McDonalds Opportunities for Growth in Saudi Arabia

McDonalds Opportunities for Growth in Saudi Arabia Introduction There exist a number of global chains of restaurants that are known all over the world, and McDonalds is one of them. In this paper, we will analyze the situation that McDonalds has been facing in the market, and then we will consider the companys growth opportunities specifically in Saudi Arabia. Based on our discussion, we will offer some recommendations for the enterprise to develop in the mentioned country.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on McDonald’s: Opportunities for Growth in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Analysis Nowadays, McDonald’s is one of the largest global chains of fast food restaurants. It operates as a franchisor, selling local businesspeople the rights to open a restaurant under the brands name and providing them with what is necessary to meet the companys standards (Our Business Model n. pag.). Even though McDonald’s is one of the most well-know n brands in the world, the company suffered a major decline in its profits over the last few years. In 2014, the operating income of the fast food chain accounted for only 90.7% of its operating income in 2013 (â€Å"MCD Income Statement† n. pag.). In 2015, the company suffered even more setbacks. But it was able to recover later in the year; its net income rose to $1.21 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015, in comparison to $1.1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014 (CNBC n. pag.). Therefore, it is crucial for the company to use the momentum to continue its recovery and turn it into a growth. It is possible for the business to do that in two main ways: to open new restaurants, and to modify and improve the services it offers. Regarding the second way, the company needs to better adapt to local cultures while operating in countries other than the U.S. It already does to some extent; for instance, in the Arab world, McDonalds proposes food made from halal meat, and provides r espective certificates (â€Å"Our Ingredients† par. 2), and offers some meals that are more typical of the local cuisines (â€Å"McArabia† par. 2). One of the countries where the company might develop further is Saudi Arabia. This country has the population of approximately 30 million people, whereas the total number of McDonalds restaurants in this country is nearly 120 (â€Å"International Saudi Arabia† n. pag.). Therefore, there is approximately one restaurant for every 250,000 people in Saudi Arabia. It means that some potential customers might simply not visit McDonald’s often due to the remoteness of the nearest restaurant. McDonald’s also has a different image in Saudi Arabia than it has, for instance, in the U.S. The restaurant does not only propose food; it also provides the customers with the information about what the food consists of, offers a friendly atmosphere, free Wi-Fi, and so on. While this is common in the USA, it is not always the case in restaurants in Saudi Arabia (â€Å"McArabia† n. pag.).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Also, some political issues arise around McDonalds as around an American company from time to time. For instance, when in 2000 Saudis were indignant about the USAs support of Israel, they started boycotting American companies, which included McDonalds. McDonalds responded by a charity campaign; they began donating 26 cents from each meal they sold to children’s hospitals in Palestine (â€Å"Saudi Burgers to Help Palestinians† n. pag.). In 2002, another boycott campaign against American companies was on a rise; however, in the case of McDonald’s, more harm was done to the local franchisors than to the global corporation (Mroue n. pag.). On the whole, McDonalds tries to respond to the boycotts in a placating way, showing the local custom ers that the company is not to be blamed. Discussion As we have seen, there are some opportunities for McDonald’s development in Saudi Arabia. The fact that there is only one restaurant for 250,000 people in the country means that the company can grow by opening new restaurants. Apparently, that the network of locations in Saudi Arabia is not dense, which means that many potential customers would gladly visit McDonald’s if a restaurant was not so remote. Consequently, opening new locations should enable them to buy the foods McDonald’s has to offer much more easily, and, therefore, more frequently. It is also a possibility to adapt the menu to the local culture more, and to organize events and attractive offers related to the local special occasions. We have already stressed that McDonald’s in Saudi Arabia has a rather good reputation; therefore, for example, proposing to celebrate a holiday in McDonald’s might be a worthwhile offer to some of the locals. The menu can also be further diversified by including foods that are enjoyed by the Arabian population, for instance, by adding falafel burgers to it. Recommendations Based on the considerations above, we would offer McDonalds to take the following three main steps to develop further in Saudi Arabia. First, some new restaurants should be opened, so that the customers would be able to visit them more often instead of simply not doing it because of the remoteness of the nearest McDonalds. Second, the menu should be diversified by the foods that are very popular among the population (for instance, the falafel burger). And third, the company should provide the clients with more opportunities to celebrate special occasions in the restaurants.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on McDonald’s: Opportunities for Growth in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion To sum up, it should be noted th at McDonald’s had suffered setbacks over the years 2014-2015, but started recovering at the end of 2015. It is important for the company to use the momentum, and one of the countries where there exist opportunities for growth is Saudi Arabia. To develop further in this country, we recommend opening more restaurants, to diversify the menu to adjust it even better to the local culture, and to provide the clients with additional opportunities to celebrate special events in the restaurants. CNBC. McDonalds Beats Earnings on Surging US Sales, China Demand. 25 Jan. 2016. Web. cnbc.com/2016/01/25/mcdonalds-reports-fourth-quarter-2015-earnings.html. Company Profile. n.d. Web. aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/investors/company-overview/company-overview-segment-information.html. International Saudi Arabia: McDonald’s Operator to Hire 1,000. 23 Jul. 2012. Web. recruiter.co.uk/news/2012/07/international-saudi-arabia-mcdonalds-operator-to-hire-1000/. McArabia: McDonald’s in the Arab World. 29 Apr. 2009. Web. http://everything-everywhere.com/2009/04/29/mcarabia-mcdonalds-in-the-arab-world/. MCD Income Statement. 2016. Web. http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=MCD+Income+Statementannual. Mroue, Bassem. Arab Countries Boycott U.S. Goods over Mideast Policies. 29 July 2002. Web. http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jul/29/business/fi-boycott29.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Our Business Model. n.d. Web. aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/business-model.html. Our Ingredients. n.d. Web. mcdonaldsarabia.com/ksa-jeddah/en/our_food/quality_ingredients/our_ingredients.html. Saudi Burgers to Help Palestinians. 28 Nov. 2000. Web. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1044998.stm.

Research Paper Introduction about Smoking

Research Paper Introduction about Smoking Research Paper Introduction about Smoking Smoking tobacco has become a usual thing in our culture nowadays. A person with a cigarette is a usual thing: we can see them on the street, actors smoke in films, there are also book characters who smoke, we have relatives or friends who smoke. Starting as mainly as a part of a religious ritual a long time ago, it has become a routine thing for us. This research paper is aimed at answering the following questions: How has the practice of smoking changed throughout all its history? How smoking influences smokers health as well as passive smokers? Why do people smoke? Physiological and psychological perspectives. What are the ways of giving up smoking? Is it right to ban smoking? In what places should smoking be banned? First of all, we will look at the process of smoking tobacco from a historical perspective. It will be important to know how has the number of smokers changed throughout the centuries, and what historical processes affected it. On the other hand, we are also interested in geographical distribution of smokers and what factors all these numbers depend on. Special attention will be paid to Europe and the USA. The next issue we would like to dwell upon in the research paper is how smoking affects our health. This will be viewed from the perspective of a smoker, as well as from the perspective of passive smokers who are also influenced by smoking. It is important to find out what the most widespread diseases among smokers are and what the percentage of deaths from smoking is each year. This statistical data is important both for modern medicine to tackle those problems and for smokers themselves to be aware of what consequences smoking can lead to. It is important for us to find out the ways of helping people give up smoking. Having researched all the physical and mental factors of this addiction, it will be much easier to know how to deal with people who find it difficult to give up smoking. Another thing that is important to know to help people give up smoking is to find the right approach to them and to inform them about how their health will improve after they give up this habit. Another issue is smoking from the perspective of law. We have to analyze laws in various countries and see how smoking is banned in public places and whether people find such bans a positive action. On the other hand, it would be necessary also to consider further actions which have to be taken on smoking in public places and ways of tackling such a problem. We also have to include smokers point of view on this question in order to find a way out that would be acceptable for both sides. How to Write a Research Paper Introduction on a Social Problem: Writing a research paper introduction on such a topic you should approach the issue from a non-standard point of view, considering that social problems are discussed rather often. You can check out different forums and problem oriented websites to see what people have to say about it. That can help to develop a better thesis statement, since you may be able to view the issue from a different angle. Make sure that there are no specific requirements to writing an introduction made by your instructor. The introduction usually consists of two parts and before the thesis statement you should introduce the general topic. You should make sure it doesnt have to include anything else. At you can buy a research paper written from scratch by highly qualified academic writers. You will get a 100% original customized paper on Smoking topics.

Big Data vs Semantic Web Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Big Data vs Semantic Web - Essay Example It should be noted that such estimation could not be achieved before the adoption of the Big Data Management. Additionally, it was also intended to increase transparency in the data being shared. In this case, any data that is not covered in the digital form will be captured in the Big Data (Heath & Bizer, 2011, p. 34). In other words, the big data management allows capturing of large amount of data in digital form. Finally, the big data management was intended to enable development of products and services of the new generation. The management and environment of the big data management surpasses the traditional data warehouse and relational databases platforms. This is because incorporates technologies that allows processing and storing data in nontransactional forms (Heath & Bizer, 2011, p. 49). The new technology of handling big data concentrates on the collection and analysis of big data that combines the use of the traditional data warehouse with logical data warehousing architectural systems. It is worth noting that the big data management must decide on what data to process. This determination is arrived at following a compliance reasons that determines what data to be stored and what data to be destroyed. Therefore, the technology requires a careful data classification that enables quicker and productive analysis of small data sets. A/B testing, integration, data fusion, machine learning, crowdsourcing, signal processing, natural language, simulation, genetic algorithm, visualization, and time series analysis are the incorporated technologies that are used in the management of the bid data. These technologies are considered exceptional in processing large data quantities efficiently and within tolerable period. These technologies have led to an increased demand of big data information management especially with organizations that generate enormous data on a daily basis (Heath & Bizer, 2011, p.162). For instance,

Are we in recession and what effect will it have on the middle class Research Proposal

Are we in recession and what effect will it have on the middle class - Research Proposal Example This shows how many factors can work together to create a holistic idea about the current state of the economy. Many look to the mortgage industry and its impact on financial sectors for a more specific answer. The mortgage industry is currently affecting the consumer and banks in complicated ways. There is a lot of media coverage about it and there is at times the atmosphere of panic, with economists over-valuing the impact of the current mortgage industry and also predicting things that are in no way true. However, a recession is denoted by six months’ continuous drop in GDP, whereas the GDP has actually grown in recent quarters. Therefore, the impact on the consumer may be over-valued, but in any case, the recession has left lasting effects. â€Å"Home prices are now deflating at a 32% annual rate versus 8% six months ago. And the deflation is sure to intensify as the 4.6 million new and existing homes still sitting on the market find a clearing price† (Up, 2010). Th e mortgage industry currently also affects other zones of enterprise other than the middle class consumer, such as financial intermediaries including commercial banks.

Loyalty Program Essay Example for Free

Loyalty Program Essay We go through 7 strategy steps to design a loyalty program for Cabo San Viejo which are as follows:   Before we suggest a customer rewards or loyalty program, it is important to understand what is the company’s long term vision, For whom this program is to be implemented i. e. who are the company’s best customers, what are their needs and expectations, the reasons for having such a program and the expected outcome. So the first question is: What is Cabo San Viejo’s long term vision? Was the company directing its activities in overall achievement of this vision? The vision of the company was to help people live healthier lives. Initially there was a gap between the operational objectives of making people lose weight by way of low calorie diet and the vision of getting people to live healthier lives by inculcating sustainable lifestyle ways. However, this gap had been bridged but the positioning gap remained. Who were Cabo San Viejo’s targeted customers? Was there any gap between targeted and actual customers? If we go by the vision statement, anybody wanting to live a better and healthier life was Cabo San Viejo’s targeted customers. These could include smokers, obese men and women, even obese children, stressed couples or singles, workaholic professionals, over worked top executives and managers etc. However, Cabo San Viejo was attracting mostly females (70%-80% of the guests) with an increasing average age over the years, the last average being 57 in the year 2004. Thus, mostly older females were visiting the resort who wanted to indulge themselves and feel better about their body and themselves. Also, their household income was high. Comparing this with the summer guests, the latter group had less income and was also comparatively younger in population. Thus, we can link the age, income level and affordability. Usually younger people are less wealthy and thus find such vacations expensive. Not only this, the perception of Cabo San Viejo first as a fat camp and then as a boot camp was discouraging people to come there. Also, 67% of guests came through word of mouth indicating that the above line marketing was performing poorly. Campaigns targeting specific groups of people showing indulgence in activities of their interest like hiking for young crowd, spa treatment for women, consultation for couples etc would be likely to bring out the varied health solutions offered by Cabo San Viejo. What were the needs of the guests at Cabo San Viejo? Was there any gap in meeting the needs or their expectations? The individual needs of the customers varied quite a lot. To understand and cater to the needs of the customers, the company had efficiently trained its reservation staff who helped customers choose the appropriate package as according to their goals and objectives. The very fact that 95% of the customers rated their experience as either very good or outstanding shows that Cabo San Viejo was operating efficiently. However, if Cabo San Viejo was to target a more demanding and younger customer base in future, it would have to exceed is current delivery promise. The needs have been met but the expectations of repeat customers have not been satisfied some of whom have expressed their resentment for not being rewarded for their continued patronization. Therefore we have recognized: Perception of Cabo San Viejo as a boot camp needed to be changed. †¢Young customers needed to be attracted. As they had higher expectations and smaller pockets, loyalty program needed to focus on value proposition by means of discounts etc. †¢Older customers were mostly wealthier and would not be looking for a value deal like the younger customers. Cabo San Viejo had around 5000 repeat customers each year which a healthy figure is making up about 60% of the total arrival figure. Around 3500 new guests arrive each year of which 32% revisited within 5-6 years and 62% of repeat visitors returned again within 5-6 years. The primary reason for not returning was the high costs. Here we reiterate that to attract more repeat customers, value must be offered. Why does Cabo San Viejo need a customer loyalty program? †¢Retention: One of the primary reasons for most loyalty programs is o retain the loyal customers by appreciating them and the business they generate for the company by making them feel special and good about their association with the company. †¢Offer enhanced value proposition: A loyalty program which offers a value deal to its customers who need it will get Cabo San Viejo more patronization. However, it is to be understood that not all customers need or expect value deals. Enhanced Satisfaction: Recognition by way of loyalty program makes a customer feel good and thus enhances satisfaction which in turn leads to more positive word of mouth. †¢Positive Word of Mouth: Around 60% of Cabo San Viejo’s customers called in for inquiry based on word of mouth. †¢Enhance image as a responsive company: Cabo San Viejo explicitly encourages customers to complain if unsatisfied. It is through such feedbacks that Cabo San Viejo has got to know that customers expect such a program implementation. Whenever a company asks for and receives complaints, it is best to respond or may lead to customer resentment. Counter Competition: If not rewarded for loyalty, customers may switch to other competitors. How much is the desired/expected impact? Having analyzed this, we now estimate the impact. The impact of a loyalty program is usually incremental and observed over a period of time. The expected increase in retention is say, 10%1 over a period of say, 5 years2. Also, people coming from reference is expected to increase over the years enabling the company to cut marketing costs elsewhere. 1The expected retention percentage is found either based on internal company data or industry expert advice.

Essay --

Often times in literature, writers use different techniques to convey their ideas. One of the most common techniques in literature is the allegory, a literary device that expresses hidden meanings through symbols, settings, and even characters. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a perfect example of an allegorical novel. Lord of the Flies is a novel in which several British boys are stranded on a remote island following a plane crash, and must cooperate with each other in order to survive. The reader can either choose to read Lord of the Flies from a literal perspective as an adventure story, or they can choose to read it from figurative perspective as physiological, religious, political, or social allegory. Golding successfully manages to incorporate issues of innocence, savagery, and religion through these allegories without even mentioning them specifically in the novel. The most commonly used allegory in the novel is the social allegory; Golding uses the novel’s four main characters, Ralph, Jack, Piggy, and Simon, to represent different parts of society. In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the four main characters as social allegories; Ralph is used to represent fair/democratic government, Jack is used to represent power/dictatorship, Piggy is used to represent technology/intellect, and is used Simon to represent humanism. Ralph represents the fair/democratic government found in human society. Originating from Britain, Ralph tries to mimic the Parliament by employing his own conch-led government system. When Ralph notices that they cannot have everyone talking at once, he says, â€Å"I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking† (45). The definition of a democracy is a system of governm... ...as to tell the boys that there was in fact no beast, it was only a dead parachutist. Rather than being read from a literal perspective, the reader can choose to read Lord of the Flies as one vast social allegory. The four main characters, Ralph, Jack, Piggy, and Simon, are used as social allegories to represent different parts of society. Ralph is used to represent democratic government, Jack is used represents autocratic government, Piggy is used to represent the intellectual part of society, and Simon is used to represent humanistic part of society. While it may be just a narrative telling of several boys marooned on an island, Golding’s plentiful use of allegories gives Lord of the Flies a much more profound meaning than just that. Without these allegorical elements, Lord of the Flies would just be a common adventure novel with no significant moral meaning.

Learning Patterns Essay

Pattern Combination Identify the type of learner you are in the box Dynamic Learner Sequence Precision Technical Reasoning Confluence Record your LCI scores in the boxes provided. 29 21 19 24 Record the Level of Use in the boxes provided Use First Use as Needed Use as Needed Use as Needed B. How I Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid Sequence Sequence pattern is the pattern that I use first. I like to have clear step by step directions. One thing that I love about this course is that there is a link for each assignment that shows you the grading rubric. With this grading rubric I am able to know exactly what my expectations are to receive a passing grade. Many times especially at work I am able to do my job and have time to clean as I go. I am a very neat and organized person. C. How I Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid Precision Precision learning pattern I will use on an as needed basis. I tend to take lots of detailed notes. I am also a list maker and always ask questions to help me better understand a subject. If I don’t understand a subject then I research extensively about it. D. How I Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid Technical Reasoning Technical reasoning learning pattern I will use as an as needed basis. Technical reasoning is my least used learning pattern. I am not a very mechanical. There was a time when my low oil light came on in my car. I lifted up the hood and became very overwhelmed. I eventually had my uncle show me how it was done. Although I do enjoy learning from experience and taking my knowledge and occasionally I’m able to problem solve from that. E. How I Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid Confluence Confluence learning pattern I will use as an as needed basis. I enjoy exploring new things. Once I am taught a certain task I make my own changes on how to do it. I’m able to personalize it and for me it is easier. But overall I’m able to get the same ending results.

Minimum Wage in Malaysia

Minimum wage in Malaysia: need for it and its’ possible effectiveness 1. 0. Introduction Background Information There has been growing debates concerning the minimum wage in Malaysia, with strong opinions from both sides of the arguments. In 1979 edition of their introductory textbook, William B. Aumol and Alan Blinder explained, â€Å"The primary consequence of the minimum wage law is not an increase in the incomes of the least skilled workers but a restriction of their employment opportunities† (p. 7). On the other side of the debate, social activists, policymakers and other non-economists often argue for an increase in the minimum wage. Advocates of the minimum wage have included Franklin D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, A. Philip Randolph, Walter R. Reuther, Edward Filene, Beatrice and Sydney Webb. Finally, Malaysia took its stance and made its first legislative attempt at putting in place a national minimum wage on twenty first June 2011 . Introduced by Human Resources Deputy Minister, Maznah Mazlan in Parliament, the National Wages Consultative Council (NWCC) bill was tabled for its first reading. Most significantly, the general public does not widely share the negative opinion of the minimum wage, according to surveys. What questions us, is whether there is a need for minimum wage, and if there, how effective it might be. Statement of the Problem This paper will investigate on the need and the effectiveness of the yet to be minimum wage bill among security guards, cleaners with its current value of RM720. The idea of having a national minimum wage in Malaysia has been proposed more than 12 years ago by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), when Tun Mahatir was still the Prime Minister, and has been continuously rejected, until more recently, the current prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib has stated in the Malaysia Budget 2011 speech â€Å"Businesses must embrace the minimum wage as a business strategy†. A minimum wage theoretically, is planned to affect the low-skilled workers such as janitors, cleaners and security, who are paid with low wages which affect their standards of living. With a minimum wage in effect, they were supposed to be able to raise their standards of living and live a more comfortable life. Conversely, Orrenius and Zavodny (2008) and Ragayah Haji mat Zin(2007) argue that the effect of a minimum wage may just put these low skilled workers out of employment because of economic conditions in country, putting the low-skilled workers in an even worse situation: unemployment. Research Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether or not Malaysia is in need for implementation of a national minimum wage, based on the reviews of recent developments in the literature pertaining to the overall effects of a minimum wage, and the opinions of the janitors, cleaners and security guards. The focus is on the perceptions of low-paid workers as mentioned earlier and their satisfaction with the amount they are being paid and whether or not it covered their day to day expenses. Analysis can be made on whether or not these workers were exploited by the absence of a minimum wage and that a minimum wage is indeed can end such situations. To answer the questions surveys will be done and literature review will be made that will analyze on how are salaries are appointed and later on the consequences of implementing the minimum wage. This paper aims to answer the following questions: 1)Is there any need for Malaysia to implement national minimum wage? 2) As for now are low-paid workers are paid enough to cover their daily expenses? )Does the law bring a tangible change? Significance of the Study There are lots of studies pertaining to the issue of minimum wage around the globe, however, only few had focused on the issue being practiced in Malaysia, like Rohayu Abd. Ghani in her article† Salary and Wages in Malaysia† and David Lim in his article â€Å"†Sweet Labor† and Wages in Malaysian Manufacturing† . Referring to the history of an alysis, some have focused on developing countries that have already implemented the minimum wage, like P. Jones, where he discusses issues pertaining Ghana; or first world countries, like M. Bowey and A. Lupton where comprehensive explanation about implementation in United Kingdom was done or D. Neumark and W. Wascher analyzing the situation in USA. This brings us to the conclusion that more studies need to be done to find out the conditions of so-called â€Å"black workers†: janitors, cleaners and security guards in Malaysia. Ironically, many newspaper articles have addressed the economic conditions in Malaysia, the effects of those on citizens of Malaysia. But never the question of implementing the minimum wage policy was taken any further. Findings of the investigation will be helpful in determining if the minimum wage needs to be implemented, to analyze whether it would be actually successful in improving the lives of janitors, cleaners and security guards, and whether or not their current salaries will be sufficient for them to live a comfortable life, as concerning this issue Shireen (1998) has shown that poverty in Malaysia officially seen s as a situation of relative rather than absolute deprivation. By understanding their conditions, a better decision of how the minimum wage could be implemented can be recommended and the proximity of the issue can be understood. 2. Literature review Bowey and Lupton (1982) has discussed that wage and salary administration is complex and subtle, and littered with techniques designed to reduce the complexity for the administrator and cope with the subtleties. The explanations that are brought together are the descriptions of the most important techniques that are available for coping with the principal tasks of wage and salary administration, and shows how and when these may be used. They propagate that there are many systems of payment which attempt to relate earnings to the work done and before any such system can be used it is necessary to assess that work in some way by comparing the nature of the work (eg. Is it heavy work? Does it carry a large amount of responsibility? ), it may also involve assessing the rate at which the employees are working and rewarding them according to their different rates of performance. The first method is job evaluation while latter is work measurement. Regarding this matter they outline that â€Å"Job evaluation and work measurement are two subjective areas which are of crucial importance to the operative and the manager as they radically affect the payback and the quality of work† ( Bowey & Lupton, 1982, p. 159). And here is the issue that we have, why is that in some instances, wage amounts differ, regarding the fact that it’s one country, one sector of work, but yet, some workers are abused and get to be paid a very low salary. The inform us that there are three different consideration while salary is being allocated to each job. First, the mechanics of assigning different amount of money to different positions is the job hierarchy and different standards of performance. Second, consideration of the absolute levels of pay which should be given when pay in other organizations is taken into account. Third, the process of negotiation between the management and the union about levels of payment. And exactly the third consideration appears to be quite an issue. Why is that we require the workers to give the just amount of performance, finishing the assigned work, but we aren’t just in giving enough reward for the effort contributed. It appears, that using the power as an upper- manager who hires, the abundance of work supplying the market, especially with the flow of illegal immigrants, workers will have to agree on terms offered. Do we consider the undue influence and abuse of situation as an ethical act? Bowey & Lupton(1982) stated that: With management by objectives, the employee and his superior agree a set of objectives for the coming year, and the individual is given salary increase at the end of the year, which is partly determined by how well he has succeeded in achieving those targets (p. ) Theoretically, the wage systems seems just fine. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Malaysia. Plantation workers are initially paid RM350 and can achieve RM700 with bonuses. Would that be enough for an average Malaysian citizen to cover rent, food expenses? They argue that â€Å"If we give equal rations to everyone, who do we designate to carry out the most onerous tasks-and on what basis do we make this choice? † ( Bowey & Lupton, 1982, p. 159). In the end, whether we like it or not management has to make decisions about the worth of the contribution comparing different levels of jobs and finally assigns the salary, even if the appointed salary makes it cheaper than in other place as starting amount of salary differs from the budget of one institution to another. Journal Business Asia has analyzed the ambivalent attitude of government to foreign labor. Before the crisis 2. 5 million immigrant workers were regarded as â€Å"undesirable but necessary encumbrance†( Business Asia,2000,p. 2) . It is a very degrading attitude toward human being, be he from first world country or third, but what matters is that, in the end, we can’t change much. Laws and bills are issued, but these workers still are considered cheap workers for black jobs. This type of attitude is problematic, as the accountability and dignity of an employee disappears, especially when allocating the salary. Wikipedia (2011) states that the minimum wa ge that Malaysia has stated for plantation workers is RM350 and that even may reach RM700 with bonuses! The article explains further â€Å"Officially-orchestrated- and mostly employer-funded-repatriation programmes saw the number of registered foreign workers drop below 700,000 by end 1999, from peak of 1. 2million in 1997†(Business Asia,2000,p. 12) . Though, after the pressure from exasperated employers, the government announced the lifting of a freeze on the recruitment of foreign workers, but yet, â€Å"the grudging nature of the concession was underlined by an accompanying list of 138 categories of job† for Malaysians only (Business Asia, 2000,p. 12). And ironically, all these statement are done by those who â€Å"stated an intention to transform Malaysia from a production to a knowledge- based economy† (Business Asia, 2000, p. 12). Employers complain that â€Å"Instead of encouraging the free-thinking innovators needed to help realize such a lofty ambition, the education system seems expressly programmed to eliminate them† (Business Asia,2000, p. 12). All of the above had lead to the core of the issue, the rise of salary. The fear among employers is that a rise in wages will eventually begin â€Å"outstripping productivity gains† (Business Asia,2000, p. 2). Despite the increase of GDP by 3. 7% wages by relative modest grew by 2. 7%. The question is what should stand above, a just increase in wages, which a company can afford, or the increase of the profits at the expense of exploitation of decent workers. As Annil Netto reports at Indian-Malaysian Online â€Å"The Malaysian Trades Union Congress, an umbrella for private sector unions, threatened by nationwide strike if its request for a minimum would be ignored, even so, the Malaysian government gave a cool response †. In March 2000 a national survey by MUTC and International Labor Organization has revealed that some 2 million workers earned less than a poverty- line income of RM600, MTUC demanded at least RM1,200, which we still do not have in 2011. Further, Jones (1997) examines the impact of minimum wage legislation in developing countries with incomplete coverage, using the case of Ghana. Her extensive research has proved that the implementation of the minimum wage was not an efficient policy for reducing the incidence of poverty in a situation where coverage of the minimum wage legislation is partial. The reason is that people working outside of the wage sector e. g. Farmers who survive by selling and consuming their own output are not covered by the minimum wage, and they are the ones who are in need of the minimum wage. Thus, the implementation of the minimum wage becomes non-effective. Her results have shown that the minimum wage in Ghana had a negative impact on employment; there were significant job losses due to the policy. Although the study is based on the case of Ghana, it can be deduced that if Malaysia were to implement the minimum wage, it should cover a large proportion of the population, and not just those working in the public sector, to increase coverage. Ghana and Malaysia are two different countries of different cultures and mentalities, government structure, though communality are the social problems that each faces. But the differences might tell us that policies implemented in one will not necessarily give the same results if applied in the other. The main key point that could be inserted is that the minimum wage should have a large coverage, in our research cleaners and guards. Saget (2001) examines the relationship between the level of minimum wage and employment and between the level of minimum wage and poverty through literature survey and also empirical evidence. The response of employment and poverty to changes in the minimum wage on more than twenty countries was tested in the research, and â€Å"†¦ he data analysis had given strong support to the proposition that the minimum wage may bring positive results in poverty alleviation by improving the living conditions of workers and their families. † (Saget, 2001,p. 31). The literature survey however, had differing opinions, for example some papers mentioned that raising the minimum wage in developing countries may contribute to a widening of the gap between the covered and uncovered sector, similar to Jones (2007), generating relative poverty. Unlike Jones (2007), Saget's (2001) analysis proved that minimum wage had no negative results on employment whereas Jones had shown that the minimum wage policy had caused significant job losses. This is because Jones’ study was focused on incomplete coverage of the minimum wage while Saget looked into the minimum wage in general, cross country to see the effects it had on poverty and employment. Therefore based on Jones’ study, if Malaysia were to implement the minimum wage, then up till now there would be a reduction in poverty, which is positive and one of the goals of Malaysia in becoming a high income nation by 2020. Jones did not manage to find a significant link between unemployment and the minimum wage thus, this means that a minimum wage would not cause unemployment to increase significantly. However, the results could also mean that countries that implement the minimum wage are more committed to reducing the level of poverty in the country thus leading to results which imply that setting a higher minimum wage would reduce poverty. Lo (2010) in his paper titled ‘The case for a minimum wage in Malaysia† is a highly passionate in support of the minimum wage. It is perhaps due to the fact that the writer is the secretary of the MTUC which is the very same organization that has been pushing for minimum wage legislation in Malaysia for over 12 years now. Malaysian workers suffer from suppressed wages because of the influx of cheap foreign labor, but having a minimum wage according to the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) would hurt Malaysian’s competitiveness due to the increase in costs firms will have to incur. However this is countered by Lo (2010), â€Å"If a firm cannot even provide a decent living wage to its workers – one that is enough to meet their basic needs – it has no business being in business†(p. 3). He also suggested that Malaysia can’t always depend on cheap foreign labor forever. Although now it would be expensive to invest in research and development to develop tools that would improve productivity, it would be cheaper in the long run to use these machines. Furthermore, higher wages lead to higher productivity. It would encourage employers to invest in research and development to increase overall productivity and efficiency. Malaysia has not been spending much on research and development, especially private sector, but this would change if there was minimum wage legislation, and more on research and development would give Malaysia a better future. According to this, Malaysia should implement the minimum wage, because of the effects it has in reducing social poverty and also its potential in enhancing economic growth and productivity improvements. â€Å"There is a growing view among economists that the minimum wage offers substantial benefits to low-wage workers without negative effect. Although there are still dissenters, the best recent research has shown that the job loss reported in earlier analyses does not, in fact, occur when the minimum wage is increased† (Fox, 2006, p. 1). Also, over 650 economists, including five Nobel Prize winners and six past presidents of the American Economic Association, recently signed a statement stating that federal and state minimum wage increases â€Å"can significantly improve the lives of low-income workers and their families, without the adverse effects hat critics have claimed† (EPI, 2006). Although the paper focused purely on the evidences from the USA, the effects of minimum wage are still similar if it were to be implemented in Malaysia. However, there could be major differences as Malaysia would be implementing the minimum wage for the first time, while the USA has been doing it for much longer and their case is to do with raising the minimum wage. Malaysia would face lots of opposition in the beginning as t he adjustment process would take time. Card and Krueger (1995) extensively describe the effectiveness of minimum wages of each sector of US population. As stated by CIA World Factbook (2011) US GDP for year 1995 was 2. 51 and 3. 7 for year 2006, and current GDP of Malaysia is 3. 9,hence we can conclude similarities in the phase of economical development. Card and Krueger present us a new body of evidence showing that recent minimum wage increases have not had the negative employment effects predicted by the textbook model. Some of the new evidence points toward a positive effect of minimum wage on employment most show no effect at all. Moreover, a reanalysis of previous minimum wage studies finds little support for the prediction that minimum wages reduce employment, like Richard Lester during the 1940 or Card and Krueger initial work in 1988, California state as a case study. If accepted, the findings will call into question the standard model of the labor market that has dominated economists’ thinking for the past half century. They have showed us the empirical findings which result in later: first of all, a study of employment in the fast- food industry after the increase in New Jersey minimum wage was not affected adversely by law, stating that â€Å"modest increases in the minimum wage have no adverse effect on the employment outcomes of low-wage workers† (Card & Krueger, 1995, p. 114) as Lo ( 2010) and Saget (2001) had argued above. The results were gathered from 400 restaurants. Relative to restaurants in Pennsylvania, where the minimum wage remained unchanged, they found that â€Å"employment growth within New Jersey was higher at restaurants† (Card & Krueger,1995, p. 46). Second, a cross-state analysis finds that the 1990 and 1991 increases in the federal minimum wage did not affect teenage employment adversely. Thirdly, an increase in the minimum wage leads to a situation in which workers who previously were paid different wages all receive the new minimum wage. Card & Krueger(1995) ar gue that once there is an increase in the minimum wage it would result in a â€Å"ripple effect†, leading to pay raises for workers who previously earned wages above the new minimum. Surprisingly, increases in minimum wage do not appear to be offset by reductions in fringe benefits. Increase of such kinds has decreased the minimum dispersion, partially reversing the trend toward rising wage inequality that has dominated the labor market since the early 1980s. Finally, as a fact minimum wage is a blunt instrument for reducing poverty. It’s â€Å"an amount that is smaller than most other federal antipoverty programs, and that can have only limited effects on the overall income distribution† (Card & Krueger,1995, p. 3). They also note, that â€Å"more than 60 percent of all workers have worked for the minimum wage at some time during their careers(Card & Krueger,1995, p. ). References Anonymous (2000). No staff, no skills, Business Asia, Vol. 32 Issue 14, p12, 4/5p Card D. , Krueger A. B. ,(1995). Myth and measurement. The new economics of the minimum wage. Fox, L. (2006). Minimum wage trends: Understanding past and contemporary research. Retrieved from http://www. epi. org/publications/entry/bp178/ Jones, P. (1997). The Impact of Minimum Wage Legisl ation in Developing Countries where Coverage is Incomplete. Retrieved from http://www. bepress. com/cgi/viewcontent. cgi? article=1066=csae- redir=1#search=†jones+ghana+wage† Lo, A. 2010). The case for a minimum wage. Retrieved from http://www. mtuc. org. my/andrewminimumwageaug2010. pdf M Bowey,A. , Lupton, T. (1982)Managing Salary and Wage systems,Great Britain: Gower Publishing Company Retrieved from http://www. indianmalaysian. com/minimum_wage. htm Retrieved from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/ html Saget, C. (2001). Poverty reduction and decent work in developing countries: Do minimum wages help?. International Labour Review, 140. Retrieved from http://www. ingentaconnect. com/content/ilo/ilr/2001/00000140/00000003/art00002

By reference to any company (preferably a sponsor company), essays

By reference to any company (preferably a sponsor company), essays Trinidad and Tobago, the southernmost country of the Caribbean is known for its rich culture and natural nons of such resources are crude oil, in the form of petroleum, and natural gas. There are many companies, both local and foreign, that have investments in these resources. Not only do these companies gain from the countrys resources but they also give back to the country in many different forms. Two such forms are social and economical development of Trinidad and Tobago. For social development, they are major sponsors of sports, education and cultural events and for economical development; they provide employment and foreign revenue for the government, which results in economic growth of the country. One such company is British Gas of Trinidad and Tobago, BGTT. In ancient history, sports were played mostly, if not only, by men and were seen as hobbies and a form of recreation. However, in recent years, sports have developed, not only as competitions but also to include both genders. BGTT has been an active sponsor in the development of sports for the youths, most of which are secondary school programs, for more than eight years. The company first started with cricket. Since 1995 they sponsored the national under 15 cricket team and four years later, in 1999, they also started sponsoring the under 17 cricket team. In 2002 they added two more sports to their sponsorship programs. These were the Secondary Schools Netball Association and the Secondary School Football League. Due to the sponsorship of these teams, they are able to participate in many competitions and represent our country in games regionally and internationally. Not only did BGTT sponsor sports and lead to its development in Trinidad and Tobago but they also co-sponsored, along with other companies that also has investments in the natural resources of the country, the building of two centers that would aid in the education and d...

Quotes About the Meaning of Home

Quotes About the Meaning of Home Home sweet home, a place that gives you unconditional love, happiness, and comfort. It may be a place where you can bury your sorrows, store your belongings or welcome your friends. A happy home  doesnt require the trappings of opulence. Any place can be home as long as you are comfortable and secure there. If you are homesick or looking for a home of your own, these writers and thinkers can do wonders to lift your spirits. Jane Austen There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort. Vernon Baker Home is where the heart can laugh without shyness. Home is where the hearts tears can dry at their own pace. William J. Bennett Home is a shelter from storms - all sorts of storms. Sarah Ban Breathnach Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need. G.K. Chesterton ...the truth is that the home is the only place of liberty, the only spot on earth where a man can alter arrangements suddenly, make an experiment on indulging in a whim. The home is not the one tame place in a world of adventure; it is the one wild place in a world of rules and set tasks. Confucius The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home. Le Corbusier A house is a machine for living in. Charles Dickens Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration. Emily Dickinson Where thou art, that is home. Ralph Waldo Emerson The house is a castle which the King cannot enter. Benjamin Franklin A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. Billy Graham My home is in Heaven. Im just traveling through this world. Jerome K. Jerome I want a house that has got over all its troubles; I dont want to spend the rest of my life bringing up a young and inexperienced house. Joyce Maynard A good home must be made, not bought. Christian Morgenstern Home is not where you live but where they understand you. Kathleen Norris Peace - that was the other name for home. Pliny the Elder Home is where the heart is. Catherine Pulsifer Home is where we should feel secure and comfortable. Helen Rowland Home is any four walls that enclose the right person. William Shakespeare People usually are the happiest at home. Charles Swain Home is where theres one to love us. Mother Teresa Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home. George Washington I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. Angela Wood If you know youre going home, the journey is never too hard.

Assignment1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Assignment1 - Assignment Example The crisis management process shown by the Northern Illinois University is effective and efficient; because after one year it is undisputable that the university’s reputation is intact (Russell 87). One of the major targets of the crisis management effort is; to increase campus emergency preparedness, through organizing staff training on crisis communication. The outcome objectives of the crisis management involved: 1) to eliminate future campus emergencies, this can the through putting in place appropriate prevention mechanisms or resources; 2) to improve the reputation of the university, this was realized through proper crisis management communication; and 3) to minimize or eliminate legal suits on learning institutions during emergency cases. The Output objectives of the crisis management exercise at the university entailed: 1) to utilize the university website in providing the crisis updates to the audiences and the media; 2) to ensure institutional reputation and credibility through effective and efficient disclosure; 3) and to give emergency alerts to all the stakeholders, as quickly as possible (Jay, et al. 17). Both the quantitative and qualitative measures were used in determining the effectiveness of the crisis management approach, which was used by the Northern Illinois University. The quantitative measure indicated that; the university did not receive any law suit which relates to the gunman crisis; the financial gifts given to the university to fund sponsorships and memorial programs exceeded $1 million; and only 19 students who were personally affected by the gunman incident left the campus. The qualitative method used to indicate effectiveness involve; the Task Force on Campus Security formed by the Governor of Illinois made a report showing excellence of the university in crisis management; NBC Nightly News