Causes Of Huntington S Disease Health And Social Care Essay

Huntington ‘s disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant upset ; it affects the nervous system including the encephalon. The symptoms become noticeable in in-between age with gradual loss of motor map and coordination. Degeneration of nervous system is progressive and personality alterations occur. It is the most common familial cause which causes nonvoluntary motions called chorea. This disease is caused by a autosomal dominant mutant in either of an person ‘s two transcripts cistron called Huntingtin. This cistron usually provides the familial information for the a protein called Huntingtin and the mutant in this cistron codes different signifier of proteins which causes harm in specific encephalon country. Any kid of an affected parent has a 50 % opportunity to acquire this disease. In rare state of affairs both of the parents are affected or either parent has two affected transcripts the hazard is greatly increased. Huntington disease is caused by genetically programmed devolution of nerve cells in specific countries of the encephalon. Specifically it affects the nerve cell of basal ganglia ; with in the basal ganglia it affects the striate body, peculiarly those in caudate karyons and globus pallidus which causes uncontrolled motions, loss of rational modules and emotional perturbation. It besides affects the outer surface of the encephalon which controls idea, perceptual experiences and memory. Huntington cistron codifications Huntingtin protein. Part of this cistron is repeated subdivision called trinucleotide which varies in length between individuals and between coevalss. When the repeated subdivision reaches a threshold causes the mutant in the cistron and it can besides do mutant in the protein forms mutant Huntingtin protein. Huntington cistron is located at the short arm of the chromosome 4 at 4p16.3. The cistron contains three bases-cytosine-adenine-guanine ( CAG ) . The mutation of the cistron is associated with the presence of excess CAG trinucleotide repetition near the 5 ‘ terminal. Normal single have 11 to 24 repetitions, but those affected by HD carry 42 to 86 CAG repetitions. Differing map of this protein causes the pathological alterations and symptoms in the patients with this disease. HD is inherited harmonizing to the length of the perennial subdivision of the cistron and its badness can be influenced by the sex of the affected parent. â€Å" [ Each parent has two transcripts of every chromosome but gives merely one transcript to each kid. Each kid of an HD parent has a 50-50 opportunity of inheriting the HD cistron. If a kid does non inherit the HD cistron, he or she will non develop the disease and can non go through it to subsequent coevalss. A individual who inherits the HD cistron, and survives long plenty, will sooner or later develop the disease. In some households, all the kids may inherit the HD cistron ; in others, none do. Whether one kid inherits the cistron has no bearing on whether others will or will non portion the same destiny. A little figure of instances of HD areA sporadic, that is, they occur even though there is no household historyA of the upset. These instances are thought to be caused by a new familial mutation-an change in the cistron that occurs duringA spermA development and that brings the figure of CAG repetitions into the scope that causes disease. ] † ( 2 )Categorization of trinucleotide repetition and ensuing disease position depends on the figure of CAG repetitionsRepeat CountCategorizationDisease Status& lt ; 28 Normal Unaffected 28 – 35 Intermediates Unaffected 36 – 40 Reduced penetrance +/- Affected & gt ; 40 Full penetrance Affected SIGNS & A ; SYMPTOMS Symptoms of HD can get down at any age from babyhood, but it is seen between the ages of 35 and 44 old ages. In the early stages the patient shows personality alterations and alterations in knowledge or physical accomplishments. The physical symptoms are the first to be noticed. The most characteristic symptoms are arrhythmic, uncontrolled authorship motions called chorea. They may exhibit as uncomplete gesture, restlessness, and deficiency of coordination or decelerate oculus motions. These symptoms become more obvious by at least three old ages. The major symptoms like composing gesture, rigidness and unnatural positions appears as the upset progresses. A † [ These are marks that the system in the encephalon that is responsible for motion is affected.A PsychomotorA maps become progressively impaired, such that any action that requires muscle control is affected. Common effects are physical instability, unnatural facial look, and troubles masticating, A swallowingA and speaking.A Eating troubles normally cause weight loss and may take to malnutrition.A Sleep disturbancesA are besides associated symptoms.A Juvenile HD differs from these symptoms in that it by and large progresses faster and chorea is exhibited briefly, if at all, with rigidness being the dominant symptom. SeizuresA are besides a common symptom of this signifier of HD. Cognitive abilities are impaired progressively.A Particularly affected areA executive functionsA which include planning, cognitive flexibleness, A abstract thought, regulation acquisition, originating appropriate actions and suppressing inappropriate actions.A As the disease progresses, A memoryA shortages tend to look. Reported damages range fromA short-run memoryA shortages toA long-run memoryA troubles, including shortages inA episodicA ( memory of one ‘s life ) , A proceduralA ( memory of the organic structure of how to execute an activity ) andA working memory. Cognitive jobs tend to decline over clip, finally taking toA dementedness. This form of shortages has been called a subcortical dementedness syndrome to separate it from the typical effects of cortical dementedness e.g.A Alzheimer ‘s disease. ReportedA neuropsychiatricA manifestations areA anxiousness, A depression, a decreased show of emotions ( blunted affect ) , A egoism, A aggression, andA compulsive behaviour, the latter of which can do or worsenA dependences, includingA alcohol addiction, gaming, andA hypersexuality.A Troubles in acknowledging other people ‘s negative looks have besides been observed. PrevalenceA of these symptoms is besides extremely variable between surveies, with estimated rates for lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disordersA between 33 % and 76 % .A For many sick persons and their households these symptoms are among the most distressful facets of the disease, frequently impacting day-to-day operation and representing ground forA institutionalization.A Suicidal ideas and self-destruction efforts are more common than in the general population. Mutant Huntingtin is expressed throughout the organic structure and associated with abnormalcies in peripheral tissues that are straight caused by such look outside the encephalon. These abnormalcies includeA musculus wasting, A cardiac failure, A impaired glucose tolerance, A weight loss, A osteoporosisA andA testicular wasting. ] † ( 1 ) Diagnosis â€Å" [ AA neurologistA will interview the person intensively to obtain theA medical historyA and regulation outA other conditions. A tool used by doctors to name HD is to take the household history, sometimes called aA lineage or family tree. It is highly of import for household members to be blunt and true with a physician who is taking a household history. The physician will besides inquire about recent rational or emotional jobs, which may be indicants of HD, and will prove the individual ‘s hearing, oculus motions, strength, coordination, nonvoluntary motions ( chorea ) , A esthesis, physiological reactions, balance, motion, and mental position, and will likely order a figure ofA laboratoryA trials every bit good. Peoples with HD normally have damages in the manner the oculus follows or holes on a traveling mark. Abnormalities of oculus motions vary from individual to individual and differ, depending on theA stageA and continuance of the unwellness. ] † ( 2 ) We can besides utilize familial trial for the conformation of HD. Take blood sample of the patient, the trial analysis the Deoxyribonucleic acid for the HD mutant by numbering the figure of perennial CAG in the Huntington cistron. â€Å" [ Persons who do non hold HD normally have 28 or fewer CAG repetitions. Persons with HD normally have 40 or more repetitions. A little per centum of persons, nevertheless, have a figure of repetitions that fall within a marginal part ( see table below ) . ] † ( 2 ) No. of CAG repetitions Result & lt ; 28 Normal scope ; person will non develop HD 28 – 34 Individual will non develop HD ; but following coevals is at hazard 35 – 39 Some but non all ; persons at this scope will develop HD ; following coevals is besides at hazard & gt ; 40 Individual will develop HD Otherwise we can make CT scan and MRI which gives first-class images of the encephalon constructions. The patients with HD show shrinking in the some parts of the encephalon, peculiarly in caudate karyon and putamen and the expansion of fluid filled pits called ventricles. Sometimes a individual can hold early symptoms of HD and still hold normal CT scan. When there is household history and record of clinical symptoms, nevertheless, Ct can be an of import diagnostic tool. Another trial for encephalon imagination is positron emanation imaging ( PET ) which is of import in HD research attempts but non frequently needed for diagnosing.â€Å" [ Coronal FSPGR through the encephalon at the degree of the caudate karyon showing marked decreased volume in maintaining with the patient ‘s known diagnosing ofA Huntington Disease. ] † ( 1 )Treatment We can utilize antipsychotic drugs like Haldol or clonazepam, which may assist to forestall choreic motions and may besides assist to command hallucinations, psychotic beliefs, and violent effusions. But we can non give antipsychotic drugs for musculus contraction associated with HD known as dystonia, and it can decline the status doing rigidness and stiffness. These drugs should be given in the lowest possible doses because it may do terrible side effects including sedation. Fluoxetine, Zoloft, Pamelor can utilize for depression. We can utilize tranquillizers to command anxiousness and Li to battle pathological exhilaration and terrible temper swings. Most of the drugs that we are utilizing treat the symptoms of HD have side effects such as restlessness, weariness or hyperexitability. Some times its really hard to state if a peculiar symptoms such as apathy or incontinency is a mark of the disease or reaction to the medicine CASE STUDYA 40 twelvemonth old adult male complaining of rapid arrhythmic nonvoluntary motion affecting the upper limbs and lower limbs seen by his doctor. The status started about 6 months ago and acquiring increasingly worse. He said that he was highly disquieted about his wellness because his male parent had developed similar symptoms 20 old ages ago and had died in a mental establishment. His married woman told the doctor that he besides suffered from utmost depression and that she had noticed that he had periods of crossness and unprompted behaviour. The doctor made the diagnosing of Huntington ‘s chorea.From the above treatment about the subject Huntington ‘s disease we understood that it ‘s a neurodegenerative familial upset. Peoples born with faulty cistron but the symptoms wo n't demo till the in-between age. Early symptoms of Huntington ‘s disease may include uncontrolled motions, awkwardness or balance job. Subsequently on patient will develop other symptoms like he will lose the ability to walk, get down or speak and some behavioural jobs and some clip he wo n't be able to acknowledge his household members. In this instance the patient is 40 twelvemonth old and he is kicking about nonvoluntary motions and behavioural jobs. And his male parent besides had the same thing. From this all information we can govern out that it ‘s Huntington ‘s disease. REFERANCE â€Å" www.wikkipedia.com † â€Å" www.medicinenet.com †

A review: les misérables

It has been three years since I saw Les Misà ©rables. It was an experience that I won’t likely forget too soon for, not only was it an incredible musical performance, it was also the first Broadway production I had ever seen.And a big production it was, too. Les Miserables has a mosaic of characters – police, prostitutes and pragmatic students – woven onto an automatically dramatic backdrop of tragic revolution in France where there is glory in death for a cause.It is unfortunate, however, that I do not remember all the main cast members. I do, however, have three of them, whose performances I really loved, still in mind—Jean Valjean, Javert, and my favorite, Ma-Anne Dionisio as Eponine. Her real name stuck to my memory just as her performance did. Though I was a little surprised at the casting of an Asian for Eponine’s role, I realized that her ethnicity wasn’t important—her voice was. She was a truly amazing singer.This was the firs t time that Les Miz came to the Fisher Theater, and though regrettably seated at the $50 seats (way up in the balcony even for that price), it was worth it. Les Miz is one of those shows that doesn’t need to be reinvented to be successful. It has been running so long that people knew what to expect, even me.I had heard of this musical many times before I actually got to see it, but just seeing the1800s costuming, the spinning sets, the shadowy lighting, were confirmation that all the accolades this show had gathered through the years were well-deserved. It was a production that spared no expense, and took no prisoners.To give a short summary of the play from Online-Literature, Les Misà ©rables is set in the Parisian underworld. The protagonist, Jean Valjean, was sentenced to prison for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread.After his release, Valjean planned to rob monseigneur Myriel, a saint-like bishop, but cancelled his plan. However, he forfeited his parole by committing a minor crime, and for this crime Valjean was haunted by the police inspector Javert. Valjean eventually reformed and went under the name of M. Madeleine—a successful businessman, benefactor and mayor of a northern town.But to save an innocent man, Valjean gave himself up and was imprisoned in Toulon. In the end, Valjean had to reveal his past. It was definitely a sad story; made sadder by the songs sung in lament through most of the musical. The performances were, to my untrained ears, absolutely amazing. I’m sure there were critics who noticed so and so’s voice not being up to par, but to me, they all played their roles to perfection. The actor/singer who played Jean Valjean carried a huge part of the play’s success.He was the main character. His first appearance on stage sent chills through me because here was the famous Valjean, finally. His song that lamented the yellow ticket (proclaimed his former-convict status) he had to carry around with him was moving.You felt his sadness and pain. Javert, on the other hand, conveyed his feelings of justice and self-righteousness to the audience with no problem. His posture told the whole story: He stood stiff and upright, never slouching, never flinching. His voice was superb as well. But, really, it was Eponine’s song â€Å"On My Own† that just pulled me in. What a glorious rendition it was! Here was a woman in love.The fact that it was unrequited love made you all the more sympathize to her plight and make you want to shake the guy whose love she craved. How could he not love her?What made these performances so much more effective were the gestures and costumes that they employed. Sure, costumes play a somewhat unimportant role in any production, but in this case, the audience is looking for authenticity, for a vision to lose himself or herself in because the viewer wants to imagine how it is to be in 19th century France.I thought that the costume design was exemplary. Of course, the moving sets do not let you completely slide out into another world, but the appropriate raggedness of some of the characters’ costumes were all too real. One even feels like the nearer one gets to the stage, the greater chance it would be to get a noxious whiff of Paris’s poor folk. The gestures were evocative. I remember thinking how it must be to act and sing at the same time.

An Intercultural Comparison of Family Trends

Overview of how the concept of family is changing with the demands of modern society. This essay will look at two specific areas related to family, the age at which it is considered appropriate to start a family and the role of parents and children within a typical family. Section 1 – The ideal age to start a family Comparison of what age it is considered appropriate to start a family. Analysis of findings – It seems to be more acceptable for a couple to live together for a long period of time out of marriage in Britain. The younger generation in modern society seem to require more time to find a stable career path or even to find their own identity and know what they want to get out of life. Section 2 – The role of parents and children within a family Comparison of family roles inside and outside of the household – In both cultures it seems that women are increasingly pursuing full-time careers and taking responsibility for earning money to support the family, meaning the father must take more responsibility at home and spend more time with the children. Parents in Britain seem to have less influence over their child's choice of university course and career. Analysis of findings – Strong Confucian family values vs post-enlightenment lack of values. Modern technology means children are able to find out about the world without relying completely on parental knowledge and experience. Conclusion Although this essay has only dealt with the issue superficially, it is clear that both the age at which it is considered appropriate to start a family and the roles of the parents and the children within a typical family differ across cultures. People around the world can gain new perspectives on family and help build healthy and fulfilling relationships through an intercultural exchange of ideas.

Peace in Mindanao

The peace process in Mindanao still needs a lot of work. The path to peace on the Bangsamoro sector. The establishment of compromising and reaching of the meeting of minds has been conducted. What I want to see is how this will all played out. It is one big step and a giant leaf to a very narrow treacherous process to surpass from but the president assures that it will be done or happen when our countrymen will be willing to help them in their quest for peace.The people itself will have to give justification on the stipulation and not only must the president himself will be the one to fight for peace but also the people itself that must be as well involve for this is their nation to bring about the prospering of peace in the land. We all do want peace. But there is no real peace. Then has always been conflict. What action can we take in the name of peace? Can both sides change the politics of anger and resentment into a policy of cooperation?The Filipino’s lack of discipline e ncompasses several related characteristics. We have a casual and relaxed attitude towards time and space which manifest itself into lack of precision and compulsiveness, in poor time management and in procrastination. We are impatient and unable to delay gratification or reward, resulting in the use of shortcuts, in skirting the rules (pasulot syndrome) and foolhardiness. We are guilty of ningas cogon, starting out projects with full vigor and interest which abruptly die down leaving things unfinished.Our lack of discipline often results in inefficient, wasteful work system, violation of rules leading to more serious transgression and a casual work ethic leading to carelessness and lack of follow-through. The path to peace is always a sensitive topic to obtain. In life there are no shortcuts and so we must be conscious not to show our weakness in character when we mean business. I just hope in this modernize world by while walking on the road with the right determination and enduran ce that it eventually lead to the right path and that is the path to peace.There is no need for haste because peace does not come out automatically, after all people do have safety precautions labeled on each one of us that trust does not easily be gain but you work for it. As the saying goes â€Å"hastes makes wastes†. Filipinos do have strength in characters as well. One of that is the pakikipagkapwa-tao where Filipinos are open to others and fell one with others. We regard others with dignity, respect and deal with them as fellow human beings.It is manifested in a basic sense of justice, fairness and concern for others. It is demonstrated in the ability to empathize with others, helpfulness and generosity in times of need (pakikiramaray), in the practice of bayanihan and the famous Filipino hospitality. Throughout human history, mankind has seemingly always been able to solve problems. So there is a possibility that this dilemma can be surpassing despite the obstacles that awaits it. Peace in Mindanao The peace process in Mindanao still needs a lot of work. The path to peace on the Bangsamoro sector. The establishment of compromising and reaching of the meeting of minds has been conducted. What I want to see is how this will all played out. It is one big step and a giant leaf to a very narrow treacherous process to surpass from but the president assures that it will be done or happen when our countrymen will be willing to help them in their quest for peace.The people itself will have to give justification on the stipulation and not only must the president himself will be the one to fight for peace but also the people itself that must be as well involve for this is their nation to bring about the prospering of peace in the land. We all do want peace. But there is no real peace. Then has always been conflict. What action can we take in the name of peace? Can both sides change the politics of anger and resentment into a policy of cooperation?The Filipino’s lack of discipline e ncompasses several related characteristics. We have a casual and relaxed attitude towards time and space which manifest itself into lack of precision and compulsiveness, in poor time management and in procrastination. We are impatient and unable to delay gratification or reward, resulting in the use of shortcuts, in skirting the rules (pasulot syndrome) and foolhardiness. We are guilty of ningas cogon, starting out projects with full vigor and interest which abruptly die down leaving things unfinished.Our lack of discipline often results in inefficient, wasteful work system, violation of rules leading to more serious transgression and a casual work ethic leading to carelessness and lack of follow-through. The path to peace is always a sensitive topic to obtain. In life there are no shortcuts and so we must be conscious not to show our weakness in character when we mean business. I just hope in this modernize world by while walking on the road with the right determination and enduran ce that it eventually lead to the right path and that is the path to peace.There is no need for haste because peace does not come out automatically, after all people do have safety precautions labeled on each one of us that trust does not easily be gain but you work for it. As the saying goes â€Å"hastes makes wastes†. Filipinos do have strength in characters as well. One of that is the pakikipagkapwa-tao where Filipinos are open to others and fell one with others. We regard others with dignity, respect and deal with them as fellow human beings.It is manifested in a basic sense of justice, fairness and concern for others. It is demonstrated in the ability to empathize with others, helpfulness and generosity in times of need (pakikiramaray), in the practice of bayanihan and the famous Filipino hospitality. Throughout human history, mankind has seemingly always been able to solve problems. So there is a possibility that this dilemma can be surpassing despite the obstacles that awaits it.

Vark Questionnaire Paper

VARK is a questionnaireâ€Å"VARK† is a questionnaire of about 16 questions that provides people with their preference of learning style. The learning styles that VARK offers can help people develop additional and effective strategies for learning and for making your communication skills better. The styles that this questionnaire determines are Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic, or you can be multimodal which means you have a multiple learning preference. In this paper I will summarize the results received after taking the questionnaire and the other learning styles.After taking the questionnaire it was learned that some individuals, such as this author are multimodal learners. What multimodal means is you have multiple preferences. Majority of the population fits into this category. The results after this author took the questionnaire showed a preference of a visual and kinesthetic learner. As visual learner VARK says that the learners want the whole picture therefore th ey are most likely holistic rather than reductionist in their approach. Visual learners prefer something because of the way it looks, the layout of it and the presentation catches their eye.When explaining something the learner/teacher is most likely to draw it out so they can visualize it. As a Kinesthetic learner VARK suggest that the learner uses all their senses; sight, touch, hearing, etc. Kinesthetic learners like hands on, trial and error. Relating things to real life experiences can help absorb the information. Using pictures can also help to remember the information. When taking notes kinesthetic learners should take notes that are relevant and concrete, reducing notes for every three pages to one page, and use color such as highlighting important information.Other learning styles that VARK include are Aural; meaning you would rather have things explained to. Information is better obtained when aural learners discuss is with others and hear it repeated instead of reading it from their notes. When aural learners teach or discuss something with others, they are practically teaching themselves because discussing it helps to better learn and retain it. The last learning style that VARK offers is read/write learning style. You prefer to write things down and receive handouts on new material.The library is a preferred area of study, and choice when gathering information on a topic. After completing the VARK questionnaire this author feels that the results were pretty accurate. She feels that she learns best when applying areas of study to real life experience and to personal experiences. She also finds herself writing many things down, high lighting, and drawing out things when trying to remember something. This author took another survey on another website to see what the preferred learning style showed.After completion it showed this author is a visual and tactile/kinesthetic learner, which matched the VARK results. In the future there are a few things th is author needs to work on to improve her study habits. Although this writer has in the past used the learning styles previously mentioned, she may have not been using them correctly. Why highlighting can help to pinpoint the main idea or important information, there is a thing as highlighting too much. This author needs to be able to determine what is pertinent and when something is not as important.In the past she has highlighted too much information, and perhaps has highlighted the same information twice. Also note taking so be minimized, and not writing everything down, which she has done in the past. In conclusion after taking the two different questionnaires they showed the same results. Both results revealed that this author is a visual learner as well as a tactile/kinesthetic learner. This author feels these results show how she has studied in the past. This author likes to try things out when learning new material and enjoys having people demonstrate what is being taught.Du ring nursing school this author learned best by the demonstrations in skills and clinical and then being able to perform the hands on task. These questionnaires are good guidelines to get a student headed in the right direction and to help them improve their study habits.ReferencesFleming, N. (n. d. ). a guide to learning styles. In VARK . Retrieved October 21, 2012, from http://www. vark-learn. com/english/page. asp? p=questionnaire Conner, M. (n. d. ). What is Your Learning Style?. In Marcia Conner Business Culture, Collaboration, and Learning.Retrieved October 21, 2012, from http://marciaconner. com/assess/learningstyle/ The VARK Questionnaire ResultsYour scores were:†¢Visual: 13†¢Aural: 1†¢Read/Write: 4†¢Kinesthetic: 13You can find more information about your learning preferences in our downloadable book: How Do I Learn Best? a student's guide to improved learning More Information†¦ You have a multimodal (VK) learning preference. Use the following helpsh eets for study strategies that apply to your learning preferences: multimodal visual kinesthetic.Personal Learning Profile Report The VARK questionnaire provides four scores and the various combinations of those scores are huge in number. You can order a report based on your specialized profile. Every attempt is made to personalize the report so that it addresses the meanings from your learning preferences in a unique way. You will receive a report personalised to your VARK scores, as a PDF file, immediately after purchasing. More Information Example Report Purchase

Human Rights or Technology? Essay

In today’s highly technological world everyone wants the latest and greatest gizmo on the market. Companies like Apple, want to make as much money as possible. With both Apple and society being held responsible for the outrageous working conditions in the factories in China workers can be treated more like people. In the article â€Å"In China, Human Costs are Built into an iPad,† Charles Duhigg and David Barboza argue that Apple and society are responsible for the repugnant conditions in China. In this article, the authors use facts, personal experience and a story about a worker from one of Apple’s factories, making the article more interesting and personal to the reader. Giving personal background brings you into the story. The article not only discusses the working conditions, but also discusses the living conditions. Without giving specific examples, Apple and society need to take a closer look and be held responsible for the horrendous conditions in China. In an essay written by Namit Arora, he discusses his own experience about his socioeconomic status. Arora writes that maybe it was not due to his hard work, but that he was in the right place at the right time. Arora describes different types of economic justice and makes the reader think about what we deserve. Do you deserve to have everything handed to you because you come from a rich family or should your hard and diligent work give you that reward; this is the very topic of Arora’s essay. The connection between the article written by Duhigg and Barboza with that of Arora is that of basic rights as a human being. If the rich are made richer in turn makes the poor become poorer. No matter what we do there really will never be a truly fair or just way to distribute an economy. There will always be those that fell their not being treated fairly even if everything is spoon fed to them, there just needs to be more balance to our current systems. Arora’s essay talks about those that are born with natural abilities from a moral standpoint is the same as those that have silver spoons in their mouths. Arora also discusses the â€Å"Difference Principle† which deals with this natural lottery. First off, Duhigg and Barboza discuss what we as consumers want. â€Å"Customers want amazing new electronics delivered every year.† (Duhigg and Barboza) This means the customers don’t care about how the products are made or who is hurt during the manufacturing process. During the course of the interviews Duhigg and Barboza conducted, a former worker told them that Apple did not care about anything except making more products and lowering costs to make those items. People who buy these products are blinded by the technology bug. If consumers did not want the latest and greatest phones or other electronic devices, there would not be as high of a need to for Apple to find the cheapest suppliers. Working conditions are not the only issues for the workers in these factories. The living conditions in China are horrific-there are more people living in their apartments then is safe by any standard. There were numerous people committing suicide due to the conditions at the factories. Apple is one of the most sought after brands. So if Apple were to make some changes it could make significant strides at reducing the working and living issues in China. If society were to inquire about how the workers are being treated this could also lead to changes being made in favor of the employees. Apple would be more likely to actually take action correct these substandard conditions, since no company wants their dirty laundry to be aired outside the company. Second, as discussed by Duhigg and Barboza, Apple is trying to make things better, but people would still be disgusted with what was seen. Duhigg and Barboza write that these devices are produced in substandard labor conditions, which is according to workers, worker advocates and reports published by companies themselves. There are underage workers and in many cases earn little to no money at all. In today’s society we need to take a round turn and prevent these children and other workers not get used and abused. Although Apple says it is trying to make things better there has been former workers say â€Å"finding new suppliers is time-consuming and costly,† Duhigg and Barboza report. Since Apple is an American based company the standards of the United States should be imposed on not just Apple, but any company that try to exploit these lower standards of other countries. As with society, we need to stop thinking of the things we want, but how and who is affected by making these products. If a company knows about issues but does nothing to correct those issues before someone were to get hurt they are just as responsible if not more responsible because something could have been done to prevent those injuries. â€Å"Apple had been alerted to hazardous conditions inside the Chengdu plan.† (Duhigg and Barboza) This shows that Apple is aware of conditions at their supplier but are taking no actions because as long as Apple gets its products the injuries of workers are none of their concern. Apple workers need to not only have better working conditions but also have better living conditions. This is not due to the fact that Apple has the money to pay their workers more; it’s actually due to the fact that the workers are human beings and should be compensated better. As well as having living conditions that are safer and healthier. The opportunity costs in China are significantly lower in China. The workers in China are willing to earn pennies on the dollar. From Apple’s standpoint it just makes sense to have their factory in China, instead of the United States. Apple has become one of the largest companies in their field due to these countries with lower standards. Even though Apple may make it seem like these conditions are not approved of, they would not be the electronic power house they are today. Arora discusses people may lack opportunity due to their lower or social economic status. In China the lack of opportunity does not play as much as it does in the U.S., since a company in China hires workers of almost any age. The downfall for those workers is getting treated as less than a human being as more like part of a machine. This is just morally wrong, for Apple to just turn a blind eye to these conditions. If Apple really cared these conditions could be better. The conditions may not be up to the standards of the U.S. but these people could actually be treated like a person. Due to the lower economy of China and the low opportunity cost, these two go hand-in-hand. Apple is taking all the risk and should be compensated for their risks. Even if we try to uphold higher standards there really is not much which can be done. No matter how much we try there will always be a country that has lower standards and cheaper workers; companies will just go to those places which makes profits the highest. To conclude, society as a whole needs to change our mind set from not caring how we get our products towards caring about how the products we buy are produced. As far as Apple goes, Apple needs to be held responsible not only for how the products are produced, but also how the workers making their products are being treated. Works Cited Arora, Namit â€Å"What Do We Deserve?† Emerging Contemporary Readings for Writers Composition Subjects Ed. Barclay Barrios. Bedford/St. Martins, 2010, 87-91. Book. Duhigg, Charles, and Barboza, David â€Å"In China, Human Costs are Built Into an iPad† The New York Times, 25 Jan. 2012. Editorial.

Organisations and behaviour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organisations and behaviour - Assignment Example The production efficiency methodology explains the method that breaks every action or small tasks into very simpler forms which can be evaluated easily and can be taught. The four principles of the theory are: 1) maximize individual skill and minimize job learning period, 2) design work, matching it to the workers, 3) monitor the performance of the worker and ensure that they are using the right method of working, 4) replace the thumb rule and in that place use the scientific method of work study (Sapru, 2013). Hawk Car Company initially adopted the Taylor method which brought them a lot of problems which are follows: The theory gave importance to productivity and profitability as a result there aroused exploitation of employees in the company. Taylor emphasized on the functional foremanship which says that one employee has to report to a number of managers and thus it loosens the unity of command which can create chaos and confusion in the organization. The employees at Hawk Car com pany suffered from the same problem The method elaborated by Taylor is mechanical in nature and it laid emphasis on efficiency of the work generated. He failed to take in to account the human element and considered workers as robots. Thus, Hawk Car Company assembly managers failed to understand the difficulties that are faced by the employees but concentrated on the efficiency of the work produced by the workers. ... This explains that the person who is at the top of the pyramid is the person to whom every person in the organization has to report (Nelson and Campbell, 2008). In case of Hawk Car Company, it used a hierarchical organizational structure where the workers on assembly line have no authority to give any suggestion to the design and running of the production line. The chain of command of the production department was such that the effectiveness of operation rested on how the people performed at each level and how they report to their assembly line managers. The scope of biasness may arise and the managers who are not open to feedback from employees create further communication gaps. As a result the workers in the Hawk Car Company lost interest in their work and were highly dissatisfied. The number of absenteeism increased as a result the production was affected. The hierarchical organizational structure can create too much distance between the leaders of the organization and the employe es. When there is too much authority in one hand, power dominates. As a result the employees feel low to work efficiently in the organization as their work is not valued by the management. The employees at the Hawk Car Company faced the same situation. The decision making process in this structure is directed from the top level as a result the employees have little say about the work they are assigned. They are not given the opportunity to express their own idea and process of doing a work. As a result they became less involved with the work they are doing. The employees of Hawk Car Company had no right to make any changes to the work process even if it is needed. Working in an assembly line is very difficult for the employees as it

US minority Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

US minority Politics - Essay Example This term usually gets used negatively and gets associated with race based prejudice, discrimination, violence or oppression (Bonilla 63). US politics gets affected by the way citizens have continued to view themselves racially through the years. This in turn affects them socially, economically, and, culturally. Racial theories Racism began way back in the 19th century when many scientists began to believe that human populations got divided into separate races. At this time, the idea of racism had fully matured (Spielberger 59). They used this to justify the belief that some races were less than others and deserved to get differential treatment. This theory got termed as the scientific racism. Scientific racism is a technique or hypotheses used to classify individuals into different phenotypes into discrete races or ethnicities. There is also proof that in the 18th century race existed. It became invented to magnify the differences between people during the American slavery (Egelman 46). They used this to get Africans to function as slaves. Authority at this time got based on reason rather than superstition or religion. The scientific racism got further supported by a German professor who created a science called craniology. This tried to use shape and dimensions of human skulls to measure intelligent ratios. He came up with the conclusion that the shape of the human skull limited his capacity for intelligence. He then placed the European at the top of all the civilized beings (Balogh 105). Another theory of racism is institutional racism. This is the treating certain groups preferentially or withholding benefits to certain groups based on racial characteristics gets institutionalized. It takes into account the belief that humans get divided into separate biological entities called races (Karim and Solomos 78). This causes people to think that inherited physical traits, traits of personality, morality, intellect, and other cultural behavioral features are linke d. Institutional racism gets displayed in nation states that become grounded in the racist ideology. This played a crucial role in colonialist times. It also came into picture in the fascist and Nazi regimes in Europe. The Marxist theory is the most common theory of racism. Racism directed towards African Americans, and other people of color has been the key and continuing feature of the U.S society. Its forms have changed from the obvious maltreatment to indirect inequalities. It is this sector of people that experience the highest rates of life expectancies, infant mortality rates, unemployment, poverty rates and stereotypes in the mass media. This outlines the Marxist theory that states that racism serves the interests of capitalist or employer class. This gets done by dividing black and white workers reducing their potential unity thus bargaining power (Egelman 120). The fact that the colored people in society suffer most injustices of life clearly shows that the Marxist class s ystem still carries through. Much of the social analysis that focuses on the inequalities and injustices in the U.S society has become influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx. There are jobs which get reserved for the whites who control production, capital and continually try to increase their profits. There are also psychological theories, which argue that, racism is a form of prejudice on the extreme. Psychologists also argue that it is an expression of the psychological process

Legal Aspects of Nursing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Legal Aspects of Nursing - Case Study Example An accurate record is the only proof a nurse may give in the event of a lawsuit against him or her. The nurses’ testimonies at trial would have a great influence on the case as they serve as further evidence of negligence and malpractice on their part. In my opinion, the other nurses made the situation turn from bad to worse with their own revelations of how they often â€Å"could not remember exactly† the prescribed medication and dosages. This is also coupled with the fact that the nurses also deviated from the doctors’ instruction by deviating from IM injections and preferring to administer medication through intravenous drips. This new revelations could lead to further lawsuits on the rest of the nursing staff that had given the aforementioned testimonies. The court and the relevant State Board of Nursing should investigate on the possible root causes for the widespread malpractice and negligence by its nursing staff. The court should also give a court order to authorize the police to carry out drug tests on the indicted nurse so as to accurately determine if she after all had been diverting the narcotics for personal use. The outcome of this medical exam may be used by the nurse to sue the institution if she the results back up her testimony. The affected health facilities should also formulate new policies and guidelines to ensure that similar cases do not happen again. These policies should also be designed in a manner that patient safety is given paramount importance. The health record is a legal document itself and based on the evidence available there are discrepancies between the handwritten record and the computerized medicine cabinet thus suggesting existence of negligence. On the other hand the hospital on its part has failed to provide sufficient and clear cut policies to support and protect its nursing staff. The healthcare facility is legally liable for some of the nurses’ malpractices. The

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) - Essay Example Quality control is a process that is employed in order to ensure a required level of fineness and quality in a product or service delivered by a company. Quality assurance, on the other hand, is a process in which products are checked in order to know whether those products will be able to meet customers’ expectations or not. Along with quality assurance and quality control, companies also adhere to the key principles of total quality management, such as, quality oriented management, customer focus approach, and continuous improvement in order to guarantee the development of superior quality products. In recent years, many scholars have researched the role of quality management systems in the success of businesses. There has been a great concern about the use of different quality frameworks and this concern has led many researchers to study the role of those frameworks in ensuring the provision of highest quality to customers. Some key quality frameworks, such as, Six Sigma framework, BEM framework, and ISO 9000: 2001 framework play a vital role in the manufacturing of high quality products. In this paper, we will discuss the role of total quality management in the success of a company or organization. We will examine the way total quality management helps a company improve its performance in market and increase customer base. The paper will include a discussion about the key principles of total quality management, as well as a discuss on quality assurance and quality control. Moreover, the paper will also include a review about the key developments in the evolution of quality and the role of strategic quality frameworks and quality improvement tools and techniques in improved organizational performance and productivity. Quality is the key to organizational success. It refers to the delivery of high quality products to satisfy customers, as well as to improve business performance.

Winston Graham and Daly Car Sales Ltd Law Contract Essay

Winston Graham and Daly Car Sales Ltd Law Contract - Essay Example In order to explain these, one is required to ask himself a question. How is the incorporation of terms done in a contract? At a first glance, the question might look unqualified since one would expect the terms to be included in the contract explicitly. In regard to Express Terms, they are those terms, which have been stipulated and agreed by the parties at the instance of making the contract. Express terms could be expressed in writing or orally. On the other hand, implied terms are usually not mentioned when entering into a contract but nonetheless, they are included in the contract. Often, this is due to the fact that there is no commercial sense in regard to the contract if the term is not incorporated. According to the Sale of Goods act, the key provision, which the seller of the light truck has breached are; section 14 of the statue that states that goods ought to be of satisfactory quality. As such, it is a must that they meet the standards a person, who is reasonable, would consider satisfactory. Moreover, if the buyer makes a clear specification that he is buying for a stipulated purpose, then the underlying implied term is that the purpose of the goods then must be fit. This therefore, introduces the first legal issue, which is breach of the contract. However, this issue will be discussed among the legal issues imminent in the case.Consumer goods are read as any item, which is movable and movable but with the exception of; goods sold engaging execution way of selling or otherwise sold. due to authority of law and gas as well as water whereby, they have neither been put up for sale in a quantity, which has been set nor in a limited volume. Still, consumer goods exclude electricity. Selling of consumer goods must be in such a way that they are in conformity with the sale contract. As such, as with this case, they are regarded as in conformity with the contract of sale if the goods are fit for the intended purpose in regard to the use of the same type o f goods (Borchel 2005). Furthermore, they conform to the sale contract if they are fit for a specified purpose required by the consumer and for which the buyer has explicitly informed the seller about at the time the contract is being concluded and at the time the seller accepts the contract. Moreover, they are said to conform with the contract of sale if their quality and performance are indeed satisfactory. This is if at all the nature of the

Exemplification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Exemplification - Essay Example The court’s decision to exempt a student wearing a nose stud, stating the effective day to day running of the school would not affected (Lenta, par. 1). The government’s concern in implementing anti-discrimination laws devoid of immunity seems far stronger. A declaration for release from anti-discrimination laws looks in one respect more directly to look like the claim in Christian Education in South Africa versus The Ministry of Justice. In Christian education, the right of a learner not to undergo physical punishment at the hands of teachers was held to assist the wish of religious teachers to impose physical punishment in agreement with their spiritual convictions. The rationale behind the law banning unjust discrimination aims to guard all peoples’ right to equality, a basic right. In cases where religious groupings take on work-related discrimination on grounds banned to profitable enterprises draw little antagonism. In South Africa, anti-discrimination law forbids work-related discrimination on forbidden grounds, for example, sexual orientation, gender, race, and religion (Lenta, par. 2). However, in at least one circumstance churches should be allowed to discriminate. They should be permitted to apply religious standards in the selection of entrants for appointment to sacerdotal office. Nevertheless, the right of churches to keep on work-related prejudice on barred grounds does not stop there. Many are apologetic for the keeping out of women from the Catholic priesthood. People who have given consideration to the issue concur that anti-discrimination laws should not be summoned to stop this gender bias. This is because anti-discrimination laws should not be applied to stop such bias. Religious groups have a right to control their own dealings in accordance with the beliefs of members via their churches. Thus, freedom of religion as well as associational independence stresses as much (Lenta, par.

Agriculture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Agriculture - Essay Example I also ate kales, carrots and potatoes for lunch. Supper comprised of rice and beef. On the second day, I ate oat porridge and eggs for breakfast, chicken and soybeans for lunch. Supper included potatoes, pumpkin and beef. For both days, I ate bananas, grapes and apples and drank orange juice in between meals. The source of the foods included groceries and stores. Kales, carrots, potatoes, apples and oranges were purchased from groceries while bread, chicken, rice, soybeans, oats and, beef, milk, pumpkin and eggs were purchased from stores. My experience with the assignment is that I got the opportunity to know the various kinds of foods that are grown and processed in the United States. The assignment also gave me a deeper understanding of natural foods and processed food. I further got to discover that there are many foods on the market that have additives and which pose a threat to people’s health. In general, my experience was explorative. In terms of shopping, I managed to shop differently. I was keen on checking the state of the food and the ingredients that had been used in processing. I read more labels with the aim of comparing the ingredients in similar foods from different processing companies. I was also keen on establishing the kind of additives that had been used for instance for preservation and flavoring purposes. At the sores, I asked more questions. For example, I asked about how the foods were transported from their source to the groceries and stores. I also asked what the storekeepers and gro cery owners did to ensure food remained fresh and in good shape. I further inquired whether other consumers were concerned about where the food they purchased came from. During the process, I managed to change my definition of ‘local’ to include additives. The new definition, therefore, became foods that are grown within the Unites States of America and which contain additives that are locally manufactured.

The Rainy Side of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Rainy Side of Life - Essay Example He is a man defined by the public. In a world where others assign your identity, the challenge is to define yourself ways that surpasses people's version of you, rise above their expectations. Can an individual discard the identity conferred by the public and replace it with his own, a new identity that reveals the real human being inside It is possible for a person to mark his own identity provided the circumstances and opportunities arise and the manner of reaching his goal is done right. This is the challenge facing Nicholas Cage's character David Spritz in the movie. Spritz is a weather announcer for a Chicago TV channel. Outwardly successful with a large annual salary, his job requires no real skill other than reading off a teleprompter the information supplied by meteorologists and point at a blue screen. As he himself says, "I receive a large reward for pretty much zero effort and contribution." He acknowledges the fact that his job demands very little of him and is thus unfulfilling, yet he retains the guilt for the handsome salary he earns for doing almost nothing. He can almost understand why he's attacked with restaurant food. He's quite adept with his job and is on the verge of taking a position on "Hello America" in New York a job that pays five times his present pay. Though he's on the cusp of a life changing event, inwardly however he feels his personal life coming apart at the seams. His father, Robert has a health issue to deal with. Robert is a Pulitzer prize winning writer and the only person Dave relates to but curiously feels intimidated about being the son of a high status celebrity. Then there are David's own children who are themselves troubled souls. Whereas David doesn't expect them to understand his problems, he is very conscious of theirs and attempts to solve them, often appearing to be conscientious, to show that he cares, but in doing so exaggerates unnecessarily in situations that only require patient understanding. Dave's ex-wife is another family member he tries to reconcile with, but his wall of defensive anxieties is high and hard to break down. In his quest for self identity, David tries to assert himself as more than just an announcer of good or bad weather while trying to live up to expectations - some defined unclearly by himself, others by those around him. His attempts to find a balance between his responsibilities to his father, children, ex-wife and his career cause him great concern. Other social pressures also exist. He realizes his public image is not the greatest. At one point he says, "Did anyone ever throw a pie at Thomas Jefferson Or Buzz Aldrin I doubt it. But this is like the ninth time I got," he pauses then says "Clowns get hit with pies." This insight about public perception of him weighs heavily on his mind. It's an image he'd rather lose and re-invent himself as someone accepted and adored by all. This need to meet expectations of those around is part and parcel of everyday life, yet it is a necessary emotional process to assure people that they mean something to us and we to them. To belong to a larger group in society is a trait almost every human possesses in varying degrees and in David Spritz we see ourselves as many share his qualms and insecurities. Spritz feels too trapped with the negatives that his job entails

Natural Hazards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Natural Hazards - Essay Example This discussion highlights that the importance of this earthquake is that it caused severe disaster, leading to the death of thousands of people and damaging most of the buildings in the country. The implication or the consequence of this event is that many of the people became homeless. Several Pagodas which were considered as the symbol of the World Heritage site were destroyed. Several temples were demolished due to the earthquake. The steps or the initiative taken by the government in order to mitigate the damages are the government established a national reconstruction fund by allocating an amount of $ 200 million. But the government aimed to increase the fund to $ 2 billion.This paper stresses that the town was covered with a cloud of ash and smoke. Calbuco is considered as the most active volcano that erupted many times before. But the eruption that occurred in the present year is considered to be much more devastating as compared to the volcanic eruption that occurred in the previous years. The smoke that was generated was harmful for the society as a whole since it polluted the environment. The importance of this volcanic eruption was it occurred for 3 times within 8 days. It caused panic among the people staying nearby. The implication or the consequence of this volcanic eruption is that it increased chaos among the people in that region and also increased traffic jams causing barrier and difficulty for the people going to the supermarkets.

The Risks That UK Coal, an FTSE Listed Company, Can Potentially Face Case Study

The Risks That UK Coal, an FTSE Listed Company, Can Potentially Face In Undertaking Cross-Border Merger and Acquisition (M&A) Activity - Case Study Example The researcher states that cross-border mergers and acquisitions are complex undertakings packaged with risks and rewards. When two organizations with different internal controls, management styles, corporate cultures and processes attempt to integrate, the business risk increases substantially. Before embarking on M&A journey, it is imperative that all risk factors are considered prior to injecting capital in the host country. UK Coal needs to conduct due diligence so as to ensure that M&A activity fits its long-term strategic objectives. Due diligence identifies, confirms or disputes the business reasons for proposed merger or acquisition transactions. Due diligence demands a thorough data analysis of assets and liabilities, particularly large balance sheet items such as accounts receivable, inventory, and accounts payable to establish fair market value. It is imperative that a fair value for the business is accurately established so that a reasonable price is paid for the target a ssets. A careful analysis of the target company's financial statements avoids incidents of overpaying and mismanaging shareholders' expectations. Differences in corporate culture, business practices, and institutional layouts can hinder firms from fully realizing their potential. According to a KPMG study, 83 percent of all M&As failed to economically benefit the shareholders and over 50 percent actually destroyed value. A research was conducted involving over 100 senior managers to determine the reason behind this failure which turned out to be the cultural differences. In pursuing a cross-border M&A, it is vital for an organization to assess the political situation prevailing in the target country. This assessment will not only uncover any potential political risks but also prepare the host company to face them and find appropriate solutions for them. Another potential barrier to a successful M&A activity is lack of knowledge about the target company. Knowledge about the company l eads to a successful post-merger integration. Â  Another factor that should be taken into account is the effects of trade impediments on cross-border M&A. Academic studies have found that on an aggregate basis, trade costs affect merger activity negatively, though the effect is less pronounced for horizontal mergers, i.e. mergers between firms within the same industry. UK Coal needs to ensure that its target company is one which will lead not only to economical but also intercultural synergies between the two companies. To identify an appropriate acquisition target, aforementioned due diligence should be adequately employed. Moreover, UK Coal needs cognizance in matters relating to exchange rates, local accounting standards, foreign government potential trade regulations, etc. UK Coal should have information regarding its local competitors in the host country and their respective market positions. This will lead to reasonable projections and estimates for the business. Expectations of UK Coal from this activity should be realistic and in parity with the overall strategy formulated at the design stage. Regulatory aspects also need attention to avoid any legal risks. Competent professionals (lawyers, accountants) must be hired to provide financial and legal opinions regarding the merger or acquisition transaction.

Health Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health - Term Paper Example The Dermatology department of our hospital handles patients with skin problems like dermatitis, pediculosis, scabies, fungal infections, vulgaris and psoriasis including attending to individuals seeking reconstructions of some part of their body for aesthetic purposes. Recently, our most common diseases were melanoma of the skin. Our physician handles this type of skin problem by requesting for a biopsy and histological examination through our laboratory facility. Apart from this, plastic surgery and debridement as a result of burn is also done in our department where physicians may perform homograft, xenograft or isograft. However, patients have to undergo sensitivity test, allergy test and direct examination. Because of the presence of other cases of basal and squamous cell carcinomas, keratosis, Bowen’s diseases and dysplastic nevi, our laboratory also offers other services like electro surgery in the form of curettage and electrodessication, electro coagulation, cryosurger y and MOH’s surgery. With the psychological impact of melanoma surgery, patients are referred to our counseling specialty team to handle the psychosocial aspect of the illness. Cases of all types of cancer are handled in our Oncology department. With the great number of smokers, it is not surprising to have bronchogenic carcinoma as the most prominent case. However, liver, breast cancer, cervical cancers are also trailing behind. Bronchogenic carcinoma is being worked up by assessing first the physical symptoms to include dyspnea, dysphagia, cyanosis and hemoptysis by the physician. If there are suspicious findings, patients are advised to undergo radiological studies like chest x-ray, bronchography, angiography, brochoscopic and cytotoxic examination offered in our laboratory facility to confirm diagnosis (Billings & Stokes, 1987). Since the goal of therapy is to remove the cancerous area, the patient is referred to our surgery special team who will perform the operation nee ded. Service of our special team is also extended to other patients diagnosed of ulcers, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, myomas and the like. Our gastroenterology department is responsible for patients with gastrointestinal diseases in which ulcerative colitis is the most attended case followed with Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, hemorrhoid and peptic ulcer. Ileostomy or proctocolectomy is the approach our physician employs for ulcerative colitis because it does not respond to medical therapy. Problems after surgery includes health maintenance thus our patient are directed to our nutrition special team who focuses on providing diet high in protein and calories to assure healing and growth. Other services offered by our specialty team includes prevention and management of fluid excess and deficits like those experienced by patients with nephritis, dehydration, diarrhea and burns. To have a more effective management, our laboratory facility work with them by providing baseline data on the patient’s BUN, electrolytes and HCT. Although our laboratory has a limited capacity, our x-ray machine was able to reveal changes of fluid status in one of the outpatient who happens to come for a chest x-ray procedure. Patients who present signs and symptoms of lung problems are brought to our pulmonary department. Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is notably on top of the list in this area

Professional Needs To Develop a Good Carrier Opportunity Essay

Professional Needs To Develop a Good Carrier Opportunity - Essay Example The researcher states that since employment becomes a mode of living for an individual hence he would be discussing the employability that acts as a vital tool for his personal and professional development. The communication and interpersonal skills are essential for an individual to survive in an organization and this would help me to develop further skills like the leadership skills and experience in dealing with challenges. The researcher would gain relevant experience regarding the strategies to be undertaken in order to face the challenges that come across the professional carrier of an individual. With his development skills, the author would be able to deliver well for the welfare of the organization. Since skill development is an important issue for being a part of the organization the author feel that through this he would be able to enhance his job performance. However, according to the author the majority of the skills are developed during the on-job activities as well as action learning. The on job experiences include developing skills related to managing a project, job shadowing and taking up a new responsibility. The researcher can develop his leadership abilities by taking up the responsibility of the manager and he can interact with his team members regarding the projects assigned to them. Further taking up new responsibilities would enhance his problem-solving skills. According to the author, it is the duty of the managers to understand the requirements of the clients and communicate the business requirements to the team members. The researcher can also deliver training as a team leader that would improve his leadership skills and abilities. The organizational culture also plays a key role in improving the level of performance of the organization in the international market. Adjusting to the new work culture would be challenging for the author as it will take time to understand the needs of the organization as well as the ability of the team me mbers.

Nuclear Power Essay Example for Free

Nuclear Power Essay Since the beginning of civilization, man has always persuaded development with a lot of vigor and determination. In his pursuit he created of the most sophisticated technologies for quenching his thirst for science and invention. Out of all the technologies that have been invented, one technology stands apart from all, due to its excessively diverse nature in terms of advantage and disadvantages. This technology is ‘nuclear technology’, which very few elite nations of the world has acquired and has put it to use for construction as well as destruction purposes. Being a nuclear power today is a huge responsibility for the country and how the technology is put to use is one of the decisive factors for the making and breaking of that country. The history of the nuclear technology is as fascinating as the technology itself. The journey of nuclear technology started in 1895 when Wilhelm Rontgen passed electric current though a relinquished glass tube and discovered the concept of ionizing radiation. After a year in 1896 Henri Becquerel made an amendable discovery of photographic plates darkening due to radiation in the form of beta and alpha particles. The third form of radiation in terms of gamma rays was discovered by Villard and concluded that it wasn’t similar to the x-rays. By the same year Piere Curie and Marie curie gave birth to the term radioactivity and made the phenomenon more understood than it was ever before. The major breakthrough however came in 1902 by Ernest Rutherford who displayed the world the spontaneous emission of particles creating a different element. This technology got a better understanding in the 1940’s by Niel Bohr The fission part of the nuclear power came into action by the discoveries of Hahn and Strassman and their breakthrough made the confirmation of a huge amount of energy being released along with the release of neutrons which eventually caused fission in the nucleus of uranium and held a chain reaction which was the reason behind the abrupt release of large energy. This also led to the research of uranium enrichment and in the crucial year of 1939 professor Peirls made calculations and studies which became major research material for the making of atomic bomb. Theories also started coming for nuclear fusion, which could be used as energy source for civilian needs. The Manhattan project was mainly used for making use of the technology for making a powerful destructive weapon, some part of it was also used in making technology for peaceful civilian use. After the destruction of the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki, America engaged in more peaceful integration of the technology in the 1960s. The following will explain the fact of America’s interest in civil nuclear power and the risk assessment done later on: ‘The nuclear power industry grew rapidly in the 1960s. Utility companies saw this new form of electricity production as economical, environmentally clean, and safe. In the 1970s and 1980s concerns grew on reactor safety, waste disposal, and environmental considerations’ (Courtesy: U. S. Department of Energy, â€Å"The History of Nuclear Energy†. Page 8. Retrieved on December 8, 2008 from http://www. nuclear. gov/pdfFiles/History. pdf. ) The concept of nuclear energy or for that matter nuclear power works on the simple conversions based from mass to energy which occurs to the split or joining of atoms which are larger or smaller than iron. The entire technology is drawn into two systems of fusion and fission. The former is the procedure of the combination of two relatively small atoms to make a heavy atom. The transitional reaction between them causes a lot of energy. The technology of fission is however different and is rather the exact opposite of fusion, where a large atom is split to have tow small atoms. The large atom normally is used is Uranium. This technology is what is used to run for civilian nuclear sites especially in the generation of electricity. The importance of using the nuclear power for energy perspective came after the usage of atomic bombs in the Second World War. The US navy decided to experiment on this technology and started using submarines which were nuclear powered to examine the amount of energy consumed over a larger period of time. On observation of their maiden experiment, it was seen that these high powered submarines could run well over a year without refueling to the nuclear technology. This was a pioneer in bringing the technology to use for sufficing civilian requisites. Being a nuclear power in the world has a lot of advantages; firstly the usage of this technology greatly helps in the reduction of carbon emission which has been generated by power generating industries. The main reason behind is that nuclear technology is the perfect answer to the world’s problem of depletion of fossil fuels as the rates of crude oil have been fluctuating to very high levels. Once there will acute shortage of fossil fuel, there can be a chaos in the world which can be well controlled by significant increase of nuclear reactors that would produce a high amount of power that could well suffice the needs of the world. At present it is estimated that there are approximately 440 nuclear reactors operating a little over 34 countries and are producing and sufficing electricity needs for sixteen percent of this world. There are many pros related with the nuclear power but unfortunately there is a lot of negative sentiment that is associated with it as it s first arrival or introduction to the world was with the destruction of the two Japanese cities in the second world war. The very first myth of the nuclear power is that it’s environmental unfriendly and when compared to fossil fuels wit is much cleaner than doesn’t destroy the atmosphere the way the burning of coal and other fossil fuels have done in the last few centuries. Developed countries like the United States of America consume allot of energy than poorer nations and have a huge appetite for power for its citizens. To suffice this need large amount of fossil fuels are burnt which produces huge amount of greenhouse gases are send into the atmosphere which in turn are causing more and more global warming. This in turn is causing the climates to go awry and create havocs in terms of hurricanes to tsunamis. Nuclear energy is considered harmful by skeptics but they do not realize that nuclear power if used wisely can generate a lot of electricity and can suffice a lot of power requirements for the population in the world without disturbing the atmosphere or for that matter without engaging more of global warming. The growth of the country depends on the economy and with the price rising due to oil depletion; inflation tends to creep in bringing the country in massive recession and other economic regressions. Nuclear power is the most perfect solution for this, as firstly the major advantage which lies with the technology when compared to technologies like wind energy or solar energy is that major research has already been done in this technology and the world is already using a lot of nuclear reactors for power consumption. The only thing that is required right now is to increase these reactors so that immediate effect can be caste on global warming. To invest now heavily on other alternatives of energy would induce more global warming as by the time newer environmental caring energies are launched it might become too late for the world due to massive rushes of green houses gases which would be emitted by large scale industries. The following will shed more light on the point of nuclear power being a better source of energy than fossil fuels: ‘Compared to coal and hydroelectric dams, nuclear power is the safest and cleanest way, from an environmental standpoint, to produce electricity. And uranium is more abundant than fossil fuels. France uses nuclear power to generate 77 percent of its electricity’ (Courtesy: Donald W. Miller, Jr. , MD, â€Å"Advantages of Nuclear Power†. April 14, 2004. Retrieved on December 8, 2008 from http://www. lewrockwell. com/miller/miller13. html) The nuclear energy is going to a major potent when source of energy to save the world from the wrath of highly populated and energy demanding nations of Indian and China. For the same reason the Indo-US nuclear co-operation deal is considered a landmark for Asia, it is going to boost India’s ever growing needs of power by nuclear reactors churning out high amount of electricity. What is important for nations who have this technology is to enhance research on them and make the best usage of the abundant uranium available in the world. Growing cities of Mumbai and developed cities like Beijing are high on power demands. The adverse effect can be seen when India is having load shedding as a solution to solve the shortage of electricity problems. When the country starts using more and more nuclear technology for the generation of power the need for 12 hour power cuts won’t be necessary and the country can hope to develop more in a rapid pace than what is doing now. The following will give more evidence on the fact that nuclear powers are the need of the hour and they are a whopping success in countries that are extensively using it: ‘Nuclear power is environmentally attractive and has been recognized in many countries. For success standardization is essential as have been shown of France and other countries including Sweden and Japan. These countries have had success with nuclear power’. (Courtesy: Behram Kursunoglu, Stephan L. Mintz, Arnold Perlmutter, â€Å"The Challenges to Nuclear Power in the Twenty-first Century†. Page 17. 2000. Retrieved on December 8, 2008. Published by Springer) Nuclear energy is however bad named and rather infamous for its usage in the war and more and more nations arming up or keeping them in their arsenals for using them against each other, but the fact of the matter is if this technology is used with a lot of peace and for development, it can very well over ride the consumption of coal and become a major benefactor of producing electricity in short time. There are cons related to this form of energy however, and the biggest disadvantage of this form of energy is the basic mindset of man itself. As man has a huge tendency of self destruction and any technology that is given to him is first thought through a process of being used in defense rather than being used in the development of man kind. Nuclear energy has been witnessed as a lethal weapon for war and this has prompted many nations to start research on the lines of first having this technology for the usage of making more atomic bombs that can be used for destruction of enemy nations. Today nations whoa re anti U. S such as Iran are trying to get this technology not for its civil development purposes but for using it as an arsenal in their defense armory. Any such move would have catastrophic effects on the world and today if this technology is misused, it would be great fate if only one third of the world could survive. Today terrorism is at rise and all developed and developing nations are facing the wrath of these terrorists. The biggest disadvantage of having a civilian nuclear reactor can come in to picture when a deadly terrorist strike is done on these sites. The following will vindicate the point of these sites becoming targets of fanatics; ‘Nuclear power plants as well as nuclear waste could be preferred targets for terrorist attacks. No atomic energy plant in the world could withstand an attack similar to 9/11 in Yew York. Such a terrorist act would have catastrophic effects for the whole world’ (Courtesy: Pros and cons of nuclear power. Retrieved on December 8, 2008 from http://timeforchange. org/pros-and-cons-of-nuclear-power-and-sustainability) No amount of damage control can be done if such a situation arises, as it would be more of having a small nuclear blast in that region which would not only affect the population in terms of human, but also it would have adverse effects on animals and natural habitat and might even destroy the entire region with no chance of redemption for a very long time to come. Another disadvantage of having nuclear power is the accidents that can take place and can bring the entire environment to risk. There have been evidences documented which brought disaster and laid out the beans of having a catastrophe much higher in regard to it. The following will explain and back the point of nuclear sites having accidents due to human error which bring every living creature in that region to grave risks: ‘Three Mile Island (USA 1979) where the reactor was severely damaged but radiation was contained and Chernobyl (Ukraine 1986) where the destruction of the reactor by explosion killed 31 people and had significant health and environmental consequences’. (Courtesy: World Nuclear association, â€Å"Safety of nuclear power reactors†. June 2008. Retrieved on December 8, 2008 from http://www. world-nuclear. org/info/inf06. html) Though this form of technology doesn’t harm the world by global warming, the disposal of nuclear waste from nuclear sites is one nagging issue that has troubled the world over. Nuclear waste can also be used for the making of nuclear weapons, so countries can actually cheat the world for having nuclear power on civilian lines and might use its waste for the creation of more and more destructive nuclear weapons. If the nuclear waste is not used as weapons then the disposing part becomes a problem as this waste is radioactive and has to be carefully executed. If fallen on wrong hand again it might bring a problem with security and if left at sites near civilian habitation, then there is a huge chance of health hazards due to immense radiation which might even cause cancer and other diseases. One major drawback of nuclear power is that till today there is no proper knowledge of abundance of uranium and the amount of time and money can go waste if the uranium gets depleted in the world. Nuclear power is a boon and curse to a nation depending upon the choice of usage the country decides to put itself into. The technology or the power on its is neutral and is extreme to a large extent as when used for destruction it would cause havoc, and when used for construction purposes it would produce more environmental free power than it was ever before. The sun which is major responsibly for providing energy to our planet also runs on the same technology and is responsible for having life on this planet. Nuclear power too on the same lines if used wisely can create and support life but if used negatively than there might be no life for the sun to ever sustain. Reference: 1) U. S. Department of Energy, â€Å"The History of Nuclear Energy†. Page 8. http://www. nuclear. gov/pdfFiles/History. pdf 2) Donald W. Miller, Jr. , MD, â€Å"Advantages of Nuclear Power†. April 14, 2004. http://www. lewrockwell. com/miller/miller13. html 3) Behram Kursunoglu, Stephan L. Mintz, Arnold Perlmutter, â€Å"The Challenges to Nuclear Power in the Twenty-first Century†. Page 17. 2000. Published by Springer 4) Pros and cons of nuclear power. http://timeforchange. org/pros-and-cons-of-nuclear-power-and-sustainability 5) World Nuclear association, â€Å"Safety of nuclear power reactors†. June 2008. on http://www. world-nuclear. org/info/inf06. html 6) http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/3072031/

Extension 2 English Proposal Essay Example for Free

Extension 2 English Proposal Essay The audience of my major work will be firstly experienced English teachers for marking. The story itself will be aimed however at an audience of teen years and above, preferably interested in modern history. Any readers of a younger age may lack the necessary understanding of the context of my piece, and thus may not be able to understand the decisions and feelings of characters in the piece. The story will aim to incite passionate questions of the actions and experiences of my characters in the mind of the reader, as well as an emotional response based on the life and personal experiences of the reader. For instance, if they have experienced the death of a family member, they may identify with the emotions of my characters. Purpose/Statement of Intent After much deliberation, I propose to compose a prose fiction short story based on the experiences of fictional guard in Dachau concentration camp during WWII. I came across this idea when studying for the text Romulus, My father from the English Advanced course. Part of this text describes the main character Romulus and his lover Christina living in Nazi Germany, and I was reading through articles on the Internet regarding various leaders of the regime. This led me to reading letters between various concentration camp officials and Heinrich Himmler, the then leader of the SS, and high-ranking Nazi general. The writing is so simply put that it somewhat masks the cruel and indifferent intention of the letters. After reading through these letters, I came to ask myself How does a human being come to take these attitudes, and how could a person become seemingly so cruel and twisted, without any apparent conscience? What sort of life has this person lived, and what are their thoughts? Did they ever face struggle in their minds for the decisions they made? From this, I devised a perspective for a piece; the perspective of a male guard in a concentration camp. But not just any ruthless guard. I want to write about a rather troubled guard. A complex character that over the course of the piece actually begins to question the morality of his actions and thoughts. I want the reader to feel both anger towards the actions of this beast, but also at different times sympathy for his predicament. I want the reader to question their understanding of morality, and to put themselves in the shoes of this man. Concept The form will be fictional short story, in prose. However, I plan to include real correspondence between military officials of the camp from the time. I wanted to use this idea to give the story some real meaning, and to remind the audience that people just like my character did exist. Most of the piece will be in third person, but I will include monologues of the characters thought processes. During scenes of increased tension, for example when the man is ordered to shoot a prisoner, I will include in between the dialogue the thoughts of the guard himself. This will hopefully engage the reader in the scene, rather than the reader being a fly on the wall, which would leave a wall between the reader and the characters. I would like to vary the style of language used, from short and punchy for tension and emotion to long and reflective for the monologues. Inspiration I chose to write a story on the holocaust because it is something that I would enjoy researching in detail, absorbing every scrap of information, and also I think it would be challenging to confront on my own terms. Reading the information I have already come across, I cant help but feel so lucky to live in a free country, and in such a privileged life. A life where I am free to do what I choose, including writing this piece. I visited Dachau concentration camp in 2003, and this experience had a great effect on me. The feelings of disgust and general confusion as to how this could happen has probably lead me to be so interested in studying the topic today. I will use this experience to describe the surrounds of the setting, and some of the experiences of the prisoners. The following is an extract of a speech given by Himmler regarding the extermination of the Jews. Reading it today, I find it strange and foreign. To better understand why Himmler would take this approach to the extermination of a whole race, I will have to research the culture and attitudes of his time in-depth. Also, the ideas held by this quote is what I want to base my characters questioning on. I also want to mention a very difficult subject before you here, completely openly. It should be discussed amongst us, and yet, nevertheless, we will never speak about it in public. I am talking about the Jewish evacuation: the extermination of the Jewish people. It is one of those things that is easily said. The Jewish people are being exterminated, every Party member will tell you: Perfectly clear, its part of our plans, were eliminating the Jews, exterminating them, ha! , a small matter. -Heinrich Himmler, 4 October 1943 Links to Advanced Extension The idea for my piece came from researching the text Romulus, my father, in the Advanced course. The piece will specifically tie-in with the concept of belonging in many ways. For example, my main character will be in a position where he is forced to belong to the regime, and to his position and rank. If he chooses to disagree with his superiors, or the regime itself, he will be shot. Also, nature of the holocaust relates directly to belonging, as anyone who belonged to the Jewish religion, was a gypsy or was disabled was persecuted and often killed by the Nazi regime. The regime aimed to wipe-out all those who, in the eyes of the officials, did not fit the requirements of a pure society based on the Aryan legend. However, the piece does not necessarily link to the topic of crime writing in the Extension 1 course in any way. Research I have read many articles and letters on various websites, which have been very detailed and very helpful in giving me a broad account of events and people surrounding the Nazi regime. However, I will need to continue to research further in-depth into the holocaust and in particular the events and nature of the Dachau camp. I also plan to read Anne Franks Diary of a girl, to further understand the experience of life in a concentration camp. This text should provide the experience of a prisoner, with which I can use to contrast the ideals and experience of the guard. Over the holidays I will make a visit to the state library to find historical diaries and personal accounts of experiences in concentration camps.

Internationalization of Asian Multinational Enterprises

Internationalization of Asian Multinational Enterprises INTRODUCTION Background Internationalization can be defined as the desire to be a member of the international society by satisfying a certain standard, or strengthening the influence of a nation on other nations. It becomes the process where multinational enterprise (MNE) engaging, it is very important for these companies to penetrate international market if they want to be accepted and remain successful. (Sreenivasan Jayashree and Sahal Ali Al-Marwai). The internationalization process helps MNEs in maturate their operation in foreign market and enhance their competitive position abroad. According to Hedman (1993), three main alternatives for distributing the enterprises product exist, that is, indirect export, direct export and alternatives to export. When distributing indirectly, the different distribution activities are assigned to one or several intermediaries in the home market. When distributing directly, the producer itself conducts the distribution activities, such as distribution to a foreign importer, which in his turn forward the products to another intermediary or the end customer. (Molnar, 1990) the third alternative, alternatives to export, can take place through, for instance, own production in the target country, or licensing (Hedman, 1993). The rapid changes in todays business world call for new models of internationalization (Fillis, 2001; Meyer and Gelbuda, 2006), especially to be able to capture the early phase of internationalization in a better manner than the traditional models (Johanson and Vahlne, 2003). In contemporary research, Coviello and McAuley (1999), in line with Leonidou and Katsikeas (1996), have pointed at three theory directions that are preferable for studying internationalization, namely Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)-theories (a.k.a., the theory of the Multinational Firm), Stage models and Network theory. Even though these are different theory directions, they are seen to be complementary views where a combination of views is preferred since it is difficult to capture the internationalization concept using only one theoretical framework (Bell et al., 2003; BjÃÆ' ¶rkman and Forsgren, 2000; Coviello and Munro, 1997; Meyer and Skak, 2002). Network theory is increasingly being combined with stage theory in order to understand and explain the rapid internationalization of the firm (in Bell et al., 2003; Johanson and Vahlne, 1990, 2003; Meyer and Skak, 2002). The process of internationalization has been the subject of widespread theoretical and empirical research (for example, Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul 1975; Johanson and Vahlne 1977; Bilkey 1978; Cavusgil 1980; Turnbull 1987; Welch and Loustarinen 1988) and finds a general acceptance in the literature (Bradley 1991; Buckley and Ghauri 1993; Leonidou and Katsikeas 1996). The internationalization process is described as a gradual development taking place in distinct stages (Melin 1992). Internationalization processes in emerging markets, as in international markets in general, take place in a stepwise manner (Jansson, 2007). Companies commit themselves through a gradual learning process. Learning is incremental and takes place by doing. Firms learn about doing business abroad, for example, learning about the conditions in particular markets. Companies tend first to establish themselves in geographically and culturally proximate markets and increase their commitment, starting with agents, and passing through sales companies to manufacturing companies (Johanson and Vahlne, 1977; Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, 1975). Within the last decades, the business world has changed drastically through globalization and internationalization à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"creating a new and fierce business environment for companies. We can now see a third wave of internationalization of firms in which companies domiciled in mature Western markets establish themselves on a large scale in emerging markets such as Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Russia, China and India (Jansson, 2007). A recent phenomena of firm from Asian capital exporting countries were internationalizing and multinationalizing their business activities and have emerged or are emerging as Asian multinational enterprises (World Bank, 1993). They started the internationalizing activities and investing and setting up operation in other countries since mid-1980. Research interest which focus on these Asian enterprises and their direct investment activities arise in recent years (Ting, 1985; Ulagado et al., 1994; Yeung 1994, 1997). Foreign direct investment (FDI) started on the early 1980s. According to studies done by Lall, 1983;Well, 1983; Kumar and McLeod, 1981; Khan, 1986; Monkiewicz, 1986; Aggarwal and Agmon,1990; Tolentino, 1993, FDI of Third World multinational enterprises (TWMNEs), slightly different with the traditional MNEs from the western developed countries in term of their characteristic. The growth of East Asia (World Bank, 1993) in late 1980 and early 1990, has increased intra-regional direct investment. The directed investment process from Japan , followed by Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore and the activities transferring from one level of economies to another in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand has been depicted as wild flying geese pattern. (Toh and Low,1994; Guisinger, 1991). As a result, these Asian capital exporting countries firm internationalizing and multinationalizing their business activities and have emerged or are emerging as Asian multinational enterprises (World Bank, 1993). Problem Statement During these extremely competitive times, the international business environment is one that is normally full of immense uncertainty, volatility as well as a high rate of failure when it comes to international expansion The research on the nature, organization and operations of these emerging Asian international and multinational enterprises are limited. This is because research in international business and trade has been dependent largely upon economistic and western-centric theories developed predominantly in industrial and institutional economics (Buckley and Casson, 1985; Dunning, 1988, 1993). A study shown internationalization is the crucial factor for a firm to grow and develop economically and technologically (Syed Zamberi Ahmad and Fariza Hashim, 2007). Hence, it is very important for multinational companies to conduct a comprehensive examination of the various important factors that could influence the type of strategy that is to be selected for international market entry. 1.3 Objectives This research is dedicated to all local Malaysian companies who are looking at ways and means to internationalize their operations to a foreign market and would be of tremendous assistance to them in determining the correct strategic path and improve the understanding of the Asian MNEs characteristic. 1.4 Research Question According to the problem statement above, the author has formulated some question to meet the research objective. The questions are: What are the key characteristics and success of their foreign ventures? What are the motives for internationalization? What are the entry strategies? What are the strategic advantages and traits? Research Contribution Government: Through this study, government can carry out some government policy to lead more firm success in their international proses in expanding their business. Firms: This study provides information to provide better understand characteristic and strategy for the purpose of internationalization which can increase the net profit of the firm. Economic: This study enable economist to better understand how development of economic on a country can help MNEs in their internationalization process. 1.6 Summary This study proposal consists 3 chapters. Chapter 1 provides the overview of the recent phenomena of internationalization, the problem statement, objectives, and question. Chapter 2 displays literature review by past research, followed by concept and theories, and research framework. Chapter 3 describes the research methodology, sampling technique, data collection, data analysis and research planning that use to analysis the finding in Chapter 4. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter reviews the past studies about the concept and theory which included internationalization process, entry notes and process, eclectic explanation, foreign direct investment, regional and global internationalization processes, Uppsala model and Asian context. After that it follows by the research framework. 2.2 Concept and Theory 2.2.1 Internationalization processes Internationalization processes in emerging markets, as in international markets in general, take place in a stepwise manner (Jansson, 2007). Companies commit themselves through a gradual learning process. Learning is incremental and takes place by doing. Firms learn about doing business abroad, for example, learning about the conditions in particular markets. Companies tend first to establish themselves in geographically and culturally proximate markets and increase their commitment, starting with agents, and passing through sales companies to manufacturing companies (Johanson and Vahlne, 1977; Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, 1975). Research on the exports of mainly North American companies has reached similar results (Bilkey, 1978; Cavusgil, 1980; Czinkota, 1982; Reid, 1981). Such process theories are highly useful especially when studying international 66 H. Jansson, S. Sandberg / Journal of International Management 14 (2008) 65à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"77 business in CEE. Learning processe s are essential since the company needs to adapt to an emerging and different business context, such as exists in the CEE (Meyer and Gelbuda, 2006). As noted by Sharma and Blomstermo (2003b) a basic assumption in internationalization process theory is that knowledge accumulation is continuous and dependent upon the duration of foreign operations. The longer firms have been involved in foreign operations, the more knowledge they accumulate about such operations. There is a relationship between knowledge accumulation and risk so that the more knowledge a firm has, the less uncertain they perceive the foreign market to be. Firms that lack knowledge about foreign markets even tend to overestimate risks. This corresponds to what Jansson (1989) found concerning establishment processes in a regional perspective, namely that the pace of investments in Southeast Asian countries accelerated, the more experienced the firms became in an area. Johanson and Vahlne (1990) stated that Uppsala model of internationalization indicated firms reveal an evolutionary process in internationalizing through a series of evolutionary stage. 2.2.2 Entry nodes and entry processes Firms entering emerging markets face several barriers according to Meyer (2001). These barriers include a lack of information, unclear regulations and corruption. According to traditional research on internationalization processes, market entries either take place through intermediaries such as agents or distributors or through a firms own representative in the exporting/importing country, mainly a subsidiary. In terms of research in this area, scholars have found that relationships are at the core of the internationalization process (Axelsson and Johanson, 1992; Ford, 2002; HÃÆ' ¥kansson, 1982; HÃÆ' ¥kansson and Snehota, 1995; Hammarkvist et al., 1982; Jansson, 1994, 2007; Johanson and Vahlne, 2003; MajkgÃÆ' ¥rd and Sharma, 1998). According to the network approach to internationalization, entries into local market networks take place through establishing relationships. The international marketing and purchasing of products and know-how through a direct exporter/importer network means that a vertical network in the exporting region (e.g. a suppliers supplier network) is indirectly connected to another vertical network in the importing region (e.g. a buyers buyer network). This large vertical network will, in turn, be embedded in other regional and national networks, such as a financial network (Jansson, 2006, 2007). From a network perspective, establishment points in foreign market networks are defined as entry nodes. There are various routes into these networks, or nodes by which a firm can enter a network. Entries through trade either take place H. Jansson, S. Sandberg / Journal of International Management 14 (2008) 65à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"77 67 directly with customers or indirectly through intermediaries. Direct relationships, dyads, can be established between buyer and seller in the respective countries. Indirect relationships, triads, involve an outside party or other type of entry node, usually an intermediary such as an agent, dealer or distributor. Dyads can also be established through the entry mode FDI (a subsidiary in the importing country). Entry processes take place by building relationships to form networks in foreign markets. Irrespective of entry node, the development of international buyer/seller relationships tends to follow a five stage pattern (Ford, 1980, 2002; Ford et al., 1998). Each stage of the entry process can be described by a number of relationship factors, such as how the experience, commitment and adaptations of the parties increase across the stages and how the distance and uncertainty between them are reduced across the stages. The first stage includes the taking-up of marketing/purchasing activities before a formal relationship begins. The next three stages show how direct buyerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"seller relationships within networks are established: from their beginning and to their deepening. Experience indicates the amount of experience the respective parties have with each other. They will gauge their partners commitment to the relationship, e.g. by the willingness to make adaptations. Distance is multifaceted and it can be split into social, cultural, technological, time and geographic distance. Uncertainty deals with the fact that at the initial stages, it is difficult to assess the potential rewards and costs of the relationship. In the fifth and final stage, the relationship is extensively institutionalized and habitual, with commitment being taken for granted. Based on Terpstra and Sarathy, 1991; and Baek, 2003, joint ventures with host governments and local partners in the host country were among the preferred entry strategies for international operational operation. Petronas in South Africa entered into a commercial alliance with Engen in 1996 as a strategic partner. The acquisition was to enable both companies to implement a shared growth strategy in Africa and the Indian Ocean Rim, while allowing the development of potential operational synergies between the two business entities (Padayachee and Valodia, 2002). 2.2.3 Eclectic Explanation Eclectic Paradigm is a proverbial known explanation of international production. Dunnings (1977, 1988, 1993, 1995). Eclectic Paradigm stated that the extent and pattern of international production is determined by: 1) Ownership advantages (for example, proprietary technology, products, expertise and skill) 2) Internalization advantages (for example, transaction costs reduction, maximize economic return), and 3) Location advantages of host and home countries These OLI (Ownership Location Internalization) variables listed above explain the reason internationalization occurs but overlook the dynamic process of internationalization. The Eclectic paradigm is provided by the Investment Development Path (Dunning, 1981, 1986) with a dynamic dimension, and relates the net outward investment of a country to its stage of economic development. Five stages of IDP ( Investment Development Path) Stage 1: At low level of economic development, there is little inward or outward investments. Stage 2: Inward investment becomes attractive, especially in import substitution projects as the country develops. Some outward investment may take place in neighborly countries which at lower stages of development. Most developing countries with some outward investments are at this stage. Stage 3: With economic development move forward, net inward investment declines while outward investment increases (relative to inward investment). Increasing of outward investment may take place in countries at lower IDP stages in order to overcome cost disadvantages in labour intensive industries and also to seek markets or strategic assets. Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea are said to be at this stage. Stage 4: As production being multinationalized, net outward investment becomes positive. Most developed countries are at this stage. Stage 5: The shift from advantages based more on factor endownment to those based on internalizing international market convergent outward and inward investment flows. Empirical research on Third World (including Asian) multinationals has given general support to the IDP concept (Dunning, 1986; Tolentino, 1993; Dunning Narula, 1996; Lall, 1996). Dunning and Narula (1996) acknowledge that country factors may influence the IDP pattern of a country, such as resource endownment, home market size, industrialization strategy, government policy, and the organization of economic activities. TWMNEs were smaller than their counterparts from developed countries and have limited number of overseas operations. The competitive advantages of TWMNEs were based on cost advantages (particularly labour cost) and greater responsiveness to host country needs which is different from western MNEs. They served market niches which were not covered by the traditional MNEs and so were not in direct competition with them. The major motivation for these FDI was protecting export markets rather than exploiting rent from proprietary technological know-how (or other ownership spe cific advantages characteristic of western MNEs) explained in theories, such as the eclectic paradigm of Dunning (1977, 1995). TWMNEs possessed first or second generation labour-intensive technologies and produced standardized products mainly for the domestic host country market which at stage 4 of IDP. Wells (1983) presupposes a pecking order hypothesis to suggest that the TWMNEs technologies could fill the technological gap between the advanced technology of developed country MNEs and the rudimentary technology of less developed countries (LDCs) in a pecking down order. Lall (1983) emphasized the flexibility and adaptability of TWMNEs technologies to be more suitable or appropriate to LDC situations. 2.2.4 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) It may seem surprising that there is significant number of foreign direct investments by some firms from developing countries because it is usually credited to more developed countries. A number of studies indicate that FDI flows not only from the industrialized or well-developed countries, as well as developing countries. Scholars such as Lecraw (1981, 1993), Wells (1977, 1981), Lall (1983a, and 1983b), Kumar and Lim (1984), Ulgado et. al., (1994) are only some of those who have carried out empirical studies and researched FDI flows from developing country firms in the 1970s and 1980s. Comparisons between the nature of international expansion of firms from developing countries and the nature of those corporations that originated from developed countries are made in most of these studies (Dunning, 1986; Vernon-Wortzel and Wortzel, 1988). In general, it has been depicted that the competitive advantages of MNCs from developed country are derived from advanced proprietary technology or other superior resources (Yeung, 1994). While ability to reduce costs of imported technology through de-scaled manufacturing or smaller scale of production is focus of the competitive advantage from developing country MNCs were derived from their This is a process whereby technologies from industrialised countries are adapted to suit smaller markets by reducing scale, replacing machinery with manual labour, and relying on local inputs (Ramamurti, 2004). Outward direct investment from developing countries started to grow rapidly to a sizeable magnitude during the mid-1980. This became the main tool of developing country multinationals in demanding that their constituent firms prepare for the drastically international competition that they were about to face(Kumar, 1996, 1997). The emergence of new technologies in the late 1980s somehow decreases the interest in outward direct investment from developing countries subsided (Kumar, 1996; Oh et. al., 1998; Pananond and Zeithaml, 1998; van Hoesel, 1999). Pananond and Zeithaml(1998) and van Hoesel(1999) recounted that aggregate analyses of developing country MNEs conducted at the industry level get attention from scholars and yielded interesting results by the early 1990s. They concluded that there were marked differences in characteristics between developing country MNEs in the 1980s and 1990s. Scholars posited that these two groups of MNEs belonged to two different waves of development i n term of their respective historical backgrounds, nature of businesses, extent of the role of government in operations and transactions, geographical direction, and mode of internationalisation activity. MNEs in the 1980s are more concerned with cost competitiveness with their competitors (van Hoesel, 1999). In contrast, developing country MNEs in the 1990s placed greater emphasis on the development and reset business strategies due to the dynamic changing patterns of world business structure brought about by trade liberalisation and economic globalisation (Dunning et al., 1997). Besides this, they put more effort on technological competence as the source of competitive advantage (Pananond and Zeithmal, 1998). They noted that notwithstanding these differences, there existed several significant interrelated points of convergence between the two groups (Dunning et al., 1997; van Hoesel, 1999). 2.1.5 Regional and global internationalization processes In analyzing the early internationalization steps of smaller and less experienced companies, the internationalization process model by Johanson and Vahlne (1977) is regarded as a highly useful tool. In internationalization research, few studies have been conducted on higher level internationalization where companies are established in several countries and have fully-owned businesses (Meyer and Gelbuda, 2006). The more countries in a region a firm exports to, the more extensive is the regional internationalization process. The more regions a firm exports to, the more global is the internationalization process. New stages of internationalization are established when a firm extends its business from one major type of market to another or from one type of foreign environment to another. The main factor behind these stages is experiential knowledge, meaning that firms gradually build a knowledge base through operating in foreign markets. They learn from past experience by transforming this experience to useful knowledge. There are three types of such knowledge (Eriksson et al., 1997). Internationalization knowledge about how to perform international operations is an expression of a firms current stock of knowledge in the form of its resources and capabilities. The more novel the foreign environment, the more difficult it is for the firm to apply its current stock of knowledge to that foreign market. This means that there is a gap between a firms present internationalization knowledge and the knowledge the company has about how to do business in the specific foreign market, i.e. concerning its network experiential knowledge and institutional knowledge (Blomstermo et al., 2004). Based on a firms experiential knowledge process, internationalization processes are often divided into different degrees of internationalization. Johanson and Mattsson (1991) discuss the internationalization process for firms with various degrees of internationalization and propose that the process is mainly valid during the early stages of a firms internationalization: inexperienced firms tend to follow a traditionally slow and gradual pattern, while the internationalization of a more experienced company is less slow and gradual. 2.2.6 Uppsala model The Uppsala model (Johanson Weidersheim-Paul, 1975; Johanson Vahlne, 1977) provides an explanation of the dynamic process of internationalization of individual firms. The Uppsala model emphasize on the importance of gaining knowledge and experience about the characteristics of foreign markets along the internationalisation path, and helps MNEs reduced risks and levels of uncertainty in unfamiliar foreign environments before investing (Wiedersheim-Paul et al., 1978). The successive steps of increasing highly commitment are based on knowledge acquisition. Foreign activities started with export to foreign country through independent representative or agent, after that establish sales subsidiary and finally start production in the host country. The internationalization of the firm across many foreign markets was particularly related to psychic distance which included differences in language, education, business practices, culture and industrial development. Firstly, enter foreign market which closer in term of psychic distance, followed by subsequent entries in markets with greater psychic distances. Same goes to entry mode of foreign market. The incremental expansion of market commitment meant that the initial entry was typically some form of low commitment mode and followed by progressively higher levels of commitment. Obviously, commitment of the level of ownership in different markets was correlated with their psychic distance. The Uppsala model had received general support in empirical research (Welch and Loustarinen, 1988; Davidson, 1980, 1983; Erramilli et al., 1999) and its largely intuitive nature and evolutionary learning perspective made it attractive as an explanatory model. A related view regards learning was that TWMNEs built up their advantages through the accumulation of technology and skills. Lall (1983) emphasized on the localization and adaptation of technology to suit local markets by TWMNEs. Tolentino (1993) focused in term of the accumulation of technological competence in the expansion of firms from developing countries which was consistent with the resource-based view of building competitive advantage in strategic management. The accumulation of knowledge and competence especially its knowledge of developing markets and not so much its technology by the CP Group in Thailand was the key to its internationalization. There are also differences between the CP Group and Western MNEs (Pananond and Zeithaml, 1998). Mathews (2002, 2006) postulated that emerging firms could foster internationalization via leverage of their contractual linkages with other foreign firms to acquire resources and learning new capabilities. He indicated that this explanati on complemented the OLI framework and could be used to explain the rise of such latecomer firms which he dubbed as Dragon multinationals. 2.2.7 Asian Context Yeung (1999); Zutshi Gibbons (1989) portrayed that western theories on internationalization have neglect the active role played by the state and overlooked the institutional or contextual perspective in the internationalization of Asian. Asians state always plays a direct and active role in the internationalization of its MNEs. For example, the Singapore government played a key and direct role in the promotion of outward FDI (e.g., growth triangles, industrial parks in foreign countries), particularly from the early 1990s in its regionalization programs (Pang, 1994; Tan, 1995; ESCAP/UNCTAD, 1997). Incentives and other programs for instance tax incentives, finance schemes, training also provided to foster the rapid development of local entrepreneurship in the regionalization efforts. In Malaysia, the government took a very active role in promoting the internationalization of Malaysian firms. Investment promotion missions abroad were organized and often lead by the Prime Minister. The government provided incentives including tax abatement in 1991 and subsequently full tax exemption in 1995 for income earned overseas and remitted back to Malaysia. An overseas investment guarantee program was instituted. Malaysian government instructed firms to defer non-essential overseas investment in order to reduce the impact of the effects of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In the Asian context, the state has played a very active and direct role in promoting the internationalization of its national firms. This is much different with the western context, where the role of the state is benign and indirect. 2.3 Summary This chapter first discussed the internationalization process in terms of entry notes and process, eclectic explanation, foreign direct investment, regional and global internationalization processes, Uppsala model and Asian context. The following chapter discusses the research method, survey development, and sample selection CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction This chapter provides an overview of the research method. It starts by explaining the appropriateness of the research method. Then discusses the research design which consists of seven steps: questionnaire development, literature review, proposal, data collection, data analysis, discussion and conclusion, and write-up. Next the data collection and sample selection is discussed with reasons for each of the decisions involved. The next section discusses the statistical methods. Lastly, a Gantt chart will be use to estimate the times use in each activity. 3.2 Sampling Technique A case study approach will be using in this paper. It tends to provide in depth information and intimate details about the particular case being studied. This approach was used to collect comprehensive and holistic data (Eisenhardt, 1989; Internationalization Strategies of Emerging Asian MNEs 491 Yin, 1994) about firms that have internationalized their operations over time. The focus here is on MNEs from Malaysia (a fast developing country). Case studies mean that the research investigates few objects in many respects (Wiedersheim-Paul, Eriksson, 1991). Case studies are most suitable if you like to get a detailed understanding about different kinds of process (Lekvall Wahlbin, 1987). The researches may, for instance, choose a line of business and an enterprise, and conduct an in depth investigation (Wiedersheim-Paul, Eriksson, 1991). Yin (1994) states, that when the form of the questions is why and how, the case study strategy is most likely to be appropriate. The research problem I have investigated was how the internationalisation process of a MNEs when entering to foreign market can be characterised , which was divided into four research questions. 3.3 Data Collection 3.3.1 Secondary data Eriksson Wiedersheim-Paul (1997) points out that secondary data is data, which already has been collected by someone else, for another purpose. Statistics, and reports issued by governments , trade associations, and so on, are some sources of secondary data (Chisnall, 1997). The annual report and the enterprises homepage, are another sources of secondary data (Wiedersheim-Paul, Eriksson, 1991). Secondary data research should always be carried out before doing any field survey (Chisnall, 1991). When I had defined the research area, I started to search for relevant literature. The databases that I have used to find relevant literature are EBSCOhost, Science Direct, Libris, ABI/INFORM, and Helecon. The keywords used when searching the databases were international business, Malaysian MNEs, internationalization, strategies, mode of entry. These words were combined in different ways, to maximise the number of hits. 3.3.2 Primary d Internationalization of Asian Multinational Enterprises Internationalization of Asian Multinational Enterprises INTRODUCTION Background Internationalization can be defined as the desire to be a member of the international society by satisfying a certain standard, or strengthening the influence of a nation on other nations. It becomes the process where multinational enterprise (MNE) engaging, it is very important for these companies to penetrate international market if they want to be accepted and remain successful. (Sreenivasan Jayashree and Sahal Ali Al-Marwai). The internationalization process helps MNEs in maturate their operation in foreign market and enhance their competitive position abroad. According to Hedman (1993), three main alternatives for distributing the enterprises product exist, that is, indirect export, direct export and alternatives to export. When distributing indirectly, the different distribution activities are assigned to one or several intermediaries in the home market. When distributing directly, the producer itself conducts the distribution activities, such as distribution to a foreign importer, which in his turn forward the products to another intermediary or the end customer. (Molnar, 1990) the third alternative, alternatives to export, can take place through, for instance, own production in the target country, or licensing (Hedman, 1993). The rapid changes in todays business world call for new models of internationalization (Fillis, 2001; Meyer and Gelbuda, 2006), especially to be able to capture the early phase of internationalization in a better manner than the traditional models (Johanson and Vahlne, 2003). In contemporary research, Coviello and McAuley (1999), in line with Leonidou and Katsikeas (1996), have pointed at three theory directions that are preferable for studying internationalization, namely Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)-theories (a.k.a., the theory of the Multinational Firm), Stage models and Network theory. Even though these are different theory directions, they are seen to be complementary views where a combination of views is preferred since it is difficult to capture the internationalization concept using only one theoretical framework (Bell et al., 2003; BjÃÆ' ¶rkman and Forsgren, 2000; Coviello and Munro, 1997; Meyer and Skak, 2002). Network theory is increasingly being combined with stage theory in order to understand and explain the rapid internationalization of the firm (in Bell et al., 2003; Johanson and Vahlne, 1990, 2003; Meyer and Skak, 2002). The process of internationalization has been the subject of widespread theoretical and empirical research (for example, Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul 1975; Johanson and Vahlne 1977; Bilkey 1978; Cavusgil 1980; Turnbull 1987; Welch and Loustarinen 1988) and finds a general acceptance in the literature (Bradley 1991; Buckley and Ghauri 1993; Leonidou and Katsikeas 1996). The internationalization process is described as a gradual development taking place in distinct stages (Melin 1992). Internationalization processes in emerging markets, as in international markets in general, take place in a stepwise manner (Jansson, 2007). Companies commit themselves through a gradual learning process. Learning is incremental and takes place by doing. Firms learn about doing business abroad, for example, learning about the conditions in particular markets. Companies tend first to establish themselves in geographically and culturally proximate markets and increase their commitment, starting with agents, and passing through sales companies to manufacturing companies (Johanson and Vahlne, 1977; Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, 1975). Within the last decades, the business world has changed drastically through globalization and internationalization à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"creating a new and fierce business environment for companies. We can now see a third wave of internationalization of firms in which companies domiciled in mature Western markets establish themselves on a large scale in emerging markets such as Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Russia, China and India (Jansson, 2007). A recent phenomena of firm from Asian capital exporting countries were internationalizing and multinationalizing their business activities and have emerged or are emerging as Asian multinational enterprises (World Bank, 1993). They started the internationalizing activities and investing and setting up operation in other countries since mid-1980. Research interest which focus on these Asian enterprises and their direct investment activities arise in recent years (Ting, 1985; Ulagado et al., 1994; Yeung 1994, 1997). Foreign direct investment (FDI) started on the early 1980s. According to studies done by Lall, 1983;Well, 1983; Kumar and McLeod, 1981; Khan, 1986; Monkiewicz, 1986; Aggarwal and Agmon,1990; Tolentino, 1993, FDI of Third World multinational enterprises (TWMNEs), slightly different with the traditional MNEs from the western developed countries in term of their characteristic. The growth of East Asia (World Bank, 1993) in late 1980 and early 1990, has increased intra-regional direct investment. The directed investment process from Japan , followed by Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore and the activities transferring from one level of economies to another in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand has been depicted as wild flying geese pattern. (Toh and Low,1994; Guisinger, 1991). As a result, these Asian capital exporting countries firm internationalizing and multinationalizing their business activities and have emerged or are emerging as Asian multinational enterprises (World Bank, 1993). Problem Statement During these extremely competitive times, the international business environment is one that is normally full of immense uncertainty, volatility as well as a high rate of failure when it comes to international expansion The research on the nature, organization and operations of these emerging Asian international and multinational enterprises are limited. This is because research in international business and trade has been dependent largely upon economistic and western-centric theories developed predominantly in industrial and institutional economics (Buckley and Casson, 1985; Dunning, 1988, 1993). A study shown internationalization is the crucial factor for a firm to grow and develop economically and technologically (Syed Zamberi Ahmad and Fariza Hashim, 2007). Hence, it is very important for multinational companies to conduct a comprehensive examination of the various important factors that could influence the type of strategy that is to be selected for international market entry. 1.3 Objectives This research is dedicated to all local Malaysian companies who are looking at ways and means to internationalize their operations to a foreign market and would be of tremendous assistance to them in determining the correct strategic path and improve the understanding of the Asian MNEs characteristic. 1.4 Research Question According to the problem statement above, the author has formulated some question to meet the research objective. The questions are: What are the key characteristics and success of their foreign ventures? What are the motives for internationalization? What are the entry strategies? What are the strategic advantages and traits? Research Contribution Government: Through this study, government can carry out some government policy to lead more firm success in their international proses in expanding their business. Firms: This study provides information to provide better understand characteristic and strategy for the purpose of internationalization which can increase the net profit of the firm. Economic: This study enable economist to better understand how development of economic on a country can help MNEs in their internationalization process. 1.6 Summary This study proposal consists 3 chapters. Chapter 1 provides the overview of the recent phenomena of internationalization, the problem statement, objectives, and question. Chapter 2 displays literature review by past research, followed by concept and theories, and research framework. Chapter 3 describes the research methodology, sampling technique, data collection, data analysis and research planning that use to analysis the finding in Chapter 4. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter reviews the past studies about the concept and theory which included internationalization process, entry notes and process, eclectic explanation, foreign direct investment, regional and global internationalization processes, Uppsala model and Asian context. After that it follows by the research framework. 2.2 Concept and Theory 2.2.1 Internationalization processes Internationalization processes in emerging markets, as in international markets in general, take place in a stepwise manner (Jansson, 2007). Companies commit themselves through a gradual learning process. Learning is incremental and takes place by doing. Firms learn about doing business abroad, for example, learning about the conditions in particular markets. Companies tend first to establish themselves in geographically and culturally proximate markets and increase their commitment, starting with agents, and passing through sales companies to manufacturing companies (Johanson and Vahlne, 1977; Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, 1975). Research on the exports of mainly North American companies has reached similar results (Bilkey, 1978; Cavusgil, 1980; Czinkota, 1982; Reid, 1981). Such process theories are highly useful especially when studying international 66 H. Jansson, S. Sandberg / Journal of International Management 14 (2008) 65à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"77 business in CEE. Learning processe s are essential since the company needs to adapt to an emerging and different business context, such as exists in the CEE (Meyer and Gelbuda, 2006). As noted by Sharma and Blomstermo (2003b) a basic assumption in internationalization process theory is that knowledge accumulation is continuous and dependent upon the duration of foreign operations. The longer firms have been involved in foreign operations, the more knowledge they accumulate about such operations. There is a relationship between knowledge accumulation and risk so that the more knowledge a firm has, the less uncertain they perceive the foreign market to be. Firms that lack knowledge about foreign markets even tend to overestimate risks. This corresponds to what Jansson (1989) found concerning establishment processes in a regional perspective, namely that the pace of investments in Southeast Asian countries accelerated, the more experienced the firms became in an area. Johanson and Vahlne (1990) stated that Uppsala model of internationalization indicated firms reveal an evolutionary process in internationalizing through a series of evolutionary stage. 2.2.2 Entry nodes and entry processes Firms entering emerging markets face several barriers according to Meyer (2001). These barriers include a lack of information, unclear regulations and corruption. According to traditional research on internationalization processes, market entries either take place through intermediaries such as agents or distributors or through a firms own representative in the exporting/importing country, mainly a subsidiary. In terms of research in this area, scholars have found that relationships are at the core of the internationalization process (Axelsson and Johanson, 1992; Ford, 2002; HÃÆ' ¥kansson, 1982; HÃÆ' ¥kansson and Snehota, 1995; Hammarkvist et al., 1982; Jansson, 1994, 2007; Johanson and Vahlne, 2003; MajkgÃÆ' ¥rd and Sharma, 1998). According to the network approach to internationalization, entries into local market networks take place through establishing relationships. The international marketing and purchasing of products and know-how through a direct exporter/importer network means that a vertical network in the exporting region (e.g. a suppliers supplier network) is indirectly connected to another vertical network in the importing region (e.g. a buyers buyer network). This large vertical network will, in turn, be embedded in other regional and national networks, such as a financial network (Jansson, 2006, 2007). From a network perspective, establishment points in foreign market networks are defined as entry nodes. There are various routes into these networks, or nodes by which a firm can enter a network. Entries through trade either take place H. Jansson, S. Sandberg / Journal of International Management 14 (2008) 65à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"77 67 directly with customers or indirectly through intermediaries. Direct relationships, dyads, can be established between buyer and seller in the respective countries. Indirect relationships, triads, involve an outside party or other type of entry node, usually an intermediary such as an agent, dealer or distributor. Dyads can also be established through the entry mode FDI (a subsidiary in the importing country). Entry processes take place by building relationships to form networks in foreign markets. Irrespective of entry node, the development of international buyer/seller relationships tends to follow a five stage pattern (Ford, 1980, 2002; Ford et al., 1998). Each stage of the entry process can be described by a number of relationship factors, such as how the experience, commitment and adaptations of the parties increase across the stages and how the distance and uncertainty between them are reduced across the stages. The first stage includes the taking-up of marketing/purchasing activities before a formal relationship begins. The next three stages show how direct buyerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"seller relationships within networks are established: from their beginning and to their deepening. Experience indicates the amount of experience the respective parties have with each other. They will gauge their partners commitment to the relationship, e.g. by the willingness to make adaptations. Distance is multifaceted and it can be split into social, cultural, technological, time and geographic distance. Uncertainty deals with the fact that at the initial stages, it is difficult to assess the potential rewards and costs of the relationship. In the fifth and final stage, the relationship is extensively institutionalized and habitual, with commitment being taken for granted. Based on Terpstra and Sarathy, 1991; and Baek, 2003, joint ventures with host governments and local partners in the host country were among the preferred entry strategies for international operational operation. Petronas in South Africa entered into a commercial alliance with Engen in 1996 as a strategic partner. The acquisition was to enable both companies to implement a shared growth strategy in Africa and the Indian Ocean Rim, while allowing the development of potential operational synergies between the two business entities (Padayachee and Valodia, 2002). 2.2.3 Eclectic Explanation Eclectic Paradigm is a proverbial known explanation of international production. Dunnings (1977, 1988, 1993, 1995). Eclectic Paradigm stated that the extent and pattern of international production is determined by: 1) Ownership advantages (for example, proprietary technology, products, expertise and skill) 2) Internalization advantages (for example, transaction costs reduction, maximize economic return), and 3) Location advantages of host and home countries These OLI (Ownership Location Internalization) variables listed above explain the reason internationalization occurs but overlook the dynamic process of internationalization. The Eclectic paradigm is provided by the Investment Development Path (Dunning, 1981, 1986) with a dynamic dimension, and relates the net outward investment of a country to its stage of economic development. Five stages of IDP ( Investment Development Path) Stage 1: At low level of economic development, there is little inward or outward investments. Stage 2: Inward investment becomes attractive, especially in import substitution projects as the country develops. Some outward investment may take place in neighborly countries which at lower stages of development. Most developing countries with some outward investments are at this stage. Stage 3: With economic development move forward, net inward investment declines while outward investment increases (relative to inward investment). Increasing of outward investment may take place in countries at lower IDP stages in order to overcome cost disadvantages in labour intensive industries and also to seek markets or strategic assets. Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea are said to be at this stage. Stage 4: As production being multinationalized, net outward investment becomes positive. Most developed countries are at this stage. Stage 5: The shift from advantages based more on factor endownment to those based on internalizing international market convergent outward and inward investment flows. Empirical research on Third World (including Asian) multinationals has given general support to the IDP concept (Dunning, 1986; Tolentino, 1993; Dunning Narula, 1996; Lall, 1996). Dunning and Narula (1996) acknowledge that country factors may influence the IDP pattern of a country, such as resource endownment, home market size, industrialization strategy, government policy, and the organization of economic activities. TWMNEs were smaller than their counterparts from developed countries and have limited number of overseas operations. The competitive advantages of TWMNEs were based on cost advantages (particularly labour cost) and greater responsiveness to host country needs which is different from western MNEs. They served market niches which were not covered by the traditional MNEs and so were not in direct competition with them. The major motivation for these FDI was protecting export markets rather than exploiting rent from proprietary technological know-how (or other ownership spe cific advantages characteristic of western MNEs) explained in theories, such as the eclectic paradigm of Dunning (1977, 1995). TWMNEs possessed first or second generation labour-intensive technologies and produced standardized products mainly for the domestic host country market which at stage 4 of IDP. Wells (1983) presupposes a pecking order hypothesis to suggest that the TWMNEs technologies could fill the technological gap between the advanced technology of developed country MNEs and the rudimentary technology of less developed countries (LDCs) in a pecking down order. Lall (1983) emphasized the flexibility and adaptability of TWMNEs technologies to be more suitable or appropriate to LDC situations. 2.2.4 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) It may seem surprising that there is significant number of foreign direct investments by some firms from developing countries because it is usually credited to more developed countries. A number of studies indicate that FDI flows not only from the industrialized or well-developed countries, as well as developing countries. Scholars such as Lecraw (1981, 1993), Wells (1977, 1981), Lall (1983a, and 1983b), Kumar and Lim (1984), Ulgado et. al., (1994) are only some of those who have carried out empirical studies and researched FDI flows from developing country firms in the 1970s and 1980s. Comparisons between the nature of international expansion of firms from developing countries and the nature of those corporations that originated from developed countries are made in most of these studies (Dunning, 1986; Vernon-Wortzel and Wortzel, 1988). In general, it has been depicted that the competitive advantages of MNCs from developed country are derived from advanced proprietary technology or other superior resources (Yeung, 1994). While ability to reduce costs of imported technology through de-scaled manufacturing or smaller scale of production is focus of the competitive advantage from developing country MNCs were derived from their This is a process whereby technologies from industrialised countries are adapted to suit smaller markets by reducing scale, replacing machinery with manual labour, and relying on local inputs (Ramamurti, 2004). Outward direct investment from developing countries started to grow rapidly to a sizeable magnitude during the mid-1980. This became the main tool of developing country multinationals in demanding that their constituent firms prepare for the drastically international competition that they were about to face(Kumar, 1996, 1997). The emergence of new technologies in the late 1980s somehow decreases the interest in outward direct investment from developing countries subsided (Kumar, 1996; Oh et. al., 1998; Pananond and Zeithaml, 1998; van Hoesel, 1999). Pananond and Zeithaml(1998) and van Hoesel(1999) recounted that aggregate analyses of developing country MNEs conducted at the industry level get attention from scholars and yielded interesting results by the early 1990s. They concluded that there were marked differences in characteristics between developing country MNEs in the 1980s and 1990s. Scholars posited that these two groups of MNEs belonged to two different waves of development i n term of their respective historical backgrounds, nature of businesses, extent of the role of government in operations and transactions, geographical direction, and mode of internationalisation activity. MNEs in the 1980s are more concerned with cost competitiveness with their competitors (van Hoesel, 1999). In contrast, developing country MNEs in the 1990s placed greater emphasis on the development and reset business strategies due to the dynamic changing patterns of world business structure brought about by trade liberalisation and economic globalisation (Dunning et al., 1997). Besides this, they put more effort on technological competence as the source of competitive advantage (Pananond and Zeithmal, 1998). They noted that notwithstanding these differences, there existed several significant interrelated points of convergence between the two groups (Dunning et al., 1997; van Hoesel, 1999). 2.1.5 Regional and global internationalization processes In analyzing the early internationalization steps of smaller and less experienced companies, the internationalization process model by Johanson and Vahlne (1977) is regarded as a highly useful tool. In internationalization research, few studies have been conducted on higher level internationalization where companies are established in several countries and have fully-owned businesses (Meyer and Gelbuda, 2006). The more countries in a region a firm exports to, the more extensive is the regional internationalization process. The more regions a firm exports to, the more global is the internationalization process. New stages of internationalization are established when a firm extends its business from one major type of market to another or from one type of foreign environment to another. The main factor behind these stages is experiential knowledge, meaning that firms gradually build a knowledge base through operating in foreign markets. They learn from past experience by transforming this experience to useful knowledge. There are three types of such knowledge (Eriksson et al., 1997). Internationalization knowledge about how to perform international operations is an expression of a firms current stock of knowledge in the form of its resources and capabilities. The more novel the foreign environment, the more difficult it is for the firm to apply its current stock of knowledge to that foreign market. This means that there is a gap between a firms present internationalization knowledge and the knowledge the company has about how to do business in the specific foreign market, i.e. concerning its network experiential knowledge and institutional knowledge (Blomstermo et al., 2004). Based on a firms experiential knowledge process, internationalization processes are often divided into different degrees of internationalization. Johanson and Mattsson (1991) discuss the internationalization process for firms with various degrees of internationalization and propose that the process is mainly valid during the early stages of a firms internationalization: inexperienced firms tend to follow a traditionally slow and gradual pattern, while the internationalization of a more experienced company is less slow and gradual. 2.2.6 Uppsala model The Uppsala model (Johanson Weidersheim-Paul, 1975; Johanson Vahlne, 1977) provides an explanation of the dynamic process of internationalization of individual firms. The Uppsala model emphasize on the importance of gaining knowledge and experience about the characteristics of foreign markets along the internationalisation path, and helps MNEs reduced risks and levels of uncertainty in unfamiliar foreign environments before investing (Wiedersheim-Paul et al., 1978). The successive steps of increasing highly commitment are based on knowledge acquisition. Foreign activities started with export to foreign country through independent representative or agent, after that establish sales subsidiary and finally start production in the host country. The internationalization of the firm across many foreign markets was particularly related to psychic distance which included differences in language, education, business practices, culture and industrial development. Firstly, enter foreign market which closer in term of psychic distance, followed by subsequent entries in markets with greater psychic distances. Same goes to entry mode of foreign market. The incremental expansion of market commitment meant that the initial entry was typically some form of low commitment mode and followed by progressively higher levels of commitment. Obviously, commitment of the level of ownership in different markets was correlated with their psychic distance. The Uppsala model had received general support in empirical research (Welch and Loustarinen, 1988; Davidson, 1980, 1983; Erramilli et al., 1999) and its largely intuitive nature and evolutionary learning perspective made it attractive as an explanatory model. A related view regards learning was that TWMNEs built up their advantages through the accumulation of technology and skills. Lall (1983) emphasized on the localization and adaptation of technology to suit local markets by TWMNEs. Tolentino (1993) focused in term of the accumulation of technological competence in the expansion of firms from developing countries which was consistent with the resource-based view of building competitive advantage in strategic management. The accumulation of knowledge and competence especially its knowledge of developing markets and not so much its technology by the CP Group in Thailand was the key to its internationalization. There are also differences between the CP Group and Western MNEs (Pananond and Zeithaml, 1998). Mathews (2002, 2006) postulated that emerging firms could foster internationalization via leverage of their contractual linkages with other foreign firms to acquire resources and learning new capabilities. He indicated that this explanati on complemented the OLI framework and could be used to explain the rise of such latecomer firms which he dubbed as Dragon multinationals. 2.2.7 Asian Context Yeung (1999); Zutshi Gibbons (1989) portrayed that western theories on internationalization have neglect the active role played by the state and overlooked the institutional or contextual perspective in the internationalization of Asian. Asians state always plays a direct and active role in the internationalization of its MNEs. For example, the Singapore government played a key and direct role in the promotion of outward FDI (e.g., growth triangles, industrial parks in foreign countries), particularly from the early 1990s in its regionalization programs (Pang, 1994; Tan, 1995; ESCAP/UNCTAD, 1997). Incentives and other programs for instance tax incentives, finance schemes, training also provided to foster the rapid development of local entrepreneurship in the regionalization efforts. In Malaysia, the government took a very active role in promoting the internationalization of Malaysian firms. Investment promotion missions abroad were organized and often lead by the Prime Minister. The government provided incentives including tax abatement in 1991 and subsequently full tax exemption in 1995 for income earned overseas and remitted back to Malaysia. An overseas investment guarantee program was instituted. Malaysian government instructed firms to defer non-essential overseas investment in order to reduce the impact of the effects of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In the Asian context, the state has played a very active and direct role in promoting the internationalization of its national firms. This is much different with the western context, where the role of the state is benign and indirect. 2.3 Summary This chapter first discussed the internationalization process in terms of entry notes and process, eclectic explanation, foreign direct investment, regional and global internationalization processes, Uppsala model and Asian context. The following chapter discusses the research method, survey development, and sample selection CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction This chapter provides an overview of the research method. It starts by explaining the appropriateness of the research method. Then discusses the research design which consists of seven steps: questionnaire development, literature review, proposal, data collection, data analysis, discussion and conclusion, and write-up. Next the data collection and sample selection is discussed with reasons for each of the decisions involved. The next section discusses the statistical methods. Lastly, a Gantt chart will be use to estimate the times use in each activity. 3.2 Sampling Technique A case study approach will be using in this paper. It tends to provide in depth information and intimate details about the particular case being studied. This approach was used to collect comprehensive and holistic data (Eisenhardt, 1989; Internationalization Strategies of Emerging Asian MNEs 491 Yin, 1994) about firms that have internationalized their operations over time. The focus here is on MNEs from Malaysia (a fast developing country). Case studies mean that the research investigates few objects in many respects (Wiedersheim-Paul, Eriksson, 1991). Case studies are most suitable if you like to get a detailed understanding about different kinds of process (Lekvall Wahlbin, 1987). The researches may, for instance, choose a line of business and an enterprise, and conduct an in depth investigation (Wiedersheim-Paul, Eriksson, 1991). Yin (1994) states, that when the form of the questions is why and how, the case study strategy is most likely to be appropriate. The research problem I have investigated was how the internationalisation process of a MNEs when entering to foreign market can be characterised , which was divided into four research questions. 3.3 Data Collection 3.3.1 Secondary data Eriksson Wiedersheim-Paul (1997) points out that secondary data is data, which already has been collected by someone else, for another purpose. Statistics, and reports issued by governments , trade associations, and so on, are some sources of secondary data (Chisnall, 1997). The annual report and the enterprises homepage, are another sources of secondary data (Wiedersheim-Paul, Eriksson, 1991). Secondary data research should always be carried out before doing any field survey (Chisnall, 1991). When I had defined the research area, I started to search for relevant literature. The databases that I have used to find relevant literature are EBSCOhost, Science Direct, Libris, ABI/INFORM, and Helecon. The keywords used when searching the databases were international business, Malaysian MNEs, internationalization, strategies, mode of entry. These words were combined in different ways, to maximise the number of hits. 3.3.2 Primary d