History-Assess the short and long term impact of Iran's 1979 Essay

History-Assess the short and long term impact of Iran's 1979 Revolution - Essay Example The causes of the Iranian Revolution, despite a seeming absence of general crisis so characteristic of previous revolutions of such magnitude1, were manifold. The twentieth century history of Iran was characterized by aggravation of social contradictions. The modernizing policies of the Pahlavi dynasty (1926-1979) were at best inconclusive: the political and civic reforms of the first Shah of the dynasty, Reza Shah Pahlavi, were accompanied by ruthless suppression of both clerical and left-wing oppositional movements2. After his abdication in 1941, the country found itself mired in instability caused by the effect of the WW II and foreign occupation4. After the failure of the attempt of the secular nationalist government of Mohammad Mosaddeq to nationalize oil industry, which led to the coup d’etat against Mosaddeq on August 19, 19534, Mohammad Reza Shah re-assumed the dictatorial powers of his father. At that time, the clerical forces of Iran sided with the Shah, fearing left -wing secularist regime5. The government of Mohammad Reza Shah embarked on the ambitious program of the so-called ‘White Revolution’ in the 1960s, which was to facilitate the development of modern industries in Iran. Despite Mohammad Reza Shah’s populist pretenses, his modernization strategy privileged large, modern enterprises and the oil sector, which served the needs of international market, to the detriment of small businesses traditionally united into the network of bazaar 6. The state developmentalist policies led to the uncontrollable inflation7. The Shah’s land reform actually contributed to the crisis, as the new peasant cultivators were unable to tend the land as efficiently as large-scale farms would, thus leading to massive increases in imports of food stuffs and accordingly in their prices8. The attempts of the Shah’s government to control soaring inflation in the mid-1970s only aggravated the situation9. The revolutionary movement, whi ch sprang from the clashes between the religious students and the Shah’s SAVAK security forces in the late 1977, eventually turned in the country-wide disturbances with the general strike of October 197810. The government of the Pahlavis was swiftly disintegrating, and on January 16, 1979 Mohammad Reza Shah left Iran. From then on, the victory of the Iranian Revolution was guaranteed. The signs of the general crisis in the Iranian economy were much pronounced in the immediate aftermath of the Revolution. As a result of wide-scale strike movement of 1978-1979, the country stood on the brink of economic collapse. As of 1980, the industrial output fell by almost 20%11 in comparison with the 1977 level, while total GNP of Iran in 1981 fell to 81 percent of that in 197712. The Revolution heralded the beginning of spontaneous campaign of occupations and confiscations; the workers’ committees were formed in many sectors, first of all, in oil industry13. Even though the govern ment did not actually contemplate total nationalization of private sector, the complicity of large banking institutions in massive capital flight forced it to bow to the pressures of popular movements and demands of Khomeini-led Revolutionary Council (RC), and in summer 1979 the nationalization of banks, insurance companies and major branches of industries was carried out14. Nevertheless, the PRG policy remained cautious in such important economic spheres as land

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data - Essay Example Quantitative and qualitative research methods are usually compared, interchanged, and contrasted by researchers themselves. However, one should understand that the two methods are meant to answer different sets of problems. If done correctly, each method can be used as supplementary research and the findings can serve as supporting explanations to the other. Usually, the quantitative method provides theories and hypotheses, and the qualitative method explains, proves, or disproves them. This is exactly what happened to the research done in trying to explain the rise and fall of meth usage in several U.S. states. Looking at the numbers, researchers are dumbfounded to see a similar pattern existing in all states regarding meth usage, despite the different approaches the states use to combat it. The numbers provided by the quantitative research are too general and abstract --- failing to provide the necessary answers to formulate solutions to the said problem. Because of this puzzle, th e researchers used the qualitative method to try to find answers to the questions posed by the graphs. The researchers looked into the history of meth usage and found out descriptive results that tell a story about the connection of meth purity on the streets and the number of people using it.

Analyzing The ERP Implementation Of Companies Information Technology Essay

Analyzing The ERP Implementation Of Companies Information Technology Essay Looking into the business processes implementation of Tesco one of the leading food retail companies in the UK which has gone from strength to strength in the food retail and established it is presence in Europe, US and Asia and analyse Enterprise Resource Planning implementation in one of the leading food retailers operating in 14 countries around the world and how these operations are run and analyse the challenges faced and lessons learnt. PROJECT DELIVERABLES: 1. Identify five critical business processes 2. Plot the process map of the organization 3. Analyze the type of BPR implementation in the company 4. Analyze the ERP implementation in the company and the challenges 5. Business benefits and learnings Company Background We have selected to study the food retail giant Tesco PLC the largest food retailer in the UK employing over 470,000 people with revenue of over  £54 billion in 2009. There are about 4,331 Tesco stores in fourteen countries worldwide. This famous food retailer was founded in 1919 and in 1929 opened its first ever food retail store in Edgware, London. It has rapidly evolved over the years and has established itself a prominent position among the food retails giants in UK. Tescos Core Business is based in the UK and has operations mainly in USA, Europe and Asia. Fig 1: Tesco Operations around the world With its expansion to other countries Tesco had to standardize the IT systems and business processes to sustain the overseas business which has facilitated a unique and homogenized way of working in 3,263 stores in all 14 countries.This project involved standardising the business processes and IT systems used to dealing with customers and day to day running of stores, financial and in-store systems warehousing, payroll and distribution systems. This execution of business process was initiated a couple of years after Tesco-in-a-Box  system to even out an enterprise resource planning system Oracle in each region of business operation. Tesco carries out and provides services via online retail websites tesco.com and Tesco Direct and offers financial services through Tesco Personal Finance and broadband internet connections services. Fig 2: UK Food Retailers by Market share Tesco products fall under the category of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and (Non-FMCG) or durable consumer goods. Sourcing and Procurement TIS Tesco International Sourcing Hong Kong does the procurement, commercial design, management, quality control, production and deals with all the 50,000 product lines customs documents. The operation is of a phenomenal scale. This station deals with 800 suppliers in more than 1200 factories. International Sourcing manages the end-to-end procurement process TIS Tesco International Sourcing Hong Kong does the procurement, commercial design, management, quality control, production and deals with all the 50,000 product lines customs documents. The operation is of a phenomenal scale. This station deals with 800 suppliers in more than 1200 factories. Hong Kong-based global supply and sourcing operations was founded in 1970.It supplies 12 countries, supplies 60% of UK clothing, durable goods 41% UK, 44 countries from 50,000 sku, 58 seaports, 72.000 containers, 533 employees and No. 1 retailer in the UK buying office Six new regional purchasing offices will be soon opened by Tesco to boost local sourcing from close by supplier and farmers. Tesco procurement includes the following processes for acquiring goods: Procurement planning: identifying and determining which product or products need to be acquired, the quantity, quality and Product description Searching Suppliers: Having identified the products and product specifications, the search for suppliers and sources begins Tendering: Receiving quotes, offers, and negotiation with potential suppliers begins Supplier Selection: the bids, offers and proposal are assessed in order to choose the right one Formal Agreement: making certain that supplier will meet the expected requirements of the business and terms and conditions Signing the Contract: formal legally binding agreement is signed based on the mutually agreed business terms Purchasing Non-Food: Costs and Logistics Centralized procurement system is used by Tesco in its growing business. The procurement system is Oracle retail that supports Tescos centralized buying of non-food items in bulk and the centralized purchasing system facilitates order generation through which supply chain and procurement are controlled centrally. Buying Power: bulk buying discounts; critical mass drives down costs. Direct Sourcing: (65% UK clothing) eliminates intermediary agent mark-up: captures greater percentage of gross margins. International Purchasing: low cost factors of textile production (labour, materials) in Asia (India, Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia). Distribution: Initially utilized existing purchasing and distribution channels. Subsequent development of efficient dedicated N-F infrastructure: warehouses, logistics and specialized management systems. Inventory control All products of Tesco PLC have different shelf life and one of the key performance indicators accepted by Tesco PLC is the right products at the right time in the right condition Indexes of the products delivered by them to the consumer. Inventory control allows Tesco PLC to achieve low inventory levels thereby reducing costs and achieve greater value index. Inventory control however, does not aim to specifically reduce inventory, a sufficient inventory levels must be maintained to have a service level at the Depot of 95% RAD. It also helps to reduce distribution runs thereby saving transportation and logistics costs. Human Resource and Finance Human resources management is a pivotal element of any successful business company; the information received through this area should be continuously monitored and correct evaluation for professional development and social protection of workers. Nonetheless, owing to the fact that large amount of information which is processed in this area, the job gets harder day by day. ERP is depicted as a useful tool to assist and guide users to focus their work in direct relationship with staff, and to relate personal skills and aspirations of staff related to the companys goals and objectives. The crucial application and system of cash management helps manage your account which includes credit cards, banks and saving institutions and all these required functions are simply based in one place. The cash management applications offer making deposits, printing checks, cost of funds transfer and reconciliation of cash accounts facilities to accounting staff. Logistics and Distribution Logistics management deals with the activities related to the physical flow of goods and products, raw materials and the obtaining of materials from sales to the customers which include distribution of products and goods, storage and production. Logistics environment integration is achieved by bringing together all and every activity constituting it. Tesco distribution centres are responsible for ensuring that the goods are delivered to the stores on time. Tesco has primary and secondary distribution areas. Primary distribution has the duty of delivering the products and goods from suppliers to the Tesco depots. Secondary distribution has the job of getting products and goods from depots to Tesco stores. The team and channel of distribution is very important for Tesco operations who should try to make operations simple, cheaper and better and Tesco stores should get the right products at the right time in the right condition. Distributions are also fundamental in strategic decision making around opening new depots, and supporting the operators throughout the whole process from business case concept, through to build and opening. Level 1 business processes Tesco Retail Buying CENTRAL HEAD OFFICE Marketing Logistics Human Resource Management International Operations Non-Store Operations Property Finance Buying M Stores Suppliers Distribution Centre International = Flow of products = Flow of information Stores Customers Level 2 Business Processes Phase one of RPM Process: Understanding the needs of retail Customer Realization of requirements of new product Existing customers requirements tracking Available Information sources: Information obtained from internal sales data Information from consumer publications and suppliers Market research and Competitor analysis Phase two of RPM process: Requirements and design of product to satisfy customer needs Turning the realised need into product opportunity Mixing a few attributes to benefits customer Prescribed specifications of product qualities Phase three of RPM process Look out for a suitable Supplier Look and find a supplier that can provide, make and deliver the right product Evaluate and assess suppliers for suitability on the basis of value such as product quality, short lead time and price RPM PROCESS STAGES 4 and 5: Award the contract or Spell out order Stage 4: Place Order Detailed quantity such as packaging, size, variety, How, where and when the goods to delivered Stage 5: Assess the performance of Product for example, the sales and profits of product etc Assess supplier for on time and accurate delivery Including qualitative measures such as customer feedback Planning Logistics Warehouse capacity Location planning Scheduling Dispatching Provision of Human Resource Support Developing Human Resources information and facilities Making sure that the site is safe Supervision and management of Team Relations Administering and Planning benefits and compensation Provision of Financial Support Complete the Receivable Accounts Complete the Payable Accounts Give Financial Accounting and Controlling Support Perform Budgeting and Planning Capital Assets Planning Complete Cash Management Supervising and managing External Relations Type of BPR implementation Customer, competition and change are the three driving forces behind the ever-changing business world. Hence, companies are constantly seeking novel solutions for the problems in their businesses as of late, some established business and corporations have turned to the great solution of business process reengineering. Reengineering is critical and fundamental redesign of business processes in order to radically improve vital business measures such as speed, quality, cost, service and overall performance. BPR is not about small scale changes it is rather about radical rethinking and innovation, so BPR is not for companies desiring a 10% improvement, but for corporations and companies that expect and desire 1o fold improvement and increase. Business processes reengineering aims at the business processes and endeavours to radically redesign the strategic processes of added value which lies at the heart of business. When a company rethink what processes need to carried out in what way, then it decides up on how best that can be achieved. Reengineering targets the business processes of an organization such as the procedures and steps and resources used to make products and customer services rules which are applied to meet particular customers needs and demands. Analysis, identification, and redesign of an organizations core business processes are done by reengineering in order to obtain big improvements such as speed, quality, cost, service and overall business performance. The main motive behind BPR is the continuous implementation and development of advanced networks and information systems. Big companies are using more and more forms of technology to back up novel processes of business instead of sticking to their normal ways of carrying out work. BPR is one way of redesigning how an organizations work should be done in order to back up the organizations reduce costs and mission. BPR is not just a centralized storage system. It helps organizations pave the way for the automation of business processes based on the rules pre-defined. Business processes automation saves time, reduces costs and manual process handling time. Processes automation help eliminate human errors related to date entry for example in Excel and most manual work. ERP IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY To meet the challenges of the modern business demands and run its business economically and efficiently Tesco PLC implemented the ERP in five fundamental stages: Phase 1: The Planning Phase Tesco established the necessary information and need for the implementation of ERP systems and successful implementation and redesign phases and laid the ground work. Phase 2: The Redesign Phase During the redesign stage training was given to the BPR team was trained and followed by the method of transforming the chosen processes and applying the solutions which were recommended Phase 3: The Implementation Phase Implementation phase turned the recommendations by the team to reality by realizing the redesign goals which involved planning for, prioritizing and implementing project to realize the redesign Phase 4: The Finalization Phase Finalized training program, end-user training, readiness assessment, production system prep, finalize cutover plan, communicate cutover plan, Inform external partners as necessary Phase5: Production master data conversion, Execute cutover plan, Monitor process system usage, On-site support, Issue resolution, Communicate on-going support process Tesco applied a gradual plan to implement ERP systems by adopting the step by step approach in the organization. The well-planned methodology resulted in low cost of integration in the state of careful and meticulous implementation. The chosen approach of implementation of ERP added hugely successful rate of implementing ERP. ERP systems fundamentally play the same role in the vast range of Tescos products. These ERP systems offer functionality to company internal all complex economic processing matters and providing realistic and up-to-date and accurate picture of the economic management of the company. On the basis of an intricate and current approach for managing the flow of information in the enterprise, today ERP systems are modular, open and controlled by parameters to be easily customized to the needs of the customer. One of the ERP systems keeping the latest development and functionality standards is ORASHEI a  large system supporting company internal economic management in complexity. The system allows for keeping tally of and processing all economic agendas as management of assets, material supplies, invoicing, tax documents, business trips, buildings and facilities, and financial flows. ORASHEI facilitates operative management of organizational units, planning, budgeting and evaluating economic data, especially in relation to MIS. ERP implementation benefits to Tesco The implementation of ERP in Tesco since it is first days has been nothing but a story of success giving the business full edge of service quality, efficiency, customer satisfaction and value for money products and massive savings across all business functional areas some of which are as follows: Productivity boost through using a common and homogenized sales applications and finance and human resources systems in all operations worldwide The applications and systems are centrally managed from the Bangalore IT service centre instead of each business in every country having separate applications The entire network is using uniformly Oracle financials both in core business and in global operations and finance applications and processes are centralized and consolidated globally across the Tesco group All systems and applications including Oracle financial which is used for e-invoicing and HR software PeopleSoft and measuring budgeting targets application Terradata are centralized Isotrak is a great hosted service which provides real time vehicle tracking and precise high service levels world class data centres Providing all the 26 UK distribution centres of Tesco a single transport fleet and transport management perspective Improving driver security through the provision of a key fob panic alarm that operates in or out of the vehicle, plus the ability, through vehicle tracking, to guide a swift security response Tesco distribution system has improved quantity of products dispatched per litre of fuel used by 8 percent by using Isotrak systems, outperforming its target of a 2.5 percent increase which amounts to saving over 54,000 deliveries per annum. A common platform of technology and business processes and technology together with a standardized business processes contributes to the Tesco group to be competitive and also maintain the overseas expansion and using purchasing centralised systems and processes makes the other country productive too. Supply chain efficiency has improved with Ortecs cutting edge supply chain optimization software, there is on going improvement and making certain the supply chain works effectively and efficiently, the operations cots are cut down Learning and recommendations from Tesco Implementation Even though the implementation is top driven, it is vital to clearly communicate the need and benefits of the implementation with the employees so that they understand the worth and need and give their support It is extremely important to generate energy within the team members and creating ownership in the organization. It is important to have a top-driven implementation especially for a company that is focusing on a growth of 20-30%. It really important to gauge and decide whether to buy ERP or develop customized systems within organization and set time frame for the implementation. There has to be clear setting up of accountability and ownership in the implementation stage and a special team has to be set up for regular monitoring and control Starting the integration with the finance module has been a time tested and proven implementation strategy that works almost every time Proper training has to be given to the employees during the implementation stage and monitoring has to take place to make sure the implementation has given desired results and that the user acceptance is ensured because of the ease of access and simplicity of the process Decide on the right implementation method of the systems to avoid failure assessing the needs and requirements and business demand and size. Trial runs are very important. There has to be a proper reporting and documentation system in any organization. This can be achieved by the implementation of ERP because it automates the reporting and documentation is available in electronic media. It is important to know the total cost of ownership and identify if the implementation will produce results. ERP most of all gives a transparency in a system that facilitates overall growth and empowers the people and motivates them as they know whats happening in the organization Conclusion ERP Implementation and IT system introduction and innovation have been a steady on going process at Tesco and always lies at the heart of business processes improvement and has been a story of success and achievement whether it is been partially Tesco developed system or collaboration. ERP/BRP and IT have not only contributed to core business growth, automation and efficiency of processes in business functional areas but also saving time, money, improving quality, safety and global growth and expansion and brand name in Tescos leadership drive.

Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers

His name was Alphonse Capone. His background, along with thousands of other Italians, the Capone family moved to Brooklyn. It was a new beginning in a New World. The Capone’s were a quiet and peaceful family. Nothing about the Capone family was disturbed, violent, or dishonest. The children and the parents were close. They really enjoyed baseball and were often at games. There was no mental disabilities, no traumatic event that sent the boys into the dangerous life of crime. They did not display sociopath or psychotic personalities; they were not crazy. They were a law-abiding, unremarkable Italian-American family with conventional patterns of behavior and frustrations. They displayed no special genius for crime. Family Parents-Gabriele and Teresina Capone Brothers-Vincenzo (James), Raffaele (Ralph), Salvatore (Frank), Alphonse (Al). Home-The Capone’s lived in a cold-water tenement flat that had no indoor toilet or furnishings. The neighborhood was virtually a slum. Th e family moved to better lodgings in an apartment over their father’s barbershop at 69 Park Avenue in Brooklyn. This move exposed Al to cultural influences well beyond what was supplied by the Italian immigrant community. Most of the people living around Park Avenue were Irish, although Germans, Swedes and Chinese were also in the neighborhood. Moving into a broader ethnic part of town allowed Al to escape from the all-Italian neighborhood. In their spare time, the ragged children gave the streets an explosive vitality as they played stickball, dodged traffic, brawled and bawled. To be a kid growing up in immigrant Brooklyn, you had to be in a gang (Italian, Jewish or Irish gang). They were not the vicious urban street gangs of today, but rather groups of territorial neighborhood boys who hung out together. Capone was a tough, scrappy kid and belonged to the South Brooklyn Rippers and then later to the Forty Thieves Juniors and the Five Point Juniors Education-The school system was deeply prejudiced against them and did little to encourage any interest in higher education. Al Capone found school a place of constant discipline relieved by sudden outbreaks of violence. At fourteen, Al lost his temper at the teacher; she hit him and he hit her back. He was expelled and never went to school again. The immigrant parents expected their children to leave school as soon as they were old enough to wor... ...0th. 1918 they gave birth to their son Albert â€Å"sonny† Francis Capone. Capone had by then turned Illinois into a lawless state. People were actually afraid to pass threw this state because of it. People didn’t understand Capone, yeah he was a dangerous man but only to the people he need to be dangerous against. He wouldn’t just walk up and kill you, unless you deserved it. Plus he never did his â€Å"dirty† work he had hit men for that. Capone was later sent to Alcatrez prison for tax evasion. They never caught him for the many murders he plotted, the brotha’s, the alcohol only tax evasion. After about a year Capone had escaped. He went back to his power that was slowly dying. He rose again. After awhile he got sick of Syphilis. Later that year he had passed away on January 25th,1943. Although he had died his power still remained. The cops eventually cracked down on it releasing his power and having Chicago return to its original state. Al C apone had once said â€Å"You can go a long way with a smile, but a lot further with a smile and a gun.† Capone had proved that quote he made. He had always had a smile on his face and a gun in his hand with that he became America’s most popular mobster. Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers His name was Alphonse Capone. His background, along with thousands of other Italians, the Capone family moved to Brooklyn. It was a new beginning in a New World. The Capone’s were a quiet and peaceful family. Nothing about the Capone family was disturbed, violent, or dishonest. The children and the parents were close. They really enjoyed baseball and were often at games. There was no mental disabilities, no traumatic event that sent the boys into the dangerous life of crime. They did not display sociopath or psychotic personalities; they were not crazy. They were a law-abiding, unremarkable Italian-American family with conventional patterns of behavior and frustrations. They displayed no special genius for crime. Family Parents-Gabriele and Teresina Capone Brothers-Vincenzo (James), Raffaele (Ralph), Salvatore (Frank), Alphonse (Al). Home-The Capone’s lived in a cold-water tenement flat that had no indoor toilet or furnishings. The neighborhood was virtually a slum. Th e family moved to better lodgings in an apartment over their father’s barbershop at 69 Park Avenue in Brooklyn. This move exposed Al to cultural influences well beyond what was supplied by the Italian immigrant community. Most of the people living around Park Avenue were Irish, although Germans, Swedes and Chinese were also in the neighborhood. Moving into a broader ethnic part of town allowed Al to escape from the all-Italian neighborhood. In their spare time, the ragged children gave the streets an explosive vitality as they played stickball, dodged traffic, brawled and bawled. To be a kid growing up in immigrant Brooklyn, you had to be in a gang (Italian, Jewish or Irish gang). They were not the vicious urban street gangs of today, but rather groups of territorial neighborhood boys who hung out together. Capone was a tough, scrappy kid and belonged to the South Brooklyn Rippers and then later to the Forty Thieves Juniors and the Five Point Juniors Education-The school system was deeply prejudiced against them and did little to encourage any interest in higher education. Al Capone found school a place of constant discipline relieved by sudden outbreaks of violence. At fourteen, Al lost his temper at the teacher; she hit him and he hit her back. He was expelled and never went to school again. The immigrant parents expected their children to leave school as soon as they were old enough to wor... ...0th. 1918 they gave birth to their son Albert â€Å"sonny† Francis Capone. Capone had by then turned Illinois into a lawless state. People were actually afraid to pass threw this state because of it. People didn’t understand Capone, yeah he was a dangerous man but only to the people he need to be dangerous against. He wouldn’t just walk up and kill you, unless you deserved it. Plus he never did his â€Å"dirty† work he had hit men for that. Capone was later sent to Alcatrez prison for tax evasion. They never caught him for the many murders he plotted, the brotha’s, the alcohol only tax evasion. After about a year Capone had escaped. He went back to his power that was slowly dying. He rose again. After awhile he got sick of Syphilis. Later that year he had passed away on January 25th,1943. Although he had died his power still remained. The cops eventually cracked down on it releasing his power and having Chicago return to its original state. Al C apone had once said â€Å"You can go a long way with a smile, but a lot further with a smile and a gun.† Capone had proved that quote he made. He had always had a smile on his face and a gun in his hand with that he became America’s most popular mobster.

Quality Compliance Manager

IHRM Case Study 1 1. Consider the three candidates in Exhibit A below. It forced to make a decision tomorrow, which candidate should Alistair choose for the job? What major factors should determinate his choice? Trianon is an Anglo-French avionics company, headquarter is in Marseille. Alistair was hire as Director of Personnel Development European Division, and he has to recruit a Quality Compliance Manager for the site in Hungary. In fact, decision was making for a ten-year joint venture with a Hungarian government-backed firm.The new manager needs to be available soon and has to be familiar with the joint venture’s objectives and targets. The way I see best to be able to choose between the given candidates for Alistair, is to start by list the strengths and weakness for the fitting job. A more refined way to approach this task is taking in consideration the three proposed candidates and reviews the job description accordingly to the strengths and weakness. Reaching out to po ssible close regions such as Hungary would help in giving a clearer view the abilities of the best fitting candidate.Having said that there is no perfect candidate among the three. From the short list given by Alistair each of the three have their strengths and weakness balanced out. Maria: Mrs, Erten-Loiseau is the best-fit choice for the job. As she was educated in France and Germany, it’s to the advantage of starting up joint venture to hire a candidate that fluently speaks in French and German. In addition to have worked for Trianon for 13 years insures that she can handle a high level of responsibility and already has insight of processes and procedures.Already proven her abilities in the success of the two projects in Lodz, Poland and Czech Republic. Having said all that the two possible weaknesses to keep in mind is her marriage to a semi-retired husband with a child in university therefore might not be able for the shift to Hungary. As well as Mrs. , Maria would be ne w to the production of the cathode ray tube, no previous experience. Janos Gabor: Mr Janos was born, raised and educated in Hungary so for that reason he is fluent in Hungarian. Jones is single with no responsibilities and independent on taking decisions unlike Mrs.Maria and for these two reasons he wouldn’t have issues in working in hungary and possible trips to Germany and France . In addition an advantage of his, that he has experience in the production of the cathode ray tube as he is the Senior Engineer of the production and is familiar with maintain a facility. As well his family has strong connections with national government officials. Having this relation would be a bonus asset to expanding contacts for the long term of Trianon. Having said all this he is a great risk knowing he his short time frame with Trainon would create a conflict between local contracts and Trainon.Sinead Marrinan McGuire: Mrs. Sinead resume has impressive technical potentials in particular in the field of joint ventures. Mrs. McGuire on the other has many weaknesses that wouldn’t be fit as a candidate for the position. Beginning with she has been more drawn to the Western Europe regions, therefore has constraints in languages and communication abilities. She is married and her wife is well culture submerged and has a stable career in Ireland along with three children. Taking her into consideration as a potential candidate one should take into consideration what chapter 4 talks about  « family friendly policies  » . We are told nothing of the process that Trianon uses to recruit candidates for this level of final selection. Given what you know about the firm from the case, outline a general recruitment and selection process for Trianon. Describe how your proposed process fits with best selection practices as well as the strategic needs of this company? The first and forth most step in recruitment and selection process for Trianon HR team would be to create a jo b description for the role required for Quality Compliance Manager of the joint venture in Hungary.The role of job analysis is to provide information about what duties the job entails and what human characteristics are required to perform these activities as said by Dressler (2011) . Having that in mind would help the Trainon HR team to conclude a job description, role and responsibility, and job specification to make the decision for the three years contract based in Hungry. The advantage to start off this way would help in eliminating candidates leaving the best fit for the job and parallel stating it making it clear from the start.To the typical job identification details it should include the following: client relationships, responsibilities and duties, solve any optical that comes along and the goals to be achieved. Before staffing the criteria must be defined. The criteria aren’t the same for each expatriation. The most frequent criteria are: – Technical Ability: Maintains and demonstrates appropriate and necessary technical knowledge related to a discipline or Agency function and continues to refine relevant analytical/technical skills as well as professional judgment. Cross-cultural suitability: will the candidate be able to function in the new environment, how adaptable is a person. – Family Requirements: When the department of IHRM is recruiting for a position abroad they also must take into account the family factor. -MNE Requirements: The MNE must make the right choice of their strategies of expatriates; HCN, PCN, TCN -Language: The expatriate should have some good language skills. It is important to have a basis of the mother tong of the country. Country / Cultural Requirements: The employee must be well informed about the culture and traditions of the country in which it will work. It must also be informed about the management habits. -The use of selection tests. There are 4 strategies of international Staffing (Heenan &Perlm utter): Ethnocentric, Geocentric, Polycentric, and Geocentric. In our case with Trianon, it would be wiser to choose the ethnocentric staffing strategy. This strategy is fine for businesses that are at the beginning of their internationalization.We know that it’s Trianon’s first joint – venture with an Easter European company. Ethnocentric is a staffing policy that is used in companies that has primarily international strategic orientation. Headquarters generally adopts this policy by sending employees from the home or parent countries to the host country. This approach is used best in some situations such as, a team is sent from the home country to help setting up a new plant as well as train subsidiary personnel to use new system.The benefit of having staffs from home country abroad is that employees may gain experiences worldwide in order to become higher level in management of their headquarters because international managers require broad perspective and in ternational exposure. In this recruitment strategy the key positions are occupied by PCN’s. PCN’s are going from the headquarters to the subsidiaries, in our case to the new firm. The reasons why we use PCN’s are quit clear. Several advantages result from employing PCNs who have experience in the organization rather than headquarters as being familiar ith the organizations goals, products, services, technology, policies, and procedures usually considers HCNs or TCNs. PCNs. This familiarity may help facilitate coordination, control, and development of organizational strategy. I think it is important because this joint venture is a new project that has been decided very quickly. Having a PCN on place will permit Trianon to keep an eye on all activities. After have finished with step one, advertising will play the next role meaning to spread the word around job opening opportunity, example through internal market as Trianon website and external markets.The applican t’s resumes would have to be sifted by a assigned person that has the speed /intelligence if possible engineer or project management skills to narrow down the applicants for an interview(s). The interview can be conducted the following methods: work samples, virtual presentations, contacting previous references of applicant (supervisors or managers), cognitive ability and lastly a personal interview. Issues to be discussed during the interviews by the interviewer should consist of family status (if flexible in travelling multiple times and surely to live in Hungry) and cross-cultural aptitude.Reference: (2011) Dressler, G. 2011, Human Resource Management, 12th edn, Pearson Education /Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NY, p. 117. 3. Should RH staff be involved in strategic decisions relating to international business operations such as finalizing a joint venture agreement? A joint venture is a contractual business undertaking between two or more parties. It is similar to a bu siness partnership, with one key difference: a partnership generally involves an ongoing, long-term business relationship, whereas a joint venture is based on a single business transaction.Individuals or companies choose to enter joint ventures in order to share strengths, minimize risks, and increase competitive advantages in the marketplace. Frayne and Geringer (1990) show that out of control mechanisms and coordination of formal and traditional, such as the majority position in providing capital or having representatives in the Board of Directors, practices of human resource management are also potentially valuable mechanisms to exercise control and coordination in international joint ventures.Compared to the final structure of the system of coordination in a joint venture international coordination mechanisms based on the human resources are often the key factors in determining the effectiveness of the system. Without the growth of human resources now considered a strategic reso urce within a company, it would be difficult to ensure the future strategic long-term business, even if financial resources are crucial.In international joint ventures, the role of human resources is essential to achieve the desired outcomes (Frayne & Geringer, 1990, Cyr & Schneider, 1996). A set of policies and practices of human resource management developed carefully can contribute significantly to the success of international joint venture. It can help the adjustment of cultures and practices among business partners in the joint venture, as a mechanism for coordination, organizational learning, strengthen the selection and leadership development to be able to work in international cooperation.On the other hand, human resource management can help increase the productivity of the joint venture, as well as the capacity of partner companies to reap the benefits (Child & Faulkner, 1998) There are four main dimensions among the practices of human resource management that are likely to be used as coordination mechanisms: recruitment and how to fill key positions, training and development, performance appraisal, strategies remuneration and reward.Practices of human resource management can help to achieve the strategic objectives of firm’s relatives. One example is in the number of executives from parent firms, the latter may well coordinate and directs the activities of the joint venture. In addition, the use of training and the use of flexibility can also help overcome differences in strategic and national cultures between parent firms (Chapter 3).

Financial Ratios and Hershey

A. TWO KEY LESSONS LEARNT FROM THIS CASE Hershey Company is famous known for being the biggest manufacturer of chocolates and confectionery products in North America and grocery products in over 60 countries worldwide. In 2009, Hershey sales up to 3. 23 percent. Advertising expenses increased by 46 percent as the company continued to promote iconic brands such as the Hershey Kiss and Reese’s products. Due to lower commodity prices, the company plans to discontinue their Cacao Reserve brand as well as their Starbucks chocolate partnership. The company also plans to close their online gift business.The company expanded its global presence via joint ventures in china and India. From this case, we found two key lessons as following: (a) The first lesson is about the important of expanding to global market (b) The second lesson is about the importance for the firm to keep developing customer preferences. It is important for company to focus on how to formulate global product strate gy to penetrate growing international markets. Therefore, Hershey should come up with new strategies in finance, marketing and production department to complete globally and to increase the customer satisfaction and market share.B. Vision Statement Since we could not find a vision statement of Hershey company then we suggest a vision as below: â€Å"Achieving consumers needs which making chocolate more healthy, delicious and delightful for life† From our opinion, this vision is clear in term of to help the company to see where the company is going on in the future which the company more concern about customer need and offer the product of natural and organic chocolate for health. According to researchers led by Natalie Rose, MD, of the University of California at San Diego.The result suggests several possible relationships between eating chocolate and wellness, it helps to increase the level of specific neurotransmitters in our brain that in turn promotes feeling of happiness and help to raise the good hormone that act as an ati-depressant. Therefore, It captures the importance not only for healthy but also the happiness of eating chocolate. C. Mission Statement The current mission of the Hershey company is â€Å"Bringing sweet moments of Hershey happiness to the world everyday† To our stakeholders, this means: Consumer: Delivering quality consumer driven confectionery experiences for all occasions. * Employees: Winning with an aligned and empowered organization while having fun. * Business Partner: Building collaborative relationships for profitable growth with our customers, suppliers, and partners. * Shareholder: Creating sustainable value. * Communities: Honoring our heritage through continued commitment to making a positive difference. The current mission consists of the following characteristics: 1. Customer 2. Concern for survival, profitability, growth 3. Philosophy 4. Self-concept 5.Concern for public image 6. Concern for employees Missi on statement is often the most visible and public part of the strategic management process. The current mission is sufficient to remind the company on their attitude and outlook. However, it is important to include the nine characteristic, as mission statement would be more effective. From our analysis, the current mission lacks of another three characteristics, which are products, market, and technology. These four characteristics are important for the company in the long-term development. Thus, we think that the current mission can be improved as follows: Bringing sweet moments of chocolate Hershey happiness to the world every day† To stakeholders, this means: Consumer: Delivering quality consumer with the lastest technology to drive experiences for all occasions. Employee: Winning with an aligned and empowered organization while having fun. Business Partners: Building collaborative relationships for profitable growth with our customers, suppliers, and partners in the intern ational market. Shareholders: Creating sustainable value. Communities: Honoring our heritage through continued commitment to making a positive difference.D. External Audit Opportunities 1. Organic foods products are one of the fastest growing sectors in the United States with a projected value of $26. 3 billion by 2011. 2. Seasonal sales such as Halloween and Valentine's Day account for 10 percent of the annual sales in the industry. 3. Nestle's image, however, has suffered within the global community due to allegations about sourcing of cocoa from farms that employed children in Africa, as well as its marketing tactics used to promote its infant milk substitutes in developing nations. 4.Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional value of various product ingredients with purchase decisions reflecting a preference for organic and nonadulterated products. 5. Confectionery products include chocolate, gum, cereal bars, and sugar confectionery products with a projected global ma rket value of $107. 4 billion by 2010. 6. Chocolate currently accounts for 55. 8 percent of the market's overall global value. Threats 1. Mergers and acquisitions in the past few years have influenced both the market share and product portfolio of global firms in the confectionery industry. 2.Nestle, one of the global leaders in the industry, expanded its nutritional product with the acquisition of Jenny Craig, a company with an established brand of nutritional weight-management products. 3. Nestle recently entered the organic products segment with projected sales of $24 billion by 2010. 4. Due to increased consumer concerns about artificial ingredients, the company [Cadbury] also manufactures a line of products with no artificial colors or artificial flavorings under the Natural Confectionery Company. 5. Cadbury has a 71 percent market share in India, and enjoys a 53 percent market share in the chocolate category in Australia. . Due to increased consumer preference for low fat and organic products, Mars Nutrition and Health Well Being has also developed a line of low-fat products and healthy snacks. 7. Some research analysts expect that international wholesale sugar prices may reach 40 cents a pound. 8. Cocoa future contract prices in 2008 ranged from $0. 86 to $1. 50 per pound, which represented a significant increase from 2007 prices. CPM – Competitive Profile Matrix * Estimates for Hershey focused on similar product lines with Nestle, Cadbury and Mars The Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM)Critical success factors| Weight| Hershey| Nestle| Cadbury| Mars| | | Rating| Score| Rating| Score| Rating| Score| Rating| Score| Global Expansion| 0. 2| 4| 0. 8| 4| 0. 8| 3| 0. 6| 3| 0. 6| Financial Position| 0. 10| 2| 0. 2| 4| 0. 4| 3| 0. 3| 2| 0. 2| Advertising ;amp;Marketing| 0. 15| 4| 0. 6| 2| 0. 3| 3| 0. 45| 3| 0. 45| Customer Loyalty| 0. 1| 2| 0. 2| 3| 0. 3| 3| 0. 3| 3| 0. 3| Market share| 0. 15| 3| 0. 45| 4| 0. 6| 4| 0. 6| 2| 0. 3| Product Quality| 0. 12| 4| 0. 36| 2| 0. 24| 3| 0. 36| 3| 0. 36| Price Competitiveness| 0. 10| 3| 0. 30| 3| 0. 30| 4| 0. 40| 3| 0. 0| Management| 0. 08| 2| 0. 16| 4| 0. 32| 2| 0. 16| 3| 0. 24| Total| 1. 0| 3. 07| 3. 26| 3. 17| 2. 75| The Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) show that weighted score of Hershey, Nestle, Cadbury and Mars. Nestle has got total weighted scores is 3. 26 which is highest score and Hershey is the third scores, less than Nestle and Cadbury. The CPM indicates that Hershey is the strongest in terms of Product Quality and Advertising ;amp;Marketing. This means if Hershey is to be competitive, it has to focus on global expansion and market share. The External Factor Evaluation (IFE) MatrixKEY INTERNAL FACTOR| WEIGHT| RATING| WEIGHTED SCORE| OPPORTUNITIES| | Organic foods products are one of the fastest growing sectors in the United States| 0. 1| 4| 0. 4| Seasonal sales account for 10 percent of the annual sales in the industry| 0. 05| 3| 0. 15| Nestle’s image has suffered from farms tha t employed children in Africa| 0. 04| 4| 0. 16| Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional value of various product| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| Confectionery products projected global market value of $107. 4 billion by 2010| 0. 09| 4| 0. 36| Chocolate currently accounts for 55. percent of the market’s overall global value| 0. 08| 4| 0. 32| Sub-total for Opportunities| 1. 00| | 1. 60| THREAT| WEIGHT| RATING| WEIGHTED SCORE| Mergers and acquisitions have influenced both the both the market share and product portfolio of global firms| 0. 01| 3| 0. 3| Nestle expanded nutritional product| 0. 08| 2| 0. 16| Nestle entered the organic products segment| 0. 08| 2| 0. 16| Cadbury manufactures a line of products with no artificial colors or artificial flavorings| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| Cadbury has a 71 percent market share in India, and enjoys a 53 percent market share in chocolate category inAustralia| 0. 06| 2| 0. 12| Mars Nutrition and Health Well Being has developed a line of low-fat produc ts and healthy snacks| 0. 07| 4| 0. 28| International wholesale sugar prices may reach 40 cents a pound| 0. 06| 4| 0. 24| Cocoa future contract prices in 2008 ranged from $0. 86 to $1. 50 per pound| 0. 05| 4| 0. 20| Sub-total for Threats| 1. 00| | 1. 67| Total| 1. 00| | 3. 27| The EFE matrix reveals that score for Opportunities versus score for Threats. Hershey’s total weighted scores is more than average which is at 3. 27.This indicates that Hershey is responding strongly above average to the existing opportunities and threats. In other words, the company’s current strategies are able to gain advantage of the existing opportunities and minimize the potential effects of external threats. E. Internal Audit Strengths 1. The Hershey and Godrej venture will distribute Hershey products via Godrej's distribution network to over 1. 6 million outlets in India. 2. Advertising expenses for the quarter increased by 46 percent as the company continued to promote iconic brands such as the Hershey Kiss and Reese's products. 3.The company relies on special promotions to increase holiday sales, and it also uses advertising programs to supplement seasonal sales. 4. During the past several years, the company has expanded its global presence through a variety of acquisitions and joint ventures with established firms in the international market. 5. Hershey also has special editions products that are themed with events, such as their Dark Knight Collection (milk chocolate peanut butter bats) created for the release of the movie Dark Knight. The company also encourages customers to personalize messages and gifts via its interactive home page. . Due to increased consumer preferences for healthy and organic products, the company portfolio of healthy snacks has expanded to include Payday Pro energy bars and sugar-free products such as Twizzlers. 7. Hershey, as well as other competitors in the industry, is acquiring nonchocolate products as well as nutritional products to complement its existing products. 8. Hershey products are sold to more than 2 million retail outlets, including wholesale distributors, chain grocery stores, convenience stores, and wholesale clubs as well as natural food stores. 9.Direct research on consumer preferences as well as process innovations are supported via the Hershey Center of Health and Nutrition developed in 2007. 10. Operating Profit Margin: 14%(2008) 15%(2009) Weaknesses 1. The company also plans to close their online gift business, which featured seasonal products and gifts that could be personalized by the consumer. 2. Due to global supply initiatives, the company projects a reduction of 1,500 positions over the next three-year period. 3. The company plans to discontinue their Cacao Reserve brand as well as their Starbucks chocolate partnership. 4.Hershey's iconic brands such as Hershey Bar, Hershey Kisses, and Reese's are instantly recognized within the domestic market. 5. The company’s long-term debt in creased from $1,279,965 in20O7 to 1,505,954 in 2008. The Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix KEY INTERNAL FACTOR| WEIGHT| RATING| WEIGHTED SCORE| STRENGTHS| | The company will distribute Hershey products via Godrej’s distribution network in India| 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| Advertising expenses for promote iconic brands| 0. 09| 4| 0. 36| The company relies on special promotions| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| The company has expanded its global presence| 0. 8| 3| 0. 24| Hershey has special editions products that are themed with events| 0. 06| 2| 0. 12| The company portfolio of healthy snacks has expanded to include Payday Pro energy bars and sugar-free products| 0. 08| 4| 0. 32| Acquiring nonchocolate and nutritional products| 0. 09| 4| 0. 36| Hershey products are sold to more than 2 million retail outlets| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| Direct research on consumer preferences and process innovations are supported by the Hershey Center of Health and Nutrition developed| 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| Operating Profit Margi n: 14% (2008) 15% (2009)| 0. 6| 3| 0. 18| Sub-total for strengths| 1. 00| | 2. 36| WEAKNESSES| WEIGHT| RATING| WEIGHTED SCORE| The company plans to close their online gift business| 0. 06| 2| 0. 12| The company projects a reduction of 1,500 positions over the next three years| 0. 05| 2| 0. 12| The company plans to discontinue Cacao Reserve brand Starbucks chocolate partnership| 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| Hershey’s iconic brands are instantly recognized within the domestic market. | 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| The company’s long-term debt increased| 0. 05| 2| 0. 10| Sub-total for weaknesses| 1. 00| | 0. 68| Total| 1. 00| | 3. 4| Based on the IFE evaluation shows that score for Strengths versus score for Weaknesses. Total weighted scores for Hershey is 3. 04 considered as above average which is indicates that the company’s internal position is strong. Financial Ratio Analysis (2008) Growth Rates % (5-Year Annual Avg. )| ABC Company| Sales | 16. 22%| Net Income (5-Year Annual Avg. )| 4 5. 81%| Dividends (5-Year Annual Avg. )| 41. 27%| Profit Margins| | Gross Margin| 34%| Pre-Tax Margin| 11%| Net Profit Margin| 6%| 5Yr Net Profit Margin (5-Year Avg. )| 8. 97%| Financial Condition| | Debt/Equity Ratio| 10. 42|Current Ratio| 1. 06| Quick Ratio| 0. 59| Investment Returns %| | Return On Equity| 98%| Return On Assets| 9%| Return On Equity (5-Year Avg. )| 62. 95%| Return On Assets (5-Year Avg. )| 10. 72%| Management Efficiency| | Income/Employee| 24. 33| Revenue/Employee| 400. 99| Inventory Turnover| 8. 66| Asset Turnover| 1. 41| NET WORTH ANALYSIS OF AVP (2008 IN MILLION)| | | | | | | | | | Growth ratios:| Growth rate = [(current year – base year) / base year] * 100| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Percentage| | | 2009 Growth rate in sales| | 3. 23| | | 2008| | | | | 3. 76| | | 2007| | | | | 0. 5| | | 2008 Growth rate in net income| | | 45. 41| | Stockholders' Equity + Goodwill  | $ 872,876| Net Income * 5|   |   |   | $ 1,557,025| Share price * Net Income| 34. 74 * 311,405 = 10,818,210| Number of Shares Outstanding * Share Price| 227,035 * 34. 74 = 7,887,196| Method Average|   |   |   | 5,283,826. 70| FINANCIAL ANALYSIS The financial analysis for Hershey will be provided giving by liquidity ratios, leverage ratios, activity ratios, and profitability ratios as following. PROFITABILITY RATIOS From an accounting standpoint, profitability is defined as business gain in an activity.The measures used in this section detail how profitable the firm’s operations are and how well the firm generates a return on capital. The ratios for profitability analysis are return on assets, sales margin, return on equity, and the dividend payout ratio. Return on Assets: Return on assets (ROA) measures a company’s efficiency in generating profits from its available assets. This is calculated by dividing net income by total assets. An increasing ratio indicates higher efficiency. Hershey’s ROA improved from 5% in 2007 to 9% in 2008 indicating that Hershey became more efficient over the 2008 fiscal year.Return on Equity: The return on equity (ROE) is a measure of how well a company is able to return a profit using the shareholder’s investment. It is calculated by dividing net income by the shareholder’s equity. A higher number indicates a better return from shareholder’s investments. Hershey’s return on equity improved from 36% in 2007 to 98% in 2008, indicating a higher efficiency and better return from shareholder’s investment. Improvements were noted between 2007 and 2008 for Hershey’s ROA, ROE, Gross Profit Margin, Operating Profit Margin, Net Profit Margin and Earning Per Share were increased proportionally.LIQUIDITY RATIOS A company’s liquidity can be described by how easily a company can pay off short-term debts, in specific those due in the fiscal year. Current Ratio: The current ratio gives a strong measure of a company’s liquidity. It compares t he cash and cash equivalents plus any current assets that will be turned into cash within a year to current liabilities that must be paid within the year. This ratio indicates how well a company can pay its current debts. It is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities. Hershey’s current ratio improved from 0. 8 in 2007 to 1. 06 in 2008. Although this is an improvement, a ratio of 1 or better is desired in order to show the ability to pay of all current debts with current assets. Quick Ratio: The quick ratio is similar to the current ratio. Instead of using all current assets, the quick ratio only uses cash, market securities, and accounts receivables to compare against current liabilities. This is done to further narrow the assets to those that can more quickly be turn into cash. Hershey’s quick ratio improved from 0. 51 to 0. 59.Although an improvement can be seen, a more desirable ratio would be closer to 1 so that debts could be paid with current cash and cash equivalents. All measures of liquidity showed improvements for Hershey between 2007 and 2008. This is largely due to Hershey’s ability to generate a greater amount of operational cash flows between the two years. The improvement in current ratio and quick ratio shows an improved ability to pay off short term debts with current assets, which is also indicative that future payments of the long term debt will be possible. ACTIVITY RATIOSActivity in a firm is typically categorized as creation of product and moving product out the door for sales. Activity measures focus on these actions and evaluate how a firm uses its assets to generate revenues. If a company is able to utilize its assets efficiently, fewer funds from financing are needed. The ratios analyzed in this section are inventory turnover and asset turnover. Asset Turnover: Asset turnover takes an overall focus on how the company uses all of its assets to generate revenues. A higher number is desired becau se it indicates that each dollar of asset is producing a greater amount of revenue.It is calculated by dividing the company’s revenue by the total amount of assets for the current year. Hershey’s asset turnover ratio improved from 1. 16 in 2007 to 1. 41 in 2008. This shows that Hershey’s was more efficient in using its assets between evaluation periods. Inventory Turnover: Inventory turnover is a measure of how often within a year that inventory is sold and replaced. It is calculated by dividing cost of goods sold by inventory. A high ratio indicates efficiency and a high rate of sales. Hershey’s inventory turnover slightly improved from 8. 24 in 2007 to 8. 6 in 2008. Improvements were seen in inventory and asset turnover ratios. Hershey’s assets decreased in value while revenues increased, resulting in a more efficient use of assets. LEVERAGE RATIOS A company’s leverage defines how a company handles its debt. Companies that have a high leve rage can have difficulty paying back debts, securing new debts from creditors, and are usually higher risk. But, these companies can also attain tax advantages and gain large returns from investing. The ratios analyzed in this section include the debt ratio, debt to equity ratio and imes interest earned ratio. Debt Ratio: The debt ratio indicates how much debt a company has relative to its assets. This ratio is calculated by dividing total liabilities by total assets. This ratio is one of the components typically used by investors to determine the risk level of a company. A lower number is favored because it shows the company has a larger percentage of assets when compared to liabilities. Hershey’s debt ratio increased and deteriorated from 0. 762 in 2005 to 0. 836 in 2006. This is due to a decrease in company assets while liabilities increased.The increase in liabilities can be noted most in the long-term liabilities. This adds risk to Hershey’s from an investment sta ndpoint. Debt to Equity Ratio: The debt to equity ratio is a measure of what proportions of debt and equity are used in its financing. It is also a measure of a company’s financial leverage. The ratio is calculated by dividing total liabilities by stockholder’s equity. A lower number is favored because it indicates a higher amount of shareholder’s equity when compared to liabilities. Hershey’s debt to equity ratio increased and deteriorated from 6. 16 in 2007 to 10. 2 in 2008. This is largely a result in Hershey’s large decrease in shareholder’s equity. Times Interest Earned Ratio: The times interest earned ratio gives shows how well a company is able to pay its interest expenses with earnings before taxes. The number represents how many times over the interest expense can be paid with the earnings before interest. A higher number is favored. The ratio is calculated by dividing earning before interest and taxes (EBIT) by net interest expense . The times interest earned ratio for Hershey’s increase from 3. 87 in 2007 to 6. 03 in 2008.Hershey achieved many improvements in their financial ratios. Between 2005 and 2006, Hershey showed improvements in many areas. Their overall profitability improved. Liquidity also improved in all areas. This can be attributed to their ability to generate a greater amount of operational cash flows. Because of their increased liquidity, Hershey shows that they are in a better position to pay off their debts and is able to distribute their earnings to stockholders more readily. G. SPACE Matrix 2. 44, -1. 06 2. 44, -1. 06 6 5 4 3 2 1 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 CompetitiveIS ES CA FS Conservative Aggressive Defensive X 6 5 4 3 2 1 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 Competitive IS ES CA FS Conservative Aggressive Defensive X Financial Position (FP) Return on Investment ROE, ROA+4 Leverage+2 Earning Per Share+5 Inventory+3 Liquidity+4 Subtotal (FP) +18 Indu stry Position (IP) Growth potential+6 Extent leverage+5 Profit potent+5 Productivity+4 Subtotal (IP) +20 Competitive Position (CP) Market share -5 Product quality -1 Control over suppliers and distributers-2 Subtotal (CP) -8 Stability Position (SP) Barriers to entry into market-4Demand variability-6 Competitive pressure-6 Subtotal (SP) -14 x-axis = -2. 66 + 5= 2. 44 y-axis = -4. 66+ 3. 6= -1. 06 Based on this formula, it shows that The Hershey company x-axis is 2. 44 and y-axis is -1. 06. Therefore firm’s directional vector is located in the lower-right or competitive quadrant of the SPACE Matrix. In other word, The company has competitive advantages in a growing industry, The Hershey should pursue competitive strategies which include; backward, forward and horizontal integration; market penetration; market development and product evelopment. H. Grand Strategy Matrix Quadrant IV business have a strong competitive position but are in a slow-growth industry. Hershey has the str ength to launch diversified into more promising growth area such as India and China. The company also has characteristically high cash-flow levels and limited internal growth need as the result of 86% market share in America. I. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix BCG is a private management consulting firm base in Boston. The purpose of BCG Matrix is graphically shows the company’s position in terms of relative market share and industry growth.Hershey is in the Star quadrant because Hershey is leading in terms of market share in America and the growth rate sale is higher than zero for several years. As the result, the Star quadrant indicates that Hershey has good long-run opportunities for growth and profitability. To maintain this position Hershey need a substantial investment especially in global market and to strengthen its dominant position. Strategies that is best for Hershey includes market penetration, market development, product development, and forward, backward an d horizontal integration. J.The Internal-External (IE) Matrix | | | The IFE Total Weighted Score| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Strong| Average| Weak| | | | | | 3. 0 to 4. 0| 2. 0 to 2. 99| 1. 0 to 1. 99| | | | | High| IFE = 3. 04 IFE = 3. 04 I| II| III| | | | | EFE = 3. 27 EFE = 3. 27 3. 0 to 3. 99| | | | | | | | Medium| IV| V| VI| | | The EFE Total Weighted Score| 2. 0 to 2. 99| | | | | | | | Low| VII| VIII| IX| | | | | 1. 0 to 1. 99| | | | | | Key: | Grow and build| | Hold and maintain| | Harvest or diverstiture|The Internal – External (IE) Matrix The IE matrix is based on two key dimensions such as the IFE total weighted score and the EFE total weighted score. The total weighted scores allow construction of the corporate-level IE Matrix. The result from IE Matrix states that Hershey Company is appropriate for division 1 or can be described as grow and build. The most appropriate strategies for this division can be intensive market penetration, market development, and product development or company can also consider intensive backward integration, forward integration and horizontal integration.Based on the interpretation, suggest two best alternatives that the company could pursuit, then perform QSPM matrix. K. QSPM Strategic Alternatives| Key Internal Factors Weight| Alternative 1: Global Expansion| Alternative 2: Develop Organic Products| Strengths| AS | TAS| AS| TAS| 1. Distribute Hershey products via Godrej’s distribution network in India| 0. 06| 4| 0. 24| 2| 0. 18| 2. Advertising expenses for promote iconic brands. | 0. 09| 4| 0. 36| 3| 0. 27| 3. Relies on special promotions| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| 2| 0. 14| 4.The company has expanded its global presence. | 0. 08| 4| 0. 32| 2| 0. 12| 5. Hershey has special editions product that are themed with events. | 0. 06| -| -| -| -| 6. The company portfolio of healthy snacks has expanded| 0. 08| 2| 0. 16| 4| 0. 32| 7. Acquiring non-chocolate and nutritional products| 0. 09| 2| 0. 18| 4| 0. 36| 8. Products are sold to more than 2 million retail outlets. | 0. 07| -| -| -| -| 9. Hershey Centre of Health supported research on consumer preferences and process innovations. | 0. 06| 2| 0. 12| 3| 0. 18| 10. Operating profit Margin: 14% (2008) 15% (2009)| 0. 6| -| -| -| -| Weaknesses| 1. Plans to close online gift business. | 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| 1| 0. 06| 2. The company projects a reduction of 1,500 positions. | 0. 05| 2| 0. 10| 1| 0. 05| 3. Plans to discontinue Cocao Reserve brand Starbucks chocolate partnership. | 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| 1| 0. 06| 4. Hershey’s iconic brands are instantly recognized within the domestic market| 0. 06| -| -| -| -| 5. The company’s long-term debt increased| 0. 05| -| -| -| -| SUBTOTAL| 1. 00| | 2. 05| | 1. 74| | Global Expansion| Develop Organic Products| Opportunities| AS| TAS| AS| TAS| 1.Organic foods products are the fastest growing sectors. | 0. 10| 1| 0. 10| 4| 0. 40| 2. Seasonal sales account for 10%| 0. 05| -| -| -| -| 3. Nestle’s image has suffe red. | 0. 04| 3| 0. 12| 2| 0. 08| 4. Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional value. | 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| 4| 0. 28| 5. Confectionery products projected global market value of $107. 4 billion by 2010| 0. 09| 3 | 0. 27| 2| 0. 18| 6. Chocolate currently accounts for 55. 8% of the market’s overall global value. | 0. 08| -| -| -| -| Threats| 1. Mergers and acquisitions have influenced both the market share. 0. 01| 4| 0. 04| 2| 0. 02| 2. Nestle expanded nutritional product. | 0. 08| 3| 0. 24| 4| 0. 32| 3. Nestle entered the organic product segment. | 0. 08| 3| 0. 24| 4| 0. 32| 4. Cadbury manufactures a line of products with no artificial colors or flavorings| 0. 07| 1| 0. 07| 2| 0. 14| 5. Cadbury has a 71% market share in India, and 53% Australia. | 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| 2| 0. 12| 6. Mars Nutrition and Health Well being has developed low-fat and healthy snacks| 0. 07| 2| 0. 14| 3| 0. 21| 7. International wholesale sugar prices may reach 40 cent a pound| 0. 06| -| -| -| -| 8.Coc oa future contract prices in 2008 ranged from $ 0. 86 to $1. 50 per pound| 0. 05| -| -| -| -| SUBTOTAL| | | 1. 57| | 2. 07| SUM TOTAL ATTRACTIVENESS SCORE| | | 3. 66| | 3. 81| As the result of QSPM, we consider two alternative strategies As following:a) Global expansion b) Develop organic products The sum total attractive scores are 3. 66 and 3. 87. The analysis indicates that Hershey should develop organic products. L. Recommendations From the evaluations of the company’s conditions, performance, and the analysis provided from SWOT matrix, IFE-EFE matrix, and Grand strategy matrix.We recommend three specific strategies as following: 1) Expand to global market Hershey has recently market share 86% in America and it is well known in America as the chocolate maker since 1906. On the other hand, In the global market, Hershey is the third rang next to Nestle and Cadbery. Hershey needs to continue to focus on the global market. Hershey currently has a limited presence in many area s of the world. However, compare to the actual plan strategies of the company, they have begun to expand into new areas such as China and India. We are suggesting the new organization structure to Hershey Food Corporation.In this structure, we have suggested continental president, which will help to complete globally or to increase the market share globally because they will have the experience of the particular continents and they will work according to market conditions. The Hershey Company needs to go international advertisement to promote the product as well as they have to find out the new channels of distribution and adopt the new channels to increase the sales. For the cost of expand to global market, the company must spend more in terms of marketing that amount is indicated in the projected income statement. ) Continue chocolate partnership with coffee store, and online gift business Hershey should continue to provide new chocolate flavored coffee product in supermarkets and coffee stores. This allows Hershey to market to new segment, more consumers , and participate in new trends. Besides, Hershey should continue online gift business to get the new channel to increase the sales as well as to provide the seasonal products and the gifts that could be personalized by the consumer. 3) Develop organic product People have become much more aware of the various factors that negatively affect their health.Chocolate and other candy are viewed as an unhealthy snack. Organic food products are one of the fastest growing sectors. Therefore, Hershey needs to continue to expand the market healthy products in order to gain a greater market share. If Hershey continues to market the products they already have in categories and continues to develop new products that address the healthy to the public, then their revenues will increase throughout the years as the projected income statement as following. Projected financial statementsProjected The Hershey company Statements of Income| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In thousands of dollars except| For the year ended December 31| 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | | | | | | | | | Net Sales| 5,132,768| 5,298,668| 5,671,009| 6,238,110| Costs and Expenses 😠 | | | | | | | | | | | | Cost of sales| | 3,375,050| 3,245,531| 3,255,801| 3,402,798| | | | | | | | Selling, marketing and administrative| 1,073,019| 1,208,672| 1,426,477| 1,511,119| | | | | | | | | Business realignment and | | 94,801| 82,875| 83,433| 90,080| | impairment charges, net| | | | | | | | | | Total costs and expenses| 4,542,870| 4,537,078| 4,765,711| 5,003,997| | | | | | | | | | Income before Interest and Income Taxes| 589,898| 761,590| 905,298| 1,234,113| | Interest expenses, net| | 97,876| 90,459| 96,434| 111,070| | | | | | | | | | Income before Income Taxes| | 492,022| 671,131| 808,864| 1,123,043| | Provision for income taxes| | 180,617| 235,137| 299,065| 393,065| | | | | | | | | | Net Income| 311,405| 435,994| 509,799| 729,978| Projected The He rshey Company's Balance Sheet| | | | | | | | | | all numbers in thousands)| | Period Ending| 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | | | | | | | | | | Total Asset| | | 3,634,719| 3,675,031| 4,272,732| 4,913,642| Short term debt| | | 501,504| 39,313| 285,480| 157,014| Long term debt| | | 1,505,945| 1,502,730| 1,541,825| 1,418,479| Stockholders' Equity| | | 318,199| 760,339| 937,601| 1,021,985| M. Evaluation of the recommendations based on Islamic perspective Islamic perspective As we know, Hershey produces good quality of chocolate and Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark chocolate.These benefits are from flavonoids , which act as antioxidants. Moreover, the other benefit that we are able to gain from chocolate such as Lower Blood Pressure, Lower Cholesterol, endorphin production and so on. Allah orders us to consume good thing and try to avoid the meal that it will damage our bodies. As Allah said: Messengers! eat of the good thing s and do good; surely i know what you do Chapter: 23 , Verse: 51 eat of the lawful and good things with which allah has provided you and be thankful for the favors of allah if it is he you worship Chapter: 16 , Verse: 114 Moreover, Hershey produce halal product to consumer. The ingredients that are utilized to produce chocolate are not the ingredient that Allah forbidden as said in Quran. He has only forbidden you what dies of itself and blood and flesh of swine and that over which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely Allah is forgiving, merciful Chapter: 16 , Verse: 115 Hershey also has policy to maintain and concern about environment. It was one of the companies who are in World cocoa Foundation which support environmental project. This project includes non-chemical pest management practice and encourage sustainable farming practice to support ecosy stem in the region.Allah does not love people who harm environment as said in Quran ? â€Å"Seek not mischief in the land, for Allah loves not those who do mischief. † (Quran 28:77) According to scientists and philosophers, man is considered as the major factor in disturbing the natural balance of the universe. Man interferes intentionally or unintentionally in the earth's ecosystems by impairing its perfect order and precise sequence. However, it seems that man has cut off his nose to spite his face and he now is the victim. Grave dangers are anifested in pollution of the air, water, soil, outer space and others, as well as the irrational exploitation of the environment's resources, and inconsistent distribution of human settlements. All these factors have lead to different problems, all of which are marked by a disturbance to the earth's natural balance. If companies or industries exploit or use up natural materials and environment, all damage will revert back to them. As promised Quran. Mischief has appeared on the land and sea, because of (the need) that the hands of man have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from evil). †Ã‚  (Quran 30:41) REFFERENCES About Hershey. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://www. thehersheycompany. com/about-hershey. aspx â€Å"Chocolate is good for you. † Chocolate Trading Co. July 13th, 2005 November 1st, 2007. Financial Report. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://www. thehersheycompany. com/ investors/financial-reports. aspx. Fred R. David, â€Å"Strategic Management: Concept and Cases, Hershey Company—2009† 13th Edn.Page 111-119. Pearson Education, 2011 Halal and Haram Foods according to Quran. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://www. parsquran. com/eng/subject/halal. htm Karem S. Ghoneim (Prof. ), Quran Recitations : The Quran and the Environment . Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://www. whyquran. co m/877/content/blogsection/0/98/9/18/ Mark Stibich, Health Benefits of  Chocolate. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://longevity. about. com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/chocolate. htm Organization’s key Competitors. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: www. foodproductiondaily-usa. com |

Free Essays on Interview With Clergymen

For my report I interviewed Father Charles, a priest at my local church. My assignment was to find out about the priest’s views on sexuality. After interviewing the priest and asking a variety of questions regarding sexuality, I found that his answers were often contradicting to traditional views. Many times the Father’s views differed from those of the Catholic Church. The subjects of my questioning ranged from same sex relationships to use of birth control. Although the Catholic Church has openly taken its stance against homosexuality and same sex marriages, Father Charles seemed to take a more liberal view on the topic. When asked about the topic, he made it perfectly clear that he, in no way, condones or advocates these types of relationships. The Father did however say that he is able to empathize with homosexuals because his brother is openly a homosexual. The father said that he realizes that homosexuality is not a choice but rather that being a homosexual is something you are born to be. He also feels that although homosexuality is a sin, like all other sins committed, god will forgive those people. Another part of the conversation was that of the use of birth control. The Catholic Church is obviously Pro-Life and Father Charles had the same view on the subject. He does not believe that birth control needs to be used. He thinks that premarital sex is wrong. Father Charles believes that if a woman becomes pregnant, that she should have the baby under almost all circumstances. He does not believe that birth control should be an option when two people decide that they are ready to have sex. He believes that sexual intercourse is a very holy part of life, and that birth control takes away from the beauty of life. The reason I chose to pick this assignment is that it was the assignment I was most comfortable with. The reason I chose to interview Father Charles is he had both traditional and liberal views on t... Free Essays on Interview With Clergymen Free Essays on Interview With Clergymen For my report I interviewed Father Charles, a priest at my local church. My assignment was to find out about the priest’s views on sexuality. After interviewing the priest and asking a variety of questions regarding sexuality, I found that his answers were often contradicting to traditional views. Many times the Father’s views differed from those of the Catholic Church. The subjects of my questioning ranged from same sex relationships to use of birth control. Although the Catholic Church has openly taken its stance against homosexuality and same sex marriages, Father Charles seemed to take a more liberal view on the topic. When asked about the topic, he made it perfectly clear that he, in no way, condones or advocates these types of relationships. The Father did however say that he is able to empathize with homosexuals because his brother is openly a homosexual. The father said that he realizes that homosexuality is not a choice but rather that being a homosexual is something you are born to be. He also feels that although homosexuality is a sin, like all other sins committed, god will forgive those people. Another part of the conversation was that of the use of birth control. The Catholic Church is obviously Pro-Life and Father Charles had the same view on the subject. He does not believe that birth control needs to be used. He thinks that premarital sex is wrong. Father Charles believes that if a woman becomes pregnant, that she should have the baby under almost all circumstances. He does not believe that birth control should be an option when two people decide that they are ready to have sex. He believes that sexual intercourse is a very holy part of life, and that birth control takes away from the beauty of life. The reason I chose to pick this assignment is that it was the assignment I was most comfortable with. The reason I chose to interview Father Charles is he had both traditional and liberal views on t...

Lysander the Spartan General

Lysander the Spartan General Lysander was one of the Heraclidae at Sparta, but not a member of the royal families. Not much is known about his early life. His family was not wealthy, and we dont know how Lysander came to be entrusted with military commands. The Spartan Fleet in the Aegean When Alcibiades rejoined the Athenian side towards the end of the Peloponnesian War, Lysander was put in charge of the Spartan fleet in the Aegean, based at Ephesus (407). It was Lysanders decree that merchant shipping put into Ephesus and his foundation of shipyards there, that started its rise to prosperity. Persuading Cyrus to Help the Spartans Lysander persuaded Cyrus, the Great Kings son, to help the Spartans. When Lysander was leaving, Cyrus wanted to give him a present, and Lysander asked for Cyrus to fund an increase in the sailors pay, thus inducing sailors serving in the Athenian fleet to come over to the higher-paying Spartan fleet. While Alcibiades was away, his lieutenant Antiochus provoked Lysander into a sea battle which Lysander won. The Athenians thereupon removed Alcibiades from his command. Callicratides  as Lysanders Successor Lysander gained partisans for Sparta amongst the cities subject to Athens by promising to install decemvirates, and promoting the interests of potentially useful allies amongst their citizens. When the Spartans chose Callicratides as Lysanders successor, Lysander undermined his position by sending the funds for the increase in payback to Cyrus and taking the fleet back to the Peloponnese with him. The Battle of Arginusae (406) When Callicratides died after the battle of Arginusae (406), Spartas allies requested that Lysander is made admiral again. This was against Spartan law, so Aracus was made admiral, with Lysander as his deputy in name, but the actual commander. Ending the  Peloponnesian War It was Lysander who was responsible for the final defeat of the Athenian navy at Aegospotami, thus ending the Peloponnesian War. He joined the Spartan kings, Agis and Pausanias, in Attica. When Athens finally succumbed after the siege, Lysander installed a government of thirty, later remembered as the Thirty Tyrants (404). Unpopular Throughout Greece Lysanders promotion of his friends interests and vindictiveness against those who displeased him made him unpopular throughout Greece. When the Persian satrap Pharnabazus complained, the Spartan ephors recalled Lysander. There resulted in a power struggle within Sparta itself, with the kings favoring more democratic regimes in Greece in order to diminish Lysanders influence. King Agesilaus Instead of  Leontychides On the death of King Agis, Lysander was instrumental in Agis brother Agesilaus being made king instead of Leontychides, who was popularly supposed to be Alcibiades son rather than the kings. Lysander persuaded Agesilaus to mount an expedition to Asia to attack Persia, but when they arrived in the Greek Asian cities, Agesilaus grew jealous of the attention paid to Lysander and did everything he could to undermine Lysanders position. Finding himself unwanted there, Lysander returned to Sparta (396), where he may or may not have started a conspiracy to make the kingship elective amongst all Heraclidae or possibly all Spartiates, rather than confined to the royal families. War Between Sparta and Thebes   War broke out between Sparta and Thebes in 395, and Lysander was killed when his troops were surprised by a Theban ambush.

Cairo Capital of Egypt Geography and Facts

Cairo Capital of Egypt Geography and Facts Cairo is the capital of the north African country of Egypt. It is one of the largest cities in the world and it is the largest in Africa. Cairo is known as being a very densely populated city as well as being the center of Egypts culture and politics. It is also located near some of the most famous remnants of Ancient Egypt like the Pyramids of Giza.Cairo, as well as other large Egyptian cities, has been in the news due to protests and civil unrest that began in late January 2011. On January 25, over 20,000 protesters entered the streets of Cairo. They were likely inspired by the recent revolts in Tunisia and were protesting Egypts government. The protests continued for several weeks and hundreds were killed and/or wounded as both anti and pro-government demonstrators clashed. Eventually, in mid-February 2011 Egypts president, Hosni Mubarak, stepped down from office as a result of the protests. 10 Facts About Cairo 1) Because present-day Cairo is located near the Nile River, it has long been settled. In the 4th century,  for example, Romans built a fortress down on the banks of the river called Babylon. In 641, Muslims took control of the area and moved its capital from Alexandria to the new, growing city of Cairo. At this time it was called Fustat and the region became a center of Islam. In 750,  though, the capital was moved slightly north of Fustat but by the 9th century, it was moved back. 2) In 969, the Egypt-area was taken from Tunisia and a new city was built north of Fustat to serve as its capital. The city was called Al-Qahira, which translates to Cairo. Shortly after its construction, Cairo was to become the center of education for the area. Despite Cairos growth,  however, most of Egypts governmental functions were in Fustat. In 1168, though the Crusaders entered Egypt and Fustat was intentionally burned down to prevent the destruction of Cairo. At that time, Egypts capital was then moved to Cairo and by 1340 its population had grown to nearly 500,000 and it was a growing trading center. 3) Cairos growth began to slow beginning in 1348 and lasting into the early 1500s due to the outbreak of numerous plagues and the discovery of a sea route around the Cape of Good Hope, which allowed European spice traders to avoid Cairo on their routes east. In addition in 1517, the Ottomans took control of Egypt and Cairos political power diminished as government functions were mainly conducted in Istanbul. In the 16th and 17th centuries,  however, Cairo grew geographically as the Ottomans worked to expand the citys borders out from Citadel that was constructed near the citys center. 4) In the mid-to late 1800s, Cairo began to modernize and in 1882 the British entered the region and economic center of Cairo moved closer to the Nile. Also at that time, 5% of Cairos population was European and from 1882 to 1937, its total population grew to over one million. In 1952 however, much of Cairo was burned in a series of riots and anti-government protests. Shortly thereafter, Cairo began to again grow rapidly and today its city population is over six million, while its metropolitan population is over 19 million. In addition, several new developments have been built nearby as satellite cities of Cairo. 5) As of 2006 Cairos population density was 44,522 people per square mile (17,190 people per sq km). This makes it one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Cairo suffers from traffic and high levels of air and water pollution. However, its metro is one of the busiest in the world and it is the only one in Africa. 6) Today Cairo is the economic center of Egypt and much of the Egypts industrial products are either created in the city or pass through it on the Nile River. Despite its economic success, its rapid growth has meant that city services and infrastructure cannot keep up with demand. As a result, many of the buildings and roads in Cairo are very new. 7) Today, Cairo the center of the Egyptian education system and there are a large number of universities in or near the city. Some of the largest are Cairo University, the American University in Cairo and Ain Shams University. 8) Cairo is located in the northern part of Egypt about 100 miles (165 km) from the Mediterranean Sea. It is also about 75 miles (120 km) from the Suez Canal. Cairo is also located along the Nile River and the citys total area is 175 square miles (453 sq km). Its metropolitan area, which includes nearby satellite cities, extends to 33,347 square miles (86,369 sq km). 9) Because the Nile, like all rivers, has shifted its path over the years, there are parts of the city that are very close to the water, while others are farther away. Those closest to the river are Garden City, Downtown Cairo,  and Zamalek. In addition, prior to the 19th century, Cairo was highly susceptible to annual flooding. At that time, dams and levees were constructed to protect the city. Today the Nile is shifting westward and portions of the city are actually getting farther from the river. 10) The climate of Cairo is desert but it can also get very humid due to the proximity of the Nile River. Wind storms are also common and dust from the Sahara Desert can pollute the air in March and April. Precipitation from rainfall is sparse but when it does occur, flash flooding is not uncommon. The average July high temperature for Cairo is 94.5ËšF (35ËšC) and the average January low is 48ËšF (9ËšC). Sources: CNN Wire Staff. Egypts Tumult, Day-by-Day. CNN.com. Retrieved from: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/05/egypt.protests.timeline/index.htmlWikipedia.org.  Cairo - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo

Management and ecommerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management and ecommerce - Essay Example I want to assume the risks and opportunities of being an entrepreneur. According to Kuratko (153), entrepreneurs risk their effort, time, funds and reputation by taking up an opportunity to venture into a specific entrepreneurial course. However, it would be appreciated that the higher the risk, the higher the returns on investment as beneficiaries pay a premium price. Therefore, instead of being risk averse and continue making meagre or no returns on investment, I would rather take the entrepreneurial informed risks and opportunities availed and have a chance of reaping greater benefits in return. 3. Insurance can be a costly expense, especially for a company that isn’t profitable. Explain the different types of insurance that a small business can obtain, and identify which ones you think are crucial, which are not, and why. The Association of British Insurers documents various insurances for small businesses. General liability insurance protects the business from liability claims with regards to injuries, accidents, negligence claims, slander, libel and cost of a lawsuit defence among others. Property insurance cushions against losses from damage to business assets and stock through fire, burglary, theft and consequential causes. Thirdly, business interruption insurance protects against lost revenue when unexpected occurrences lead to the incapacitation of the business. Money insurance protects against losing money to fraudulent employees, theft while on transit and even fraudulent directors. Finally, worker’s compensation, mandatory in many states, protects the business in case of claims arising from injury to employees. Property insurance, worker’s compensation and general liability insurance are crucial. This is because property insurance protects the business from losing its foundation – stock and assets. Worker’s compensation and general liability

Social responsibility of business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Managing Business Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing Business Organisations - Essay Example Sexual harassment is an issue of grave concern and it is linked to unequal power distribution in the workplace. Cultures in which male and females are encouraged to work together and where male possess excessive power than women are a victim of this desperate plight. Robbins stated in his article that â€Å"Individuals who occupy high status roles sometime believe that sexually harassing female employees is merely an extension of their right to make demands on lower status individuals.† This shows that unequal power distribution in such culture is often utilized in a negative way. We can deduce from our discussion that organization culture is among the top most factors which overwhelmingly influence the type of politics played in organization and also the extent to which power is wielded. Cultures where individual are aggressive and confrontational and where power inequalities are accepted are especially vulnerable to inimical politics and illegal use of

SUMMARY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

SUMMARY - Essay Example Alternatively a light meal on a fasting day may make this approach more viable. During Ramadan Muslims desist from eating between dawn and dusk. An assessment was conducted and its aim was to scrutinize the effects of fasting on behavioral and physiological variables in healthy subjects (Rocky, et al., .2004). It was noted that Ramadan fasting did not have any impact on the metabolism of proteins, lipids or carbohydrates. Some studies have however shown that this kind of fasting affects the circadian supply of body temperature, melatonin, glycemia, and cortisol. Occurrences of road accidents are high during this period a factor that can be attributed to Biological and behavioral changes common during Ramadan. Rocky et al., (2004) conducted a study, on the effect of alternative fasting on aerobic and anaerobic exercise performance in judo athletes, continuing their usual training. The results that obtained showed that the fasting had a small impact on aerobic performance. It was also observed that experienced athletes can preserve enough energy and train normal during the fasting period. Kumar & Kaur (2013) conducted a research on how dietary restriction negatively affected reproduction. The study was intended to explore the effects of negative energy occasioned by intermittent fasting on young female and male rats. It was noted that, changes in body weight, testeron and blood glucose showed the negative role of diet restriction on the reproduction of this animals. It was concluded that the fasting regimen negatively impacts reproduction in young animals, and this was also able to explain the basis of nutritional infertility. It was also noted that women who fail to eat enough food to match their energy expenditure often develop clinical cases of anorexia nervosa. Monica, et al., (2012) conducted a research to determine the level at which weight loss can be boosted if alternate fasting is combined with calorie restriction. The study examined the effects