firms are involved in exporting, sourcing or distribution agreements with intermediary companies who manage, on their behalf, the transaction, sale or ser vice with overseas companies (Fletcher, 2004). And cooperative export involves collaborative agreements with other companies that concerning the performance of exporting functions. In the case of Natura, the company bases on sale representative and uses 26 different delivery companies as well as the Brazilian postal services to transport products to it representatives. The company is through a nationwide network of 483,000 active sales representatives in Brazil and 36,000 agents in other countries. The agent represents an exporting company and sells to wholesalers and retailers in the importing country. Direct selling is defined as the sale of a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed retail location, marketed through independent sales representatives. The sale representatives are also referred to as consultants, distributors or other titles. Naturas sale representatives are well trained, autonomous female salespersons with a no exclusivity contract, and the company has relationship with sales forces that mainly comprises middle class housewives selling to their friends, independent professionals, secretaries and staff personnel at all kinds of companies leveraging their in company contacts and maids selling to colleagues or employers. Natura concentrates on sales and sales force that allows consultants to place orders at any time and to place more than one order within the same sales cycle, with the company adapting its logistics and distribution arrangements and costs to meet requirement. (Natura Cosmetics). Natura uses agents and sale representatives in international market which cover rare geographic areas and have subagents assisting them. And its model is familiar with the local market, customs and conventions then have existing business contacts and employ foreign national. Additionally, the company uses agents that have a direct incentive to sell through wither commission or product margin, however, since the remuneration is tied to sales, it leads to reluctant to devote much time and effort towards developing a market for a new products. Moreover, the company can be lack of control and manage the market f eedback and their operation, if the agent is performing well and develops the market it risks being replaced by a subsidiary of the principal. (Hollensen, 2007) Thus, in the long term strategy, the company needs to consider any new entry mode decision. For more expansion in foreign market, Natura needs to focus on foreign sales, branch/sales and production subsidiary mode. Although its subsidiary mode is high initial capital for investment, high risk and also taxation problem, it is suitable for the company to full control and manages of their operation and reduces the transport costs. It means that the company will often keep a central marketing function at their home base, but sometimes a local marketing function can be included in the sale subsidiary. When the activities of sales are performed, all foreign orders are channeled through the subsidiary that than sells to their buyers at normal wholesale or retail prices (Hollensen, 2007). Other reason for Natura chooses sale subsidiary is that the company may take advantage of tax in the foreign market where income tax is low. In addition, this mode eliminates the possibility that a nationa l partner gets a free ride, and acquires market knowledge directly as sales subsidiary. And sale subsidiary is the possibility of transferring greater autonomy and responsibility to these submits that is being close to customers. It is also accessed to raw materials and labor as production subsidiary, elimination of duties as production subsidiary and market access as sale subsidiary. Task 4: Naturas production facilities are located in Brazil. Assess whether this decision is correct in terms of strategy and logistic distribution given the companys portfolio of domestic, regional and international markets. Naturas production facilities are located in Brazil that is correct decision in terms of strategy and logistic distribution for the companys portfolio of domestic, regional and international market. Based on 12C framework, it is used to identify and evaluate the key strategic challenges that Natura can be faced in foreign market for cosmetic products. The 12C framework includes the issues of culture/consumer behavior, channels, commitment, currency, communication, capacity to pay, caveats, contractual obligations, consumption, choices, concentration and country. The 12C is a tool which is used to identify the constraints when the company enters a new international markets. Each C will individually be used to evaluate the companys strategies. Then it is the way for Natura find out opportunities and challenges for their decision in term of strategy, logistic and distribution in expanding internationally. In the case of Natura, it is considered the C of country, cultural, commitment an d communication. Firstly, the companys home base is Brazil which is the largest market in Latin America and the worlds fifth most popular country. Beside, the GDP of Brazil is the worlds tenth-largest economy. So it is an increasingly attractive market for all business and one of the worlds fastest growing economies. And Brazil has also abundant natural resources with 4.6 million hectares of planted forest mainly located in the South. In the case of Natura, it is good for the company production facilities located in Brazil and their raw materials. The companys main operations are concentrated in an integrated production, logistics and RD centre situated on the outskirts of Sao Paulo where units for cosmetics, shampoos, consist of four production and fragrances, other facilities include a nursery, restaurant, shop and a sports compound. Besides, the manufacture of some products is outsourced to a third party. Additionally, the manufacture of Natura located in Brazil that has strong and widely network distribution in domestic and international. And the RD centre is one of the biggest and most advanced of its kind in Latin America, so it is easy for transportation to other neighbor countries. In other words, if the Natura builds manufacture in foreign countries as Argentina or Mexicoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, it will deals with the high costs and shipper problems at the present. Secondly, Natura considers to culture and consumer behavior. Brazil is South Americas most influential cultural and biggest democracies. The changes on political and macroeconomic in Brazil and other South and Central American countries leads to more understanding and emphasis on beauty and know how to use beauty products. . A large of the middle class population mainly involves in professions such as retailing, civil services and other skilled occupations. And Brazilian middle class has a predictable taste for beauty and other luxuries but when going shopping, they has more consciousness of status than middle class North Americans and Europeans with the concept to ordinarily serve others. Additionally, the economic policies as tax laws have been encouraged toward development of trade and investment. The export oriented industries will be exempted from non- tariff barriers with the purpose to add more incentives to exports, then the import duties have been condensed sharply. These are good things for Nature to export mode and production facilities location in the home base. Besides, some materials for production of Naturas products are outsourced, so imports of raw materials are exempted from usual tariffs. Lastly, for communication, it is important for Natura doing business and direct selling their products. At present, technology background is developing and is out-performed other South America and Latin American countries with the telecommunication policies. In Brazil, it is tenth in the number of broadband connection with the fifth largest mobile market in the world, and approximately 40% internet usage is for e-commerce which is expected to grow exponentially in the forthcoming years. Moreover, telephone is taken into account for the higher and the middle-income class. As a result, these are advantages for Natura to take order and selling their product effectively. However, in the future, the Natura can focus to their expansion and building manufacture in foreign countries as French because the decision to open in Paris was both rational and an emotional move. France has historically been a source of knowledge and raw material for our products as well as a source of inspiration (Natura Cosmetic) CONCLUSION The report has analyzed and assessed of certain aspects of the Natura Companys international development, its operations and products. Within the scope of this study, Natura Cosmetic has been a successful example of international market expansion and international development, it has become a leading cosmetics company in international market. However, the company is facing with seriously competitive in the cosmetics field market domestically and internationally. Further, the company should make improvements in its current product lines and the mode of international market entry and decision of strategies. It is necessary for Natura to improve its marketing strategy, advertising and promotion and distribution channels which enables the company to take the best advantage and opportunities of a sustainable competition.