UK SOAP ADVERTISEMENT

UK SOAP ADVERTISEMENT Introduction The development and performance of business organization is based on the attributes of advertisement adopted by the organization. Advertisement has been denoted as the aspect of communication relayed from companies with the aim of persuading the audience to purchase their products. Over the period, technology has been of immense benefits because it has helped increase effectively of advertisement. The aspect of technology has resulted in the creation of new mediums where the advertisers can reach the audience. There are considerable numbers of mediums that are used by adversities and this includes Television and radio commercials, print ads, billboards and product placement. In reality, business and other commercial organization place adverts to ensure that they increase their capacity to sell while the non-profit organization undertake the attributes of advertisement to increase their outreach to the population (Amato, 2009). The success of the advertisement is achieving through their capacity to increase consumption of the product and also their attribute of initiating behavior change. In view of the above realities, advertising is an important attribute of the organization because it seeks to promote the services or the products of the organization. Similarities between 19th century and 21st century ads According to the research conducted in the United Kingdom, the attributes of advertising have undergone critical development and various over the period of time. The advents of advertising began in the 19th century and they have continued to undergo transformation. The transformation of the adverts in the economy of the United Kingdom has been enhanced by the realities of time and the development of technology. Despite the changes and the variations in the 19th century ads and the current ads, both adverts crucial representation of the subject matter and they seek to represent all the benefits of the commodities. Specifically, soap advertisement in the economy has been characterized by rising disparities because of the critical changes in the time period. Analysis f the soap advertisement in the 19th century and the advertisement in the 21st century has revealed the presence of critical disparities and similarities (Anderson, 2010). The figures below depict different advertisement where the first picture highlights soap advert in the 19th century while the second image is highlights the modern soap in the 21st century. 19th century ad 1 21st century ad 1 The ads highlight the roles of the soaps In view of the advertisements the 21st and 19th centuries, the adverts are ideal in highlighting the role and purpose of the soap. Notably, soap is a compound of salt and acid and they are mainly used for cleaning, bathing, surfactants and washing. The recent past has witnessed the emergence of critical number of soaps and the market has been infested by the increasing number of soaps (Oldenziel, de la Bruhèze & de Wit, 2005). In view of this reality, the advertisement in the past and modern are all beneficial because they both highlight the usage of the soaps and depict the benefits of the soaps to the society. The first advert features a British soldier and he is depicted as the cleanest British soldier because he uses sunlight soap. This advert is extremely crucial because it highlights the strengths and power of sunlight because it has been chosen and adapted by the soldiers who is very determined to stay clean in the fright for the country. On the other hand, the second advertisement depicts the modern day adverts that involve the tow children washing one another. Just as the sunlight advertisement, the aspect of hygiene is highlighted as an important aspect for the young children because they are encouraged to wash and clean themselves using the soaps. The two advertisements have one theme and information to portray to the audience and this aspect is similar in both of the adverts (Springer, 2009, LEADBEATER, 2004). Hygiene and cleanliness is highlighted as the important factor for both the young children and active adults. The usage of soaps is championed in both cases by the British soldiers and also by the young children in the earlier stages of development. Cultural representation Over the period, the global regime has experienced critical development and this has resulted in the various changes in the cultural behavior and social set up. The advertisements have also been constructed to highlight the changing attributes of culture because they have the attribute of enhancing the usage of culture and portraying the lives of the individual using the substances. Culture and social behavior are some of the critical attributes to consider during the conduction of the advertisement because they contribute towards the acceptance of the soaps by the audience (Rorke, 2008). This factor is also critical in the creation of the audience base. An example from the 19th century and the current 21st century is given below. 19th century 1 21st century ad 2 The first image highlights the advertisement of the soap during the 19th century and the attributes of the prevailing culture are highlighted in the attires worn by the advertisers. In reality, this advertisement was extremely critical in the past periods of the Britain era where it highlighted the role of the culture and the usage of soaps. On the other hand, the second advertisement comprises three women using the soap product to initiate a change color in their skin. This is the typical culture in the 21st century and it is well depicted in the advert above (CHURCH, 2008, Frost, 2008). Therefore, it is essential to note that comparison of the two advertisements in 19th and 21st century is beneficial in highlighting the prevailing culture during the period when the advert was initiated and presented to the audience. The impact on the audience Another critical similarity between the ads in the 19th century and the 21st century is the impact that the advertisement has on the audience. Generally, the aim of conducting advertisements is to increase the awareness of the product. Advertisements are also responsible for the aspect of increasing the awareness about the components and benefits of using the product. Analysis of the soap advertisement conducted in the UK during the 19th century and also during the 21st century have beneficial effects in enhancing the degree of awareness because highly advertised soaps in the UK like sunlight occupied greater share of the market. This aspect confirms that advertising has beneficial effects in the market through the increase in the market share (Newson, et al. 2013, Piercy, 2009). The aspect of advertisement outreach has however experience critical development when it comes to the modern advertisement because the 21st century has adopted the international l market that has the consideration of highlighting the proceeds and the benefits of the product to the entire global market. This incentive makes the crucial aspect of differences because development has occurred to initiate development and expansion of the market. The differences between 19th century and 21st century soap ads in UK Use of technology Over the period, the attributes of development have been witnessed in the leading economies and this has resulted in the development and the changes in culture. One aspect that has been used to highlight the changes in the culture in contrast with the previous periods is the aspect of advertisements. Technological advancement has largely contributed towards the development of the modern culture because it has resulted in the development of ideal measures of completing tasks and duties in the economy. In addition, the economy of the United Kingdom has been immensely developed and this has resulted in the innovation of critical chemicals that are used in making soaps. With the addition of these chemicals to the soaps, advertisement of the soaps has taken new dimension because they have included the chemicals component into the soaps (Gbadamosi, Hinson, Tukamushaba & Ingunjiri, 2012). The contribution and incorporation of technology has marked one of the critical differences between the soap adverts in the United Kingdom. In this regard, compassion of the soap ads in 19th century and those of the modern 21st has highlighted ideal differences. One aspect of the advert that highlights the roles of technology in the advertisement is the illustration of the following advertisement. Analysis of this modern 21st century advertisement reveals that the purpose of the advertisement is highlighting the benefits of the soap named “Dove” in transforming the skins of the users. The aspect of changes in the skins of the users is an attribute of technology and the formation of the soap is based on technological innovation. In this regard, technology has found its role and place in the modern advertisement where it is use to edit the advert to help in enticing the audience. This component is extremely critical. On the contrary, adverts in the 19th century were significantly plain and lacked the components of technology (Phillips et al. 2013, Diedrichs & Lee, 2011). In reality, the aspect of technological advancement has been of immense benefits in developing the advents and ensuring that they are appealing to the audience. This purpose is extremely beneficial for their reception and adoption of the commodities being advertised. The role of women in the society The analysis of the soap advertisement in the past periods of the 19th century and the modern period of the 21st century has been crucial in highlighting the changing roles of the women in the society. The changing roles of the women has been characterized and highlighted in the advertisements as the theme of specific advertisements. According to the soap adverts in the 19th century, the women in the society were depicted as the keepers of the households where they ensure that everything was clean and organized (FURNHAM & PALTZER, 2010, Cardis, Tapp, DeBrum & Rice, 2007). The observation of the hygienic conditions was their sole responsibility and they also had the characteristic of maintaining their marriage vows. This attribute resulted in the emergence of critical concerns that was highlighted in the adverts as deposited below. The depictions of the above adverts are captured from the 19th century and highlight the role of the women in the society. Over the period, the women have continued to experience the changing roles and this is highlighted by the adverts in the modern 21st century. An example of such adverts highlighting the changing of the women in the United Kingdom is depicted as follows. This advert is extremely beneficial in illustration the changing role of the women in the sociality. In the advert, it is visible that the women in the society have adopted professional role and deviated from the dogmas of maintain the homes I the past decades. This incentive is ideally highlighted in the adverts that have been shown in the 19th century and 21st century (United Kingdom' 2011). According t the depiction of this advert, the place of women in the society has experienced transformation and this is reflected in the attributes of its development there by resulting in the consideration of increased activities in the society. The advert is crucial because it highlights the differences in cultural variation that leads to the development of the society. Another critical difference between the two adverts is the realization of the differences between the two adverts and this is portrayed in their illustration of cultural variation. The aspect of culture is highlighted by the role so the women that they highlight. The past adverts of the 19th century asserts the women in the society had the role of ensuring critical establishment of their homes but the emergence of the 21st century ads is crucial because it states that the women in the society have various roles that extend more than maintenance of their homes (Sexton & Trump, 2010). The ad depicts the women as the active participants in the building of the nation. The consideration of these attributes marks the differences between the two attributes of advertisement. In view of this, the differences between the advertisement in the 19th century and the 21st century are highlighted through the consideration of cultural representation. Racial depiction The aspect of racial disparities is also another critical difference between the soap advertisement in the 19th century and the 21st century. Analysis conducted in the 19th century reveals the existence of the unified society where the rights of all the individuals are upheld and this is depicted by the adverts that have no form of racial discrimination. In reality, the adverts in the 19th century were aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence with the members of the society and every attribute of differences in the color and gender were highly neglected. The consideration of enacting these provisions resulted in the enhancement of increased coexistence. On the other hand, some of the soap advertisements in the 21st century in the economy of the UK have received critics because they encourage racism and highlight some human race as more superior and with more beautiful skins. This sentiment is extremely detrimental and marks a critical variation between the two advertisement sin different periods (SCRIVE & GOODHARDT, 2012). The realization of the disparities between the two sets of advertisement has resulted in the consideration of the white race as more beautiful than the Latin of the black skin. In reality, analysis of the advertisement of the DOVE SOAP has been of critical merits because it has resulted in the realization of discrimination of the black and Latino skin color. In view of this advertisement in the United Kingdom, attributes of the effectiveness of the soap is illustrated through the consideration of the transformation that are achieved upon the usage of the soap. It is crucial from the soap that the soap turns the user into the white skin which is viewed to be more beautiful. The illustration in the adverts depicts the various stages that are highlighted in the three phases. The first image depicts a black skin while the second phase is of a Latino lady. This is achieved upon usage of the soap and finally, the emerging skin color upon extended usage of the soap commodity is the white skin. In reality, this is a form of discrimination and the advertisement should not highlight any aspect of discrimination since this may influence the perception of the audience (SCRIVEN & GOODHARDT, 2012). Therefore, the attributes of this advertisement has not achieved the intended meaning on the audience. Notably, the attribute market the difference between the concepts of advertisement in the 19th century and the 21st century because those of the 19th century were plain with no discriminatory intensions. The age factor Over the period, the country of the United Kingdom has witnessed critical development and this has resulted in the emergence of critical development where the age of advertises has been a factor for consideration. In this attribute, it has been revealed the old soap advertisements were focused on the usage of mature and old citizens because of the perception their roles in the society. In this regard, majority of the soap manufactures in the United Kingdom like pears, sunlight and Lux amongst others practices the use of senior citizens in the advertisements. This observation has further stated that the usage of these senior persons in the advertisements during the 19th century has been conducted to initiate perception and influence on the audience (Piercy, 2009, Frost, 2008). On the other hand, the aspects of advertisement has received critical variations transition because the establishment of the modern adverts in the 21st century has largely specialized in the usage of tonnages and this has been beneficial in highlighting the contributions of the skin factor. In this regard, the age factor is an important factor that has enhanced realization of differences in the modern soap advertisements in the UK. Age reflects another aspect of variation of differences between the existing advertisement in the 21st century and those of the 19th century. Conclusion The periods of the recent past has witnessed the emergence of critical development in various nations of the world. These attributes of development have resulted in the establishment of various companies that manufactures critical substances for the economies. One the verge of these developments, advertisement has been adopted by the marketers in the organization because this is one aspect of enhancing consumer awareness and product promotion. Notably, the economy of the UK has witnessed critical development in the consideration of their advertisements. Analysis conducted in the UK economy and its depiction of soap advertisement from the era of the 19th century has revealed critical differences when compared with the current 21st century advertisements. Even though both adverts in the 19th and 21st century are aimed at increasing sales through the establishment of product awareness, the attributes of adverts in the past centuries were based on highlighting the role of women and they did not highlight the differences in the society. 19th century ads encouraged unity and peaceful coexistence where all the members of the society were equal. However, the 21st century adverts are characterized by the cases of racial discrimination. Finally, the adverts in both centuries are characterized by the fact that they are developed based on the prevailing cultures during their time. The developments of the advertisement have significant relationship with the cultures and social behavior. 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WAL-MART SUSTAINABILITY

Introduction The advancements in the global regime have resulted in the increase of supply chain activities. The recent period has witnessed the growth in the number and quantity of the supply chain activities operating gin the economy. However, despite the increase in the activities of the supply chain organizations, they are faced with the difficulty of verification of sustainability. An example of the supply chain organization is Wal-Mart supply chain that has been operational for an extended period of time. The operations of Wal-Mart have been characterized by increasing disparities because they cannot accurately ascertain sustainability and this reduces their capacity to reduce costs and their impacts on the environment. In view of this development, the management of Wal-Mart has enactment measures to ensure that the attributes of rationalization can be achieved because this will ensure ideal reduction in the costs and further results in the promotion of sustainability. With regard to this, the company has adopted new developmental projects that include transformation in their seafood supplies and adoption of the new certification paradigm to encompass the long terms prospects of growth. Long term sustainability is of immense benefits to the company and the need to attain long term sustainability has resulted din the increased collaboration with the other stakeholders (Allen, Walker & Brady, 2012). The suppliers have been advised to adopt the Marine Stewardship certification (MSC) to help them increase their sustainability. This incentive has been extremely beneficial for Wal-Mart and its stakeholders because of the development of long-term sustainability. Challenges of Wal-Mart’s supply chain Over the period, the operations of Wal-Mart have continued to be adversely affected by the disparities in the market and the implementation of poor policies for development in the organization. One of the leading challenges facing Wal-Mart supply chain management is sustainability. Sustainability is extremely essential because it provides long term growth and development of the organization. As the leading dealer in sea foods, the company has experience disparities in the attributes of resources development and allocation because they have received seasonal inventories. This aspect has been detrimental because they have not been able to supply the increasing needs of the customers. Furthermore, the customer development has been affected because the company has not adopted the aspect of providing wild fish (Peloza, Loock, Cerruti, & Muyot, 2012). In reality, sustainability has been the effect of challenges from customers, suppliers and stakeholders. However, in order to overcome this incentive, the management of the company has adopted the new policies with the aim of increasing sustainability in the long run. One of the emerging attributes that has been adopted by the organization is the consideration of adopting the Marine Stewardship Certification (MSC) program that seeks to develop the ideologies for enhancing sustainability ('Wal-Mart, 2012). MSC is beneficial in highlighting crucial set of rules because it contain guidelines developed by all the stakeholders in fishing industries. The observation of these guidelines is critical in enhancing sustainability because it enhances continues supply of fish to the customers (Wal-Mart Stores, 0010). In order to achieve, Wal-Mart has initiated measures to ensures that it major suppliers adopt the MSC standards and this has contributed towards the realization of long term sustainability realization. Reduction in goodwill Over the period, the managers and other stakeholders of Wal-Mart Company have enacted measure to ensure that the company meets its goals and objectives. However, the existences of challenges have resulted in the decline of the company and this has resulted in organizational decline. The decline in performance has reduced the capacity of Wal-Mart to service the increasing needs of the customers thereby leading to the reduction in goodwill. This is a critical challenge for Wal-Mart because goodwill is extremely beneficial for any organization and it takes significant amount of time and resources to build (Kroll, 2012, Jung, 2012). Among the things leading to the reduction of goodwill includes competitive practices, labor policies and sustainability issues. Furthermore, the organization has not adopted the measures of environmental development and this has resulted in the increased attributes of environmental degradation. Environmental degradation is detrimental for the aspect of organizational performance because it results in the lower rating of the company. This is the case with Wal-Mart supply chain that had received lower market participation because of the adoption of non-environmental friendly policies. The records have shown that 8% of the consumers have stopped shopping at Wal-Mart because of the company practices and this represents a critical challenge (TELESCA, 2012). Environmental challenge The periods of the recent past has been characterized by the rising concerns for the preservation of the environment. The concern to preserve the environment emanated from the realization that the increase in the activities of mankind and other organization has resulted in the emission of detrimental substances. Therefore, there has been a call for the organizations to adopt the attributes of green technology (Allen, Walker & Brady, 2012, DUKE, 2010). Green technology is an extremely beneficial aspect of development because it increases the chances of environmental preservation. This issue of environmental conservation has continued to be a challenge for Wal-Mart because the existing polices have limited regards for the preservation of the environment. There is the need for the company to adopt the green technology which is ideal in enhancing sustainable environment. In reality, both Wal-Mart and its stakeholders have not adopted the attributes of environmental conservation attributes and this has largely contributed towards the reduction of sustainability and reduction of rationalization (Gallagher, 2006). In the recent past, consumers have sported measures of adopting relationships and associations with the companies that have concerns for development because they are viewed as efficient companies and this improves the usability of their products thereby increasing the scope of demand. The aspect of environment al challenge is an extremely essential idea that ha impacts on the development of the organization and the stakeholders have realized the necessity to formulate new improved environmental and social benefits. Environmental policies adopted by the company have acted as challenges and enhanced reduction in the sustainability of the company both in the short run and in the long run because they have the impact of influencing the decisions taken by the company individuals and also by the consumers (Gilligan & Wilson, 2009). In this regard, sustainability problems have continued to rise in the company because the management has enacted adverse environmental policies. Fluctuations in fish supplies The operation of Wal-Mart seafood has been adversely affected by the fluctuation in the supply f fish. The aspect of fluctuations in the supply of fish is characterized as one of the critical challenges that affects the operations and suitability of the company. Over the period, Wal-Mart has continued to operate in the market and has been identified as the leading retail dealer in sea food. As the leading dealer in seafood, it is extremely crucial for the company to have continuous flow of fish to their warehouses because this will ensure that all the needs of the customers are realized. The realization of the customer’s needs is an incentive that enhances profitability which is the objective of the business. A disparity in the organization surrounding the supply of fish is detrimental and has been classified as one of the challenges of the organization (Gilligan & Wilson, 2009). The advents of the organization have enacted measures to ensure that there is a critical control policy that governs the flow of fish in the company. As the leading retail in the supply of fish food, the fluctuations in the fish from the suppliers have continued to be one of the detrimental challenges affecting the performance of the Wal-Mart. In reality, Wal-Mart has been established as the leading supply chain in the united sates with more than 1000 supercenters that deliver products to the consumers. This consideration has resulted in the reduction of the customer satisfaction and this result in the derivation of increased reduction in the performance (Halweil, 2006). The establishment of the organizations based on the realization of the goals and objectives and the occurrence of the challenges has affected the realization of these goals and objectives and this has further resulted in the accumulation of losses. Transportation challenge High cost of transportation has continued to be a challenge for the organization because it has increased the value of expenses thereby leading to the reduction in the profit margin. The aspect of high transportation costs has continued to be a challenge for the organization because it has sort to transport the products to the Chinese firms for processing before delivering them back to the United States where majority of the retail stores are located (Halweil, 2006). This incentive is extremely detrimental because it represents channels of misusing the organizations funds. Even though the company is forced to engage the foreign firms in the aspect of processing of the fish products, Wal-Mart spends critical amount of money on transportation and this is reflected on the aspect of reduced profitability. Ideally, it is more beneficial for the company management to consider buying their materials from the American firms because they will significantly enhance realization of cost reduction by a critical margin. The development of this incentive is essential and leads reduction of company goods. Pricing strategy is largely dependent on the activities of the market, customers and the stakeholders (Jung, 2012). The pricing strategy adopted by the organization is focused on the alteration of prices and this may have an impact in reducing the earnings of the organization. Therefore, it is a challenge to the Wal-Mart organization. Wal-Mart Recommendations Over the period, Wal-Mart has continued to experience critical difficulties in their operations and this has resulted in the emergence of sustainability problems and in the realization of high management costs. These two attributes are detrimental for the performance of the organization and it has prompted the organization to seek crucial measures of reducing the dominance of these factors because they will result in the reduction of the market share and consumer satisfaction. Sustainability is extremely important and the company must identify aspect of rationalizing its undertakings to ensure that the attributes of sustainability and high costs are rationalized. This step is increasingly beneficial and has the prospect of increasing the earnings of the organization. Long-term survival of the organization is ideal and this is only achieved through rationalization. In view of the aspects and performance of Wal-Mart, the rising disparities have critical influence in reducing the sustainability of the venture. Therefore, the organization must ensure that they enact critical changes in the organization (Lai, Cheng, & Tang, 2010, Kroll, 2012). As the leading supplier of seafood, the management of the Wal-Mart has enacted measurers to ensure that the company increases its supplies and profitability and these suggestions are recorded as recommendations for development. Adoption of Marine Stewardship Certification (MSC) One of the major challenges that have continued to derail performance of Wal-Mart is the aspect of fluctuation in the supply of fish. In this regard, the management and stakeholder of the company have recommended the transition in the supplies of the inventory where the new propped and recommended supplies are denoted by the MSC certification. Given the rising challenges in the fluctuation of fish supply, the sustainability of the organization has been faced with critical challenges. Therefore, the enactment of MSC certification policies has been adopted to offer solution to this perennial problem that has affected the company (Parkes et al. 2010). This incentive calls for the transition from processing to the usage of the wild caught fish. The transformation to the aspect of wild caught fish is essential and the management of the company must continue to collaborate with the suppliers to ensure that they continue to supply these commodities. In reality, the implementation of this recommendation has been considered as an ideal challenge because it involves the aspect of training the suppliers to attain MSC certification. The award of this certificate takes a period of two years. Apart from this certification, Wal-Mart managers have also called for the development of more processing firms to cater for the high demands. The aspect of transforming to wild caught fish and establishment of more processing firms incentives that will increase the supply of fish to the distribution centers and it will also ensure that the satisfaction of the customers is achieved. MSC certification has also enhanced the adoption of Salmon fish as the preferred fish because of its quality and its availability (Peloza, Loock, Cerruti & Muyot, 2012). Therefore, rationalization of the sustainability and costs through the adoption of MSC has been of immense benefits and has also enhanced increased satisfaction of the customers. There are numerous reasons stating why the provisions of MSC certification should be adopted and one of the integral reasons is that the management of the company will be able to ascertain quality of the fish from the suppliers. Over the period, the company received rising cases of complains and disparities associated with the purchase of stale fish from the suppliers. It’s essential to consider the authenticity inventories as suggested by the certification incentive because this aspect will increase satisfaction of the customers. The strategy to adopt the provisions of marine stewardship certification in the management and processing of the commodities has significantly enhanced participation and development of the organization. This recommendation has been of immense benefit because it has resulted in the aspect of increased collaboration with the stakeholders of the company. The collaboration with the stakeholders and specifically the suppliers has the attribute of enhancing long term sustainability of the organization. Therefore, rationalization of sustainability through MSC is crucial for the realization of long term sustainability of Wal-Mart (Wal-Mart Stores, 2010). Finally, the aspect of partnering with marine stewardship council will be extremely beneficial for Wal-Mart because it will ensure that the standards of operation are advanced as stipulated by the MSC certification. Furthermore, this recommendation will be essential in enabling Wal-Mart to overcome the rising challenges that concern the attributes of quality. Another critical recommendation for enhancing the sustainability of the company and continuity of the supplies is that consideration of adopting other strategies with the aim of ensuring continuity of fish stocks. The presence of fish stocks in the warehouses is essential and results in the continuity of the organization because they are able to offer supplies to the consumers. Wal-Mart has continued to experience the problem of stock depletion and this can be rectified in various aspects. Even though the adoption of MSC incentive by the leading suppliers is an incredible idea of increasing continuity of the flow of fish, the advents of continuous flow of fish can also be achieved through the concept of purchasing fish that has been caught and processed using the sustainable fishing practices. This recommendation is beneficial because it provides the management of Wal-Mart with an opportunity to reduce their costs while maintaining the same policies of the company. The adoption of this recommendation is however faced with one disadvantage because it involves using the provisions and certification policy of the third party and this may challenge the authenticity of the fish purchased from the third party. The aim of adopting this recommendation is to guarantee the company and its participant’s ideal reduction in the costs of operations and an increase in profitability. This has the effect in the long run because it increases the realization of organizational goals and objectives. Finally, this recommendation is based on the consideration of the need to reduce transportations costs because Wal-Mart commodities are transported form transportation in China and Alaska (Lai, Cheng & Tang, 2010). The aspect of making these purchases will enhance reduction in operation costs and increase in the profitability of the company. Hence, the adoption of this recommendation will increase the aspect of sustainability of the company. Environmental concerns Over the period, the operations of Wal-Mart have continued to experience back drop and reduced performance in the market because of the chain contexts of technology. The global regime has witnessed the emergence of critical technological advancement and this has resulted in the development of ideal methods of manufacturing and at the same time preserving the environment. Since the realization of global warming and other adverse environmental conditions, the consumers have also decided to contribute to the attributes of environmental wellbeing through the incentive of supporting environmental friendly companies while sabotaging the companies with practices that affect the wellbeing of the environment. In view of this realization, Wal-Mart has been faced critical factors that have adversely affected the operations of the company (Lai, Cheng & Tang, 2010, Allen, Walker & Brady, 2012). The management of Wal-Mart have not enacted the measures that necessitate stable environment and this has made the consumers to reject some of the products of the company. In order to rectify this attribute, there is the recommendation for Wal-Mart to adopt green technology. Adoption of green technology is an extremely beneficial incentive because it has the attributes of incorporating the aspects of technology into the management and production of the inventories without adversely affecting the environment. This consideration has been of immense benefits and has further increased the participation of the company in the economy of the United States. As the leading retail distributor of seafood in the economy, adoption of green technology is paramount and has ideal depiction on the performance of Wal-Mart. In reality, the competitors in the market initiated ideal company that was based on the environmental and labor factors to outwit the Wal-Mart and its customers (DUKE, 2010). This activity resulted in adverse effects and resulted in the decline in the customer base by 8%. Supplier development and partnership The recommendation to develop suppliers is another critical recommendation that seeks to transform the operations of the Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart development and operation is essential are results in the increased performance of other factors in the market. The management and other stakeholders of the organization have collectively stated the supplier development represents one aspect of attaining sustainable development. The art of building long term relationship with the suppliers is an incentive of greater benefits because the suppliers will have the consideration of forming a formidable relationship with Wal-Mart based on the market factors and joint long term concerns. The formation of the partnership with the suppliers is essential for the realization of sustainability because is fosters the development of nonprofit relationship that is based on dependency. An example of the benefit of this system is depicted by the relationship between the company and the leading fish suppliers (DUKE, 2010). The fish suppliers have undergone the certification of Marine Stewardship Council with the view of long term benefits. The development of this relationship is a beneficial recommendation that involves identification of managerial problems and other adversities faced by the organization. Resolution of the problems is an indication of increased performance and the strengthening of the partnership results in the formation of development. Other crucial benefit attained from the partnership with suppliers involves the strengthening of the management practices, reduction of environmental impacts and rebuilding of stocks (Gallagher, 2006, Gilligan & Wilson, 2009). The conduction of these attributes results in the aspect of increased certification of fisheries and further development of quality of the companies involved. In the wake of the development of these non-profit partners, the Wal-Mart has lost critical amount of profits and it is recommended that the managers should review their depiction of the partnership and individual development. The company has witnessed the advent of financial risks that has resulted I the reduction in the performance of organizational activities. The presence of high number of non-profit networks and individual groups may be detrimental for the realization of profitability because it has the attribute of derailing the usage of finances in the organization. The recordation should be geared towards the development of sound financial management attributes as this increase sustainability and growth of Wal-Mart. Summary The development of the recent past has necessitated the emergence of critical challenges for the business organization. Wal-Mart has continued to offer its services to the consumers as the leading retail dealer in seafood. The operations of Wal-Mart has been characterized by disparities because it has not been able to undertake the attributes of sustainability and long term growth because the profitability paradigm has been reduced by the atrocities in the management and the market. Some of the factors that resulted in the reduction of sustainability are the high cost of transportation, poor technologies amongst others. In order to reduce the detrimental effects of these factors, some of the recommendations have been enacted to enhance changes and these includes the adoption sustainability provisions, adoption of green technology and the establishment sustainability development partners. Finally, analysis conducted across the recommendations has advocated for the establishment of Marine Stewardship Certification. References Allen, M, Walker, K, & Brady, R 2012, 'Sustainability Discourse Within a Supply Chain Relationship: Mapping Convergence and Divergence', Journal Of Business Communication, 49, 3, pp. 210-236, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. DUKE, M 2010, 'Next Generation Walmart', Vital Speeches Of The Day, 76, 9, pp. 425-427, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Gallagher, J 2006, 'Wal-Mart Sets 100% Sustainable Fish Goal', SN: Supermarket News, 54, 6, pp. 41-55, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Gilligan, C, & Wilson, R 2009, Strategic Marketing Planning, n.p.: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann, eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Halweil, B 2006, 'Wal-Mart to Source Fish "Sustainably"', World Watch, 19, 3, p. 13, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Jung, J 2012, 'As Wal-Mart Greens', Institutional Investor-International Edition, 37, 3, pp. 34-72, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Kroll, A 2012, 'Walmart wants you to believe its green makeover is changing the world. Just one hitch: China', Mother Jones, 37, 2, pp. 36-44, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Lai, K, Cheng, T, & Tang, A 2010, 'Green Retailing: FACTORS FOR SUCCESS', California Management Review, 52, 2, pp. 6-31, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Parkes, G, Young, J, Walmsley, S, Abel, R, Harman, J, Horvat, P, Lem, A, MacFarlane, A, Mens, M, & Nolan, C 2010, 'Behind the Signs-A Global Review of Fish Sustainability Information Schemes', Reviews In Fisheries Science, 18, 4, pp. 344-356, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Peloza, J, Loock, M, Cerruti, J, & Muyot, M 2012, 'Sustainability: HOW STAKEHOLDER PERCEPTIONS DIFFER FROM CORPORATE REALITY', California Management Review, 55, 1, pp. 74-95, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. PR, N 2012, 'Walmart Announces New Commitments to Drive Sustainability Deeper into the Company's Global Supply Chain', PR Newswire US, 25 October, Regional Business News, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. TELESCA, J 2012, 'Wal-Mart Sizes Up Green Efforts', SN: Supermarket News, 60, 46, pp. 22-28, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. 'Wal-Mart Sets Rigorous Sustainability Standards for U.S. Market' 2012, Home Textiles Today, 33, 24, p. 17, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. Wal-Mart Stores, Ic 0010, 'Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to Webcast 19th Annual Meeting for the Investment Community', Business Wire (English), March, Regional Business News, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013. 'Walmart's Search for Sustainability' 2013, EHS Today, 6, 2, pp. 18-19, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 April 2013.

The Colonel's Dream: race and ethnicity

The Colonel's Dream The theme of race and ethnicity has featured predominantly in several books and articles written by different authors. The Colonel`s Dream written by Charles Chesnutt provides a setting of post-civil war era in Clarendon town of North Carolina (Chesnutt, 2004). It also briefly features the urban setting of New York. In this book, the author talks about the continued oppression and the racial violence that was prominent in the South after the civil war. The economy of the region was performing poorly and the black people had very limited opportunities of climbing the socioeconomic ladder. The author brings out how black people were treated unfairly by their white counterparts in the South at that time. Colonel Henry French is reported to have faced many difficulties as he tried to bring reforms in the southern town. He was met by violence and unfair resistance from the many racists in the town. The black people were economically isolated and oppressed in Clarendon. Although the South had lost in the civil war, the black people were still not given equal opportunities, fair wages or fair treatment (Chesnutt, 2004). The white people are reported to have had fear of the nigger domination leading to the black oppression. The blacks were only allowed to certain schools in which the conditions were different from those of the whites. The Colonel felt for the black people and he committed himself to improve the racial discrimination in the town. His efforts were however not successful as he met a lot of resistance. He gave up his efforts and returned to New York City to continue with business. This shows how deeply racism was rooted in the southern town of Clarendon. In another article written by Joseph R. Johnson, the author also talks about oppression of the black people. Chapter 8 of the book talks about reconstruction (The making and unmaking of a revolution). The revolution in this article refers to the end of slavery within the United States (Deborah et al, 2013). This is the time when former slaves were set free and they were reorganizing their livelihoods as well as reuniting with their families that had been separated through war and slave sales. The author states that new black communities were constructed and the old were renewed. There were independent black schools, churches and business enterprises. The freed blacks pursued education and they were able to acquire job skills within a decade. Although the former slaves had reorganized themselves, the lack of land prevented them from attaining economic independence. This pushed them into oppressing labor patterns similar to slavery in which they depended on white landowners. Various revolutions put in place to help black people from the south to attain economic stability have always been short-lived causing endless problems (Deborah et al, 2013). The blacks dispersed into various parts of the country to engage in various activities but they always encountered discrimination. This led to the conclusion that the only way blacks could survive is through self-elevation by building strong communities. Ishmael Reed in his 2004 article also wrote about the life history of Charles Chesnutt describing him as a person who fought for the rights of the black people (Ishmael, 2004). He describes Chesnutt as a dedicated writer who was committed to addressing the needs of oppressed people in the society. The theme of racism features predominantly in all novels written by Charles Chesnutt. The book by Stephen Steinberg also talks about the problem of racism. Chapter 3 of the book titled “The reconstruction of black servitude after the civil war” highlights how black people were struggling to reconstruct themselves after the civil war. The author states that although the civil war had brought slavery to an end, the economic functions created by slavery remained (Stephen, n.d). This led to development of compulsory paid labor. The Freedmen`s Bureau contributed greatly to the development of the exploitative surrogate systems which so black people being taken back to work in cotton fields. The blacks were trapped in the south with no capital and land to sustain them. Although the government had a lot of land, none of it was given to the black people. White people were given priority in employment at the northern industry. Considering the whole issue of racism and ethnicity, fiction was greatly used by the white people to oppress the black Americans. The white leaders falsely accused African-Americans as a group of people that cannot do anything on their own unless they are made to do it. They were termed a group of idle Negros which had to be forced to work. This perception was used as a basis for oppression of black people through slavery. The African Americans were not given equal rights as their white counterparts and instead they were forced to do odd jobs at lower wages. They were denied land and other government benefits on the basis of their color. This impacted negatively on the society creating discrimination that is yet to be completely dealt with. References Chesnutt, Charles W., 2004. The Colonel's Dream. Ed. SallyAnn H. Ferguson. New Milford: Toby Press. Print Deborah White et al, 2013. Freedom on my mind: A history of African Americans. Chapter 8 Reconstruction: The making and unmaking of a revolution (1865-1885). Boston: Medford/St. Martins Ishmael Reed, 2004. The Colonel`s dream: Cherles Chesnutt Stephen Steinberg (n.d). The reconstruction of black servitude after the civil war.

MNC banks failed to outdo Chinese banks in China

Introduction China has emerged as the fastest growing economy in the world. Over the past two decades, China has grown an average of 9.5 percent. Several leading companies have realized that investment in China is very important for their growth. The country has very high customer numbers and there is a great potential for future growth. The income of Chinese people is continuously rising creating an opportunity for business growth. The banking sector in China is one of the most vibrant industries. This sector has attracted very many foreign companies leading to a stiff competition between multinational corporation (MNC) banks and local banks. An increase in competition has forced the companies to look for ways through which they can gain a competitive advantage. Marketing has therefore become an important tool for all firms. Many organizations have embarked on aggressive marketing campaigns to boost their sales and increase income (Sternquist, 2007). Banks must determine their desired position in the market and plan on how to attain the desired success. They also need to be flexible to deal with changes in the market and continuously satisfy their customers. This essay analyzes the issue of marketing in China and explains why MNC banks have failed to outdo local Chinese banks. Literature Review Globalization has led to increased competition in different sectors of the economy. Many organizations are expanding their businesses to overseas in order to increase their sales and gain a competitive advantage. International marketing strategies have been adopted by companies to strengthen their customer bases (Czinkota & Ronkainen, 1998). China is emerging as the world's fastest developing country in terms of the economy in the present age. In the current century, there are probabilities of China to emerge as a global power, not simply a regional power. This is considering the fact that it is an enormous nation, with the largest population in the world and developed military power. Majority of the Chinese population consists of the middle class. About 247 million people, accounting for 18.2% of the Chinese population are middle class and they are expected to increase in the future (Dong & Goldstein, 2006). They spend an average of between $10 and $100 per day and this is projected to increase. This creates a great potential for growth which has attracted many foreign companies into the country. Most of the multinational companies that have established their operations in China are from Europe and America. However despite the economic growth and increased foreign investment in China, foreign banks have failed to outdo Chinese banks. Most of the banks owned and operated by multinational corporations (MNCs) are finding it difficult to tap into the Chinese market (Lorimer, 2004). This is because these organizations have failed to give special attention to the Chinese market. Many companies treat China just like any other foreign market without taking into consideration specific needs of the market. These banks entered into the market with the same marketing techniques being used in their respective home markets. The application of similar marketing strategies across all markets in international business is referred to as standardization (Jain, 1989). This approach is normally less costly and easier way of entering new markets since most of the decision elements are already put in place. It is much cheaper as compared to the adaptation approach in which the marketers have to undertake market analysis and adjust their marketing techniques to suit the unique elements in every market. However, the adaptation strategy is the most suitable marketing approach in China especially in the retail banking sector. Discussion The global standardization approach is based on the belief that the needs and wants of consumers do not differ across countries and markets (Buzzell, 1968). This approach holds that the world is continuously becoming more similar both in customer and environmental requirements. Consumers are believed to have the same demands regardless of their geographical location. Standardization of all the elements of a marketing mix and development of a single strategy for the whole global market is considered to be the best way of lowering costs. Standardization also increases consistency with the customers as the company will be able to provide similar services in all countries. Most of the multinational companies have shifted from customization of products to provision of globally standardized products which are reliable, advanced, low priced and functional (Jain, 1989). The global company can operate with constancy at relatively lower costs as if the whole world is a single market. A company using this approach sells the same products in a similar manner across the world. The standardized international marketing mix comprises of product, place, price promotion, people, physical evidence and process management. Some multinational companies might choose to apply this marketing mix and a single strategy to all countries regardless of the local conditions (Jeannet & Hennessey, 2001). This is due to the fact that the global market is increasingly becoming more similar hence the need for companies to standardize their operations. There is an increased interaction and sharing of information which leads to similarity among many companies. Standardization is therefore seen as the best way for multinational companies to survive in the current competitive world. However, there are still some cultural differences in various parts of the world. Consumer behaviors vary from one place to the other hence the need to apply an adaptation approach. The culture of Chinese people is very different from the western culture (Liu, 2004). Western companies should therefore alter the marketing mix as well as the strategies so that they can fit in distinctive dimensions of the local market. The marketing mix should be tailored to adapt to the local market and prevailing circumstances. The adaptation approach is based on the view that an international marketer is subjected to new macro-environmental factors, different constraints such as climate, topography, language, race occupations, tastes and education (Kanso & Kitchen, 2004). An international marketer is also exposed to frequent conflicts that result from different cultures, societies and laws. People from different nations speak different languages and the rules and regulations vary from one country to the other. The cultural differences are the most difficult to deal with since they are deeply rooted in religion, history, values, education and attitudes. The adaptation approach holds that multinational companies have to find out ways of adjusting their marketing strategy to accommodate new market demands. The elements of the marketing mix and marketing strategies should be adjusted to meet special market needs and suit the local tastes (Jeannet & Hennessey, 2001). Most foreign companies in China, including banks, have adopted the western-style of marketing which is normally characterized by standardization of the marketing strategies (Pomeranz, 2000). This has greatly affected their operations since the Chinese population is diversified. China has a very big population which comprises of people from different backgrounds ranging from low income earners to the affluent. They also have different tastes and preferences influenced by their socio-economic status. It is therefore important for investors to carry out an in-depth market research to identify specific needs of the target market. The goods and services should then be aligned with customer needs in order to satisfy them. The company`s operations and marketing strategies should be adjusted to suit into the local market. Customers have become more informed and they are continuously searching for a company that offers what they want. Increased competition provides many alternatives for the customers to choose from. Since the local banks have fully understood the market, their marketing strategies are developed according to the customer needs. This has enabled them to continue thriving over their foreign counterparts. Participation of foreign banking institutions in China was restricted by the government some time back. However, China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001 after which the government started encouraging foreign banking institutions to invest in the local financial institutions (Pomeranz, 2002). This move attracted many foreign companies leading to a total investment of about $20.9 billion by the end of 2005. Despite provision of incentives to encourage foreign investment, these banks face many challenges in establishing their operations in China. One of the main challenges is the uncertainty of the market. The Chinese market is not mature thus creating a possibility for disruptive changes. The foreign based banks must invest a lot of money and time to learn more about the Chinese customers so that they can offers services and products that can satisfy their needs. This hinders foreign owned banks from competing favorably against local banks. The local banks are well informed about the market enabling them to offer services that appeal to customers. China is a developing country thus investment approaches are different from those applied in developed countries (Liu, 2004). The foreign investors are supposed to dedicate reasonable resources in establishing communication lines with relevant regulatory and government bodies. There is also a shortage of well trained banking employees in China that are familiar with the culture. The banks should therefore invest in training and developing valuable employees within the country. These challenges make it costly for foreign organizations to establish businesses in the country. The high costs of establishing relationships with local stakeholders and training employees hinders foreign banks from competing equally with local banks. This is because the local banks have strong links with strong links with stakeholders. The Chinese government has limited the amount of investment made by foreign banks. Foreign banks that have entered into alliances with local institutions are not allowed to own more than 20 percent of the shares (Hao, 2005). The government has also set very high asset and capital thresholds for the foreign owned banks to offer their services in Chinese currency. The banks are only allowed to operate after they have met the minimum performance and operational requirements. These restrictions prevent foreign based banks from expanding their businesses in the country. Participants in the banking industry must acquire a reasonable market share in order to realize greater benefits and expand their business. With the government regulations that limit foreign investment to 20 percent, local banks have continued to dominate in China. There has been financial bias in favor of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) over the privately owned firms (Huang et al, 2005). This had been a strategy by the government to set massive financial resources to the sector. In 1985 reforms in the SOEs were aimed at increasing the market responsiveness and raise productivity to the rural areas. This is to ensure that there are market alignment policies that will have a positive. The reform on contract responsibility system in 1986-89 was to make sure that the SOEs are effective in their relevant duties. Employees were to be made accountable on their duties so as they could be productive. This will ensure that SOEs would be in a position of competing at a global level and enhancing china’s economy. The transformation of the SOEs into joint stock companies reduced the government influence. This will be able to diversify ownership and the public to bring new ideas in policies and management so as to have better services quality and increased efficiency (Yang, 2001). The management structure was also made to be flexible with rigid element being eliminated to improve performance. Accountability among employees was also enhanced hence making monitoring efficient and rewarding their efforts. This has led to motivation boost and production increase. Conclusion China has been ranked as the world`s fastest growing economy with an average of 9.5 percent economic growth over the past two decades. Several leading companies have realized that investment in China is very important in gaining a competitive advantage (Pomeranz, 2000). The country has very high customer numbers and there is a great potential for future growth. The banking sector in China is one of the most vibrant industries. This sector has attracted very many foreign companies leading to a stiff competition between multinational corporation (MNC) banks and local banks. Marketing has therefore become an important tool for all firms to gain a competitive advantage. Many organizations have embarked on aggressive marketing campaigns to boost their sales and increase income. However despite the high number of foreign banks, they have failed to outdo local banks. This is mainly due to the application of standardized marketing strategies that are based on western environments. The Chinese culture is different from the western culture hence the need for adjustment of marketing strategies to suit into the local market (Brady, 2003). The government regulations limiting foreign investment in joint ventures also affect their competitiveness. Most of the government policies favor local institutions thus giving them a competitive advantage. Bibliography Brady, A. 2003.Making the foreign serve China: managing foreigners in the People's Republic.Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Lanham. Buzzell, R.D. (1968), “Can you Standardize Multinational Marketing?” Harvard Business Review, (November/December), pp. 102-113 Czinkota, M.R. and Ronkainen, I.A. (1998), International Marketing, Fifth Edition, Forth Worth, London: The Dryden Press. Dong,M.Y., and Goldstein,J.L. 2006.Everyday modernity in China. University of Washington Press, Seattle. Hao,Y. 2005. Foreign policy making: societal force and Chinese American policy. Ashgate, Aldershot. Huang, Y., Saich, T. & Steinfeld, E. (2005). Financial Sector Reform in China from http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~asiactr/publications/pdfs/Huang%20et%20al.pdf (accessed on 21th November 2012) Jain, S.C. (1989), “Standardisation of International Marketing Strategy: Some Research Hypotheses”, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 53 (January), pp. 70-79. Jeannet, J.P. and Hennessey, H.D. (2001), Global Marketing Strategies, Fifth Edition, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Kanso, A. and Kitchen, P., (2004), “Marketing Consumer Services Internationally: Localization and Standardization Revisited”, Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 201-215. Liu,K. 2004.Globalization and cultural trends in China. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu. Lorimer,D. 2004.The class nature of the People's Republic of China. Resistance Books, Chippendale. Pomeranz, K. (2000). The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy, Princeton: Princeton University Press Pomeranz, K. (2002): "Beyond the East-West Binary: Resituating Development Paths in the Eighteenth-Century World," The Journal of Asian Studies 61(2) 539-590. Sternquist, B., 2007. International retailing 2nd edition New York: Fairchild Books. Yang, D. L. (2001). Governance and Regulation of the Securities Markets in China. New York: Financial Sector Reform in China.

Media Economics & Research "MBC Channel" Company

Media Economics & Research "MBC Channel" Company MBC Group is a private free-to-air satellite broadcasting company. The company was started in 1991 in London but later moved the headquarters to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (Al Jenaibi, 385-394). The company currently broadcasts within the Arab world and it has grown into becoming one of the well-established media companies. MBC provides interaction, entertainment and information that enriches people`s lives. The company operates a total of 10 television channels and a documentary production unit. The company also runs numerous online platforms and radio stations targeting a wide range of audience in the Arab world. Some of the main market segments targeted by the company are business people, movie lovers, women and young children. MBC has greatly changed the Arab world through its broadcasts. The company is continuously expanding the broadcasting industry by using advanced information technology. The main goal of the company is provision of exceptional quality of broadcasting values and unquestioned ethics (Company website). This essay analyses the business model used by MBC Company in its operations. The MBC Company has developed customer loyalty over the past 20 years. As a result, the company is focused on production of TV content, DVDs and other consumer products like toys, home furnishings, stationery, apparel and special programs from channels such as MBC3. The company provides a wide range of services that satisfy the needs of Arabian audience. The company offers both TV and commercial stations across the Gulf. These channels are used to provide the best quality broadcasting of entertainment and news. MBC targets movie lovers of all genres. The MBC2 is a free-to-air movie channel that operates on a 24 hour basis (Sakr, pp 2-7). The company introduced this channel targeting Hollywood movie customers in Arabia. This channel has led to the spread of Hollywood movies in the Middle East. The company later introduced other movie channels for different genres to capture a wide range of customers in the region. The company has introduced alternative platforms to serve the ever changing customer needs. There are several web portals used by the company to provide interactive Arabic content for the online users. The mbc.net is the main portal for the company and its offers up to date interactive Arabic content. This portal offers a wide range of services including the Video-on-Demand (VoD) services for the customers. The company intends to introduce live program streaming for all the channels. The Arabia news portals such as AIArabiya.net cover economics, politics, sports and social news (Sakr Al Jenaibi, 385-394). This was launched to deal with the ever changing Arab television news. The information is continuously updated on a 24 hour basis by qualified professions and the users can access live streaming as well as reference materials. This portal is available in different languages for a wide variety of users. Al Arabia business was also launched by the company to target companies and individual investors. The channel offers up to date business and financial information which gives real-time market updates to the key decision makers and business leaders. This channel also provides a market analysis which helps businessmen to make informed decisions. The company launched an MBC3 channel in 2004 to target young children. The channel offers a carefully selected mixture of edutainment and entertainment that satisfies the needs of Arab youngsters. They include various in-house productions like Eish Safari which provides a children`s reality experience of its kind (Al Jenaibi, 385-394). The MBC Company also introduced MBC4 channel in 2005 to target women in the region. The channel offers programming packages that are suitable for women in the Arab world which includes a selection of best international drama, comedy, light entertainment shows and chat. The company also targets young male audience through provision of action programs. MBC Action provides unique packages in the region which offers its viewers reality shows and high octane action on a 24 hour basis. The MBC Company also targets the business people through provision of real-time business news and analysis. The AIAswaq.net portal was launched by the company in 2006 to provide accurate and timely news and analysis in Arabia (Sakr, pp 10-29). This portal has become a leading source of business news in the whole of Arabic region mainly targeting individual investors and companies. This site provides real-time stock market news, business developments and financial services in a user friendly design which gives it a competitive advantage. Jawal Al Arabiya is a mobile news channel which offers its subscribers news wherever they are. The company has entered into partnership with the leading telecom providers in the region to ensure that viewers are able to get up to date breaking news immediately when they occur. The company launched mobile services in 2007 which have been extended to include a wide range of services that are designed for mobile users (Company website). Subscribers are able to access MMS and SMS content, mobile TV, live streaming, video on demand and mobile applications. The MBC mobile services allow customers to tailor their own choice of entertainment packages according to their desires. The company also provides java games that are developed to satisfy the needs of users in the region. This has made the company to be the leading provider of high quality mobile content. Apart from providing broadcasting services, the company also targets people who like reading. MBC publications produce books and a lifestyle magazine which includes news, MBC program list and features. These books and magazines are carefully written to satisfy the needs of Arabic audience. The company enjoys a product loyalty gained through publications, consumer products and DVDs (Sakr, pp 2-7). The licensing and merchandising division is an agent for several international companies in the Middle East. A wide range of consumer products are offered by the merchandise division to support programs that are aired. This has helped the company to widen its revenue base and acquire more customers. The company intends to actively participate in modern retail trade by using regional distributors. MBC also targets other media companies and broadcasters in the Middle East. The company operates a subsidiary by the name of 03 productions. This subsidiary specializes in providing several production as well as post production services to the customers (Sakr, pp 10-29). The company is a regional leader in the production and distribution of best content as well as inventive program mining, docu-dramas, reality shows, documentaries, factual entertainment, dubbed drama and Arabic drama. The subsidiary has also released a new series that air on MBC 4. The 03 productions deal with the acquisition and production of content for both MBC and other companies. It is a leading producer of high quality factual programming. MBC offers high quality television hardware, OB van resources and studio services through MBC facilities division. The company also provides expertise to production houses and other broadcasters through its team of highly skilled professionals. The most important assets by the company are dedicated employees that offer exceptional services to production companies and broadcasters within the region. The MBC facility offers a variety of broadcast services which are delivered by highly qualified employees that have a lot of expertise and experience (Al Jenaibi, 385-394). Some of the technical services that are offered by the company include lighting and stage design, studio services, OB Van resources, equipments, location selection and database, catering services, entertainment and security services. The company operates an independent profit center in its marketing department. The MBC Company is a leading free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Middle East with several online services and publications (Sakr, pp 10-29). The company targets a wide range of customers including business people, women, young children, young male audience and movie lovers. The company also offers professional expertise to other media companies and publishes a number of books as well as magazines. This wide rage of services gives the company a competitive advantage over other companies in the region. The company has also been in the industry for quite a long time which has enabled it to develop customer loyalty. However, there is need for the company to expand its services to other parts of the world if it has to remain competitive in the future. The world has been reduced to a global village by the introduction new technologies. There is an increase in sharing of information and interaction hence the need for global coverage. Many multinational companies are coming up and MBC has to extend its services in order to remain competitive. Work Cited Al Jenaibi, Badreya. "New Age Of Press Democracy In The Middle East. Arabic News Channels: Al-Jazeera." International Journal Of Academic Research 2.4 (2010): 385 394. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Nov. 2012. Company website. http://www.mbc.net/en/corporate/about-us/history.html Accessed on 1st November, 2012 Sakr, Naomi. "Satellite Television and Development in the Middle East". pp 29. (1999) Sakr, Naomi. "Whys and Wherefores of Satellite Channel Ownership". Satellite Realms: Transnational Television, Globalization and the Middle East pp 2-7(2001)

Disruptive Innovation in the Telecommunication Industry

The level of innovation in the telecommunication industry is very high. New technological advancements are quickly coming up to meet the ever changing customer needs. Incumbent technologies in the market are regularly displaced by new, more improved technologies that offered better services to the customers. Disruptive innovation can be caused by new technology or solution and is eventually accompanied by alteration of the existing business model (Christensen & Bower, 1995). Innovators should regularly scan their environment and identify available innovation opportunities from various sources. It is important to understand the immediate and distant surroundings of a particular business. Organizations should develop a close relationship with their key stakeholders for them to sense opportunities and capitalize on them (Chesbrough & Appleyard, 2007). Although it is difficult to accurately predict potential disruptive innovation in a business environment, early indicators can be detected. This indicators signals that there is an imminent disruption which is about to take place. In the telecommunication industry, the use of landline telephone faces a potential disruption by mobile telephones. More people are shifting from the use of fixed/ landline telephones to the use of mobile telephones which signals a potential disruptive innovation within the industry. Disruptive innovation occurs as a result of various elements that collectively act in a certain way under prevailing market conditions (von Hippel, 1988). Mobile telephones are likely to cause a disruption in telecommunication industry by fully replacing land line telephones. The rapid growth in the use of mobile phones across the world is an indicator of potential disruptive innovation. More people as well as companies are adapting the use of mobile phones in their daily operations. Land line telephones have dominated in most companies for years. These types of phones have captured a very wide market share after they emerged as better alternatives to fax and postal mails. Telephones were considered a fast and convenient mode of communication leading to the fast growth of land line telephones. However, these telephones could not effectively meet the communication needs of all people as they were fixed in nature. Technological innovations led to establishment of a mobile telephone which is portable and offers more services to its users. The mobile phones started as an inferior entrant to the market dominated by land line telephones. It targeted individual users segment which had been ignored by land line manufacturers. Mobile phone manufacturers capitalized on the needs of individual users to have portable phones and have continuously improved their products over time taking into consideration consumer needs. This has led to a rapid growth in the use of mobile phones among individuals and companies have also started adapting their use. This signals a potential disruptive innovation for the land line telephone companies in the near future. Landline telephones use a solid medium telephone line such as fiber optic cable or metal wire to transmit information as opposed to a cellular mobile phone that uses radio waves. Landline telephones rely on physical cables to transmit information and can only be used in a fixed location. Users cannot access landline services from different places other than the designated locations. This limits access to their services which is exploited by mobile phones that can be used in any place. Mobile phones are portable and can easily be carried along for convenient purposes. Despite efforts by landline companies to remain competitive by introduction of fixed wireless telephones, these devices can only be used in fixed locations. Fixed wireless telephones usually draw their electrical power from the mains electricity as opposed to mobile phones which are battery-powered. This restrains the use of fixed wireless devices to specific locations where there is constant power supply. These telephones cannot be used in case of a power blackout or natural disaster as they rely on electricity. A mobile phone can make and receive calls over a radio link that covers a wide geographical area. This technology connects cellular networks provided by a mobile phone operator which allows access to the public telephone network. The mobile telephones also support a wide range of services such as multimedia messaging, text messaging, email, short-range wireless communication (Bluetooth and infrared), internet access, gaming, photographing and business applications. Smart phones have continuously evolved to incorporate special features for their users. These features have appealed to many people over year causing a rapid growth in the mobile phones market share. Individual users have adopted the use of mobile phones because of their portability which allows them to move with the phones. Extra services provided by mobile phones also give them a competitive advantage over fixed line telephones. Landline telephones do not offer services such as messaging, photographing, internet access among others. Several companies have also adapted the use of mobile phones as they offer more services that facilitate communication. Text messages can be easily send to all members of staff using a mobile phone as opposed to calling every person. It is also easier to store and access contacts from a mobile phone than a landline telephone. This indicates a potential disruptive innovation that will fully displace fixed line telephone. Disruptive innovations can create a new market and displace a successful incumbent business off its path (Christensen & Bower, 1995). This is common in technological industry where new technology can completely replace the existing technology. A new technology can displace the incumbent if it offers solutions to customer needs. The incumbent may have built its customer base over a long period of time and the customers are demanding more and more from what is offered. As a result of increasing demands, the incumbent may ignore the needs of other potential customers. Disruption takes place when the needs of ignored customers are provided by the new entrant in a different way than the incumbent. In this case, landline telephone manufacturers built its market share but concentrated more on businesses and organizations ignoring the needs of individual users. They concentrated on improving fixed line telephones and capturing more organization as opposed to individuals. The mobile phone manufacturers capitalized on this weakness by satisfying the needs of individual users hence developing its market share. Mobile phones started as inferior entrants but they have expanded its market share and they are threatening to completely replace landline telephones. To be successful, a company should balance between path-dependent innovations and path-breaking innovations (Shehabuddeen, 2007). Executives must watch out and continuously respond to potential disruptions within their business environment. This can be achieved through open innovations where companies access external sources of innovation and sell their intellectual assets when suitable returns can be obtained. Bibliography Chesbrough, H.W. & Appleyard, M.M. (2007) ‘Open innovation and strategy’, California Management Review, 50 (1), pp.57-76. Available from: http://sfxhosted.exlibrisgroup.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/lpu?title=California+Management Review&volume=50&issue=&spage=57&date=2007&issn=&eissn= Christensen, C.M. & Bower, J.L. (1995) ‘Disruptive technologies: catching the wave’, Harvard Business Review, 73 (1), pp. 43-53. Available from: http://sfxhosted.exlibrisgroup.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/lpu?title=Harvard+Business+Revi w&volume=73&issue=1&spage=43&date=1995&issn=&eissn= Shehabuddeen, N. (2007) Innovation in real life: a hands-on guide to genuine innovation. Liverpool: Open Innovation. von Hippel, E. (1988) The sources of innovation, Oxford University Press [Online]. Available from: http://web.mit.edu/evhippel/www/sources.htm

Factors that led to a rapid economic growth in Ireland

  Political Economy and Foreign Direct Investment in Ireland Ireland was ranked as the poorest member of the European Economic Community in 1987. A third of the country`s revenues were being used to service debts and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had to intervene (Laura & Mathew, 2010). The country experienced a very high rate of unemployment at 17% and per capita gross domestic product stood at 69% of the European Economic Community`s average. The level of emigration was also very high as many university graduates flew outside the country in search of employment. Ireland underwent a major economic transformation over a period of 10 years from 1990 to 2000. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for this period averaged 6.3%, the highest growth taking place between 1995 and 2000 (Laura et al, 2010). By that time, the per capita GDB for Ireland had surpassed that of the United Kingdom and the rate of unemployment had reduced to 5%. The country began to realize fiscal surpluses and all debts were cleared. The emigrants returned to Ireland in large numbers due to better living conditions. This economic revival was exceptional in the developed world hence earning Ireland a nick-name; the Celtic Tiger. This case describes Ireland`s transformation from one of Europe`s poorest countries to one of its richest in just 10 years. The revival of Ireland`s economy is greatly attributed to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) that significantly increased in the 1990s to an average of $2.5 billion per year (Gleeson et al, 2005). The per capita stock of FDI for Ireland was the second highest globally and twice that of the European Union`s average by 2002. Ireland had set a precedent of economic nationalism until the 1950s when economic stagnation forced to country to change. The government adopted a pro-market agenda which led to formation of new laws that aimed at boosting the economy. The Finance Act that was legislated in 1956 gave a tax relief on export profits. This law provided a 50% tax relief on any profits that were earned from manufacturing goods and this was set to gradually increase up to 100% in 1958 (Laura et al, 2010). The government of Ireland sent out the message to the international community informing them that their country was open for business. This was followed by joining the IMF and the World Bank in 1957 and relaxation of restrictions that controlled the Manufactures Act. This measures by Ireland`s government attracted many foreign investors who were able to easily invest in the country. There were very few restrictions and their profits were exempted from taxation. The finance minister of Ireland in 1958 advocated for a shift from protectionism type of trade to free trade (Markusen & Venables, 1999). He also proposed for the government to promote foreign investment by offering incentive grants and tax concessions. The government unilaterally lowered its tariffs between 1962 and 1964. The Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement was signed in 1965 which helped Ireland to achieve free trade of all manufactured goods. Ireland also joined the General Agreement for Tariffs and Trade in 1967. These economic programs helped Ireland to grow its GDP by more than 4% annually. However, unemployment rates and poverty continued to affect to country`s economy and the education system was in a mess. Ireland had formed a government agency called the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) in 1949 to promote greater investment across the country. After the government adopted export-focused industrial strategy, IDA started attracting new investments from different parts of the world.IDA managed to secure a significant volume of foreign investment by 1970s but the rate of unemployment was still very high (Laura et al, 2010). The oil crisis in 1979 threw the country into a deep recession characterized by high levels of unemployment and excessive government spending. Ireland was deeply in debt by 1987 and its economy was almost collapsing. By 1990, the rate of GDP growth reached 8.5% while the exports volume attained an increase of 23.5% between 1985 and 1990. The country`s export market had improved due to encouraging exchange rates in the 1980s and 1990s. Ireland`s competitiveness was also boosted by a 10% devaluation of currency in 1986 and the strength of sterling pound and the dollar (Gray, 1997). The government sought to improve the quality of its labor force by abolishing tuition fees at third-level education. The IT boom in America and the establishment of a common European market greatly contributed to Ireland`s economic growth. The fiscal reforms and discipline introduced in 1992 by Maastricht criteria resulted in less debt-to-GDP ratio and low deficits. The country`s export sector became more competitive after the revaluation of its pound upon joining European Monetary System. IDA started lobbying the Ireland`s government to extend tax rates due to the pressures from the European Union. IDA also conducted research that found out that the 10% manufacturing tax was important for the competitiveness of Ireland over other countries in Europe (Laura et al, 2010). As a result, the government decided to extend the rate in 1990 through 2010. These low corporate taxes in combination with the access to European market enabled the country to become an attractive preference. High operating industries such as pharmaceuticals were attracted by low tax. Ireland began to attract several foreign companies especially from the United States. The IDA continuously identified and lured target companies to invest in Ireland. International employees were used to develop contacts with target companies and IDA delegated some of its staff to collect intelligence concerning the market trends. The feedback was consolidated during the annual conference to identify new patterns and trends. The IDA`s efforts led to the arrival of Intel, a computer giant, in 1990 which was a big victory for the country (Laura et al, 2010). The IDA had developed its relationship with Intel for a decade and they offered the company a $157 million grant package which was spread over a period of 10 years. The company was concerned about the lack of experienced engineers but IDA, through McGowan, listed all Irish engineers that were working in semiconductor businesses that were willing to go back to Ireland. The entry of Intel attracted many more computer companies to Ireland as the country managed attract 40% of the United States electronic investments across Europe. The IDA also took the responsibility of recognizing the potential of Ireland becoming an offshore call center through an intelligence gathering mission overseas. IDA negotiated with Ireland`s telecom company for a deal to reduce international call rates which led to an increase in call volumes. The massive entry of foreign direct investments in Ireland was a major boost to the country`s economic growth in the 1990s (Laura & Mathew, 2010). The foreign sector attained great success in 1990s due to the aggressive export-oriented foreign companies. References Gleeson, AM, F Ruane and J Sutherland (2005) “Successfully Promoting Industrial Clusters: Evidence from Ireland” Paper presented to Workshiop in Oporto on Workshop Multinational, Clusters, andInnovation: Does Public Policy Matter? April 2005. Gray, Alan W. (1997) (ed)., International Perspectives on the Irish Economy. Dublin: Indecon Laura Alfaro & Mathew S. Johnson, 2010 Foreign Direct Investment and Ireland`s Tiger Economy (B). Harvard Business School. Laura Alfaro, Vinati Dev & Stephen McIntyre, 2010 Foreign Direct Investment and Ireland`s Tiger Economy (A). Harvard Business School. Markusen, James R. and Venables, Anthony J., 1999. "Foreign Direct Investment as a Catalyst for Industrial Development”, European Economic Review, Vol. 43, pp. 335-356.

FedEx Corp: Structural Transformation through e-Business

FedEx Corp: Structural Transformation through e-Business The Federal Express Corporation (FedEx) was formed in 1973 and it has transformed itself from an express delivery company into a global logistics and supply-chain management company (Hutt & Speh). The company has heavily invested in IT systems over the years and further integration of systems was facilitated by introduction of the internet in 1994. The systems were integrated to enhance provision of services throughout its customers` supply chains. The company acquired Caliber Systems Inc. in 1998 to build a powerful technical architecture with the potential to pioneer Internet Commerce. FedEx Corporation has developed a superior virtual, people and physical networks to change their way of connecting to each other in the current Network Economy. The company goes beyond its internal operations by focusing on the external factors with an aim of pulling-in and locking-in customers through an exceptional level of technological integration (Hutt & Speh). This article analyses FedEx`s current marketing strategy and the strategic role of IT in the virtual supply chain management. The globalization of businesses, application of new technologies and advances in information technology led to the growth of the express transportation and logistics industry (Reid and Plank, 2004). Businesses started to expand beyond national boundaries to take advantage of the new markets hence the movement of goods increased creating a demand for transportation and logistics industry. The competitiveness of transportation companies was dependant on their global network and ability to deliver goods to their customers` premises. The speed of delivery was also important for the companies and their customers. Development of Information Technology (IT) facilitated globalization of commerce due to the ability of sharing information between various departments within an organization and other organizations (Anderson and Narus, 2004). This led to operational efficiencies, improved customer services and reduced costs for FedEx Corporation. Technological advancement also boosted logistics management. FedEx expanded into logistics management services as a way of seeking a competitive advantage over its competitors. FedEx adopted IT as early as 1979 through the use of a centralized computer system in keeping track of all packages that were handled by the company (Hutt & Speh). This network relayed information about the package movement including its picking up, invoicing and delivery to the central database located at the Memphis headquarters. The bar-code was placed on each package and scanning was done at every stage of its delivery cycle. This enhanced efficiency of the company and ensured safety of all goods under transit. FedEx launched a series of technological systems in 1984 through a PowerShip program that aimed at improving efficiency and control (Bruner and Bulkley, 1995). This program provided over 100000 active customers with on-line proprietary services. It provided additional services to customers such as storage of frequently used addresses, on-line package pick-up requests, label printing and package tracking. The PowerShip program enhanced customer confidence in the company since they could track their parcels online and request for services without necessary visiting the company. The introduction of the Internet and the electronic data interchange (EDI) enabled companies to build direct relationship with their customers (Anderson and Narus, 2004). This enhanced efficiency in manufacturing companies as they could match their supplies with demand without any wastage. FedEx took advantage of these technological advancements and started tracking its supply chain up to the point of raw materials. They identified points where they could provide management services along the supply chain. The company focused its attention on the ability to interconnect various operations and distribution of information to all parties in the supply chain. Logistics was the most important part in strategy formulation. FedEx`s main focus was on providing integrated logistics systems as opposed to other companies who focused on order cycle as the basis of evaluating their customer service levels (Bruner and Bulkley, 1995). This enabled them to redefine their sources and procurement procedures in order to link them with other players in the supply chain. Most customers were outsourcing supply chain management services to FedEx although they were seen as peripheral to their core business. Customers realized much benefit in the FedEx system after being improved by tightening and synchronizing various parts of the supply chain. This gave the company a competitive advantage over other firms and contributed to its growth. The company overhauled its internal IT infrastructure in 1998 under project GRID. This involved replacing its 60000 terminals and PCs with more than 75000 network systems. The project enhanced the quantity and quality of services provided by the company. FedEx was able to provide real-time data on a 24-hour, seven-day operation system. The company was able to prioritize its operations and reduce failures in the business. Information Technology has significantly contributed to the growth of e-business across the world (Reid and Plank, 2004). FedEx Corporation has had a successful business due to adoption of modern technology in its virtual supply chain management Despite having invested in IT for successful e-Business, the company`s logistics and supply chain operations have been struggling to shine through its historical image of an express delivery business (Bruner and Bulkley, 1995). The level of competition in express delivery industry was very high and the company`s transportation volume was reported to be slowing down despite taking advantage of the surge in traffic that was expected to be generated by electronic commerce and e-tailing. FedEx announced major reorganizations in its operations in 2000 with the hope of making it easier to do business with the company (Hutt & Speh). The five subsidiary companies were functioning independently but they were competing collectively. FedEx streamlined most of its functions and pooled its customer services, sales and marketing functions to allow customers have a single access point to the whole group. This has given the company a competitive advantage over other companies leading to its continuous growth over the years. References Anderson, James C., and Narus, James A. (2004) Business Market Management: Understanding, Creating, and Delivering Value, 2nd Edition, 2004, Pearson Education, Inc. Bruner, R. F. and Bulkley, D., 1995. The battle for value: Federal Express Corporation vursus United Parcel Services of America, Inc. University of Virginia Darden School Foundation. Hutt & Speh. Business Marketing Management. 10th ed. pages 515 – 534 Reid, David A., and Plank, Richard E. (2004) Fundamentals of Business Marketing Research, Best Business Books, an Imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.