International Markets Essay

Once SAB Miller has decided to establish itself in the global market, it becomes necessary for the marketing manager to study and analyze the various options available to enter the international markets and select the most suitable one. The selection of the entry mode is one of the most significant decisions.SAB Miller takes in the process of internationalization, as it involves commitment of resources with long-term financial and structural implications. Mode of entry may be defined as an institutional mechanism by which a firm makes its products or services available to consumer in international markets. Root (1994) defines the market entry for international markets as a comprehensive plan which sets forth the objectives,goals,resources,and policies that guide a company’s international business operations over a future period long enough to achieve sustainable growth in world markets. FACTORS AFFECTING THE SELECTION OF ENTRY MODE EXTERNAL MODES MARKET SIZE:Market size is one of the key factors an international marketer has to develop to keep in mind when selecting an entry strategy.Countries with a large market size justify the modes of entry with investment,such as wholly owned subsiaries or equity participation. MARKET GROWTH:Most of the large,established markets,such US,Europe and Japan,have more or less reached a point of saturation for consumer goods such as automobiles,consumer electronics.Therefore,the growth of markets in these countries is showing a declining trend.For instance,the overall growth in most of the US and European market is about 7% while emerging markets like India and China is over 30% which indicates tremendous market potential in time to come. Therefore,from the perspective of long-term growth potential such as China,India,Thailand,Indonesia etc.These markets are also termed emerging markets. GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS:The selection of market entry modes to a great extent affected by the legislative framework of the overseas market,the government of most of the Gulf countries have made it mandatory for foreign firms to have local partner.For instance,the UAE is a lucrative market for Indian firms but most firms operate there with a local partner. Trade barriers such as ecological regulations and local content requirements also affect the mode of entry.It has been a major reason for  increased foreign investment in Mexico,which is a part of the North American Free Agreement(NAFTA),in order to cater to the US market. LEVEL OF COMPETITION:Presence of competitors and their level of involvement in an overseas market is another crucial factor in deciding on an entry mode so as to effectively respond to competitive market force.This is one of the major reasons behind auto companies setting up their operations in India and other emerging markets so as to effectively respond to global competition. INTERNAL MODES COMPANY OBJECTIVES:Companies operating in domestic markets with limited aspirations generally enter foreign markets as a result of a reactive approach to international marketing oppurtunities.In such cases,companies receive unsoliated orders from acquaintances,firms and relatives based abroad,and they attempt to fulfil these export orders.This casual approach to entering international markets by way of producing in the homemarket and exporting overseas translates into regular exporting if the firm has positive experience in its exports operation. AVAILABILTY OF COMPANY RESOURCES:Venturing into international markts needs substantial commitment of financial and human resources and therefore choice of an entry mode depends upon the financial strength of a firm.It may be observed that Indian firms with good financial strength have entered international markets by way of wholly owned subsidiaries or equity participation. LEVEL OF COMMITMENT:In view of the market potential,the willingness of the company to commit resources in a particular market also determines the entry mode choice.Companies need to evaluate various investment alternatives in a particular market also depends upon the way the company is willing to perceive and respond to competitive forces. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:A company well exposed to the dynamics of the international marketing environment would be at ease when making a decision regarding entering into international markets with a highly intensive mode of entry such as joint venture and wholly owned subsidiaries. Below are different modes of market entry and they include: EXPORTING Exporting is the simplest method of entering a foreign market.It is the  process of sending goods or services from country to other countries for use or sale there. By exporting to a foreign country,a company is able to enter this country without actually establishing itself in the country.The company must simply manufacture products that can be shipped to the foreign country.Export activities may take several forms,including indirect exporting,direct exporting,and intracorporate transfers. Direct exports represent the most basic mode of exporting, capitalizing on economies of scale in production concentrated in the home country and affording better control over distribution. Direct export works the best if the volumes are small. Types of direct exporting are: Sales representatives – that represent foreign suppliers/manufacturers in their local markets for an established commission on sales. Provide support services to a manufacturer regarding local advertising, local sales presentations, customs clearance formalities, legal requirements. Importing distributors – purchase product in their own right and resell it in their local markets to wholesalers, retailers, or both. Indirect Exporting Indirect export is the process of exporting through domestically based export intermediaries. Indirect methods of exporting requires less marketing investment, but, as the exporter has no control over its products in the foreign market, the company lose substantial control over the marketing process. Types or methods of indirect exporting are: Filling orders from domestic buyers who then export the product Seeking out domestic buyers who represent foreign customers Exporting through an Export Management Company (EMC) Exporting through an Export Trading Company (ETC) INTRACORPORATE TRANSFERS A third form of export activity is the intracorporate transfer,which has become more important as the sizes of MNCs have increased.An intracorporate transfer is the sale of goods by a firm in one country to an affiliated firm in another. LICENCING License is a contract to identify what is being licensed: trademarks, patents, designs, copyrights or software. Licensing allows rapidly entering into the chosen foreign market and reduces capital requirements to establish manufacturing facilities overseas. Your contract does not violation of the host country’s existing laws and regulations.a licensor in the home country makes limited rights or resources available to the licensee in the host country. The rights or resources may include patents, trademarks, managerial skills, technology, and others that can make it possible for the licensee to manufacture and sell in the host country a similar product to the one the licensor has already been producing and selling in the home country without requiring the licensor to open a new operation overseas. The licensor earnings usually take forms of one time payments, technical fees and royalty payments usually calculated as a percentage of sales. As in this mode of entry the transference of knowledge between the parental company and the licensee is strongly present, the decision of making an international license agreement depend on the respect the host government show for intellectual property and on the ability of the licensor to choose the right partners and avoid them to compete in each other market. Licensing is a relatively flexible work agreement that can be customized to fit the needs and interests of both, licensor and licensee. Franchising The franchising system can be defined as: â€Å"A system in which semi-independent business owners (franchisees) pay fees and royalties to a parent company (franchiser) in return for the right to become identified with its trademark, to sell its products or services, and often to use its business format and system. Compared to licensing, franchising agreements tends to be longer and the franchisor offers a broader package of rights and resources which usually includes: equipment, managerial systems, operation manual, initial trainings, site approval and all the support necessary for the franchisee to run its business in the same way it is done by the franchisor. In addition to that, while a licensing agreement involves things such as intellectual property, trade secrets and others while in franchising it is limited to trademarks and operating know-how of the business. TYPES OF FRANCHISES There are three available types of franchises.The first type is the dealership,a form commonly found in the automobile industry.Here,the manufacturers use franchises to distribute their product lines.These dealership act as the retail stores for the manufacturer.In some distance,they are required to meet quotas established by the manufacturers,but as is the case for any franchise,they benefit from advertising and management support provided by the franchisor.The most common type of franchise is the type that offers a name,image and method of doing business,such as McDonald’s,KFC,Holiday Inn. There are many of these types of franchises,and their listings,with pertinent information can be found in various sources. A third type of franchise offers services.These include personnel agencies,income tax preparation companies and real estate agencies.These franchises have established names and reputation and methods of doing business.In some distances,such as real estate,the franchisee has actually been operating a business and then applies to become a member of the franchise. CONTRACT MANUFACTURING Contract manufacturing refers to a situation where a business will engage the services of an independent party to perform a specified duty for the business. In terms of manufacturing, contract manufacturing refers to a situation where a manufacturer will engage the services of an independent party to perform a specified job. There are various reasons for this type of engagement by manufacturers, all of which involve the maximization of profit. The process of contract manufacturing also has some negative considerations that include the risk of uncertainty and lack of control over the process. WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIRIES Entering a foreign market with a wholly owned subsidiary involves creating a local firm without the aid of a local partner. There are two ways of doing this. The first is through what is called greenfield development. This involves creating a new organization in the foreign country from the ground up. The second method is what is referred to as brownfield development. This involves purchasing an existing company in a foreign country. Brownfield developments can be beneficial because they offer local expertise, but they can be difficult because there may be resistance from those in the company  to new ownership. JOINT VENTURE A market entry option which the exporter and a domestic company in the target country join together to form a new incorporated company. Both parties provide equity and resources to the JV and share in the management, profits and losses. The JV be limited to the life of a particular project. This option is popular in countries where there are restrictions on foreign ownership, eg. China and Vietnam PIGGYBACKING Piggyback marketing – low cost market entry strategy in which two or more firms represent one another’s complementary (but non-competing) products in their respective market. Or, in other words, it is an arrangement, where two or more companies help each other to market their products, where the products have to be complementary and not competing against each other. LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS No direct foreign marketing: A company in this stage does not actively cultivate customers outside national boundaries; however this company’s products may reach foreign markets. Sales may be made to trading companies as well as foreign customers who come directly to the firm. Or products may reach foreign markets via domestic wholesalers or distributors who sell abroad without explicit encouragement or even knowledge of the producer. As companies develop web sites on the internet, many receive orders from international Web surfers. Often an unsolicited order from a foreign is what piques the interest of a company to seek additional international sales. Infrequent Foreign marketing: Temporary surpluses caused by variations in production levels or demand may result in infrequent marketing overseas. The surpluses are characterized by their temporary nature; therefore sales to foreign markets are made as goods are available, with little or no intention of maintaining continuous market representation. As domestic demand increases and absorbs surpluses, foreign sales activity is withdrawn. In this stage, little or no change is seen in company organization or product lines. However, few companies today fit this  model because customers around the world increasingly seek long term commercial relationships. Further, evidence exists that financial returns from initial international expansions are limited. Regular Foreign marketing: At this level, the firm has permanent productive capacity devoted to the production of goods to be marketed in foreign markets. A firm may employ foreign or domestic overseas intermediaries or it may have its own sales force or sales subsidiaries in important markets. The primary focus of operations and production is to service domestic market needs. However, as overseas demand grows, production is allocated for foreign markets, and products may be adapted to meet the needs of individual foreign markets. Profit expectations from foreign markets move from being seen as a bonus to regular domestic profits to a position in which the company becomes dependent on foreign sales and profits to meet its goals. International marketing International marketing is the export, franchising, joint venture or full direct entry of a marketing organization into another country. This can be achieved by exporting a company’s product into another location, entry through a joint venture with another firm in the target country, or foreign direct investment into the target country. The development of the marketing mix for that country is then required – international marketing. It can be as straightforward as using existing marketing strategies, mix and tools for export on the one side, to a highly complex relationship strategy including localization, local product offerings, pricing, production and distribution with customized promotions, offers, website, social media and leadership. Internationalization and international marketing meets the needs of selected foreign countries where a company’s value can be exported and there is inter-firm and firm learning, optimization and efficiency in economies of scale and scope. The firm does not need to export or enter all world markets to be considered an international marketer. Global Marketing Global marketing is a firm’s ability to market to almost all countries on the planet. With extensive reach, the need for a firm’s product or services is  established. The global firm retains the capability, reach, knowledge, staff, skills, insights, and expertise to deliver value to customers worldwide. The firm understands the requirement to service customers locally with global standard solutions or products, and localizes that product as required to maintain an optimal balance of cost, efficiency, customization and localization in a control-customization continuum to best meet local, national and global requirements to position itself against or with competitors, partners, alliances, substitutes and defend against new global and local market entrants per country, region or city. The firm will price its products appropriately worldwide, nationally and locally, and promote, deliver access and information to its customers in the most cost-effective way. The firm also needs to understand, research, measure and develop loyalty for its brand and global brand equity (stay on brand) for the long term. b)OULINE ADVANTAGES AND DISAVANTAGES OF EACH STRATEGY. Advantages of direct exporting: -Control over selection of foreign markets and choice of foreign representative companies. -Good information feedback from target market. -Better protection of trademarks, patents, goodwill, and other intangible property. – Potentially greater sales than with indirect exporting. Disadvantages of direct exporting: – Higher start-up costs and higher risks as opposed to indirect exporting; – Greater information requirements; – Longer time-to-market as opposed to indirect exporting. Advantages of the international franchising mode: -Low political risk -Low cost -Allows simultaneous expansion into different regions of the world -Well selected partners bring financial investment as well as managerial capabilities to the operation. Advantages of indirect exporting -It’s an almost risk-free way to begin. -It demands minimal involvement in the export process. -It allows you to continue to concentrate on your domestic business. -You  have limited liability for product marketing problems — there’s always someone else to point the finger at! -You learn as you go about international marketing. -Depending on the type of intermediary with which you are dealing, you don’t have to concern yourself with shipment and other logistics. Disadvantages of indirect exporting: -Your profits are lower. -You lose control over your foreign sales. -You very rarely know who your customers are, and thus lose the opportunity to tailor your offerings to their evolving needs. -When you visit, you are a step removed from the actual transaction. You feel out of the loop. -The intermediary might also be offering products similar to yours, including directly competitive products, to the same customers instead of providing exclusive representation. -Your long-term outlook and goals for your export program can change rapidly, and if you’ve put your product in someone else’s hands, it’s hard to redirect your efforts accordingly. Advantages of licensing -Obtain extra income for technical know-how and services -Reach new markets not accessible by export from existing facilities -Quickly expand without much risk and large capital investment -Pave the way for future investments in the market -Retain established markets closed by trade restrictions -Political risk is minimized as the licensee is usually 100% locally owned -Is highly attractive for companies that are new in international business. Disadvantages of licensing -Lower income than in other entry modes -Loss of control of the licensee manufacture and marketing operations and practices leading to loss of quality -Risk of having the trademark and reputation ruined by an incompetent partner -The foreign partner can also become a competitor by selling its production in places where the parental company is already in. -investment to attract prospects and support and manage franchisees. Advanatges of Frachising -Franchising provide knowledge of the local markets. A franchise provides franchisees with a certain level of independence where they can operate their business. A franchise provides an established product or service which may already enjoy widespread brand-name recognition. This gives the franchisee the benefits of a pre-sold customer base which would ordinarily takes years to establish. A franchise increases your chances of business success because you are associating with proven products and methods. Franchises may offer consumers the attraction of a certain level of quality and consistency because it is mandated by the franchise agreement. – Disadvantages of franchising: -Franchisees may turn into future competitors. -Demand of franchisees may be scarce when starting to franchise a company, which can lead to making agreements with the wrong candidates -A wrong franchisee may ruin the company’s name and reputation in the market -Dependence on franchisee. -Potential conflicts with franchisee. Advantages of Joint Venture: -Accessing additional financial resources – Asset sharing is one of the best advantages about joint venture. Since, you are able to use larger funds to facilitate the production and operation of projects and products, you facilitate growth. In other words, you increase profit margin and increase your revenue potential. -Sharing the economic risk with co-venturer – It pays to have someone sharing the responsibility with you in case you end up in deep troubles. This is also true with joint venture. Since you are sharing assets, the risk of losing a great deal of money is divided to both parties. -Widening economic scope fast – Building reputation is often difficult, not to mention time consuming and expansive. At a joint venture, you are able to widen your economic scope without spending too much money and waiting for a long time. – Tapping newer methods, technology, and approach you do not have – In order to grow and expand, you need resources in the forms of methods, technology, and approach. For that matter, it would help a lot if you will be able to partner with an entity that presently has the things you don’t and the things you need. Joint venture opens up the venue for such need. -Building relationship with vital contacts – Aside from economic territory, another advantage of joint venture is the ability to give you business relationships with vital contacts. This is just like automatically befriending your partner’s influential friend that can give you access to lots of things such as business opportunities and a pass to vital information. Disadvantages of Joint Venture: -Shared profit – Since you share assets, you also share the profit. The profit of both parties usually depends on the size of the share to the venture or may be defined on the agreement. -Diminished control over some important matters – Operational control and decision making are sometimes compromised in joint ventures. Since there is an agreement that divides which one will take over a particular operation, the other may not be satisfied with how the things are worked out with another. This leads us to another disadvantage of a joint venture. -Undesired outcome of the quality of the product or project – Since one party may not have control on the supervision of the production or the execution of one part of the system, this can happen. This often leads to disputes and lawsuits. To avoid this, both parties agree on specific details about the whole operation process. -Uncontrolled or unmonitored increase in the operating cost – Again, defined control over the operation may lead to this disadvantage. It is important therefore to make sure that all things are clarified on the paper before singing in the joint venture agreement. Advantages of contract manufacturing -Low financial risks – contract manufacturing allows companies to save costs by manufacturing a particular item at a cheaper rate than what it would cost them If they decided to undertake the manufacturing process themselves. – it allows the company doing the outsourcing to shave some time off the whole process, giving them quicker returns and turnovers. – Where a company is less effective than another in manufacturing an item, contract manufacturing will allow it to concentrate on that in which it is the most efficient. Disadvantages of contract manufacturing -Reduced learning potential -Potential public relations problems may need to monitor working conditions. -The company doing the outsourcing faces some degree of risk if it fails to do its research properly. This is because outsourcing the manufacturing to the wrong company could end up costing the company more, rather than less, if the outsourced company fails to deliver as expected. Advantages of wholly owned subsidiaries On the positive side, a wholly-owned subsidiary that does its business in a location different from the parent company’s is able to remain in its locale. With the business world spanning so many countries, this can serve as a great advantage in international situations. Name recognition is another positive reason for maintaining a wholly-owned subsidiary. If a particular brand name is well known and popular, the parent company has no reason to absorb the subsidiary entirely. Wholly-owned status allows the subsidiary to retain its name brand, thus avoiding hindering its sales. Diversity for the parent company is another perk created by maintaining a wholly-owned subsidiary. This status allows the parent company to branch out into different products and markets, building strength in diversification. Disadvantages of wholly owned subsidiaries a wholly-owned subsidiary are more business oriented. The holding company runs a definite risk in assuming control of another company while allowing its management to continue to operate independently of the parent company’s. The level of investment and allocation of funds and resources required is also very high. A parent company must spend a great deal of time and money to smoothly integrate the new subsidiary.All of these factors require commitment and dedication on the part of the holding company and willingness to form that partnership on the part of the subsidiary. Advantages of piggybacking reduced financial costs limited risk quick, easy access to the market. Generally, the supported company can make immediate profits on the new market. The SME can, thus save time (3-5 years), compared to the normal length of time necessary to establish itself ; reduced logistical and administrative operations ; benefit of the brand image that the supporting company brings to its products ; immediate availability of a sales force structure ; excellent market knowledge of the supporting company. Disadvantages of piggybacking weak motivation of large companies to become supporters ; difficulty in finding partners offering a compatible product and distribution network ; risk of market loss, which can be reduced due to the complementarity of the product, and commercial follow-up between the partners ; occasional difficult relations because of differences in size or culture ; risk of lack of mutual confidence and of lack of involvement ; risk of conflict of interest (e.g. local agents could systematically put the interests of the supporting company before those of the supported company) ; occasional very rigid requirements and conditions of access to the commercial networks of large companies. These conditions can be qualitative (e.g.: product quality) and quantitative (minimum level of annual turnover, high commissions, etc.). Macro Environmental Influences That Can Affect SAB Millers SABMiller’s origins date back to the foundation of Castle Breweries in 1895 as to serve a growing market of miners and prospectors in and around Johannesburg, South Africa. Two years later, it became the first industrial company to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the year after (1898) it listed on the London Stock Exchange. From the early 1990s onwards, the company increasingly expanded internationally, making several acquisitions in both emerging and developed markets. In 1999, it formed a new UK-based holding company, SAB plc, and moved its primary listing to London. In May 2002, SAB plc acquired Miller Brewing, forming SABMiller plc. It is very important that SAB Miller considers its environment before going into international the market. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of their planning to go international The macro-environment refers to the major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organization’s decision making, and affect its performance and strategies. These factors include the Political (and legal) forces, Economic forces, Sociocultural forces, and Technological forces. These are known as the PEST factors. PEST Analysis Political Factors: The political environment revolves around the current government in a particular country in which SAB Miller manufactures or trades, and also laws/legislation operate or within their home market as well as overseas. If their government is socialist then perhaps there is a policy to tax more and to invest in the public sector. On the other hand if SAB Millers have a more conservative or Republican government then the free-market is left to take control, taxation is less and there is often a smaller public sector. The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulation of the business, and the spending power of consumers and other businesses. SAB Miller must consider issues like: †¢How stable is the political environment in that country? †¢Will government policy of that country influence laws that regulate or tax SAB Miller? †¢What is the government’s position on marketing ethics? †¢What is the government’s policy on the economy? †¢Does the government have a view on culture and religion? †¢Is the government involved in trading agreements such as EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, or others? Economic Factors The economic environment is a direct influence on all businesses. Obviously if you are studying marketing there is a huge element of economics within the topic itself, and you should be no stranger to the principles of economics. As we saw from our lesson on the marketing environment there is a macro environment, and internal environment and the microenvironment. More specifically you’ll be at looking elements such as where a business is in terms of the current business cycle, and whether or not they are trading in a recession. SAB Millers marketers need to consider the state of a trading economy in the short and long-terms. This is especially true when planning for international marketing. You need to look at: 1. Interest rates. 2. The level of inflation Employment level per capita. 3. Long-term prospects for the economy Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, and so on. Sociocultural Factors The Sociocultural environment embodies everything which is social and cultural within a nation or society. There are plenty of examples of society and culture on the marketing teacher website, so we recommend that you go to our lesson store and look through some of the consumer behaviour pages. Some notable examples would include the influence of learning, memory, emotion and perception, motivation, lifestyle and attitude and consumer culture. Have a look at the six living generations in America, social environment and class, the impact of your birth order on how you behave as a consumer and take a look at the eight types of online shoppers. In a more general sense consider influences such as the increase in life expectation of Western consumers, and demographics which is the study of populations. The social and cultural influences on business vary from country to country. It is very important that such factors are considered. Factors include: 1. What is the dominant religion? 2. What are attitudes to foreign products and services? 3. Does language impact upon the diffusion of products onto markets? 4. How much time do consumers have for leisure? 5. What are the roles of men and women within society? 6. How long are the population living? Are the older generations wealthy? 7. Do the population have a strong/weak opinion on green issues? Technological Factors Technological factors are a multifaceted influencer. Let’s just think about the sorts of technology that you come in touch with almost daily. Smart phones such as Android and iphone are now common – all – garden, and we are used to being able to access information and communication technology instantly no matter where we are. During studies or at work we have access to information on quick PCs and over the Internet, with faster broadband connections arriving in many parts of the world. Technology also surrounds business processes. As we saw from our lesson on the functions within an organisation all departments use information technology or technology in one form or another. Our manufacturing operations will use technology to produce goods and services. Our logistics and warehousing functions use forklifts and Lorries as well as order tracking technology and software. The customer service department will use communication technology to talk to customers but will also have access to internal systems, such as technology to simplify credit control and stock control for example. There are many, many more examples of technology. Technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization. Consider the following points: 1. Does technology allow for products and services to be made more cheaply and to a better standard of quality? 2. Do the technologies offer consumers and businesses more innovative products and services such as Internet banking, new generation mobile telephones, etc? 3. How is distribution changed by new technologies e.g. books via the Internet, flight tickets, auctions, etc? 4. Does technology offer companies a new way to communicate with consumers e.g. banners, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), etc?

Carbon Dioxide Essay

Carbon dioxide is the main pollutant that warms our planet Earth. Living things produce carbon dioxide when they breathe. However, carbon dioxide is considered to be a harmful pollutant when linked with any vehicle, trains, power plants, as well as other various human activities that involve burning fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas. Studies have shown that In the past 150 years, such activities have released enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to raise its levels higher than they have ever been before. One of the most obvious consequences of carbon dioxide emissions is gray, muggy smog hanging over large cities. Smog creates many harmful health effects to human beings, it can cause anything from minor pain to deadly diseases such as lung cancer. When an area becomes covered in smog, people feel the effects immediately. But there are many different kinds of pollution, some visible, some invisible – that contribute to global warming. Generally, any substance that people bring into the atmosphere that has damaging effects on living things and the environment is considered air pollution. Other greenhouse gases include methane—which comes from such sources as swamps and gas emitted by livestock—and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants such as hairspray, until they were banned because of their deteriorating effect on Earth’s ozone layer. Another pollutant associated with climate change is sulfur dioxide, a component of smog. Sulfur dioxide and closely related chemicals are known primarily as a cause of acid rain. But they also reflect light when released in the atmosphere, which keeps sunlight out and causes Earth to cool. Volcanic eruptions can spew massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, sometimes causing cooling that lasts for years. In fact, volcanoes used to be the main source of atmospheric sulfur dioxide; today people are. Indus trialized countries have worked to reduce levels of sulfur dioxide, smog, and smoke in order to improve people’s health. But a result, not predicted until recently, is that the lower sulfur dioxide levels may actually make global warming worse. Just as sulfur dioxide from volcanoes can cool the planet by blocking sunlight, cutting the amount of the compound in the atmosphere lets more sunlight through, warming the Earth. This effect is exaggerated when elevated levels of other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap the additional heat. Most people agree that to put a harness around global warming, a variety of measures will need to be taken. On a personal level, driving less, (carpooling when you can, using mass transit systems as much as possible) recycling, and conservation reduces a person’s â€Å"carbon footprint†: the amount of carbon dioxide a person is responsible for putting into the atmosphere. On a larger scale, governments are taking measures to limit emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. One way is through the Kyoto Protocol, an agreement between countries that they will cut back on carbon dioxide emissions. Another method is to put taxes on carbon emissions or higher taxes on gasoline, so that people and companies will have greater incentives to conserve energy and pollute less.

Philips Matsushita

PHILIPS / MATSUSHITA STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS In response to Harward Business School Case 9-392-156 PHILIPS N. V. Philips should pursue transnational structure by establishing integrated network of distributed and interdependent resources and capabilities in its core competencies: consumer electronics and lighting. Philips has developed local responsiveness through its decentralized structure of national organizations (NO). This structure has a great advantage in being able to sense and quickly respond to the differences in the local markets. As a result product development is a function of the local market conditions. Philips had developed 8 major R&D facilities throughout the world that are highly specialized. They have been a success introducing such products as first color TV in its Canadian NO, first stereo TV in Australia, and first TV with tele-text in the UK. However these inventions were not shared with the rest of the NOs in Philips because of the lack of communication between NOs and headquarters. For example, Philips’ Beta videocassette format wasn’t shared with other divisions as the strategically valuable invention, as a result North America Philips rejected this invention outright choosing instead to outsource and sell Matsushita’s VHS tapes. In order to prevent these strategic mistakes, the main role of the headquarters should be scanning of business activities across countries and identifying resources and capabilities that might be a source of competitive advantage for other companies in the firm Philips’ local responsiveness causes poor global efficiencies that need to be improved throughout the company. Transnational solution will help to retain local responsiveness as local companies search for new competencies that enable them to maximize profits in particular markets. International integration is realized when specific country’s operations develop unique competencies and become suppliers of that particular product in the market for the entire corporation. If one division develops valuable, rare, and costly to imitate R&D capabilities or products in its ongoing business activities, that division could become the center for R&D and manufacturing for the entire corporation in that activity or product. In conclusion, Philips should pursue transnational structure, where the main role of corporate headquarters is to scan business ctivities across countries for resources and capabilities that might be a source of competitive advantage for other geographically diversified companies of Philips. This structure will help Philips to be both globally efficient and respond to the local market successfully. MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC Matsushita should pursue completion of transnational structure by establishing integrated network of distributed and interdependen t sources of technical knowledge in the organization and changing the flow of information from top down to even exchange between headquarters and divisions. Past efforts to develop technological capabilities abroad have failed due to the company’s highly centralized R&D structure in Japan. Matsushita have transferred significant resources to local R&D centers, however the delegation of many responsibilities and framework of R&D came from headquarters in Japan. This philosophy was not well accepted by engineers of the acquired local companies because of the excessive functional control from the headquarters. As the result of central R&D dictatorship overseas companies were not able to develop innovative capability and entrepreneurship. In order to restore Matsushita’s profitability and recreate pioneering spirit of R&D, more control should be delegated to local operations’ R&D. Operations in different countries should be thought of as experiments in creation of new core competencies. Local R&D should search for new competencies on local markets in order to maximize profits in their particular markets. Corporate headquarters, on the other hand, should constantly scan different markets and competitors across different countries for new resources and capabilities that might be a source of competitive advantage for other divisions in corporation. If one of Matsushita’s divisions develops valuable and costly to imitate product that could b e a source of competitive advantage, the information about the innovation should be communicated back up to the headquarters. Headquarters will evaluate the idea and will assist with implementing of the innovation. Consequently, that division could become the center of manufacturing technology development for the entire corporation. In conclusion, Matsushita should change its role of corporate headquarters form dictating decision making to support incubatory ideas from local companies and search for new competencies in the market. This will reflect transnational structure goal Matsushita is trying to achieve and boost creativity and innovation on the local level. Copyright  © 2002, Sergei Vasilyev, University of Nevada Las Vegas, MBA To request permission to reproduce material, e-mail [email  protected] edu

Probability Theory in Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Probability Theory in Decision Making - Essay Example Firstly, it must be understood that the sale of juice by coffeeTime is a move to just boost the revenues of the company in the ongoing food festival. The second row (A2) of the table just goes to show that. The nil entries in all the 3 rows signify that any decision of the company against selling fruit juice will have no impact on the sales of coffee, which of primary interest to the company rather than selling fruit juice. There is also an interesting observation from the first row (A1). This row depicts that the sales for fruit juice are expected to register figures of a mere Rs.2000-3000 in the case of the mid-high range respectively. But, if the company suffers a low turnout, then the expected loss ifs around Rs.6000. This is much more than the sales for the highest possible sales turnover as has been previously mentioned. All this goes to show that the company is less likely to benefit in any major way and more likely to incur a loss in the eventuality of selling fruit juice. Th us, it is advisable not to proceed with the proposed plan of selling fruit juice at the south-Asian food festival. b. Firstly, the company can use the Bayesian logic for making any analysis only from data collected from other countries where it has its operations currently.

Mortgage loans in Italy and a residential financial analysis Essay

Mortgage loans in Italy and a residential financial analysis - Essay Example One of the main strengths of the Italian housing market is, according to a 2001 census, a very high rate of ownership which sits around 71% and the residences where people live account for about 60% of Italians net wealth.3 One of the advantages of getting a mortgage loan in Italy is the fact that the Euro, at the moment, is a very strong currency as this offsets the facts that the mortgage rate in Italy is a little higher than in the United States or England.4 There are legal issues that must be dealt with in securing a mortgage loan and owning property in Italy. A reservation must be signed once you have found a property that you would like to purchase which is a legally binding agreement that obliges both parties to complete the purchase of real estate by a specific date in an office of an Notary Republic.5 After the reservation is signed there is a mandatory deposit that must be put down which ranges from 10 - 30% which you do not return if you pull out of the deal but conversely if the vendor pulls out of the deal they must pay two times the amount that was agreed upon as the deposit. 6 When the real estate deal is completed the deposit is counted toward a down payment. The buyer must state that the purchase of the property is conditional on the buyer receiving a mortgage, a satisfactory survey, and that the property in question is in compliance with building regulations free from all charges as the buyer must check what legal fees and local government taxes might be associated with the purchase before re-mortgaging or purchasing. 8 The real estate deal is complete once this process is formalized by a sale deed written by a local notary who then registers the deed with the land registry as well as pays all the taxes incurred on behalf of the buyer.9 There are Italian solicitors that are available for much of this legal work as they generally charge 2% of the purchase price of the property as some of their duties include drawing up of contracts, contacting the relevant notary for such documents, payment of taxes and registering the property. 10 Notary fees differ on the price as they generally charge a higher percentage on less expensive properties as the average fee will be around 4% of the declared price of the property.11 Foreign citizens must also receive a tax identification number codice fiscale through any Italian financial office or an Italian Embassy.12 This document is important for: Signing the preliminary purchase agreementRequesting bank financingOpening bank accountsConcluding the final purchase agreement with notaryPurchasing an automobile Arranging public utilities contractsPresenting declarations to public offices , whether communal, regional or state13 The time value of money is used as the base for all ideas in finance as it has a direct impact in business, consumer, and government finance as the time value of money derives for the concept of interest. In the terms of the time value of money one dollar today is the same value as a dollar in three years time but where it differs is the money that could be made by investment and gaining interest over a period of time from when you first receive the money. If you receive 10,000 dollars today you

Role Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Role Models - Essay Example â€Å"Role models demonstrate their commitment to a desired goal and are willing to invest the necessary time and effort to achieve success† (Silver). â€Å"In order for role models to be influential, they must show respect for others† (Silver). â€Å"Role models inspire other with an upbeat, optimistic outlook on life† (Silver). Summary of the article-The article is by Rebecca Morrison who claims that individuals are still susceptible to the influence of others, and especially their friends regardless of their age, strength, independence, or centeredness. The influence of others comes in various forms and can be specific, general, or indirect. Occasional and small negative habits viewed in one’s friend can erode and become sustained in the individual’s life too. It is hard for an individual to recognize that his or her friend is the one negatively impacting their life as they care about them. For one to understand the impact of negative friendship in their life, they need to step back and have a look at their actions and analyze how their life has been impacted negatively. It is possible to make positive change after identifying the negative impact. The changes that need to be made may either be dramatic or simple adjustment. Main ideas- friends with negative habits are capable of influencing one’s life. For one to understand the negative influence a relationship has on them, they need to step back and analyze. If negative behavior is key to the sustainability of a friendship, there is need for the friendship to end for one to lead a healthy life. Additional notes: the author suggests that there is need to evaluate the impact that friendships have own one’s individual behavior. If the influence is negative, there is need to undertake some changes for the benefit of the individual’s life. Summary of the article- the article is written by Susan Krauss Whitbourne. The article

Course Evaluation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Course Evaluation Paper - Essay Example During the course, most students identified with the outcomes. I expected to learn the various aspects of family dynamics, which exist in the society regardless of race, social class, or religion, and I did. I expected to learn the theories involved and to be able to learn various solutions to family problems. I was able to relate to some factors that influence family dynamics that apply to my real life. The factors I learnt include the effect of parent’s relationships on the family, aspects of strictness and lenience among parents, personalities, single parenthood, size of family and culture, and beliefs in the family. The course reflected issues that exist in many families in the world, and was able to broaden my knowledge and thinking about family life. I expected the course to highlight the various positive and negative issues that exist in the family and the impact they have on psychological health of family members. Some of the positive family attributes highlighted incl ude success of children linked to good parenting practices, good parent’s relationships and good family values. Peace in the family always relates to good personalities in children and older family members among others. The negative attributes highlighted in the course include the effect of single parenthood on children, violence in the family most likely led to the fall of the family to factors such as divorce, and divorce affected children even in their adulthood. The lecturer was able to teach in the most practical way, making everyone to participate in asking and answering questions, making the course even more enjoyable. She always asked practical questions that apply in real life, used pictures and videos to teach and expected every student to relate to some issues raised during the course of study. This made the course very exciting and easy to learn. The outcomes had a great impact and were specific to the target population, which in this case were classroom students. The course highlighted many issues, which exist in different families. I related to some of the factors that I have experienced in my own family. Most students were able to relate and connect to most of the issues explained in the course. In some instances the mentioned examples and scenarios rekindled bad memories among some students and caused emotional grieve. These included students coming from a family that experienced violence in the past, drug abuse, families affected by issues such as unemployment, extramarital affairs, and divorce. Some students on the other hand connected well with their well-structured families, which had good values, proper parenting practices, and wealth among others. In either way most students lamented that, they learnt a lot from the course and expected to improve their lives in one way or another. The outcomes were measurable with the timeframe. The lecturer managed to teach various levels of family dynamics within the expected timeframe, and in th e most systematic way. The mentioned outcomes on the students always revealed in each classroom session, and with time, the students had developed a sense of connection with the lecturer and would freely express their views and experiences without fear. The objectives and the outcomes related well in this course and at the end, the lecturer manage

Organizational Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Organizational Communication - Research Paper Example It also aims to promote harmony in the workplace through effective organizational communication. Gender Differences in Communication as Molded by Socialization. Men and women are known to be wired differently in many aspects but also in terms of communication. Such gender differences are solidified in their lifetime as they are treated differently from birth. Rasquinha & Mouly (2005) contend that from the time they are born, baby girls are considered fragile and they are exposed to delicate language and handled very gently. Boys, on the other hand, are exposed to strong tones and power-filled language and are handled less gently as they are tossed in the air and held upright from a younger age to demonstrate their power and strength. The Sociolinguistic Subculture Approach suggest that boys and girls grow up in essentially different talk subcultures resulting from the differing expectations parents and peers direct toward them about acceptable ways to talk (Maltz and Borker, 1982). C hildren as young as two classify themselves and other people as belonging to one of two genders. By age three, girls develop skills at talking earlier than boys and these talking skills are utilized to explore relationships with others. They are more likely than boys to deploy language strategies that demonstrate attentiveness, responsiveness, and support (Leaper, 1991). They develop intimate relationships by selecting a â€Å"best friend† and use language to find common ground with that friend. Boys at the same age are not as verbal. They use more strategies that demand attention, give orders, and establish dominance (Leaper, 1991). They engage in group activities with other boys and test out their ‘high’ and ‘low’ status roles: â€Å"I’m the leader†, â€Å"you follow me†, etc. They establish positions among the group and they are apparently louder, more physical and less verbal than girls (Rasquinha & Mouly, 2005). By the age o f 7, children have acquired gender constancy (Kohlberg & Zigler, 1967) and knowledge of gender-role stereotypes (Huston, 1983; Martin, 1989). As they transition to middle childhood, interaction strategies become more gender-differentiated. Whereas girls become more competent in collaborative strategies, boys stick to their reliance on domineering influence strategies. Bakan (1966) explained that boys are taught to value autonomy, competition and linear problem solving and such values are expressed by the encouragement of self-assertion and self-expansion (Mason, 1994). They grow up learning that information and communication relationships can be used to obtain power. On the other hand, girls are socialized to be more communal, valuing relationships and collaboration. Mason (1994) argued that the communal orientation is characterized by concern, selflessness, consideration for others and a desire to be one with them. Girls learn that communication is one avenue where relational bonds are strengthened, thus they learn to value it well (Chodorow, 1989). Tannen (cited in Rasquinha & Mouly,

A Hospital Room Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Hospital Room - Essay Example There was also a big photo of Mother Teresa placed on a shelf. The two sceneries, as mentioned before, were giving a pleasing look. In the first scenery, there was a big blue sea and birds were shown as flying in the air. There were also two hands seemed like praying for the health of people. In the second scenery, an array of colors was shown which was also adding to the overall pleasing environment of the hospital room. As far as the internal climate of the hospital room is concerned, I would say that it was normal and a bit inclined towards cold temperature. There were early summers those days so the temperature was kept a bit cold to make patients feel good. Overall, the environment of the hospital room and the services that were provided to me as  the patient reflected the sense of a healing environment. In a hospital room with healing environment, the focus is not just to provide good treatment to patients, but also to provide  the healing and memorable experience to them. The behavior of the nursing staff and that of the doctor was extremely good. There was also the facility of the hearing light music in the room using the hands-free device. There were also two comfortable chairs placed near each of the three beds for visitors and caretakers. Another attractive feature of the room was that it accompanied three small bathrooms each for each of the three patients admitted in the room. The bed in my room had side rails that could be raised and lowered using a remote control.

Fast Food Franchises Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Fast Food Franchises Pakistan Essay A survey was conducted amongst several people from different categories of the society to determine the conclusion of this report’s research. Also, certain threats to western fast food franchise were discussed. In this report we covered McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut as the main western franchise restaurants, with a few references to the Subway chain. 2. Introduction 2. 1. WHAT IS A FRANCHISE? A franchise is defined as a legal and commercial relationship between the owner of a trademark, service mark, trade name, or advertising symbol and an individual or group wishing to use that identification in a business. Each franchise business has been authorized by a parent company, or franchisor, to sell their goods or services either in a retail space or a designated geographical location. The franchise administers the method of conducting business between the two parties. Generally, a franchisee sells goods or services supplied by the franchisor or that meet the franchisors quality standards. The franchisee has the rights to market the product or service using the operating methods of the franchisor. The franchisee has the obligation to pay the franchisor certain fees and royalties in exchange for these rights. The franchisor has the obligation to provide these rights and generally support the franchisee. In this sense, franchising is not a business or an industry, but a method used by businesses for the marketing and distribution of their products or services. Both franchisor and franchisee have a strong vested interest in the success of the brand and keeping their customers happy. 2. 2. WHAT IS FAST FOOD? Fast food is any food that is quick, convenient, and usually inexpensive. It is a type of food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with low quality preparation and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-away. Fast food can be bought just about anywhere that sells food and snacks. Street vendors and drive-thru restaurants are probably the most common places to find fast food. Its so popular because for a cheap price you can usually get a meal thats satisfying. But fast food is inexpensive because it is usually made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat and foods that contain lots of unhealthy fats (saturated and trans-fats) and cholesterol, instead of nutritious foods such as lean meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Fast food in Pakistan is available almost anywhere, and the franchising of international fast food brands has created a new and successful market. 1 2. 3. WESTERN FAST FOOD CHAINS IN PAKISTAN Globalization has made our world a smaller place. Cultural exchange has exposed our society to foreign ideas and foreign foods have entered our country. The following is an introduction of the three most famous western franchises in Pakistan: 2. 4. McDonalds [pic] McDonalds first opened its store in Pakistan in September 1998. Since then, they have opened seventeen new stores throughout Pakistan. Today, millions of Pakistanis place their trust in McDonalds everyday to provide them with food of a very high quality as well as good service. In the past five years, the response to McDonalds coming from Pakistanis has been overwhelming. Currently, Lakson Group Companies has taken over McDonalds Corporation, USA and a local partner making it a 100% owned and operated Pakistani company. The first set of golden arches began shining back in September 1998 in the city of Lahore. The opening was met with great excitement, and about a week later the McDonalds in Karachi opened. As of 2005, there were 18 restaurants in Pakistan: 7 in Karachi, 1 in Hyderabad, 9 in Lahore, and 1 in Faisalabad. [1] 2. 5. KFC [pic] In Pakistan KFC was franchised by Artal Restaurants International in 1997. it was a Belgium based business group. KFC opened its first restaurant in Pakistan in 1997 at Nipa Chorangi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi. KFC opened its first restaurant in Lahore, in June 1997, which was third in Pakistan. Today, KFC has more than 43 restaurants in Pakistan. The market is ripe for many more restaurants and the investors are keen to invest. In 2001, KFC franchise was taken over by Gray Mackenzie Restaurants International. Currently KFC in Pakistan is owned by a Dubai based company Cupola which is the worlds largest restaurant system with over 32,500 restaurants in more than 100 countries and territories. KFC is in a phase of growth and is expanding rapidly. The quality of their product is convincing the customers not to shift to any other brand. KFC has won several awards for there good food quality, customer relationship and for providing means of income for the masses of the country. The company is presently a giant in the fried chicken industry as there competitors are far behind. Presently they are trying to innovate there products for the ease of the customers, and they are also focusing on providing there customers with more healthy food. KFC is expected to dominate the huge local market of fast food restaurants in the Pakistan and provide high quality and healthier food to their customers. KFC has a huge scope of progressing further and has lots of opportunities in local market. KFC is expected to have more than 100 branches all over Pakistan in the near future. [2] 2. 6. PIZZA HUT [pic] When it was initially opened in Pakistan, over 10 years ago in December 1993, Pizza Hut got a very good response by the Pakistani consumer base. Pizza Hut–Pakistan is working under a franchise agreement between MCR (Private) Limited and TRICON Restaurants International (Former Pepsi Co restaurant International). Pizza Hut Pakistan reports to TRICON (India) TRICON Singapore simultaneously. Pizza Hut opened its first outlet in Clifton Karachi and the people of Pakistan welcomed them with open arms. As most restaurants do, Pizza Hut did not face the problem of taste development because it introduced some of the local taste in their Pizzas, like Chicken Tikka Pizza, Masala Pizza and Chappli Kebab Pizza. Currently, Pizza Hut has 14 outlets in all over Pakistan and it still aiming to further expand. It is the market leader in the pizza market within Pakistan. [3] 3. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT The establishment of western franchise fast food chains in Pakistan has affected the business activities to some extent. They have also developed new tastes for our society and lifestyles. Here are a few aspects of how McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut have contributed in our economy and social lives. 3. 1. [pic] †¢ McDonald’s in Pakistan is currently employing about 1,000 Pakistanis and each store is managed by Pakistani managers. †¢ McDonalds has investment of over Rs 300 crore in the country and payment of taxes and duties amounting to more than Rs 100 crore. †¢ Since McDonalds is doing so well in Pakistan they will continue to grow and add more stores in more cities in the future. †¢ The managers working for Lakson, reportedly monthly to the McDonalds headquarter located in Illinois. In the eighteen restaurant located in Pakistan all of the employees, managers as well as those working for Lakson are of Pakistani descent. †¢ Since McDonalds first opened in Pakistan back in September of 1998 they have been able to add things to their menu that cater to the needs of the Pakistanis culture. Almost all the people of Pakistan practice Islam. The Islamic dietary laws are called Halal. Halal is also the term for permitted foods. Prohibited foods as described in the Quran are called Haram. Some of these foods include pork and birds of prey, alcohol is also prohibited and stimulants, such as coffee and tea, are avoided by the most devout. There are also guidelines on how meat must be slaughtered. McDonalds has tried to work with this by offering menu choices such as the McArabia that are acceptable for Muslims. In Muslim countries all of McDonalds meat is slaughtered and prepared according to Islamic Halal standards. Not that long ago McDonalds change their burgers, cookies, and hamburger buns so they do not contain any lard, making more acceptable to more people in Pakistan. †¢ They also keep the classics on the menu. They do offer what they call a McArabia, which is chicken on flatbread with a special sauce and they also offer many of the originals such as the Big Mac and hamburger with chicken. So while McDonalds has modified their menu to include some local favorites they have also kept the infamous burgers and meals. †¢ As does the McDonalds in the United States, the McDonalds in Pakistan also caters to the children of the community. They offer four types of happy meals, which of course include a toy. Currently with the purchase of a happy meal the kids get a Kung Fu Panda Movie toy. †¢ Another exciting fixation that McDonalds Pakistan is doing is they are now offering their McDelivery service free of charge. This delivery service will deliver all menu items to customers with order of RS 150 or more. Since this service is relatively new it is only offered at two stores at this time. They include Karachi and Lahore, but other locations will be added to this list soon. †¢ Just like the McDonalds in the United States they also hold birthday parties at McDonalds in Pakistan. They even offer birthday packages with food and surprises for the kids. †¢ McDonalds has also become involved in the Pakistani community by taking part in local projects and charities. As stated in their vision McDonalds is firmly committed to giving back to the communities they operate in. They take part by giving money they receive in stores every month to Darul Skoon (orphan house). †¢ When McDonalds opened its first store in Pakistan the drive through lines were seven kilometers long. With lines this long is was obvious that many Pakistanis were happy to welcome McDonalds into their homes. †¢ According to The News International McDonalds in Pakistan has sold more burgers in Pakistan than anywhere else in the world. With only 18 stores currently in Pakistan this shows how busy McDonalds is. Many people are excited to have McDonalds because it is a brand-name and it gives them the opportunity to enjoy the same things that foreigners enjoy. †¢ McDonalds costs the same in Pakistan as in the US, and given the per capita GDP disparity between the two countries, it is the cheapest food in the United States, while being one of the most expensive in Pakistan. Even with the high cost people are still flocking to McDonalds. †¢ McDonalds business operation in Pakistan overall has been a complete success for the McDonalds Corporation as well as the Pakistani community. Both parties involved have gained more than their anticipated outcome from the arrival of McDonalds back in 1998. †¢ In the future it is believed that McDonalds will continue to grow within Pakistan and throughout the world. It is also felt that the Pakistani people will work very hard to keep McDonalds name and food service at the high quality people are used to. [4] 3. 2. †¢ [pic]The government of Pakistan receives over Rs. 10 million per month from KFC Pakistan as direct taxes. †¢ Around 95% of all food and packaging material used in KFC Pakistan is produced locally, which sums up to a purchase of over Rs. 35 million per month. †¢ For each new outlet developed by KFC Pakistan, it costs approximately Rs. 40 million, which is a huge amount for Pakistani construction industry. †¢ The products of KFC are not comparatively cheaper than the other brands in the market but still it doesnt matter much because the quality as compared to there competitors is so good that people still go to KFC. KFC has tried to cater to the local environment in recent years and some achievements and adaptations include: †¢ Offered discounts on festival like Eid and Ramzan (all you can eat deals). †¢ Expansion of outlets throughout Pakistan. †¢ Children diversified products (nuggets, chicky meals). †¢ Improved dessert section (deal with Wall’s ice cream). †¢ Employing over 1000 Pakistanis. †¢ Introduction of local menu such as Arabian rice. [5] 3. 3. [pic]One of the greatest strengths of Pizza Hut is its strong brand name. Pizza hut is a well-known and popular chain of restaurants not only all over the world but also in Pakistan as well. Its positive brand image has furthered helped it gain a competitive edge in the market. †¢ Pizza Hut offers a different varieties of pizzas that agree with the tastes of all members of the target market. †¢ Main strength lies in the variety of deals offered by Pizza Hut from time to time. Deals such as â€Å"Midnight Deal† and â€Å"Rupee 1 Deal† actually help attract customers from different income segments. It has also pioneered in introducing membership cards to offer the members pizza at discounted rate. Special dicount cards are also offered. †¢ Yet strength of Pizza Hut is the large number of outlets that can be found all over Karachi and also within Pakistan. Pizza Hut has its outlets in all major areas of Karachi. †¢ Pizza Hut branches also have an unmatched ambiance not found in other restaurants. The ambiance and the environment and the feeling of just being there and being seen there is also unmatched by its competitors. †¢ Pizza Hut employs thosuands of Pakistanis. Another internal strength of Pizza Hut is that it has an attractive compensation program and low employee turnover. It provides best compensation package in the industry. It has a Health Care Policy, according to which it provides medical facilities to all its employees. Thus resulting in lower employee turnover rate. †¢ Pizza hut branches,such as the one in Clifton, Karachi , have installed arcades to provide recreation for children. Dot puzzles and a colouring layout is designed behind te dinner mats for the children. [6] 3. 4. PUBLIC SURVEY ON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT A host of people were surveyed during this research to obtain the general public opinion on western franchises contributions : [pic] The survey conducted amongst several people in the writing of this report shows a general agreement that international franchise does bring valuable investment and income to Pakistan. Most people agree that there was an increment in government revenue since franchises were established here. [pic] The general survey suggests that most people consider the investment and revenue generated by the franchise industry as the most valuable contribution. Social progress was considered least important whereas the various career opportunities opened up by the franchise industry fared as the second best contribution. Many people agreed that the exposure to western culture through fast food was important too. [pic] In recent years, the health oriented approach to diet has taken a grasp over our society. Fast food is generally considered unhealthy because it is usually made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat and foods that contain lots of unhealthy fats (saturated and trans-fats) and cholesterol, instead of nutritious foods. However, the survey indicated that though the fast food maybe considered as unhealthy, the healthy approach to life does not affect the fast food industry very much. However, most people surveyed (33%) were not sure about this factor’s impact on business. 4. PROBLEMS AND THREATS FACED BY WESTERN FAST FOOD FRANCHISE Every business in Pakistan faces certain problems, and the western fast food franchises are no exceptions. Developing a franchise restaurant in a new country is difficult, and maintainence of business and market strenght is the toughest job for theses franchises. Here are a few problems they faced by Mcdonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut once they were established in Paksitan : 4. 1. PROBLEMS AND THREATS. †¢ [pic] POLITICAL: McDonalds, being an American restaurant, has faced problems due to politics and had to deal with the instability of the government. In 2007-08, Pakistan was having problems with their President Pervez Musharraf, an important US ally. There is also the conflict with Kashmir which could cause U. S. relations to deteriorate and cause McDonalds business in Pakistan to drop dramatically. †¢ GLOBAL: Another worry that can cause future problems for McDonalds is if the United States were to pull out the aid they are providing Pakistan for any reason. At that time since Musharraf was backing President Bush in the war on terror the United States was giving a large amount of aid and highly beneficial trade deals to Pakistan. Any mishap between the US and current Pakistani government can destroy the American business and influence. †¢ SECURITY: Some people who were angry about the bombings in Afghanistan in 2001immediately related McDonalds back to the United States and began to vandalize the property. Many people believe that McDonalds in one of the most popular American symbols, which of course puts it at risk when political upheaval begins. So while many Pakistanis enjoy McDonalds others see it as an American company and proceed to vandalize it due to what is going on with the war. There has been protesting against U. S. led attacks against Iraq and some groups have chosen to boycott against all western products including McDonalds. Along with these boycotts sales dropped a little, but there were not any drastic changes. [7] †¢ [pic] LOCAL FOODS: One of the mian competion for western franchises is the local food industry. Pakistan has a vast arsenal of traditional local menus. Hence, KFC still needs to capture fast food market because their market share in Pakistan is still low as compared to their competitor. †¢ DIESEASE: In 2005-07, Pakistan faced major a crises on the breakage of the bird flu virus. As KFC’s main specialty is chicken, in time of epedemics like bird flu they face heavy losses. KFC still needs to innovate their products to maintain competitive advantage. †¢ POLITICS: Politics has played a major role in the franchise food business. A couple of years back in Pakistan a few of KFCs branches were burned because the people thought that they were generating money for the US. †¢ HEALTH FACTOR : Fried Chicken is usually considered the most fat-containing food item. Oil in which chicken is fried is high in cholestrol, and the healthy approach to diet in recent years may hinder KFC’s growth. †¢ [pic]LOCAL FOODS: A major threat for Pizza Hut is the competition from local restaurants. Not only are other franchises a threat but also local restaurants such as Lal Qila, Usmania, Village etc. these restaurants pose as a potential threat to Pizza Hut because they also offer food which is the ultimate aim of the customer. †¢ POLITICAL: Pizza Hut, being an American franchise restaurant, has faced problems similar to that of KFC and McDonalds due to politcal reasons. Hostilty towards American influences can lead to a decrease in sales and hamper business activity. †¢ HEALTH FACTOR: Food form Pizza Hut is considered relatively heavy, due to the massive amounts of cheese used in their pizzas. The ever present salad bar has not dispelled health concerns as people believe that the sauces used in the salad themselves contain heavy fat contents. Pizza Hut has, however, tried to diversify its menu with the introduction of new appetizers. 4. 2. PUBLIC SURVEY ON PROBLEMS AND THREATS FACED BY WESTERN FAST FOOD Many people had their own opinions on which problem threatens the western fast food industry the most in Pakistan. One of the major issues was the health factor as the point of â€Å"well balanced diet† is highly debatable in terms of fast food. [pic] Many people believe that the most important threat faced by western fast food franchise is the security. Most franchises are of American origin, and hence the on going war on terror hugely affect Pak-US relations. Also, any instabilty in the political system can turn the franchise into victims of vandalism. A large propotion of people also expressed that the vast local food industry challenges the strenght of the western fast food franchise. They argued that since local foods are cheaper, few people can afford western fast food. Those who argued for global crises claimed that the recent recession can make western fast food unaffordable. 4. 3. HEALTH FACTOR AS A THREAT [pic] A majority of people agreed that the main rival to KFC, McDonalds and Pizza Hut is the more healthier menu of Subway. Subway offers a large variety of healthy meals with heavy vegetable and protein content as compared to other franchises. Hence Subway is a major threat to the business of these franchises. [pic] This survey on health was again conducted, but from a different angle. KFC and its fried chicken, which is highly oily, was considered appropriately as the most unhealthiest restaurant. However, in this second survey most people also argued that the many sauces used by Subway in its sandwiches contain large fat contents, so Subway may not necessarily pose a huge threat to the other franchises. 5. GENERAL CONSUMER RESPONSE In this report, research was also conducted on factors which compell the people to dine in these western fast food franchises. For this purpose we would like to like to categorize people as follows: i) Low category people ii) Middle category people iii) High category people Their responses are: i) Low category people:- These people eat fast food very seldom. They visit fast food restaurants only at special occassions,as it is not that much easy for everyone to afford the quality food provided by the western fast food franchises like KFC, McDonalds etc. Some of these people dont want to waste their money on fast food, and rather have food at their own homes. Besides this, these people are also not habitual of fast food. They are not encouraging the fast food business in Pakistan. Even if fast food has been banned in this country, these people wont be affected in any way. ii) Middle category people:- These people consume fast foods on a consistent basis. It depends upon the status factor. Many people like to boast about having dinner in a â€Å"foreign† and â€Å"branded† restaurant. They eat out in these restaurants once or even twice in a week. They pay a valuable response to fast food as they look for quality food and this response encourages the western fast food franchises. iii) High category people:- The people in this category have fast foods very often. They not only look for quality foods but they consider it as a means of having fun with friends. The natural ambience of these restaurants is also a major attraction to them. No matter how high the prices of food items at western fast food franchises go, these people are always ready to pay. They are helping to increase the trend of fast foods in Pakistan, which definitely encourages their business. Besides these categories there are also some health conscious people (as discussed previoulsy) who donot want eat fast food because of fat contents in these fast foods. Such people can be found in all categories discuused above. Reasearch on most important factor for dining in a western franchise fast food is as follows: [pic] The unmatchable quality of food offered by the western franchise fast food restaurants is the main factor of attracting people. Fast food is also widley considers to be tasty, as proved by the above consesnus. The price of food at these restaurants is also significant when opting to dine there. A very few people just dine in these restaurants because of the ambience and its attractiveness. The following is the survey on peoples preferences of various fast food franchises: [pic] Most people, particularly here in Karachi, prefer to dine at Pizza Hut. It is the different variety of pizzas offered that has given Pizza Hut its widespread popularity. Also most Pakistanis generally enjoy heavy diet, and pizzas fulfill this desire. As seen above, very few people enjoy the light delicacies offered by Subway. Chicken constitutes in the basic diet of people here, and it is no surprise to see KFC score 31%. 6. CONCLUSION In culmination, we would like to conclude that the establishment of western fast food franchises in Pakistan has indeed proved to be a successful business endeavor. The economic and social contributions outweigh the threats they face by a greater margin. With greater and successful planning, the western fast food franchises can easily minimize their threats and problems. Doing so can speed their progressive activities in Pakistan. We can also conclude that the general public response to these franchises in Pakistan is positive and many people are willing to dine at these franchise restaurants because of they high quality and standard they deliver. 7. QUESTIONNAIRE Franchise Food Chains in Pakistan Questionnaire 1. Select below the income band you fall under: o Rs. 5000-10,000 pm o Rs. 10,000-20,000 pm o Rs. 20,000-40,000 pm o Rs. 40,000 above pm 2. How often do you dine out in a month: o Once o Twice o Thrice o Never 3. Do you prefer Pakistani restaurants or western franchise? o Pakistani o Western 4. For western, kindly rate the following restaurants according to your preferences on a scale from 1-5 (1 being the highest): o KFC_____ o Pizza Hut_____ o Subway _____ o McDonalds _____ 5. What are the factors you consider most important when dining out in a western franchise? (Rank from 1-5, 1 being the highest) o Price_______ o Ambience_______ o Status Quo_______ o Taste_______. o Quality_______ 6. Do you think western franchise in food industry is bringing good investments in Pakistan? o Yes________ o If No, then why? 7. In recent years do you think that the more health oriented approach of people has affected the franchise food industry: o Yes o No o Not sure 8. Do you agree that Subway offers a healthier alternative to fast food? o Yes o No o Not sure 9. Rank on a scale from 1-5 (1 being the highest) the most important contributions of fast food chains in Pakistan: o Career Opportunities ________ o Investment/Revenues ________ o Social Progress ________ o Cultural Exchange ________. 10. Has the political situation in Pakistan drastically affected franchise food business: o Yes o No o To some extent o Not sure 11. What are the factors that can hinder the growth of Franchise food industry in our country? o Political Instability o Global Crisis o Security Concerns o Local Food industry o Others, Please specify: 12. On a scale of 1-4 (1 being the highest) rate the restaurants which offer the healthiest food. o Pizza Hut _______ o Subway _______ o McDonalds _______ o KFC _______ 13. According to you what percentage of the urban population consumes franchise fast food? o 60%-40% o 40%-20%. o 20%-10% o Less than 10% 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY WEBSITES: †¢ Corporate Webpage of McDonalds. McDonalds Corporate. 2004. Mar. 2005. . †¢  ¦Corporate Website of Pakistan McDonalds. McDonalds Pakistan. Aug. 2002. Mar. 2005. †¢ http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/kfc+pakistan/0 †¢ http://www. fratfiles. com/essays/55556. html †¢ http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Fast-food_restaurant †¢ http://answers. yahoo. com/question/index? qid= †¢ http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/pizza+hut+pakistan/0 [1] Reference: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Fast-food_restaurant [2] Refer.ence:  §? Corporate Website of Pakistan McDonalds. McDonalds Pakistan. Aug. 2002. Mar. 2005. †¢ [3] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/ ¦Corporate Website of Pakistan McDonalds. McDonalds Pakistan. Aug. 2002. Mar. 2005. [4] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/kfc+pakistan/0 †¢ [5] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/pizza+hut+pakistan/0 †¢ [6] Reference: Corporate Website of Pakistan McDonalds. McDonalds Pakistan. Aug. 2002. Mar. 2005. [7] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/kfc+pakistan/0 [8] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/pizza+hut+pakistan/0 [9] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/essays/55556. html.

Challenges Faced by Teachers

Challenges Faced by Teachers Availability of resources for the students with literacy difficulties While most of the participants didnt have clear views about this question, the teacher brought to light the necessity to include i-pads and laptop to support SEN students (APPENDIX 3). In the researchers notes, there are some points made like, The only essential support for the students is obviously the teacher. Teaching assistants are consumed in the behaviour management of the class and it is a luxury for a student to receive prolonged support during the lesson. Obviously, there is no computer program that is supporting students currently. It is the teachers responsibility to improvise and provide his own resources for the students (APPENDIX 1). Availability of Time and Support There has been a recognition by one teacher that it is very challenging to completely focus their attention only to dyslexic students during the lesson, due to the lack of time and assistance. Classroom assistance specifically for dyslexic students is really a luxury that no school could afford, which could save (APPENDIX 3). Also, in researchers notes is stated that, The assistants help in the delivery of the lesson could save me time to support more efficiently the dyslexic students (APPENDIX 1). Differentiation Differentiation, based on the Training and Development Agency for Schools, is the process by which differences between learners are accommodated so that all students in a group have the best possible learning (Barlett, 2016, p.5). Differentiation can be met by using a variety of resources, tasks, groupings, outcomes and support for the students (Barlett, 2016). The evidence from the interviews suggests that a wide range of support is provided for dyslexic students. However, the researcher felt that, It is very difficult to plan and differentiate the lesson for every single student, and as a trainee, it is for me particularly difficult to find time in explaining the lesson to the teaching assistant(TA), which can lead to questions on whether responses from participants were actually realistic (APPENDIX 1). Training of the Staff All the participants commented that they received sufficient training to support the SEN students in the school. The SENDCO argued that schools staff are receiving continuous training to ensure that they know how to support the later, in all circumstances. Specifically, the staff know how to be looking specifically at key words, how to teach key words to students, how to check their knowledge, how to ask the students to create paragraphs, how to tap into the reading and support reading. Also, they are trained to be looking very carefully and do marking for spelling (APPENDIX 6). Co-Curricular Activities in School SENDCO made clear there are multiple activities that are designed to help dyslexic students including, enrichment activities, extra-curriculum activities, activities that include homework clubs, that can aid students who are not able to do independently their homework. She argued that, SEN students are always welcome to attend these weekly activities and be benefited (APPENDIX 6). However, there was a point raised by one Teaching Assistant stating that additional support can be provided. She argued that it would be wise for the school to make a greater effort in making Disabled and non-disabled learners learning together as this will help create new opportunities to build relationships (APPENDIX 5). Individual Learning Plan (IEP) To produce an effective IEP for students, it is crucial for parents, students and school staff should actively collaborate to investigate in depth the needs of the students and plan a strategy that will support the students effectively (NCSE, 2010). However, one of the major concerns from parents is that during the meeting with professionals their views are not usually highly regarded by the later (Pinkus, 2005). Except the fact that parents are being communicated about the inclusion practices of the school, in SENDCOs interview, evidence suggest that parents are not actively participating in the decision-making and assessment process. Therefore, including parents more in the decision-making process, would be of key importance. The profiles of the 2 selected students for observation The selection of the two students was mainly based on the fact the they were being taught by the researcher of this study. The researcher came in contact and consulted the class teachers and teaching assistants that were supporting him during his placement to discuss and ask permission for discussions that would specifically focus of these two SEN students. The 2 students had similar special educational needs and their names have been changed to ensure anonymity. Oliver is a boy in year eight who has difficulties with spoken language and retaining information (memory). Kelly is a girl in year eight, who has a mild learning disability, presenting many of the symptoms associated with Dyslexia. More information can be found in Appendix 7. Limitations The study was conducted during a 3-month period, from October to December 2016. As it has been mentioned in section 3.2 there has been a limitation of time, resulting in the reduction of the sample tank. Moreover, time restrictions led the researcher to the selection of only two students with similar needs. In addition, Jupp characterises the sampling technique of Opportunity Sampling, as the weakest sampling method. It is argued that the selection of the participants is considered as biased and is not accurately representing the actual, real world results (Jupp, 2006). Considering Reflexivity as stated in section 3, the researchers stay in his placement school along with his personal attributes, gave him the opportunity to select and interview only those four participants. Consequently, researchers subjectivity is acknowledged in the collection and interpretation of the data, as well as the discussion of the results. In general, findings are linking closely to the existing literature. The interviews are showing that staff is confident towards the inclusion policy of the school for the dyslexic students. However, the school can become more inclusive. Most the interviewees expressed the necessity for further assistance inside the classrooms and for further provision of resources. In addition, the researcher identified that there are severe time limitations for the teachers regarding lesson planning and differentiation. Therefore, there should be provided sufficient funding from the local authorities and government. Also, stronger links between teachers, teaching assistants, supporting staff and parents should be established. Last but not least, critical role to this venture should play the schools proactive leadership.

Universal Human Rights and Cultural Differences

Universal Human Rights and Cultural Differences Since the end of the Second World War, an increasing number of human rights instruments have been adopted, by the United Nations. These instruments have set forth common standards of human rights, and members’ states of the U.N. are called upon to respect in order to ensure better protection of human rights everywhere. But opposite to this trend, there has been a sort of resistance in many parts of the world, where human rights norms are seen as western matter. During the Cool War period, countries of the Soviet block used to consider them as linked to ‘capitalist bourgeoisie’ while young independent nations of the South saw the focus on human rights as a threat to their newly acquired sovereignty. Both sides claimed their right to difference. This raises the issue whether human rights standards should be considered differently because of cultural or differences among peoples. To put it another way, â€Å"are human rights of universal viability and applicability or are they better understood and evaluated within specific social and cultural contexts? What level of social accountability can be accommodated within the emerging global human rights regime to accord it cultural legitimacy within various societies?†1 Voices from the West have pointed out that differences among people did not permit them to meet the Western standards of human rights. It is believed that some cultures are more likely to commit human rights abuses, and for a series of reasons, there are people elsewhere to cover them or to keep silent because of their interest, thus ‘excusing the inexcusable’ which they claim being ‘part of their culture’. The aim of this paper is to sound the long debate on the relationship between universal standards human rights and cultural differences. Firstly, it recalls the foundation on which is grounded the concept of human rights, namely the human dignity, irrespective of culture, race, religion or gender. Secondly, it analyses major arguments put forward by cultural relativists, highlighting their danger, that is, the risk of having double standards of human rights. Finally, in concluding remarks, the paper considers the actual trend of recognizing human rights norms and condemning their abuses (such as female circumcision or sharia), even where people justify them by cultural specificity. I. The universal concept of human rights and the recognition of human dignity The concept of human is grounded on the idea that Man has rights simply because he is human. The universal worth and dignity of human being is founded in the writing of philosophers such as John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. For the former, â€Å"human beings are by nature free, equal and independent†2, and the protection of that freedom and equality should be the end of the political society. Rousseau also insists on the freedom of the human being and writes that Man should never surrender his freedom: â€Å"A man who renounces to his freedom renounces at his quality as human being†. After bloody revolutions, there were attempts to introduce these concepts in states constitution in England, in France, and in the United States of America. But the first recognition of the need to secure rights for human being was stated in the Charter of the United Nations, following the atrocities of the Second World War. In its Preamble, it is said that one of the purpose of the U.N . is the achievement â€Å"international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedom for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion†. The Universal Declaration on Human Rights is the first instrument on human rights in its preamble presented itself as â€Å"a common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations†. It went further by stating: â€Å"Recognition of the human dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world†. Subsequent instruments such as the Covenant on Civil and political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights contained what is usually called ‘core rights’ meaning â€Å"that are indispensable for an existence in human dignity and therefore need absol ute protection†. Among those core rights are the right to life, the prohibition of torture, slavery, arbitrary arrest, discrimination or genocide. No derogation from such rights is permitted, even in time of war. The philosophical foundations of the concept of human rights are to be found in the Western Europe. As Robertson and Merrils write, â€Å"it is clear that the mainstream has its origin in the liberal democratic tradition of Western Europe, a tradition which is itself the product of the Greek philosophy, Roman law, the Judeo-Christian tradition, the humanism of the Reformation and the Age of reason†. It means that the Western World translated into international law its philosophical, moral, cultural and religious value. Questions arise therefore as to their universality that is whether it is possible to take into account the differences while focusing on the common standards of human rights. On the other hand, if cultural differences cannot be denied, it is to establish whether differences can be an excuse to human rights abuses. Who will decide the nature and the level of change to meet universal standards of human rights and how avoid to be labelled /or accused of cultural he gemony? For the relativists, moral and cultural values differ from one culture to another. According to Parekh, â€Å"Different societies throw up different systems of moral beliefs depending on such things as their history, traditions, geographical circumstances, and views of the world. We have no means of judging them for there are no objective and universal criteria available for the purpose, and even if there were, we would be too deeply conditioned by our own society to discover them†. Cultural differences may have an influence on the human rights issues where national competence, the sovereignty of the state or the quest of self-determination are opposed to the idea of universal human rights standards. The 1993 Vienna Conference was an example of arena where, universal principle of human rights clashed with relativistic assumptions. At the eve of that important even, African and Asian groups of nations mate to draw their views they intended to put forward at the conference. In the Tunis Declaration, which reflected both their convictions and their expectations, the African group nations gave a different sound. While admitting that the universality of human rights, they declared that â€Å" no ready-made model can be prescribed at the universal level since the historical and cultural realities of each nation and the traditions, standards and values of each people cannot be disregarded†. They also highlighted the â€Å"principle of the indivisibility of huma n rights†: â€Å" Civil and political rights cannot be dissociated from economic, social and cultural rights. None of these rights takes precedence over the others†. Finally, the Tunis Declaration insisted on the link between human rights and economic development: â€Å"Political freedom when not accompanied by respect for economic, social and cultural rights is precarious. The right to development is inalienable. Human rights, development and international peace are interdependent (†¦) Africa, which has chosen the path of democracy, economic reform and the promotion of human rights, in an unfavourable international economic environment, and which finds itself particularly exposed to internal tensions deriving from the failure to meet the basic needs of populations and from the rise of extremism, will nevertheless remain committed to its choices and its responsibilities, and calls upon the international community to do likewise, in particular through an intensific ation of international solidarity, an adequate increase in development assistance and an appropriate settlement of the debt problem†. In the Bangkok Declaration, Asian group of nations opposed what they saw as Western imperialism and urged the international community to take into account their cultural difference as regard to human rights. While agreeing like Africans that human rights are universal in nature, they insisted that those rights â€Å"must be considered in the context of a dynamic and evolving process of international norm-setting, bearing in mind the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds†. Furthermore, they added, â€Å"the promotion of human rights should be encouraged by cooperation and consensus, and not through confrontation and the imposition of incompatible values†. Finally, criticising â€Å"the use of human rights as conditionality for extending development assistance and as an instrument of political pressure†, the Bangkok Declaration stressed â€Å" the need to avoid the application of double sta ndards in the implementation of human rights and its politicisation†. Indonesian Foreign Minister stated later in Vienna: â€Å"While human rights are universal in character, it is now generally acknowledged that their expression and implementation in the national context should remain the competence and responsibility of each government. This means that the complex variety of problems of different economic social and cultural realities and the unique value systems prevailing in each country should be taken into consideration†12. One may draw the conclusion that for Southern countries, priority has to be given to the satisfaction of basic needs for food, shelter, clothes before other rights such as freedom of expression and fair elections. One may even go so far to consider Western concepts of human rights as luxury for poor countries, because â€Å"cultural