Answer: Ohio Art Company’s Decision Essay

Most of you did well on questions 3 and 4, so here I post only sample answers to questions 1(a) & (b) and 2: 1(a) & 1(b): Question on whether moving production to China is ethical; Question on the economic and social costs and benefits of such a move. Sample Answer (A) Note: this student earned high grades for looking at the issue from multiple perspectives, for looking at the benefits and costs to all major stakeholders, and for acknowledging that moving productions overseas is a controversial topic. Excellent use of facts to support his/her claim. 1. Whether or not Ohio Art Company’s decision to shift production offshore was ethically wrong is a controversial topic. In strictly business terms, Ohio Art Company (OAC) did not break any laws or perform an illicit act; OAC’s decision to offshore was one that had few other options – if the company did not find ways to lower production costs, the company would have eventually gone bankrupt. If production had not been moved, OAC would have been unable to lower production costs, and would therefore be unable to generate enough profits to continue business. Either way, OAC employees would have suffered job losses. Furthermore, OAC’s decision benefited shareholders, which is one element of judging an ethical decision; there are no standards that prohibit off shoring. However, OAC’s obligations to its employees are something that must be considered as well. The company, which is perceived as a family, should not just abandon its employees; it this sense , the company holds moral obligations and employment practices which complicate the question of whether outsourcing is ethical. Sample Answer (B) Note: This student combined 1(a) and 1(b) but made it perfectly clear. Again, the student considered the question of ethics from multiple perspectives, and weighed the benefits and costs to various stakeholders and clearly defined what standards (s)he adopted. 1. The question asked is the one about social responsibilities of corporations. Nevertheless, before making an ethical judgement, one has to look at the decision from at least three perspectives: economic, social and macro-level. On the one hand, it is possible to enumerate a lot of economic benefits for both the US and China. American consumers gained lower prices (an increase in wealth) and poor Chinese villagers were able to move from the impoverished countryside and start a new life in cities[1]. Furthermore, Ohia Art did not go bankrupt, which means that the company and its owners are still a source of revenue for the federal and state government. As to social costs (here the social responsibility of an employer comes into discussion), the closing of a factory resulted in the collapse of the local community. Furthermore, 100 workers lost their jobs and this number is big if we take into account that Bryan has only 8,000 inhabitants. Such a conduct of a company can be considered a violation of ethical obligations springing from the position of the company. Nevertheless, the company did not make any abrupt changes. Moving out of Bryan was gradual and most workers were probably able to find new jobs[2]. Moreover, even though the company does have social obligations, the Friedman Doctrine is at least partly relevant: a company has to seek profits in order to survive. Summing up, in order for the decision to be ethical, the company should seek profits, but also minimise social and this is what Ohio Art surely did. Question 2: Whether it is ethical for Ohio Art to continue employing Kinki Answer A Note: This student acknowledges that there are many ethical standards, not all of which lead to the same conclusion. S(he) clearly shows how the same set of facts can lead to divergent conclusions. This issue can be analysed from multiple perspectives. From the cultural relativist point of view, the fact that the Chinese authorities turn a blind eye to such practices means that the company should do the same. According to the righteous moralist perspective, the company should desist cooperating because doing so would be applying double standards. The proponents of the naà ¯ve immoralist views would claim that since the Chinese businessmen have problems with property rights or keeping the RMB undervalued, western employers should not comply with ethical standards in China. Nevertheless, since the view that human rights are undeniable rights of every human being is now widespread (judging on the number of NGOs and governments supporting such a view), it seems to be reasonable to assume that human rights are a benchmark of what constitutes business ethics. From this follows that the Ohio Art should desist cooperating with Kin Ki, because the contractor violates basic rights of th e workers as enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (e.g. the right to just and favourable remuneration). Answer B Note: Very thoughtful analysis that considers the different economic situations in different countries. Assuming that the dismal working conditions of Kin Ki employees is true, it seems unethical for Ohio Art Company to continue manufacturing with Kin Ki. Again the clear line between what is ethical and acceptable is hazy. However, Ohio Art Company secured a contract on the grounds that employment practices were acceptable, and human rights were enforced. The living conditions of Kin Ki employees are far from decent living conditions – employees are exploited, work long hours, paid below standard requirement, and live in impoverished conditions. It also seems as if labor unions are implicitly forbidden (though not formally stated). The question of â€Å"how much divergence is acceptable† between living conditions between the U.S and China still exists, however, it seems that basic human living conditions are being denied at Kin Ki. ———————– [1] In general, outsourcing seems to be a general trend of globalisation. The division of labour is one of the greatest inventions of humanity and now it is rapidly spreading into the international area. As the Ricardian model of trade predicts, the division of labour will benefit all sides in the long term [2] The other question is whether the company should provide their employees with a training so that they can find new jobs, or whether training programmes should be financed by the state as in a Dutch-Danish flexicurity model. I would say that a company having financial problems (which is the reason for outsourcing) should not be forced to incur further costs.

Deborah tannens the argument culture Essay

In Deborah Tannen’s article â€Å"The Argument Culture,† she states that argument and debate â€Å"urge us to approach the world, and the people in it, in an adversarial frame of mine.† She calls this new norm of society â€Å"The argument culture†. The argument culture â€Å"rests on the assumption that opposition is the best way to get anything done†. Tannen uses the metaphor of an arguing spouse to convey the idea that society needs act more like a married couple to find a more constructive way to settle conflict rather than having a quarrel about every little disagreement it stumbles upon. Tannen believes that while sometimes it is necessary to defend yourself against offensive ideas, it is not morally correct to approach any issue or person in a hostile manner without reason. In the argument culture, society has only been taught to observe two sides of a story, which automatically sets up a debate where one side is pitted against the other. Tannen continues to declare how more and more communication is not face to face due to the Internet, which gives people a screen to protect their identity after saying whatever they please. She believes that the argument culture has a major impact on our lives and on our culture. Tannen states that the argument culture â€Å"makes us distort facts, waste valuable time, limits our thinking, and encourages us to lie.† Tannen asserts that â€Å"smashing heads does not open minds,† and that while conflict is not something we can avoid, it is something our culture needs to get under control. To avoid the automatic use of adversarial formats – the assumption that the best way to address a conflict is to fight about it – Tannen concludes that we as a culture should become more open to observing all sides of the argument (rather than just two), and to expand the world of debate in a more creative way rather than pervading it with negativity.

Bud Light Marketing Analysis

Anheuser-Busch Inc. is a dominating global leader in the beer industry, specifically in the United States. Its roots can be traced all the way back to 1852 from the Bavarian Brewery in St. Louis MO when Adolphus Busch traveled from Germany to join his father-in-law. In 1876 Budweiser was founded and rooted its brand in values, ethics, and quality. These core staples of the company evolved all the way to 1982 when Bud Light was introduced. Today Bud Light is the best selling beer in the U. S. and the #1 beer sold by volume in the world. Let’s take a look into the marketing mix that makes this product so successful. Product. Bud Light was only preceded by Bamblinger and Miller in the â€Å"Light† beer segment of the industry and is brewed at all 12 Anheuser-Busch U. S. based breweries. It’s brewed with all natural ingredients (water, barley malt, rice, premium hops, and yeast) and the clean, crisp, smooth taste is derived from the two and six row malt and cereal grains used during fermentation. Each 12 ounce serving contains 110 calories, 6. 6 grams of carbohydrates and is 4. 2% alcohol by volume. Consumers in the beer segment are very open to try different types of beverages so having a unique taste and â€Å"superior drinkability† separates Bud Light’s product from its competitors. Place. Bud Light (through Anheuser-Busch) has a very large and extremely effective distribution system. It starts with 12 breweries located all across the U. S. which in turn helps minimize delivery times and costs associated. After Bud Light is brewed a chain of over 600 wholesalers distribute the product to the suppliers, who in turn sell and deliver the beer to locations where it’s sold. Each business that sells Bud Light is provided with a secondary supplier to reduce the risk of stock outs. Over half of wholesalers who distribute Anheuser-Busch products deliver only its products. This vertical marketing system ensures two things: 1) Anheuser-Busch has more control over where its products are sold and the price of the beer. 2) Delivery time- in the beer sector this is crucial to quality and taste. Promotion. This area of the marketing mix is where Bud Light excels and blows the competition away! It taps a variety of advertising media. Primarily utilizing television commercials from a comical standpoint, Bud Light ensures it reaches and relates across all demographics. Effective advertising is also attained through sponsorships of special events, concerts, and sporting events. This accomplishes two goals: 1) it guarantees that only its product will be sold during the sponsored event. 2) The event will incur a connection between the â€Å"good time† and drinking Bud Light. Symbolic attributes also play an important role in promotional strategy. The seasonal association between Clydesdale horses and Anheuser-Busch is unmistakable. Also think about females depicted during their television ads, they are stunningly beautiful, playfully flirtatious, and seem genuinely into the target audience represented (males 18 -35). Physical styling and packaging is also incorporated into Bud Light’s advertising campaign. It has introduced co-branding and sports marketing promotional packaging with affiliations of Major League Baseball and NFL teams. All these promotional techniques can be summarized into one simple strategy. Bud Light uses people’s emotional need for a relationship to buy their product. This type of targeted advertising coincides with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. They specifically target consumers who view their ads consistently to entice them with sexuality, attractiveness, and a sense of the â€Å"good life†. With the use of pathos, repetitiveness, and color psychology Bud Light provokes its audience to dream of a euphoric experience. Price. Bud Light retains a position most competitors envy in this particular segment. Since Anheuser-Busch cements itself atop of U.S. beer sales at a 49% clip, it positions itself according to projected earnings growth. There are commodity factors that influence this pricing such as: barley price, gas prices, and advertising expenditures however Bud Light continues to price itself above its competition. Historically Bud Light prices have increased about half the rate of inflation. With competition reluctant to pare its prices with Bud Light, this strategy will remain for the foreseeable future. Bud Light SWOT analysis: Strengths Bud Light is the best selling beer in the U.S. * 37% market share * Brand Strength – leading light brand in the US * Pricing Leadership – Continues to set industry benchmarks for pricing. | Weaknesses * Many consumers consider the taste to â€Å"watered down†. * Challenge of expanding internationally due to the stigma of an American beer. | Opportunities * Possibility of expanding its target focuses to include women. * Continue to retain brand loyal consumers with â€Å"reminder† campaign. | Threats: * Fast growing light beer segment with new competitors entering the arena. As a beer drinker I will not contest the fact that it is almost impossible to differentiate between unlabeled beer brands. This is where brand image is enormously important. The single most important factor Bud Light has on their side is the momentum from its brand culture. In a judgmental society, each person is constantly categorized by their shape, clothes, ethnicity, religion, salary, and yes even the beer they drink. With this awareness, Bud Light has proven that while they may offer a distinct and quality beverage it is the marketing strategy employed that delivers success.

Advantages and weaknesses portrayed by GAP with regard to contemporary Essay

Advantages and weaknesses portrayed by GAP with regard to contemporary technology - Essay Example The company to focus on in the paper is GAP which has had tremendous impact on people with regard to clothing. Research Problem What are some of the value chain advantages and weaknesses portrayed by GAP with regard to contemporary technology? Literature Review Gap is one of the oldest clothing companies in the United States of America. Since its founding in the year 1969, the company has had numerous milestones that it has overcome. This built the company’s reputation in the 1990s making it one of the top clothing sellers in the United States. Despite the fortune that it made, its market went down with the dawn of the new century due to numerous factors. However, the year 2010 saw the company begin rising again against all economic odds. It is imperative to analyze the internal situation of Gap amongst other factors in an effort to gain an in-depth understanding of the company. Analyzing the resource capabilities of the company, one major aspect to observe is the incorporatio n of intangible assets. Overlooking of these assets is a contemporary trend when understanding the structure of a company because people pay more attention to the corporeal assets within a company. However, it is important to understand that these assets play a key role in either the success or failure of a company. Technology is the intangible asset to focus on. In an effort to uphold quality inventory in its earlier years, Gap ensured that it had innovative technology that would also help the company reach a larger audience. The easy to navigate website captured the attention of many customers making it very simple for people to order clothing. As years have gone by, the company has incorporated modern age technology in an effort to increase the market value of its products. In 2009, Gap introduced a software package that would assist in monitoring its workflow and make forecasts on the effects caused by various real estate decisions made. Moreover, it acquired a system that would help intensify its e-commerce trades by faster processing of orders. With the advent of new technology, the company is bound to make even higher sales (Fleisher, 2008, 48). With relation to tangible resources, it is important to note that the company has made numerous strides in an effort to keep in touch with advancements in the industry. The company has had the ability to buy new machinery that has assisted in cutting down the costs per production. This is from the fact that in earlier years, the company had faced numerous challenges having to outsource some of its departments facing the uneven market demographics. Human resource has also worked to ensure that the company gets back to its high market position that it enjoyed in the 1990s. This is from the increased number of retail shops around the world majoring in the sale of Gap products Understanding the relative price position of Gap is also vital in comprehending the internal situation of the company. With the increase in i ts sales over the 90s decade, Gap made the mistake of lowering the quality of its products due to high demands and also increased the prices of its products. However, by the year 2003, the company had reduced its income from the loss of customers. The company thus reduced the prices of its commodities with an effort to lure back the customers but it faced numerous challenges from the market entrance of other clothing lines. The year 2010 saw the company increase the sales of its products from the moderation of prices innovation introduced by a new Chief Executive. By the month of May that year, the net sales had increased by

Sex and Gender with Dr. Chantal Tetreault Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sex and Gender with Dr. Chantal Tetreault - Essay Example Therefore, they subordinate men in almost all activities. So, the community expects them to be hardworking, loving and patient so that they can do their chores without any constraints. There exit a difference between sex and gender (Martin). In my own understanding, sex may be used to refer to either male or female. Therefore, people can be categorized as man or woman and boy or girl depending on the sex (Martin). Sex can also be used to categorize the functions of gender. Men can perform hard work for they have the muscles and the stamina while women are supposed to perform light chores (Martin). The readings have challenged me in that it has made me understand that women do a lot of work than men. Women therefore contribute much in the production of goods and services compared to men. The reading material has given an example of the Betsileo women in Madagascar who usually invest about a third of the hours invested in rice production in addition to their daily customary tasks (Gender: Exploring Culture Diversity). Separate genders have come out of the customary tasks to do what is considered as culturally bad. These activities range from leadership to other noble tasks. For example, the Williams sisters; Serena William and Vienna William have greatly been praised for their sport and have developed many agendas contributing to the positive focus on gender sensitivity in countries where they do put bars between men and

The importance of peer relationships for children social development Essay

The importance of peer relationships for children social development - Essay Example Social development entails continued enhancement of skills relevant to help ones interact with the immediate social environment consisting of people and prevailing conditions and situations. The peer relationships development in children is aided by the combined role played by parents, practitioners as well as the attitudes of the children being taught. Moreover, peer relationships create a sense of responsibility in children, eradication of loneliness caused by family troubles, as well as the enhancement of social competence. These are rationales to the development of social development in an individual. Many problems in children are as a result of poor social upbringing, which ultimately leads to the withdrawal of some children from their peers. However, the recent years have seen researchers, scholars, as well as academicians getting actively involved in the study of the effects of peer relationships in human life (Ford and Harris, 1999). The discussion in this paper aims at inves tigating into the importance of peer relationships in social development. The role of practitioners is crucial to establish at this juncture, as well as the key elements of peer relationships to enhance a better understanding. The reasons as to why children withdraw from their peers as well as the rationale of peer relationships in the future life of children will also be established. Key elements of peer relationships Peer relationships are attributed to a number of significant elements, which include self/irritability, family, school and peers as well as work. Self/ irritability element determines the response of distinct individuals to occurrences/ phenomenon. Some children who are faced with difficulties resulting from physical, family troubles, abandonment, resiliency, and exceptionality respond slowly to peer-relationships. In contrast, those in the relevant contexts often demonstrate a quick response to the peer relationships. Secondly, family context plays a pivotal role in the performance of a child in the social realms. Bronfenbrenner’s systems refer this as the main micro-system influence (Siegel, 2008). Mesosystems explain the influence that occurs as a result of how children respond to the immediate environments, which are composed of a connection between any of the two micro-systems. For instance, a connection between family and school, a child who has difficulties in family life will definitely have difficulties interacting with teachers as well as other children. Recent research has indicated teachers as contributors of poor peer relationships due to their utilization of favoritism on some children. The same is impacted in the societal set up since the child has already developed a negative attitude. Peers are also long-term rationales for the extents of peer relationships and finally social development. These are the friends that one has to interact with in all contexts. Harsh treatment by some peers is also a major cause of withdrawal. Some peers also result in poor

Microsoft Monopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Microsoft Monopoly - Essay Example The reasons that lead to Microsoft being reconnoitered for antitrust performance is the fact that there were reports of Microsoft Company abusing the position they had as one of the leaders in supplying operating systems of computers. It leads to various lawmakers carrying out investigations if Microsoft Company was creating a monopoly to the markets available for the computer software’s. These lawmakers later found out that Microsoft Company was causing a monopoly in the industry of computers.The lawmakers came out with facts used in supporting their judgments (McLaughlin, 1999). Microsoft Company created Microsoft office which gave services to everyone in any professional field. The Microsoft office was to be used to operate an operating system that was specifically from Microsoft Company. This operating system used by Microsoft, is windows. McLaughlin(1999) affirms that during the internet development, Microsoft Company tried to put measurements that were to eradicate and p ush out other companies competing with them in terms of net browsing. By doing so, Microsoft Company came up with the internet explorer which was to be used freely in their all operating systems introduced. The introduction of internet explorer came when people were spending their money in using Netscape Navigator and other browsers. According to the lawmakers, Microsoft Company was mortified of these exclusive dealings. This type of regulation gives Microsoft sole rights to a particular commodity.

United Nations human rights council Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

United Nations human rights council - Essay Example As the newly appointed ambassador of the United States of America to the United Nations, the country I would choose to fill a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, between the Netherlands and France in the Western Europe region, is the Netherlands. Both countries have decent human rights records that have met minimal international standards. However, after weighing and assessing the relative merits of the two regarding human rights structures and enforcement, I would choose the Netherlands. While both Western European countries have a developed network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and independent oversight bodies intended to monitor, assess, and prevent violations, the Netherlands appears to be more open to implementing recommendations and dedicated to raising awareness of its problems among its citizens.Additionally, France's primary area of human rights violations seems more reprehensible, since it stems from within administration, specifically, abuse of powe r by the police forces, a problem that has persisted for years. As was done in this paper, future candidates to the United Nations Human Rights Council should undergo a vigorous vetting, wherein each category of human rights is investigated for infractions, recommendations, openness to and successful implementation of recommendations. The United Nations Human Rights Council is an "intergovernmental body" instituted by the United Nations, consisting of forty-seven countries. ... For the purpose of this paper, France and the Netherlands will be touted as two viable candidates for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council. Both Western European countries have laid out their own policies regarding human rights. As France points out, its long history has made it privy to the progression of human rights over time, dating back to its Enlightenment period. France's past efforts to recognize human rights include the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789 and the adoption of UDHR in 1948 (with one of its own citizens, Rene Cassin, having a hand in the document). The country declares itself an avid advocate of international independent committees working with countries in adhering to UDHR guidelines. (French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, 2008) Non-governmental structures and embassy reports help France to monitor and address human rights violations. In 1947, the National Consultative Commission of Human Rights (NCCHR), an independent advisory board, was instituted. This Commission monitors all areas of human rights from police conduct to discriminatory hiring practices and provides overall recommendations on policies to the government (FMFEA, 2008; U.S. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 2009). Another main human rights structure is the independent National Security Ethics Commission (CNDS) which looks into allegations of misconduct by law enforcement officials (U.S. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 2009). As the Netherlands professes in its official human rights policy, the country works to abolish the death penalty worldwide, supports the rights and freedoms of women, children, and religious minorities, and is against discrimination towards

Creating a Plan for Positive Influence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Creating a Plan for Positive Influence - Essay Example In any organization, human capital is an essential asset in achieving set objectives. Therefore, as a team leader, understanding that each team member is unique is a step in the right direction. A team, therefore, presents a host of knowledge, personality, and competencies, which when tapped can yield great results. If the project is to be successful, we must have a plan that incorporates each team member’s attitude, values, emotions, and personalities. Team Performance and Effectiveness Achieving the best performance from a team requires â€Å"paying attention to four important dimensions: team member effort, team member knowledge and skills, team tactics, and group dynamics† (Browning, 2007). Hancock also claims that teamwork is the first step towards team success (1999). Therefore, determining the ability of the formed team to realize its mandate requires consideration of values, attitudes, personality, and emotions of each member. Values Values significantly shape w ork attitude. According to Maxwell, â€Å"Values define a team and give it a unique identity† (2009). He further states, â€Å"†¦a team’s values attract people with like values to the team† (p. 15). The desire to achieve professional goals is often affected by values. Therefore, realizing team success demands redirecting personal values towards set goals. Personality Personality defines an individual's characteristics. Since individuals  strive  to find a  niche  suitable for their personality, team members should be scanned for compatibility (Nettle, 2007). Research has proven that individuals with proactive  personality  have excellent chances of success. Such individuals are motivated and enthusiastic. Attitudes and Emotions In 2001, Elwood & Chapman stated that team success depends more on  attitude  than technical achievement. Thus, a team leader who knows how to build a positive attitude among team members can achieve high  productiv ity. On the other hand, emotions, which are human reaction to stimulus, can greatly affect team performance if not checked. Easily angered persons can bring down the entire team with them. As a team leader, communicating the mission of the team to members is crucial. This will reduce chances of diversion and instill values necessary for success. Employees are organizations’ ambassadors. Therefore, their behaviors play a significant role in organization’s success. As such, any new idea, incorporated into the team, must be done after consultation. This will ensure that the new ideas do not conflict with team member’s personal life, resulting in dedication and willingness to abide. Team Differences The team is made of people with different personalities. However, these differences will not affect the effectiveness of the team in any way. Instead, they will act as the foundation on which the team’s strength lies, knowing that member’s reactions and per ceptions to situations are different. An assessment of the various aspects of the team revealed exciting news, a further indication that we are destined for success. First, the assessment revealed that the team is comprised of individuals with professional work attitude, which means they are aware of the boundary between private life and work. Secondly, it revealed satisfaction of most members with their jobs, which means they put all their effort in team success. Satisfaction, Performance

The reassessment of security issues and their impacts on Adventure Essay

The reassessment of security issues and their impacts on Adventure Works business processes - Essay Example In order to promote business on the web requires certain security measures and a fail / safe network environment. After reviewing, the factors that may disrupt organization services are identified below: No Security Policy Defined No Protection of critical Assets on the network No proper data backup policy Moreover, some critical issues or weaknesses that may influence an organization’s business operations need to be addressed on an urgent basis. The top rated issues are: {Security Issue No 1}: No data backup policy defined {Security Issue No 2}: No Disaster recovery plan defined {Security Issue No 3}: No Support for Server requiring 100% uptime {Security Issue No 4}: No IP surveillance for critical server {Security Issue No 5}: In sufficient security for LAN It is vital for Adventure Works to overcome these issues as soon as possible, as these vulnerabilities will directly affect the business operations of the organization. Creating Security Policy As there is no security pol icy defined currently for Adventure Works, the new security policy will illustrate the implementation procedures of security controls that are identified by analyzing the current network and business practices. {Security Issue No 1}: As the organization is maintaining Entity Resource Planning and Customer Relationship Management Server that are considered as core servers may face loss of data or server crash that may result in halting the services. Adventure Works is dependent on these servers, as these servers process most of the paperless work, creating a backup on a regular basis is essential. Recommendation: In order to incorporate a mirror of these servers, disk-mirroring techniques using RAID is recommended. As RAID will synchronize the data on two servers simultaneously, if any one of the server stops responding, the other service will be triggered to ‘primary operation’ mode. {Security Issue No 2}: As one of the branches of Adventure Works is in Mexico, there is a possibility of an earthquake. The impact of earthquake may create disrupt the overall operation of an organization’s network, as well as loss of data. Recommendation: Relocating the instance of critical server data on a different location may be a better choice. In that case, if an earthquake affects Adventure Works network seriously, the data can be extracted from the second location. {Security Issue No 3}: As the core servers of Adventure Works are CRM and ERP, there is a requirement of making their availability 24/7. Moreover, an alternate connectivity is also required that may make them operational if the primary network access is not available due to some issues in a switch. Recommendation: in order to ensure stable power supply, a Power over Ethernet technology is recommended. A comprehensive definition is available in network dictionary, which states as â€Å"Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology describes any system to transmit electrical power, along with data, to remote devices over standard twisted-pair cables in an Ethernet network. This technology is useful for powering IP telephones, wireless LAN access points, webcams, Ethernet hubs, computers, and other appliances where it would be inconvenient or infeasible to supply power separately.† Moreover, the network engineer can rout a dedicated alternate network connection for making the server operational. {Security Issue

The Great Grimke Sisters Essay Example for Free

The Great Grimke Sisters Essay I am truly a fan of these sisters ( Angelina Grimke and Sarah Grimke ).They were amazing women and completed many tasks despite what others were doing to stop them.They conquered many problems and evils in their time.So here is their story.ENJOY!!!!!!! Angelina Grimke and her sister Sarah Grimke were legends in their own lifetimes. Together these South Carolina sisters made history: daring to speak before â€Å"promiscuous† or mixed crowds of men and women, publishing some of the most powerful anti-slavery tracts of the antebellum era, and stretching the boundaries of women’s public role as the first women to testify before a state legislature on the question of African American rights. Their crusade, which was not only to free the enslaved but to end racial discrimination throughout the United States, made them more radical than many of the reformers who advocated an end to slavery but who could not envision true social and political equality for the freedmen and women. And the Grimke sisters were among the first abolitionists to recognize the importance of women’s rights and to speak and write about the cause of female equality. What made Angelina and her sister Sarah unique within abolitionist circles was neither their oratorical and literary talents nor their energetic commitment to the causes of racial and gender equality. What made them exceptional was their first-hand experience with the institution of slavery and with its daily horrors and injustices. Abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison, the editor of the Liberator, and Theodore Weld, who Angelina married in 1838, could give stirring speeches about the need to abolish slavery, but they could not testify to its impact on African Americans or on their masters from personal knowledge. Angelina Grimke was born in 1805, the youngest of fourteen children born to John Grimke and Mary Smith Grimke. As the daughter of one of Charleston’s leading judges, she could look forward to a life of luxury and ease, her comfort assured by the presence of slaves trained to respond to her wishes. As an eligible young woman, she could have enjoyed the lively social life of Charleston’s planter society with its balls and dinner parties that would have led eventually to a good marriage and an elegant home of her own. But Angelina Grimke chose a different path: Like her older sister, Sarah, she left the South and devoted her life to racial and gender equality. In the early nineteenth century, the causes that the Grimke sisters espoused placed them among the most radical Americans of their day. Angelina’s self-imposed exile from her family and her hometown was not the result of a personally unhappy childhood. Although her own mother was somewhat distant, her older sister Sarah doted on her and, as the youngest member of the family, she was often the center of attention. But in the world around her, Angelina witnessed suffering that disturbed her: a young slave boy who walked with difficulty due to the whip-mark scars on his back and legs; family slaves who were mistreated and abused; and screams of pain from the nearby workhouse, where slaves were dragged on a treadmill, suspended by their arms. It was not in Angelina’s character to remain silent about these injustices. Under the guidance of a tiny local congregation of Quakers, she renounced materialism and its comforts and began a regime of austerity and moral and religious introspection. But Angelina was not content to pursue her own salvation quietly. Having reformed herself, she set out to reform her family, eager to change the views of her mother, sisters, and brothers, and anxious to enlighten them as she believed herself to be enlightened. Compelled to speak out, she antagonized her family by criticizing their love of finery, their idleness, and above all, their acceptance of slavery. Perhaps to her surprise, she could not win over her mother or her siblings. â€Å"I am much tried at times at the manner in which I am obliged to live here,† she wrote in her journal. By 1829, she had resolved to live there no longer. In November of 1829, Angelina moved to Philadelphia, where Sarah had already settled. While most Philadelphians did not share Angelina’s abolitionist sentiment, she did find a small circle of anti-slavery advocates. Still, she was uncertain what she could do for the cause of abolition. She began attending anti-slavery meetings, encouraged by some male abolitionists’ call to women to become activists in the movement. In 1835, she was disturbed by violent riots and demonstrations against abolitionists and African Americans in New York and Philadelphia, and by the burning of anti-slavery pamphlets in her own hometown of Charleston. When William Lloyd Garrison published an appeal to citizens of Boston to repudiate all mob violence, Angelina felt compelled to send the noted abolitionist a personal letter of support. â€Å"The ground upon which you stand is holy ground,† she told him, â€Å"never-never surrender it . . . if you surrender it, the hope of the slave is extinguished.† Agitation for the end to slavery must continue, Angelina declared, even if abolitionists are persecuted and attacked because, as she put it, â€Å"This is a cause worth dying for.† Garrison published Angelina’s letter, never thinking to ask permission to share her private thoughts with his readers. Her friends among the Quakers in Philadelphia were shocked and Angelina was embarrassed, but her career as a public figure began on the day that issue of the Liberator came out, a career both meteoric and pioneering. Angelina and Sarah became the first women to serve as agents for the American Anti-Slavery Society. In January and February of 1837, the sisters toured New York State, filling churches with the sympathetic, the curious, and the hostile. Angelina proved to be a dynamic and persuasive orator and was quickly acknowledged as the most powerful female public speaker for the cause of abolition—unequaled by many of the male orators who traveled the reform lecture circuit. From New York, the Grimkes went on to New Jersey. Back again in New York, this time in Poughkeepsie, the sisters spoke for the first time to a mixed-gender audience. Although skeptics had warned that two women speaking in public on political issues would damage the already controversial anti-slavery movement, the Grimkes’ first tour was widely regarded as successful. By May, the sisters were prominent figures at the Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women, held in New York City in 1837. Two weeks after the convention ended, they were off to Boston to begin an exhausting speaking tour of New England. There, on June 21, 1837, the sisters again addressed a mixed audience of women and men, this one far larger than the audience in Poughkeepsie. From that evening on, there were no gender restrictions for their talks. â€Å"It is wonderful,† Angelina wrote, â€Å"how the way has been opened for us to address mixed audiences.† But opposition to women in the public sphere had not vanished. Repeatedly, Angelina found herself forced to defend a woman’s right to speak on a political issue. Each time she countered criticism by pointing out that women were citizens and had civic duties as serious as men’s. Turning, as she often did, to the Bible, she cited the active role of women in civic and religious affairs in the text. However, many New Englanders were not convinced. On July 17, in Amesbury, Massachusetts, two young men challenged Angelina to a debate over slavery and over women’s right to a public voice. It was the first public debate of this type between a man and a woman. An eyewitness described Angelina as â€Å"calm, modest, and dignified in her manner† and declared that she had â€Å"with the utmost ease brushed away the cobwebs, which her puny antagonist had thrown her way.† Angelina and Sarah not only spoke but wrote about slavery and about the rights—and responsibilities—of women. Even before Angelina received the invitation to become an anti-slavery agent, she had written an Appeal to the Christian Women of the Southern States, calling on her old friends and acquaintances in South Carolina to become active participants in the movement to end slavery. â€Å"I know you do not make the laws,† she wrote, â€Å"but I also know that you are the wives and mothers, the sisters and daughters of those who do.† She advised them to read on the subject, to pray over it, to speak on it, and finally to act on it. It was advice that echoed her own odyssey to abolition. When copies of the Appeal reached Charleston, the local police warned Mary Smith Grimke that her daughter would be imprisoned if she ever set foot in the city of her birth again. Angelina addressed her next major publication to the women and men of the North, especially those like the educator Catherine Beecher who advocated colonization as the solution to the racial problems of the country. In Letters to Catherine Beecher, Angelina rejected what she called the exile of African Americans and accused those who embraced colonization of racism. Black Americans were entitled to â€Å"every privilege, social, civil and religious† that white Americans enjoyed. With passion Angelina declared that she was â€Å"trying to talk down, and write down, and live down† the prejudice that stood in the way of true equality. It was this frontal attack on racial prejudice that marked Angelina Grimke as far more radical than most of the nation’s abolitionists. Although Sarah was a poor public speaker—unlike Angelina, who mesmerized audiences—she was Angelina’s equal when it came to the written word. In July 1837, the first of Sarah’s remarkable â€Å"Letters on the Equality of the Sexes† appeared in the New England Spectator, with its simple but powerful demand: â€Å"All I ask our brethren is, that they will take their feet from off our necks, and permit us to stand upright on that ground which God designed us to occupy.† In combination with the sisters’ abolitionist activity, this feminist tract galvanized the opposition. Before the month was over, the Congregational General Association had approved and issued a â€Å"Pastoral Letter† that denounced women who transgressed the boundaries of their â€Å"proper sphere.† Despite the letter, New England crowds flocked to hear the Grimkes throughout August, September, and October, and the sisters kept up a grueling pace, sometimes speaking at six meetings a week. By the end of the fall, Angelina was gravely ill, weakened by emotional as well as physical fatigue. But on February 21, 1838, she had recovered enough to make history once again, becoming the first woman to speak before a legislative body in the United States. â€Å"I stand before you,† she told the members of a committee of the Massachusetts legislature as well as a crowd of enemies and supporters in the galleries, â€Å"on behalf of the 20,000 women of Massachusetts whose names are enrolled on petitions [which] relate to the great and solemn subject of slavery.† And, as she had so many times before, Angelina pleaded the cause of the African American, describing the cruelty she had seen with her own eyes in her native South and the racial prejudice she saw around her in the North. Throughout the months of her work with the anti-slavery society Angelina had come to know the idiosyncratic and dynamic Theodore Weld, the abolitionist leader known as â€Å"the most mobbed man in America.† On Monday, May 14, 1838, Weld and Grimke married. These two activists saw their union as a coming together â€Å"not merely nor mainly nor at all comparatively TO ENJOY, but together to do and dare, together to toil and testify and suffer.† Two days after their wedding, Angelina and Theodore attended the anti-slavery convention in Philadelphia. Feelings ran high in the city as rumors spread of whites and blacks parading arm in arm down city streets, and by the first evening of the event, a hostile crowd had gathered outside the convention hall. Sounds of objects being thrown against the walls reverberated inside. But Angelina Grimke rose to speak out against slavery. â€Å"I have seen it! I have seen it!† she told her audience. â€Å"I know it has horrors that can never be described.† Stones hit the windows, but Angelina continued. For an hour more, she held the audience’s rapt attention for the last public speech she would give. The next morning, an angry mob again surrounded the hall, and that evening, set fire to the building, ransacked the anti-slavery offices inside, and destroyed all records and books that were found. Angelina Grimke’s career as an anti-slavery speaker ended that night in Philadelphia. But she and Theodore continued to write, producing American Slavery As It Is in 1839, a documentary account of the evils of the Southern labor system. Over the next few decades, the Grimke sisters and Weld would earn a modest living as teachers, often in schools that Weld established. All three kept abreast of political developments and attended anti-slavery meetings. When the Civil War came, Angelina strongly supported the Union effort. She had hoped for a peaceful means of freeing the enslaved but had come to accept the reality that force was needed. Sarah Grimke died at the age of 81 in December of 1873. Angelina, who had been paralyzed for several years because of strokes, died on October 26, 1879. Theodore Weld survived until 1895. All three had lived to see the end of slavery and the rise of a women’s rights movement. In 1863, Angelina had written: â€Å"I want to be identified with the negro; until he gets his rights, we shall never have ours.† Over her lifetime her work had been guided by a vision that both racial and gender equality would one day be realities. Those of us who study the abolition of slavery and the winning of the suffrage for women recognize her role in achieving both.

Customer Relationship Management In Hospitality Industries Tourism Essay

Customer Relationship Management In Hospitality Industries Tourism Essay Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, has many perspectives and definitions that illustrate its fundamental thrust, that of trying to present a holistic strategy for managing customer relationships by getting to know the customers and their needs better, communicating with them more effectively and trying to fulfil these needs (Payne, 2005, Pp. 1 2). Because CRM is about getting to know customers and their needs better, it is about implementing specific Information and Communication technology projects within an organisation to process organisational data to deliver knowledge about customers and their needs. It is now possible for organisations to implement more effective and sophisticated technology solutions for processing customer related data because computers are now far more powerful and cheaper compared to what they used to be, with a vastly increased storage capacity. In addition, businesses and organisations can now store vast amounts of data about their customers on co mputerised systems that can communicate more effectively with individuals and other computer systems using technologies for the Internet. Companies in all sectors, including the hospitality and tourism sector, now routinely engage their customers on the World Wide Web and process customer data to deliver more useful products and services at competitive rates (Gretzel, 2010, Pp. 1 48 63 72). Thus, CRM presents opportunities leading to higher profitability and superior competitive advantage (Roberts, 2005, Pp. 315 316). It is important for modern hospitality organisations to try to increase customer occupancy rates and customer experience in a tough and rapidly changing business environment that presents intense competition (Minghetti, 2003, Pp. 141 143). Thus, managers associated with the hospitality sector, including the hotels and tourism sector must have a deep knowledge of customers needs, behaviours, and preferences to offer services that deliver value to create customer retention, value and loyalty. In addition, it is important to try to communicate effectively with customers in a timely manner and to encourage them to engage in a dialogue with an organisation that can benefit everyone. Thus, customer-centric information systems are important for the hospitality industry, which must use these systems to develop effective relationships with customers to serve them better, encourage them to use more offerings from an organisation and to get to know about their needs in order to satisfy them an d to retain them. It is important to understand that customers are the lifeblood of an organisation and without customers, there will be no revenues and no organisation. Customers who are not satisfied or fulfilled leave to benefit from others who can offer more and this means that efforts directed towards trying to maintain effective customer relationships are now essential for all organisations, including those operating within the hospitality and tourism sectors. It is far more expensive to try to get a new customer than it is to retain and to earn from an existing customer (Buttle, 1996, Pp. 155). The collection and use of customer information, its effective analysis and use for delivering to customers are now more important than ever before (Minghetti, 2003, Pp. 1 2). To understand better the importance of CRM in hospitality industries, it makes sense to try to carry out an in-depth investigation into the topic of discussion from the perspectives of customers, managers and other stakeholders, including employees, from within the context of a place with established hospitality industry that has achieved a reputation for excellence around the world. Edinburgh, in Scotland is a suitable location for such an investigation, not only because the author of this dissertation studies nearby, but also because in addition to being the United Kingdoms favourite domestic holiday destination, Edinburgh is now a world renowned destination for its festivals, events and conferences (Susan, 2008, Scotland A World Class Product). Susan (2008, Scotland A World Class Product) goes further to state that Edinburgh is the most favourite city in the United Kingdom to hold a conference and the demand for rooms for guests is fast outstripping supply. Edinburgh is at the forefront of hospitality and tourism in terms of innovation and quality and the hospitality sector in this city employs 31,000 people, which is nine percent of the workforce (Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, 2010, Edinburgh Tourism Framework for Growth 2007-15). According to the previously mentioned publication, Edinburgh won the Guardian / Observer Travel Award as the UK best city for seven consecutive years and tourism generates more than  £ 1.7 billion expenditure in this city. Efforts are ongoing to maintain Edinburgh as a competitive tourism destination of world class and to try to expand on its potential. Thus, it makes sense to try to examine how the hospitality industry in Edinburgh uses CRM to attract customers and to deliver more to Edinbu rgh and its tourists. The research presented in this dissertation attempts to examine the importance of CRM for the hospitality industry in Edinburgh by presenting a review of selected literature, a customer survey, insights from senior managers and executives from the hospitality and tourism industry in Edinburgh and opinions from those who have the real ground-level knowledge, the employees working within the hospitality sector. 1.1 A Discussion of the Problem for Research Marketing is important for the hospitality industry and for marketing for a successful hospitality organisation should touch the customer (Buttle, 1996, Pp. 155 157). The hospitality product is highly personalised with a substantial intangible content judged on experience. Relationship marketing is important for hospitality because the hospitality market with its ongoing and periodic demand in the face of competition presents a greater need for relational efforts and an understanding of the needs of customers. A need for the personal touch exists in hospitality and information technology provides opportunities for using information about customers to deliver the personal touch in novel ways. However, it is important to deliver correctly the CRM effort, based on the right information analytics and using the right channels to make a positive impact for the customer and the hospitality organisation. Despite the fact, that CRM has continued to present a promise of effecting improvements in corporate profitability, performance, customer retention and customer satisfaction, the proper implementation of CRM in an organisation is essential for success (Van Bentum, 2005, Pp. 28). CRM literature not only reports successes, it also reports a large number of failures in situations when well thought ought CRM solutions were not implemented correctly to impact the customer and to benefit an organisation. Thus, it is important to try to find out how the hospitality industry in Edinburgh is effectively making use of CRM in its efforts to compete with destinations from the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe and the world. It is far easier to articulate CRM than it is to implement it (Dickinson, 1999, Pp. 11 12). Today, the hospitality industry needs exceptional marketing that has the capacity for delivering the long-term customer who profits the business over time to emerge as a business partner. Thus, it is important to know the right way for CRM in hospitality and to get to know how the winners are making use of this new marketing reality for hospitality. For the small business operator in the hospitality sector, a customer information database that has evolved over time is likely to serve well using personal computers and internet connectivity if business continuity persists. However, for a large luxury hotel chain, resort or hotels involved with hosting and arranging conferences, the equation becomes more complex. In the present day and age, the design of CRM system emphasises linking knowledge management in organisations with CRM to try to enhance operational and strategic efficiencies (Xu, 2005 , Pp. 955 956). Thus, hospitality organisations and businesses must not only try to use CRM implementations effectively, but it must also be ensured that the right CRM implementation is serving an organisation by capturing the right data to perform the right analysis to present the most useful of results. With the passage of time, the lifestyles and preferences of customers change, customers become more demanding, new customers become involved with organisations and the business environment places new demands on businesses. Thus, it is not possible to say that knowledge acquisition for CRM in hospitality will be a once only exercise that will not be required on a continuous basis. A requirement exists for understanding CRM implementations, processes, practices and techniques with a view for making projections for the future to benefit most from this essential and important component of hospitality marketing. 1.2 Rationale for the Study It is important to consider the fundamental reason or reasons serving to account for something, or a statement of reasons when contemplating a research study because such an approach serves to elucidate, the aims of a research project or that which is required to be researched. For this dissertation, rationale for undertaking research into CRM in hospitality industries in Edinburgh is important because this influences the thrust of research into the topic of discussion. Clearly, an understanding of CRM and its implementation is not only of importance to the researcher who intends to make a career in the hospitality management, but it is also important for Edinburgh, Scotland and all destinations with an interest in enlarging and enhancing hospitality and tourism industries. Thus, a research project involving CRM in hospitality will benefit the industry and the place where the research is carried out to present new insights into what hospitality management should aim for in the future. Many of the more successful and ambitious hospitality establishments from around the world have practices in place to manage customer relationships (Lo, 2010, Pp. 139 156) and (Pechruttanamunee, 2008, Pp. 134 142). Not only is it likely that the more traditional forms of CRM will continue to play an important role in the evolution and success of hospitality organizations, but it is also likely that eCRM, which is made possible by advances in computer and communicatio n technologies, will present a new global meaning to marketing for hospitality at a destination. Thus, the right way to deliver, manage and to drive the CRM effort in hospitality will make the difference and is worth researching in depth. 1.3 Significance of the Study An examination of literature available in learned journals and books on the subject suggests that a very large body of published literature is available for CRM in organisations and the number of published research studies on CRM in hospitality is increasing. However, although a keen interest exists in Edinburgh and Scotland for promoting and further enhancing the hard won competitive advantage in hospitality and tourism for this city, little is available in terms of what role CRM plays in hospitality industries in Scotland and how better, more effective CRM strategies may be implemented for greater success. Thus, it is likely that this study will not only serve to add to the knowledge about CRM in hospitality, but it will also serve to highlight and to emphasise the importance of CRM in the hospitality industries of Edinburgh and Scotland. It is very likely that an effort to examine CRM practices and implementations in the hospitality industry in Edinburgh will present new insights and ideas that will be use to all with an interest in the management of hospitality and tourism. 1.4 Purpose and Research Questions The following research questions are of interest in the research presented for this dissertation: What is the thrust of CRM strategies in the hospitality industries of Edinburgh? What impact has CRM made on the hospitality industries in Edinburgh and is it possible to improve or to innovate further? What are the critical factors that influence deployment, development, planning and implementation of CRM in the hospitality industry in Edinburgh? What role does technology play in the delivery and implementation of CRM in the hospitality sector in Edinburgh? How has CRM shaped the corporate culture and vision for the hospitality sector in Edinburgh? What rewards has CRM presented to the hospitality sector in Edinburgh? How has CRM influenced the design and delivery of competitive and superior services for the hospitality sector in Edinburgh? What essential framework for the implementation of CRM has emerged in the hospitality sector for Edinburgh? What is the alignment that characterises CRM success for hospitality industries and businesses in Edinburgh? A literature review that attempts to examine and to present relevant perspectives on the importance of CRM in hospitality industries is in the next chapter. Chapter 2 Review of Relevant Literature and Research In the tourism and hospitality industries in general and the hotel industry in particular, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) becomes important as travellers become more price sensitive, less brand loyal and more sophisticated (Sigala, 2005, Pp. 391 392). In the present day and age, information technologies have made it possible for shoppers to make instant comparisons between hospitality and tourism offerings on websites and this means that it is important to implement CRM efforts to ret to retain customers and to provide them with better than what the competitors offer. The hotel industry around the world in particular is experiencing increased globalisation, competition, higher customer turnover, growing customer acquisition costs and rising customer expectations not only because the financial recession and competition but also because prospective customers can quickly make comparisons. Depending on the nature of hospitality business in which an organisation is involved, proc esses for automated data collection and analysis for influencing engagement with the customers are possible. Ryals (2001, Pp. 531 535) states that CRM in hospitality and service industries is important because efforts directed towards trying to enhance customer relationships pay in terms of offsetting high customer acquisition costs for those customers that use certain types of service offerings frequently. After covering acquisition costs, a stream of profit flows emerges for the previously mentioned customer and the longer a customer stays with a hospitality firm, the higher the profit. Thus, CRM helps to offset acquisition costs and to generate higher profits. In addition, the return from CRM increases even further when satisfied customers refer other potential customers who add to the bottom line for an organisation. Because efforts to develop a relationship with customers have generally positive effects on customers, a relationship with a hospitality organisation has a value for customers who associate with a brand to become price insensitive. The impact of efforts to enhance CRM in hospitality organisations are likely to result in the following (Ryals, 2001, Pp. 535): Long-term retention of selected customers Gathering and integrating information on customers An emphasis on data mining and analysis of customer data An emphasis on customer segmentation in terms of lifetime value Identification and micro-segmentation of markets for types of offerings Efforts towards enhanced customer value creation An emphasis on the delivery of customer value through channels optimised for serving various market segments A shift in emphasis from management of product portfolios to the management of portfolios of customers, resulting in efforts directed towards optimising an organisation to serve better customer segments Sigala (2005, Pp. 409 410) goes further to suggest that profound change in service marketing, including marketing for hospitality and tourism, demands that an emphasis exist for customer retention, customisation of products and customer focused processes that incorporate Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for collecting and processing customer data. Processed data is required to deliver customer insights, superior customer relationships and design of superior products and services. The previously mentioned author suggests an integration of ICT, knowledge management and CRM for hotels and the hospitality industry. However, CRM can and does exist in small hospitality and tourism establishments without the implementation of elaborate ICT applications, and it is important to try to have a good fit between the CRM implementation and the business. It is important to understand that with a good fit, the integrated CRM system will present opportunities for improving staff skil ls, competencies, the working environment and services in addition to enhancing customer relationships. The advent of e-commerce has meant that online intermediaries on the web present a threat to hospitality operators because although such intermediaries do present opportunities to customers to select after comparing a number of offerings, they do not always correctly depict the true value of offerings (OConner, 2004, Pp. 474 476). By implementing CRM efforts, hospitality establishments are in direct contact with customers and they can try to sell the value of their offerings to customers with a personal touch that is missing with online intermediaries. To illustrate the point, it is possible to suggest that by mailing a hotel magazine to selected customers who qualify, it will be possible for a hotel to keep customers informed about developments and at the same time to offer new or discounted products to try to maintain and enhance customer interest. In the age of Internet and the World Wide Web, post visit presentations, including magazines or other advertising literature from hosp itality establishments will neither be expensive to deliver nor late in a fast changing world full of new developments. CRM in the hospitality industry has the potential for reducing marketing expenditure and for increasing sales, but it is important to ensure that potential data-ownership dilemmas are in control so that CRM can work optimally at the brand level (OConner, 2004, Pp. 480 481). Effective data mining using artificial intelligence and sophisticated statistical techniques for data analysis on warehoused data is important for CRM, especially for the large hospitality organisations. However, the previously mentioned author suggests that the regional proliferation of Internet and interest in web-based interactions determines how effective eCRM will be when focusing on a region. The developed world with a more prolific proliferation of the Internet is far more suited to eCRM compared to regions in the developing world with limited access to ICT. In addition, large multinatio nal hotel chains must practice and present effective knowledge sharing for international hotel joint ventures (Magnini, 2008, Pp. 249 252). Hence, clearly CRM implementations in hospitality present both risks and opportunities. OConner (2004, Pp. 482) states that the hospitality industry spends millions of dollars on information technology acquisitions every year, but not much published material exists about the management of acquired information technology resources. According to Ozgener (2006, Pp. 1356 1358), senior management commitment and adequate budgets are important for CRM implementations in the hospitality industries. CRM implementations in the small and medium hospitality firms are likely to feel the effects of innovation quality, customer relations, communication-distribution infrastructure and business dynamics. Business dynamics, which refers to change imposed on businesses due to economic, social, technological and environmental change, is important for CRM because it is such change that demands new offerings from businesses to retain customers in the face of competition. Although the smaller hospitality firms will have less to spend on CRM, they are likely to be more interested in having CRM systems because existing customers are far more important to the smaller businesses compared to the larger ones. Thus, within the context of the hospitality industries existing in a city or a region, CRM implementation within small and large h ospitality businesses may vary, depending on the peculiarities of the place. The previously mentioned, together with barriers for the implementation of CRM in hospitality, is likely to be something that will be worth investigating in the small-scale research project for the importance of CRM in Edinburgh. In addition, the more important goals for implementing CRM in hospitality are also worth investigating because the relative reasons for an interest in CRM are likely to differ. It is possible to use CRM systems in hospitality firms for decreasing costs, sustaining competitive advantage, improving customer services, improving customer retention, acquiring new customers or for increasing profits. However, the relative priority reasons for CRM implementation may vary from firm to firm. Oronsky (2007, Pp. 944) suggests that CRM implementations in hospitality industries are not just limited to hotels, resorts, airlines or travel agencies because it is possible for restaurants to benefit from such implementations and a strategic thrust for CRM. The previously mentioned author suggests that chain restaurants and independent full-service restaurants may benefit from information technology and CRM implementations that effectively use IT for engaging customers and better understanding their needs. Within the restaurant sector, information technology has made an impact on the dining experience of customers and the way in which meals are prepared, even though according to the previously mentioned authors, some researchers suggest that the hospitality industry is not technology oriented. However, it is clear that if information technology for implementing CRM systems can benefit large hotel chains, then there is no reason why the same technology cannot benefit chain restaura nts. Oronsky (2007, Pp. 942) states that within the restaurant industry, information technology has the potential for minimising costs, providing support for superior employee and revenue management, enabling analysis of customer preferences and optimising menus for target costs that will appeal more to customers. Thus, despite reservations expressed by some researchers about hospitality not being a technology industry, other researchers suggest that it is likely that more than 50% of the change that will have an impact food service within the hospitality sector will involve technology influences. Thus, it is clear that a potential exists for using information technology and CRM systems within the food service sector in hospitality organisations. According to Oronsky (2007, Pp. 944), customer feedback and analysis of customer needs is as important for restaurants as it is for any other hospitality operation. Like hotels, airlines and tour operators, restaurants too can engage customers using websites and receive comments, feedback, suggestions or survey results presented on the web. For large restaurant chains, it is possible to implement systems for deciding about how well menu items are doing across the entire chain, and it is possible to enhance customer relationships by using imaginative ways, including deal offerings, special promotions, joint offerings with other businesses or offerings related to food events, etc. Thus, clearly technology facilitates information management, knowledge management and engagement with the customer even in the food service sector. In the business environment that prevails today, CRM is as important for airlines as it is for other hospitality industries because serving and having the customer counts and influences the bottom line (Cheng, 2008, Pp. 487 490). CRM is likely to make a difference for airlines in their effort to retain and attract the frequent flyers because relationship marketing emphasises maintaining long-lasting relationships with customers and a significant proportion of airline customers, even during the tough economic times, are business travellers who fly more frequently than tourists do. Thus, it is clear that the character of airline service offers many opportunities for practicing the relationship marketing approach and many airlines do maintain frequent flyer databases that are useful for deciding about customer requirements and for engaging the customer. Because airline operations present a substantial dependence on computers and information technology for reservation systems, schedulin g and maintenance activities, it is quite possible to incorporate effectively CRM implementations as an addition to existing information technology support systems. For airline CRM that delivers results, it is important to ascertain what keeps customers loyal to airlines and how airlines can respond better to offerings presented by competitors (Cheng, 2008, Pp. 488 489). Loyal customers do appreciate rewards for patronage by loyal customers if airlines present competitively priced offerings that are comparable in quality to offerings from competitors. Although, it is very likely that the touch, the thoughtfulness, benefits and the effort will count in CRM for airlines, customers must be satisfied with the price for quality and type of service offerings. Thus, enrolling customers in frequent flyer programs is not a guarantee of customer loyalty because service quality and service recovery policies in case of service disruption are important for frequent flyers. Clearly, a frequent flyer is likely to prefer an airline that checks them into a decent hotel and presents meals instead of leaving them to wait it out in a departure lounge if a substant ial flight delay persists. A balance must exist between rewards for frequent flyers with the care that airlines can offer to such customers who must constantly be on the move to attend to important business matters. In the present day and age, the digital market on the World Wide Web made possible by the Internet is important for airlines, and it is important that airlines lean closer to their customers to try to cut off agents and other intermediaries. In addition, the previously mentioned author suggests that airlines need to emphasise customer orientation, domain expertise, interpersonal relationships, service recovery performance and the judicious use of information technology to make an impact with customers that will result in superior relationship quality. From a customer perspective, domain orientation or the quality of offerings made by an airline and the quality of its employees are of the greatest importance to customers and this means that it is important to tune the CRM system for presenting superior offerings that benefit customers most. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 The chapter, which follows, presents a discussion about the methodology for this dissertation. Chapter 3 Methodology / Methods Used 3.1 Research Approach for the Thesis 3.2 Preparation of a Literature Review Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Discussion A discussion about the conclusions derived from the results of the literature review and the interviews are in the next chapter. Chapter 6 Conclusion, Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Work Appendix A (This page intentionally left blank)

The Electronic Fuel Injection System Engineering Essay

The Electronic Fuel Injection System Engineering Essay The Electronic Fuel Injection system can be divided into three: basic sub -systems. These are the fuel delivery system, air induction system, and the electronic control system. The fuel delivery system consists of the fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel delivery pipe (fuel rail), fuel injector, fuel pressure regulator, and fuel return pipe. Fuel is delivered from the tank to the injector by means of an electric fuel pump. The pump is typically located in or near the fuel tank. Contaminants are filtered out by a high capacity in line fuel filter. Fuel is maintained at a constant pressure by means of a fuel pressure regulator. Any fuel which is not delivered to the intake manifold by the injector is returned to the tank through a fuel return pipe. The Air Induction System The air induction system consists of the air cleaner, air flow meter, throttle valve, air intake chamber, intake manifold runner, and intake valve. When the throttle valve is opened, air flows through the air cleaner, through the air flow meter (on L type systems), past the throttle valve, and through a well tuned intake manifold runner to the intake valve. Air delivered to the engine is a function of driver demand. As the throttle valve is opened further, more air is allowed to enter the engine cylinders. Mostly the L type EFI system measures air flow directly by using an air flow meter. The D type EFI system measures air flow indirectly by monitoring the pressure in the intake manifold. Electronic Control System The electronic control system consists of various engine sensors, Electronic Control Unit (ECU), fuel injector assemblies, and related wiring. The ECU determines precisely how much fuel needs to be delivered by the injector by monitoring the engine sensors. The ECU turns the injectors on for a precise amount of time, referred to as injection pulse width or injection duration, to deliver the proper air/fuel ratio to the engine. Basic System Operation Air enters the engine through the air induction system where it is measured by the air flow meter. As the air flows into the cylinder, fuel is mixed into the air by the fuel injector. Fuel injectors are arranged in the intake manifold behind each intake valve. The injectors are electrical solenoids which are operated by the ECU. The ECU pulses the injector by switching the injector ground circuit on and off. When the injector is turned on, it opens, spraying atomized fuel at the back side of the intake valve. As fuel is sprayed into the intake airstream, it mixes with the incoming air and vaporizes due to the low pressures in the intake manifold. The ECU signals the injector to deliver just enough fuel to achieve an ideal air/fuel ratio of 14.7:1, often referred to as stoichiometry. The precise amount of fuel delivered to the engine is a function of ECU control. The ECU determines the basic injection quantity based upon measured intake air volume and engine rpm. Depending on engine operating conditions, injection quantity will vary. The ECU monitors variables such as coolant temperature, engine speed, throttle angle, and exhaust oxygen content and makes injection corrections which determine final injection quantity. WHAT ONE HAS TO DO TO CONVERT CARB TO EFI IN CASE OF A CAR Heres what is required for complete conversion EFI head and intake manifold with everything still attached. Crossover tube, MAF sensor and air box Fuel tank with fuel pump Entire wiring harness from the car. EFI computer EFI distributor EFI coil/igniter EFI gauge set in the dash Knock sensor, main relay Anything else that was attached to the wiring harness Other things which are also essential LC Engineering EFI Pro cam Fel Pro head gasket set Fluids These are the steps Out with the old Air cleaner off valve cover off Head off Head on the bench with the intake removed. EFI intake and EFI head Carb head and EFI components installed Certain small things that we found were different were: There was some sort of smog device bolted to where the EFI fuel filter goes. It isnt used with EFI and was discarded as were the air tubes that go above the header. The high pressure fuel line has to be either made or salvaged. The vacuum hose for the brake booster is different between carb and EFI. The upper radiator hose is different between carb and EFI The good thing is that two of the plugs that go into the computer can be disconnected and are only go to the engine. So, if you unplug these from the intake, then pull the intake intact. The third plug has the power and other things going to it for the EFI. All game is to take your time and check each wire coming out of the computer. There seems to be only 3 components outside of the normal EFI stuff.   The main EFI relay located in the interior fuse panel under the drivers side dash. The circuit opening relay located under the passenger side dash. This is controlled by the MAF sensor and turns on and off the fuel pump. It is also tied into the main EFI relay. The solenoid resistor is connected to a switched power source (IGN) and goes to the fuel injectors. This is located in the engine compartment passneger side. Pretty much, the only thing that is not straight forward is how these three components are wired.   Mathematical Formulation; Top of Form Most EFI systems have a standard set of sensors. These include: The  Barometric Pressure (BARO) Sensor, which provides the ECU with the atmospheric air pressure reading. The  Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor, which provides the ECU with the engines current operating temperature. This is important because fuel vaporization varies for different engine temperatures. A cold engine requires more fuel while a hot engine requires less. The  Intake Air Temperature (IAT) Sensor, which the ECU needs to take into account when determining pulse duration. The  Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor, which is a tube positioned after the air filter in the air intake duct. The MAF sensor has a fine platinum wire that spans across the tube. The wire is heated by electrical current to maintain a constant temperature above ambient. The air flow past the wire cools the wire and more current is required to maintain the constant temperature. Thus, the amount of current required to maintain the constant temperature indicates the air flow rate. The air flow rate is divided by RPM to determine the pulse duration. The  Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) Sensor, which uses manifold vacuum to measure engine load. An EFI system that uses a MAP sensor does not require a MAF sensor as it can use the input from the MAP sensor to determine the required pulse duration. The  Oxygen Sensor (O2S), which is used to measure the amount of oxygen that is not consumed during combustion. This is important for the correct operation of the catalyst converter and is used for emissions control rather than performance or economy. The O2S is located in the exhaust system and is an after-the-fact measure of the air/fuel ratio. Too much unburnt fuel in the exhaust indicates a lean mixture while too little oxygen indicates a rich mixture. The  Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor, which is important for timing purposes as it tells the ECU which spark plug to fire and which injector to open at any given point in the  Otto cycle. The  Throttle Position (TP) Sensor, which is another important sensor as the throttle position and the rate of change in the throttle position indicates the what the diver wants the car to do. Top of Form The modifications we can perform on an  OEM EFI  are somewhat limited because the OEM ECU is  not reprogrammable. However, there are a number of things we learned that we mechanical engineers do to modify the EFI system without having to reprogram the ECU. We can  increase the fuel pressure  as this is one reading that the ECU of a normal efi kit used in the cultus eg does not take into account it assumes the fuel pressure is a constant 30 psi(an estimated value given by Pak Suzuki ) above intake manifold pressure; we can  intercept the pulse signal  form the ECU, alter it using input from the manifold pressure and send it to the injector; we can  increase the injector nozzle size; or   increase the number of injectors. However, your best option, performance wise, is to install an  aftermarket ECU. In the next few pages well discuss each of these options. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form There are a few important factors that our study shows that must be taken into account when  installing an efi engine. These are: the  pulse duration  of the injectors and the  duty cycle. The injector pulse duration is the amount of time that the injector is held open so that it can inject fuel into the combustion chamber. The pulse duration is controlled by the engine control unit (ECU) and is dependent on various sensors in the electronic fuel injection (EFI) system. The longer the pulse duration, the more fuel is added to the air/fuel mixture. The amount of fuel required at any one time varies by the amount of  air flow, the  air density, the  engine load, and the  engine temperature. Therefore the pulse duration will vary. However, there is only a limited amount of time that the injector can be held open at each revolution of the engine. This amount of time is reduced as  engine speed  increases. For example, at 600 RPM the available time is 0.1 seconds (60 seconds in a minute divided by 600 revolutions) but at 6,000 RPM it is only 0.01 seconds. The pulse duration relative to the available time at the engine  red line  is called the duty cycle and is expressed as a percentage. Thus a duty cycle of 80% means that at the engine red line the pulse duration (the amount of time the injector is help open) is 80% of the available time. Top of Form INCREASING THE DUTY CYCLE Top of Form INCREASING INJECTOR NOZZLE SIZE Top of Form Performance ECU Chips Top of Form Replacing the  stock ECU chip  with a  reprogrammed performance chip  is a good option for anything up to a 10% increase in engine power. This is mainly due to the way in which the stock ECU chip is programmed. In essence, the stock ECU is programmed for optimal performance at  peak torque  so as this ensures that the car is drivable at low engine speeds. As most cars would be driven at low engine speeds of up to 3,500 RPM, ensuring that the car drives perfectly at these engine speeds is perfectly reasonable; unless you want to modify your car! A reprogrammed performance chip will be programmed for optimal performance up to the  engine red line, releasing a moderate power increase but making the car less drivable at lower engine speeds. Top of Form THE FUEL PICKUP The fuel pickup should also get some consideration, especially on a modified street race car with a  steel fuel tank. On such vehicles the fuel level in the fuel tank can drop below the fuel pickup during  hard cornering  or  heavy acceleration  and  heavy braking  and can cause a momentary drop in fuel pressure and engine performance. The solution is to have a  secondary fuel pump  supply a small  fuel reservoir  or swirl pot that feels the primary fuel pumps. The fuel reservoir is a simple cylinder with an fuel inlet from the secondary pump at the side, a fuel return line at the top and fuel pickup lines to the primary pumps at the bottom. The fuel reservoir should have a capacity of at least 1 liter and should be mounted low, beside the fuel tank. With a fuel reservoir, the primary fuel pumps will always have a fuel supply even under hard cornering of heavy acceleration and braking conditions. Calculation on this bases were done and were utilized in MATLAB program Bottom of Form

Global Warming :: Greenhouse Effect, Climate Change

Global Warming Abstract The world's scientific experts agree that industrial and land use activities are having an adverse impact on our climate. Burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gasoline creates global warming pollution that acts as the glass in a greenhouse, reflecting heat back toward the Earth and warming our climate. If we do not take steps now to reduce our emissions of global warming pollution, we will suffer serious environmental, public health, and economic repercussions. We owe it to our next generations to leave them a healthy environment and economy. Industries must start reducing their emissions of global warming pollution before we seal the fate of future generations. The earth's climate is predicted to change because human activities are altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide). Its functions are similarly to the walls and roof of a greenhouse, allowing sunlight to enter, but preventing heat from escaping. Sunlight passes through the atmosphere and heats the earth?s surface. The earth gives off heat energy, in the form of infrared radiation, which travels back toward the atmosphere. Instead of going into space, some of the infrared radiation is trapped by greenhouse gases (Schneider, 1989). The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and ozone. The gases send infrared radiation back to the earth's surface. Some greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, while others result from human activities. Naturally occuring greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Certain human activities, however, add to the levels of most of these naturally occurring gases: 1) Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), and wood and wood products are burned. 2) Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from the decomposition of organic wastes in municipal solid waste landfills, and the raising of livestock. 3) Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well as during combustion of solid waste and fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases that are not naturally occurring include byproducts of foam production, refrigeration, and air conditioning called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), as well as hyrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs) generated by industrial processes.

Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club Essay -- Essays Papers

Joy Luck Club The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, is a powerful portrayal of four Chinese women and the lives of their children in America. The book discusses the conflicting cultures between the United States and China, and how men treat women throughout their lives. People living in the United States usually take for granted their roles as a male or female. The culture of each country shapes the treatment one receives based on the sex of the individual. There are obvious differences within the different cultures. These differences show themselves in the work force, the distinct tasks performed in the home, and the privileges one receives in society. In the work force, the women of America hold many positions of importance. They are usually treated as equals with men and there are few jobs from which they are excluded. In China, women are expected to stay at home and are not permitted to be in a work force that is held exclusively for men. The women of America receive fair wages and have earned the right to work with men. In China, women are assigned the role of housewives and must stay at home to clean the house and raise the children. Women in America receive educations that will prepare them for the high paying jobs of a professional. The women in China are known for taking orders from their husbands. Another feature that is found to be different in China from America is the different roles women take in the home. The author explains that a Chinese woman is expecte...

Epic Characteristics of Paradise Lost Essay -- essays papers

Epic Characteristics of Paradise Lost Paradise Lost is one of the finest examples of epic tradition in all of literature. In composing this work, John Milton was, for the most part, following in the manner of epic poets of past centuries. By knowing the background of epic characteristics and conventions, it is easy to trace their presence in Book I of Paradise Lost. One of the biggest questions that a reader must face is that of the hero; exactly who is the epic hero in the poem? While Satan may not be the "hero" of Paradise Lost, Milton quickly establishes him as its main character, and as the most complex and detailed of Milton's descriptions. Satan is given many traditional attributes as an epic hero. Although he may not be the classical hero, he does defeat the creatures that God had created. This is why I feel that Milton meant Satan to be the hero of Paradise Lost. Another three characteristics of the epic are hardly items of debate, as was the hero. The setting of the poem is indeed vast in scope. It ranged from Heaven to Hell and to the Earth. The action of the story also consisted of deeds of great valor that required superhuman courage. Although biblically, we may not consider Satan to have courage, we know that he must have shown it while fighting the war in heaven against God. According to the dictionary, courage is "that quality of mind which shows itself in facing danger without fear or shrinking." Satan most certainly may be said to fit this description. There were also supernatural forces at work throughout the poem, such as gods, angels, and demons. In addition to these four epic characteristics, Milton also employees the so-called epic conventions in his poem. Milton definitely begins b... ...the hive†¦" (lines768+). These similes are Milton's way of helping us to better relate the story to common things in our lives. In spite of some alterations and modifications, we can clearly see how Milton used the classical epic characteristics and conventions in his writing. It was by employing these methods in to an already well known story that Milton created a masterpiece. Francis C. Blessington seems to sum it up the best. "Milton built his epic out of those of Homer and Virgil, like a cathedral erected out of the ruins of pagan temples whose remains can still me seen" (xiii). Bibliography: Works Cited Blessington, Francis C. Paradise Lost and the Classical Epic. Boston: Routledge, 1979. Milton, John. "Paradise Lost." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M. H. Adams. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1993. 1475-1495.

Relevancy of Institutional Theory for Managers Essay

Institutional theory is one the most renowned theoretical approaches to internationalization process of firms. From the 70s, there have been publications supporting and developing this theory by researchers such as Di Maggio, Powell, Scott, Meyer or Rowan. Nonetheless, some other alternative theories, such as OLI paradigm or TCE model, have also proven themselves quite significant. Shortell and Kalunzy (2000, p. 4) state that organizations must face certain external factors such â€Å"external or societal norms, rules, and requirements that an organization must conform to, in order to receive legitimacy and support†; which are two basic factors for a successful internationalization process. Nowadays, it is essential to determine the accuracy of internationalization theories because corporations need to respond to the challenges of a globalized world. This essay aims to examine the applicability of the main assumptions of this theory in order to explain the internationalization decisions made by firms? anagers. For that purpose, key aspects such as its scope, current importance or empirical support will be evaluated. Meyer and Rowan (1977), Di Maggio and Powell (1983), and Scott (1987) state that, in order to obtain legitimacy, firms must face â€Å"isomorphic pressures† from the external context. Di Maggio and Powell (1983) define isomorphism as â€Å"constraining process that forces one unit in a population to resemble other units that face the same set of environmental conditions† and they remark that firms are forced to compete for legitimacy and political influence apart from customers and resources. Scott (1995) specified that there are three types of isomorphic pressures: regulatory, cognitive and normative. Regulatory pressures can be defined as the rules, legislation and sanctions established by government that companies must follow. Cognitive pressures refer to the shared vision of how the world works by the members of an institution or societal entity able to affect a corporation. Normative pressures can be described as the values, norms or other cultural aspects within a country that can influence a firm. In other words, for this theory, any internationalization or foreign direct investment (FDI) operation respond to a legitimacy seeking procedure in order to have access to key resources such as public funding or customer support. Nevertheless, this theory does not cover all the possible dimensions of an internalization process. Dunning (1993) states that there are 4 main motivations for an internationalization process: market seeking, resource seeking, efficiency seeking and strategic asset seeking. Market seeking can be explained as penetrate into other market and avoid dangerous factors such as tariffs or exchange rate risk. Resource seeking refers to many factors such as location in a cluster, information, or less costly or more efficient resources. Efficiency seeking can be defined as cost reduction (transport and transactions) and the economies of scope and scale that can be reached in a internationalisation process. Strategic asset seeking is all the rest of different motivations such as imitating competitors, prevent competition or follow consumers. Therefore, Institutional Theory does not seem to cover fully those aspects because no economic considerations are made under this theory. On the other hand, there are theories that cover more accurately economic considerations in internationalisation issues. Buckley and Casson (1976), and Rugman (1981); under Internalisation Theory, state that existing markets may not offer the most efficient conditions to companies and making those markets â€Å"internal† will reduce the transaction costs of operating with those markets. Dunning (1980) argues, in this OLI paradigm, that firms operate in international market in order to seek for different kind of advantages: Ownership advantages (i. e. rademark or know-how), Locating advantages (i. e. low salaries or taxation) and Internalisation advantages (same advantages mentioned in Internalisation Theory). Hence, it is obvious that Institutional theory has a limited scope as long as it covers political and social aspects of internationalisation, but it does not give any hint about economic concerns. Since the year 2000, according to a report written by the United Nations (2 013), FDI going to BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) has tripled reaching an amount of $263 billions in 2012. This amount represents 20% of FDI in the world. Moreover, Hall (1976) states that there are certain countries that can be described as High-context cultures that are based in interpersonal relationships. Those are countries where factors like trust or legitimacy are crucial for business and BRICS are considered as high-context countries. Therefore, firms need to gain legitimacy in order to operate in those markets and Institutional provides an excellent theoretical framework for defining success in those markets. Nonetheless, it cannot be assumed that firms just comply with external pressures in order to gain legitimacy. Di Maggio (1988) argues that agents and organizations have their own interests and have the ability to implement strategic actions in order to fulfil their ambitions. Scott (1995) also states that companies and organisations do not react in a passive way to institutional environment and they behave actively. Araujo (2000) determines that, although organisations are under external pressures, companies will decide their own response to the environment. Hence, companies are influenced by external factors, but they can decide what to do regarding those factors. On the other hand, there is some evidence that companies tend to mimic their strategic moves. Leroux, Pupion and Sahut (2011) state that companies are influenced by the choices made by the leaders of their sectors. Lieberman and Asaba (2006) argue that firms tend to imitate each other in order to deal with the uncertainty of the environment and reduce risks. For those authors, there two explanations for business imitation: information-based explanation and rivalry-based explanation. Information-based ones assume that companies imitate the ones who seem to have †superior† information. Rivalry-based ones that companies copy their strategic moves in order to limit rivalry or keep stable competitive parity. There are some researchers who have tried to deduct whether Institutional theory is reliable or not for explaining an internationalization process. Bianchi and Arnold (2004) state that Institutional theory is the best theoretical framework in order to explain the failure of the Internationalization process of the American retail company Hot Depot into the Chilean market in 1998. Their research determined that the main cause of the failure of this process was the scarcity of legitimacy of Hot Depot in Chile because they were not able to offer a confortable shop atmosphere for their customers and the range of products was not satisfactory for Chilean clients. Also, Hot Depot failed because its competitors were capable of anticipating and responding to its competitive advantage. Moreover, Cao and Perderzoli (2012) determine that institutional environment is very significant in the decision making process of retailing companies while operating in an emerging economy. They also state that the creation of shared added value in those economies and the engagement between the company and the host market will increase the adaptability of those companies to institutional environment in emerging economies. Nonetheless, there are some other papers that determine that the effect of external environment in a company depends of its profile. Walsh and Yu (2010) state that institutional factors do not have relevance in primary sector companies while they are relevant in manufacturing and services corporations as it is shown in their research using econometric methods. Additionally; Wrightley, Coe and Currah (2005) and, Bianchi and Ostele (2006) determine that retail companies are more vulnerable to institutional issues than other kinds of companies. Therefore, there is empirical evidence that shows the relevancy of this theory for corporate internationalization operations during the last 20 years. Otherwise, this relevance depends of the sector of the company and it seems to be a relation between the level of impact of institutional factors and their level of interaction with final customers. Furthermore, it is important to discuss whether Institutional Theory is relevant or not for managers. Porter (1990) and Welford (1995) affirm that the external environment makes a strong influence on corporate strategy. Aguilar (1967) states that the environment is crucial in corporate strategy and he created the ETPS (Economic, Technical, Political and Social) model, which would become PEST model in the future, in order to analyse the external environment. Learned, Christiansen, Andrews and Guth (1969) determine that external environment is crucial for business strategy as long as it is a key element of their SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) model, where Opportunities and Threats are external elements. Thus, it cannot be denied that Institutional Theory is relevant for managers because environment is crucial for any strategic planning and if managers ignore those factors, they will be destined to fail in internationalisation process. Furthermore, external pressures have relevance in other essential aspects of corporate management. Zaheer (1995) states that companies operating abroad may suffer â€Å"liability of foreignness† which are economic and social problems that can affect their performance, so they would tend to modify their organizational structure in order to make it similar to local firms? tructure. Also, Barkemeyer (2007) state that institutional pressures encourage companies to develop CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programmes in order to gain legitimacy in the host country. Therefore, external environment can exert a strong influence in all sorts of aspects of corporate management such as Organisation or CSR in order to be legitimate to operate in a forei gn market and managers be aware of this situation. As a conclusion, it can be said that environmental pressures are a crucial element for business performance in international markets. During the last decade, legitimacy has proven itself as a key resource in FDI processes as long as emerging economies are becoming one of the main receptors of foreign investment and, for those countries, it is necessary â€Å"being legitimate† in order to be supported by customers, local authorities and other social actors. As a contrast, this theory has some drawbacks as long as it assumes, in its early version, which companies just comply with external pressures and it does not consider in depth economic aspects. Nevertheless, in spite of those weaknesses, Institutional Theory provide an excellent theoretical framework to managers that encourage them to be sensitive to the cultural elements (aesthetics, beliefs, norms or attitudes) and macro environment of their host markets, so they can improve their performance. Therefore, being able to provide such an important capacity to international managers is the best strength of this theory and it is what makes it relevant today.