Just War Essay

Current events all over the globe raise questions with respect to the propriety and ethics of waging by one country to another. For example, there are some events that force people to think, rationalize, and make a distinction between war in its traditional concept and a war against terrorism, which makes it crucial for a state to obtain information from captured terrorists in a short period of time (Moseley). There are international standards and agreements that set the rules with respect to the waging of war, specifically applied in determining whether the war waged is just or not (Williams, Jr.and Caldwell). For one, there is the Geneva Convention, which deals with the noble objective of protecting Prisoners of War (POW) from various abuses (Moseley). The most popular theory dealing with the ethics, morality, or propriety of waging war is the â€Å"just war† theory (Moseley; Williams, Jr. and Caldwell). This theory refers to justice in war, or moral support for war (Moseley). Just war theory has two aspects: the theoretical and the historical tradition (Moseley; Williams, Jr. and Caldwell). In the former, the justification and reasons behind war are discussed; while in the latter, the focus of attention revolves around the body of rules and agreements entered into by international bodies that are supposed to be applied in times of war (Moseley). The former is also known as jus ad bellum, while the latter is also known as jus in bello (Moseley). Both concepts are not mutually exclusive, and both deal with the morality of conduct and the decision to go into war (Moseley). These concepts have a long history of tradition that built the rules of conduct to be observed during war (Moseley). The concept of jus in bello had been formulated due to decades, or even centuries of experience (Moseley). Thus, it must be deemed applicable, even to modern types of war experienced by the world today, like the war against terrorism. Indeed, the war against terrorism is of a different kind from the other kinds of wars that humankind had seen (Schwartz). However, the differences, such as the alleged pressing need for information, are not enough to abandon standards that are designed to protect the dignity of the human person (Schwartz). One of the criteria of jus in bello is strict proportion of the conduct with the objective desired (Moseley). Applying this criterion to any proposal to wage war against a country or group of people, there would ultimately be the question of whether the use of force, that would necessarily end in the loss of thousands, if not millions of lives, would justify the achievement of various goals, such as freedom, economic independence, or national security (Schwartz). Works Cited Moseley, Alexander. â€Å"Just War Theory. † 2006. 10 Oct. 2007. . Schwartz, Joseph M. â€Å"Misreading Islamist Terrorism: The â€Å"War Against Terrorism† and Just-War Theory. † Metaphilosophy 35(2004): 273-302. Williams, Jr. , Robert E. and Dan Caldwell. â€Å"Jus Post Bellum: Just War Theory and the Principles of Just Peace. † International Studies Perspectives 7(2006): 309-320

Chipotle Case Analysis

Chipotle Case Analysis-By Team PYSHEN Strategic Issue: Chipotle plan to find out a correct and effective strategy to continue its sustainable growth and to maintain its profitability by penetrating high market share while competing with its powerful rivals in the fast-casual food industry. External Environment analysis: GENERAL: 1. Demographic: Population size (O): potential increase in US; Age structure: mainly servicing adult between 18-49 years old; Geographic distribution (O): 39 states in the US, 1 in British and 2 in Canada; Ethnic Mix: N/A; Income Distribution: medium or high income (Customers willing to pay the premium). . Economic (T): stagnate, increasing food cost price (demotic 3. 9%, global 37%) and customers’ dwindling budgets. 3. Political (T): ICE shifts its focus; PETA asked to use CAK; definition of healthy food. 4. Sociocultural (T): Higher wage for CIW. 5. Technological: Prevailing Social media (O); Tortilla grill machine (T). 6. Global: Cultural difference s for new stores (T) in international markets. 7. Physical Environment: N/A. INDUSTRY: 1. New entrants (H): Low Barrier, small economies scale, product taste better, and small capital requirements. 2. Suppliers (L): customized food, many local farms. . Buyers (H): low switch costs, sales represent all revenue. 4. Substitute (H), low switch cost, many choices. 5 Rivalry (H), many equally balanced competitors; low storage cost. Internal Environment Analysis: Tangible Resources: Financial (S): High ROI (approx. 10%) and operation cash flow. (V) Capacity to borrow: N/a. Organizational: autonomy in operation, strong incentive. (V). Physical: 22 independent distributers with high qualities. (R), hard to get â€Å"A† location, and higher cost of construct, new stores’ sales are cannibalized by existing ones. W), local supplier and regional distributer, which reduce cost of transportation (V, R, I) Tech: No tortilla grill (W). Intangible resources: Human (S): Restaurateur prog ram to train and reward managers to stay (V, I, R); Internal staff promotions and development (V). Innovation (S): Simple approach to menus with lots of combinations (V, I, R), Menu & Taste (V, R, I, N), Open kitchen design (V, I, R). Reputation (S): Brand name (V, I, R, N); organic, fresh and sustainable ingredients (V, I, R, N); LEED certified restaurants (V, R).Capabilities: relies on strictly chosen suppliers (I). HR: well motivated and empowered (V, I). Marketing (S): effective promotion of brand name (offer free burritos to neighboring; participation in charity fundraiser; setting up event) (V, I, R, N); valuable word-of-mouth from Facebook (V, I). Management information system: N/A. Management (W): simple structure with single office control may reduce the oversight. Manufacturing (S): food productions are reliable with high quality (V, R, I, N). R&D: (N/A).Core competencies: unique menu design, great taste with its sustainable ingredients and quick service visible for custom ers differentiate Chipotle from others. Strictly chosen suppliers help Chipotle meeting its food in integrity goals. Competitor Analysis: Chipotle has bunch of competitors, and Panera is the most powerful one. Both Panera and Chipotle strive to provide quality food with fast service, focus on building their brand image and establish loyal customer relationship to drive repeat sales, and are unwilling to finance themselves by credit (no long-term debt).However, Panera heavily relies on franchise to expand its market, and develops catering business to promote its sales in future, which parts Chipotle doesn’t involve. In fast-casual food market, Panera is a very strong competitor. Business level strategy: differentiation by offering sustainable ingredient and better taste as well as satisfied fast service. Alternatives: 1. Globalization by franchise: Chipotle only has three foreign stores, which located only in Anglo-Saxon countries.However, enlarging its foreign market is a lon g-term task, and is required more financial support. In current status, Chipotle has faced supplier shortage problem. Therefore building local suppliers is becoming more critical issue and need great efforts, and whether this activity can guarantee enough supplies, which meet Chipotle’s strict standards, is still in doubt. A better way is to franchise in international markets because local managers will more familiar with the needs of local customers. Another reason is that Chipotle is reluctant to finance by debt.Through franchising in foreign markets, Chipotle may gather positive cash flows to fund company owned restaurants in U. S. , and avoid large uncertain expense, cultural shock as well as political risks that may be incurred in foreign markets. 2. Exploiting its suppliers: A possible way to penetrate more market share is to exploit and streamline its suppliers. The case shows that the company developed its suppliers by restrict quality, price and protocol standards. S ome supplies shortages have been happened and some restaurants cannot operate smoothly without key ingredients.Chipotle did a good job in its downstream business, which is to provide a qualified food and services; however, it upstream still needs to be well exploited efficiently to meet the huge needs of customers. Two feasible ways may not only lower the food cost but also overcome the shortage. One is developing more qualified suppliers in foreign markets. Although, the requirement of suppliers is hard to meet, Chipotle could corporate with local governments to acquire standardized supplies (successful example is KFC in China). The tariff and freight may be offset by lower labor cost.The other way is to tap into more potential suppliers, with an enlarged supply chains, the company may enjoy a lower cost by economic scale effect. Recommendation: Comparing with the above alternatives, we recommend Chipotle to adopt the second one. The relationship with suppliers is considered as one of its capabilities, and thus, adopting the second method may involve less risky. If the company implements it appropriately, an efficient and effect supply chain could also become its core competency, reduce its cost of goods sold and achieve expected SSS growth.

Power Flow Control Using Facts Devices Engineering Essay

With the increased capableness of power system web, increased complex tonss and with the interstate power transportation, the control of power in both transmittal and distribution lines has gained premier importance. The conventional method of power control utilizing power sloughing is no more cost effectual and causes power perturbations in the system. Alternatively a smooth control of power is the alternate solution to get the better of the above job. Fast response existent power control will be necessary to take transients, maintain rotor angle stableness and supply equal post-contingency control of the web. Reactive power flow capableness on the other manus will function to minimise line VARs flow under normal runing conditions while maximising flows necessary to keep voltage stableness during the undermentioned eventualities. Power flow control may besides be strategically used to minimise or cut down the demand for transmittal enlargement. In general, the control action in power systems can be categorized as on/off of uninterrupted ( including measure wise uninterrupted ) . The uninterrupted controls for illustration can besides be categorized as either coevals based or web electric resistance based. The web electric resistances used for uninterrupted control can be either physical or practical ( non-physical ) reactive or resistive constituents. Virtual constituents are presented to the web via interpolation of controlled synchronal electromotive force beginnings shunt connected to the coach and/or connected in series with transmittal lines. Development of high power and high exchanging power electronic devices has made it possible to command big power flows utilizing FACTS devices.Structure of the power system ( Kundur )Electric power systems vary in size and structural constituents. However, they all have the same basic features. Are comprised of three-phase ac systems runing basically at changeless electromotive force. Generation and transmittal installations use three-phase equipment. Industrial tonss are constantly three-phase. Single stage residential and commercial tonss are distributed every bit among the stages so as to efficaciously organize a balanced three-phase system. Use synchronal machines for coevals of electricity. Prime movers convert the primary beginnings of energy ( fossil, atomic, and hydraulic ) to mechanical energy that is, in bend converted to electrical energy by synchronal generators. Transmit power over important distances to consumers spread over a broad country. This requires a transmittal system consisting subsystems runing at different electromotive force degrees.Power flow in an a.c. systemIn ac power system, given the in important electrical storage, the electrical coevals and burden must equilibrate at all times. To some extent the electrical system is self modulating. If coevals is less than burden, the electromotive force and frequence bead and at that place by burden goes down to be the coevals minus the transmittal losingss. However, there is merely a few per centum border for such self-regulation. If electromotive force is propped up with reactive power support so the burden will travel up, and accordingly frequence will maintain dropping and the system will fall in. Alternatively, if there is in equal reactive power, the system can hold electromotive force prostration. Demand for electrical energy uninterrupted to travel steadily ( F19 )Reactive power demand ( text book diabetes mellitus tagare )The reactive power demand of big public-service corporations like the province electricity boards in India can be divided into two groups. Fixed KVAR required by the public-service corporations to: maintain their transformers energized and to cover their KVAR for the distribution system to transport a minimal base burden. Variable KVAR to cover load reactive power demands non covered by the consumer reactive power demands by the public-service corporations transformers and distribution system to transport variable consumer burden.Ripples and power system transeunt analysis [ T 11 ]Ripples are utile for transeunt analysis. Much of power system analysis is steady province analysis. However in the country of electric power quality analysis, transients may presume an of import function. For illustration, it is sometimes necessary to cipher the extension of a lightning shot urge in a radial distribution system or a networked transmittal system. The transient created by a communicating failure of an electronic convertor might hold to be analyzed in some instances. The computation of the extension of transformer inpouring and shunt capacitance exchanging currents is besides transeunt jobs. A choice of power system transients appear in tabular array. Type Location Duration Lightning Overhead circuits  µs – MS Line exchanging Transmission and stand in transmittal system  µs – MS Capacitor exchanging Transmission and Distribution systems  µs – MS Communication failure Converters MS Transformer inpouring currents Transformers in transmittal and distribution systems. ms – s Analysis of these transients might be done in the clip sphere, in the frequence sphere or parallel simulation. These methods have their advantages and disadvantages. But all are stressed in the analysis of short clip transients assorted with low frequence signals. Ripples offer certain clip frequence advantages over strictly frequence sphere methods. The window of a ripple ( and besides a transform based on the ripples ) is automatically adjusted in breadth in the presence of long or short term signals. The female parent ripple in a ripple transform employs clip compaction or dilation instead than frequence transition as might be used in Fourier analysis. Besides it may be possible to choose the female parent ripple to fit the expected response- there by contracting ripple spectrum as compared to the frequence spectrum. Rebeiro is by and large credited with proposing ripple analysis for power system/power quality analysis. Rebeiro chief part apart from the cardinal suggestion of ripples on power technology is in the country of signal Reconstruction. Robertson, Camps, Mayer and Gish have late proposed the usage of ripples in power technology to: Capture power system transients for event recording equipment applications. Report power system perturbations Detect inchoate failure of equipment. Resolve power quality struggles. ( Hingorani )Series CompensationWhen a generator accelerates and angle ? additions /?t & A ; gt ; 0, the electric power transmitted must be increased to counterbalance for the extra mechanical input power. When the generator decelerates and angle ? decreases /?t & A ; lt ; 0, the electric power must be decreased to equilibrate the deficient mechanical input power. K = grade of series compensation = Xc/X 0 ? K ?1 Ninety is the reactance of the series capacitance. Ten is the entire reactance of the line at the cardinal power system frequence degree Fahrenheit. K = upper limit when /?t & A ; gt ; 0 K = 0 /?t & A ; lt ; 0 with maximal k the effectual line electric resistance lower limit. i.e the electromotive force across the existent line electric resistance is maximal. i.e the electric power transmitted over the line is maximal. With minimal K i.e K = 0. The effectual line electric resistance is minimal. i.e the electromotive force across the existent line electric resistance is minimal. i.e power transmitted is minimal. This means K is controlled in bang-bang operation. ( the end product of the series compensator is varied between the lower limit and upper limit ) This type of control is the most effectual for muffling big oscillations. Sustained oscillation below the cardinal system frequence can be caused by series capacitive compensation. It is called sub synchronal resonance ( SSR ) . Degree of series compensation is in the scope of 25 to 75 % . A capacitance in series with the entire circuit induction of the transmittal line ( including the appropriate generator and transformer escape induction ) forms a series resonant circuit with natural frequence fc = 1/2?vLC = fv Xc/X. If the electric circuit is brought into oscillation ( by some web perturbation ) so the bomber harmonic constituent of the line current consequences in a corresponding bomber harmonic field in the machine which as it rotates backwards comparative to the magnetic field produces an jumping torsion on the rotor at the difference frequence of f – iron. if this difference frequence coincides with one of the torsional resonance of the turbine generator set, mechanical torsional oscillation is excited, which in bend farther excites the electrical resonance. This status is defined as bomber synchronal resonance. Large generators with multi phase steam turbines which have multiple torsional manners with frequences below the power frequence are most susceptible to stand in synchronal resonance with series capacitance compensated transmittal lines. The series compensator is chiefly applied to work out power flow jobs. Fixed or controlled series capacitive compensation can besides be used to minimise to stop electromotive force fluctuation of radial lines and prevent electromotive force prostration. Series compensation is used to command to antagonize prevalent machine swings important transeunt stableness betterment for station mistake systems Highly effectual in power oscillation damping. However the operating and public presentation features of the two types of series compensator are well different.Approachs to governable series compensationTwo basic attacks: Thyristor switched capacitances and thyristor controlled reactors to recognize a variable reactive entree. Switch overing power convertor to recognize a governable synchronal electromotive force beginning. The series compensator is a reciprocal of the shunt compensator. The shunt compensator is functionally a controlled reactive current beginning which is connected in analogue with the transmittal line to command its electromotive force. The series compensator is functionally a controlled electromotive force beginning which is connected in series with the transmittal line to command its current. The map of the series capacitance is merely to bring forth an appropriate electromotive force at the cardinal Ac system frequence in quadrature with the transmittal line current in order to increase the electromotive force across the inductive line electric resistance and thereby increase the line current and the familial power. By doing the end product electromotive force of the synchronal electromotive force beginning a map of line current the same compensation as provided by the series capacitance is accomplished. However in contrast to the existent series capacitance the SVS is able to keep a changeless compensating electromotive force in the presence of variable line current or controlled the amplitude of the injected compensating electromotive force independent of the amplitude of the line current. The series reactive compensation strategy utilizing a exchanging power convertor ( voltage beginning convertor ) as a synchronal electromotive force beginning to bring forth a governable electromotive force in quadrature with the line current as per IEEE and CIGRE definition termed the Static Synchronous Series Compensator ( SSSC ) . The SSSC can diminish every bit good as addition power flow to the same grade merely by change by reversaling the mutual opposition of the injected Ac electromotive force. The rearward electromotive force adds straight to the reactive electromotive force bead of the line as if the reactive line electric resistance was increased. If the injected electromotive force is made larger than the electromotive force impressed across the unsalaried line by the sending and having terminal systems that is if Vq & A ; gt ; |Vs -Vr| so the power flow will change by reversal with the line current I = ( Vq & A ; gt ; |Vs -Vr| ) /Xc The SSSC can supply capacitive or inductive compensating electromotive force independent of the line current up to its specified current evaluation. The VA evaluation of the SSSC ( solid province convertor and matching transformer ) is merely the merchandise of the maximal line current ( at which compensation is still desired ) and the maximal series counterbalancing electromotive force. VA = Imax * Vmax. The control scope is uninterrupted from -1.0 p.u ( capacitive ) to +1.0 p.u ( inductive ) volt-amperes. In many practical applications merely capacitive series line compensation is required. One of import application is the coincident compensation of both the reactive and resistive constituents of the series line electric resistance in order to maintain the X/R ratio is high. At transmittal electromotive force degrees of 115,230 and even 340KV where the X/R ratio is normally low ( in the scope of normally 3 to 10 ) , a high grade of series capacitive compensation could farther cut down the effectual reactive to resistive line electric resistance ratio to such low values at which the increasingly increasing power demand of the line and associated line losingss and possible electromotive force depression would get down to restrict the catching active power. The SSSC with an appropriate District of Columbia power supply ( which could be powered from an accessible coach or from the Tertiary of handily located transformer ) would be able to shoot in add-on to the reactive compensating electromotive force, a constituent of electromotive force in anti-phase with that developed across the line opposition to antagonize the consequence of the opposition electromotive force bead on the power transmittal. In this manner by supplying coincident and independently governable compensation of both the reactive and existent electric resistance of the line in consequence an ideal reactive line can be created for maximal power transmittal. The line losingss I2R is still be dissipated by the physical line. However this debauched power would be replenished by the SSSC from the subsidiary power supply. The existent power compensation capableness could besides be used efficaciously in minimising loop power flows by equilibrating both the existent and reactive power flows of parallel lines. From the point of dynamic system stableness reactive line compensation combined with coincident active power exchange can besides heighten power oscillation damping. During the period of angular acceleration, the SSSC with suited energy storage can use maximal capacitive line compensation to increase the familial active power and at the same time absorb active power to supply the consequence of a muffling resistance in series with the line. During the period of angular slowing, the SSSC can put to death opposite compensating actions, that is, apply maximal inductive compensation to diminish the familial active power and at the same time supply the consequence of negative opposition ( i.e. a generator ) to provide extra active power for the line ( negative damping ) . In practical SSSC the electromotive force sourced convertor on the dc side is terminated by a finite ( and comparatively little ) energy storage capacitance to keep the coveted District of Columbia runing electromotive force. ( Remember that this District of Columbia capacitance is kept changed by the energy absorbed from the system by the convertor itself ) therefore the District of Columbia capacitance in consequence interacts with the Ac system via operating switch ( valve ) array of the convertor. This interaction may conceivably act upon the bomber synchronal behavior of a practical SSSC. The SSSC is based on the synchronal electromotive force beginning construct which is implemented by a electromotive force beginning convertor. WAVELETS ( A18 ) Ripples theory is the mathematical associated with constructing a theoretical account for a non-stationary signal, with a set of constituents that are little moving ridges, called ripples. ( A16 ) in the procedure of ripple transform the signal is non in footings of a trigonometric multinomial, but by ripple generated utilizing the interlingual rendition ( switch in clip ) and dilation ( compressed in clip ) of a fixed ripple map called the female parent ripple.

Judging people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Judging people - Essay Example In doing the task, there are certain qualities that people use in judging the ethnic backgrounds of people such as physical appearances, mode of dressing, speech, food, actions and practices. The first factor that people use in judging people is physical features because they are the easiest and most apparent. Without asking a person, one can guess his nationality through the color of his skin, hair and eyes. Using the deductive method of finding answers, a person who looks at another person who is tall, with blond hair, white skin, blue eyes and aquiline nose may automatically guesses that the person is not a Mexican, African or Asian. One would definitely guess that the person is either American, European or Australian. Therefore, the groups where the person is identifying the individual is now limited to the groups with similar physical features. Having deduced the aforementioned matter, one can now listen to how the people talk. Although Americans, Europeans and Australians hugely use English, there are also distinct difference in the way they

Comparison of two articles about bias in the News Media Essay

Comparison of two articles about bias in the News Media - Essay Example The profession of a journalist, albeit regulated by its own set of regulations and ethical guidelines, is not an exception. Journalists, just like everyone else, carry intrinsic biases which are structurally transmitted to their work environment. The author of the â€Å"Bias in the News Media† article coins the name frames to refer to this structural formations. The frames reference suffices because it is through such structures that journalists literally frame the messages that are carried in new media outlets such as television. It is the presence of these biases that always influences how the message is packaged. The author of â€Å"Bias in the News Media† then proceeds to list the various types of biases that influence how news is packaged by broadcast journalists and the possible causes for these biases. Notably, biases are popular in broadcast journalism because of the commercial nature of the media business. Capitalism dictates that only those messages, services or products which are likely to be popular among the majority of the customers should be given a priority. This is undertaken for purposes of profit maximization. The author employs logical rhetoric to further implore the readers that news outlets in their variant forms do introduce biases due to the internal supporting structures which are normally established with the profit maximization motive. According to the essay, the presence of these biases makes it impossible to have media outlets that can be deemed to be objective in news dispensation.

Shakespeare Othello Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Shakespeare Othello - Essay Example Shakespeare’s play Othello is set in Venice and Cyprus and involves a general named Othello, a person of black decent living among the whites. Despite having an African heritage, Othello is a general in the Venetian army and is happily married to Desdemona, a white woman (Othello 870). However, Roderigo; a rich young man was jealous of the marriage between Desdemona and Othello since he had been pursuing her love in vain. Therefore, he unites with Iago who hates Othello for favoring the inexperienced soldier, Michael Cassio. Othello promoted Cassio to the lieutenant position instead of Iago who had a lot of experience. They ganged up against Othello and started planning on how to ruin both his marriage and life. Discrimination occurs due to various reasons such as envy, desire for power and fear. Racism is frequently viewed in terms of morphological features like hair type, skin color, as well as facial looks (Rizzo 65). Just like in Shakespeare’s plays, Moors and other foreigners are identified by use of skin color. This play actually presents racist message when Othello, a character of African origin is insulted due to his race. For instance, in the play, he is referred as â€Å"The lustful Moor† (Shakespeare 2.1.290) Consequently, Othello is regarded as â€Å"An old black ram†¦ tupping your white ewe† (Shakespeare, 1.1.110-6). Consequently, he is seen as â€Å"a Barbary horse† to †¦, make the beast †¦backs† (Shakespeare 1.1.110-6). These are racist insults of animal imagery directed at Othello because of is of African origin. He is seen as animal of lower status compared to the whites within Venice. However, I do not agree with the assessment of the play and the playwright that Shakespeare is a racist. This is because Shakespeare never considered race a central theme in his works. Instead, his comprehensive soul established an impressive racial vision. He comprehended many things related to racism there by making him develop an impartial attitude towards different races within his surroundings (Moore 121). Consequently, five of Shakespearean plays focused on racial problems within his white centered Christendom society. This clearly proves that Shakespeare identifies the existence of racial differences though he is not a racist. Despite presence of sexual jokes as well as animal imagery directed to Othello, it is wrong for critics to consider Shakespeare a racist. Shakespeare is an impartial and humanitarian dramatist championing for interracial equality liberty, as well as fraternity. In fact, he encourages everyone to shy away or come out of racial bond, which cuts human hearts. Thus, we should discard racism since it cuts human hearts resulting in tragedies rather than curing the same (Bloom 78). Further, some critics argue that the sexual jokes as well as animal imagery within the play are forms of racial discrimination directed by Shakespeare towards Othello. For instance, he is referred as an old black ram spoiling Brabantio’s white ewe. The other instance is when Othello is considered a Barbary horse covering Desdemona would later produce a beast with two backs (Shakespeare 1.1.110-6). Consequently, Othello is portrayed as a person who gets angry faster. This is proved when he believes in the lies of Iago concerning the purported affair between her and Cassio. The lie angers him so much and makes him jealous of Cassio. Later, it

Heart of Darkness Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Heart of Darkness - Research Paper Example As Marlo and his men continue to travel into the core of Africa they discover that Mr. Kurtz is not the man they expected. Mr. Kurtz is a cruel tyrant who presents himself as a god who is worshiped by the local tribes. Heart of Darkness is about the human condition, it describes how humans can change their values over time and over the environment. It is about human corruption and how the pursuit of wealth and power poisons human values (Conrad, 13). In The Heart of Darkness the black people are hardly people, they are like metaphors for savage primitive man. The European brutalizes and enslaves the Africans. This cruelty is manifested in the novel Heart of Darkness through the Mr. Kurtz. Mr. Kurtz is seen to brutalize, humiliate and enslave the Africans. The Africans worshiped Kurtz as their god; this was brought about by fear. The Africans were mistreated by being forced into hard labor and forced labor. They were enslaved, beaten and even butchered. Mr. Kurtz hanged the heads of the butchered blacks around his homestead. This portrays the high level of imperialism as the activities of the colonialists â€Å"Mr. Kurtz† are inhumane and demoralizing (Youngbirg, 15). In the Heart of Darkness the black people are looked down upon, they are hardly people; they are like metaphors for savage primitive man. The Europeans brutalize and enslaves them regardless of their age, gender and culture. The European imperialism is deceitful as the Africans are lured into forced labor and slavery. All this is done to the benefit of the European people. The Africans suffer in the hands of the colonialists both physically and mentally, some of them are even butchered and their heads are hung in the imperialists’ compound as a sign of showing them how petty and useless they are to be treated like animals. The Europeans in the Heart of Darkness are seen as civilized and informed people. The civilization in the heart

Markecting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Markecting - Essay Example hael Porter the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at Harvard Business School has commented that any business and its standing at any point in time can best be evaluated through making it go through a value chain analysis. Best value can be defined as the difference between total revenues and total costs. The company that can maximize this difference is adding value. This difference can be enhanced in a better manner when the firm is aware of where its costs are high and where they are low (Schmitz, 2005). Thus, this model basically entails the breaking down of organizational activities into various small units and then assigning costs to each unit so as to determine the amount that it is costing the company. This calculation of costs is important because a company can then see where it can curtail costs and where a slight cost relaxation would not harm the value chain. Value chain activities take place in almost every organization. From buying the raw materials to the product design, from the product development stages to the distribution of the product, such activities are easy to identify. They have to be broken down into the smallest units possible, so that identification of those activities where cost curtailment would help can be carried out. From industry to industry, the activities will differ slightly (Miguel, 1996). For example, the hotel industry will have sub-activities within customer service such as room service and telephone services, whereas the advertising industry, which is the subject of discussion of this report, will have activities such as conducting research and creating advertising briefs. Through such a process of analysis, VCA helps companies in assessing their own strengths and weaknesses and then comparing them to the VCA of their competitors, as well as their own VCA trends seen over time. This comparison helps companies to decide upon their core competence and distinctive competence and to capitalize on those strengths,

Multiple Topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multiple Topics - Essay Example There are certainly more preferences that he can keep track of. Develop a problem definition for Steve, as discussed in the Session Five lecture notes and readings (Chapter 3).   Problem definition: Steve wants to keep his customers happy and attract new ones. He thinks he needs a way to track customer behavior and mine the data from his restaurant operation. The method of data collection must not interfere with the normal operations of the restaurant. It should also store the data in a database so that it can be used by whatever means is devised. The data collection is simple and can easily be done by streamlining the ordering system. The main problem is that Steve has actually voiced a need for keeping customers happy and attracting new customers. It is not certain that mere data collection can do this. Part B:   â€Å"I think it’s only fair to write up all alternatives you’ve considered†, says Linda Smith (Steve Smith’s wife and Chief Financial Offi cer of his restaurant). â€Å"After all, you’ve been working on this systems thing for a while now and I think my husband would be interested to see what you found out.†Ã‚   Please explain to Linda Smith why your system proposal will not (should not) contain all the alternatives that your ITEC 630 team has considered with respect to solving Steve Smith’s information management problem. Also include in your response to Linda Smith the types of alternatives that will appear in your final systems proposal to Steve Smith.   Not all the alternatives we brainstormed are feasible and some just would be either over-kill or too expensive, creating a negative return on investment. Some solutions would have a negative impact on customers and others would not include increasing business. So these will not be included. The types of proposals we will include are those that will accomplish both the data collection and increase business, yes stay within the budget. We have fo ur alternative systems we will offer: an electronic ordering system which will collect all the data, a club card that will collect data and offer bonus points, a club card that will store cash, offer bonus points and collect data, and a fourth type will include all of these. All of the card alternatives will attract new business as they can be purchased as gift cards and loaded up front. A. Please label each question as either closed question or open-ended question.  Ppt 04 1. How many personal computers do you have in this department?  closed 2. How is this task performed?  open 3. Why do you perform the task that way?  open 4. How many hours of training does a clerk receive?  closed 5. How many customers ordered products from the Web site last month?  closed 6. What are users saying about the new system?  open 7. How are the checks reconciled?  closed 8. What added features would you like to have in the new billing system?  open 9. Is the calculation procedure de scribed in the manual?  closed 10. Is there anything else you can tell me about this topic? open 11. Do you review the reports before they are sent out?  closed 12. Are the user manuals produced by this department?  closed 13. Describe a feature you would like to see in the new system?  open 14. Who handles the invoices?  closed 15. How do you resolve accounts payable issues?  open B. You are going to interview the local manager of LDI, a national tire retailer, who has asked you to

Case Study in Strategic Management Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

In Strategic Management - Case Study Example In the beverage industry, both Coke and Pepsi have been able to achieve their annual growth in the revenue of around 10% due to the rise in the consumption steadily, year after year. In the industry, the profits that each of the companies, Coke and Pepsi depend on each other to come up with the profits as there is stiff competitions between them (Coke, 35). The consumptions of additional more gallons than the 52 per day also brought major profits in the beverage industry despite the challenges that the industries went through. There was also the coming up with several more alternative beverage that led to the consumption of more and more profit. Based on 2009 comparative cost for United States concentrate bottler and concentrate producers had a cumulative income of thirty two percent while bottlers recorder a net income of eight per cent. Cost of Goods Sold is 0.22 dollars per concentrate case and 2.67 dollars per bottle’s case. In the concentrate producers there was blending of raw materials ingredients, were packed in plastic canisters and the n were shipped through the containers to the bottler (Coke, 89). The difference in the profit comes with the difference in the making of the concentration with the concentrates making artificial sweetener while the regular bottlers added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Some of the significant expenses include promotions, bottler support, promotions, and record research. The bottlers bought concentrate and added carbonated water and sweeteners, canned the final product and then delivered to stores. The concentrates have the plants costing 25 million dollars to the required 50 million to build. The low investment in the production has led to the low profit in the concentrates as compared to the other bottlers. Pepsi and Coke are the leading competitors in the CSD market. Coke was established in 1886

2000 Trade Agreement with China and the Damage it has caused to the Research Paper

2000 Trade Agreement with China and the Damage it has caused to the United States - Research Paper Example This agreement came as a result to the current conceding to China of permanent ordinary trade relations position by the United States Congress, paving the way for China’s entrance into the World Trade Organization. Given that the United States has long complained in relation to the huge trade shortage with China, this agreement should develop the bilateral trade balance in support of the United States. All the same, many long-standing trade concerns between China and the United States remain unsettled to the present. Identification and description: Historical Event The identification of the event concerning trade between the two nations stems for several years of long-term business. It is worth to mention that the two nations have been doing business transactions before the implementation of the trade agreements in the year 2000. Notably, these two nations have been benefiting from each other through various ways while doing business (Jialin, 2003). However, with reference to different statistics of the two nations, there is some understanding that China has had various benefits while causing some damages on the economy of the United States in the end. The understanding of this concern is well demonstrated throughout the entire discussion thoroughly. The main issue of concern is the different measures of the bilateral trade inequity by the two nations. ... In that case, distorting the bilateral trade equilibrium, and puff up the U.S. trade shortage with China (Ransom, 2001). A comparable aspect is the weight of capital flow. The majority of Chinese export goods to the United States are manufactured by outward-processing organizations. Nearly all returns accumulate to the United States and other foreign owners of such firms, whilst China gets only an insignificant manufacturing fee. Taking into consideration such aspects, the United States trade imbalance with China is considerably smaller compared to the official data suggestions (Horn & Mavroidis, 2001). In its implication, there is no reason to make the whole issue a captive in the United States domestic partisan effort and consequently poison U.S. and China political connections. One of the international trade agreements is the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and is also the foundation through which other trade agreements and frameworks have been formed for instance, t he â€Å"General Agreement on Trade in Services† abbreviated as GATS. The agreement established major principles to monitor business and trade operations among the member countries. The important principle is that of non-discrimination for foreign goods within the member countries. GATT also reduced trade barriers and tariffs to international trade including importation quotas and bringing equality (Jialin, 2003). The other principle harmonized the standards of goods and services internationally thus establishing a regulatory ceiling for trade operations. Very soon, the global economy was closely integrated thanks to technological changes and the invention of the internet (Murray & Raynolds, 2007). Later in 1995 the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established by the member

Individual Writing Assignment Essay Example for Free

Individual Writing Assignment Essay The role of work experience in successful adult learning is a recurrent topic of professional discussion. In their article, Guile and Griffiths (2001) provide the detailed review of what experience is, how it works in different work contexts, and how students learn and expand their practical knowledge through work experience. The authors state that the two main trends of work experience and learning are being discussed in European literature: the first one discusses work experiences of younger students (14-18) as a part of full-time education; the second one is about work experiences in countries with well-developed VET systems, in which apprenticeships serve an alternative to the basic education (Guile Griffiths 2001). Guile and Griffiths (2001) state that the time has come to reassess the relationship between education and work experience and provide a brief discussion of the concept of â€Å"context† and several models of learning through work experience. The article contributes to the understanding of learning in work settings in several ways. First, the work context is not static but an ever evolving combination of conditions and objects (Guile Griffiths 2001). The changes in context prioritize learning and knowledge sharing and expand the definition of skill (Guile Griffiths 2001). Second, work contexts make it possible for individuals to learn and develop through contact with more experienced others (Guile Griffiths 2001). Finally, earlier approaches to workplace learning are no longer workable: the authors discuss traditional, experiental, generic, work process, and connectivity models of learning through work experience (Guile Griffiths 2001). These models reconceptualize learning through work experience in several different ways. Guile and Griffiths (2001) suggest the last, connective model of learning through work experience be the one to provide a new curriculum framework and more effective connections between formal and informal learning. Learning through work settings: andragogy vs. pedagogy  What Guile and Griffiths (2001) discuss in their article presents a unique combination of andragogy and pedagogy. Although Guile and Griffiths (2001) do not mention the word â€Å"andragogy† and emphasize the relevance of pedagogic approaches to work experience, the features of adult learning are being present in all learning models. Guile and Griffiths (2001) discuss the models and approaches that are based on need; they are problem-centered, respective to job, collaborative, and mutual between facilitator and learner. These are the features of adult learning which Podsen (2002) discusses in her book. Simultaneously, the process of learning through work experience is not self-directed but is linked to the curriculum, sequenced in terms of content and subject matter and designed to enhance and speed up the transmittal of skills, experience, and information (Podsen, 2002). Although learning through work experience provides students with some degree of autonomy, work experience, according to Guile and Griffiths (2001) is still a part of the academic and vocational programs, which are both directed and evaluated by teachers. Nevertheless, work experience provides better knowledge sharing opportunities compared with the traditional pedagogic approaches to learning. Work experience and work context enable the development and maintenance of arrangements between workplaces and educational institutions (Guile Griffiths 2001). These models do not simply allow schools and agencies to manage these arrangement more effectively but turn into a valuable extension of traditional school and college curriculums. Unfortunately, pedagogy tends to limit resources available through work experiences and often views work contexts as stable and static. To raise the efficiency of work experiences and learning in work contexts, educational and HR professionals must be open to the benefits of adult learning, which would make learning in workplace settings more flexible, practical, and relevant. The traditional model of work experience In their article, Guile and Griffiths (2001) provide a brief discussion of the traditional model of work experience. The legacy of traditional models of learning through work experience is evident through the prism of traditional apprenticeship programs and general education curriculums in Europe (Guile Griffiths 2001). Until recently, the basic apprenticeship programs in workplace environments have been designed to help students mould their skills in practical contexts; as a result, the traditional model of work experience emphasized the assimilation and adaptation as the two basic features of education and training (Guile Griffiths 2001). Today, traditional models of work experience are fairly regarded as a form of the â€Å"launch† perspective on the interaction between learning and workplace settings – traditional models of work experience help to understand and predict what individuals will choose to do in each particular work situation (Guile Griffiths 2001). Professionals in education and HR specialists can apply to traditional work experience models, in order to set the necessary trajectory of later learning (Guile Griffiths 2001). Traditional models of work experience can be used to launch students into the real world of work (Guile Griffiths 2001). Unfortunately, the vision of work experience as the â€Å"launch† into later workplace learning leaves little or no room for determining how students will develop at the later stages of workplace learning (Guile Griffiths 2001). Traditional models of work experience present few or no opportunities to reframe their content and to make them more flexible and adaptable to the workplace needs of students. Work experience: possible problems and barriers The lack of content reframing opportunities is not the only problem with traditional models of work experience. In their article, Guile Griffiths (2001) omit considerable information about what barriers students can meet in their way to learning from traditional workplace contexts. First of all, Guile and Griffiths (2001) speak about the traditional workplace model as the â€Å"launch† perspective on learning in workplace contexts. Yet, the authors do not write anything about whether students are prepared to be in workplace environments and what must they must do to integrate with the learning atmosphere in the workplace. Second, the question is in how students will adjust to the contrast between familiar school environments and workplace experiences. Third, Kolb’s model of experiental learning could add value to the traditional model of work experience by providing teachers and HR professionals with a better understanding of students’ learning styles. Students that engage in workplace learning can be activists, reflectors, theorists, and pragmatists (Atherton, 2009). The significance of each particular learning style is in trying to help teachers and students to adjust to their personal and learning peculiarities and the features of their learning style (Atherton, 2009). Obviously, professional negligence to learning style differences can become a major barrier to effective learning. Unfortunately, in their discussion of the traditional model of work experience Guile and Griffiths (2001) do not mention any of these potential problems. To make the traditional learning model adaptable, flexible, and workable, HR professionals must account for these personal and learning differences, to ensure that they can set the necessary trajectory of learning at later stages of work experience. Still, the traditional model in ways Guile and Griffiths (2001) discuss it could be of value to HR professionals, who support the development of a ‘learning organization’. The traditional model of work experience and a ‘learning organization’ â€Å"A learning organization needs people who are intellectually curious about their work, who actively reflect on their experience, who develop experience-based theories of change and continuously test these in practice† (Serrat, 2009). Experience is critical for the success of all learning initiatives in organizations. In this sense, the traditional model of work experience can set the pace and the direction of learning in organizations. HR professionals can apply to the traditional model to ‘launch’ students and to help them integrate with the new workplace environment. The traditional model can set the stage for developing experience-based theories and initiatives at the later stages of learning and to make practitioners more reflective. The traditional model can also help HR specialists learn more about students and their first successes at work, to be able to adjust their learning styles and preferences to the specific needs of the workplace. All these actions will benefit and favor learning in organizations. The traditional model can become an invaluable source of knowledge about learning, which HR professionals will use to develop more effective learning strategies to be used in their organizations. Conclusion Work experience provides students with valuable learning opportunities. Organizations and education professionals step away from the traditional â€Å"static† vision of workplace contexts and position work as a flexible and ever-changing source of practical knowledge. In their article, Guile and Griffiths (2001) discuss a number of work experience models. The traditional model, according to Guile and Griffiths (2001), gives education professionals a chance to set the needed learning trajectory and redirect individuals toward the desired learning goals. However, education and HR specialists must account for the learning style differences and support students, as they are trying to adjust to unfamiliar workplace environments. Otherwise, HR professionals would not be able to use the traditional model for the benefit of learning in organizations.

Overview Of Manchesters Castlefeild Viaducts History Essay

Overview Of Manchesters Castlefeild Viaducts History Essay The Castlefield viaducts form a part of the citys fascinating network of transport infrastructure, which includes canals, waterways, tram, rail and road. Starting from the period of their construction, these viaducts have been standing as a constant and dominating feature on the Manchester skyline. They are unique with respect to their historic significance and construction. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description, particularly at dawn and sunset.   In the 20th century the viaducts underwent a dramatic renaissance, and they were brought back into productive use and glory. Though time and lack of substantive maintenance are inciting threats to the life and beauty of the structure, they are in surprisingly good condition given their age. Proper maintenance and replacements will slow down the deterioration process of the structure. This report covers the structural, historical and architectural significance of the Castlefield viaducts. It highlights how the ageing infrastructures of the viaducts were effectively transformed to a landmark structure of the modern era. The restoration of the viaducts has given a dramatic revival to the Castlefield area, thus making use of the previously disfunctional structure. Thus our aim is to stress the importance of conserving the antiquated structures by making use of the scientific and technical knowledge gained through the ages. CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES Figure Description Source Cover image Castlefield viaducts in 2010 Photograph supplied by author 1.1 Castlefield viaducts in 1890 Waterways into Castlefield, John C Fletcher 1.2 Castlefield viaducts: An aerial view www.webbaviation.uk 1.3 Castlefield viaducts in 1892 A walk round Castlefield, Derek Brumhead and Terry Wyke 2.1 Roman fort of Mamucium www.bbc.co.uk 2.2 Castlefield excavations A walk round Castlefield, Derek Brumhead and Terry Wyke 2.3 Cornbrook and Great Northern viaducts www.panoramio.com 2.4 Northern Brick viaduct www.panoramio.com 2.5 Flowchart showing birth history of viaducts Drawing supplied by the author 4.1 Botanical growth on the corners of the viaduct www.forgottenrelics.co.uk 4.2 Use of cherry pickers in removing corrosion www.forgottenrelics.co.uk 4.3 Breakage and corrosion of iron sections www.forgottenrelics.co.uk 6.1 Architectural beauty of viaducts www.creativity103.com 6.2 Economical use of spaces beneath the brick arches of the viaduct Drawings supplied by the author A.1.1 Great Northern viaduct :picture from past www.canalarchieve.org.uk A.1.2 Great Northern viaduct: present picture http://manchesterhistory.net A.2.1 Northern Brick viaduct: picture from past www.canalarchieve.org.uk A.2.2 Northern Brick viaduct: present picture http://manchesterhistory.net A.3.1 Iron columns of the viaduct: picture from past www.canalarchieve.org.uk A.3.2 Iron columns of the viaduct: present picture www.barrymillerphotographics.co.uk A.4.1 Cast-iron arch of viaduct: picture from past www.canalarchieve.org.uk A.4.2 Cast-iron arch of viaduct: present picture www.engineering-timelines.com B.1 Plan of Castlefield in 1905 A walk round Castlefield, Derek Brumhead and Terry Wyke B.2 Plan of Castlefield in 1988 Waterways into Castlefield, John C Fletcher B.3 Aerial photograph of Castlefield by Paul Tomlin Waterways into Castlefield, John C Fletcher B.4 Plan and section of the junction between the Manchester and Birmingham and Liverpool and Manchester Railways. www.freepages.com 1. INTRODUCTION The Castlefield viaducts are the excellent examples of 19th century attitude to engineering. Their heroic brute scale is romanticised by the castellalated turrets adorning the structure. The name Castlefield is a short form of field of the castle or fort. Castlefield  is an  inner city  area of  Manchester, in  North West England. It is arguably one of the most historically important areas in the world. Innovations have proliferated here and many artefacts have been constructed. In 79 AD the Romans built their fort on elevated ground, and canals were dug to allow natural watercourses to be diverted to mountain water levels. The worlds very first railway station was introduced in Castlefield in 1830, to allow the first rail transportation of coal as canal basins were so numerous that the only practical means of utilising railway transport was to build viaducts. C:UsersreminDesktopDSC01024.JPG Figure 1.1: Castlefield viaducts in1890 Castlefield is conspicuous by its viaducts and its canals. The viaducts have become an indelible part of the landscape, valued and treasured as part of Manchesters industrial heritage. The fact of increasing the efficiency of transportation, paved way for the construction of the Castlefield viaducts. Gradually plans were evolved not only to conserve the area but also to promote leisure and tourism. C:UsersreminDesktopcourse workbridge-castlefield-c8675.jpg Figure 1.2: Castlefield viaducts: An aerial view During the 20th century both canal and railway transport declined and the area became somewhat derelict. The railway complex in Liverpool Road was sold to a conservation group and became the  Greater Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. C:UsersreminDesktopDSC01036.JPG Figure 1.3: Castlefield viaducts in 1892 2. HISTORIC RESEARCH 2.1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SITE AND STRUCTURE Castlefield is the site of the original Roman fort of Mamucium or Mamceaster (mam from the Celtic name for hill and ceaster derived from the Latin word for a walled town). The fort was about five acres in size and guarded important route ways to and from Chester, York and the Chesire salt wiches. The roads, railways and canals of the Industrial Revolution destroyed most of the surface remains of the fort and the vicus. The price of coal was halved, making steam power commercially viable. The Rochdale Canal and a network of private branch canals joined the Bridgewater at Lock 92 in Castlefield. The Bridgewater Canal company  connected their canal to the adjacent Mersey and Irwell Navigation and the Rochdale Canal Company  constructed its Manchester and Salford Junction Canal. Figure 2.2 Castlefield excavations Figure 2.1 Roman fort of Mamucium Artists impression of Roman Mamucium (c) Graham Sumner C:UsersreminDesktopDSC01034.JPG As new railway companies needed to access the city centre through largely built-up areas, only one option lay open to them the building of viaducts to carry traffic over the city. The railway lines the central cast iron arch of the Manchester South Junction Altrincham 1848 viaduct, with 1877 wrought iron Cheshire Lines Cornbrook viaduct obscured, and the massive piers of the 1894 disused Great Northern Viaduct behind constructed over the course of half-a-century provided leading railway companies with the access to the city centre. These viaducts provided a splendid solution illustration to the problem of carrying a railway across the city. The townscape of southern Manchester was given a new transformation by the railway and the Castlefield viaducts. In fact these viaducts are still the engineering beauties of Manchester especially Castlefield. C:UsersreminDesktopphotos1.jpg Figure 2.3.Cornbrook and Great Northern viaducts C:UsersreminDesktopphotos2.jpg Figure 2.4: Northern Brick viaduct 2.2. BIRTH OF CASTLEFIELD VIADUCTS The arrival of the Bridgewater Canal in Castlefield in July 1761 led to a series of developments which eventually caused the construction of the Castlefield viaducts. These developments are indicated pictorially as shown below. Arrival of the Bridgewater Canal (marked Industrial Revolution) Joining of the Rochdale Canal and other private canals with the Bridgewater Canal Construction of warehouses and storehouses prompted the need for accessing city centre Decrease in the price of coal gave the idea of constructing railway lines for transportation. Construction of the Castlefield viaducts for enabling railway transportation Figure 2.5 Flowchart showing birth history of viaducts 3. STRUCTURAL OVERVIEW ORIGINAL STRUCTURE The cast iron arch railway bridge over the wharves by the Bridgewater Canal at Castlefield forms part of the long brick viaduct taking the Altrincham branch of the Manchester South Junction Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) into Deansgate Station. The MSJAR was Manchesters first suburban line. It ran from Manchester Piccadilly via Oxford Road and Deansgate (with a branch line to Altrincham). The bridge spans 31.9m. Like eight of its siblings (the exception being the Water Street MSJAR bridge), it has six cast iron ribs each made in five pieces and bolted together. The ribs are braced with cruciform cast iron sections. The twin railway tracks were carried on cast iron deck plates (the Altrincham line is no longer in use).The Altrincham branch viaduct had a second cast iron rib arch bridge by Baker, over Egerton Street. It was reconstructed in steel in 1976. The Northern Brick viaduct is entirely elevated on more than 2 miles of viaduct. Most of this viaduct comprises 224 brick arches, averaging 30feet in height and span, and 28feet in width. Foundations typically extend 30-35feet below the ground level. Near Ordsall Lane the railway crosses the Irwell with two much longer 65feet span brick arches, supported by a pillar in the middle of the river. A brick arch with a span of 80feet was required to bridge the canal branch. Supplementing the brick arches, the cast-iron bridges cross 26 streets and canals. Originally, flat-girder bridges were ear marked for these sections of the viaduct, but when an example of this type of bridge collapsed under a train in Chester in May 1847 the plans were altered amid safety doubts. In total, 28 cast-iron bridge sections were required (three at Knott Mill), all of them spanning 70ft, except for the example over the Rochdale Canal which spans 105ft. The bridges were obtained by engineer David Bell house from the foundries of E.T. Bell house. On the viaducts south side is the high-level iron truss girder viaduct of 1877 built for the  Cheshire Lines Committee by the  Midland Railway. It is known as Cornbrook Viaduct. The viaduct is a red brick and  wrought iron  truss girder construction. Building work started in 1873 and was completed in 1877. When it opened in 1877, it carried trains coming from a temporary station to  Irlam  and  Warrington, and  Chorlton  via a branch line. The temporary station was replaced by  Sir John Fowlers Manchester  Central Station  in 1880, which operated until 1969 and is now used as an exhibition centre (G-MEX). The through lattice girder design, predominantly of wrought iron, is around 330m in length, comprising eight spans. Formed from segmental castings and founded at a depth of 6.1m, the piers diameter tapers from 4.6m at their base to 3.2m at ground level. They are concrete-filled and tied to their neighbour by a girder dealing with lateral forces. Behind decorative castellation, bearing plates support the heavy end posts of 16 trusses, the longest of which reaches 53m. Each pair is restrained by brace beams at 6.4m centres. Span 7 is acutely trapezoidal, allowing span 8 to cross the Ordsall Lane line on a skew of around 65 ° its southern truss benefits from an additional orphaned column. The bottom chord of each truss forms a channel. The transverse bearers hold the deck plates and ribs to which the running rails are fastened. To the north is the 1894 Great Northern viaduct that served the  Great Northern Railways (GNR) warehouse. The high-level  tubular steel  viaduct is decorated with turrets. It was built for the Great Northern Railway Company and carried GNR trains to the companys Deansgate warehouse until 1963. Richard Johnson was a Chief Engineer of the GNR. The Cornbrook and Great Northern viaducts stood disused for many years. When a route for the  Metrolink  trams was investigated, the Cornbrook Viaduct was found to be in much better condition than the 1894 one. It was chosen for refurbishment (1990-1991) and is currently used by Metrolink trams going to Altrincham. During the regeneration of the Castlefield basin, a spectacular footbridge was built from Slate Wharf to Catalan Square. This is the Merchants Bridge, where the 3m wide deck is hung by 13 hangers from the steel arches. The span is 40m. The designers,  Whitby and Bird  acknowledge the influence of  Santiago Calatrava. The three viaducts passed right through the ancient Roman site, virtually obliterating it, as the opening of the Rochdale Canal had already destroyed much of it, as well as the old town of Aldport. Except the Great Northern viaduct all the other viaducts are still in use. The Great northern viaduct is now offered for sale. 3.2. FUNCTION The Northern Brick viaduct carried the double tracks between Manchester Piccadilly via Oxford Road railway station and Knott Mill railway station, then turns south west, crossed the canal basin and headed for Altrincham.   It forms part of the long brick viaduct taking the Altrincham branch of the Manchester South Junction Altrincham Railway through Knott Mill Station. The Cornbrook viaduct is carried across Castlefield Basin on huge castellated brick piers and where it crosses the Bridgewater Canal an immense bridge of lattice girders was constructed with twin spans of 44 metres and 62 metres. It carried trains coming from a temporary station to Irlam and Warrington, and Chorlton via a branch line. At present 15 trams per hour (tph) use the Cornbrook viaduct which has fixed block two aspect signalling. When Phase 3a of the development process is complete, there will be 25 tph along the Cornbrook Viaduct. The Great Northern viaduct served the  Great Northern Railways warehouse i n Deansgate by carrying GNR trains to the companys warehouse until 1963. 3.3. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY The Northern Brick viaduct in the group of Castlefield viaducts and its impressive cast iron arch bridge was designed by  David Bellhouse and William Baker respectively. This is the largest cast iron arch bridge in the Castlefield area with a span of 104 feet. Each of the six cast iron ribs are made in five pieces and bolted together. They are braced with cruciform cast iron sections and the twin railway tracks were carried on cast iron deck plates. The project was a very large one, at least in terms of material: 300,000 cubic feet of stone 50,000,000 bricks and 3,000 tons of wrought iron. The ground was broken for the new line early in 1846. Subsequently, the railway ran into some financial difficulties that delayed work for about 18 months so that the railway was not completed until 1849. Brick arches were constructed by laying the bricks and mortar over scaffolding, which would maintain the arch shape until the mortar had set and the form was self-supporting. This scaffolding was usually left in place for two to three weeks after the brickwork had been completed. However, in January 1849 a section of the viaduct near Gloucester Street, just to the west of Oxford Road station, collapsed upon removal of the supporting scaffolding, killing several workers. An inquest revealed that wet weather had caused the mortar to set more slowly than anticipated. As a consequence, the scaffolding was left in place for longer periods, especially during the inclement winter months. No other major accidents occurred during the rest of the MSJARs construction. Red brick and  wrought iron  form the major raw materials for the construction of The Cornbrook Viaduct. The Great Northern viaduct makes use of tubular steel construction. Decorative fittings in the form of small towers rising above and resting on the main structure adds beauty to the viaduct. 4. RESTORATION 4.1. WAY TO RESTORATION The restoration of the Castlefield viaducts gave a dramatic revival to the area, with the viaducts being brought back into productive use. The Annual Report on Built Heritage, 2006/07 categorised the Castlefield viaducts into Grade II, which indicated that the structure is of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them. Castlefields ageing infrastructure of the 1800s has been revived and in its place is one of Europes leading city break destinations, with some of the best shopping and most vibrant nightlife in the world.   By the 1970s the Castlefield area was decaying rapidly and was typical of many of the areas on the fringe of the city centre. In the early 1970s, excavations uncovered part of the site of the Roman fort. The process of removing the extensive, waist-high vegetation from the deck was relatively straightforward. Far more challenging has been the subsequent descaling work, ridding the viaduct of its loose material with hammers and scrapers. The abseil operation is self-contained, with collection bags and catch nets ensuring nothing falls to the ground. Progressing from west to east, the five spans of the first phase took place. But remaining phases were logistically more complex. The imaginative and sensitive conservation of the viaducts was to be achieved with high standards of urban design. When the Great Northern Railway Goods Warehouse was erected in 1898, the viaduct was widened on the north side to take four tracks, and a new spur built across Deansgate. The second cast iron rib arch bridge of the Altrincham branch viaduct was reconstructed in steel in 1976. The CLC Viaduct from Manchester Central Station to Cornbrook Junction was originally built as a two track viaduct then later widened to carry five tracks. Since the Cornbrook Viaduct was in much better condition compared to the Great Northern Viaduct, it was chosen for refurbishment in the year 1990 for a route for the  Metrolink  trams. It is currently used by Metrolink trams going to Altrincham. Central Station closed in 1969 and the viaduct was unused, except for business premises in the arches, until repaired and converted for Metrolink which opened in 1992. Repairs included pointing some 70,000 square metres of brickwork and replacing many thousands of spalled and missing bricks. Metal widening was strengthened by concrete encapsulation and local plating repairs where required. After the structural repairs had been completed the metalwork was grit blasted and painted to protect it. Corrosion damage caused by breakdown of the waterproofing system was repaired. Where needed main girder ends were encapsulated in a reinforced concrete diaphragm beam supported on new bearings. Other bearings were freed by drilling and injecting grease. The entire structure of Castlefield Bridge was lifted by 75mm as part of the work on its bearings. This improved headroom will allow future 25kV electrification of the Network Rail line from the railway Castlefield Junction, near Deansgate Station, to Ordsall Lane Junction. Subject to funding, plans are being developed for a major refurbishment to happen in 2012/13, involving a waterproofing exercise and miscellaneous repairs to restore some durability. The major challenge is to completely encapsulate the structure. The paintwork has to be restored- which seems to have been brush-applied in a single coat and causing considerable corrosion. It is important to remove the vegetation which has secured a foothold on the underside of the structure where much of the ironwork never gets the opportunity to dry. Adequate measures should be adopted to remove the blockages within the drainage system. Clearing debris from the trusses bottom chord and thereby allowing them to drain should be also given priority. 4.2. PRESENT CONDITION Though the Castlefield viaducts have given the city some of its most dramatic spaces, some limited drawbacks can be cited in relevance to the present day construction owing to the ageing infrastructure of the 1800s. One of the most important among them is the effect of corroding metallic surface. The forged bolts and fittings have become rusted. The damp conditions have been more conducive to corrosion. Periodic inspection and removal of huge amount of loose material from the corroded surface is required. The construction gave the bottom chord of truss a trough shape, which gets covered by water during rains. These corrosive water traps pose an attention seeking problem. The steelwork of the supporting columns has peeling paint and patches of rust. The iron layers have got broken at intervals.   There are evidences of staining and efflorescence and botanical growth due to the seepage of water through the brick joints. The younger but sicklier northern viaduct remains devoid of func tion except for its iconic role in the cityscape and frequent on-screen appearances. 4.3. REMEDIAL MEASURES Time and a lack of substantive maintenance and Manchesters notorious weather have not been kind to the structure. The observations confirmed that loose corrosion product was falling from the structure. The botanical growth and vegetation should be removed from the structure. Another significant maintenance work to be carried out is the descaling work. The viaducts should be made devoid of its loose material with hammers and scrapers. Descaling could be done more easily with the use of cherry pickers. The piers and soffits should be cleared and protective coatings should be applied. The iron sections should be inspected for breakages and necessary replacements should be done at intervals. Measures should be adopted to ensure waterproofing effect at the critical sections. http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/images/castlefield/castlefield-7.jpg http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/images/castlefield/castlefield-1.jpg Figure 4.2: Use of cherry pickers in removing corrosion Figure 4.1: Botanical growth on the corners of the viaduct C:UsersreminDesktopcourse workcs cwphotos9.jpg http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/images/castlefield/castlefield-4.jpg Figure 4.3: Breakage and corrosion of iron sections 5. PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED 5.1 DAVID BELLHOUSE (1792à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 1866) David Bellhouse (junior) was the contractor for the construction of the Northern brick viaduct, which was completed in 1849. Bellhouse hailed from a family rich in construction and business experience. His father David Bellhouse (senior), (1764-1840) was a skilled joiner and builder. David Bellhouse (junior) started his career by erecting warehouses, mills and public buildings. During 1830, he built 5 brick warehouses for Manchester and Liverpool railway at the Liverpool road station in Manchester, the worlds first railway station. Later he took advantage of the rising railway boom due to industrial revolution and concentrated his work within Manchester and surrounding area. In 1845, Bellhouse got the contract to build the mile and three quarter long Manchester South Junction Railway. The viaduct passed very near the Bellhouse family businesses, both the timber yard and the cotton mill. In addition to building the viaduct and laying the track, Bellhouse was responsible for the purchase and demolition of buildings on the proposed site of the line, the alteration and diversion of streets. The track was laid on a thirty-foot-high arched viaduct through a densely populated part of Manchester. The railway was finally completed in 1849. The viaduct is still in operation today. Other prominent projects constructed by Bellhouse include Chorlton on Medlock Town Hall and Dispensary Exhibition house of the Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society The Palatine Hotel Manchester Poor Law Union Moral and Industrial Training School WILLIAM BAKER (1817-1878) William Baker was a railway engineer. He designed the Northern brick viaduct, Castlefield. He started his career in 1834 at the  London and Birmingham Railway  between London and  Tring. In 1837, he worked for the  Manchester and Birmingham Railway. Later he became engineer of the  Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR). Eventually, he was appointed as the chief engineer of the London and North Western Railway Company. He wholly constructed, or remodelled and extended, the stations of the company in London, Liverpool and Manchester, as well as the stations in Birmingham, Preston, Bolton, Crewe, Warrington and Stafford.  Baker was designer and engineer of the  Battersea Railway Bridge.  He also acted as consulting engineer to the West London Extension Railway and the  North London Railway, and in Ireland he built the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore and the North Wall Extension Railways. He was elected  MICE  in 1848. THE  CHESHIRE LINES COMMITTEE  (CLC) The  Cheshire Lines Committee  (CLC), with a route mileage of 143 miles, was the second largest  joint railway  in Great Britain. The Cheshire Lines group was formed by a joint committee of the  Great Northern Railway  (GNR), Midland railway (MR) and the  Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway  (MSLR) in 1862 to regulate traffic on four proposed lines in  Cheshire The Stockport Woodley Junction Railway The West Cheshire Railway The Cheshire Midland Railway The Stockport, Timperley Altringham Junction Railway There was also a decision to open important series of lines and junctions around the south of Manchester and Stockport, which provided valuable access with other railways. In 1873, Premier main line between Manchester and Liverpool opened. Shortly Liverpool central was opened. The committee studied the need of an independent terminus at Manchester. As a result, they constructed Manchester central and a new 2 track viaduct from Cornbrook to central station. There was significant passenger and goods traffic between Liverpool and Manchester during this period. The second major route, which the CLC operated, was between Manchester and Chester. Even today, the CLC line between Manchester and Liverpool is the quickest route between the cities, but are utilising Piccadilly and Lime Street stations, respectively. 5.4 RICHARD JOHNSON (1827-1924) Richard Johnson was apprenticed to a builder and contractor as a carpenter in 1840. In October 1847 he was appointed to the staff of Brydone Evans, engineers to the GNR. In 1855 he was appointed District Engineer to the GNR loop line with an office in Boston and in 1859 he became responsible for the direct Peterborough to Doncaster line. In June 1861 he became Engineer for the GNR when Mr Walter Marr Brydone retired (with Joseph Cubitt as Consulting Engineer). He observed the Welwyn tunnel accident and fire. He was in charge of constructing the Derbyshire Extension Railways, notably the viaduct at Ilkeston over old coal workings, the curved viaduct at Gilbrook, and the long Kimberley cutting. He was also involved in the Newark Dyke Bridge, the Don Bridge, the Copenhagen tunnels, and the bridge over the GER at Peterborough. Richard Johnson was the Chief Engineer of the GNR and was responsible for the design of Great Northern viaduct of Castlefield, which was constructed in 1894. He d ied in Hitchin on 9 September 1924. HENRY HEMBEROW Henry Hemberow was an engineer by profession and was appointed as Resident Engineer working under the supervision of Mr. William Baker for the construction of the MSJAR. His direct involvement in any design works is not known. It is also not known if he had any direct contributions to the Castlefield viaducts in particular. The lack of information found about him during research may suggest that the impact he made in his role here and in his career as an Engineer, was not as significant as others of his time. 6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STRUCTURE In the 20th century Castlefield underwent a dramatic renaissance, with many historical buildings being brought back into productive use and glory. The Castlefield viaduct provides a strong contrast to these new structures, portraying the areas rich heritage and its prominence as the birthplace of the industrial revolution. 6.1 ECONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE The Castlefield Viaducts are of fundamental importance to the infrastructure of the area. Historically they functioned as a link for the transport of goods to the industrial centre. They are now a part of the citys efficient network of transport infrastructure, which includes canals, waterways, trams, rail and road. The viaducts dramatically transformed the scale and visibility of urban exchange of the area, without disrupting the natural landscape and long established built-in environments. They are centrally located at one of Manchesters most successful regeneration areas in recent decades. The viaducts play a significant role in strengthening the tourism base, consolidating and supporting business activity. A vibrant residential community has been established. The rapid growth of commerce and population gave rise to further renovations of the structure. 6.2. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE The Castlefield Viaducts are reminders of Manchester citys bold and distinguished Victorian era architecture. At sunset, the viaducts cast quite remarkable geometric shadows across the arena and over Castlefield, which is a beautiful sight and adds to the cultural feel of the area.  The viaducts provide a dynamic viewpoint for the whole of Castlefield. Through the reconfiguration and reuse of this previously disfunctional infrastructure, this area was the most visible expression of the existence of the Central Manchester development corporation between 1987 and 1997, although its gentrification has produced a lessening of the dramatic impact of the original host structure. As the backbone of the city the Castlefield viaducts have been a continual part of Manchesters regeneration, as well as its history. They are aesthetically distinctive and have landmark qualities.   Figure 6.1: Architectural beauty of the viaducts http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6-1ZWzByHny9hPzslsIvlZmH_Mppe8by6Ym-2Uc3xwyYRtEUt=1usg=__5iZaJ3v6ohnr-SeLY92OoiLGXl8= Figure 6.2: Economical use of spaces beneath the brick arches of the viaduct http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT7Tk1yhTqk7MNltiVHnmZMMZw6Aa_s286FhXyyfkbX-VKC_hkt=1usg=__L2CIQTAEsSpRfjkObWnxa86aC2Q= 6.3. SIGNIFICANCE IN RELATION TO CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The Castlefield viaducts were the first of their type, and consequently are vital artefacts in the history of Manchester and the railways. They are noteworthy for both their design and size. One of the arches of the viaduct, the arch over the branch canal at Castlefield, had a span that was unus

Top Glove Corporation Berhad Analysis

Top Glove Corporation Berhad Analysis Globalization opens new opportunities to every one of us. At the same time, it intensifies the challenges before us. This report begins by introducing globalization and the rise of the multinational corporation. Subsequently, it would discuss the benefits and indentify the challenges that the selected company (Top Glove Corporation Ltd) encountered when doing business internationally. This multinational company is the worlds largest rubber glove manufacturer operates in three principal geographical areas of the world. It will conclude by presenting a brief consideration for a multinational corporation in operating business abroad. A multinational corporation is refers to any business that has productive activities in two or more countries. Typically, a multinational corporation develops new products in its home country and manufacturers them abroad. An international trade is refers to an exchange of goods and services with foreign countries. The falling barriers to cross-border trade made it easier for todays firms to sell internationally. Still, foreign direct investment (FDI) is when a firm making a physical investment into building a new factory to produce or market a product in another country. During the 1920s and 30s, various trade barriers raised by worlds nation government have contributed to the Great Depression of the 1930s (Hill, 2009, p.11). However, the emergence of global institutions such as GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and WTO (World Trade Organization) has successfully lowering the trade and investment barriers between countries and enabled more companies involved in international trade and investment. Besides, technological, market, cost and competitive factors had contributed to the growth of globalization. Many opportunities had produced in an international business. A multinational company can expand its revenues by selling products and services worldwide by producing in nations where key operation costs such as labor, are cheap. As markets globalize, organizations increasingly engage in cross-broader trade and investments indicating that managers need to recognize that the task of managing an international business is differs from that of managing a purely domestic business in many ways. In international settings, manager in a multinational company is confronted with a range of issues that the manager in pure domestic business that would never confronts. Countries differences in political systems, economic systems, culture, legal systems pose a challenge to the manager because these differences require the manager to vary its practices country by country. Corporate Profile Top Glove was established and founded by the husband and wife team of Dr. Lim Wee Chai and Mrs. Tong Siew Bee in year 1991. Dr. Lim Wee Chai was appointed as the Chairman of Top Glove Corporation Ltd on 4 September 2000; he has more than 20 years of experience in the rubber and latex manufacturing business. Co-founder Mrs. Tong Siew Bee was appointed as an Executive Director of Top Glove on 4 September 2000, she has more than 10 years experience in the information technology field. The history of Top Glove stretches back 18 years when Dr. Lim brings a wealth of experience in the marketing of consumer products whilst he was the Sales Manager of a subsidiary company OYL Industries Ltd to set up Top Glove Pte Ltd in 1991. In spite of his first own glove manufacturing and trading business with only three production lines, the manufacture has gone through many changes in its corporate direction, the company survived through chaotic times during the Asian financial crisis in 1997 to 1998. The company was successfully listed in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange in year 2001. In a short span of slightly more than a year, Top Glove Corporation Ltds listing has been successfully promoted from the Second Board to the Main Board of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange on May 16, 2002. Since its inception in Malaysia in 1991, Top Glove had evoked from 1 factory in 1991 with 3 production lines to 20 factories in 3 countries and expanded this business to be the worlds largest rubber glove manufacturer. There are 14 factories in Malaysia, 2 factories in China, 2 glove manufacturing factories and 2 latex concentration plants in Thailand. With 379 glove production lines, Top Glove has a huge production capacity of over 33 billion pieces per annum. Today, Top Gloves customers consist of glove importers and distributors from all over the world, mainly from the U.S. and Europe. The company has comprehensive range of top quality products such as Latex Examination Gloves(powdered and powder-free), Latex Examination Gloves(Powder free), Colored and Flavored (Mint)Gloves, Soft Nitrile Gloves, Surgical Gloves, Vinyl Gloves, Household Gloves, Polyethylene(PE) gloves, Stretchy Vinyl Gloves, Clean room Gloves, and Polyethylene(PE) Aprons. These top quality products used in variety industry such as medical, food and services, dental, automotive, electronic and laboratory sectors. Top Glove has a market capitalization of RM3.7 billion as at 31 August 2010. The corporation posted a sales revenue of RM2.08 billion in FYE2010, it was an increase of 36% from RM1.53 billion last year while profit after tax of RM250 million rose 49% from RM168 million. (Top Glove, Annual Report 2010). The company continuous invests in RD and collaborates with Rubber Research Institute (RRI) and the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB), Top Glove is at the forefront of new development in rubber research technology. The upgrading and collaborations of RD is to enable Top Glove to be a world class of cost effective producer with the most extensive range of premium quality glove products. Benefits As a result of the falling barriers to the free flows of goods and services, declining telecommunications and transportation costs, the volume of cross broader trade and investment has been growing rapidly indicating that there are many companies go global. All these factors made it easier for companies to invest abroad and resulted the growth of multinational companies. This section is to elaborate possible benefits that Top Glove acquires while venturing abroad. Benefits of Globalize Production According to Hill (2009, p.7), the globalization of production refers to the sourcing of goods and services from locations around the globe to take advantage of national differences in the cost and quality of factors of production (such as labor, energy, land and capital). By doing this, a multinational company would be able to lower down overall cost structure and improve the quality of its products offering. According to Mr. Lim Cheong Guan (Executive Director of Top Glove Corp), he said that foreign workers account for about 50 to 60 percent of the groups total workers. Although the cost of hiring foreign workers slightly higher, it is not significant as it can be offset by improvement productivity through the huge base of workers (Top Glove, 2010). For example, when setting up plants abroad particularly in China, the large young and literate labor force available in China provides more choices for the company to recruit the skilled labors that are inaccessible in Malaysia. Thus, with this characteristic, the production in China can be enlarged in a low cost manner. Furthermore, lower land acquisition cost coupled with lower administrative cost grants Top Glove operate its business economically and desirable in the host country. On top of that, having factories in foreign market (e.g. Top Glove (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd in China and Great Glove (Thailand) Co., Ltd in Thailand) would enable the company to realize location economy because the high transportation costs can be avoided and it is more preferable for the company to distribute its products within the country besides than exporting. Expand Sales and Income Globalization can provide Top Glove a new source of income. As a multinational corporation, apart from serving the local needs, the firm can also enjoy the sales from the overseas business. For example, Top Glove has more than 900 customers and its products are exported to more than 180 countries. Based on the company website, most of its products cater for export market, sales revenue mainly from Europe 33%, North America 29%, Latin America 20% and Rest of the World 18%. Therefore, the overall business profit can be multiplied through the increasing revenues outside of the home country. International Diversification As mentioned earlier, Top Gloves has a wide export markets. Thus, as the company diversifies its market, it becomes less vulnerable to the changes in local demand. In other words, it spread risk by avoiding having all eggs in a single basket. For instance, in the case of local market goes saturated or other factor such as interest rate raised by local government, when operating in such a huge market can insure Top Glove against such risks. According to Shapiro and Sarin (2009, p.19-20), the foreign cash flows generally are not perfectly correlated with those of domestic investments, the greater riskiness of individual projects overseas can well be offset by beneficial portfolio effects. This has meant that a multinational company like Top Glove would be able to reduce taxes and avoid tight currency control through foreign direct investment having relied on the existence of financial market imperfections. We have better profit, good cash flow and a very healthy balance sheet said by Chairman Dr. Lim Wee Chai in an interview (Porter and Li, 2010). This also implies that the greater cash flow would enable the corporation to acquire potential business or to pay out dividends to its shareholders. Competitive Advantages With regards to the glove industry manufacturers like Kossan Rubber Industries Berhad, Supermax Corporation Bhd, Hartalega Holdings Berhad are the major competitors in the local market. However, operate business globally can aid in minimizing such competitive risks. For example, when profits made by the export sales can be used to upgrade or strengthen the domestic business toward less vulnerable on local competition. Challenges This paper does not focus solely on the benefits of doing international business but also addresses concerns about the challenges that Top Glove have experienced when venturing abroad. These challenges are thus discussed in depth in this section. Difficulty in International Management Based on the company website, currently Top Glove has 20 factories in 3 geographical areas include Malaysia, China and Thailand with a total number of 10, 900 employees. However, its size could also work against its favour as it is more difficult for the management to keep a close eye on all its operations. Most importantly, the differences levels of economic development and legal system among countries complicated the staffing and compensation activities. According to Lane (2009), most countries have an official language, a single basic legal system, a system of government, yet these practices and relationship are often different from those in the country next door. Country is thus a very important type of culture to account for an international business. For example, the journey in the ventured countries not smooth as Top Glove had to deal with different cultures and mindsets, particularly in China with its ever-changing policies. Latex Output and Price Fluctuations For any manufacturers, raw materials are the main concerned. Based on the annual report 2010, raw material like latex is the major costs components of glove products. They were concern over high raw material cost as the latex prices remained at a high of more than RM8 per kg. The crude oil price movement and speculation are the factors that make latex price fluctuate irregularly. Moreover, the output of latex may be shrunk due to weather impact. The varying on latex output may affect the gloves production. Thus, latex price volatility will affect the corporations costs and margins, and there will be time lag on passing on the gloves to customers in different geographical areas when shortage of latex. Competitors As mentioned earlier, Top Glove is facing several major local competitors within the glove industry. In global marketplace, the company is also facing with numerous global competitors such as Kimberly-Clark Corporation (U.S.), Ansell Ltd (Australia), Allfun Enterprise Co., Ltd. (China) and many others. These manufacturers are thus geared towards increasing capacity and offering gloves at the lower prices. Therefore, the domestic competition coupled with global competition result in difficulty in securing orders from overseas markets. Environmental Issues Another challenge is where all operation decisions have some kind of environmental impact. The addition of chemicals in latex compounding, discharge of residual latex containing toxic chemicals and disposal of rejected gloves i.e. not meeting product specifications are the headstream of generating waste materials. These waste materials resulted water pollution, health-related problems for workers and local community. The environmental issues not only challenge the local operation, but also a tough issue when producing gloves in overseas such as in China and Thailand. As a result, the manufacturer is looking ways in reducing and minimizing wastes. Currency Exposure Top gloves main income came from its export sales and all its exports are denominated in U.S. dollar. The reporting currency for the company is the Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). In fact, MYR was actually strengthening against the dollar throughout the year 2010. This may put the company in an unfavourable position as the profits would be contracted when converted from U.S. dollar to RM. According to Top Gloves executive director Lim Cheong Guan, he said that the weakening US dollar hurt the company financial results; the company has incurred forex losses totaling RM21 million in FY10 (Top Glove,2010). This is such a challenge to the corporation to grow at the rate they have been growing in past few years. Moreover, currency fluctuation can impact competitive positions, product prices, payable and receivable and ultimately the value of the firm itself. Conclusion Discussion above has revealed that benefits and challenges are associated with doing business internationally. According to a research done by Foong (2010), Malaysia produces 65% of the worlds latex gloves. Top Glove is in the leading position in the industry with 23% global market share. This was the contributions from its wide range of product offering coupled with export markets. It also indicates that Top Gloves management team truly understands that most of the markets opportunities are outside of the home country, thus only doing business internationally can provide growth opportunities and allow firms to receive substantial sales and income. It can be seen that the firm mainly rely on exporting entry mode into foreign market although has few factories in overseas. Generally speaking, export may help the firm to experience economic of scale and avoid substantial costs of establishing manufacturing operations in the host country. By producing in a large volume and exporting to other national markets may enable the firm to realize substantial economies from its global sales volume. However, it is believed that its exporting has pitfall too. High transportation costs are associated when its products are exported over a long distance such as Latin America, Europe, and Africa. Additionally, abrupt trade policy such as tariffs imposed by host government may prevent international trade which is very risky to the company as well. Managers within international business must develop strategies and policies for dealing with such interventions. As stated in the annual report, Top Glove has a great cash flow. Hence, it would be good for the company to make a merger and acquisition (MA) as it gives immediate access to trained labor force, existing customers and an immediate source of revenue. This requires the international manager to conduct a detailed research otherwise a bad acquisition can be costly. In addition, it can be seen that Top Glove is confronting with quite a number of challenges. It is quite challenging when managing a large number of workforces. Managers in Top Glove have to decide how to staff key management post in the company, how to develop managers so that they are familiar with the subtle differences of when they are based in different countries, and how to compensate people as to retain highly skilled labors. After all, managing a global business is not that easy, it requires manager to see things globally, that is, see the bigger and broader picture by constantly scanning the geographical horizon to learn more about potential markets, competitors as well as technological changes. In a nutshell, a multinational company in complex international settings not only overcoming challenges; but should always prepared for market opportunities. References Foong, M. (2010). Rubber gloves. Gloving the world. Deutsche bank global market research company. Retrieved Nov 25, 2010 from the World Wide Web: http://www.google.com.my/url?sa=tsource=webcd=4ved=0CCwQFjADurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.supermax.com.my%2Fhtml%2Ffiledownload.aspx%3Ffile%3DDEUTSCHE%2520BANK%2520-20100510.PDFei=EvrxTOiPLIGwvgP5rtDJDQusg=AFQjCNGCxYKsiGoK8eHAsnwf5s0NYvRT2w Hill, C. W. (2009). International business: competing in the global marketplace (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Lane, Henry W.. International management behavior: leading with a global mindset. 6th ed. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley, 2009 Porter, B. and Li, S. (2010). Top Glove Targets 40% Profit Distribution This Year (Update1). Bloomberg Business Week. Retrieved Nov 24, 2010 from the World Wide Web: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-21/top-glove-targets-40-profit-distribution-this-year-update1-.html Shapiro, A. C., Sarin, A. (2009). Foundations of multinational financial management (6th ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Top Glove Co, Ltd (2010). Retrieved Nov 28, 2010 from the World Wide Web: http://www.topglove.com.my/index.htm Top Glove Co. Ltd. (2010). Retrieved Nov 22, 2010 from the World Wide Web: http://www.topglove.com.my/news/2010/news_208.htm Top Glove Co. Ltd. (2010) Annual Report 2010. Retrieved Nov 27, 2010 from the World Wide Web: http://www.topglove.com.my/IR-ar.htm Top Glove expects growth to slow in 2011. (2010) TheMalaysianinsider.com Retrieved Nov 24, 2010 from the World Wide Web: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/top-glove-expects-growth-to-slow-in-2011/