International marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

International marketing - Essay Example In case of IM the firms looks to make their products available to the international customers. Therefore they have to deal with PESTLE factors of not only one but several other countries. Due to this factors such as tariff barriers, govt. regulations, etc. They also have to face competition from the international competitors also. But with high risk there are opportunities to earn high returns also in the form of growth, profitability, opportunity to earn economies of scale. The study looks to focus upon some of the key issue to be considered by a firm when the firm decides to enter the international market. The company to be discussed is Tesco PLC, the biggest retailer in the UK. During the course of study the probable strategies that could be adopted by the company to expand the business has been discussed using international strategic and marketing mix of Tesco (from an international, perspective), Porter’s diamond model, Uppsala model, country of origin effect and born glo bal model. Marketing Mix: 4P’s Framework The concept of marketing mix can be described as the set of manipulable marketing elements that can be used by the company to achieve organizational objectives. The marketing mix consists of four key elements. Neil Borden termed these manipulable elements as the ‘Marketing Mix’. In the early 1960’s he suggested 12 elements which the company should keep in mind while formulating marketing program. Then E. Jerome McCarthy delineated the marketing mix as the 4Ps of the marketing mix. In simple terms the elements of the marketing mix can be used to lay the much required foundation for the overall marketing strategy. Product Tesco is one of the major retailers in the world. It provides shelf space to the products of some of the major global brands. Along with this the company also provides private label branded products. The product ranges from fresh food, groceries, clothing and apparels, health and beauty products, ele ctronic garments. The vast ranges of products allow the company to target a wide range of customer segments starting from kids to adults. As the company product a vast product mix with lots of variation the company opts for brand positioning as compared to individual brand positioning. Price Tesco mainly uses market driven pricing. Here it is to be mentioned that with the rise in competition in the global retail market and the recent economic downturn has forced the retail companies to decrease the prices. A part form this the company also uses promotional pricing techniques, especially in case of clothing products. In the initial days the company adopted a market skimming strategy. Thus the company set high prices for the offerings. But once the competition increased the company had to adapt and shift to market driven pricing. Also the pricing strategy has been influenced by the economic conditions. The market driven pricing has been well punctuated by other pricing techniques such as promotional pricing. Place It is believed that the Tesco has one of the best distribution strategies. The key factor that influences the

REAT Task 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

REAT Task 11 - Essay Example Pre-testing can be administered at every stage of learning process to cue students to the concepts to be mastered. Instructors use pre-testing to invoke students’expectation, which is an important ingredient in concept learning. Instructors use post-testing to monitor the leaning progress for students. Post-testing is also a useful tool to determine the differences in learning process between students. It reveals fast learners and slow-learners. This helps the instructor to adjust accordingly to accommodate all types of learners, (Kormos, 2008). At administrative level, curriculum developers monitor the effectiveness of their programs using post-testing results. The results also help them adjust their curriculum to improve individual student performance. By adjusting their programs, they can develop model curriculum used to develop other programs. Cognitive Domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy is a sequence of recognition learning process that involves six stages in the order of increasing difficulty. The stages imply that the learning process cannot begin at an advanced stage before the preceding one is mastered. The stages are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and finally evaluation, (Price & Nelson, 2010). At knowledge level, the learner is expected to have the ability to remember and state previously learnt information or data. Other learner’s abilities that characterizes learners at this stage include ability to describe, to define, to identify, to outline, to reproduce, to label, to list and to know. At comprehension stage of learning, a learner is expected to understand and infer problem or concept and to express given information in one’s own terms. The abilities that characterizes learners at this stage include being able to paraphrase, to infer, to interpret, to rewrite differently the same concept, to explain to convert and to predict. The third stage is the application of the concept. It involves the

Practice Structures from Motor Learning

Practice Structures from Motor Learning Skill acquisition is partially dependent on the amount of practice and the structure of practice for the learner. Choose an activity and using the principles of practice and practice structures from Motor Learning answer the following questions. A. Identify and describe the skill with detail along with the characteristics of the learner (age, athletic ability, etc.). The learner is a high school freshman baseball player still in growth development and attempting to improve his fielding mechanics. Although the learner has played baseball in the past, the players fielding skills are average. The player also has average athleticism, is right hand dominant, but requires specific attention to details to improve fielding ground balls that are hit directly towards the learner. The learner is also attempting to play shortstop for the high school team. Fielding a ground ball that is hit in a straight line in front of the player using a glove is the skill that will be taught. When fielding a ground ball, the learner should approach the ball with the palm of the glove facing the baseball as the arm is straight and descending like an airplane and not like a helicopter. As the learner is approaching the ball with the glove and arm positioned as previously mentioned, the learner should take a banana like curve towards the ball to read the location of the ball skipping off the ground. After the banana curve and descending the glove like an airplane, the learner should then field the ball way beyond his toes as his back is bent forward in a squat-like position. The learner should come to the connecting point between the glove and the ball with a right to left step pattern as the learner gets into a squat position. As the learner is getting into the squat position to field the ball, the right hand should extend with the palm facing down while the palm of the right hand is on the bottom of the glove resembling an alligators open mouth. Once the learner is in a squat position with both the glove hand and right hand covering the baseball, the learner is then instructed to close the ball in the glove while controlling the ball with the throwing hand. During this period of controlling the ball, the learner should funnel the ball to the stomach while maintaining eye contact all the way until the ball is in the learners throwing hand entirely. As the ball is in the throwing hand, the fielder should cross the left foot over the right leg, continue to follow the left leg through to assume a throwing position, and finally use the learners throwing abilities to throw at a target once he the ground ball has been fielded. B. Describe the different types of practice appropriate for an advanced performer and one who is just learning the activity. Blocked practice is a repetitive sequence which allows the individual to practice the same skill (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 257). This type of practice is for both advanced and unskilled learners to utilize. Random practice is when an individual performs numerous skills in a random order to limit consecutive repetitions (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 257). Practice that is randomized is useful for advanced learners. Constant practice is when an individual practices while performing only one variation of a set of skills (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 271). A developing learner could field the same type of ground balls and throw to first while an advanced learner could field the same type of ground ball and throw to first, then field the same type of ground ball and throw to second base. Both types of constant practice are beneficial for both learners. Varied practice involves different versions of a skill to be rehearsed (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 271). For the purposed skill being pr acticed, an example of varied practice would be having the learner field a variety of ground balls from different distances and throwing to different positions on the baseball field. Varied practice is more beneficial for advanced learners due to the degree of difficulty that would be carried out. For example, fielding a ground ball from multiple angles and switching between throwing to first and second after fielding. C. Discuss why the practice structure you select is appropriate using motor learning principles of practice schedules. Since the learner is a freshman baseball player who is trying to develop a consistent movement pattern to field a ground ball, the best practice structure to use is blocked practice. Blocked practice allows the individual to practice the characteristics of the skill using repetition. Through blocked practice, the developing individual can improve in fielding during the motor stage of learning. While progressing through the motor stage of learning, the coach can provide some precise feedback, but the individual can modify self-movement patterns to accomplish goals of fielding ground balls correctly. Since the freshman baseball player already has a general idea of how to field a ground ball hit towards the fielders direction, blocked practice would allow the learner to reach a high skill potential of fielding a ground ball towards the learner due to repetitive movement patterns. Learners advance through various stages of learning, when developing a skill. Whether a beginner or an expert. Use the stages of learning principles to answer the following questions. A. Name the different stages of learning as well as explain the characteristics of the different stages of learning. In the beginning of learning a skill, the goal of the learner is to get a general idea of what the body needs to do to produce the movement (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 200). This is the verbal-cognitive stage. Learners going through this stage when developing a skill often do a lot of thinking while they talk to them self about how they will accomplish the task (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 200). There is much improvement throughout the verbal-cognitive stage even though the movements tend to be unathletic and not the best quality (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 201). During this stage of learning, it is important for the instructor to demonstrate with visual cues as the learner attempts to mimic the movements demonstrated (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 201). After a certain time of repetitive, decent, quality movements, the learner will then progress into the motor stage where the movement is much more effective (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 201). While the motor stage does not involve th e most skill potential, it is the stage of motor learning when the learner discovers the most effective and consistent ways to refine the movement (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 202). Progression through the motor stage is often the longest stage a learner completes (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 202). Once the learner has corrected the movement pattern after receiving feedback and improving the skill, the autonomous stage is when the learner needs to give limited attention to how they produce the movements to the skill and focus on how the movement can be modified to be more effective (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 202). Self-confidence improves in the autonomous stage because errors are less likely to occur as the learner is close to the highest potential of the skill. Even though the autonomous stage is the final stage of learning, it is a never-ending phase as it takes years of practice for the learner to produce the skill flawless (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 203). B. Use a scenario where an individual would go through the different stages and items that would take place during each of those stages. Explain the scenario fully. (sport or skill all information must be accounted for in explaining what is going on.) When learning how to throw a baseball, the learner begins by being instructed by the baseball coach. The learner is a six-year old tee-ball player who is right handed while having no prior experience with throwing a baseball. The individual is an average height and weight for a six-year old male. Throwing a baseball was taught from the very beginning stages and the process begins as the verbal-cognitive stage begins for the learner. The learners coach explains that the grip of the fingers should be placed over the laces as he shows with a visual demonstration. The youth baseball player then attempts to copy the exact same grip learned from his coach by telling himself, place the fingers over these red marks on the ball. After a decent grip of the ball has been performed, the coach then instructs the youth baseball player to face the hand (as the grip of the ball remains the same way) away from the face. The coach informs the learner to pretend the hand is a cobra snake. Using this cu e, the learner understands that the cobra snake needs to be facing away from the face so the snake doesnt bite the face. As the learner is gripping the baseball, the start of the throwing motion begins when the learner takes the ball out of the glove. The learner is then instructed to grip the ball as previously learned, face the ball towards the ground, then keep the ball facing the ground and away from the face while bringing the ball up directly behind the head with the arm in an angled position. This motion is demonstrated repeatedly to the learner so the learner can mimic the exact movement several times. The learner is constantly talking out loud about the directions to throw a baseball. The learner says, grip the laces, face the cobra away from the head during the wind up, and release the ball in front of the head towards the target. As the learner is attempting the initial phase of throwing a baseball, the learner forgets to face the cobra away from the face and starts to de velop bad habits. The coach quickly corrects the bad movement pattern providing extrinsic feedback by explaining, dont forget to face the cobra away from the face while bringing the baseball down and up. Once the ball is gripped correctly, the ball is behind the head after the wind up, and the ball is facing away from the face so the cobra doesnt bite, the learner is then instructed to throw over-head to a target. The throwing motion was demonstrated so the learner again has a visual demonstration of what the skill should look like. The ball isnt close to the target because the ball was released at an inappropriate time. The coach tells the learner to release the ball in front of the head and have the ball roll off the fingers so the ball has backspin. This is also demonstrated visually. Over a period throughout the practice day, the learner eventually gathers the general movement of throwing a baseball. Although the learner understands the general movement, the throw is not accurat e and still requires much improvement and attention. At this point of motor learning, verbal-cognitive stage is still occurring. However, once the learner has developed a general throwing movement from demonstrations, verbal cues, and thinking, the learner begins to make effective adjustments. The learner then begins the motor stage with more confidence. In this stage, the learner is adjusting the entire body. The learner understands that foot placement improves throwing accuracy, the release of the ball is more consistent, and trunk rotation control is more consistent. Since throwing a baseball is a closed skill, the learner focuses more on repeating high quality throwing motions and making the throw consistently smoother and controlled (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 202). After the motor stage produces a more efficient throwing skill, the autonomous stage occurs where the player starts throwing to different targets (i.e. throwing to the first baseman, throwing to the second baseman, throwing to the catcher, or throwing long distances). Performing in the final stage, the learner has developed a crow-hop giving the player more power with throws. The learner also developed quicker and more specific ways to throw the ball to different targets such as developing skills during a relay throw to the catcher from the outfielder. Throughout improvements in throwing a baseball while the learner was completing the autonomous stage, the learner also developed throwing skills to throw different types of pitches such as the curveball and knuckleball. C. Explain what happens to the learner in each the stages of learning for the scenario. As previously mentioned, the learner started throwing at six-years old. In the verbal-cognitive stage, the learner utilizes demonstrations, visual cues, and verbal cues to provide self-talk and thinking when producing the movement. In the scenario discussed above, the learner thinks of directions such as, grip the laces, face the cobra away during the wind up, and release the ball in front of the head towards the target. Self-talk and thinking while attempting the skill is common during the verbal-cognitive stage. The goal of the learner while progressing through the verbal-cognitive stage is to understand the general movement. The motor stage is different than the verbal-cognitive stage when explaining what happens during each stage of the throwing movement. Recently stated, the motor stage begins when the learner already has a general pattern to move. Therefore, the learner seldom uses self-talk or thinking to produce movements in the motor stage. Instead, the improvements are made quickly and the throwing motion performance is more effective. Like what was stated recently, the learner realizes how to use the entire body to produce a better throw which eventually becomes consistent. For example, the learner learned in this stage that correcting foot placement would allow more throwing accuracy. When the learner progresses through the motor stage, the learner is developing as a human being. The individual has much more control over the body and is much older. The learner has become so aware of the environment that the learner understands the closed skill of throwing a baseball and can adjust without much feedback. In the final stage of learning, the learner shows great potential in throwing a baseball. The learner is fully developed as a human-being which means he does not have to adjust based on how his body grew. At this point, the learner is mastering a craft and knows where to place the body and arm to provide the most efficient throw. This is the autonomo us stage of learning where the individual may have to use a crow-hop throughout the throwing motion to hit the target successfully as mentioned above. Either way, the learner has the confidence to produce an effective motion that is near the maximum skill potential. You are teaching someone how to perform a motor skill, such as catching a ball, performing a squat or dribbling a ball (hand or foot). Using various motor learning principles answer the questions below. A. Identify and describe the skill with detail along with the characteristics of the learner. The learner is a ten-year-old little league baseball player who is left handed and not fully developed. The learner is unathletic, average height compared to teammates, and in healthy condition. The motor skill being taught is catching a baseball thrown directly at the body using a glove. B. Using effective instructional techniques (instructions, demonstrations, learning cues) outline the process in which each would be used to teach someone the skill that has been selected. To begin instructing the skill, a description of the skill is necessary. Step one is getting into an appropriate position to catch the ball. Before the ball is released from the hand of the individual throwing the ball to the learner, the right hand wearing the glove should be up with the same arm extended on an angle directly in front of the chest while assuming the ready position. Meanwhile, the left hand is next to the glove prepared to cover the glove after catching the ball using the palm and webbing area of the glove. The learning cue for the arm positioning to catch the baseball is to teach the ready position. Step two is keeping the eyes on the ball. As the ball approaches the glove, the learner is to maintain eye contact with the ball as it hits the spot of the glove and squeezes the thumb and fingers together to keep the ball in the glove which then turns into step three in the instructional process. The learning cue for this direction is squeeze. Meanwhile, the left hand i s covering the glove so the ball does not drop out of the glove. After the description of the skill, a demonstration of catching a ball was the final step before observing the learner attempt the skill of catching a baseball. C. Using the memory process, explain how the learning takes the information presented to them and puts it into memory. The memory process is made up of three distinct memory systems (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 54). Memory plays an important role in movement patterns. With the appropriate amount of practice, any skill or movement pattern can be memorized (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 54). Short-term sensory storage (STSS) is the initial phase of memory. In this phase, information is constantly being segmented in the brain and is only maintained as a stimulus for only a few hundred milliseconds (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 54). The STSS phase processes these short bouts of information in such a simultaneous manner that learners use very little focus on the processing (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 54). Once the information is processed in STSS, short-term memory (STM) assesses the processed information as it pertains to the skill being learned. In the STM phase, the pertinent information of the skill remains in the memory shortly while the irrelevant information does not get processed (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 54). When practicing a skill such as catching a ball, every time the skill is experienced, information learned throughout each experience is only maintained if focus is on that information (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 54). Since STM has a limited capacity, it is up to the learners to utilize this phase of memory as effectively and efficiently as possible while being instructed. In the third and final phase of the memory process, information is mostly stored much longer than the first two stages. Long-term memory (LTM) stores an endless amount of information from experiences for an excessive duration (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 55). LTM has more control and effort to process information so that actions can be retrieved, modified, and performed continuously so those actions can be utilized for other skills no matter the difficulty (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 56). D. While the learner is performing the skill, feedback is used for various things. Provide example feedback statements as well as what those statement address. Intrinsic feedback is the information that is sensed from produced movements either outside the body or within (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 285). While learning the skill of catching a ball, examples of intrinsic feedback would be how hard the ball is, what the ball sounds like when hitting the glove, how much more does the glove need to open to catch the ball in the web space, or where does the arm need to move to catch an overthrown ball. Another form of feedback is extrinsic. Extrinsic feedback is information sensed by an outside source such as a coach, teacher, or another teammate (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 286). Examples of extrinsic feedback would be comments from a coach such as, Great job keeping your eye on the ball, or Next time, move your entire body where the ball is going. Knowledge of performance is considered a type of extrinsic feedback (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 289). This type of extrinsic feedback addresses the action. Something like you did not keep your eye o n the ball, is an example of knowledge of performance. Knowledge of results, on the other hand, is also extrinsic feedback but addresses the success of the skill rather than the action (Schmidt Wrisberg, 2008, p. 286). You didnt catch that ball using two hands, is an example of knowledge of results. References Schmidt, R. A., Wrisberg, C. A. (2008). Motor learning and performance: A situation-basedlearning approach. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

The Real Sex Addiction Essay -- sexual compulsive behavior

In this time period, there are many different disorders and illnesses that go unnoticed, and unknown. Society creates stereotypes about illnesses such as obsessive compulsive disorder, clinical Depression, and many other mental afflictions. Another that seems to remain controversial and misunderstood is sexual compulsive behaviors. Many see it as an excuse to act a certain way, or think a certain way; in reality it is a serious mental disorder that can cause devastating effects on the people that are consumed by them and the people who are around them. Something that is however, known about sexual compulsive behaviors is that there are certain things that can emotionally damage a person and cause them to have these behaviors. The three major causes of sexual compulsive behaviors are trauma during childhood, insecure personal relationships, and improper or undeveloped coping mechanisms. Sexual compulsive behaviors have been around as long as many of the other disorders. However, there are certain specifics surrounding the issue that makes it more controversial, and therefore harder to diagnose and treat. The main argument is that it is an excuse for men that makes it okay for them to have affairs. This argument has been made partly because of certain movie stars and professional athletes, who use â€Å"sex addiction† as a way to save their careers and their relationships. However, this argument isn’t attributable to this subject because of the terminology that is used. The term â€Å"sex addiction† is not accurate for many reasons. When using the term, â€Å"addiction† one must be careful, because there is technical definitions of the word that need to be observed; these definitions are determined in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Ment... ...5 Oct. 2013. The author has her CNM, PhD, RN, and CNP. She has worked in many different hospitals and areas helping women with sexual abuse and sexual compulsivity. This article’s purpose is to bring to light the problem of sexual compulsive behaviors in women that go largely unnoticed. It breaks down this problem in women, and addresses all the different aspects of it. She focuses on how to treat it, and how nurses can play a large role in this. This article was written for nurses who are going to encounter women who have these sexual compulsive behaviors. It is meant to counsel them and give them the necessary information to make them able to help these patients. It is a very good source because it focuses on women, who mostly go undetected in sexual compulsive behavior studies. It has valuable information about the potential causes of these behaviors.

The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation

They are amazing, they are unique and innocent. However, because of the devastating demoralization happening in the society today, they are the ones becoming the victims of the situation of the society today. Certainly, children are the ones who are becoming the main victims of the social changes occurring today. It is undeniable that the situation plaguing the young ones today is indeed alarming, thus requiring attention from the authorities involved in the process of facing the said changes. The youth are the hope of today’s society.This line has long been recognized by many industrialized as well as developing countries worldwide. This is the primary reason why it is evident that government organizations are trying to invest their best possible available assets to the development of the young generation. However, not all of the members of the young generation actually get to have an access on the said programs. Most of them, who belong to the minority groups of the society, are the ones who are in need of these programs. Yet, they are the ones who have lesser access on the said governmental set-ups.As a result, young people who get charged with juvenile delinquency cases are increasing every year. The fact that they have nothing better to do than to simply stay at home or wander around in the stets, they become the target of numerous gangs that are encouraging youths to join them in their unlawful acts If not, many of these youths bring forth several chaotic movements that particularly disturb the entire community. These youths certainly need help. However, one tragic problem is being confronted by the present generation of children and youths.The personal development in general aspect of humanity is being hindered by the challenges of juvenile delinquency. Most of the youths are being misled by outside and detrimental influences such as vices manifesting in gambling, illegal drugs, and bad companies. Most of the youths nowadays are falling into the p itfalls of becoming addictive to drug intoxication, alcoholism, and smoking. Others are sacrificing their educational pursuit for personal development to influences of bad companies such as gangs and groupies resulting to violence and social aggression.In addition, most parts of the generations of youths and children nowadays are falling as victims of social violence such as bullying, gang aggression, rape, harassment, and other abuses. Thus, the children and youths of the present generations are being misled to the adversities of the juvenile delinquency. In a relative context of story-narration entitled Amazing Grace, as written by Jonathan Kozov, the situation of the society today that addresses the problems with the youth and the ways by which they are involved in the different issues of social downfall of morale.The story of Kozol, he portrayed the situation in a more actual picture that related the present problems with the problems of the children on one particular community that he visited for observation. Through this story, the author made it clear that even though children are innocent, it is undeniable that with the considerable influences that they receive from the society that they live in at present affects the behavior that they have towards the life that they are facing in the future.The worse case to consider is that most of the children who are negatively influenced by the social systems are becoming juvenile delinquents; true, with regards this factor of the truth, the rate of those individuals becoming involved in juvenile delinquency issues continue to increase every year. Nevertheless, society has already started moving to address this alarming social problem of juvenile delinquency with the youths and children.Concerned citizens and community groups have already established non-profit organization to aid recovering victims and ex-delinquent in the search for the proper way of developing themselves. These organizations have helped many y ouths and children of this present generation in the recuperation from the horror and adversities of the former delinquent life in the aim of realizing the full potential as significant and relevant individuals within the society aiming for their personal and humanities development in the future.Peer Pressure and the Youth Influences Seeing the sample narration that Jonathan Kozol presented through the context of the story on the â€Å"Amazing Grace†, it could be observed that he pointed out that there are several points of consideration needing attention with regards the capability of the entire society to influence the young minds of the younger generation trying to make the best out of their future does yet. (Kozol, 13) THE researchers felt that they had it all figured out. They had intently examined 200 children from their infancy through adolescence.They analyzed the parents, the home environment and the disposition of each child. Then they predicted which of these child ren would become happy adults. It seemed simple—a happy childhood under a pleasant family environment would produce a happy adult. After waiting till the children became 30 years of age, they re-interviewed them. Furthermore, as the children grow up, the young adults become more prone to different influences from the environment. The people that they deal with everyday become the source of the different values that they take in for themselves as they personally grow up.There are at least four major reasons why young people develop in the behavior that they grow up with. These four major dimensions of development could be noted as follows: †¢ The family and the parents: usually, the young children get the examples of acts from their parents which in turn they carry in themselves as they grow up. It is through this particular process that the young ones are able to comprehend with the impact that their parents are making on them as young adults.†¢ The Environment and the Society: As the young children grow older, the impact of the people living around them aside from their family members begins to leave an impact on their personality. True, the situation has been much more proved by the psychologists that the effect of the family and the society differ from each other. As for a fact, the percentage of effect that the society makes on the individual is far much higher than that of the effect of the family with development of the youngsters. †¢ The psychological need for acceptance: young ones aim to be accepted especially if they have the capacity of being recognized.This is the reason why they usually take sides on those who they seem are able to recognize their capabilities. †¢ The decision making system of the youngsters: They are usually deciding in different ways, most of the time, confusion gets in the way. This is the reason why it is very important that they are given fine attention as they are being assisted with the personal d evelopment difficulties that they are dealing with at present. To understand the four dimensions better, the diagram shall show the necessary illustration to explain better:

Foreign Direct Investment in Egypt Essay

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is investment directly into production in a country by a company located in another country, either by buying a company in the target country or by expanding operations of an existing business in that country. Foreign direct investment is done for many reasons including to take advantage of cheaper wages in the country, special investment privileges such as tax exemptions offered by the country as an incentive to gain tariff-free access to the markets of the country or the region. In the global economy today, we see many developing countries competing for foreign direct investment. FDI is said to be an important factor for spurring the development of a nation. Foreign direct investment (FDI) an important vehicle for economic growth in emerging markets countries. Since 2006/2007, Egypt has become the leading attractor of overall foreign direct investment (FDI) on the African continent. Up till 2008, Egypt has attracted 56 foreign investment companies in the textile sector, employing 14,169 workers with total investment value of $ 172. million, and total production value of $ 370. 6 million. Furthermore, Egyptian-Foreign joint venture companies totaled 150; employing 30,635 workers; with an investment of $ 515 million, and a total production value of 509. 4 million in 2008. Egypt has experienced profound political changes over the past two years. On February 11, 2011, President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule came to an end under intense popular pressure as hundreds of thousands of Egyptians converged on Tahrir Square. Transition to democratic rule has been marked by advances and challenges. Egypt has seen several prime ministers and multiple cabinet changes since the revolution, and many investors have reported that the constant shuffle and interim tenure of government officials have contributed to a difficult business environment. Nonetheless, in January 2012 Egypt seated its first parliament elected in free and fair elections, and many of the members have identified increasing foreign investment as a top priority for the government. Even though political uncertainty and economic downturn in Egypt , this African country still present a lot of opportunity to make profit for foreign direct investor especially in textile and apparel industry . Foreign Direct Investment In Egypt Investing in Egyptian Apparel and Textiles Industry 2-Apparel and Textile Industry Egypt is home to the only fully vertically integrated textiles industry in the Middle East, with the entire production process —from the cultivation of cotton to the production of yarns, fabrics and ready-made garments —carried out domestically. Egypt is the largest producer in Africa and worldwide of long (LS) and extra-long staple (ELS) cotton, accounting for 50 percent of world production in 2008, it has built a brand reputation for its quality of cotton. The sector plays an extremely central role in the Egyptian economy. It is the second largest producing sector after agro-industry and the first in terms of jobs accounting form30% of local employment in 2008. It accounts for 3% of the GDP, 30% of industrial output and around 13% of Non-Petroleum exports in 2010 / 2011, according to the Central Bank of Egypt. There are more than 6,700 textile-related companies registered with the Industrial Development Authority. The power player within the sector is readymade garments (RMG), worth 75% of the textile and garment industry. The RMG subsector produced more than 313million pieces in 2009, with global brands such as Marks & Spencer, GAP, Wal-Mart, Levi Strauss, Target and Calvin Klein sourcing from and investing in Egypt. Of the 25% of the industry focused on textile production, home textiles constitute 12% of the industry, and cotton yarn 8%, while the remaining 5% is attributed to other cotton fabrics and textiles. The majority of spinning (50%), weaving (60%) and hemming (60%) capacity is owned by the public sector while 90% of garmenting capacity is private. For the spinning and weaving industry, medium-to large-scale companies dominate the industry with a strong public sector presence in spinning and weaving. The government’s strategy is to boost exports to the European garment market by moving up the quality ladder in garments, vertically integrating the garment production value chain (e. g. use local extra-long staple (ELS) cotton, improve design and patternmaking offering) and defending leadership in low-end garmenting by establishing strong brands at both country and supplier levels. Also on the agenda is restructuring the domestic textile industry by privatizing mills and leveraging on low cost and provided labor in addition to large domestic supply of high-quality cotton. Currently, the main markets for the sector were EU countries with about 34% of total exports in 2010, Arab c ountries and USA with 16% and15% respectively, according to General Organization of Export and Import Council (GOEIC) 3- Country Summary As one of the most influential nations in the Middle East, Egypt has encountered mixed success in transitioning from an economy driven by natural resources to one with a healthy amalgam of industry and services over the past 50 years. Although it has successfully diversified its economy, Egypt remains one of the poorest of its regional neighbors on the basis of per-capita income, and a succession of unstable governments have left the nation with inconsistent political institutions, weakening social infrastructure, and a legacy of corruption. Long-term national competitiveness will require a clear economic strategy and continuity of effort. Egyptian cotton is recognized globally for its unmatched quality, fueling a textile cluster that has historically been an important component of the national economy. Bolstered by superb endowments and several advantageous related industries, the textile cluster faces new challenges as falling structural barriers to trade boost the intensity of global competition Egypt is located strategically between the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea, at the crossroads of Africa and southwest Asia. Bordering Sudan, Libya, and Israel, Egypt is home to the Nile, the longest river in the world. The nation’s rapid population growth from 23M citizens in 1960 to 83M today —has increased Egypt’s regional importance but also deeply changed Egypt’s character. Egyptian urban areas have become some of the most crowded in the world, with Cairo itself recently laying claim to the title of world’s most densely-populated city. Agriculture is similarly constrained; only 3% of the country’s total land mass was under cultivation in 2008 (AFDB, 2009). By 2010, Egypt was the fourth-largest economy in the Middle East. Recent economic performance has been positive, with 4. 75% annual GDP growth from 2001 to 2010. Per capita GDP remains relatively low compared to regional peers. Egypt’s economy is diversified as compared to its largest regional neighbors, many of which depend heavily on commodity petroleum exports (Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE). As of 2010, the largest sector in the economy was the manufacturing sector (16. 9%), followed by mining (14. 4%), and agriculture (14%). Exports are concentrated in the hospitality and tourism, transport and logistics, and petroleum products clusters. Egypt’s shifting export product mix over the past 20 years is symptomatic of a broader economic change —from a singularly natural resource-focused economy to one that is less factor driven. Egypt’s national competitiveness is aided by favorable endowments and some positive microeconomic elements, ranking 63rd out of 138 countries in business sophistication and 26th in market size. But Egypt has been hamstrung by adverse macroeconomic conditions, ranking only 129th in macroeconomic environment, 133rd in labor-market efficiency. Egypt’s strongest competitive advantages lie in its natural endowments. The country’s position at the crossroads of three continents has made it a historic trading hub, amplified by the construction of the Suez Canal in 1869. Roughly 10% of the world’s maritime volume has passed through Egyptian waterways, and the canal spawned a robust shipping and logistics cluster that facilitates export of goods like textiles. The Nile Delta, an area of northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads into distributaries and drains into the Mediterranean Sea, has served as Egypt’s breadbox for over five millennia (Baines, 2011). Twenty years of redistributive economic policies have left Egypt with inefficient, low-quality social institutions —the nation boasted a 29% illiteracy rate despite 96% enrollment in primary education. In an economy characterized by a high degree of centralized planning, Egypt spent only3. 7% of its government budget on education and 6% on healthcare. Corruption and unreactive centralized economic planning constitute major challenge to Egyptian macroeconomic competitiveness. a- Background To Business in Egypt Egypt has recently been through the most profound of changes with a popular revolution, widely referred to as ‘ the Arab Spring’, sweeping away the decades long, semi-totalitarian rule of Hosny Mubarek and replacing it with†¦? Time will tell how successful the putative new, democratic institutions will be but despite all of this Egypt remains one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a country which many economists predict will become increasingly successful and influential in the region. Egypt is, in a strange way, both a secular and a religious state and it is worth bearing these two important strands in mind on any business trip to the country. It could be said that the Egyptian economy is ‘mixed’ in two vital, but differing ways. Firstly, many businesses were nationalized after independence, during the prolonged period of ‘Arab socialism’ which typified the Egyptian approach in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The government still plays a vital role in setting both business and macro-economic agendas but the past couple of decades have seen the proliferation of larger-scale private companies which may be locally (usually family) owned or joint-venture operations with overseas conglomerates. Secondly, companies fall into the category of either Islamic or non-Islamic in orientation. Those companies which are Islamic in orientation will govern their approach to business through the strict interpretation of classical Shari’a law which impacts on such varied issues as attitudes to borrowings, shareholder profile and HR policies. Before entering into business negotiations in Egypt it is important to do some homework on any potential contacts. Is the company state-owned or private; is it Islamic or secular in approach? b- Egyptian Business Structures Many companies in Egypt operate according to Islamic, rather than secular law and this impacts on a number of key areas of business structure and performance. One key issue is that, due to Islamic strictures on avoiding usury, the difference between companies and banks are less defined than in western economies. Companies tend to be financed through a combination of equity capital and short-term loans where the lenders do not charge interest but take a share of profits or losses (PLS loans. ) Thus all risks are shared equally amongst the shareholders and lenders. In addition, many companies have a religious Supervisory Board comprised of Islamic jurists whose role is to ensure that the company’s operations comply with the strictures of Shari’a law. Thus employees must be Muslims and work stops for the regulatory prayer sessions every day. Firms are expected to make reasonable, but not excessive, profit and managers have a social as well as corporate responsibility – they are expected to balance the interests of the company with the interests of society at large. None of the above applies to the workings of those firms that are non-Islamic in orientation (remember that 10% of the Egyptian population are Coptic Christians) or joint-ventures with overseas organizations. c- Egyptian Management Style Most Egyptian companies tend towards extremely hierarchical structures and this is reflected in the management style most frequently manifested within these companies. The approach is often described as ‘managing authority consultatively’ which implies the need for discussion without any loss of perceived status or power. Thus Egyptian managers (who are on the whole men) will consult widely with colleagues but be expected to make the final, firm authoritative decision. This decision will rarely, if ever, be delegated to a subordinate – even if the subordinate is a member of the family. After a decision has been reached, subordinates are expected to follow it to the letter and dispute or criticism are not expected or appreciated. Thus consultation has a ‘socializing’ aspect within an organization, but questions have to be asked as to the true extent of its impact on any final decisions. Management is expected to be cautious and not take too many risks – thus decision-making can seem extremely slow and cumbersome by US standards. It is also important to remember that religious considerations could form an important element in the final decision – something Western businessmen often forget within the negotiating process. It is important to factor this into any negotiating stance. d- Egyptian Business Meetings As in most of the Arab world, personal relationships are key to a successful meeting and good quality relationships can help to cut through the tendency towards an overly bureaucratic approach. Who you are and who you know really matter and for that reason it is often important to appoint a local go-between who has ready-made contacts who can operate on your behalf ‘ (and local often means local to the city or town. ) Initial meetings can often seem very formal to western businessmen and involve coffee, cake and lots of small talk – even when time is very short. Do not make the mistake of seeing these formalities as a waste of valuable time, as they form an integral part of the early relationship-building process. If time is not restricted, these formalities can start to eat away at the day and it is sometimes difficult to schedule more than one meeting per day. If concrete issues are discussed, it is advisable to ensure that specific actions are agreed upon and that individuals are tasked to perform them. If this is not done, things can very often drift and several months can elapse without any discernible progress being made. Time is very elastic and agreed start and finish times should not be relied upon. Patience is very necessary. It is not a good idea to arrange meetings on a Friday (or even Thursday) as these are the days of rest. It is advisable to travel to Egypt on business with a good supply of gifts, which can be given to key contacts. Gifts should be small and it is quite a good idea if they convey something of where you come from. However, when giving gifts be conscious of Muslim sensitivities and avoid the following: alcohol, pork, pigskin, perfumes with alcohol e- Egyptian Teams Working Teams revolve around a strong leader who usually allocates tasks rather than specific roles or functions. Individuals within the team expect direct access to and feedback from the leader. Thus teams tend to be more a grouping of individuals working independently towards a common objective. Many private companies are family-run and owned and family members would fill most management positions. Thus, the most obvious team grouping in a typical private company would be family-oriented but even this would be fairly hierarchical in nature. f- Egyptian Communication Styles  As in most of the Arabic world, people stand quite close to one another when communicating and many other cultures may feel that their personal space has been invaded. When this close proximity is coupled with strong same-sex eye contact and large amounts of tactility, many overseas business people can feel extremely uncomfortable. When attempting to build good relationships it is important that these differences in approach to body language do not become a barrier. Arabic conversation can be very hyperbolic with much use of flowery language and flattery. This is a protocol of the language and is expected. Do not misinterpret this approach as insincerity or a tactic. Try to express yourself in a similar fashion – especially when establishing relationships. It may sometimes appear that Egyptians are shouting at each other and in the throes of a very heated, acrimonious argument. Remember that emotion is used to convey conviction and that an overly reserved approach could be misconstrued as detachment or even lack of interest. Egyptians are proud of their country and Egyptian achievements (both ancient and modern. ) Egypt’s standing in the world, its history and local sport are all positive topics of conversation. However it is best to avoid discussing political issues or enquiring about female relatives of business acquaintances. When dealing with government officials, it is important to learn the titles of any contacts as titles are of considerable importance, denoting hierarchy and status. Do not address government officials in a familiar way unless specifically requested to do so. g- Women in Business in Egypt Women play a much less significant role in business life than in the West but are more active than in the Gulf States such as Saudi Arabia. Most senior business people are men, but it may be possible to meet a senior female employee. There would tend to be more women in prominent positions in joint-ventures, family businesses and companies owned by Coptic Christians. When dealing with women in business in Egypt keep a respectful, professional distance and do not try to ask personal questions. h- Egyptian Dress Code Appropriate dress in Egypt is both conservative and modest. Standard dress for men would be trousers, jacket, and shirt and tie in formal business meetings. Women should dress modestly, wearing long sleeves. Skirts hould be of a reasonable length (not too short). Do not wear native attire, as this might be considered offensive. Top 20 Tips For Doing Business In Egypt Tip 1. It is important to research any company before approaching it in order to determine whether it is state-owned or private and secular or Islamic in orientation. Tip 2. When doing business with an Islamic oriented organization, do not overlook the potential impact of religious issues on any decision- making process. Tip 3. Business is driven by relationships and therefore a great deal of resource and time should be allocated to the development of key contacts. Tip 4.  Who you are and who you know are important issues in Egypt; therefore it can be difficult to break into business without access to the right initial contacts. Tip 5. In order to help develop the all-important initial contacts it is often necessary to appoint a go-between who can arrange meetings and act as a bridge into the culture. Tip 6. It may be necessary to appoint a number of different go-betweens who know the locality (i. e. one for Cairo and one for Alexandria). Tip 7. Egyptian companies tend to be hierarchical and power usually rests in the hands of a small number of key senior managers who make all the major decisions. Tip 8. Managers tend to give direct instructions and subordinates are not expected to show initiative. If something is not specifically requested, it may not get done. Tip 9. Meetings can involve sitting in rooms with unknown people who are simultaneously meeting your contact. In effect, several meetings may take place at the same time. Tip 10. Initial meetings can be very time-consuming and appear to deliver very little in terms of tangible returns. Tip 11. Time is very flexible and meetings may start very late (if at all) and last for many hours. It is difficult to schedule a series of meetings on the same day. Tip 12. Meetings may start with coffee and a great deal of non-business related small talk. Do not try to rush this process Tip 13. It is important to offer lavish compliments to your host – and be prepared to receive them in return. Tip 14. Do not try to do anything on Thursday or Friday and avoid key issues during the month of Ramadan. Tip 15. People may stand much closer to you than you are comfortable with. Try not to back away as this can seem stand-offish. Tip 16. Levels of eye contact are very strong and strong eye ontact denotes sincerity and trustworthiness. Tip 17. Avoid touching anybody with your left hand or pointing feet at people as both of these are seen as extremely rude behaviour. Tip 18. Do not comment on the political situation in the Middle East or make any adverse comments about the influence of Islam. Tip 19. Women are less prominent in business than in the West but play a more prominent role than in some other Middle Eastern countries (i. e. Saudi). Tip 20. Dress conservatively, but very smartly. You will be judged partly on your appearance.