Southwest Airlines a Case Study Essay Example For Students

Southwest Airlines a Case Study Essay Synopsis of the Situation: From June 18, 1971 when it started operation from the Love Field in Dallas Texas, Southwest Airlines stands out as a company willing to do things differently and wanting to be the best Airline in America, and last year it was rated America’s best airline, both in the quality of its flights and the being the most profitable. With such admirable past and what seemed like a future cast in success, one would not expect Southwest to be confronted with problems which could potentially derail it from its destination as the premier carrier in the US Airline industries. We will write a custom essay on Southwest Airlines a Case Study specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The twin problem of bleak economic outlook and looming labor union negotiation makes the future a challenge that must be negotiated carefully. This case study examines these issues and tries to proffer solutions to them. Key Issues: Southwest faces a challenging future despite several years of success as America’s only profitable Airline. The very basis of those successes is about to be tested with a looming negotiations with its ‘best-paid’ Pilot union and the coming end of fuel hedging contract. There is also the problem of the record rate of unemployment and the general economic outlook that is gloomy to say the least. These indeed are challenging times that the organization is faced with. But behind these challenges are opportunities that it can exploit to remain indeed a profitable Airline. Define the Problem the Opportunity. Many of the problems faced by Southwest Airlines are indeed out of its control. The global economic situation and the attending employment crisis are some of those. With the Wall Street Journal reports of â€Å"investors fretting over a sluggish economy and early evidence of decelerating revenue growth ahead of the busy holiday weekend† while recently analyzing the Airline industry as a whole. But within the reach or immediate control of Southwest is its looming negotiation with its Pilots Union. While the relationship between the Pilot Union and the Management might be said to be good at this time, will the fact that the Pilots of Southwest are considered as the best paid in the industry create a hostile negotiation period or will the Managing Director, Gary Kelly, be able to rally his team, a la, the entire company, to rise up to the challenges facing the company? One thing within the company environment is the fine spirit in the Organization based on previous year’s performance when Southwest outperformed other Airlines. That Spirit is even called the ‘Southwest Way – Warrior Spirit’. The openness of the management style creates trust, mutual respect and above all a shared vision with other members of the company or other team members. There lies the strength of this organization and its opportunity. By continuing to engage its workforce as stakeholders, they will continue to work for the organization with a sense of ownership and not that of an employee. While there may be several problems and a multitude of symptoms, attempt to identify one problem, the resolution of which would alleviate most of the symptoms found in the case. The problem can frequently be defined around one of the key factors of marketing, target market, environment, or marketing mix elements (product, price, promotion, or distribution). Alternative Solutions. The company then was the only Airline declaring profit while the rest were struggling to stay afloat. To overcome these turbulent times, Southwest Airlines must continue to entrench those Company policies that foster open and truthful communication. Southwest has established a participatory leadership that involves its people, develops individual performance, resolves conflicts quickly and have a well coordinated group effort. .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 , .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .postImageUrl , .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 , .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8:hover , .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8:visited , .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8:active { border:0!important; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8:active , .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8 .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5621672d27d216f561343228bc7040c8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Marcel Gross EssaySouthwest Airlines thus became an industry leader by building a corporate culture that emphasized communication. This has worked well for it as a Team, but it would also be important that the Company continues to hedge its fuel contracts, so that it can deal with the uncertainties in the environment. Such hedging as has been done in the past, will guarantee that the company continues profitable even in the nearest future. As the negotiation with the Pilot Union loons, the CEO, Gary Kelly, need put himself forward as a transformational leader that is able to motivate others to transcend their personal interest for the good of the group. While adequate attention is paid to the needs of the Pilot, such needs must come within the overall company objective. Selected Solution to the Problem: There is a need for effective communication at this stage of the organizations. Effective communication will allow all stake holders to continue to be alive to the company’s objective. It will enable the organization carry everyone along and bring in a greater sense of belonging even more than currently exist. If all the Managers and Supervisors in the company follow the same corporate culture of the organization, the company will be so place as to overcome any obstacles in its operating environment. However, communication must be allowed to get to its intended user, who might be dependent on it in the decision making process. Therefore, all in the organization might need to become familiar with how to communicate effectively. Implementation/Recommendations: It therefore will be appropriate to recommend to the company the need for it to continue to embrace a culture of openness with all its unions, as well as non union employees. The leadership of the organization will benefit the company. In accessing the leadership quality of Gary, one thing that is brought out is his understanding of the subtle social fabric of the organization and his ‘‘everyman’’ quality. These will serve the company well in the future. References Bateman,T. S. , Snell,S. A. , Scott, A. , Kerin, Roger, A. , . (2009) M : Marketing. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Southwest Airlines – About swa. n. d. Retrieved, July 14, 2010 from http://www. southwest. com/about_swa/

Free Essays on The Civil Rights Movement

Civil rights means that people have the right to be treated the same regardless of their race, gender and/or religion. These rights are laws in the United States and many other countries. Civil rights are guaranteed by law but took many years to achieve. For example even after the Civil War, African Americans were treated badly. They got the worst jobs and were paid poorly. Blacks and whites were segregated. They were kept separate in public places including at theaters, restrooms, schools and transportation. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed in 1909 to push for civil rights (Civil Rights). That is just one example of programs established to fight for civil rights. Other groups have also fought for their civil rights including women, immigrant groups (Irish, Chinese, Japanese), and religious groups (Civil Rights). Many events occurred during the Civil Right’s Movement. One of the most famous protests was the non-violent protest. Dr. Martin Luther King introduced the nonviolence philosophy into the civil rights movement. He adopted his philosophy from Indian activist Ghandi. King studied Gandi's approach and applied his beliefs in America's struggle for equal rights. King wanted to express how to use non-violence to gain equal rights. In the 1950's and 1960's Martin Luther King Jr. became known as the leader for the nonviolent civil rights movement (Nonviolence in Civil Rights Movement). The non-violent phase of the movement began with the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 and 1956. (Ward and Badger 214). The Montgomery Bus Boycott officially started on December 1, 1955. That was the day when the blacks of Montgomery, Alabama, decided that they would boycott the city buses until they could sit anywhere they wanted, instead of being relegated to the back when a white boarded. It was not, however, the day that the movement to desegregate the buses started. (Wright 52-53). This phase bega... Free Essays on The Civil Rights Movement Free Essays on The Civil Rights Movement Civil rights means that people have the right to be treated the same regardless of their race, gender and/or religion. These rights are laws in the United States and many other countries. Civil rights are guaranteed by law but took many years to achieve. For example even after the Civil War, African Americans were treated badly. They got the worst jobs and were paid poorly. Blacks and whites were segregated. They were kept separate in public places including at theaters, restrooms, schools and transportation. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed in 1909 to push for civil rights (Civil Rights). That is just one example of programs established to fight for civil rights. Other groups have also fought for their civil rights including women, immigrant groups (Irish, Chinese, Japanese), and religious groups (Civil Rights). Many events occurred during the Civil Right’s Movement. One of the most famous protests was the non-violent protest. Dr. Martin Luther King introduced the nonviolence philosophy into the civil rights movement. He adopted his philosophy from Indian activist Ghandi. King studied Gandi's approach and applied his beliefs in America's struggle for equal rights. King wanted to express how to use non-violence to gain equal rights. In the 1950's and 1960's Martin Luther King Jr. became known as the leader for the nonviolent civil rights movement (Nonviolence in Civil Rights Movement). The non-violent phase of the movement began with the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 and 1956. (Ward and Badger 214). The Montgomery Bus Boycott officially started on December 1, 1955. That was the day when the blacks of Montgomery, Alabama, decided that they would boycott the city buses until they could sit anywhere they wanted, instead of being relegated to the back when a white boarded. It was not, however, the day that the movement to desegregate the buses started. (Wright 52-53). This phase bega...

Discuss the similarities and differences in the international trade Essay

Discuss the similarities and differences in the international trade Politics between China and Taiwan - Essay Example Correspondingly, international trade politics between two or more nations also project a clearer picture about the political relationships between those nations (Buthe & Milner, 2008). Correspondingly, this essay will focus on discussing the international trade relations persisting between China and Taiwan, with an intention to understand the similarities and dissimilarities between the political positioning and strategies adopted by these nations when dealing with their diplomatic relations. From a critical point of view, the political relations between these two nations can be described in terms of limited communication, rigidities, and instability. Despite of the instability between these two nations, still trade relationships between them blossomed after 2001 when China became a member nation of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Supporters to this trade relation have often argued that it has been mainly due to the stability in trade relationships between these two nations that have led towards the decreasing level of recurrent political friction to a major extent (Roberge & Lee, 2009). China and Taiwan has remained focussed towards maintaining bilateral trade relationships, which has continued between them since long. The result of this trading effort was that both these nations ended up making a trading profit of $102 billion and the records of 2007 subsequently projected China as the largest trading partner of Taiwan (Roberge & Lee, 2009). As an improvisation step, both these nations started making huge investments with an aim of setting up of new industries linking the economic trade affairs of both these nations. The two nations have also made efforts in terms of convincing banks and other investment organizations for investing in the markets of both these nations. Emphasising the potentials of the trade relation, during 2009, China and Taiwan tended towards signing up of an

Corporate Governance in Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate Governance in Germany - Essay Example This brings us to Germany, who has a seemingly flawless method of Corporate Governance. Most corporate infrastructures receive work from all ends of the company. With smaller investment groups and smaller group of shareholders who are only out for profit for themselves, German companies receive feedback from employees, management, banks, partnered companies and even consumers. In this way, they can touch on all aspects of thought about the company. It is a rather long-term method of thinking which has become absent in the modern day with life being so hectic and all. But it has worked to bring the German economy back into power ever since the debts incurred from World War I and II. Companies are supposed to help the good of the people before bringing in pure profit. Although the point of any business is to turn a profit, by helping out the community first, this strengthens Corporate Philanthropy 2, or the idea that helping others and taking personal hits for the company for the good of the consumer will help company image and thus bring in more sales. In the end, although the German system of Corporate Governance may seem a bit slow, it has helped to fuel their economy and reduce their unemployment throughout the years. However, there is always a downside to everything, and although you might be asking how there could really be a downside to this way of company thinking, in the end, it all comes down to the economy. While companies are growing, the German economy as a whole has slower growth.... Although the point of any business is to turn a profit, by helping out the community first, this strengthens Corporate Philanthropy 2, or the idea that helping others and taking personal hits for the company for the good of the consumer will help company image and thus bring in more sales. In the end, although the German system of Corporate Governance may seem a bit slow, it has helped to fuel their economy and reduce their unemployment throughout the years. However, there is always a downside to everything, and although you might be asking how there could really be a downside to this way of company thinking, but in the end, it all comes down to the economy. While companies are growing, the German economy as a whole has slower growth, and entrepreneurism has been suffering. Without easy ways for people to get out if things turn bad, it has become less and less fitting to start a business in Germany. So in the end, if you cannot support yourself and the good of the community, your business will fail with the current structure of Corporate Governance in Germany. Now this brings us to the connection between the United Kingdom and German Corporate Governance. Where the United Kingdom has succeeded in helping to jump start entrepreneurism and new businesses, they suffer from corruption inherent in many companies. Germany, on the other hand, has low levels of corruption, but also low levels of economic growth spurts. So, there are many ways we can approach this. Europe has been trying, as a whole continent, to support all countries and combine the best of all worlds. So, you could take the good points of the United Kingdom's Corporate Governance, boards of directors and outside investors, and the stability of the German's Corporate

Religion Changing Societies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion Changing Societies - Essay Example In due time, this has caused societal pluralism with religion being viewed as an objective to individuals within a society (Santa, 5). This paper covers the effect of religion in the society, how religion raises questions on identity and questions the concept of identity, and lastly how it creates a dilemma between faith and way of life. Religion Changing Societies Even though religion has sparked a lot of debate, it has influenced the society both positively and negatively. It has attracted massive changes within the societies. A better example of how religion has been linked with the modern societies is politics. Furthermore, the voting patterns are largely determined along religious lines. Religion plays a major role when it comes to governing a nation. Some religions worldwide are entrenched in archaic modes of thoughts and have failed to launch new life in the societies. Some are co-opted by patriotisms; thus, are used to further various furies. This has worked to divide people, based on an individual religious belief (Herz, and Peter, 25). In the current face of pluralism, Elshtain in â€Å"toleration, proselytizing, and the politics of recognition†, offers â€Å"toleration†, as a way of being liberal and democratic to religious pluralism without causing any prejudice on a given religion belief whatsoever. This involves freedom to share ones religious beliefs joyfully, manifesting views so that others may consider it, rather than imposing one's faith to others; thus, ensuring a happy coexistence (Elshtain, 89-93). This has led to more liberal and democratic societies. This has been echoed by Witte in The Rights and Limits of Proselytism in the New Religious World Order (Witte, 109) He emphasizes on the need for individuals to choose their own religious affiliation in a religious pluralism society, although this has not had a smooth sailing as other religions such as Muslim allow for easy conversion into their faith (Witte, 109) Religion, Ide ntity and Citizenship With religion being a core aspect to be considered within any society, the idea of coming up with legislation governing such societies may sometimes be challenging without causing any religious prejudice, with the advent of religious pluralism. Particularly, France has held to her â€Å"lay state (laicite)†, implying a secular state of religious freedom without preference for any religious affiliation. These may not necessarily mean secularization, rather a way of bringing harmony within a religious pluralism society (Davie and Schafer, 5). Religious views, convictions and practices are seen as belonging to the private sphere of existence rather than in the public realm. It is true that religion is a crucial factor of social identity, being identified with a given religion means having a shared religious beliefs and practices and behavior that brings about the uniqueness within a large cosmopolitan society with religious pluralism in some cases (Appiah, 44-47). Despite an individual’s affiliation to a given religion, he/she has the right as a citizen to participate in decisions involving collective life together. These should be done without any religious prejudice, and thus, treated equally. This eliminates any hierarchy of faith (Mehta, 66). With Religious pluralism, the best way to tackle the issue of identity and citizenship in respect to one's religious affilia

Foreign workers: Economic and social issues

Foreign workers: Economic and social issues Introduction In Singapore, foreign workers are assets to the workforce because they take up low-skilled jobs which Singaporeans are reluctant to do (National Population and Talent Division, 2013, p. 22). However, foreign workers are ill-treated and their issues include underpayment and undesirable dormitory standards (Chia Zaccheus, 2012). In this essay, besides examining foreign workers’ issues, I will discuss my interest and assumptions about them. Interest and Assumptions I am interested in foreign workers because their public and unruly display of resentment in the recent Little India riot suggests an urgent need to address their issues so that such violent behaviours and their consequences could be prevented in the future. Therefore, foreign workers are selected to have their issues examined in this essay. Naturally, I have two assumptions about foreign workers which are suggested to be true by evidence. The first assumption is most foreign workers belong to the low social class and that is true because their monthly wages ranging from $700 to $1200 (Tan Mokhtar, 2013, para. 15-16) is lower than the $1500 to $5000 range earned by the middle class in Singapore. The next assumption is foreign workers are isolated in Singapore due to the anti-foreigner sentiment. As International Labour Organisation (2013) has surveyed, nearly 60% of Singaporeans perceived foreign workers as threats to Singapore’s culture instead of valued members in the society. Moreover, the growing anti-foreigner sentiment is shown by the strong protests carried out in 2013 to discourage further intake of foreign workers (Goh Mokhtar, 2013). Therefore, foreign workers are highly likely to feel isolated due to the escalating anti-foreigner sentiment. Importance of Addressing the Issues As mentioned earlier, it is important to address foreign workers’ issues to reduce their resentment and prevent their violent behaviours because these behaviours can lead to severe economic and social consequences as shown in the Little India riot in 2013. As a result of the riot, livelihood of 134 businesses in Little India was threatened as they experienced 50% reduction in customers (Lim, 2013, para. 2) and some had 90% loss in revenue (Au, 2013, para. 7). Moreover, the riot disrupted social harmony by intensifying the tension between foreign workers and Singaporeans. After the riot, Singaporeans’ criticism towards the foreign workers was so overwhelming that Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth had to step forward to remind Singaporeans to â€Å"keep xenophobia and racial remarks out of the conversation† (Heng, 2013, para. 16). Therefore, as such unruly behaviours threaten social harmony and adversely impact the local economy, it is important to avoid them by reducing foreign workers’ resentment through addressing their issues effectively. To do so, we need to first examine foreign workers’ needs using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. Foreign Workers’ Needs and Support Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory classifies needs into basic needs like physiological and safety needs, psychological needs like love and esteem needs and higher level needs like cognitive and self-actualisation needs (Maslow, 1987). Based on the theory, the foreign workers’ physiological needs to get sufficient sleep are not met because their overcrowded and unhygienic dormitories affect their quality of sleep (Chia Zaccheus, 2012, para. 3). Besides, the foreign workers’ safety needs to have the security of jobs are not fulfilled because â€Å"65% of injured and salary-claim workers had been threatened by their employers with premature repatriation† (as cited in Kaur, 2014, p. 9). Furthermore, foreign workers’ esteem needs to be respected by others are not met due to xenophobia in the society (Heng, 2013, para. 16). Currently, various forms of support are available for foreign workers: to address their physiological needs to live in conducive conditions, the scheme of accrediting dormitories was established in 2012 to ensure satisfactory dormitory environments (Grosse Khamid, 2012); to fulfil their safety needs to have the security of jobs, the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act [EFMA] and the help service by Migrant Workers’ Centre [MWC] are in place to stop unreasonable employment practices (Ministry of Manpower, 2013; Migrant Workers’ Centre, 2014); to meet their love needs to have more friends, National Trades Union Congress [NTUC] organises social activities for foreign workers and its advocacy efforts has led to many revisions in the EFMA to better protect foreign workers (National Trades Union Congress, 2010, para. 2-3). Next, to examine the support for foreign workers, Bronfenbrenner’s ecology system theory will be used. Bronfenbrenner’s ecology system theory suggests that individuals’ interactions with their communities and the society can be classified into in five environmental systems: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem and chronosystem (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). In the foreign workers’ context, their microsystem consists of the people whom they interact with the most like their colleagues and roommates; their mesosystem consists of the interactions between the microsystems that they are involved in; their exosystem includes service providers like NTUC and MWC which directly impact the microsystems; and their macrosystem includes law and policies like the EFMA and the scheme of accrediting dormitories which are greatly influenced by the government and the society. After examining, it is clear that the current support mainly addresses the workers’ basic needs and much of the efforts comes from the authorities. Hence, my proposed idea aims to fulfil the workers’ psychological needs by involving the public. Proposed Idea â€Å"Love Across Distance† is an annual event that requires its volunteers to help foreign workers of different nationalities send their photographs and love messages back home and publish the their life stories on Facebook. The recipients of love messages and the types of stories published each year will vary according to the occasion that the event focuses on; if the event focuses on Valentine’s Day, the foreign workers’ valentines will be the recipients of love messages and the stories published will be their love stories. Because the event focuses on a different occasion each year, as years go by, different aspects of foreign workers’ lives will be shared with Singaporeans online to deepen their understanding of foreign workers. For example, weeks before Valentine’s Day, the volunteers will find foreign workers and take polaroids of them holding the flowers which symbolise romance in their culture. Then, the foreign workers will write down their love messages which will be mailed together with their polaroids. Next, the volunteers will ask them questions like â€Å"How did you meet your valentine?†, â€Å"What do you like the most about her?† and â€Å"Is there anything you wish to do for her after working in Singapore?† to find out their love stories. Lastly, permission will be gained to publish the stories online and the foreign workers’ privacy will be protected if they prefer not to have their identities revealed online. The mailing of love messages is to make the foreign workers feel important by involving them in celebrating the joyous occasions. The online sharing of their life stories such as love stories is to arouse Singaporeans’ interest in foreign workers and to increase their awareness that foreign workers are also humans who love and have aspirations for their beloved; hence, they deserve respect and less discrimination. Therefore, this event aims to reduce the barrier between Singaporeans and foreign workers by deepening Singaporeans’ understanding of foreign workers and by diverting their attention from the foreign workers’ unruly behaviours to their hopes and aspirations. This event hopes to reduce stereotypical views towards foreign workers and encourage Singaporeans to create a more inclusive society that makes foreign workers feel at home. Conclusion In conclusion, to maintain Singapore’s social and industrial harmony, it is crucial to address the foreign workers’ basic and psychological needs so that their resentments and unruly behaviours could be prevented. Besides, more efforts are needed from Singaporeans to create an inclusive society which makes the foreign workers feel valued regardless of their social status. It is when Singaporeans and foreign workers unite as one, Singapore can progress socially and economically with peace and stability in today’s competitive world. (1312 words) References Au, Y. (2013, December 22). Business in Little India improving slightly, but still slow. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/little-india- riot/story/business-little-india-improving-slightly-still-slow-20131222 Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development. United States of America: Harvard University Press. Chia, Y. M., Zaccheus, M. (2012, December 10). Hard life, but foreign workers labour on. AsiaOne. Retrieved from http://news.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Singap ore/Story/A1Story20121209-388579.html Goh, C. L., Mokhtar, M. (2013, February 16). Large turnout at speakers’ corner for protest against Population White Paper. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.stra itstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/large-turnout-speakers-corner-protest- against-population-white-paper-2 Grosse, S., Khamid, H. M. A. (2012, December 17). Foreign workers’ dormitories could be accredited. Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ne ws/singapore/foreign-workers-dormitor/530468.html Heng, J. (2013, December 9). Little India riot: political office-holders urge calm in Facebook posts. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big- story/little-india-riot/ story/little-india-riot-political-office-holders-urge-calm-faceboo k- International Labour Organisation. (2013). Public attitudes to migrant workers. Migration works. Retrieved from http://migrationworks.org/wp-content/uploads/ILO-study-on- public- attitudes-to-migrant-workers.pdf Kaur, S. (2014). Not the Singapore we know: the Little India riot 2013. Public Management and Leadership. Retrieved from http://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/research-centres/case-studies/ public- management-and-leadership/ Lim, A. (2013, December 19). ‘Little India’ and quieter too. MyPaper. Retrieved from http:// news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/littler-india-and-quieter-too?page=0%2C0 Maslow, A. H. (1987). Motivation and personality. London: Pearson Education Limited. Ministry of Manpower. (2013). Amendments to the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/amendments-to-the- efma/Pages/default.aspx Migrant Workers’ Centre. (2014). About us. Retrieved from http://www.mwc.org.sg/wps/port al/mwc/home/aboutus/ National Population and Talent Division. (2013). Population white paper: Sustainable population for a dynamic Singapore. Singapore: National Population and Talent Division, Prime Minister’s Office. National Trades Union Congress. (2010). Migrant workers. Retrieved from https://www.ntuc. org.sg/wps/portal/up2/home/aboutntuc/ourwork/programmesandinitiatives/program mesandinitiativesdetails?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/content_library/ntuc/ home/about+ntuc/our+work/programmes+and+initiatives/11cf8780449eba78bda0bf0 1ca0149bf Tan, A., Mokhtar, M. (2013, January 5). Low pay may deter foreign workers. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://news.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapo re/Story/A1Story20130103-393242.html

Susan B. Anthony Essay -- Biography

Susan B. Anthony On February 15, 1820 in Adams, Massachusetts, a woman by the name of Susan Brownell Anthony was born to parents Daniel and Lucy (Read) Anthony. She was the second born of a strongly rooted Quaker family of eight (Hist.Bio.-1). Because they lived in a Quaker neighborhood, Susan was not heavily exposed to slavery. The family made anti-slavery talks an almost daily conversation over the dinner table. She also saw men and women on the same level (Stoddard 36). â€Å"A hard working father, who was not only a cotton manufacturer, but a Quaker Abolitionist also, prevented his children from what he called childish things such as toys, games and music. He felt that they would distract his children from reaching their peak of performance. â€Å"With a strong household influence like her father, Anthony became a very bright student. She knew how to read and write at the very tender age of three. She was put in a home school type school setting at the age of six because her teacher refused to teach her how to do long division. Because the school was run by a very strong-willed group of women, Anthony received a new image of womanhood by being taught not only arithmetic and grammar, but also manners and self-worth. Upon leaving this school, Susan B Anthony attended a boarding school in Philadelphia where she remained until two years before her father’s business was lost (Boynick 47). At the age of fifteen, Susan B. Anthony began teaching (Holland). At the age of nineteen she had already taught at the boarding school which she had attended, been a governess at in the home of a merchant in Fort Edward, New York, then helped her family move to Rochester. Once her family got settled she began doing work around the house. At the house, her father had daily conversations about the current issues of the day. She would shuffle back and forth between the kitchen and dining room to participate in these discussions which she so passionately loved. She was then appointed principal over the girls’ department Canajoharie Academy and would maintain at that stature until she reached the age of thirty (Holland). It was at her school where principal Anthony became exposed to the Daughters of temperance. This group of women went right along with Susan B. Anthony’s Quaker moral standards. They fought for prohibition. They fought to prevent abus... ...ing rights for women. Little did she know, that fourteen years after her death at the age of eighty-six, the nineteenth amendment would be passed. This amendment, also known as the â€Å"Anthony amendment†, gave women the right to vote. Susan Brownell Anthony has left many marks in the present day world we live in. If it were not for her, many minorities would not have the benefits that they have right now. If she had not lived the life she lived, women might still be fighting for the rights they have now. If it were not for her, we would have never had her printed on the silver dollar. The world would not be as good of a place. Works Cited Boynick, David K. Women Who Led the Way: Eight Pioneers for Equal Rights. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company. 1959. Dorr, Rheta Louise. Susan B. Anthony, the Woman Who Changed the Mind of a Nation. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1928. Holland, Patricia G. â€Å"Anthony, Susan B(rownell)†. Encarta 97 Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1994. Stoddard, Hope. Famous American Women. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company. 1970. â€Å"Untitled†. Online. Internet. www.history.rochester.edu/class/sba/bio.html.

Rape in India

Rape in India Brittany Jones As a woman in the United States, rape is the ultimate nightmare, but to women in India it’s everyday life. Many rape victims’ stories just show how the police in India fail to respond adequately to crimes, especially crimes involving children or women. On February 14th, three girls that were five, nine, and 11 were raped and murdered in the village of Lakhni, India. When the girl’s grandfather reported the girls missing to the police nothing was done about it. After two days, the girls were found dead in an old water well.The bodies were reported as â€Å"accidental† deaths. Nobody took any notice to the girl’s deaths until protestors blocked a national highway in uproar of the police inaction. When a television reporter from CNN arrived in the village on Thursday, the girl’s mother said: â€Å"The first day when we filed the complaint [about the girls disappearing], the police didn’t act on it. Had they l ooked for the girls, my girls would have been found. This is nothing but negligence. † The government offered the family about one million rupees (currency) in compensation for their losses.After the offer the mother said â€Å"No amount of money is going to bring my girls back. I appeal to the government to catch the culprits and hang them. † This case is a prime example of the corruption and negligence of the justice system and the government as a whole in India. In the Indian culture women and children are not looked upon as equals to men. This relates to authoritarian personality, the police aren’t handling the situations as abruptly as they would if the case were related to men rather than women or children.Theodor Adnoro concluded that highly prejudice people have deep respect for authority and are submissive to authority figures, especially in matters of religion or sex (Adorno et al. 1950). They concluded that are more of like possessions or something to own instead of human beings. It was only after a mob of people shut down a highway that people actually started to care about what happened to those little girls. Another example of the negligence of the Indian government is when a young girl was brutally ang raped on a bus in Delhi, the government promised better policing and faster legal action to protect women inside their homes and outside in the public. While lawmakers prepared to discuss a new law against sexual offense, they tried to keep the news of the recent rape and murder of three young girls on the down low. It was soon after that people took it into their own hands by rioting and blocking the national highway until they were promised a proper investigation. For a rape crime, capital punishment (the death penalty) is the most extreme measure the state takes.However, it’s shown that the death penalty isn’t administered evenly. Geography wise it can change your sentence just by where you are when you kill so meone. It also can affect the punishment you receive. Another death penalty dependent would be your social class. For instance, it’s very rare that someone of much wealth will be sentenced to death. They may rather receive time with just some fines that they can easily afford anyways. Gender is another big bias with the death penalty. It’s said to be unheard of for women to be sentenced to death, let alone actually be executed.Statistics show that women commit 9. 6% of the murders, but they make up 1. 8% of death row inmates (Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 2009). On 3 February 2013, after the public made their voices heard about the brutal rape in Delhi, the Indian Government was forced to pass an ordinance which applied the death penalty in cases of rape that leads to death or leaves the victim in a â€Å"persistent vegetative state†. Although the death sentence is very rarely used in India they do believe in the death penalty because they feel it do esn’t involve torture, humiliation, or degrading of oneself.It’s usually carried out by hanging, even when upheld on appeal. In Ohio today the punishments for rape are somewhat different than they are in India. The rape of a young child 13 and under could be served a sentence of up to life. However, unlike India the term is expected to be served rather than the convicted just being executed, or in India’s views, hung. I personally feel that rape is a very serious crime and it’s something that can also affect someone for the rest of their lives. Reading about India and how lightly they take rape crimes just affles me. I can’t imagine what the mother of these three little girls was going through, especially with the police having no interest in the fact that her daughters were missing. It’s sad to think that someone could be so heartless to not care about little girls being brutally raped and murder, however I’m sure had it been the pol ice forces children it would have been a whole different story. People these days are not only bias but they tend to care only about their selves and ignore the feelings of others.I’m from a small community where everyone knows everyone and everyone is willing to lend a helping hand. When someone in our town were to die the entire community would come together to help, even if it was just giving their condolences. I realize however that India’s culture is very different than ours and not to mention the situations seem much more dangerous. Even though rape crimes seem to be a very frequent crime to them, you would think the police force would take a notice and try and stop this constant reoccurrence rather than ignore what’s happening.They are finally passing bills but why did it take a huge riot of the people for them to start taking action. Making the laws is just the first step; actually doing something to make them work is the hard part. They can make the law s but in order for things to change they’ll actually have to make it as big of a deal as it really is. Find the people, punish them, and make sure they know they’ll never harm another women or child again. This article was very interesting to read and it’s interesting to see what’s going on in other cultures today.I never would have imagined how lightly things like rape and murder can be handles, especially just because it’s children and women rather than men. It’s sad to think of all the prejudice and bias going on in our world today, and even worse to think that it will probably never end. India needs to make stricter laws and force the police field to do a better job. Reference Rahman, Maseeh â€Å"India: three girls raped and murdered, ages 5,9, and 11. † The guardian. 21 February 2013.

Less Talk, More Work Essay

Have you ever thought that there is a greater need to work constantly on a daily basis than to catch up on your social life with family and friends? Work addiction is a growing problem today. Most workaholics seem to put work, a main priority, before anything else such as time spent with others. The obsession with work is due to many reasons. For some people, work is needed to earn money to pay for necessary expenses such as food and bills. However, too much of a workload affects a person mentally, physically, or even both. Stress is one of the many reactions when it comes to constant hours or days spent at work. In â€Å"The Company Man,† written by Ellen Goodman, the main character Phil shows how chaotic he is with himself and with his work that eventually leads to his tragic farewell. The lifestyle of working excessively is common. The idea of becoming a workaholic is to strive for a certain value or feeling for oneself. Goodman’s story of The Company Man illustrates a vivid example of a common workaholic. If a workaholic is spotted, the image is depicted as â€Å"anxious, guilt-ridden, insecure, or self-righteous about †¦work†¦ a slave to a set schedule, merciless in his demands upon himself for peak performance †¦compulsively overcommitted† (Marlowitz 7). This workaholic image illustrates Phil. In Phil’s world, everything he does is directed towards work. As an addict living with a wife and three children, he works nearly every day as well as many nights (Goodman 61). He works for an important company, serving as a vice president (Goodman 60-61). Having a high-level position makes him feel important because he â€Å"worked like the Important People† (Goodman 61). Based on his high position, Goodman hints at Phil’ s pride, a powerful factor influencing his motivation and duty to work. While Phil is driven mainly by pride there are many other reasons why he works too hard. These reasons include his identity, self-respect, self-esteem, self-doubts, pressure from family expectations, perfectionism, a coping mechanism for his negative emotions, and his obsessive-compulsive behavior. Some of the key components of workaholism include intensity, energy, competition, and motivation (Machlowitz 26). Workaholism also includes three other main components such as enjoyment, drive, and work involvement (McMillan). When it comes to workaholic men like Phil, they view themselves as the family caretaker and feel completely responsible for taking care of all the family needs (Killinger 139). This viewpoint brings pressure on workaholic men because they feel that they are expected to ensure that there is both financial protection and emotional well-being in the family (Killinger 139). They must be independent especially with earning money. Money attracts power, freedom, and independence (Schaef 120). Chasing after the goal of money-making is a way for workaholics to ga in achievement, which sets off a powerful drive (Schaef 120). Not only do pressures from the family increase this drive, but the work addict himself plays a factor as well. A workaholic is able to enjoy and love a job if he is fairly good at it. His self-esteem increases with the thought of being good at something. Therefore, he would feel even better and take even greater pride in what he knows and what he is capable of doing. This pride takes over and motivates him to excel and become a perfectionist. However, there comes a moment when perfection gets out of hand and he develops an obsession. A psychological dependence grows out of the addictive behavior from workaholism (McMillan). Work becomes central and all other aspects of life are forgotten (Schaef 119). As compulsive workers, they become obsessed with work and cannot stop (Shimazu). Their drive is ongoing with the thought of taking charge and taking control over everything and everyone (Shimazu). Fears, doubts, and insecurities start to develop inside, which pushes their mindset to work to the full extent. Aside from these feelings, workaholics hold ambitions, enabling them to be superior and competitive at all times, which can bring an overload of stress (Machlowitz 43). Working hard appears to be the only solution to overcome and avoid negative emotions such as anxiety and to gain respect and approval from others (Machlowitz 43). Other reasons for Phil’s obsession with work include his Type A personality and fears of laziness, failure, and loss of control, and. Phil is motivated to work long and hard because he cannot bear the thought of failing. Failure portrays the end of the world to workaholics like Phil; therefore, they must succeed (Machlowitz 41). Another fear is laziness. Ironically, workaholics hold a strange belief that they are naturally lazy (Machlowitz 42). As a result, they drive themselves even harder to avoid falling behind in work. Some, but not all, workaholics develop a Type A personality. This personality consists of negative traits such as impatience, aggressiveness, and competitive impulses (Machlowitz 44). A Type A also includes the need to rush, to work rapidly, and to set aside feelings such as fatigue during working hours (Machlowitz 44). Workaholics hold an illusion over the loss of control (Machlowitz 45). Because of their obsession, they are made to believe they are given all the respect and hold all the power if everything is done only their way and no one else’s (Killinger 8). Work has the ability to consume selfish and demanding feelings in an addict (Killinger 9). Being a workaholic can significantly affect both psychological and physiological health. According to Barbara Killinger, workaholics are at a loss because they suffer through many mixed emotions. Workaholics experience confusion and pressure from their families, doctors, or colleagues which causes them to reduce the amount of hours they work (133). Severe fatigue and exhaustion also occur (133). When they decide to slack off and the work starts piling up, they are at a loss of control, becoming stressed, overwhelmed, and panicky, and experience claustrophobic moments (134). Some, but not all, may feel empty and at a loss for sense of direction (134). They may also become overly sensitive, restless, and easily annoyed (134). They then go into frenzy, taking all things personally (134). Workaholics have a problem with the need to regain control in order to feel satisfied after (134). They know they cannot accept failure and so, the goal is to succeed fully, otherwise, they turn irate and feel worthless (134). However, the more adrenalin they build up into their system, the more constant fatigue they will most likely experience after (134). Barbara Killinger also mentions fatigue as a leading cause of a number of conditions in behavior (134). A pattern of eating and sleeping changes, sexual desires increase or decrease, inability to concentrate, and lack of motivation in work or play. Other signs include isolation from family and friends, memory loss, mental, physical and emotional exhaustion, unreasonable frustration or mistrust, and lack of care and need to distance oneself from a problem (134). In addition to these signs of depression are the harmful responses from anxiety and workaholism. Such responses can include inability to keep calm, nervousness, dizziness, abnormal blood pressure, heart problems, difficulty breathing, and other physiological symptoms (135). As for the psychological responses, these include an increase in stress and defense responses. Once they experience extreme anxiety they may cope by resorting to fantasy and exaggeration (135). Excessive worry and sense of sudden danger occur as well (135). Once workaholics become paranoid, they also experience high levels of doubt. They feel anxious and worry that bad things are about to occur (135). Going back to Phil, he most likely could have experienced one or more of these kinds of signs or symptoms. As the passage states, â€Å"Phil was overweight and nervous and worked too hard. If he wasn’t at the office, he was worried about it. Phil was a Type A, a heart-attack natural.† (Goodman 62). Therefore, he did have three symptoms: nervousness, worry, and heart problems. These symptoms did some serious harm to him. It is no surprise that Phil passed away because of a coronary thrombosis (Goodman 60). Workaholism also affects those around the workaholic. Very often, workaholics do not consider how their behavior affects others, particularly family members. Consider Phil from The Company Man as an example. Work interference puts the role of parenting in jeopardy. Work serves as the main priority. Because Phil works so much, this interferes with his ability to be a good parent (Killinger 159). There are three types of fathers: authoritarian father, indulgent father, and negligent father (Killinger 147). All three types affect children in negative ways (Killinger 147). Phil is the negligent father type. He is oblivious to the needs of his family and engages solely in work (Killinger 147). A lack of communication exists between Phil and his twenty-four-year-old daughter. They have nothing to say to one another (Goodman 61). A lack of interaction also occurs between Phil and his twenty-year-old son who graduated from high school and works various jobs to support himself for food (Goodman 61). Phil is impressed by his son’s good actions of earning money and the son is Phil’s favorite. However, Phil’s absence and his unavailability is such a disappointment, especially for his son. Phil’s son tries so hard to reach out and grab his attention and approval (Killinger 161-62). Although Phil shows little affection by staying up many nights in excessive worry for his son, it is still not enough to say that there is interaction or love between the two because there is none. Sons of missing fathers think as if they don’t belong in society and feel like outsiders (Killinger 162). As a result, these negative thoughts and feelings cause them to turn to drugs and crime or drop out of school (Killinger 162). From the money Phil’s son earns, he uses it to buy â€Å"grass† or drugs (Goodman 61). His action portrays how badly affected he is for the lack of acceptance, personal warmth, and value he desperately needs from his father (Killinger 162). The negative affection is the same for Phil’s forty-eight-year-old wife Helen (Goodman 61). Phil’s constant absences emotionally harm her the most. As a spouse, it is hard to maintain an intimate, loving relationship if the significant other happens to be a work addict (McMillan). Maintaining such a need leads to a bad outcome. Since there is no emotional attachment, care, and intimacy presented, the relationship is put at risk due to work interference (McMillan). In addition, the family is left in dissatisfaction and distress. Phil chooses to give up his social life, an essential value, instead of his work obsession, what he believes to be most important than anything else (McMillan). Having to continue putting up with Phil’s behavior, Helen is left with no choice but to give up trying to fix the problem of keeping everyone united together when the real problem is Phil and his lack of presence and his role as the father. Emotional damage is not just in family members but in coworkers as well. Coworkers have to deal with the complaints and demands from workaholics (Machlowitz 52). In addition, they are given all the blame and criticism, especially if tasks are not done perfectly (Machlowitz 54). Some workaholics tend to do more than what is expected of them, making everyone else’s hard work seem very little as if they have not done enough (Shimazu). Recognized as aggressive individuals, workaholics put a great amount of pressure and verbal harassment on coworkers (Machlowitz 44). Because of this negative abuse, coworkers may feel easily annoyed or put down too much, which can affect their work performance (Shimazu 156). According to Marilyn Machlowitz, there are actually four types of work addicts (32). Knowing for a fact that there is more than one type is unusual for one may assume all workaholics are the same based on the one activity they have in common: work obsession. However, this assumption is not true. The four types of work addicts are the dedicated workaholic, the integrated workaholic, the diffuse workaholic, and the intense workaholic (33). Phil is a dedicated workaholic because this type of workaholic has no outside activities or hobbies (33). If anything, their relationship with their job serves as the only activity they will ever have because it is their only prime focus. Consider the line of the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, â€Å"I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date. No time to say hello, goodbye, I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!† (Killinger 132). Every second is precious because time is a major necessity that cannot afford to go to waste (Machlowitz 31). Impatience is presented but a strong dedication is shown as well. Workaholism works the same way. Like the white rabbit, Phil shows a strong commitment to work and to act on it fully. Studies have shown how badly workaholics put themselves in with themselves and their lives. Studies also show the negative health effects on workaholics more than non-workaholics such as sleeping problems, depression, and dissatisfaction with the balance between work and life, and constant worry over lack of quality time with family and friends (Keown). For example, 56% admit being unable to make time for leisure and making plans to change all that (Keown). Another example declared that one-third prefers to be more isolated (Keown). These studies show how much of a huge impact work has on their identity (Keown). Although they accept the consequences they must bear and the sacrifices they must cope with, workaholism does not eliminate the outcome of having poor detrimental health. Everyone has their own excuses, reasons, and values to workaholism. Their compulsive attitude and behavior gives the impression that nothing gets in the way of work, the â€Å"only† priority in life. However, workaholism puts one’s health, whether mental or physical, at high risk. Emotional and physical harm is targeted not just towards the workaholic but towards his or her family members and coworkers too. The Company Man depicts Phil’s workaholism displaying a serious effect on his wife and children. His work obsession also illustrates the loss of his social life with his family and his coworkers.

Modeling of Water Uptake essays

Modeling of Water Uptake essays Modeling of Water Uptake into Polymeric Aerosol Particulates Deposited on the Lung Surface Inhalation of aerosolized drugs holds promise as a means to treat localized disease states within the lung and may also represent an ideal method for drug delivery to the systemic circulation. The use of polymer-based aerosol carriers for controlled drug delivery via the lung is an approach that may improve the duration and effectiveness of drugs delivered to the respiratory tract. However, the ability to optimize new formulations for pulmonary drug delivery has been limited by the inability to closely mimic the conditions the particles encounter in the various regions of the lung. Conventional "complete immersion" methods used to characterize microparticle water uptake rates, polymer degradation kinetics, and drug diffusion rates may not be relevant for particles designed for inhalation due to the extremely thin aqueous layers in the lungs. In this paper, I discuss the forces on a particle at the air-surfactant-particle interface used to determine the extent of submersion. Then, I model the water uptake into particles completely immersed in liquid and compare it to water uptake into spherical particles partially submersed in liquid. From published water contact angles, it was found that 10 mm PLGA 50:50 particles would be submersed 6.8 mm into the liquid phase; more hydrophobic PLGA 90:10 particles would be submersed 6.1 mm. The aqueous layers in the lung have a significantly lower surface tension than water. Particles will therefore be submerged more into the lung liquid than in water, and may be completely submerged. Concentration profiles for 5 mm particles completely submerged in an aqueous solution showed the concentration within the particles increases with time until a steady value is reached in approximately 67 hours. Water uptake into particles submersed in humidified air depends on adsorption and condensation of water on the...

Theories of International Financial Managemen Assignment

Theories of International Financial Managemen - Assignment Example With intent to increase cross-border trade for international expansion, nations have liberalized their cross-border trade regulations. Hence the world is said to have facilitated with effective circulation of ideas, languages and cultural ideologies. Countries opened their doors to each other and thereby entrepreneurs looked for opportunities even outside their home lands. This liberalization process was further intensified by the rapid advancement in telecommunication and transportation technologies which offered increased flexibility to day to day business operations. Apart from this, as described in the article International Financial Management (August 29, 2010), a series of financial innovations such as cross border stock listings, international mutual funds, currency derivatives, and multi currency bonds have also contributed to the development of international financial management. The practices and scope for domestic financial management and international financial management are entirely different. Although, the meaning and objective of financial management will not change in an international setting, its dimensions and ranges vary dramatically. This report will critically evaluate theories of international financial management and the extent to which each stands up in the real world. Major elements of financial management The management of business finance is a complex process as it plays a crucial role in each and every area of a business. For the successful operation of financial management process, three key elements have been included. They are financial planning, financial control, and financial decision making. 1. Financial planning As in the case of every management process, planning is an inevitable factor in the organizational financial management. It is necessary to ensure that sufficient fund is available at the right time in order to meet the business needs (The 100 times). An organization generally plans short term and long term financial programs. Short term funds are required to pay salaries to employees and to invest in stocks and other securities. On the other hand, medium and long term funds increase the productive capacity of the business for making business acquisitions. 2. Financial control Financial department is highly vulnerable to fraud. Hence every financial manager would implement ranges of internal check systems in order to check falsification of accounts and thereby fraudulent transactions of money. In short, the financial control element ensures the safety of business assets so as to comply with business rules and thereby act in accordance with the best interest of the shareholders. Financial decision making The important financial management decisions relate to investment, business financing, and distribution of dividends. It is the duty of the financial management to discover the most appropriate resource of money in times of contingencies. A most major financial management decision is whether the business profits must be retained as reserves or distributed to shareholders as dividend. This element is the focal point of the financial management process as this tool determines the degree of efficacy of business financing process. Domestic and international financial management These two concepts aim at the same goal but function differently to achieve them. To

Tesco PLC expansion into Germany using Foreign Market Servicing Essay

Tesco PLC expansion into Germany using Foreign Market Servicing Strategy - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is Tesco PLC. The first store of the company has opened in Edgware, North London. The main business of the company was grocery but the company has made wide the portfolio as they started to offer their products in the following sectors. †¢ Home Electronics †¢ Clothes and Home-wear †¢ Entertainment e.g. Television, Mobile communications †¢ Pharmaceuticals †¢ Finance / Credit cards †¢ Insurance. Tesco has the core competency in strategic pricing. They are able to offer their product to every class of people using the plan of strategic pricing. Their strategic pricing plan includes branded products, premium private level, budget private level and private level. Tesco developed the online shop in the year 2007 which is a revolution in the sector. The customers can purchase the goods through online. The company has gained competitive advantage and ever since 2007 they have remained in that way. The company is present mainly in Asia and Eastern Europe where they dominate in the market. The company is present in over 13 countries. Wal-Mart and Tesco are the main competitors of Tesco. The retail and more precisely the grocery market is dominated by the low pricing competition and focusing on the private level brands (own brand products). But in the European Union the levels of competitive pricing is controlled by the regulatory bodies that control the levels of market price.. As the company is already in the E.U. they are abide by the rules of the regulatory bodies, so it will not be difficult for the company to expand their business in a new E.U. country. The company has to only maintain the country specific legislations along with the little implications of the vertical integration. Tesco Corporate Social Responsibility An accommodative stance was adopted by the company when they approach to CSR. Tesco used to organize some social and voluntary programmes; they meet the ethical and legal requirements. (Griffin, R. Pustay, M 2009, p.158). The company follows the CSR which is followed by the European Union. Lisbon Agenda is followed by the company which aims for creating better jobs and social cohesion which would ensure the economic growth for the specific country, (European Citizens Consultations 2009). The companies have to maintain the environment properly as per the P.E.S.T. analysis of the E.U. The main focus of Tesco is maintaining and improving the supplies which are environment friendly and also recycled; develop job availabilities and maintaining good relations and support for the farmers who are supplying. Market Selection W estern Europe can be a positive move strategically for Tesco as it has presence in 13 countries including Asia and Eastern Europe. The researcher argued that the western region of Europe is the most attracting part of the world for the businessman as there are lots of wealthy customers (Griffin, R. Pustay, M 2009, p.54). A short list of top 4 most appropriate countries can be drawn