Friday, May 22, 2020

Analysis Of Friedas Fizz A Successful Soft Drink Business

Frieda’s Fizz is a successful soft drink business in New York for many years and they are exploring the option of expanding into other markets. The key to their current success is their reputation for offering a high quality soft drink with several unique flavors, for these reasons people are willing to the high price for their soft drinks. To help with the expansion Freda’s Frizz has implemented a balance scorecard to help them navigate through the process but they are uncertainties with some of the measures and there are pro’s and con’s with their process. Uncertainties exist about the best balance scorecard measures because the scorecard is a new process for the company so they cannot be sure if the selection is measurable and are the best solution for the company’s vision. The Managers do not knew if they have the ability to track the performance measure they have chosen and if the data will be an accurate outcome for the measures. There is no previous data to support or use as a reference point, so will have to do research on the markets that they choose and look at other companies in that market to see what they did when they entered that market and how they are being successful. The Manager might not have chosen the best measures for the expansion because they are choosing the measures that work for the current business and what works for that market. They need to consider measures that will be outside their comfort zone and think outside the

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Love at First Sight Essay - 1549 Words

The Summative â€Å"Argument and Persuasion† Term Paper ENG 2210 (260 pts.) (100 pts. = 4 Outlines @ 25 pts. each. Final submission = 160 pts. Total = 260 pts.) Introduction: On the last day of this course (day 35), you will submit the â€Å"summative† research paper in which you will argue which love (motivation) has shaped history and still shapes our world today. This is a very challenging paper, and it counts for 26% of your grade in this course. Because it is such a significant intellectual effort, you will be asked to turn in four outlines of the â€Å"sub-parts† of the final paper. Each â€Å"sub-part outline† is worth 25 points, and they are submitted in four out of the five weeks in this course. Writing these four â€Å"sub-part outlines† will†¦show more content†¦CAUTION: YOU WILL FAIL THIS 200-POINT ASSIGNMENT IF YOU PLAGERIZE (STEAL) THE WORK OF OTHERS AND CALL IT YOUR OWN. You must give credit to all source material. When you quote the work of others, you MUST cite your sources in parenthetical citations; for example: Nearly thirty years after the publication of Otranto, the literary market experienced a massive influx of stories that belonged to what was then called â€Å"the terrorist system of novel writing† (Miles, 2002, p. 41). IV. Proof of the Argument From Course Literature: Examine the relationships from at least three of the literary works read in this class. Quote the words of the characters to prove your thesis. Be sure to cite the literary work in your parenthetical citations. Select from: Till We Have Faces ENG 2210 File # 1.18 â€Å"Term Paper Requirements† 3 A Doll’s House â€Å"The Blood of the Martyrs† â€Å"A Pair of Tickets† â€Å"A Rose For Emily† Poetry (This category can only count as one literary work; you can not simply quote three poems, and meet this requirement.) NOTE: The quotes from course literature are expected; they do not count as part of your five required scholarly resources. V. The Refutation Argument: Why are the other two earthly loves not the primary motivators of human behavior? Explain your answer with specific examples from relationships in course literature. Use scholarly resources if you like, not required. VI. The AgapeShow MoreRelatedLove at First Sight785 Words   |  3 Pagesfrom some other time and place. It was like we both looked at each other, smiled and said, Hey, love. There you are! I have been waiting for you all of my life? Where have you been? Time froze, we smiled and were filled with instant passion. I felt the warmth and magic from the stars above shining down on us. I felt sparks. I knew I instantly loved him. I was a skeptic about love at first sight until the very moment our eyes connected. I recognized him from dreams that I have had before, heRead MoreLove at First Sight2526 Words   |  10 Pagesclass was, someone came running down the hallway, and smacked right into me. I dropped my books, and when I looked right into his eyes, my heart started to melt. I never thought I would be one of those girls who believed in love at first site, but when I saw him I knew it was true love. ______________________________________________________________________________ As I walked through the empty house, and not a noise was heard. Lillian was down for her afternoon nap, and I was missing Christian moreRead MoreLove at First Sight Exists1519 Words   |  7 PagesLove can be defined as a strong affection for one close to you. Love is a very powerful necessity in today’s world. It is the foundation of friendships, marriages as well as relative and couple relationships. This strong affection, called love, can be created through many ways; such as love at first sight or personal ties. Love at first sight is when one feels romantic passion for a complete stranger upon their first encounter. Love at first sight really exists. The beautifully written novel MemoirsRead MoreLove at First Sight Essay1270 Words   |  6 PagesMy first 3 months in the community were so boring, because I needed to stay inside our house and take care of my baby sister while my mom and dad were working. Now that the school year was about to start, I felt so excited to have new friends. I hope that this school year would not be bad as I think it would be. It was my first year at Macrovan High School in Smilven, England, a spacious Catholic school. I look around me and I see everyone busy doing something with a purpose. I don’t know anyoneRead MoreLove Upon First Sight By Cults800 Words   |  4 PagesFarouk Shousha Prof. Webb ENG 101 08 October 2015 Love Upon First Sight The music video â€Å"Abducted† by Cults features a woman being abducted by a man, and then the man driving down a very long and winding road while constantly looking out the window the entire time. The whole time, the woman is tied and trapped in the trunk of the car. Remembering parts of the past. At the end of the video, the guy parked the car near a cliff, gets out the car, lets the woman out of the trunk, and allows himselfRead More Believe in Love at First Sight Essays1144 Words   |  5 PagesWell I use to believe that love couldnt be made at first sight. But yet now today I do think it happens. I will now share what I think love means. Love is affection, devotion, passion, desire, warmth, respect or loyalty. You choose. It doesnt really matter which one because they are all forms of love. Some are powerful and demand attention while others are more subtle and just below the surface. In recent years, love has drifted from these subtle levels to the more noticeable ones, namelyRead MoreLove At First Sight : Does It Exist?907 Words   |  4 PagesLove at First Sight - Does It Exist? By Raymond Ehoma | Submitted On June 18, 2011 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook 1 Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest A lot of people believe in love at first sight especially the romantics. Howbeit curiouslyRead MoreLove From First Sight Essay944 Words   |  4 PagesLove from First Sight Is there anyone who did not have â€Å"Love† in his life? Love is one the most powerful words that we could hear and it is an important element in our life. It is the first feeling that you have been treated by since you were born and opened your eyes. Could you count how many love words that you heard in your life? I do not believe you can because of how many times it has been said to you by your parents or relatives. The first people who love in your life are your parents. TheyRead MoreMedicine And I Were Not Love At First Sight796 Words   |  4 PagesMedicine and I were not really love at first sight. In fact, medicine would dress up as an Oncologist and drop me off to school every morning, but still no love. If anything, I hated it since I would see sick and sad people as I would wait on my father to finish his clinic on our way home. To me these patients were nothing more than a hurdle between me and my Nintendo and Sega. It was during one of those traffic jams on our way home that my emotions boiled over and I blurted out, â€Å"What is it thatRead MorePeople s Love At First Sight By Sylvia Plath1567 Words   |  7 Pages People dream of falling in love at first sight. Sylvia Plath, an American writer, experienced the desirable moment the first time she saw Ted Hughes, an English poet (Middlebrook). The romantic relationship between Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath grew instantly. They both shared a love of writing, but yet their relationship began to go downhill five years after their marriage (Popova). The marriage between Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath was destructive because of Sylvia’s unstable mental health and Ted’s

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

An Evaluation of the reasons why a multinational enterprise undertakes FDI Free Essays

string(170) " by competition through the forces of globalisation on the MNC making the rate of risk higher as to sustain long term operation in domestic markets \(Nunnenkamp, 2002\)\." Introduction There are many conceptualisations and variations to the definition of MNCs; however the most commonly accepted definition is that of Barros and Cabral (2000) who defines a MNC as the corporation which has large structure spanning the national border of a country to include operations and bases in several countries. For a firm to be considered a MNC it must own at least in part, a subsidiary in a second country (Glass and Saggi, 2002). Over the years, MNCs have continued to expand their operations by improving their investment portfolios and operational outputs in other countries in their quest to enhance productivity and more importantly achieve better value for their owners and maximise profit for their shareholders. We will write a custom essay sample on An Evaluation of the reasons why a multinational enterprise undertakes FDI or any similar topic only for you Order Now While it is often argued that MNCs ship capital to where it is scarce, transfer technology and management expertise from one country to another, and promote the efficient allocation of resources in the global economy, it is important to note that inspite of this, the ultimate goal of the corporation is to increase profit and improve share value for its owners and shareholders (Barris and Cabra, 2002). It is believed that while FDI helps the country at the receiving end it also benefits the organisation because FDI by their nature has multiple benefits and can offer quick growth for any organisation if carefully undertaken. According to the International Monetary Fund (2002) FDI refers to an investment made to acquire lasting or long-term interest in enterprises operating outside of the economy of the investor. It plays an important role in global business especially in an everly increasingly competitive world marked by competition and globalisation. FDI can also provide a firm with new opportunities, distribution channels, markets and cheaper production capacities including, skills, technology and financing (IMF, 2002). In the work of Zarsky (2002) he points out that MNCs who invests in other countries often tend to benefit from lower costs and higher productive efficiency amongst several other benefits, therefore for firms seeking to achieve better performance, FDI is always undertaken as a strategic decision to achieve such objective. The aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of FDI to multinational organisations and evaluate some of the most important reasons why a MNC would undertake foreign direct investment abroad. The paper looks at the varying benefits of FDI and how it particularly benefits the firm undertaking such investment. Understanding FDI UNCTAD estimates that there are over 76,000 multinational corporations with affiliates and subsidiaries running to about 770,000 worldwide (UNCTAD, 2007). In 2005, FDI was estimated to have reached over $1.5 trillion with MNCs responsible for 12% of the world’s GDP while employing over 55 million people across the world (OECD, 2007). The OECD also estimates that 100 of the largest MNCs in the world account for over 15% of foreign assets with them accounting for 1/3 of global trade. In total over 70% of MNCs are based in advanced industrial countries with increasing stake in the developing world. The increasing surge of MNCs in emerging markets over the past decade especially attests to the fact they are increasingly undertaking FDI through market expansion to diversify their portfolios and increase their presence. Some of the few examples are: Vodaphone in India, Ford in Turkey, Microsoft in the UK and Coca cola in African countries. As is inherent in some of these examples, F DI can either take the form of merger, acquisition, the development of a new firm and or joint venture participation with existing firms (OECD, 2007). According to Thomsen (2000) FDI is important in so many ways for both the host country and the firm making the FDI because it holds various advantages in the long term for both. However, while its benefit for the firm is the focus of this paper, it is important to state that FDI can stimulate competition so long as there are proper policies in the host economy. Therefore FDI investment is not only important to the multinational firm but also the host economy for which it has so many spill over effects which is enjoyed in the long term. Generally, there is outward FDI and inward FDI. Outward FDI is the type of foreign direct investment which typically leaves a country while inward FDI is one which is received by a host country (Ekholm, 2004). MNCs participate in both forms of FDI and benefits from both at the same time through their activities. While outward FDI is generally not in favour of the host economy, it is said to benefit the MNC because it offers the opportunity for reinvest ment or as profits for the owners or shareholders. Inward FDI on the other hand benefits the host economy as it creates jobs and generates tax for the government while also benefiting the multinational company in several ways. Why MNCs undertake FDI In the old economics textbook, various reasons were adduced to the motive behind MNCs undertaking of FDI in other countries. One of the main explanations is that ‘Market disequilibrium and distortions’ give MNCs the impetus to undertake foreign investment (See e.g. Knickerbocker, 1973; p. 21). In a sense, it is believed that government imposed distortions as well as temporary disequilibria for example causes the need for firms to look outside their domestic market for opportunities in other countries (Ibid). Another explanation often put forward for MNCs motive for undertaking FDI is that market imperfection drives MNCs to look outward because imperfection in a market creates opportunities and economies of scale therefore it offers the MNC a perfect opportunity to increase its profits by investing its stake (See: Ekholm, 2004). While some of these explanations are still true to some extent as to why MNCs undertake FDI, the current and most important reasons indeed surpas es what is documented in the old textbooks of economics as explained earlier. Today, MNCs undertake foreign direct investment for various reasons and one of such is the increasing pressure wielded by competition through the forces of globalisation on the MNC making the rate of risk higher as to sustain long term operation in domestic markets (Nunnenkamp, 2002). You read "An Evaluation of the reasons why a multinational enterprise undertakes FDI" in category "Essay examples" Indeed through the modern process of globalisation, competition has taken a new dimension as forces outside a country can compete with a firm irrespective of its dominance in its local market, its brand awareness or strenghth, with the power of increasing competition therefore, survival today is about thinking ahead of the game, organisational thinking through innovation, collaboration, expansion and increased presence in other markets. This can be said to be one of the main impetus for MNCs motive for undertaking FDI abroad as such investment would enable the firm to achieve its objectives of improving profits and enhancing productivity theough cost cutting. Another motive behind MNCs undertaking of foreign direct investment is to diversify risks in their markets and portfolios. As noted by (Johnson, 2005) increasingly the macro business environment is becoming characterized with operational risks as the rate of unceratinty is increasing and markets are failing. The recent recession is an example of such risks existing in the external operating environment, since the recession which first started in 2007, several well known brands have collapsed while many are still suffering from the ruins of the recession. Indeed, many organisations operating in single markets and with limited product and market portfolios were exposed to market failures and increased risks in the last recession which consequently marked major decline in their share value and profit margin. Consequently, as a result of the threats associated with the risks of operating in one single market or product, MNCs are undetaking FDI abroad in other to diversify the risks in th eir primary market. Risk for a MNC can come in various faces. It could be operational risk, market risk, product risk, and several other. Undertaking FDI therefore offers the MNC the opportunity to mitigate such risks by diversifying into other markets or products through FDI. In the recent work of Davis (2009) he suggests that by undertaking foreign direct investment the MNC is able to lower production costs while also able to avoid trade restrictions. More so, the increasing labour cost and the cost of production in industrialised economies has given more impetus to MNCs to undertake FDI in a way that would allow them to lower production costs and enjoy cheaper labour costs (Barros and Cabral 2000). Ford motors is a typical example; Since the cost of production of Ford motors has increased in the UK, the company has decided to conduct its operations from other markets like Turkey for example where the cost of labour and production is relatively low. In addition to aiming to reduce labour and production costs, MNCs also undertake FDI to take up opportunity in profitable markets (Johnson, 2005) and this especially has to do with markets where there are better opportunities for the MNC to compete and make profit while at the same time increasing its brand v alue and identity (Ibid). Most of large oil and gas firms in the industrialised countries are typical examples of this development. Most big western oil firms such as Shell, Chevron, Mobil, BP, Texaco, etc have increased their presence in oil producing nations such as Russia, Angola, Brazil, Nigeria, Qatar, etc because the oil market in such countries require huge investment and infrastructure which they can undertake through FDI yet the market is such that there is little competition and therefore when they enter such markets they are able to use their market power and experience to increase their profit and become better at what they do. Shell like many other oil firms operating in the oil industry of many countries around the world have been able to avail itself of more opportunities in the general oil and gas market as well as other related industry through FDI than it can do in its primary and domestic markets. Similarly, the oil producing companies generally have been able to learn more about the intricacies of downstream and upstream operations as well as able to diversify into other related markets while at the same time able to contribute to the development of their host communities, although there are issues concerning corporate social responsibility and the environmental degradation caused by oil companies to their local communities, however the opportunistic and growth aspect of participating in other markets which FDI offers has been the main motive of MNCs. A similar development can be seen in other industries too, like the beverages industry for example where Coca cola is a prime example, Coca cola have been able to enter over 200 countries mainly to take advantage of the gaps and opportunities in those markets for the purpose of maximising its own profits while at the same time increasing its enhancing productivity and creating edge against its competition. The question to ask indeed is why MNCs are addicted to profit making and the taking up of opportunities everywhere there isIn response to such question: Kugler (2001) suggest that large firms over the past twenty years have been operating in a tougher and competitive world where their market power is challenged by small firms and the power of globalisation, it is this which gives them the motivation to invest abroad with the aim of challenging their competitors and taking to their advantage the benefit inherent in other markets to increase their profits and stay ahead of the game. Several MNCs also take opportunities abroad through FDI with the aim to vertically integrate their operations back and forward so as to sustain their operations and maintain healthy profits. It is at this juncture that the role of greed in their motive to undertake FDI can also be located. While little research exists in the literature on greed and why MNCs undertake FDI abroad, the 2007 global financial crisis has sparked academic debates about the role of greed in the operations and investment motives of MNCs abroad. In the work of Gultung (2009) for example looking at the case of some oil firms, financial institutions and industrialised apparel firms’, he talks about grievance, greed and opportunism in the way MNCs engage in FDI. The author explores the exploitation and the activities of many multinational corporations; How they exploit local firms, resources and labour in the foreign markets in which they operate. He cited the case of Shell in Nigeria and how the firm has over the year’s completely overtaken and forsaken local communities in which they exploit natural resources. As a consequence of such exploitation – Gultung suggests that many f armers have ceased operations while many fishermen are not able to feed their families and survive because their lands and firms have been taken over by oil activities and in many cases devastated and contaminated, yet Shell announce billions of dollars in its after profit tax every year. A similar example was cited of the apparel industry and the activities of company like Primark which has over the years undertaken foreign direct investment in India and many developing countries but to take advantage of labour and other local factors. Exploitation according to the author is defined as a â€Å"means through which one party gets much more out of a deal than the other-measured by the sum of internalities and externalities†. Sadly, most MNCs always get much more out the deals they strike than others. It is in this definition that it can be further argued that many MNCs as it is across many industries in the world mostly exploit other parties with whom they engage in FDI, theref ore it can be assumed that MNCs often undertake FDI in order to improve their profits with the motive to exploit others resources and take advantage of the opportunities in such markets. Finally, MNCs undertake FDI as a result of what Gorg and Strobl (2001) describe as the Product Life Cycle effect which occurs as a result of products reaching their maturity. For example a FDI takes place when product maturity hits and cost becomes an increasingly important consideration for the MNC. Conclusions This paper has explored the foreign investment activities of MNCs and the main reasons why they undertake FDI; it has presented various motives and factors underlying MNCs quest for investment abroad and as discussed above; one of such reasons is to increase profit, diversify risks and increase their competitiveness. The motive to undertake FDI to improve competitiveness has particularly become important for many MNCs given that in the current business environment, competition has become the order of the day and irrespective of size or location, small firms are able to compete in the same market with the multinationals. For the multinationals therefore, competitiveness has been the key and that includes aggressive expansion, constant innovation, acquisition and investing in markets abroad through various means. In view of the reasons mentioned in the paper, the reasons why MNCs undertake FDI can be said to be numerous and dependent on specific factors having to do with individual MNC s. For example some MNCs would make FDI decision to avail themselves of opportunities abroad, while other would take such decision to diversify risks, or vertically integrate their operations. References Barros. P.P. and L. Cabral (2000). Competing for Foreign Direct Investment., Review of International Economics, 8, 360-371. Ekholm, K. (2004). Multinational Enterprises and their Effect on Labour Markets, in Sodersten, B. (ed.), Globalization and the Welfare State, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. OECD (2007). Global Competition and the top ten investment destination, Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Gorg, H. and E. Strobl (2001) .Multinational Companies, Technology Spillovers, and Plant Survival: Evidence from Irish Manufacturing., EIJS Working Paper 131, Stockholm School of Economics. Glass, A. and Saggi, K. (2002). Multinational Firms and Technology Transfer, Scandinavian Journal of Economics, 104(3), 495-514. Galtung, J. (2009) Peace by peaceful means peace and conflict, development and civilisation. London, Sage publications International Monetary Fund (2002). FDI statistics. Johnson, A. (2005). Host Country Effects of Foreign Direct Investment: The Case of Developing and Transition Economies, Jonkoping, Singapore: Jonkoping International Business School Dissertation Series No. 031 Knickerbocker, F. T. (1973) Oligopolistic Reaction and Multinational Enterprise. Division of Research Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University: Cambridge, MA Nunnenkamp, P. (2002). Determinants of FDI in Developing Countries: Has Globalization Changed the Rules of the GameKiel, Germany: Kiel Institute for World Economics working paper No. 1122 Thomsen, S. (2000). Investment Patterns in a Longer-Term Perspective, OECD Working Paper on International Development, Number 2000/2 UNCTAD (2009). FDI statistics for multinational and Transnational’s, Geneva: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Zarsky, L. (2002). Foreign Direct Investment: No Miracle Drug [online]. Ultimate Field Guide to the US Economy, Available: http://www.fguide.org/Bulletin/fdinodrug.htm How to cite An Evaluation of the reasons why a multinational enterprise undertakes FDI, Essay examples