Foreign Policy Definition and Examples

International strategy Definition and Examples A state’s international strategy comprises of the techniques it uses to secure its worldwide and local interests and decides the manner in which it associates with other state and non-state on-screen characters. The main role of international strategy is to protect a nation’s national interests, which can be in peaceful or vicious manners. Key Takeaways: Foreign Policy International strategy incorporates the strategies and procedure by which a country communicates with different countries so as to encourage its own interestsForeign approach may utilize discretion or other more straightforward methods, for example, hostility established in military powerInternational bodies, for example, the United Nations and its antecedent, the League of Nations, help smooth relations between nations by means of conciliatory meansMajor international strategy hypotheses are Realism, Liberalism, Economic Structuralism, Psychological Theory, and Constructivism Instances of Foreign Policy In 2013 China built up an international strategy known as the Belt and Road Initiative, the nation’s system to create more grounded monetary ties in Africa, Europe, and North America. In the United States, numerous presidents are known for their milestone international strategy choices, for example, the Monroe Doctrine which contradicted the settler takeover of a free state. An international strategy can likewise be the choice to pass on global associations and discussions, for example, the more neutralist arrangements of North Korea. Tact and Foreign Policy At the point when international strategy depends on discretion, heads of state arrange and team up with other world pioneers to forestall strife. For the most part, ambassadors are sent to speak to a nation’s international strategy interests at worldwide occasions. While an accentuation on tact is a foundation of numerous states international strategy, there are others that depend on military weight or different less discretionary methods. Discretion has assumed a vital job in the de-heightening of worldwide emergencies, and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 is a prime case of this. During the Cold War, insight educated President John F. Kennedy that the Soviet Union was sending weapons to Cuba, potentially planning for a negative mark against the United States. President Kennedy had to pick between an international strategy arrangement that was simply conciliatory, addressing the Soviet Union President Nikita Khrushchev or one that was increasingly aggressive. The previous president chose to establish a barricade around Cuba and undermine further military activity if Soviet boats bringing rockets endeavored to get through. So as to forestall further acceleration, Khrushchev consented to expel all rockets from Cuba, and consequently, Kennedy made a deal to avoid attacking Cuba and to evacuate U.S. rockets from Turkey (which was inside striking separation of the Soviet Union). This second in time is critical in light of the fact that the two governments arranged an answer that finished the present clash, the bar, just as de-heightened the bigger pressure, the rockets close to each other’s fringes. The History of Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Organizations International strategy has existed insofar as individuals have composed themselves into fluctuating groups. Nonetheless, the investigation of international strategy and the formation of universal associations to advance tact is genuinely later. One of the primary set up worldwide bodies for talking about international strategy was the Concert of Europe in 1814 after the Napoleonic wars. This gave the significant European forces (Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia) a gathering to understand issues carefully as opposed to turning to military dangers or wars. In the twentieth Century, World War I and II by and by uncovered the requirement for a worldwide discussion to de-heighten strife and keep the harmony. The League of Nations (which was framed by previous U.S. President Woodrow Wilson at the end of the day did exclude the U.S.) was made in 1920 with the basic role of keeping up world harmony. After the League of Nations disintegrated, it was supplanted by the United Nations in 1954 after World War II, an association to advance global participation and now incorporates 193 nations as individuals. It is critical to take note of that a considerable lot of these associations are thought around Europe and the Western Hemisphere all in all. On account of European countries’ history of government and colonization, they regularly employed the best worldwide political and financial forces and in this way made these worldwide frameworks. Be that as it may, there are mainland strategic bodies, for example, the African Union, Asia Cooperation Dialog, and Union of South American Countries which encourage multilateral participation in their particular locales also. International strategy Theories: Why States Act as They Do The investigation of international strategy uncovers a few speculations concerning why states act the manner in which they do. The overarching hypotheses are Realism, Liberalism, Economic Structuralism, Psychological Theory, and Constructivism. Authenticity Authenticity expresses that interests are constantly decided as far as force and states will consistently act as indicated by their wellbeing. Traditional Realism follows sixteenth century political scholar Niccolã ² Machiavelli’s well known expression from his international strategy book The Prince: â€Å"It is a lot more secure to be dreaded than loved.† It follows that the world is loaded with disarray since people are vain and will successfully have power. The basic perusing of authenticity, be that as it may, concentrates more on the state than the individual: All administrations will respond to pressures similarly in light of the fact that they are more worried about national security than power. Progressivism The hypothesis of progressivism accentuates freedom and uniformity in all perspectives and accepts that the privileges of the individual are better than the necessities of the state. It additionally follows that the tumult of the world can be assuaged with universal collaboration and worldwide citizenship. Financially, progressivism esteems unhindered commerce most importantly and accepts the state ought to once in a while mediate in monetary issues, as this is the place issues emerge. The market has a drawn out direction towards strength, and nothing ought to meddle with that. Financial Structuralism Financial structuralism, or Marxism, was spearheaded by Karl Marx, who accepted that free enterprise was improper in light of the fact that it is the indecent misuse of the numerous by the couple of. Be that as it may, scholar Vladimir Lenin carried the examination to a global level by clarifying that colonialist industrialist countries prevail by dumping their overabundance items in monetarily more fragile countries, which drives down the costs and further debilitates the economy in those regions. Basically, issues emerge in universal relations due to this centralization of capital, and change can just happen through the activity of the low class. Mental Theories Mental hypotheses clarify global legislative issues on a progressively singular level and try to see how an individual’s brain research can influence their international strategy choices. This follows strategy is profoundly influenced by the individual capacity to pass judgment, which is regularly hued by how arrangements are introduced, the time accessible for the choice, and level of hazard. This clarifies why political dynamic is frequently conflicting or may not follow a particular philosophy. Constructivism Constructivism accepts that thoughts impact characters and drive interests. The present structures just exist since long stretches of social practice have made it so. On the off chance that a circumstance should be settled or a framework must be changed, social and ideological developments have the ability to achieve changes. A center case of constructivism is human rights, which are seen by certain countries, yet not others. In the course of recent hundreds of years, as social thoughts and standards around human rights, sexual orientation, age, and racial fairness have advanced, laws have changed to mirror these new cultural standards. Sources Elrod, Richard B. â€Å"The Concert of Europe: A Fresh Look at an International System.†Ã‚ World Politics, vol. 28, no. 2, 1976, pp. 159â€174. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2009888.â€Å"The Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1962.†Ã‚ U.S. Division of State, U.S. Division of State, history.state.gov/achievements/1961-1968/cuban-rocket crisis.Viotti, Paul R., and Mark V. Kauppi. International Relations Theory. fifth ed., Pearson, 2011.

Assessing the Dependency of Teamwork Dynamics to Cultural Differences Essay

A discussion whether a heterogeneous or a homogeneous group is simpler to deal with and oversee has been continuing for quite a long time. Organizations, firms and even associations are beginning to make groups as the essential unit of their tasks. Because of this pattern, authoritative scientists began to contemplate the connection between's the sythesis of the group and the teams’ yield (Earley and Mosakowski, 2000, p. 26). Authoritative organization as far as the homogeneity and heterogeneity of the group sythesis is ordinarily concentrated through the near favorable circumstances that each sort of structure can provide for a working group (Schippers, Hartog, Koopman, and Wienk, 2003, p. 779). This examination paper will attempt to address the current issue in a similar way as most authoritative specialists do; this exploration paper will look at homogeneous and heterogeneous group structures through the favorable circumstances they can provide for their groups. The recruiting structure of most associations, organizations and firm incorporates a lot of capability that looks to filter through the candidates not as far as accreditations yet additionally as far as their experiences (Prat, 2000, p. 3). These arrangements of capabilities are usually organized in their own particular manners to make a homogenous or a heterogeneous group, contingent upon the situation of the recruiting party as far as its group organization inclination. Before proceeding onward to the benefits of the two-group creations, it ought to be noticed that the fundamental contrasts between the two-group structures are its group members’ culture. Culture typifies the arrangement of shared implications (Gibson C. B. , 2004). It can even be stated, that culture characteristics the various responses of the colleagues in various administrative methodologies and group destinations (Gibson C. B. , 2004). Besides, the likelihood of accomplishment and effectiveness in group is reliant to the way of life of its colleagues. Distinguishing the distinction between driving a homogeneous group or a heterogeneous group can be handily talked about through the degree by which colleagues share a specific culture. In advanced authoritative explores, culture sharing isn't the main contrast. Factors, for example, proficiency, viability of the main model, yield abilities and even compromise instruments are considered in association explores that address homogeneous and heterogeneous group creations. Portraying the real administration process in these two group organizations would prompt the conversations on group cohesiveness. Group cohesiveness is the degree by which individuals from a gathering (both hetero and homo) are pulled in to the group (Wendt, Euwemab, and Emmerik, 2009, p. 359). It very well may be stated, that group cohesiveness typifies the explanations behind joining a group and anticipated impetuses for joining the group (Wendt, Euwemab, and Emmerik, 2009, p. 359). Group cohesiveness is available in both homogeneous and heterogeneous group structures. Notwithstanding, the weight of guaranteeing that the group would work isn't straightforwardly identified with the group piece; it is additionally controlled by the administration style in the group. Driving administration styles, for example, mandate and strong styles have two totally different impacts to the group contingent upon the group arrangement. The selectiveness of the common culture in homogeneous groups can work better with mandate authority, for example, seen in absolutist nations (Wendt, Euwemab, and Emmerik, 2009, p. 360). Then again, steady administration can work better with heterogeneous group arrangement since the distinctions in the common culture of the group can be made up for by the help that the authority style offers (Wendt, Euwemab, and Emmerik, 2009, p. 360). Trading the two authority styles in heterogeneous and homogeneous group organizations can result to high likelihood of group wastefulness and disappointment. Following this rationale, it very well may be said that the initiative style would decide the contrast between these two group structures; a certain â€Å"fit† must be appropriately tended to. In the wake of talking about the required â€Å"fit† in the authority style and the group creation, favorable circumstances as far as appropriately driving a homogeneous group or a heterogeneous group would now be able to be set up. Having a heterogeneous group suggests that a group chief would have individuals with various acknowledgments of shared culture. Because of this, the group chief can anticipate various feelings and a wide scope of thoughts to be verbalized by the colleagues (Gibson and Vermeulen, 2003, p. 207). This arrangement is found in organizations that work on a high innovation level. Innovation based organizations will in general capacity in a transnational level; this permits the organizations to have an involvement with having a heterogeneous group to manage their tasks. The assorted pool that the organization can without much of a stretch access to makes a workplace, which is ideal for the formation of partners. As indicated by other related investigates, colleagues will in general stand up their thought or supposition on the off chance that they have at any rate one colleague that bolsters their thought (Gibson and Vermeulen, 2003, p. 207). This finding is the authored as the partner development in working environments. Following this rationale, driving a heterogeneous group has a favorable position of having the option to pool a decent number of thoughts and conclusions because of the diverse shared societies among the colleagues. For all intents and purposes, a heterogeneous group can think of progressively potential arrangements expected to address an issue when contrasted with a group with individuals that share a uniform culture. Heterogeneous group through its accomplices likewise has the benefit of making a work environment, which is increasingly favorable for a progressively open learning conduct (Gibson and Vermeulen, 2003, p. 209). The partner arrangement that emerges from a heterogeneous group makes subgroups that are progressively open to learning through experimentation; intelligent correspondence and codification (Gibson and Vermeulen, 2003, p. 209). The mental help gave by colleagues that offer culture permits other colleagues to find out more (Gibson and Vermeulen, 2003, p. 210). These points of interest of heterogeneous groups make numerous associations, organizations and firms to put resources into the formation of a heterogeneous group. This pattern is best observed in transnational companies’ endeavors to redistribute colleagues from better places the world over to safeguard that their group has accomplices to develop better conceptualizing exercises (Earley and Gibson, 2002, pp. 230-232). Lamentably, the upsides of having a heterogeneous group stop at the accomplices. Heterogeneous group, which is excessively heterogeneous as in it doesn't permit the arrangement of accomplices will in general be counterproductive since its colleagues without some to impart their way of life to, turns out to be excessively defensive of their thoughts (Gibson and Vermeulen, 2003, pp. 212-213). In this circumstance, hierarchical inquires about suggest the full destroying of the group or the incorporation of other colleagues that may permit that development of companions inside the heterogeneous group. Favorable circumstances in a homogeneous group are the outrageous answers for the drawbacks of a heterogeneous group. The likelihood that an excessive amount of heterogeneity can block group development and effectiveness can be counterbalanced by adjusting a homogenized group since the common culture of the entire group will kill the social assorted variety that may have begun the issues of a too heterogenic group (Mello and Ruckes, 2010, p. 1022). This is the essential bit of leeway of homogeneous group attachment. Group union is at its prime state if the subject group is a homogeneous group (WordPress. com, 2009). The solid feeling of gathering attachment in a homogeneous group permits the entire group to effortlessly achieve assignments and yield greatest efficiency rates (WordPress. com, 2009, p. n. pag. ). The mutual culture of a homogeneous group makes a feeling of solidarity among the colleagues; that means accomplishments that are most presumably out of reach for a typical heterogeneous gathering. This is the essential and has all the earmarks of being the main favorable position in a homogeneous gathering. Lamentably, it likewise has a lot of drawbacks. The significant drawback of a homogenous group is that the group is inclined to settle on plausible idiotic choices because of the solid feeling of mindless conformity attitude present in this group structure (WordPress. com, 2009). This properties of homogeneous group structure permits homogeneous groups to be the ideal group arrangement for profitability and objective situated associations, organizations and firms. End: Heterogeneous and homogeneous group sytheses have been existing since the time essential gatherings have been shaped. The purpose behind their reality is the way that every one of this group piece gives an ideal fit to various hierarchical plans (Gamage, 2006, p. 57). The transaction between authoritative societies, group sythesis and the kind of administration decides the required fit inferred in this exploration paper. Definitively, this exploration paper takes the position that homogeneous group arrangement is a bit of leeway for associations, organizations and firms that are objective and creation situated, while heterogeneous group sythesis is a bit of leeway for associations, organizations and firms that try to give arrangements. The strong group culture refined and authorized in homogeneous group piece permits a merged development of the entire group towards the accomplishment of their team’s targets. Then again, the distinctions of the colleagues of a heterogeneous group permit the use of the multi point of view directions in the upside of the entire group. The various thoughts and social tendencies of a heterogeneous group permit the improvement of all encompassing arrangements. These focuses when summarized results to a general thought that the group compositions’ adequacy are overwhelmingly subject to the components, for example, sort of authority and condition, for example, setting of use. Book index Adams, S. K. (2007, July 30). Disciplinarily Hetero-and Homogeneous Design

Review Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences

Review Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences There must have been a boom in grammar books aimed at general audiences between Eats, Shoots Leaves in 2001 and the last Grammar Girl book in 2012.I certainly havent read all of the books published during this period, but so far Janis Bells Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences might be my favorite. In seven clear chapters Bell covers the most common mistakes that writers of English make.What makes this book so appealing to me is that it contains both instruction that is easily understood, and plenty of grammar terminology. The latter is something that other books of this type shy away from in order to appeal to the widest possible audience. Bells willingness to use terminology, though, means that her book is one I would certainly recommend to rookie ESL teachers.Now, some people might scoff at the idea of giving a tiny little book to serious English teachers. Seriously, though, there is a huge mass of teachers going overseas every day without proper resources and training. If someone had a sked me when I started teaching how to use the present perfect tense properly, I wouldnt have known how to respond. Nor would I be able to explain the subjunctive mood, or the difference between a coordinating conjunction and a subordinating conjunction or any of the most basic grammatical terms and concepts. Like most teachers I just wasnt taught that kind of stuff. Obviously a teacher who takes their job seriously will reach for something more comprehensive (like, say, Michael Swans Practical English Usage) but Bells book is a perfect way to grasp the basics in under an hour. Heck, an eager teacher could read it on the flight over.Anyways, the chapters here are:CaseAgreementVerb Tense and UsageVerb MoodModifiersConnectivesPunctuationEach chapter ends with a little quiz.I probably wouldnt recommend this book to ESL students (Swans book is a better reference) but I think it is perfect for general audiences and teachers.Oh, if you are curious about the books odd title, it is a riff o n the title of a short story by Ernest Hemingway.

The Satrapies of the Achaemenid Persians

Glaspell s Trifles And The Invisibility Of Women

Glaspell’s Trifles and the Invisibility of Women Susan Glaspell’s play Trifles and Henrik Ibsen s A Doll s House are plays that explore a number of important features of femininity and life as a woman. Trifles explores a number of thematic ideas surrounding a woman’s place and her propensity for violence. The Author explores a thematic idea that centers on the proper dispensation of justice: Glaspell critically investigates the question of whether an individual can truly receive justice from a group that does not consider her their equal. Ibsen presents to the audience hints of women s roles in society and how females were treated during that time. In the plays Trifles, and A Doll House both Authors use the invisibility of femininity to the male world to explore questions of femininity, prejudice, and justice in American society. Christian Dymkowski suggests that one of the defining features of many of the female characters in Glaspell’s work is that they are characters on the edge of a knife: the slightest change in their environment sends them toppling over into unthinkable behavior, like violence and even murder (Dymkowski 92). In Trifles, the murder has already occurred, and Mrs. Wright has already been arrested for the murder of her husband. The police believe that she is guilty of the crime, and have come to the house, along with two women to investigate the crime scene and look for clues regarding the murder. It is during this first introduction

Storm Born Chapter Three Free Essays

string(109) " I fell into that gaze, feeling the response of nerves in my lower body that I’d thought were dormant\." I’d been people-watching for almost an hour, so I saw him as soon as he walked in. It was hard not to. The eyes of a few other women in the bar showed that I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. We will write a custom essay sample on Storm Born Chapter Three or any similar topic only for you Order Now He was tall and broad-shouldered, nicely muscled but not over the top in some crazy Arnold Schwarzenegger way. He wore khakis with a navy blue T-shirt tucked into them. His black hair was not quite to his chin, and he had it tucked behind his ears. His eyes were large and dark, set in a smoothly chiseled face with perfect, golden-tanned skin. There was some mix of ethnicities going on there, I suspected, but none I could discern. Whatever the combo, it worked. Extremely well. â€Å"Hey, is anyone sitting here?† He nodded at the chair beside me. It was the only empty one at the bar. I shook my head, and he sat down. He didn’t say anything else, and the only other time I heard him speak was to order a margarita. After that, he seemed content just to people-watch, like me. And honestly, it was a great place to do it. Alejandro’s was right next to a midlevel hotel and drew in patrons and tourists from all sides of the socioeconomic scale. TVs showed sporting events or news or whatever the bartender felt like putting on. A few trivia machines sat at the other end of the bar. Music – sometimes live, but not tonight – forced the TVs to have closed-captioning, and dancing people crowded the small space among the tables. It was humanity at its best. Teeming with life, alcohol, mindless entertainment, and bad pick-up lines. I liked to come here when I wanted to be alone without being alone. I liked it better when drunk, stupid guys left me alone. I wasn’t sure about articulate, good-looking ones. One nice thing I soon discovered was that with Tall, Dark, and Handsome sitting next to me, no losers dared approach. But he wasn’t talking to me either, and after a while, I realized I’d kind of like him to – not that I’d have any clue what to say back. With the glances he kept giving me, I think he felt the same way. I didn’t know. A sort of tension built up between us as I nursed my Corona, each of us waiting for something. When it finally came, he started it. â€Å"You’re edible.† Not the opening I’d been expecting. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"Your perfume. It’s like†¦like violets and sugar. And vanilla. I suppose it’s weird to think violets are edible, huh?† â€Å"Not so weird as a guy actually knowing what violets smell like.† It was also weird that he could even smell it. I’d put it on about twelve hours ago. With all the smoke and sweat around here, it was a surprise anyone’s olfactory senses could function. He shot me a crooked grin, favoring me with a look that could only be described as smoky. I felt my pulse quicken a little. â€Å"It’s good to know what flowers are what. Makes it easier to send them. And impress women.† I eyed him and then swirled the beer in my bottle. â€Å"Are you trying to impress me?† He shrugged. â€Å"Mostly I’m just trying to make conversation.† I pondered that, deciding if I wanted to play this game or not. Wondering if I could. I smiled a little. â€Å"What?† he asked. â€Å"I don’t know. Just thinking about flowers. And impressing people. I mean, how strange is that we bring plant sex organs to people we’re attracted to? What’s up with that? It’s a weird sign of affection.† His dark eyes lit up, like he’d just discovered something surprising and delightful. â€Å"Is it any weirder than giving chocolate, which is supposed to be an aphrodisiac? Or what about wine? A ‘romantic’ drink that really just succeeds in lowering the other person’s inhibitions.† â€Å"Hmm. It’s like people are trying to be both subtle and blatant at the same time. Like, they won’t actually go up and say, ‘Hey, I like you, let’s get together.’ Instead, they’re like, ‘Here, have some plant genitalia and aphrodisiacs.'† I took a drink of the beer and propped my chin in my hand, surprised to hear myself going on. â€Å"I mean, I don’t have a problem with men or relationships or sex, but sometimes I just get so frustrated with games of human attraction.† â€Å"How so?† â€Å"It’s all masked in posturing and ploys. There’s no honesty. People can’t just come up and express their attraction. It’s got to be cleverly obscured with some stupid pick-up line or not-so-subtle gift, and I don’t really know how to play those games so well. We’re taught that it’s wrong to be honest, like there’s some kind of social stigma with it.† â€Å"Well,† he considered, â€Å"it can come out pretty crass sometimes. And let’s not forget about rejection too. I think that adds to it. There’s a fear there.† â€Å"Yeah, I guess. But being turned down isn’t the worst thing in the world. And wouldn’t that be easier than wasting an evening or – God forbid – months of dating? We should state our feelings and intentions openly. If the other person says ‘fuck off,’ well, then, deal. Move on.† I suddenly eyed my beer bottle suspiciously. â€Å"What’s wrong?† â€Å"Just wondering if I’m drunk. This is my first beer, but I think I’m sounding a little unhinged. I don’t usually talk this much.† He laughed. â€Å"I don’t think you’re unhinged. I actually agree with you.† â€Å"Yeah?† He nodded and looked remarkably wise as he contemplated his answer. It made him even sexier. â€Å"I agree, but I don’t think most people take honesty well. They prefer the games. They want to believe the pretty lies.† I finished off the last of the Corona. â€Å"Not me. Give me honesty anytime.† â€Å"You mean that?† â€Å"Yes.† I set the bottle down and looked at him. He was watching me intently now, and his look was smoky again, all darkness and sex and heat. I fell into that gaze, feeling the response of nerves in my lower body that I’d thought were dormant. You read "Storm Born Chapter Three" in category "Essay examples" He leaned slightly forward. â€Å"Well, then, here’s honesty. I was really happy when I saw the empty seat by you. I think you’re beautiful. I think seeing the bra underneath your shirt is dead sexy. I like the shape of your neck and the way those strands of hair lay against it. I think you’re funny, and I think you’re smart too. After just five minutes, I already know you don’t let people screw around with you – which I also like. You’re pretty fun to talk to, and I think you’d be just as much fun to have sex with.† He sat back in his chair again. â€Å"Wow,† I said, now noticing I’d put on a white shirt over a black bra in my haste. Oops. â€Å"That’s a lot of honesty.† â€Å"Should I fuck off now?† I played with the rim of the bottle. I took a deep breath. â€Å"No. Not yet.† He smiled and ordered us another round. Introductions seemed like the next logical step, and when his turn came, he told me his name was Kiyo. â€Å"Kiyo,† I repeated. â€Å"Neat.† He watched me, and after a moment, a smile danced over his mouth. A really nice mouth too. â€Å"You’re trying to figure me out.† â€Å"Figure you out how?† â€Å"What I am. Race. Ethnic group. Whatever.† â€Å"Of course not,† I protested, even though I’d been trying to do exactly that. â€Å"My mother is Japanese, and my father is Latino. Kiyo is short for Kiyotaka.† I scrutinized him, now understanding the large dark eyes and the tanned skin. Human genes were exquisite. I loved the way they blended. How cool, I thought, to have such a solid grip on your ancestry. I knew my mother had a lot of Greek and Welsh, but there was a mix of all sorts of other things there too. And as for my deadbeat father†¦well, I knew no more about his heritage than I knew anything else about him. For all intents and purposes, I was very much the mongrel the keres had called me earlier. I realized then I’d been staring at Kiyo too long. â€Å"I like the results,† I finally said, which made him laugh again. He asked about my job, and I told him I worked in Web design. It wasn’t entirely a lie. I’d majored in it and in French. Both areas had turned out to be completely irrelevant to my job, though Lara swore having a Web site would drive up our business. We mostly relied on word of mouth now. When he told me he was a veterinarian, I said, â€Å"No, you aren’t.† Those smoldering eyes widened in surprise. â€Å"Why do you say that?† â€Å"Because†¦because you can’t be. I just can’t see it.† Nor could I imagine telling Lara tomorrow: So I was in a bar last night and met this sexy veterinarian†¦ No, those concepts somehow didn’t go together. Veterinarians looked like Wil Delaney. â€Å"It’s God’s truth,† Kiyo swore, stirring his margarita. â€Å"I even take my work home with me. I have five cats and two dogs.† â€Å"Oh, dear Lord.† â€Å"Hey, I like animals. It goes back to the honesty thing. Animals don’t lie about how they feel. They want to eat, fight, and reproduce. If they like you, they show it. If they don’t, they don’t. They don’t play games. Well, except maybe the cats. They’re tricky sometimes.† â€Å"Yeah? What’d you name all those cats?† â€Å"Death, Famine, Pestilence, War, and Mr. Whiskers.† â€Å"You named your cats after the riders of the apocal – wait. Mr. Whiskers?† â€Å"Well, there are only four horsemen.† We talked for a while after that about whatever else came to mind. Some was serious, some humorous. He told me he was in town from Phoenix, which kind of disappointed me. Not local. We also talked about the people around us, our jobs, life, the universe, etc., etc. All the while I kept wondering how this had happened. Hadn’t I just been noting how I lived outside of society? Yet, here I was, talking to a guy I’d just met like I’d known him for years. I barely recognized the words coming out of my own mouth. I didn’t even recognize my body language: leaning into him as we talked, legs touching. He wore no cologne but smelled like he looked: darkness and sex and heat. And promises. Promises that said, Oh, baby, I can give you everything you’ve ever wanted if you’ll just give me the chance†¦. At one point, I leaned toward the bar to slide an empty bottle across it. As I did, I suddenly felt Kiyo’s fingers brush my lower back where my shirt had ridden up. I flinched as electricity crackled through me at that slight, casual touch. â€Å"Here’s more honesty,† he said in a low voice. â€Å"I like this tattoo. A lot. Violets again?† I nodded and sat back in my chair, but he didn’t remove his hand. That tattoo was a chain of violets and leaves that spread across my lower back. A larger cluster of the flowers sat on my tailbone, and then smaller tendrils extended outward on both sides, almost to my hips. â€Å"Violets have sort have become my patron flower,† I explained, â€Å"because of my eyes.† He leaned forward, and I almost stopped breathing at how close his mouth was to mine. â€Å"Wow. You’re right. I’ve never seen eyes that color.† â€Å"I’ve got three more.† â€Å"Eyes?† â€Å"Tattoos.† This got his interest. â€Å"Where?† â€Å"They’re covered by the shirt.† I hesitated. â€Å"You know anything about Greek mythology?† He nodded. A cultured man. Cue swooning. I touched my upper right arm. My sleeve covered the skin. â€Å"This one’s a snake wrapped all the way around my arm. It’s for Hecate, the goddess of magic and the crescent moon.† What I didn’t add was that Hecate guarded the crossroads between worlds. It was she who governed transitions to the Otherworld and beyond. This tattoo was my link to her, to facilitate my own journeys and call on her for help when needed. I moved to my upper left arm. â€Å"This one’s a butterfly whose wings wrap around and touch behind my arm. It’s half black and half white.† â€Å"Psyche?† he asked. â€Å"Good guess.† He really was cultured. The goddess Psyche was synonymous with the soul, which the butterfly represented in myth. â€Å"Persephone.† He nodded. â€Å"Half black, half white. She lives half her life in this world and half in the Underworld.† Not unlike my own life. Persephone guided transitions to the world of death. I didn’t travel there myself, but I invoked her to send others across. â€Å"She governs the dark moon. And back here† – I tapped the spot behind me where my neck connected to my back – â€Å"is a moon with an abstract woman’s face in it. Selene, the full moon.† Kiyo’s dark eyes held intense interest. â€Å"Why not one of the more common moon goddesses, then? Like Diana?† I hesitated with my answer. In many ways, Diana would have served the same purpose. She, like Selene, was bound to the human world and could keep me grounded here when I needed it. â€Å"The others are†¦solitary goddesses. Even Persephone, who’s technically married. Diana’s a virgin – she’s alone too. But Selene†¦well, she doesn’t get a lot of press anymore, but she was a more social goddess. A sexual goddess. She opens herself up to other people. And experiences. So I went with her. I just didn’t think it’d be healthy to be marked with three goddesses who were all alone.† â€Å"What about you? Are you alone, Eugenie?† His voice was velvet against me, and I could have drowned in those eyes. They were like chocolate. Chocolate is an aphrodisiac. â€Å"Aren’t we all alone?† I asked with a rueful smile. â€Å"Yes. I think in the end, we all are, no matter what the songs and happy stories say. I guess it’s just a matter of who we choose to be alone with.† â€Å"That’s why I come here, you know. To be alone with other people. There’s isolation in a crowd. You’re hidden. Safe.† He looked around at the buzzing, moving sea of people in the bar. They were like a wall surrounding us. There but not there. â€Å"Yes. Yes, I suppose that’s true.† â€Å"Isn’t that why you’re here too?† He glanced back down at me, his expression a little less sexual and a bit more pensive. â€Å"I don’t know. I’m not sure. I guess maybe I’m here because of you.† I didn’t have any quick retorts for that, so I started playing with the bottle again. The bartender asked if I wanted another, and I shook my head. Kiyo touched my shoulder. â€Å"You want to dance?† I was pretty sure I hadn’t danced since high school, but some force compelled me to agree. We stepped out into a crowd of very bad dancers. Most were just sort of floundering around to a fast song with a heavy beat that I’d never heard before. Kiyo and I weren’t much better. But when a slower song came on, he wrapped me to him, pressing us together as close as two people could be. Well, almost as close. I couldn’t ever remember anything like this happening with a guy I’d just met, a desire for someone I actually wanted and not just someone who was available. His body felt hard and perfect against mine, and my flesh kept concocting ways to touch his. I was already picturing him naked, imagining what it would be like to have his body move against and inside of mine. What was going on with me here? The images were so vivid and real, it was a wonder my feelings weren’t written across my face. So I didn’t really mind when he slid his hand up the back of my neck and brought his mouth down to kiss me. It wasn’t a tentative kiss either. No first-date kisses here. It was the kind of kiss that meant business, the kind of kiss that said, I want to consume every inch of you and hear you scream my name. I’d never really made out in a public place, but it seemed kind of a trivial concern as that kiss burned between us, our tongues and lips exploring the contours of each other’s mouths. But when his other hand slid up and cupped my breast, even I was surprised. â€Å"Hey,† I said, breaking off slightly. â€Å"There are people around.† Amusing, I thought a moment later, that I was less concerned about him doing it than being seen doing it. He kissed the side of my neck, just below my ear, and when he spoke, his words heated my skin. â€Å"People only notice if you make a big deal about it.† I let him kiss me again and didn’t say anything else about the hand that continued to stroke the curve of my breast and tease my nipple into hardness beneath the shirt. His other hand slid down to my ass and ground me closer to him, letting me feel exactly what was underneath his jeans. The fact that we were doing this in public suddenly made it a lot sexier. I let out a small, trembling sigh and then broke away from the kiss again. Only this time, it wasn’t because of any prudish feelings. It was from need. My body’s suddenly urgent and excruciating need. â€Å"Are you staying next door?† I asked, indicating the hotel adjacent to the bar. â€Å"No. Out at the Monteblanca.† I let surprise show on my face. That was in the region near where I lived, in the Santa Catalina foothills. â€Å"That’s not a hotel. That’s a resort. A really nice one. Veterinarians must make a lot.† He smiled and brushed his lips against my cheek. â€Å"You want to see it?† â€Å"Yes,† I told him. â€Å"I certainly do.† How to cite Storm Born Chapter Three, Essay examples

International Trade and Comparative Advantage free essay sample

? In spite of the strong theoretical case that can be made for free international trade, every country in the world has erected at least some barriers to trade. Trade restrictions are typically undertaken in an effort to protect companies and workers in the home economy from competition by foreign firms. A protectionist policy is one in which a country restricts the importation of goods and services produced in foreign countries. The India, for example, uses protectionist policies to limit the quantity of foreign- produced sugar coming into country. In general, protectionist policies imposed for a particular good always reduce its supply, raise its price, and reduce the equilibrium quantity. Protection often takes the form of an import tax or a limit on the amount that can be imported, but it can also come in the form of voluntary export restrictions and other barriers. Tariff rates on dutiable imports have fallen dramatically over the course of history. We will write a custom essay sample on International Trade and Comparative Advantage or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A tariff is a tax on imported goods and services. A tariff raises the cost of selling imported goods. It thus shifts the supply curve for goods to the left. The price of the protected good rises and the quantity available to consumers falls. Protectionist policies reduce the quantities of foreign goods and services supplied to the country that imposes the restriction. As a result, such policies shift the supply curve to the left for the good or service whose imports are restricted. In the case shown, the supply curve shifts to S2, the equilibrium price rises to P2, and the equilibrium quantity falls to Q2. One of the most common protectionist measures now in use is the antidumping proceeding. A domestic firm, faced with competition by a foreign competitor, files charges with its government that the foreign firm is dumping, or charging an unfair price. Under rules spelled out in international negotiations that preceded approval of the World Trade Organization, an unfair price was defined as a price below production cost or below the price the foreign firm charges for the same good in its own country. While these definitions may seem straightforward enough, they have proven to be quite troublesome. A quota is a direct restriction on the total quantity of a good or service that may be imported during a specified period. Quotas restrict total supply and therefore increase the domestic price of the good or service on which they are imposed. Quotas generally specify that an exporting countrys share of a domestic market may not exceed a certain limit. In some cases, quotas are set to raise the domestic price to a particular level. A quota restricting the quantity of a particular good imported into an economy shifts the supply curve to the left, as in. It raises price and reduces quantity. An important distinction between quotas and tariffs is that quotas do not increase costs to foreign producers; tariffs do. In the short run, a tariff will reduce the profits of foreign exporters of a good or service. A quota, however, raises price but not costs of production and thus may increase profits. Because the quota imposes a limit on quantity, any profits it creates in other countries will not induce the entry of new firms that ordinarily eliminates profits in perfect competition. Voluntary export restrictions are a form of trade barrier by which foreign firms agree to limit the quantity of goods exported to a particular country. Although such restrictions are called voluntary, they typically are agreed to only after pressure is applied by the country whose industries they protect. A voluntary export restriction works precisely like an ordinary quota. It raises prices for the domestic product and reduces the quantity consumed of the good or service affected by the quota. It can also increase the profits of the firms that agree to the quota because it raises the price they receive for their products. In addition to tariffs and quotas, measures such as safety standards, labeling requirements, pollution controls, and quality restrictions all may have the effect of restricting imports. Many restrictions aimed at protecting consumers in the domestic market create barriers as a purely unintended, and probably desirable, side effect. These standards tend to discourage the import of foreign goods, but their primary purpose appears to be to protect consumers from harmful chemicals, not to restrict trade. But other nontariff barriers seem to serve no purpose other than to keep foreign goods out. The conceptual justification for free trade is one of the oldest arguments in economics; there is no disputing the logic of the argument that free trade increases global production, worldwide consumption, and international efficiency. But critics stress that the argument is a theoretical one. In the real world, they say, there are several arguments that can be made to justify protectionist measures. One argument for trade barriers is that they serve as a kind of buffer to protect fledgling domestic industries. The desire to maintain existing jobs threatened by foreign competition is probably the single most important source of todays protectionist policies. Some industries that at one time had a comparative advantage are no longer among the worlds lowest-cost producers; they struggle to stay afloat. Cost cutting leads to layoffs, and layoffs lead to demands for protection. The model of international trade in perfect competition suggests that trade will threaten some industries. As countries specialize in activities in which they have a comparative advantage, sectors in which they do not have this advantage will shrink. Maintaining those sectors through trade barriers blocks a nation from enjoying the gains possible from free trade. A further difficulty with the use of trade barriers to shore up employment in a particular sector is that it can be an enormously expensive strategy. That shifts the supply curve slightly to the left, raising prices for countries consumers and reducing their consumer surplus. The loss to consumers is the cost per job saved. One reason often given for the perceived need to protect Indian workers against free international trade is that workers must be protected against cheap foreign labor. This is an extension of the job protection argument in the previous section. From a theoretical point of view, of course, if foreign countries can produce a good at lower cost than we can, it is in our collective interest to obtain it from them. But workers counter by saying that the low wages of foreign workers means that foreign workers are exploited. This objection, however, fails to recognize that differences in wage rates generally reflect differences in worker productivity. Further, we have seen that what matters for trade is comparative advantage, not comparative labor costs. When each nation specializes in goods and services in which it has a comparative advantage measured in the amounts of other goods and services given up to produce them then world production, and therefore world consumption, rises. By definition, each nation will have a comparative advantage in something. Exports restrictions are the limitations on the goods and services exported to foreign country by the government. These limitations are imposed to prevent a shortage of goods in the domestic market when it is more profitable to export. As a part of foreign policy for a example as a competent of trade sanctions. Government also promotes exports by making following incentives policies under EXIM policy like Duty Entitlement Passbook (DEPB), Export Promotion Capital Goods, Special Economic Zones (SEZ’s) etc.

Content Delivery Network (CDN) Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Essays

Content Delivery Network (CDN) Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Essays Content Delivery Network (CDN) Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Essay Content Delivery Network (CDN) Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Essay Content Delivery Network (CDN) Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Content delivery network includes network of distributed servers that provides web pages and web content to users based on their geographic locations. The content delivery network provides speedy delivery of websites which bear high traffic. At its core, the content delivery network performs two crucial functions. First, CDN caches the content at the edge of the network in order to reduce the traffic traversing the network. Second, provides multiprotocol and multiservice streaming capabilities thereby allowing operator to adapt content from any IP device close to user consuming it. In general, typical functionality of CDN includes request redirection and content delivery services, content outsourcing and distribution services, content negotiation service and management service.Visit Complete Report Here: marketresearchreports.biz/analysis-details/content-delivery-netw ork-cdn-global-scenario-trends-industry-analysis-size-share-and-forecast-2011-2018 The two major things that have marked the evolution of internet are mobile technology and social media. For example, since its inception in 2004, Facebook today contain much more than 1,000 million subscribers. With very low investment, any business can reach large market irrespective of its location. According to Internet World Statics, the number of internet users for June 2012 were estimated to be 0.24 billion. Additionally, growing IP video traffic is expected to boost the CDN market. Today, video consumption over mobile devices and internet is growing at unparalleled rate. As network operators become aware of advantages of CDN, numerous cable operators and telcos in Europe and North America have launched CDN initiatives. Additionally, as network operators increasingly partner with content owners in order to deliver high quality contents and services, the CDN market is

By the way vs. As a matter of fact

By the way vs. As a matter of fact By the way vs. As a matter of fact By the way vs. As a matter of fact By Maeve Maddox A reader from Brazil asks for clarification on the expressions â€Å"by the way† and â€Å"as a matter of fact,† having heard that they are interchangeable expressions to be used when a person wants to change the subject of a conversation. by the way As one of its earliest meanings, the expression â€Å"by the way† had the literal meaning of â€Å"along the way† in the sense of something happening in passing on a journey. For example, â€Å"I lost my money by the way.† The use of â€Å"by the way† in conversation is figurative. A person thinks of something else while in the process of talking: We went to the Crystal Theater over the weekend to see Titanic. By the way, while we were there, we bumped into Leroy and his new girlfriend. The expression does introduce a new subject, but not as a deliberate ploy to change the subject. The new subject has been suggested by something already being talked about. as a matter of fact This expression means, â€Å"in fact, really, actually.† Its strongest use is to correct a falsehood or misunderstanding, as in this example: Most people probably believe that the actress Judy Holliday, who acted the part of a dumb blonde in Born Yesterday, was really of low intelligence. As a matter of fact, she had an IQ of 172. In its weakened use, â€Å"as a matter of fact† still means, â€Å"in fact† or â€Å"actually,† but not in the sense of correcting a falsehood. It seems to be used as one might say indeed for emphasis or contrast. Here are some examples from the Web: I asked my sister if she drank diet soda. She told me that she did. As a matter of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment. At 12 years old, I wasn’t a fat kid. As a matter of fact, I was pretty skinny. The weight isnt going to instantly fly off in the first week. As a matter of fact, I gained weight before I started losing. I am doing so well in my health. As a matter of fact I have dodged several colds that my husband has come down with. Yes, you have to deal with co-workers. As a matter of fact, you have to interact with them daily. It is possible that someone uncomfortable with the turn a conversation has taken might use one of these expressions to introduce an entirely new topic, but that is not their general function. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:How to Pronounce Mobile48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids

Job Analysis and Job Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Analysis and Job Design - Essay Example It states the duties and responsibilities of various people in a particular job. The statement of work is a document that defines and captures the work activities, timelines, and deliverables that vendors must execute in their performance of a particular job. In the HR management, job analysis is valuable since it aids in the preparation of sound human resource policies and practices. That is because job analysis provides a deeper comprehension of the behavioral requirements of a particular job thus playing a significant role in the defense of HR employment practices. Besides, job analysis improves the management of a company since it helps in human resource planning. The process also provides information on methods of recruiting and selecting employees who can best fit the job requirements. Moreover, the process is essential in HR management since it guides the compensation and performance appraisal of the employees. The reason is that it provides clear-cut principles of performance for each job that can be used to determine pay surveys and appraising workers that perform their duties and responsibilities appropriately. Job design refers to the specification of content, structure, methods, relationship and configuration of the jobs to satisfy both the organizational, technological, social and personal requirements of a jobholder. Job design involves putting together different elements to form a job while considering the organizational, health, safety, and the individual worker requirements. The process involves integrating all the job responsibilities and specific qualifications that are needed to perform the same (Shantz, Alfes, Truss & Soane, 2013). In the human resource management, job design is essential since it improves the management of an organization thus enabling it to perform its activities in an efficient and effective manner. That is because it provides

1-calculate the Z-Score & Comment on the results,2- Find a debt rating Assignment

1-calculate the Z-Score & Comment on the results,2- Find a debt rating & Comment on the rating - Assignment Example It can also be used to evaluate the managers of a company, if the Z-score is favourable then the managers are doing a good job and the converse is also true. Additionally, the model can be used to check the viability of the firm before seeking employment and also to predict business failure of the company Debt rating refers to the continued monitoring of the firm’s financial status after they have been issued with a debt (Javier, 2014). The ratings are expressed as letters ranging from ‘AAA’ which represents the highest investment grade to ‘C’ which represents the lowest investment grade. This rating has an impact on the returns that must be offered in order to sell the debt instrument. For a firm to be considered suitable for investment, it must achieve a greater credit rating which is a crucial threshold because many funds are prevented by their ratings from any investments in bonds. Using the Standard and Poor’s debt rating agency, the above ratios indicate that the firm has a credit rating grade of B and below which is the low credit rating also referred to as the non-investment grade and is an indicator that the company is facing significant financial risks. Therefore, the power corporation should take necessary steps to prevent the company from being declared

Sub-Saharan Civilizations Essay -- History, African Civilizations

The textbook has defined a civilization as a â€Å"sophistication of a peoples intellectual, cultural, and artistic traditions† (149). It continues to describe characteristics such as writing, the development of cities, as well as a state bureaucracy as a means of recognizing civilizations (149). These, while a general guide, do not and should not solely determine whether or not a society is a civilization as there are many other factors to take into account. Africa, for example, differed from Europe and Asia tremendously in organization, among many other ways (149). While many African societies did not consist of all these characteristics, many were literate and developed urban populations (149). The lack of state bureaucracy within an African society, or an absence of another characteristic alone, should not solely determine whether or not a society is a civilization (149). One must take other factors into consideration because the civilizations of one region, do not mimic that of others. The geographic location and make up of the African continent hindered Sub Saharan contact with the...

Globalization and Implementation Plan Essay

This report will provide business and demographic information to determine a platform of business strategies and alternatives for Home Depot to re-enter or abandon the Argentinian retail market for home improvement centers. Home Depot must be very specific and strategic to try to re-enter the market due the abject failure in entering the market in 1997 and existing the market in 2001 from the lack of profits and community acceptance. Home Depot cannot afford another failure in Argentina or South America. (Home Depot. 2013). Home Depot: Home Depot is the 4th largest retailer in the US, the 5th largest retailer in the world and ultimately the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer. In 35 years, Home Depot operates 2,257 retail stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Canada, and Mexico. The foreign locations (294) generate just 12% of Home Depots’ total revenues. They have engineered entry and expansion into foreign markets through acquisition of smaller retailers and expanded upon their success. The Home Depot, Inc. operates as a home improvement retailer. It sells building materials, home improvement products, and lawn and garden products, as well as providing installation, home maintenance, and professional service programs to do-it-yourself, do-it-for-me, and professional customers. It serves home owners, professional remodelers, general contractors, repairmen, small business owners, and tradesmen. From the beginning, The Home Depot has developed strategic product alliances directly with leading manufacturers delivering the most exclusive products and national brands. They also provide a combination of proprietary products like Ryobi ® tools, RIDGID ® tools, BEHR ® paint, LG ® appliances, and Toro ® lawn equipment. Home Depot has set the standard for innovative merchandise for the do-it-yourselfer and the professional contractors. In addition, they can provide exporting servicing for products worldwide. (Home Depot. 2013). Argentina: This portion of the report will review the demographics, economic markets, income levels and currency values, culture and along with the legal and political environment in Argentina and South America for Home Depot reentrance. The total population of Argentina is just over 42 million people covering 2.8 million square kilometers (km). It is the 8th largest country in the world and speaks primarily Spanish and Italian along with English, German and French. The population is primarily located among five largest cities of the country in northern 30% of the country and within 600 km of the capital Buenos Aires with 13 million citizens. It has less than 1% population growth and the average age is 30 years old with a 98% literacy rate and 16 years of formal education. Regretfully, the average unemployment rate is estimated to be 10.2 and higher for females. The income level for individuals per capita is $18,820 and ranks 73rd in the world. The labor force is comprised of 17M workers and ranks 36th in the world. The percentage of the population below the poverty line is 30%. Between the poverty line and the percentage of unemployment and contraction in the economy is does not provide a lot of discretionary money to be used for purchasing homes, maintenance, and remodeling. The culture of Argentina is based upon traditional Roman Catholic values (92% membership) centered upon family values and 100’s of years of religious beliefs, values, dependence and fostering upon local relationships. The culture is also driven by personal relationships with the expectation of working with you to find solutions to consumer needs. Many Argentinians do not like the big box impersonal retail stores that do not have the personnel to spend time creating trust and loyalty with customers. (CIA Factbook. 2013). International Considerations for Argentina and Home Depot: The economy of Argentina is the 22nd largest in the world with a growth rate of 2.6% with a GDP of $475B in 2012. It has a diversified economy due to the many natural resources available to them. Manufacturing is the largest segment of industry with 20%; agriculture with 5% and the remaining in the services and tourism sector. The currency in Argentina is based upon the peso and the current exchange rates ranges for US dollars range from 1 peso to 4.1 to 4.6 dollars. Argentina is a member of Mercosur with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay implementing a Common External Tariff (CET) for non-members to pay tariffs up to 35%. This was implemented to protect those economies from the dumping of cheaper foreign goods. Argentina defaulted on its debt in 2002 leading foreign investors to flee and take their investments elsewhere. Since then, Argentina nationalized the $24 billion pensions fund and limited the amounts of foreign purchases of land. Argentina has not been able to pull out if the economic slump and economic growth has completely stalled. The optimistic view point for economic growth in Argentina in 2013 will be less than 3.5% for consumer demand, industrial production and exports. This will apply additional economic pressure for homebuyers to make purchase homes and banks willing to lend. They have implemented a number of measures to keep dollars in the country restricting foreign currency exchanges and debt obligations in defending the value of the peso. These restrictions have effectively made it almost impossible to obtain US dollars for the purposes of real estate purchases. The federal tax agency’s authorization is now required before making any foreign exchange purchase. The implementation of these tight policy measures has the real estate activity in 2012 fell approximately 40%, making it one of the sector’s worst performing years in the country in a decade. â€Å"The number of commercial real estate transactions in Buenos Aires fell 46% to 6,315 and residential transactions fell 15% in 2012. (Bifani. 2013) The legal system for Argentina has become very restrictive over the years to protect their business and economy from inflation and currency issues. They have the Argentina’s Customs Code (DGA), which registers all foreign importers and exporters. They apply import duties and taxes to all imports along import duties, statistical taxes, value-added taxes and excise duties. Argentina has strict regulations and fees regarding the purchasing of property by foreign interests, which limits the potential for revenues and growth. (CIA Factbook. 2013). Market Considerations for Argentina and Home Depot Is Argentina, the best possible country for Home Depot to reinvest into? Argentina ranks in the bottom 10 countries in the world for foreign businesses to do business in. Specifically for Home Depot, it takes 12 months for a construction company to obtain a construction permit, which double what it takes throughout the rest of South America. This would greatly impact Home Depot ability to build stores and expand within Argentina. The majority of businesses hours operate between 9am – 7 pm and can run to 9 or 10pm for retail stores. The business hierarchy is top down with ideas and instructions come from the top. They are very respectful of business protocol and will not break those social norms or status structure. With these facts in mind, it demonstrates Argentinians require time to develop trust and familiarity, especially for foreigners. Negotiations will take a considerable amount of time and you must be willing to argue and debate to get their support and consensus. They will not hesitate to interrupt and argue for the finer points of agreements before proceedings to the next step. (Communicaid. 2009). The following are business points regarding the desire to potentially expand into Argentina. They have a value added tax (VAT) across the economy and a wealth tax. These taxes discourage both internal and external business to invest in larger business ventures due the country’s desire to confiscate profits from business people from investing. The government has huge political swings of ideology and purpose. This creates an environment that can propagate corruption, bribery and short term political or economic decisions to encourage voting support. They are a 60% tax evasion rate, which is triple that of US citizens. For many of the key economic indicators, Argentina ranks the bottom 25% in the world for doing business, economic freedom, human rights, taxes, and corruption. The inflation rate is about 10% and outside economists are reporting about 20%. Credit cards have low credit limits restricting higher purchases and up to a 45% interest rate. This does not encourage businesses to take any risks or initiatives for business growth i.e.: construction businesses. (Chafkin, M. 2001). Overall according the financial reports, Argentina is now considered a third world country due to its difficulty with globalization and working with foreign countries. * They have established strict foreign investment guidelines prohibiting foreign ownership. * They have restricted construction companies for building and developing business areas. * They have high tax rates and low reinvestment rates back into their country. * They have problems with government corruption, bribery and ethics. Entry Modes (Globalization & Implementation Plan) This portion will cover the various possibilities for establishing the Modes of Entry for Home Depot to reenter Argentina. Home Depot’s expansion in foreign markets has been less than successful such as the ones in South America, China and Southeast Asia. They have had some success in Canada and Mexico due to being substantial trading partners in the NAFTA agreement and similar ideology of home ownership and access to credit, Exporting: This mode of business entry will not effectively work for expanding and opening home improvement stores in Argentina at this time. Local competitors will prefer to source construction products from local suppliers rather than to purchase from foreign suppliers. They have implemented restrictions for international trade with tariffs and entrance barriers, which will increase the possible competitive pricing to become less attractive for Home Depot. Turn-Key Operations: This mode of entry will not be a viable alternative due to the fact that Home Depot does not provide any explicit technology over the local DIY businesses such as EASY. This mode could damage Home Depot by training and possibly improving competitor’s ability to compete with Home Depot in other markets in South America like Mexico. Licensing: This mode of entry is similar to Turn-Key due to the lack of control over the foreign business and again Home Depot cannot provide any real production improvements other than economies of scale to existing or new business. It would only provide royalty fees to Home Depot and would not warrant the business investment. Franchising: Franchising is similar to licensing. It works when companies have a strategic production process like such as mentioned in the text with Fuji-Xerox or even McDonalds. Home Depot does not provide the specialized processes or supply chain to support the development of franchising into foreign markets. Wholly Owned Subsidiary: This is the method and mode of entry Home Depot tried before and failed. At that point in time, Argentinians ability to own and purchase property was very restrictive for a majority of the population. Argentinians are not accustomed with reinvesting into their homes or dwelling. They did not have the incentives to reinvest or the desire to learn how to perform the tasks that it would take to complete a successful DIY project. Also, Home Depot is not an Argentinian or Latin American business, which creates a lack of respect and loyalty. The Easy company growth is due to Home Depot building the model and Easy taking them and restructuring them for Latin American consumers. (Hill, C. 2011). Joint Ventures: This is the only method or mode of entry that makes sense for Home Depot to pursue. In the textbook, there are examples of Tesco and Jollibee competing with bigger more entrenched businesses by using joint ventures and investments to establish a foothold. For Home Depot to renter the South American market and specifically Argentina, I believe the only choice Home Depot has is to engage in joint ventures with smaller DIY businesses in Argentina and gain some traction similar to Tesco in Europe and Asia. Also, EASY is now the big player in the market with 49 DIY stores. It is doubtful they would entertain any joint ventures without the ability to be the controlling partner or give up its majority interest. Monetary Systems: This portion will evaluate Argentina’s history of monetary policy and its effect upon the potential desire or ability for Home Depot to reopen home improvement retail stores there. Argentina history relating to financial and monetary policy has been turbulent and at a crisis stage numerous times. Argentina is working hard to revamp their economy and currency ratings. It has a GDP of $475B ranking 22nd in the world and one of the largest economies in South America. In 1998 Argentina entered a four year depression resulting from governmental tax increases, devaluing of its currency, freezing bank deposits, defaulting on foreign debt up to $93B, and finally removing the linkage between the peso and the US dollar. Some of international issues relating to Argentina’s reputation have been reducing the international trade/currency exchanges have been their protectionist’s policy and rated the worst in the world by the World Bank. They have seized control over the largest oil and airline companies in the country. They are also being censured by the IMF for dishonest reporting of national statistics specifically inflation rates. (Singer, H. 2013). Argentina has attempted practically every single monetary system known today to their economy and all have failed resulting in financial crisis over the last 35 years. The flexible exchange rate system led to a hyperinflation and the currency board has led to dramatic recessions. During the first three crises, Argentina was using a fixed exchange rate to allow government control. The first crisis was in 1975 with the collapse of that stabilization plan resulting in the devaluing of their currency by 100% and more than a dozen followed the next year. The second crisis was to the Tablita plan in 1981; the Tablita plan was to reform banking regulations and capital account restriction affecting its currency and exchange rates. It still ended with an 82% devaluation of its currency in one year. The third crisis occurred within 12 months in 1982 with Alemann Plan. This plan was designed around the banking and insurance industries connected to foreign currency exchanges. At this time, Argentina abandoned the fixed exchanges for a floating exchange system. The next strategy Argentina attempted was after the 2001 crisis and implemented a dual exchange rate system to manage and control their economy and currency values. This allows them to use both fixed and/or floating system with the ability for different fixed and floating rates during the same period of time. The fixed exchange rates are used for essential imports and exports account transactions. The floating exchange rates are used for capital account transactions determined by the market critical to providing foreign cash reserves for the country. Usually, countries implementing dual exchanges rates are using protectionist control to protect their economy and financial markets such as China. (Investopedia. 2013) Business Strategy for Home Depot to enter Argentina This portion of the report is to provide a platform of business strategies and alternatives for Home Depot to re-enter the Argentinian retail market for home improvement centers. Home Depot cannot afford another failure in Argentina or South America. From the beginning, The Home Depot develops strategic product alliances directly with industry-leading manufacturers to deliver the most exclusive products assortments to customers. Home Depots expansion strategies have been very successful throughout North America when they have used acquisition strategies. Their expansion in Argentina did not produce the same results due to the lack of a substantial home improvement company to purchase. They chose to organically grow the market in Argentina. This strategy failed due to many different situations occurring during the same time frame: political failure of the government and presidential resignations, huge drop in their GDP, default on the foreign debt, currency failure, widespread unemplo yment and public riots. It was like the perfect storm for the country and Home Depot. (Home Depot. 2013). In reviewing the many strategies that are available for Home Depot to re-enter the market in Argentina, there are many limitations based upon the history of Argentina and Home Depot. They definitely have the ability to leverage economies of scale for providing home improvement products at almost any price point that the consumers is willing to pay. These economies of scale would be too large for any competitive business to ignore. Their major competitor, Cencosud is the company they sold their four stores to in 2001. It is the largest retailer in South America with over 1,045 retail store in a variety of markets. It is a $19B company with 125,000 employees. Home Depot is a $70B corporation with 331,000 employees in about 2,294 stores. This would be an extremely difficult acquisition and inevitably against their acquisition strategy of buying smaller businesses and expanding through gradual growth. This also limits the amount of exporting potential to Argentina through Cencosud due to the lack of exporting profits. (Cencosud. 2013). Recommendations All of these factors leave The Home Depot with a limited amount of possibilities to re-enter the Argentinian market. The best possibility is to partner with Cencosud in a strategic alliance or find smaller specialized retailers that are currently competing with Cencosud in Argentina and offer them very attractive distribution, pricing and profit sharing. I would find it difficult to invest in this country’s economy due the protectionist ideology of the government. Their policies have not created real economic growth and restrict the ability for foreign companies to invest without excessive tax on profits. The current business environment, banking system and construction restrictions are not conducive for foreign involvement or investments. Home Depot has already attempted once, I believe it would take an even larger investment to overcome the negative perception in 2001. Also, they have a major competitor Sodimac in place and have had double digit growth since 2005. Their best expansion strategies for Home Depot to get back into go into Argentinian markets would be establishes strategic alliances with the smaller retailers for exportations, joint ventures directly with Fallabella and foreign direct investments to invest with either of the businesses if available depending upon the political complexity of the government. (Forbes. 2011). References: Bifani. (2013). Argentine Real Estate Activity Sharply Falls. Retrieved from http://www.homechannelnews.com/article/hd-expounds-plans-mexico-latin-america Castro, G. (2012). Chile’s new Sodimac home improvement store continues to break ground underground. Retrieved from http://blog.kimcorealty.com/2012/02/chiles-new-sodimac-home-improvement-store-continues-to-break-ground-underground/ Cencosud. (2013). Our Company. Retrieved from http://www.cencosud.com/nuestra-empresa/descripcion/?lang=en Chafkin, M., (2001). Inc. magazine. A Constant Feeling of Crisis. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/magazine/201106/doing-business-in-argentina_pagen_5.html CIA Handbook. (2013). Argentina. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html Communicaid. (2009). Doing Business in Argentina. Retrieved from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Argentina.pdf Easy. (2013). Easy Argentina. Retrieved from https://www.easy.com.ar/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/es/easyar/information-pag e?identifier=mapa_locales.html Encyclopedia of Business. (2013). Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances. Retrieved from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Int-Loc/Joint-Ventures-and-Strategic-Alliances.html#ixzz2SRvvAulT Forbes. (2011). Home Depot Remodels Its Growth Plans. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/2001/11/30/1130homedepot_print.html Global Property Value. (2013). Argentina. Retrieved from http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Latin-America/argentina/Price-History Hill, Charles W. L. (2011). Global Business Today. (7th ed.). New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. ISBN: 978-0-07-813721-1. Home Depot. (2013).About Us. Retrieved from https://corporate.homedepot.com/OurCompany/History/Pages/default.aspx Kaminsky, G., (2009). Thirty Years of Currency Crises in Argentina. External Shocks or Domestic Fragility?. George Washington University. Retrieved from http://home.gwu.edu/~graciela/HOME-PAGE/RESEARCH-WORK/WORKING-PAPERS/argentina.pdf Isora, M., (2009). Importan ce of Strategic Alliances in Company Activity. Retrieved from http://www3.mruni.eu/~int.economics/5nr/Isoraite.pdf Sprawl Busters. (2008). Argentina. Adios, Home Depot!. Retrieved from http://www.sprawl-busters.com/search.php?readstory=821

Skills of a Forensic Accountant - 1348 Words

Forensic Accountant Skills Forensic accountants need many skills, but the top five most important skills are analytical ability, a desire to be ethical, an interest in being detail oriented, being insightful, and being responsive. All of these skills are seriously needed by those who are focused on forensic accounting, since these individuals must look into fraudulent and suspicious activity that is seen in a company (Buckhoff Schrader, 2000). Additionally, some companies hire forensic accountants in order to make sure there are no fraudulent or suspicious activities going on even if everything seems completely normal (Buckhoff Schrader, 2000). Working closely with people in law enforcement and working as expert witnesses when there are trials taking place are also other common activities for those who make their living as forensic accountants (Peterson Reider, 2001). 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