Differences among nations affect international business Essay

This paper describes some of the ways in which social, cultural, economic, legal and political differences among nations affect international business. Specific real world examples of the described differences are also provided. Doing business in the international marketplace mandates taking into account some very hard to overlook social differences between countries. For instance, if trying to market and sell a product in a country other than where the company is based, the company must take into account the language differences for such things as packaging (Ebert, R. J., 2003), use instructions, marketing materials, web site presence, and customer care and support. A marvelous real world example of overcoming social differences in order to do business in the international marketplace is provided by the company Ikea (Ikea, 2003). Ikea does business in over thirty-four countries. Much of Ikea’s furniture requires the purchaser to assemble them. This means that all the instructions that are included with the same merchandise must be written for each of the countries that it does business in. Another example of Ikea’s adeptness at handling social differences is their website (www.ikea.com). The company has links from their global website to translated websites for each company they do business in. There are some other, not so obvious, cultural differences as well. Such things as general consumer preferences may be very different in the target country. An example of these consumer preferences would be what is considered standard staples in the country. Another example would be shopping habits, such as time, frequency and consumer outlet type that is generally preferred (Ebert, R. J., 2003). Yet another example would be if the standard work day isn’t the same as a standard workday in the country where the company is based, this could affect such things as the hours of operation of a store-front or office. A terrific example of general consumer preferences is brought to light by McDonald’s (McDonald’s Inc, 2003). McDonald’s does business in over fifty-eight countries. In order to gain consumer credibility they generally provide to a charity in the countries they do business in. In the United States the charity that they prefer is the Ronald McDonald House, which concentrates on providing for the needs of children. In Europe the charity of choice for McDonald’s is a community  football (United States soccer) due to the heavy influence that the sport has in the European countries it does business in. There are also some other cultural differences in European McDonald’s, such as the menu: beer is served as a beverage. Economic differences are probably the first hurdles that a company will recognize while planning to support their trade in a foreign country. These differences will be extremely obvious if, for instance, the company of interest is based in a country with a Market or Mixed Economy and wishes to do business in a country with a Planned Economy. Economic differences can include things such as monetary trade rates, the country’s banking policies and government involvement in an industry (Ebert, R. J., 2003). China is a great example of doing business with a Planned Economy country (Premier Star Company, 2003). In China foreign companies can not own land, rather it must be leased or rented from People’s Republic of China. Legal and Political differences are the biggest players in doing business internationally. A government in a foreign country can determine how an outside country’s business is run in their country by controlling such things as the cost of the outside country’s company’s goods in their country by using quotas, tariffs and subsidies (Ebert, R. J., 2003). The government can also control the payroll and employee education costs as well as initial capital expenditures of an outside country’s company, by requiring that a portion of what the company sells in their country must also be produced there. This may require employing local people and possibly educating them, as well as setting up a presence, whether it is a manufacturing plant or another type of facility that is required for the company to produce it’s goods. There is also the matter of complying with the target country’s business laws and regulations. This requires that the company expand it’s legal team to include knowledge of the remote government in order to protect itself. Many things that may be legal in one country, may be illegal in another. Cuba and the United States is a good example of legal and political differences (Haar, J., 2002). A United States company can not do business with Cuba, as it is illegal in the United States to do so. References Ebert, R. J. (2003). Business Essentials. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Ikea (2003). http://www.ikea.com. Sweden: Inter IKEA Systems B.V. McDonald’s Inc. (2003). http://www.mcdonalds.com/corporate/social. United States: McDonald’s Inc. Premier Star Company (2003). http://chinaunique.com/business/law_main.html#land. Rochester, NY: Premier Star Company Haar, J. (2002). http://www.miami.edu/nsc/pages/newsupdates/Update53.html. Miami, FL: University of Miami

Strength training program for a healthy body Essay Example

Strength training program for a healthy body Essay Example Strength training program for a healthy body Essay Strength training program for a healthy body Essay Resistance-exercise training improves physical function and health outcomes by increasing muscle mass and muscle strength. Depending on the program, strength trainings produced greater improvement in muscular strength, body mass, lean body mass, and percentage body fat. The main objective is to lose body fat without losing muscle mass. The key to successful body conditioning is a well-designed strength training program that helps promote balance development of the major muscles using proper exercise form and correct exercises techniques. It is best to test and determine first how your body reacts to any application of external force to allow measurement of flexibility and strength in order to reveal any hidden dysfunction on current state and in the process know what is needed to improve function.Whole body training refers to single workouts done in every muscle group which are the chest, shoulders, back, quadriceps, hamstrings, biceps, triceps, forearms, trapezius, calves, and abdom inals. Results are favorable and effective when you train each muscle every other day to allow better stimulation of the majority of the muscle fibers within each muscle group at the same time stimulating large portion of the body’s muscle mass. Since most problems are with the abs, let’s limit my talk on ways as to how you should flatten abs at home first for beginners. Perform these exercises with maximum of 30 seconds rest only. Then as you progress you may add other programs.Steam engine abs workout. Stand with your hands behind your head. Touch your left elbow to your right knee by bending and raising the knee at the same time crunching your left armpit toward your right hip. Return to the starting position and repeat to the opposite side, crunching your right armpit toward your hip. Beginners may do at least 16-20 repetitions of this exercise (Zinczenko Spiker 2006).Bicycle exercise for abs. Lie face up on the floor. Put your fingers behind your head. Bring the knees in towards the chest while you lift the shoulder blades off the ground. Do this without pulling on the neck. Lift your left leg straight out to a 45 degree angle simultaneously turning the upper body to the right. This brings the left elbow towards the right knee. Then switch sides now bringing the right elbow towards the knee. Continue alternating sides in a pedaling motion for 12-16 reps (Waehner n.p.).Vertical leg crunch. Lie face up on the floor with legs extending straight up. Keep your knees crossed throughout the session. Lift the shoulder blades off the floor as if reaching your chest towards your feet. This will contract your abs when you keep your legs in a fixed position for a matter of seconds. Lower and then repeat for 12-16 reps.Full reverse crunch. Lie on your back. Then extend your legs straight towards the ceiling.   Put your hands behind your head. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor at the same time pressing the heels towards the ceiling. The abs will contract when you make a u-shape towards the torso. Lower down then repeat for 12-16 reps.Long arm crunch. Lie on the mat with arms greatly extended straight out behind the head. Do this with your hands clasped and arms kept next to the ears. Then lift the shoulder blades off the floor. This will cause the abs to contract. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.Ab rocker. Sit on the ab rocker. Grab the bars in each hand. Rock forward trying to originate movement from the abs. When you rock in this manner it contracts the abs. Release and repeat for 1-3 sets at 12-16 reps.Elbow to knee crunch. Lie on your back. Keep your left foot flat on the floor. Put your right foot crossed over your left knee. Always keep your arms folded over your chest. Then twist your upper body towards your right side. Touch your left elbow to your right thigh. In doing this make sure you twist your whole torso toward your knee. Lower yourself then repeat switching legs. Do 12-16 reps (Kita 2005).Being busy is no ex cuse for forgetting about staying healthy, getting fit and having a sculptured body. You may begin to do this exercises at home first just to let your abs contract and let your body get to the feel of the work out before you go the gym and perform your strength training programs. So try to work it out in the morning or in your evenings and see the effect in weeks.

“Ballad of Birmingham Essays

â€Å"Ballad of Birmingham Essays â€Å"Ballad of Birmingham Paper â€Å"Ballad of Birmingham Paper â€Å"Ballad of Birmingham† No, baby, no you may not go. We’ve all probably heard this once in our life times. Our moms always think they know best and they always say the decisions they make are for our own good. In some cases that’s true but in others it isn’t. In the â€Å"Ballad of Birmingham† by Dudley Randal it’s what the mother tried to protect her daughter but it wasn’t what she was expecting. It actually turned out to be a whole different story. This poem has a strong tone to it; it also has a very strong theme and a good variety of figurative language. The poem has a very happy tone to it at the beginning. The child says â€Å"Mother Dear, may I go downtown instead of out to play, and march the streets of Birmingham in a freedom march today? †(Lines 1-4) Obviously her daughter wants to do something her mother doesn’t approve of her doing. So her mother say â€Å"No, baby, no you may not go† (Line 5) She thinks that it’s a bad idea for a little child going downtown. So that’s when a little argument start not big but her mom say no and rather she goes to church. After she dresses her up the poem turns into a tragedy because when her mother left she had a smile and it was the last smile she would have in her face. Sadly there was a terrible explosion. The theme of this poem is you can’t always boast about things that are going to happen because you never know what can change in a heartbeat. It’s also about things that can change your life for ever. The mother thinks that downtown is not a place for her child. She says â€Å"No, baby, no you may not go. For I fear those guns will fire. But you may go to church instead and sing in the children’s choir† (Lines 13-16) Thinking its safe for her child she sends her to church and leaves with a smile but returns with a frown and tears coming down her face. She than sees her child’s white shoe she had worn but never say her child. The figurative language in this poem is strange but logical. For example â€Å"For the dogs are fierce and wild, and clubs and hoses, guns and jails aren’t good for a little child† (Lines 6-8) she means that there is thief’s and it’s really dangerous for kids to be walking around freely. It also gives the thought that there might be wild dogs loose and they are fierce towards people. Also when she mentions jails and guns there might be a conflict with people and a lot of crime for the jails. So it’s pretty understandable why she insist her child goes to church. Also (Line 10-12) â€Å"Other children will go with me, and march the streets of Birmingham to make our country free. † It sound like there is a conflict between migrations and being free. That is motivating kids to support it. Those are my main analyzing points of this poem. The change of the tone, the theme and the figurative language. This is why when we do things its best to think it over twice and look at from different points of views. Every action has its consequences. So that’s why you think things truly.

Maya Bloodletting Rituals - To Speak to the Gods

Maya Bloodletting Rituals - To Speak to the Gods Bloodletting- cutting part of the body to release blood- is an ancient ritual used by many Mesoamerican societies. For the ancient Maya, bloodletting rituals (called chahb in surviving hieroglyphs) were a way that Maya nobles communicated with their gods and royal ancestors. The word chahb means penance in the Mayan Cholan language, and may be related to the Yukatekan word chab, meaning dripper/dropper. The blood-letting practice usually involved only the highest nobles who would perforate their own body parts, mainly, but not only, their tongues, lips, and genitals. Both men and women practiced these types of sacrifices. Ritual bloodletting, along with fasting, tobacco smoking, and ritual enemas, was pursued by the royal Maya in order to provoke a trance-like state (or altered state of consciousness) and thereby achieve supernatural visions and communicate with dynastic ancestors or underworld gods. The trances were to petition their ancestors and the gods for rain, good harvests, and success in warfare, among other needs and desires. Bloodletting Occasions and Locations Bloodletting rituals were usually performed on significant dates and at scheduled state events through the Maya ritual calendar, especially at the beginning or end of a calendar cycle; when a king ascended to the throne; and at building dedications. Other important life stages of kings and queens such as births, deaths, marriages, and the beginnings and ends of war were also accompanied by bloodletting. Bloodletting rituals were usually carried out in private, within secluded temple rooms on the top of pyramids, but public ceremonies celebrating the bloodletting rituals were organized during these events and masses of people attended them, crowding into the plaza at the base of the main pyramid of the Maya towns. These public displays were used by the rulers to demonstrate their ability to communicate with the gods in order to obtain advice on how to balance the world of the living and to ensure the natural cycles of the seasons and stars. A statistical study by U.S. archaeologist Jessica Munson and colleagues (2014) found that most references to bloodletting on Maya monuments and in other contexts are from a handful of sites along the Usumacinta River in Guatemala and in the southeastern Maya lowlands. Most of the known chahb glyphs are from inscriptions that refer to antagonistic statements about warfare and conflict. Bloodletting Tools Stone Seat with Polychrome Reliefs Depicting Self-Sacrifice (Zacatapalloli), House of Eagles, Templo Mayor, Mexico City, ca. 1500. De Agostini / G. Dagli Orti / Getty Images Piercing body parts during bloodletting rituals involved the use of sharp objects such as obsidian blades, stingray spines, carved bones, perforators, and knotted ropes. Equipment also included bark paper to collect some of the blood, and copal incense to burn the stained paper and provoke smoke and pungent odors. Blood was also collected in receptacles made out of ceramic pottery or basketry. Cloth bundles are illustrated on some of the murals, thought to have been used to carry around all the equipment. Stingray spines were definitely a primary tool used in Maya bloodletting, despite, or perhaps because of, their dangers. Uncleaned stingray spines contain venom and their use to pierce body parts would have caused a great deal of pain, and perhaps include deleterious effects ranging from secondary infection to necrosis and death. The Maya, who regularly fished for stingrays, would have known all about the dangers of stingray venom. Canadian archaeologist Haines and colleagues (2008) suggest that it is likely that the Maya either used stingray spines that had been carefully cleaned and dried; or reserved them for special acts of piety or in rituals where references to the necessity of risking death was an important factor. Bloodletting Imagery Late Classic Limestone Lintel at Maya Yaxchilan. Arild Finne Nybà ¸ Evidence for bloodletting rituals comes primarily from scenes depicting royal figures on carved monuments and painted pots. Stone sculptures and paintings from Maya sites such as Palenque, Yaxchilan, and Uaxactun, among others, offer dramatic examples of these practices. The Maya site of Yaxchilan in Chiapas state in Mexico  offers a particularly rich gallery of images about bloodletting rituals. In a series of carvings on three door-lintels from this site, a royal woman, Lady Xook, is portrayed performing bloodletting, piercing her tongue with a knotted rope, and provoking a serpent vision during the throne accession ceremony of her husband. Obsidian blades are often found in ceremonial or ritual contexts such as caches, burials, and caves, and the presumption has been that they were bloodletting tools. U.S. archaeologist W. James Stemp and colleagues examined blades from Actun Uayazba Kab (Handprint Cave) in Belize and compared the microscopic damage to the edges (called use wear) on the archaeological blades to those produced during experimental archaeology. They suggest that they were indeed bloodletters.   Sources DePalma, Ralph G., Virginia W. Hayes, and Leo R. Zacharski. Bloodletting: Past and Present. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 205.1 (2007): 132-44. Print.Haines, Helen R., Philip W. Willink, and David Maxwell. Stingray Spine Use and Maya Bloodletting Rituals: A Cautionary Tale. Latin American Antiquity 19.1 (2008): 83-98. Print.Munson, Jessica, et al. Classic Maya Bloodletting and the Cultural Evolution of Religious Rituals: Quantifying Patterns of Variation in Hieroglyphic Texts. PLoS ONE 9.9 (2014): e107982. Print.Stemp, W. James, et al. An Ancient Maya Ritual Cache at Pooks Hill, Belize: Technological and Functional Analyses of the Obsidian Blades. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 18 (2018): 889-901. Print.Stemp, W. James, Meaghan Peuramaki-Brown, and Jaime J. Awe. Ritual Economy and Ancient Maya Bloodletting: Obsidian Blades from Actun Uayazba Kab (Handprint Cave), Belize. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology  (2018). Print.

Impact of Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Impact of Business Ethics - Essay Example Most commonly, ethics affect the performance of business organizations by defining the extent to which they are trustworthy and honest, engage the community in making positive contributions to the community, and retain customer loyalty that contributes to the economic bottom line. In order to be successful in life, ethics plays a vital role. Companies who regularly partake in unethical business practices may be profitable for a season, but once word gets out that they have unscrupulous in many of the dealings, the public will likely abandon them. The issue, then, is for a business to clearly state their ethical code of conduct and then work hard to live up to those standards. The problem, however, is that large corporations often find it difficult to live up to the high expectations that its shareholders and the public have set for them. It is important, therefore, for concerned parties to understand sound business ethics in order to ensure and guard against failure in this area. According to Jennings (2012), corporate ethics provide pillars on which business operations are built upon. There are many different ways that a corporation can use sound ethical principles to contribute to their overall success. A product corporate social responsibility is one such way that this can take place. Corporate social responsibility involves a process of opening up and maintaining a solid manner of doing business that emanates from business ethics. Combined with this concept, it is way the corporation gets involved and participates in community issues. It has been determined that corporate social responsibility is an essential element in working to ensure the success of a business (Jennings, 2012). The reason why corporate social responsibility is a critical part of ethics in any given company rests in the fact it serves to strengthen the bond between the organization and society as a while. It works to gain the

Comparison between Canada's Military Correctional System and the Research Paper

Comparison between Canada's Military Correctional System and the United States Military Correctional System - Research Paper Example The responsibility of the Army Correctional Command ACC is the management of resources like force structure, budget, personnel and the day to day operations of the U.S Military Corrections System (Grande, 2009). The U.S Military Corrections system has two oversees facilities in Germany and Korea, two medium security regional facilities in Fort Sill Oklahoma and Fort Lewis Washington, and one maximum security prison ( U.S Disciplinary Barracks ) in Fort Leavenworth Kansas. Both the regional Military Corrections facilities and U.S Disciplinary Barracks provide a complete range of custodial and correctional treatment programs to military offenders regardless of the branch of service, and the only maximum security facility in the department of U.S defense is the U.S Disciplinary Barracks. The military corrections system comprise of three level tiers: Level-1 accommodates inmates with sentence of less than one year. The level-1 tier has no different from the public prisons and most progra ms are the same in comparison. The marine corps operates two facilities; the navy is in charge of six facilities, while the air force manages 36 facilities. The level-1 tier is not controlled by the Army. The level-2 tier accommodates inmates with sentence of less than 7 years and is the middle tier. The majority of military offenders are retained in level two. The army is in charge and controls the better part of level two while the marine corps operates and controls 3 facilities. The Air force does not operate any facility in level two, thus majority of inmates are retained in at two Naval consolidated brigs. The level-3 accommodating inmates with sentence of more than 7 years and inmates whose character pose threat to the national security of the United states. Females are majorly confined in this level so as to benefit from the health facilities, assets and consolidated space. Level-3 tier includes male military. The level-3 does not accommodate pre-trial inmates and its mission is â€Å"Our mission, Your Future†. Unlike the United States of America, Canada has only one Military forces prison named, the Canadian Forces Service Prison and Detention Barracks (CFSPDB), located at the Canadian Forces Based Edmonton. The Canada military prison is maintained and controlled by the Canadian Forces Military Police, although non-commissioned officers NCOs from various branches of the Canadian Forces also serves as staffs at the prison. The prison confines inmates with the jail term not exceeding two years. Military offenders with a crime sentence of more than two years imprisonment are then referred to the public prison after they have been relieved of their duties as Canadian Force Personnel. Rights/Treatment of Inmates The Canada’s detention facilities at Edmonton Alberta have unforgettable experience in store for any soldier who dares to go the wrong path of the law, which is very useful in military personnel behavior corrections purposes. The Canad ian Forces Service Detention Barracks (CFSPDB) inmates go through training, counseling and are assigned various duties majorly hard labor like performing drills. For about two weeks from their arrival, the military prisoners have limited privileges like sleeping and eating, but are not allowed to make phone calls, interacting with fellow prisoners, interact with

Overcoming Procrastination. Time Management Article

Overcoming Procrastination. Time Management - Article Example The personal obstacle I faced was procrastination. I had the habit of avoiding doing assignments even when I knew they had to be done. Despite having a highly detailed schedule, I would still find myself procrastinating my duties. This was as a result of getting weighed down by my workload that I would have just put it all off. At most times, I found the lectures so tiring. Concentration was also lacking with new exciting things in this new environment. Some of the causes for poor time management were; lack of self motivation and knowledge as I had no predetermined goals. Maintaining a schedule was difficult due to improper planning for a schedule that was flexible. Procrastination also contributed heavily on managing time as whatever was put off had to be done later at a time planned for another task. To overcome these obstacles, I had to employ some useful tactics. According to my biological tempo and the time of the day it became easy to plan for what would be best to do in the mo rning, day time and evening. I came up with a way to prioritize my day. In the evenings, I would put down most crucial things to be done the next day. I would then attempt them in order of their significance. I would review my progress and fix or adjust my list if necessary. When all significant errands were done, timely and in an organized manner, I would reward myself. For better concentration; studying in particular places like the library is best. Where one can avoid interruption from fellow students or friends, they can cover a lot of work and do their revision. Also switching off the phone or having it in silent mode so as not to get disrupted. During study time, one should only pick urgent calls and shun chatting with friends. Having an arranged working area beats off laziness. One can optimize their working environment. I had a file for all my things and kept them in order of the dates. My class notes were organized and kept ready for quizzes and tests. On a weekly basis, I would conduct a clean up where I would go through all my materials. I filed everything recent systematically and kept old papers in another file at home. Another helpful technique to solve procrastination would be starting on another item after finishing that which you were working on. For example, during study time when done with the day’s work, briefly start on the next assignment so as to be ahead during the subsequent session. If the work is too much you can always do only a small part of the task at a time, and this goes hand in hand with time management. If you do small quantities of the work when it is already nearing the time it should be handed in then the assignment will not be completed, but if one starts doing small portions of the work immediately assigned by submission date, it can be complete and ready to be handed in for marking. A relapse is normal and expected so one must not give up, evaluate what went wrong then try overcoming the obstacles again. After ap plying these techniques, the progress in overcoming my personal and academic challenges was remarkable. Free time and study time were defined clearly after coming up with a flexible schedule. To guarantee success in my studies, there was enough planned study time such that for every hour spent in class two hours would be devoted to revision. I discovered the overpowering problems such as the need for perfection, anxiety and panic and sought them out fast since they are what caused these obstacles in the first place. When the mind is kept occupied at all time, for example, multi tasking it helps. During breaks, going back on what you had studied and revising this for instance definitions covered earlier when studying so that they can be remembered easily if