Strategic alliances to gain global integration

Strategic alliances to gain global integration Introduction Multinational companies (MNCs) are defined as a firms with strong tangible and intangible assets, thus the capability to expand their business worldwide, with global diffusion as an important resource for competitive advantage (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1998). In the stage of going global, most companies have to deal with the pressures of both global integration and/or local responsiveness, and some choose to form a strategic alliance with a partner to achieve global integration and/or local responsiveness more easily. Global integration and Local responsiveness Global Integration Global integration pressures are the forces that make MNCs exploit worldwide resources and integrate their activities on a global basis to realize economies of scale and achieve cost reduction. Bartlett and Ghoshal (1998) summarize that the motivation of Global Integration is the need of efficiency. More specifically, the developments of advanced technologies allow companies to expand manufacture globally and achieve economies of scale, resulting in the more standardized products. Moreover, the tastes of consumers have become homogeneous worldwide. Besides, MNCs tend to have global chess strategy, using the profit generated in one market to fund operations in another. Local Responsiveness In contrast, local responsiveness requires MNCs to make strategic decisions based on local context (Roth and Morrison, 1990). According to Bartlett and Ghoshal (1998) the drivers for local responsiveness are (i) the differences in consumer tastes in different countries; (ii) the typical characteristics of the product system in host countries; (iii) the administrative costs of coordinating manufacture on a global basis; (iv) the improvements in technologies enable companies to disperse manufacture to smaller local plants with low cost; (v) the trade and legislative barriers set by local Governments. Similarly, Hill (2001) discusses that the main pressures for local responsiveness are the differences in consumer tastes and preferences; differences in infrastructure and traditional practices; in distribution channels; and host government demands. Such pressures for local responsiveness urge multinational firms to adjust their products and services to better meet the demand of indigenous people. The Integration Responsiveness Framework The I-R framework, which is initially rationalized by Lawrence and Lorsch (1967) and later developed by Doz (1980), provides an insight into how MNCs compete internationally (Johnson and Julius, 1995). Bartlett and Ghoshal (1998), Spender and Grevesen (1999) mention the I-R framework to explain different ways MNCs respond to global integration and local responsiveness based on their strategy. As in Figure 1 below, MNCs pursuing a global strategy often emphasize on global integration and coordination. In contrast, multidomestic companies (called as multinational companies in Bartlett and Ghoshal model), with most pressures coming from customizing operation towards local context, focus on local responsiveness. International companies have an emphasis in knowledge transfer, because most of value they create is from transferring valuable resources to foreign markets. For transnational companies, facing equal pressures from both integration and responsiveness, they adopt a multifocal stra tegy aiming to achieve both cost efficiency and responsiveness. However the study of Bartlett and Ghoshal (1998) was restrained at internal organizational issues. Figure 1: How MNCs respond to Global integration, Local responsiveness and Worldwide learning based on their strategy (Bartlett and Goshal, 1998) Strategic Alliances There have been several researches on strategic alliances. Holmberg and Cummings (2009) contend that strategic alliances are becoming more and more important to every company in its strategic effort to maintain competitive advantages in the global marketplace. Strategic alliances are links between two or more companies to mutually carry out a specific project by coordinating necessary resources while still preserving their autonomy (Dussauge and Garette, 1999). Wheelen and Hunger (2000, p. 125) define a strategic alliance as a partnership between two or more companies to achieve strategically important targets that are mutually beneficial. According to Elmuti and Kathawala (2001), there are four main motivations for forming strategic alliances: (i) the growth strategies of parent companies to enter to a new market; (ii) the procurement of new technology or best quality or cheapest cost; (iii) the mitigation of financial risks; and (iv) the maintenance of competitive advantage for enterprises. Nowadays in a dynamic global environment, the role of strategic alliances is even more critical to the performance of a multinational company. Robson and Dunk (1999) have generalized the three main stages to develop an alliance including: Partner selection, Venture design and Venture management. The three key stages defined are similar to those by Hill (2001). Some typical features of strategic alliances are that their operations are subject to multiple decision making, continuous bargaining and conflicts of interests (Dussauge and Garette, 1999). Therefore it is not easy to successfully manage an alliance. Bleeke and Ernst (1993) find that among 49 alliances in their research, about 67% confront troubles within the first two years. Holmberg and Cummings (2009) give examples of failed strategic alliances, mostly due to lack of rigorousness in partner selection process. It is important to know if the way alliances can create value for the firm is appropriate to the parent firms strategy. So the first thing MNCs managers should consider from partner selection stage is to identify and verify that the way strategic alliances help to expand business is in line with the overall international operation strategy of parent firms. In this paper, the ways strategic alliances help multinational companies to achieve global integration and/or local responsiveness will be examined to assess their importance to the partner companies in relation to the partner companies strategy. Evaluating the ways strategic alliances allow multinational companies to achieve Global integration and Local responsiveness. There have been approaches to classify the ways that a strategic alliance cooperates to expand the business of parent companies. For example, Todeva and Knoke (2005) have listed 18 typical ways that strategic alliances can support multinational companies. This paper will approach the classification of Dussauge and Bernard (1999) because the systematized typology helps to provide a more comprehensive understanding on how strategic alliances allow MNCs to achieve integration and responsiveness. Alliances between non-competing companies International expansion joint ventures International expansion joint ventures (JVs) are established with a foreign partner aiming to penetrate into a new geographic market. One partner (the MNC) often seeks for market penetration, while the other (the local partner) has wide knowledge on local market thus can provide more easy market access. For example, in 1998, Yamaha Motor, the premier Japanese motorcycle manufacturer, together with Vietnam Forest Corporation, a state-owned corporation in forestry and Hong Leong Industries from Malaysia established a joint venture named Yamaha Motor Vietnam Ltd., providing motor cycles in Vietnam market (Yamaha Motor). The state-owned corporation has understanding about the market as well as necessary relations to the authority, combined with the expertise in manufacturing of Yamaha Motor, created a viable basis for the JV to thrive in Vietnam. This model is beneficial for both local government and the foreign MNC. For local government, equity sharing in JVs makes the MNCs more responsible and interested in the success of the JV. For the MNC, the local partner may provide the privilege access and political connections supporting effective market penetration. However this type of JV may result in the conflicts of benefits between the MNC and local partner. In many cases the JV is only one part of the total network of the MNC, so the MNC may have detrimental decision to the JVs performance. International expansion JV is rarely the first choice of MNCs managers since they prefer wholly owned subsidiary. However it is still common practice for MNCs when shifting business beyond borders (Dussauge and Bernard, 1999). International expansion JVs are common for MNCs facing great local responsiveness pressure (i.e. multidomestic and transnational companies), because it seeks solutions to overcome the legislative barrier and complexities of local market. In other words, it helps the MNCs to tailor their operation to fit local context. Vertical partnerships Vertical partnerships bring about cooperation opportunities for two companies at different successive stages of the production process. Normally, one partner may become a supplier or customer of the other. For example, Heinz, a global US food company is the supplier of many food products for ASDA in UK. That enables ASDA to fully deploy the resources of Heinz. However there are also shortcomings in this model. Since there is no bidding process, the opportunities to find the most cost-effective supplier are limited. As a result, the buyer tends to become dependent on the supplier. Although this model delivers mutual understanding, there are still potential conflicts of benefits (Dussauge and Bernard, 1999). Vertical partnerships relate to a strategic issue that MNC managers often deal with to increase efficiency: make or buy, or cooperate decision. MNCs choose to outsource when the cost to produce by their own is higher than the cost to outsource to a strategic partner. Consequently vertical partnerships are often exploited by MNCs facing high pressures from cost reduction (global and transnational companies). That model may help the MNC to maximize economies of scale and achieve global integration. Cross-industry agreements Cross-industry agreements are cooperation between two companies in different industries with a view to create a brand new business to diversify their operation, by taking advantage of the partners resources. For example, in 2001, Sony Corporation a Japanese electric equipment producer, and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson a provider of telecommunication equipment and services from Sweden established a 50:50 joint venture, Sony Ericsson. The JV has become a world-class mobile-phone manufacturer (Sony Ericsson). Nonetheless the drawback of cross-industry agreements is that they often post small profit margin, because most of the cases, the level of convergence of the two initial businesses is more moderate than expected. Besides, this model requires a high level of compatibility of the resources contributed by the two parties; and the new business developed must have a clear marketing strategy to become successful. Lastly, successful alliances can impose threats of new competitors if one ally obtains key skills/resources of the other (Dussauge and Bernard, 1999). Based on above characteristics, it can be inferred that cross-industry agreements support MNC to achieve global integration while looking for combining abroad complementary resources to reduce cost of the new business. It is also discussed that cross-industry agreements help to achieve local responsiveness, in case a MNC cooperates with a local company to introduce a brand new products to that specific local market. Alliances between competitors Shared-supply alliances Shared-supply alliances are the form of JV cooperation between competitors sharing similar resources to produce a certain product that is specific to each partner. Shared-supply alliances allow the partners to realize economies of scale, since they will not be able to reach an efficient scale if they produce individually. For example, BMW teamed up with Mercedes to produce a design of a front-wheel-drive-car. The new shared platform allowed BMW to expand the Mini range model more flexibly, while providing Mercedes more conventional and cost-effective measures to launch a substitution for the A- and B-class designs (Autocar, 2007). It is argued that shared-supply alliance is not the only choice for MNC managers, because the target of cost reduction can be solved by traditional method of outsourcing. Firms should only opt for shared-supply alliances once they have other strategic targets other than cost reduction. Moreover, cooperating with competitors to produce similar components may lead undifferentiated products and loosing competitive advantage. Besides, the budget for shared-supply alliances may limit other budgets for necessary activities in the MNCs thus hinder further improvements (Dussauge and Bernard, 1999). Shared-supply alliances can be suitable for MNCs suffering from cost pressure (global and transnational companies). However MNCs should consider carefully before establishing shared-supply alliances because of the potential conflicts. MNCs should consider other strategic benefits other than sole cost efficiency, e.g. exploiting the partners manufacturing experience in local countries. Consequently this model, in case prudently chosen after considering all pros and cons, may be a good choice for transnational companies who have to balance integration and responsiveness. Quasi-concentration alliances This type of alliance allows two competitors to manufacture and market a common product. The partners objective is to realize economies of scale on the product, while their autonomy is still preserved, since the risk of acquisition is avoided. Quasi-concentration alliance is most common in airline industry, e.g. the cooperation between Sud-Aviation in France and British Aircraft Corporation in the UK to form Concorde in 1962 (Heritage Concorde). The advantage of this model is that the partners will not have to compete against each other on that common product. However, Quasi-concentration model may result in the competition between the common product and partner companies products. Additionally, the model may cause the risks of leaking the core technologies to the competitors. Lastly, in case the partners decide to establish a JV to coordinate all the functions of the alliance, there is a risk of losing control over the JV and converting the parent companies in to mere shareholders (Dussauge and Bernard, 1999). Quasi-concentration alliances, with its initial objective of cost reduction, are appropriate for achieving global integration, hence global and/or multinational companies. Complementary alliances In this case the alliance allows partner companies to contribute different assets and resources to executing the cooperative project. For example a firm distributes a rivals product in domestic market. FPT, one of the largest information technology companies in Vietnam went into partnership with Dell to distribute Dells computers and other products in Vietnam market (FPT, 2008). FPT looks for Dells expertise in computer production, while Dell needs FPTs knowledge on local market and distribution network. The advantage of the model is that complementary alliances avoid direct competition between rivals. The alliance also brings about the opportunity to acquire new skills from the partner. However the potential competition between allies does not totally disappear (Dussauge and Bernard, 1999). Complementary alliances may help the partner to achieve local responsiveness because normally the local partner provides the knowledge on how to market the product in local marketplace. However in highly competitive industries, such alliances enable the MNC to focus in its core profession, rather than setting budget for establishing a local distribution network. From that perspective, complementary alliances are also good for global integration. Implications for MNCs For MNCs pursuing a global strategy, the partners in the alliance tend to be highly integrated to the network and operation of the MNCs. The partners are meant to conduct the chosen global strategy of the MNCs (Vapola et al., 2010). From the analysis above it can be inferred that global companies may deploy vertical partnership and quasi-concentration alliances. Multidomestic companies often prefer to have diversified partners, of which each of them is best suited to a particular function in a specific location. In an effort to customize their products towards local demands, multidomestic companies often differentiate their operations in each footprint countries by selecting the most compatible model and partner to form alliance in that nation. Therefore international expansion JVs and complementary alliances are most suitable models for a multidomestic partner. For transnational companies, the alliances are diversified with differentiated contributions, from sensing and exploiting opportunities from local level, to occupying certain roles in the exploitation of the value chain. Each of these partners may possess different partnership needs. So MNC should utilize different types of alliances simultaneously after considering all advantages and disadvantages (Vapola et al., 2010). In the case of international companies, the key issue is knowledge transfer with partners. The MNCs will success if they can transfer their key competencies and knowledge to foreign markets, especially tacit knowledge which is more difficult to codify and transfer than explicit knowledge. On the other hand, this may lead to a conflict with the need for confidentiality of information. Therefore based on their detailed strategy, international companies can consider any suitable type of alliance, but should be extremely prudent with cross-industry agreements and quasi-concentration alliance, since those types of alliances may lead to serious conflicts in knowledge transfer. Another content common to all types of alliances, is the control problem. Control is a critical issue especially in groups of alliances between competitors, since these groups of partner are more sensitive to conflict. In order to successfully manage an alliance, MNCs should focus on control, combining effectively all level of control from personal centralised control, bureaucratic formalised control, output control, to control by socialisation. Those measures are to assure the alliance operates in line with the MNCs original strategy. The cost of control may be high especially for transnational companies who have to deal with all kinds of alliances to achieve both integration and responsiveness. So transnational companies should be prudent in applying control policy with alliance, to avoid the risk that an increase in cost of control could erode profit. Conclusion There is a trend that MNCs are facing increasing pressures from both global integration and local responsiveness equally. No MNC pursuing pure integration or pure responsiveness strategy can become totally successful in the global arena. As a result, achieving the balance between global efficiency and local responsiveness has become an essential issue with most MNCs (Paik and Sohn, 2004), (Girod et al., 2010). Bartlett and Ghoshal (1998) assert that companies must become more globally competitive and, at the same time, more sensitive and responsive to national conditions. MNCs should flexibly choose the way to cooperate with strategic alliance on a case-by-case basis to achieve their specific target for a specific market. From the analysis above we can see that each way of cooperation in alliance has its own advantages and disadvantages. There is neither best model of strategic alliance nor idealistic coordination that leads to optimal performance for all MNCs. Each MNC, based on its own strategy, needs to consider all pros and cons of possible types of strategic alliance before making alliance decision, in order to achieve global integration and/or local responsiveness hence their business plan and strategy. In other words, companies should be clear about why they are entering the alliance and what they expect to gain from it. They also need to understand how it fits into their business plan. (Elmuti and Kathawala, 2001). BIBLIOGRAPHY Autocar (2007) BMW and Mercedes team up to think small. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25th March 2011] Bartlett, C. A. Ghoshal, S. (1998) Managing across borders the transnational solution. 2nd ed. Boston: Havard Business School Press. Bleeke, J. Ernst, D. (1993) Collaborating to compete using strategic alliances and acquisitions in the global marketplace. New York: John Wiley. Doz, Y. L. (1980) Strategic management in multinational companies. Sloan Management Review (pre-1986),21, (2) pp. 27 46. Dussauge, P. Garrette, B. (1999) Cooperative strategy Competing successfully through strategic alliances. Chichester: John Wiley. Elmuti, D., Kathawala, Y. (2001) An overview of strategic alliances. Management Decision, 39, (3) pp. 205 218. FPT (2008) FPT Distribution Dells authorized reseller in Vietnam [online] Available at: [Accessed 25th March 2011] Girod, S., Bellin, J. B. Ranjan, K. S. (2010) Operating models for a multipolar world: balancing global integration and local responsiveness. Journal of Business Strategy, 31, (6) pp. 22 27. Harzing, A. W. (2000) An empirical analysis and extension of the Bartlett and Ghoshal typology of multinational companies. Journal of International Business Studies, 31, (1) pp. 101 120. Heritage Concorde. 1962 Concorde Treaty. Anglo French Agreement. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25th March 2011] Hill, C. W. L. (2001) International Business Competing in the global marketplace. 3rd ed. New York: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Holmberg, S. R. Cummings, J. L. (2009) Building Successful Strategic Alliances: Strategic Process and Analytical Tool for Selecting Partner Industries and Firms. Long Range Planning, 42, (2) pp. 164 193. Johnson, Jr. Julius, H. (1995) An Empirical Analysis of the Integration-Responsiveness Framework: U.S. Construction Equipment Industry Firms in Global Competition. Journal of International Business Studies, 26, (3) pp. 621 635. Lawrence, P. R. Lorsch, J. W. (1967) Organization and environment: managing differentiation and integration. Boston: Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University. Paik, Y. Sohn, J. H. D. (2004) Striking a balance between global integration and local responsiveness: the case of Toshiba Corporation in redefining regional headquarters role. Organizational Analysis; 12, (4) pp. 347 359. Robson, M. J. Dunk, M. A. J. (1999). Developing a pan-European co-marketing alliance: the case of BP-Mobil. International Marketing Review, 16, (3) pp. 216 230. Roth, K. Morrison, A. J. (1990) An empirical analysis of the integration-responsiveness framework in global industries. Journal of International Business Studies, 21, (4) pp. 541 564. Sony Ericsson. Mission and Profile. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25th March 2011] Spender, J. C. Grevesen, W. (1999) The multinational enterprise as a loosely coupled system: the global integration local responsiveness dilemma. Managerial Finance, 25, (2) pp. 63 84. Todeva, E., Knoke, D. (2005) Strategic alliances and models of collaboration. Management Decision, 43, (1), pp. 123 148. Vapola, T. J., Paukku, M. Gabrielsson, M. (2010) Portfolio management of strategic alliances: An international business perspective. International Business Review, 19, (3) pp. 247 260. Wheelen, T. L., Hunger, J. D. (2000) Strategic management and business policy: entering 21st century global society. 7th ed. London: Prentice Hall. Yamaha Motor Japan. Asia and Oceania group companies [online] Available at: [Accessed 25th March 2011] PART 2: REFLECTION Word count: 1,431 words Description The International Business Strategy module is contained in the MSc Accounting (Financial services) course which I am attending. The module provides an insight into the strategies of multinational companies (MNC) i.e. international strategy, global strategy, multidomestic strategy and transnational strategy. Based on that basic knowledge, implications for organizational structure, control, knowledge transfer, modes of entry, strategic alliances and internationalization of SMEs are introduced. General evaluation The module has provided me knowledge that is both old and new to me. From undergraduate program in my home country I have studied about globalization, key drivers and how globalization affects international trade. However in this module I found more insights into how globalization affects the formation and development of multinational companies. The theories are really necessary and helpful to understand the real business world, and the way multinational companies are actually formed, structured, managed and developed. The knowledge on globalization and MNCs are systematized and in line with current academic and empirical understanding about international business. However, I believe the knowledge would be absorbed more quickly if more methods of studying are combined, for example group presentations or debates. Analysis I chose to write my assignment with topic 1: Evaluate the ways strategic alliances allow multinational company to achieve global integration and local responsiveness, since I realize this is the increasing trend in international cooperation. I have found a lot of academic literature on the field that I chose. There are a lot of useful information about strategies, Integration Responsiveness framework and strategic alliances. Among those academic literatures, I found the book by Hill (2001) International business Competing on the global marketplace very useful for understanding about the strategy typology of multinational companies. Although prior to Hill (2001) there have been several relevant researches on multinational companies strategy typology, the book still provides comprehensive and detailed description about the four type of strategies adopted by multinational companies, the stages to establish a strategic alliance, and the pros and cons of each strategy. I continued to read about Integration Responsiveness Framework and found the work of Roth and Morrison (1990) helpful to understand about the key concepts of I R Framework, the relationships with strategies and limitations of I R framework. The illustrations and explanation of Bartlett and Goshal (1998) are also fundamental to explain the relationships between I -R Framework and strategies. Although I did not use all the information I read for my assignments due to irrelevance, those are what I am going to bear in mind about the I R Framework in the time to come. For strategic alliances, the book by Dussauge and Garrette (1999) is very useful for the typology of strategic alliances and the advantages/disadvantages of each type of alliance. I made much reference to that book in my assignments due to the systematized typology of alliance and the in-depth analysis the book provides. Besides, the journal of Vapola et al. (2010) gives a systematic approach to analyze portfolio management of strategic alliances based on multinational companies strategy, which I find very useful and made citations in my work. Besides, I also study about other significant issues relating to multinational companies i.e. the structure of international business, control, knowledge transfer, modes of entry and the internationalization of SMEs. I did read a number of books and journals and managed to link relevant contents together. I have also made some inference to other fields of multinational companies like control and knowledge transfer, to have a more objective and broad view of the role of strategic alliances. However I think the links to control and knowledge transfer are not salient in this assignment, because of time and length constraint and especially the fear of deviating from the main topic. Conclusion Theories about I R Framework and its relation to the four strategies of multinational companies are very pragmatic and useful to understand the actual pressures faced by most multinational companies in the global marketplace. Those theories also provide a rationale of how multinational companies respond to global integration and local responsiveness, which helps me to perceive the business world in a more practical and systematic way. Theories about strategic alliances allow me to understand the most common ways that strategic alliances support the partners to achieve their strategic targets. There are 6 typical ways namely international expansion joint ventures, vertical partnerships, cross industry agreements, shared supply alliances, quasi concentration alliances and complementary alliances. I also understand the pros and cons of each type of alliances. I am now able to explain why a multinational company choose to cooperate with non-competitors or competitors, based on their strategy and nature of business. Implications for other concepts i.e. control and knowledge transfer are also inferred in the assignment, therefore a more objective view of MNC operation and its strategic alliances is provided. What has been drawn out from the assignment is that each multinational company, before deciding to cooperate in a strategic alliance, should consider all possible proposals, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal to judge if the type of alliance helps them achieve global integration and/or local responsiveness in the most effective way. From my perspective, I realize some kinds of strategic alliances are extremely common between developed and developing countries e.g. international expansion joint ventures or complementary alliances. Such knowledge may be useful when I come back to Vietnam and continue my job at an investment bank facilitating international trade and investments. It will be easier for me to fully understand the nature of transactions of MNC customers. I may work out the best solution to serve financial needs for MNC customers. For example, for some important MNC customers, I may propose to apply a more flexible cut-off time for their transactions, because their transactions are, by nature, often between nations in different time zones. Moreover, I may propose to apply a more competitive pricing for transactions between multinational companies and their alliances and/or subsidiaries. The reason is that when two partners contribute resources to a certain alliance project, the transactions for material purchasing, infrastructure costs, personnel mobilization tend to be frequent and of large amount, at least in the short term, which can deliver relatively high non-interest income for the bank. Besides, the business consultant services for institutional customers could be improved when the bank understand the needs of a MNC customer coming into a new developing market and seeking for a potential partner to set up a strategic alliance. The most important learning technique I studied is how to link together different fields of knowledge, in the case of th

Father-son Relationships and Conflicts in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death Salesman essays

Father-son Relationships and Conflicts in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman In many literary works, family relationships are the key to the plot. Through a family’s interaction with one another, the reader is able decipher the conflicts of the story. Within a literary family, various characters play different roles in each other’s lives. These are usually people that are emotionally and physically connected in one way or another. They can be brother and sister, mother and daughter, or in this case, father and son. In the Arthur Miller’s novel, Death of A Salesman, the interaction between Willy Loman and his sons, Happy and Biff, allows Miller to comment on father-son relationships and the conflicts that arise from them. Â  During most father-son relationships, there are certain times where the father wants to become more of a "player" in his son’s life than his son believes is necessary. The reasons for this are numerous and can be demonstrated in different ways. Miller is able to give an example of this behavior through the actions of Willy Loman. When Biff comes home to recollect himself, Willy perceives it as failure. Since Willy desperately wants his oldest son, Biff, to succeed in every way possible, he tries to take matters into his own hands. "I’ll get him a job selling. He could be big in no time" (16). The reason that Biff came home is to find out what he wants in life. Because Willy gets in the way, matters become more complicated. Partly due to Willy’s persistence in Biff’s life, they have conflicting ideas as to what the American dream is. Willy believes that working on the road by selling is the greatest job a man could have (81). Biff, however, feels the mo st inspiring job a man could have is working outdoors (22). When their two dreams collide, it becomes frustrating to Willy because he believes that his way is the right way. If a father becomes too involved in his son’s life, Miller believes friction will be the resultant factor. As unfortunate as it is, there are many instances where a father favors one son over another, which leads to social conflicts within the less-favored son. In most cases it is the oldest son that is being favored while the younger son is ignored. Usually the father doesn’t even realize what is happening. He simply gets too caught up in the successes of his eldest son and he may even try to live out his life through his son’s experiences.

Fundamentals of Nevada History

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Essay about Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Organizational behavior is the behavior of individuals, either one or a group. It is not the behavior of an organization, but rather the behavior of the people in an organization. This can be anywhere from a family at home to a church to a work group within a company. Some of the challenges that make behaviors challenging in today’s workplace are high performance, ethical behavior, productivity improvement, technology utilization, quality, diversity, work-life balance, and the global economy, (Schermerhorn, 2003, P. 1). Starting with Garrett through the many merges and acquisitions to Honeywell, we have gone from the good ol boy behavior to a global corporation that for the most part†¦show more content†¦Today’s workforce is forever changing and more importance is put on the managing of a diverse work group. Thinking of it as each person in a spur on a gear and each person is different by the above definition. The gears most align and blend to make the organization move forward, (Schermerhorn, 2003, P. 1). Within my department we are not as diverse as other areas but we do have individuals of different age, sex and race. We were a male oriented department until recently and we have had to make adjustments to our behaviors with the addition of a female employee. She was very quickly accepted into our department very quickly. Even though we have people of different races and backgrounds we have never had an ethnicity issue. What may be a problem with our building is the age average age of employees. When I started with Honeywell in 1990 our average age was 32, now it is 49 years old. What has caused this is the many slow downs in the aerospace industry and each time there is a reduction it is the less senior people leaving. We are developing an age problem of older people ready to retire and losing the skills they take with them. Communication is the transfer of information in either a written or verbal form or by pictures. Managers spend a lot of time receiving different kinds of communication and analyzing the information and then passing forward the necessary information to others. This can be done either informally or in a formal setting.Show MoreRelatedOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concept779 Words   |  4 PagesOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concept When small business owners start the concept of what type of business one would like to own, an array of critical thinking starts and a business owner has to consider questions that will make or break his or her success. Owners, who pay attention to the current rise and fall of stock for his or her chosen business, will have the upper hand against competitors. 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By gaining and understanding this knowledge each employee should be able to realize how their individual actions contribute to the big picture of the company. In order to understand this there are some key concepts and terminology that must be explained to make the learning process more manageable. Organizational Behavior What is organizational behavior? AccordingRead MoreOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper850 Words   |  4 PagesOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper The following essay will be described the organizational behavior terminology and concepts applied in the organization. The following topics will be presented: Organization culture as internal and external environment of control. Diversity as of individual differences based on gender, race and ethnicity, age, disabilities, and sexual orientation. 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Organizational behavior, organizational culture, diversity, communication, business ethics, and change management are all factorsRead MoreOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Essay4868 Words   |  20 PagesOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Organizational behavior In today’s challenges at work and an organization has become more than just a place where eight hours of a day is spent, but a place where behavior is a major contribution to the success behavior and what it means and the effects on the climate of an organization. of a company. In this paper we will discuss organizational â€Å"Organizational behavior is the study of human behavior in organizations. It is an academic disciplineRead More Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Essay729 Words   |  3 Pages Organizational Behavior Organizations have been described as groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose. This definition clearly indicates that organizations are not buildings or pieces of machinery. Organizations are, indeed, people who interact to accomplish shared objectives. The study of organizational behavior (OB) and its affiliated subjects helps us understand what people think, feel and do in organizational settings. For managers and, realistically, all employees, this

The Awakening, By Kate Chopin - 887 Words

Feminism has been a term used by many authors and writers for centuries, symbolizing women being able to use freedom the way they want to, not the way others want them to use it. Edna Pontellier, the main character in Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening, experiences an â€Å"awakening† in her life, where she discovers her position in the universe and goes in this direction instead of what others like her husband Leonce tell her to take, similar to the style of feminism. â€Å"In short, Mrs. Pontellier was beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her,† (pg. 14). Chopin’s novel, published in 1899, received criticism and controversy because of its fashion of how it pictured feminism, especially with Edna taking her own life after learning she has no purpose in the world and wishes to cease existing. The Awakening uses symbols to express feminism in Edna†™s eyes, such as birds, which represent Edna feeling caged in rather than being free, and the ocean, which depicts escape from reality, where Edna drowns herself. In the days of the late 1800s and the early 1900s, women started to acquire a taste for feminism. Just because the men said women were not able to be involved in business did not mean women could not do the same things the men could do, they wanted a chance to be equal to men. Leonce Pontellier says to his wife Edna that she cannot do the same things as him due to her being aShow MoreRelatedThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1479 Words   |  6 PagesKate Chopin’s controversial novel, The Awakening, ignited turmoil because of her blatant disregard of the established 19th century perspective of women upholding strictly maternal and matrimonial responsibilities. Edna’s candid exploration of the restrictions on women through her liberal behavior in a conservative Victorian society makes her a literary symbol for feminist ideals. Despite denunciation from other people, Edna chooses individuality over conformity through her veering from traditionalRead MoreThe Awakening by Kate C hopin1102 Words   |  5 Pagesveracity of this quote as both find their independence by boldly exceeding the norm. Their stories were fashioned during a period of great change and both characters are hallmarks of the hope and power women were unearthing at the time. The Awakening by Kate Chopin and Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy are novels concerned with the transformation of women’s roles in society. Their protagonists, Tess and Edna, are not outright feminists, but they are acutely aware of the limitations imposed uponRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1919 Words   |  8 PagesIn the novel, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, we see how much of an importance the men in Edna’s life serve as a purpose to her awakening. Chopin is known to write stories about women who are unsatisfied with their lives while living in a life that is dominated by men. Other than Edna, the main men characters are typical men of the late 19th century era. Chopin shows how these three men are diverse from one another. The Creole men are Là ©once Pontellier, Edna’s husband, Robert, Edna’s mystery man numberRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin901 Words   |  4 Pagescandidly. Kate Chopin is honorably amongst this group of authors. Her works divinely portrayed the culture of New Orleans and the lives of Louisiana s Creole and Cajun residents. 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Dissatisfaction with theRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1193 Words   |  5 PagesDavian Hart The Awakening By: Kate Chopin AP Literature Topic 3 Hart 1 Over the course of time the male species has always been the gender to attain the more favorable conditions. Numerous cultures heed to the belief that the man is the provider and head of his family. This machismo nature can condition the mind to believe that a man should feel superior to a woman. The continuous cycle of male superiority flows down from father to son subconsciously. Do to this unceasingRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1427 Words   |  6 Pagessuffering an imposition (Moderata). Throughout history, the inherent inferiority of women to men has often been cited as a way to deter women from becoming an individual and pursuing more in life. This notion is a prevalent issue in The Awakening by Kate Chopin; in which Edna fights to live her own way and is ultimately unable to survive in the cage of society. Not only has this supposed inferiority effected women for generations, but it has created inequality in our society today; especially inRead MoreThe Awakening By Ka te Chopin1633 Words   |  7 Pages1. Title of text (underline novels/plays) author’s name The Awakening by Kate Chopin 2. Characterization Character Development (a) 1.Edna Pontellier- Edna is the main character of the novel who is married to a businessman. Edna is a dynamic character because at the beginning of the novel, she conforms to society by being the â€Å"perfect† mother and wife; however, Edna suddenly realizes that she is no longer happy with the way she was living her life and began to become independent only for herRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin915 Words   |  4 PagesMany of Kate Chopin’s writings are trademarked by her unique, deliberate word choices. Chopin uses phrases that do not make sense and seem to contradict themselves to get across a point. In two of her stories, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and â€Å"The Awakening,† Chopin’s word usage highlights the idea of self-discovery. â€Å"The Awakening† and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† share similar themes. â€Å"The Awakening† is the story of a woman in the late 1800s discovering her apathy for her traditional female role as a wifeRead MoreThe Awakening, by Kate Chopin785 Words   |  4 Pages The Awakening is set in 1899, a time when the Industrial Revolution and the womens movement were just beginning , conversely, still overshadowed by the attitudes of society in the 19th century. Kate Chopins idea that a woman’s needs were important was somewhat radical, especially since women were not considered to be independent, and women’s rights were still being fought for. Ednas major conflict is her need for independence and personal fulfillment while still trying to conform to her traditional

Factors Influencing Customers

Question: Discss about the Factors Influencing Consumers to buying Qoo10 Online in Singapore. Answer: Factors influencing consumers to buying online in Singapore Qoo10 is a company which is formed by joint venture with eBay. It is the largest online market place. It provides online shopping facility. Online shopping behavior is a process in which products and services are offered with the help of internet (Qoo10, 2017). The factors which influence the customers of Singapore in shopping online are as follows: Price Outcome of comparison for infinite choice Price is one of the considerable factors of 4Ps of marketing mix. It is the net amount which needs to be paid by the customer for the benefits to be received from the goods and services (Shrestha, 2016). Price is one of the factors that need to be considered by the customers in case of online purchasing. Furthermore, price is the only factor that leads to generation of income to the company. Customers of Singapore usually prefer online purchasing because of ease in comparison of prices; it helps the consumer in selection of cheaper price. It has been observed that the Singapore customers usually purchases those products and services which are cost effective. However besides cost effectiveness, it is also observed that in Singapore women are more price sensitive as compare to men, while men focus on faster and convenient shopping. When prices are compared on online sites with competitors it affects the purchases of the particular goods and services (Bhasin, 2016). According to the giv en paper, a company must focus on creating customers value by making changes in prices. Singapore customers usually prefer low prices, but in case of low prices set by the company, it can made effect to its perceived value in the minds of the consumer. Low cost can lead to deterioration in quality for the business. Hence to make an effective price strategy the company must set its prices while considering the perceived image of the product or service in the minds of the consumer. It is perceived by the customer that online seller would have lesser cost in comparison to the retailers which are selling their products and services offline. This is due to involvement of warehousing facility, overhead cost, repair and maintenance charges, and rent of the building at offline marketing in traditional marketing. The involvement of these factors in traditional marketing makes the product and services costly. However there are many other charges too which makes changes in the prices of the pr oduct. This is the reason of the consumer opting for online shopping. The customer gets price advantage; besides this he can also compare the prices of the similar product or services at one place only (Charlon, 2015). According to survey conducted by Ernst and Young in 2000, it is the advantage of competitive pricing in case of online buying which influences the customer to shop online. The customer wish to purchase his/her desired product or services at cheaper price but at the same time it is also expected by the customer that the product or service must perceive the desired quality (Hinz, 2016). Convenience Due to evolvement of internet technology, vast changes have been done in online shopping. Internet technology has made possible for the customer to get the full information regarding the desired product or services at one place only, as he do not have to roam around, to find out the best price and quality. This has leaded an advantage to the customers in terms of convenience. It is analyzed that customer is influenced for online shopping because of ease of getting the desired information is a very less time (Freygang, 2016). This saves a lot of time of customers. This is the reason why traditional buying has been reduced in a drastic quantity. It is also analyzed that in case of online buying, price and convenience factor attached to product and services influences the most consumer behavior. In case of online buying, to create convenience for the customer, it is necessary to provide all the required information in the customer local language. If the information would be provided in other language than of customers it would be of no use for customers (Sevim, Hall, 2014). It is observed by the consumer behavior that the customer would find ease to buy online if he/she would get the desired product or services at desired prices, in a less time and with too availability of important information. The customer is highly influenced for shopping online due to convenience factor involved. This is highly suitable for the consumers, who do not have time to search around the various alternatives of his/her desired product or services. It is also analyzed that in comparison to shopping done by men and women, as women wants the desired product or services at lesser price, men wants their desired product or services at faster and convenient mode. Customer influences for buying online because of simplicity and convenience factors involved in it (Nielson, 2016). Furthermore, in online buying customers can buy the desired product or services at any time. Virtual market allows the customers to shop online from their home or office. Besides this, it also provides convenience as they do not need to unnecessary bargain for setting the price of the product at desired level. Online buying is convenient for both customers and business man. This is because customers can indulge into buying its desired products and services by sitting at a couch (Boswell, 2016). Trust In case of online buying, trust means the willingness of customers for the other party that the other party would perform the actions and services in the desired manner as customer wants. Trust and security are considered as most considerable factors in buying online. There is a positive relationship between trust in the online site and intention to purchase. This can be understand as, if the customers of Singapore would have trust in their online site like Qoo10, they would be more likely to purchase the goods and services offered by them (Ipood, 2013). Here trust indicates the level of involvement of perceived risk in the online buying. Hence the online website must find out the measures and try to change them so to increase the level of trust of the consumer and increase sales (Live mint, 2017). Though the customer get the desired price and availability of vast information regarding its uses, special features, comparison with other products, but it does not lays any trust factor i n the minds of the consumer. If the information is provided at local site it would be considered as less important as in comparison to information provided at authorized site like Qoo10. Besides this, the rating and reviews are not to be considered as good source of information. The online buying not influences the customer, because the customer has a fear of trust and security. Customer trust can be increased for the site by providing superior quality at justified price. It has been observed that if the people have trust in the online website, then only they would like to purchase the product. Hence trust in the online sites can be said as barrier in shopping online. In case of customers of Singapore, they would like to purchase from the recognized online site such as Qoo10, as it is a joint venture done by E-bay, which is also a reputed company (Shopping trends). Trust can be considered as risk taking behavior of the customer in the functioning of online website. The more the risk , lesser would be intentions to purchase of the products and services from that site. Trust of the consumers in case of the website can be increased by reputation, size, quality offering, reviews and perceived quality of the products and services in the minds of customer (Lim, Osman, Salahuddin, Romle, Abdullah, 2016). Consumer reviews or experiences affecting buying decision In todays era, mouth publicity has been replaced by reviews which are provided on online websites. While doing online shopping, the consumers usually expects similar prices as of other online shops. Besides form trust in the respective site, the website must have more positive reviews with it. In this, whenever consumer wants to purchase the desired product or services, he/she firstly check out the reviews and recommendations (if provided) on the website (Oritsematosan Ediwn, 2014). If there are some positive reviews then only customer would feel motivated to purchase the goods or services from the respective site. Consumers do not compare the prices between retail outlets and online shops. However consumers usually expect the prices at online shops as lower in comparison of traditional shops. This is so, because of lack of overhead cost to be incurred in case of retail outlets. It has been estimated that, in today era in Singapore, 90% of the consumers analyses the feedback and rev iew of the product and services before purchasing it. Customer gives preference to online recommendations and reviews because they perceive this as the personal recommendation from other customers which have already used the product or services (Nazir, Tayyab, Sajid, Rashid Javed, 2012). Besides this, approximately 31% of the consumers rely on the company which has excellent reviews about its product and services. According to the consumers who prefer online shopping, positive reviews work like a promotion for the company. This means that if a company has positive reviews then there are more chances of the customers to buy its product and services. Approximately 72% of the consumers make decision for purchases just after analyzing the positive reviews about the company. Consumers do not like to take the risk of purchasing the product or services of the company, which has negative reviews. It has been observed that increase in one star of a company can lead to increase in revenue by 5 to 9%, whereas a negative review regarding the company product can lead to loss of 30% of the customers. The reviews and ratings provided by the customer are not being considered as a good source of provider of information. This is because, of biasness involved in the customer ratings and reviews. There are positive relationship between the reviews and experiences of the customer and intention to purchase the product. The more positive reviews would be held by the company, more customers would be contained by the website. Rating done by the consumer regarding the online website will increase the brand image in the minds of consumer and would more influence the buying decision. Ratings can be done in two ways i.e. positive and negative. Is there is a positive rating the website should promote this on social sites, but if the customer has provided negative referencing, it should be taken as a opportunity for the consumers and the management of the respective website should make som e changes to reduce further negative reviews from the customers (Rudolph, 2015). Measurement of online shopping consumer reviews and feedback Measuring the reviews and feedback of the customer in case of online shopping is a qualitative concept. It is a very complex process as it totally depends upon the customer. It might possible that the customer is highly satisfied by the company product, but does not provide rating or provide a negative rating. While in case, when the customer is not satisfied by the company product and services, but still he provides a five star rating. Hence it can be said that providing feedback and ratings for the company offering are biased from the customer. This makes the measurement of reviews and feedback complex for the company. Besides this one of the major point need to be considered while measuring the feedback and reviews is that, majorly rating providing sites are not organized and sometimes they are not true also. Apart from this, there are a large number of reviews, and sometimes are very informative in nature. Hence it is said while measuring the reviews and feedback, the reviewer mi ght face a difficulty in reviewing all the reviews and feedback. There are no specific measures to quantify the online shopping reviews and feedback (Sam Sharma, 2015). There are not any key tools or method from which the reviews and feedback given by the customer can be measured. However it can be measured by applying some electronic meters such as scanners that would measure the purchases made by the customer. Besides this, by measuring the activities and engagement of each and every consumer from the TV, Smartphone, or any other gadget the reviews and feedback can be measured. Consumer buying decision Consumer buying decision is a complex process. This is due to invention of internet technology and availability of huge information. This involves stages starting from problem recognition to after purchase activities. Consumer makes purchasing decision on the basis of personal, situational, social and psychological factors. The consumer buying depends upon a lot of factors besides above stated factors such as: reviews of the product, comparing the product or the services with other companies. Besides this consumer do a lot of analyses over the product and services of the company by its online rating, recommendations. Hence the customer feels difficulty in analyzing the texture, unable to touch the product. It makes the consumer decision making very complex. Furthermore, in case of online shopping, the consumer has a lot of choices. Consumer makes purchasing decision on the basis of analysis over the quality of website design of the company, perceived trust, perceived convenience, and advertising and promotion strategies adopted by the company. In case of tradition shopping the buying decision starts from need or problem recognitions and ends with after purchase services. But in case of online shopping the consumer, he motivates from internal and external simulations (Babar, Rasheed Sajjad, 2014). Here website design plays a considerable role in influencing the customer to purchase the product or service. Perceived trust is when a customer expects that the companys product and services will fulfill the needs of the customer. It is the confidence of the customer in company offerings. In context to convenience, the consumer will prefer the site which is available 24/7.Besides this, some of the products in online marketing can be delivered very easily like books or software, while some of the product cannot be delivered so easily like electrical equipments. In case of online shopping, when the consumer comes across banner ads or online promotion, it attracts the consumer attention towards the company product or services. In online shopping the consumer come across a lot of choices, hence to differentiate the particular product or service from the other companys similar product or services, advertising, and sales promotion programs plays a considerable role (Bauboniene Guleviciut e, 2015). Conclusion By analyzing the given assignment it can be said that one of the factors of influencing the customer for adopting for online shopping is the availability of product and services at all the time. However besides prices, convenience and trust there are many other factors also which influences like cultural factors, gender sector of employment, demographic and psychographic factors and many more. References Babar, A,. Rasheed, A Sajjad, M. (2014) Factors influencing online shopping behavior of consumers, Journal of basic and applied scientific research 4(4) pp (314-320) Bauboniene, Z Guleviciute, G,. 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