Friday, February 28, 2020

Joint Venture Investment Appraisal Report Assignment

Joint Venture Investment Appraisal Report - Assignment Example This essay stresses that NPV calculates the net value of the investment while taking into consideration the changing value of cash. This method tries to calculate the amount need to be invested to attain certain annual revenue in a specified period of time. The value of money will be affected by interest rates payable on a certain investment. This method is good in comparing alternative investments. NPV assumes a constant capital gearing. This rarely happens as constant refinancing the project will be needed according to. This method cannot be used in environments where companies are facing capital rationing. Capital rationing is where there is a limitation to the amount that can be invested. In this situation it is important to use both profitability indexing and NPV to evaluate the viability of an investment. This paper makes a conclusion that discounting of trade bills is a short-term financing method that many corporate can enjoy. This method is widely used in Asia and Europe making it a perfect method for short-term finance for IFM. It can be used for both international and domestic finance needs. Companies holding bills get to cash them before they mature through a bank. The cashing of the bills is through a discount. Development Banks – financing can be sort from development backs which operate in many countries. They fund large companies and large projects. The investment needs of IFM qualify them to get a long term loan from a development bank. Asian countries are likely to offer incentives to companies of the size of IFM so as to invest in the country.

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Mutual Funds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mutual Funds - Essay Example Mutual funds are securities that are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Broadly speaking, they are composed of stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, and other securities that function as a means of hedging against possible declines in a security or investment sector. The main understanding is that this diversified approach will provide the investor an option that protects them against market fluctuations, as when one security drops in value, another will increase. A manager or board of directors oversees these funds. The board hires a fund manager and works to ensure that the mutual fund is managed in the intended interest of the shareholders. This essay examines the advantages, disadvantages, and different types of mutual funds. Advantages There are a great variety of advantages to investing in mutual funds. One of the most prominent such aspects is the increased amount of diversification. In terms of portfolio theory, diversification constit utes perhaps the most overarching concept. Essentially diversification is the gathering together of diverse investment securities as a means of guarding against the failure of one specific sector. While it is possible for investors to diversify their portfolio through a widespread purchase of stocks, such a process is both extensive and also contains liquidity issues. In terms of liquidity, most brokerage firms attach a fee to individual trades, such that an individual attempting to withdraw money from a portfolio of diversified stocks would be required to pay a series of fees; mutual funds offer liquidity in terms of one direct and easily accomplished sale (Pozen, Hamacher, 2011). Another prominent advantage of mutual funds is that they operate in terms of economies of scale. Essentially the equivalent of economies of scale is volume discounts in department stores. In the context of mutual funds, a wide variety of investment funds are collated allowing the fund manager to gain grea ter value per purchase (Pozen, Hamacher, 2011). Divisibility is another prominent advantage to investing in mutual funds. Divisibility can be understood in terms of the purchase of a wide variety of stocks. It’s noted that, â€Å"Smaller denominations of mutual funds provide mutual fund investors the ability to make periodic investments through monthly purchase plans while taking advantage of dollar-cost averaging† ("Advantages of mutual," 2009). Essentially this indicates that through a mutual fund, an individual with modest means is able to invest in a great amount more stocks than they would if they only purchased the securities on their own. This allows for considerably greater amounts of diversification. Another prominent benefit of investing in mutual funds is that they are under professional management. The obvious implications of this are that an experienced and knowledgeable professional will be overseeing the securities and investment strategy. Ultimately, th e cumulative advantage of these benefits makes mutual funds an attractive option for conservative or inexperienced investors. Disadvantages While there are a great variety of advantages to investing in mutual funds, there are also a number of prominent disadvantages. Even as mutual funds offer a generally conservative investment option as compared to stocks, precious metals, or derivatives, there is nonetheless a degree of risk associated. The main understanding in these regards is that even with extensive levels of diversification, macroeconomic elements oftentimes contribute to a large-scale market decline. In these regards, individuals that do not have the financial wealth or patience to out-wait market downturns might find mutual funds an unattractive option

Friday, January 31, 2020

Comparative analysis of political participation Essay Example for Free

Comparative analysis of political participation Essay The change in political participation is currently a hotly discussed topic. Low turnouts in the 2001 and 2005 UK general elections, along with falling membership of political parties have led political organisations to discover the reasons for this (BBC, 2006). One method is to use comparative analysis. This â€Å"is about comparing aspects of countries’ political systems† (Dobson, 2005, p.140) to try to understand why a phenomenon occurs in one country or time period but not in another. This essay looks at two factors, which evidence suggests affect political participation: gender and socio-economic standing. It examines whether comparative analysis is a useful tool for studying this topic. It concludes that whilst comparative politics is helpful at identifying participation trends, it is too simplistic to provide practical answers and that further studies are required to reveal useful outcomes. Historically, conventional ways for citizens to participate in politics were by voting in elections and joining a political party. The decline in these activities has led some to believe there is political apathy in Britain. However Helena Kennedy (cited by White, 2006, p.4), chair of the Commission which produced the Power to the People report (2006) denies this, saying that despite â€Å"no longer want[ing] to join a party or get involved in formal politics,† people instead take direct action by raising money for charities, joining protest marches, signing petitions and undertaking volunteering work within their communities. The possibility for differing definitions of key outcomes is a disadvantage for comparative analysis. A study that defines participation in terms such as voting or contacting politicians will conclude that political participation has decreased and supports the political apathy theory, whereas, a study such as the Citizen Audit (2001), using â€Å"unorthodox† definitions, such as membership of political organisations (anything from trade unions to community groups) or financially supporting activist organisations, find that participation is still strong. The Citizen Audit â€Å"found that approximately 40 per cent of adults belong to at least one political organisation† (Smith, 2005, p.83)  and â€Å"there is little evidence of widespread apathy† (Smith, 2005, p.84). When trying to create policies to increase political participation, these conflicting results are unhelpful. Following a 2002 European Union directive, which required member states to â€Å"promote equality in relation to sexual orientation, age and religion in addition to race, gender and disability† (Squires, 2005, p.119), European governments began to initiate changes to the way women were represented within parliament. Governments did not necessarily choose the same initiatives and comparative analysis is useful to identify quickly the comparative success of each government’s initiatives. (See table 1, Appendix). Political systems are hugely complex and as Dobson states; â€Å"Each day most of us find ourselves describing, explaining and predicting something. Comparative politics is no more, then, than carrying out these apparently basic human activities in the context of what we are calling ‘political worlds’ † (Dobson, 2005, p.143). Comparing what happens in different countries or different political systems enables the analysis of differences and similarities and thereby, identifying factors that can be applied generally to simplify complex systems. For example Table 1 shows that Nordic countries have significantly higher levels of female participation in comparison to the UK. A policy maker, looking to increase participation by UK women, can then look at why there is such a large disparity between the two countries and whether there is something the UK could learn from Nordic policy. This illustrates another advantage of comparative study; it gives opportunity to expand one’s knowledge of political worlds. For comparison there must be at least two things to compare which must be evidently different. In political comparison, this is often two different countries and even if one is one’s own, the other will not be and â€Å"if we assume that knowledge of others is a prerequisite for finding our way around, and managing, a globalizing world, then comparative politics seems to be of increasing practical importance† (Dobson, 2005, p.143). Expanding one’s knowledge is generally auspicious and simplifying complex  information is usually advantageous although over simplification is a risk. Table 2 shows the same information as table 1 but for the elections that were held closest to the time of the aforementioned EU directive. Figure 1 shows the percentage point difference between both elections. Using this information, that same policy maker may feel that focussing on France’s policies would be of much greater value than that of the Nordic countries as, in only 10 years, France has almost doubled the amount of women who hold parliamentary seats. Comparing and ranking countries can be useful but, as illustrated here, it is only part of a story and great care must be taken when interpreting comparative data. Oversimplification is a distinct risk of comparative analysis. It is possible to mitigate the risk by undertaking more study, producing more data and a more sophisticated and detailed analysis to guide forecasting or policy change. It is important that one considers this potential issue when working with conclusions drawn from comparative analysis. In 2005 the Electoral Commission produced a research report, Social Exclusion and Political Engagement. Its aim was to explore â€Å"why those experiencing social disadvantage tend to also be the most politically excluded in society.† (Electoral Commission, 2005) Looking at the aim of this report highlights an advantage of using comparative politics but also a disadvantage. The advantage is that it allows testing of hypotheses; in this case, those who experience social disadvantage are more likely to be politically excluded. By comparing different circumstances, one can find out what factors affect the political situation in a country, giving an idea as to what particular social/financial or other conditions might give rise to say, reform or revolution in the future. The possibility to predict outcomes is especially important for politicians; â€Å"the possibility of knowing that under certain social conditions, policy X will produce outcome Y† (Dobson, 2005, p.144) all ows them to make informed policy decisions. The disadvantage is that in research, subjectivity and objectivity can sometimes be lost. Baxter, (cited by Dobson, 2005, p.146) points out; â€Å"Research is not a wholly objective activity carried out by detached scientists. It is a social activity powerfully affected by the researcher’s  own motivations and values.† In this case, the researcher(s) has(ve) already taken on the axiom that those with social disadvantages are politically excluded. This does not necessarily mean that conclusions drawn by social scientists are useless it just means that it is important that anyone working with these conclusions is aware that they â€Å"might be ‘contaminated’ by their [comparative scientists’] own motivations and values† (Dobson, 2005, p.154). The report drew together much information on the subject and found that the ‘working class’ (C2DEs) were 21 percentage points less likely to vote than the ‘middle class’ (ABC1), 60% to 41%. It also found â€Å"ABC1s twice as likely as C2DEs to take advantage of the opportunity to contact their elected representatives: two-thirds of those who present their views to their councillors or MPs are ABC1s†¦ Political activism is higher among ABC1s than C2DEs (23% as compared to 7%). Across a range of different activities which could still be defined as ‘political’, there is a correlation with class and income†¦ those in the lowest social class, the poorest in society and the less educated were less likely to be politically active than those who are in a higher social class† (Electoral Commission, 2005, p.9). This gives a lot of interesting information and seems to make it clear that there is a correlation between social class and political participation but then it could be argued that it does not really say anything useful. It illustrates a difference but it does not give any reason for this difference. It does not give any principles that one could draw from the comparisons to enable one to make wider or more generalised conclusions about what would lessen the gap. Anyone using the data runs the risk of putting their own interpretation on the results, as stated by Lewis (cited in Dobson, 2005, p.157) â€Å"the development of the comparatives’ tools seems to involve the interpretation of political reality rather than its simple and problem-free observation†. The other difficulty with this is that people interpret things in different ways and one person’s interpretation of these results might not be another’s. This runs the risk of further confusion rather tha n clarifying issues. To conclude, Dobson asks; â€Å"Whether, despite their peculiarities, we can build  theories for comparing political worlds that will enable us to offer general truths about them. Or are we only ever able to tell stories about them – stories rich in specific detail but devoid of generalizable truths?† (Dobson, 2005, p.140). Comparative analysis is a key tool in identifying trends in participation. It also allows for the testing of hypothesis and for simplification of complicated data, with the possibility of expanding ones knowledge; all notable advantages. However, the disadvantages of contamination and misinterpretation along with the possibility for over simplification reveal crucial limitations, meaning that comparative analysis offers little in the way of definitive predictions about or practical answers which could influence political participation. References BBC, 2006. Political system faces ‘meltdown’. BBC UK Politics. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4753876.stm [Accessed 3 December, 2014]. Electoral Commission, 2005. Available at: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/63835/Social-exclusion-and-political-engagement.pdf [Accessed 4 December, 2014]. Dobson, A., Story telling and theory building: comparing political worlds. In: Lewis, P ed. 2005. Exploring Political Worlds. Milton Keynes, The Open University Smith, M., Taking part in politics. In: Lewis, P ed. 2005. Exploring Political Worlds. Milton Keynes, The Open University Squires, J., Common citizenship and plural identities: the politics of social difference. In: Lewis, P ed. 2005. Exploring Political Worlds. Milton Keynes, The Open University White, I., Power Inquiry, 2006. Power to the People: the report of Power, an Independent Inquiry into Britain’s Democracy. Commons Library Standard Note, Power to the People: the report of Power, an Independent Inquiry into Britain’s Democracy. Commons Library Standard Note. Available at: http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN03948/power-to-the-people-the-report-of-power-an-independent-inquiry-into-britains-democracy [Accessed 3 December, 2014]. Whiteley, P.F., Pattie, C. and Seyd, P., Citizen Audit of Great Britain, 2000-2001 [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive [distributor], March 2005. SN: 5099, http://dx.doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-5099-1

Thursday, January 23, 2020

The Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Use of the Supernatural in Macbeth      Shakespeare’s Macbeth has many supernatural actions. Although all of supernatural do not have exactly same role in the play, the main purposes of supernatural are to attract the attention from audience [manipulation], to foreshadow future events, to show the characteristics of individual, and to connect the idea with theme. In the play, the supernatural occurs: witchesà ­ appearance throughout the story, the strange behavior of Macbeth after the murderer of King Duncan, the situation of nature in Scotland, appearance of Banquoà ­s ghost and imagination of dagger which was flying in the air. Firstly, the story starts with weird sistersà ­ conversation under strong thunder and lightning. It is very effective way to attract the attention from audience: First Witch says with scary voice, "When shall we three meet again, In thunder, lightning, or in rain ?" (I, i, 1-2) The very first scene is not only attractive, but also there is an important clue for the things to be happened in the future [foreshadowing]. We learn that there is something going to happen with Macbeth à ± Macbeth wins for his life, but he also is going to lose for his life: "There to meet with Macbeth" (I, i, 7) "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." (I, i, 11)The speech of Witches also contains a theme. "When one wins, one must lose" is a possible theme that can be taken from the speech: "When the battle is lost and won" (I, i, 4) The witches continue appearing throughout the story to give us the excitement, hint and theme.    Secondly, Macbeth loses his mind after the killing of King Duncan. Is it attractive ? By considering the situation, it can be said that it is attractive à ± When he reenters into the play after killing of Duncan, he is a completely different man, like a stone. We must be surprised that if Macbeth is standing up with bloody face, bloody swords in his hands and talks something that does not make senses at all: "Why did you bring these daggers from the place ?" (II, ii, 48) It also shows characteristics of Macbeth. Macbeth can easily fall into a confusion that he cannot recognize.    Thirdly, later in the story, Macbeth sees the Ghost of Banquo and the dagger in the air. However, the Ghost and dagger are only visible to Macbeth, and no one else is able to

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Maquiladora Industry in United States

In this paper I will discuss the history and practices of the Maquiladora industry. I will discuss its background, its problems, the benefits it offers to United States companies, and the impact the NAFTA has and will have on the industry. In addition, I will make a suggestion on a possible strategy the Maquiladoras can adopt in order to address the challenges brought on by the NAFTA, to ensure it remains a strong force in the future. Mexican agricultural workers had been granted temporary work visas allowing them to work in the United States† agricultural industries through a program called the Bracero Program until 1965 when this program was terminated. As a result of this termination, the unemployment rate had exceeded 70% in certain border cities. In May of 1965 the Border Industrialization Program was established as a replacement for the Bracero program. It was later renamed the Maquiladora Program. The program was established by the Mexican government to provide employment for Mexico†s rapidly growing population along its border with the United States. This program was utilized to keep Mexicans from entering the United States. The idea was that Mexican workers would be kept on the Mexican side of the border if they were given factory jobs on the Mexican side. The Maquiladora program also wanted to attract foreign manufacturing facilities, technology, and know-how by giving a permanent tax holiday to manufacturing companies that would set up â€Å"twin plants† on the Mexican side of the border. In the beginning of the program, all foreign-owned operations had to be located within a 20-kilometer strip along the US-Mexican border. Since 1972 they can be located anywhere in Mexico. In 1996 there were around 2,500 Maquiladoras – 35% of them were located in the interior states of Mexico. Last year there were over 3,000 and more and more of these operations are being located outside of the border regions. Each of Mexico†s 31 states has at least one Maquiladora. Maquiladoras, also referred to as â€Å"in bond† or â€Å"twin† plants, are allowed to temporarily import into Mexico (free of tax) machinery, equipment, replacement parts, raw materials, and just about anything that was used in the assembly or manufacture of semi-finished or finished products. Once assembled or manufactured, the Maquila products must be exported unless special permission is obtained to sell a limited amount of output in the Mexican market. When these products are imported back to the United States, import duties are levied on the foreign value-added only. If Maquila products stay in Mexico, the are subject to applicable Mexican duties. The largest issue surrounding the Maquiladora industry is the exploitation of cheap labor. The working conditions are often unsafe, workers are not compensated adequately for their labor, attempts to unionize are discouraged; and sexual discrimination and harassment are too common. The conditions in and outside the Maquiladoras are terrible. Workers perform tasks such as welding without protective masks, leather gloves, or goggles (in many instances) and industrial accidents and toxic exposures are common. This, along with malnutrition caused by low salaries, produce skin illnesses, cancer, irregularities in menstruation, abortions, tumors, intoxication and birth of undernourished or disabled babies. Of the employees, many are young girls and women ranging from the ages of 14 to 20. They work 6 days a week in 10-hour shifts. The average weekly salary for a Maquiladora worker is US$35 – $45 even though the average monthly rent for a house with public services such as running water and electricity is around $200 a month. For the most part, Maquiladoras are unorganized. In those that are organized, state-controlled unions represent the workers. Although some companies are unionized on paper, the unions, for the most part, function to reinforce management policies rather than for the benefit of workers. Then there are what are called â€Å"phantom† unions. These unions do not fight for the worker†s rights. The workers do not even know them and have never seen their union leaders. When a conflict arises in a factory, management informs the worker that their unions have accept these or those conditions. Not only are they not protected by existing unions, those that attempt to unionize and are often threatened or bribed by plant managers and the government. In many companies, discrimination against and harassment of the female employees is very common. Female job applicants are required to produce urine samples to be used for pregnancy test, while some have company doctors and nurses examine the applicants or ask confidential information concerning their contraceptive practices. This is done because pregnant women are refused employment. Sexual harassment is often the rule rather than the exception. Rapes occur frequently and few are reported because women fear being fired or blacklisted. Shame and humiliation also keep them quiet. In Mexico, men and women are equal before the law, but the law does not recognize discrimination as a problem to be solved. The Pollution Brought on by the Maquiladoras The increased pollution, accompanied by the dumping of tons of hazardous wastes, poses a serious health threat to the residents of Mexico as well as the resident of the bordering US states. There are several canals that are â€Å"black† with chemical wastes that have been measured at levels that greatly exceed permissible standards. One factory was caught dumping drums of paint, solvents, and shellac into a drain. In other areas there are abandoned lead smelters and air full of soot and dust from brick-making ovens and smoldering tire dumps. Main Advantages for the United States† Companies For the United States companies this was a great advantage since Maquiladoras operates at very low costs in places where the currency is weaker than the dollar–such as Mexico. The less a currency is worth, the more relative value the dollar has. Since Mexico†s peso is relatively week, companies can trade their dollars for pesos with which they pay workers and expenses. The products they manufacture, however, are sold for dollars, increasing their profits by huge margins whenever the local currency falls. They could enhance competitiveness, reduce their costs, and maintain quality by placing their labor-intensive operations in the less developed Mexico, benefiting from the lower wage rates there. For many US companies, manufacturing in Mexico has become necessary to battle overseas competition. Since many manufacturers are moving to â€Å"just-in-time† inventory systems, the quick delivery possible from Mexico†s border towns offers a substantial advantage over Asian alternatives. The NAFTA†s Impact on the Maquiladora Industry Traditionally, Maquiladoras offered foreign businesses several advantages over other forms of direct foreign investment. Since the signing of NAFTA, however, many of these advantages are either being phased-out or granted to all Mexican companies. The most significant advantages of operating as a Maquiladoras include: 100% foreign investment, operation without ownership of assets, tax sheltering of cost centers, and 100% duty-drawback or waivers for temporary imports. Furthermore, the NAFTA attempted to address the labor exploitation and environmental problems associated with the Maquiladora industry. One of the benefits of the Maquiladora program is 100% foreign investment of Mexican operations, which formerly was not allowed. However, Mexico†s Foreign Investment Law has changed through the years (most significantly in 1989 and 1994)-full investment is now allowed in most business ventures. Operation Without Ownership of Assets Another advantage that Maquiladoras have is that they can receive production materials and capital goods as loans from their parent and client companies. As a result, most Maquiladoras have little of no inventory of fixed assets, eliminating the need to pay the Mexican asset tax of 2% of all assets. In January 1995, the Mexican IRS reported that Maquiladoras would now have to factor the depreciation of â€Å"loaned† assets in price-transfer calculations, which is the first step toward phasing-out this advantage by 2001. When Maquiladoras are structured as cost center (providing manufacturing services for a foreign parent) the foreign corporation has traditionally paid the Mexican company for operating costs plus negligible profit. By doing this they avoid Mexico†s 34% corporate income tax, 10% mandatory profit sharing, and asset taxes. Now the Mexican IRS is changing the way Maquiladoras must declare assets. Over the next few years, Maquiladoras will be forced to raise their declared profit percentage to a rate that is comparable to that of two unrelated companies performing the same transaction at â€Å"arm†s length†. This is the type of transfer pricing procedure that is implemented by most trading blocks, like the EC. It will soon be effect throughout North America. 100% Duty-Drawback or Waivers for Temporary Imports Maquiladoras have always allowed Mexican companies 100% duty drawback or waivers in imported components that are exported as final goods. Since 1994, this has provided many Maquiladora programs a way to use non-NAFTA materials within products without the need to pay the corresponding duties over those materials when importing or exporting goods to other NAFTA nations. On January 1, 2001, Maquiladoras that manufacture goods for export to NAFTA partner countries will no longer be allowed to take the waiver. The waiver will still be available for goods that are going to non-NAFTA countries. In 1995 the NAFTA†s of Labor created the National Administrative Office (NAO) as well as the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC). Both were intended to stop labor abuses. The NOA was established to monitor labor complaints that NAFTA critic†s voice regarding unfair labor practices. The NAO can recommend â€Å"ministerial consultations† as well as imposed heavy sanctions against Mexico. Unfortunately, the side agreements proved useless. The NOA cannot force Maquiladoras to allow unions-the most they can do is recommend â€Å"ministerial consultations.† Sexual harassment and discrimination continues as well. The NAFTA has also created side agreements covering the environment. One of them is the North American Development Bank (NAD Bank). Its purpose was to finance wastewater treatment projects along the border in the poorer communities. However, the most important criteria that needed to be met in order to receive funds were meeting certain market considerations. With this program NAFTA â€Å"encouraged† growth without regard for the environment through its practice of placing market consideration above environmental protection. Another is the Commission for Economic Cooperation (CEC). The CEC was established to investigate governmental non-enforcement of environmental laws. Unfortunately it has no power to enforce ,they can only investigate-and they can†t even do that until Mexico collects the data on the pollution for them. Possible Strategy for the Maquiladora Industry As long as the Mexican currency is weaker than the US dollar I don†t think that the changes are going to dramatically effect the flow of US companies to the south. However, the Maquiladora industry cannot count on this for continued growth. By the year 2001 the Maquiladora industry as we know it now will have significantly changed when the phasing out is complete. Maquiladoras will no longer be â€Å"tax break† establishments; they will be just like other foreign investments. In order for them to fully compete in the near future they must become more efficient and leaner. The impact of globalization is forcing manufacturers to produce more rapidly and cheaply than ever before and to continuously improve. Because there will be no differentiation between the non-Maquiladora and Maquiladora industries I feel the inefficient producers will be wiped out. Therefor, Maquiladora employees will need better training, education, incentives as well improved working conditions and higher wages. Operations will also have to be streamlined in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale and scope. In addition, Mexicans as well as US citizens will start to demand more accountability from the Mexican government and the Maquiladora industry. They need to be more responsible for their actions. What will the U.S. corporations do when human rights activists and environmentalists start lobbying and protesting on their US sites? Do they want to risk losing their shareholders to this type of negative attention?

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

The Great Gatsby Displaying the Corruption of the American...

The Great Gatsby: The Corruption of the American Dream In the 1920’s many people left their countries to come to America seeking for the American dream. The American Dream meant being successful and happy. Many people started to learn that they couldn’t find that happiness without the money. In Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the characters based their lives off of wealth and materialism, forgetting what the real idea of the American dream was. Throughout the story, Daisy, Gatsby and Myrtle illustrated disillusionment of the American dream. To start off, Daisy illustrated disillusionment of the American dream throughout the story. For example, Daisy was born into a rich family, married a rich man, was reunited with her lost†¦show more content†¦Since Gatsby was poor before, he wanted to show Daisy that now he was rich. Another reason how Gatsby showed disillusionment of the American dream was bootlegging and being involved in other shady activities . He did this in order to get his money. The American dream meant earning ones money, not being involved in crime. He lied to his friends saying he went to Oxford College and was very well educated. Even though Gatsby did have a lot of money and lavish things, he never was completely content without Daisy. Lastly, Myrtle illustrated disillusionment of the American dream by switching roles whenever she would go from the Valley of Ashes to her and Tom’s condo in New York. For example, when she was on her way to the condo with Tom, she made him purchase her a puppy, â€Å"Mrs. Wilson gathered up her dog and her other purchases and walked haughtily in† (Fitzgerald 28). Myrtle acted stuck up as if she owned the place even though she was really poor. She was trying to be someone she’s not. She thought that being surrounded by such a lavish lifestyle would grant her happiness. Another reason how Myrtle demonstrated disillusionment of the American dream was her relation ship with George. 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The geography of the novel is primarily comprised of four scenes: East Egg, West Egg, the valley of the ashes, and New York City. Although all of the localities are situated in the East, Nick muses at the end of the novel that the story is, in actuality, â€Å"of the West† (Fitzgerald 176). This discovery insinuates that the materialisms of the East besmirched the characters of the West, symbolizingRead MoreAmerican Dream In The Great Gatsby1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream has various implications for diverse individuals. For some people, the concept implies that one can accomplish his or her objectives and goals through living this dream. To others, it provides a beacon of hope, as an open door that individuals desperately desire to enter in pursuit of opportunities. The Americans after World War I, boosted by the emotions of the war, had an uncontrollable vigor about accomplishing and displaying an extravagant way of life and achieving a high socialRead More The Great Gatsby Essay1109 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays American socie ty in the 1920’s after WWI has just ended, a decade of unprecedented economic prosperity. In the book, Fitzgerald critiques the loss of moral values and the degradation of American society, symbolizing it as a â€Å"valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where . . . ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke† (Fitzgerald 23). Through the characters of the book, Fitzgerald exposes the American dream from behind its dazzling veilRead MoreCompare Tom And Gatsby953 Words   |  4 Pageshis past and, in essence, recreate the buzz of a university football match, similar to Gatsby and his attempts to replicate his past with Daisy. Both men are, in their own ways, trying to duplicate past times with little success, suggesting that, contrary to Nick’s assessments of them, Tom and Gatsby are very much similar people for better or for worse. Due to Nick’s opposing characterizations of Tom and Gatsby in spite of their fundamental similarities, Nic k evaluation of one’s â€Å"greatness† provesRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1244 Words   |  5 PagesNo Cigar The American people have been graced with the ability to dream, to hold onto hope for a better future for themselves. Even in the darkest times, people grasp to the belief that anyone, no matter where one starts, could become something bigger. However, sometimes those dreams slip away as one is challenged by society and the dreamer is left on the sidelines. F.Scott Fitzgerald addresses the challenges one faces when following the American dream in his novel, The Great Gatsby. FitzgeraldRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1588 Words   |  7 Pagesthe American Dream to be corrupted by greed as well as materialism. The decline of the American Dream was a main theme highlighted throughout The Great Gatsby where Fitzgerald managed to successfully show the brittleness and superficiality the society aspired to live in. However, the passage alone is not enough to be considered as the key to the entire novel, only along with other passages are we able to see what Fitzgerald i s trying to convey to his audience in regards to the American Dream. This

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Nike Crm - 971 Words

Evaluation of Nike’s CRM programme Nike’s Rationale for implementing CRM programme In nowadays business world, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is an essential for a business strategy for every company. Our chosen company is Nike, one of the largest supplier of sportswear which include shoes and apparel. Implementation of CRM programme is a essential for every successful company. Customer Relationship Management is the core business strategy that integrates internal processes and functions and external networks, to create and deliver value to targeted customer at a profit. It is based on high quality customer-related data and enabled by information technology. (Buttle, 2009) The main reason for Nike to implement CRM programme†¦show more content†¦One of the CRM programme that implemented by Nike in order to build and maintain a relationship with their customer is the Nike Fuel enable their customer to record their progress with Nike+devices that are specially designed to enable customers get info rmation about the latest sports trend, get insights and, to communicate with Nike. Nike site also enable their customer to use the search function to search for information about the Nike’s latest. The answer is provided by the use of intelligent automate response technology. There are also several sections to provide customers with answers of Frequently Asked Question (FAQ). Through the implementation of this CRM programme, Nike is able to have an open communication line with the customers and have a better understanding of their customers. Another CRM programme implemented my Nike is Nike+Connect apps, it is a free application developed by Nike that uploads customer Nike+ data from their Nike+ devices such as Nike+ FuelBand, Nike+ Sportwatch to their nikeplus.com account. It enables customer to access the pleasure of sharing their sports experiences with their friends and the community any where anytime with their personal mobile devices. Nike also implemented Nike+ running app that enable customer to share their experience on social media such as Facebook, twitter. Last but not least, the main CRM programmeShow MoreRelatedCrm in Nike Adidas945 Words   |  4 Pages4. Analyse critically how Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can play an important role to increase profits for each of the organization. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is an information industry term for methodologies, software, and usually Internet capabilities that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. For example, an enterprise might build a database about its customers that described relationships in sufficient detail so that managementRead MoreNike Erp1185 Words   |  5 PagesNike Case Study Nike roots trace themselves back to the 1950s with University of Oregon field coach Bill Bowerman. Bowerman was always trying to find a competitive advantage for his track runners and had the idea of a lighter show. He would late team up with recent graduate Phil Knight and create the first Nike shoe, â€Å"the Swoosh†, which debuted in 1972. Through the years, Nike would continue to create innovative sports apparel, expand into new markets, and challenge the way people look at athleticsRead MoreSWOT Analysis - Multinational Companies2442 Words   |  10 Pagesrivals Hewlett-Packard). The Dell brand is one of the best known and renowned computer brands in the World. * Dell cuts out the retailer and supplies directly to the customers. It uses information technology, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) approaches to capture data on its loyal consumers. So a customer selects a generic PC model, and then adds items and upgrades until the PC is kitted out to the customers own specification. Components are made by suppliers, never by Dell. PCs areRead MoreHow Mobile Application Service Quality Affected Customer Relationship Management1586 Words   |  7 PagesChapter 6. Conclusion, Limitations, and Future Research 6.1 Conclusion This research investigated how mobile application service quality affected customer relationship management, pitching to Nike+ application in Taiwan as the research target. The background indicates that nowadays, online service plays one of the key roles of customer relationship management. With the implement of mobile device, organizations are more able to develop intimate relationship with their customers in order to enhanceRead MoreSupply Chain Management1653 Words   |  7 Pages| | | a. Availability | | | d. Accuracy | 1.5 points Question 3 1. ------------------------------------------------- Customer relationship management (CRM) activities: ------------------------------------------------- Answer | | c. Are those activities related to the implementation of a software package (CRM) aiming to manage sales to prospective customers only | | | a. Are planning and control activities that link a firm with its downstream customers | | | d. All ofRead MoreApple Inc. : An American Multinational Technology Company1213 Words   |  5 PagesBeing aware of consumer wants and needs will increase an organizations success in their competitive market. CRM Systems Apple Inc. uses CRM systems to support Sales Force Automation by forecasting their sales, order management, and product knowledge. Apple Inc. thrives to have associates who are helpful in any process the customer is in and contain a diverse knowledge of all their products. CRM system, customer service and support, is the helpfulness of Apple associates after the purchase is made. TheRead MoreNike Case Study Questions882 Words   |  4 Pages Nike Case Study Questions 1. Evaluate Nike by using the competitive forces and value chain models. Nike is one of the strongest sports brands, even though it is faced with competitors in the lines of clothing and shoe manufacturing. Nike constantly releases new products, and that keeps competitors from catching up to them. I can vouch for the quality of Nike, because I have had a pair of their shoes last me for over four years without any significant wear. Granted, the soles are worn to the pointRead MoreNike s Supply Chain Project2635 Words   |  11 PagesIntroduction Nike background Nike supplychain Nike supply chain project An erp solution gone bad Playing blame game what went wrong Nike rebound Lessons learned Conclusion References Abstract: The case provides a complete account of the failing of Supply and Demand Planning software program implementation at Nike , a leading Footwear and Apparel company . The case follows the background of supply chain and ERP software execution at Nike and exposesRead MoreNike Debate1223 Words   |  5 PagesCase:   Nike:   The Sweatshop Debate 1. Should Nike be held responsible for working conditions in foreign factories that it does not own, but where subcontractors make products for Nike? Yes, Nike is not only responsible but also accountable for the working conditions of foreign countries that it does not own. Nike should realize that it is a Global Organization and working globally does not only mean that taking advantage of low cost destination but also taking responsibility of the contractors/employeesRead MoreScm And Erp Software Implementation At Nike2828 Words   |  12 Pages SCM and ERP Software Implementation at Nike: From Failure to Success   Name: Praveen kumar reddy pandem   Rule no:10000126104    Table of contents Abstract Introduction Nike background Nike supply chain Nike supply chain project An ERP solution gone bad Playing blame game what went wrong Nike rebound Lessons learned Conclusion References Abstract: The case provides a complete account of the failing