Monday, August 26, 2019

Analysis of the Film Dr. Strangelove Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of the Film Dr. Strangelove - Essay Example In this essay I analyze the movie based on the various points of criticism that it faced. Mockery of nuclear warfare and its seriousness When analyzing a film it is important to take into account the content and the period, which brought the idea about. Despite strong criticism than Stanley Kubrick made a mockery out of nuclear warfare and over simplified the entire process of war and the politics of it. It is hard to ignore that the political climate at the time leaned dangerously towards the concept of â€Å"accidental war† which was the crux of Peter George’s novel. Though the actual scenario is far from the truth and not a possibility the concept did create doubts in the minds of people. America at the time of the release was going through conflicting times and the people were divided in their opinion of the Government policies. President Kennedy was in the process of signing a treaty with the Soviet Union premier Nikita Khrushchev that called for the ban of atmosph eric nuclear testing. It may be an obsolete thought now, but in 1964, the imagery, however, lighthearted of a power hungry Brigadier general who actually made a war happen seemed convincing. Was the issue of an imminent nuclear war really a laughing matter for Stanley Kubrick? I do not think so. One major factor that I will attribute to all of his films is the amount of research and thought that he put into the art of filmmaking. Stanley Kubrick was in no way in the industry for want of nothing better to do. His movies have always made an impact on people and had a clear-cut message to send across. The film was the result of an in-depth analysis of the nuclear war and its danger. He put this strong message across very effectively with the use of satire and his excellent casting. Peter sellers gave a stellar performance in all of his 3 roles as Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Mirkin Muffley and, the paraplegic scientist Dr. Strangelove himself. Sterling Hayden, George C Scot t and Slim Pickens played the roles of General Jack D. Ripper, General Turgidson and the crazily lunatic power hungry Major Kong respectively, to perfection. Simplistic approach to a complex situation. There is nothing simple about the movie. The only thing that can be considered simplistic is the analysis hinted at. The movie blatantly points out that military and political powers used war as a tool to give vent to their personal repressions, very obviously hinting towards how men with sexual tensions in their personal life tend to use war as a tool to show their manliness. In this respect the film itself offers no solution to the situation. It is not clear whether Kubrick set out to expose the current climate or propose any solution to it. It was a very subjective and biased analysis of the nations’ foreign policies. If Kubrick’s intention was just to ridicule the situation and expose the callousness in which the powers treated the matter, he more than succeeded. And he did so by taking quite a few liberties and creative licenses. A classic example is the scene where the President intervenes in the scuffle between the Soviet ambassador and General Turgidson by saying "Gentlemen, no fighting in the War Room!† A classic attempt at fantastic comedy tinged with irony earmarked the concept behind the movie. It markedly pointed towards the unthinking and extremely detached view in which people in power viewed war as a whole. The movie no doubt is a gross exaggeration

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Individual development project (O.B course) Essay

Individual development project (O.B course) - Essay Example The main issue with the company I worked for that it lacked an appropriate leadership style that would best fit the company. In the decade when the company was facing problems and crisis the main problem was that it lost a good relationship and a factor of trust between the employees, labor and the top management. A leader in true sense is someone who leads his followers along the way or path towards their goals and objectives (Blanchard, Hersey & Johnson 2008). Leadership is the characteristic that will enable a person to inspire group of people to realize common interest or goal. Analysis of the issue The base of any organization rests on the philosophy, vision, goals and values of the management. As a result this drives the culture of the organization that is made up of the formal, informal and social environment of the organization. Basically it is the culture of the organization that determines the leadership type, group dynamics and communication within that organization (Glidd on, 2006). The culture, the leadership style, the communication, group dynamics are the things on which the perception of the worker is based and these are the things that direct the motivation degree of the worker. So at the company I worked in the decade of crisis and low performance these factors were not being addressed according to the expectation of the workers and labor as in the previous and present times. Trust is an expectation that is positive that another does not and will not by words, decisions and actions act opportunistically. Trust is based on two things mainly that are familiarity and risk. Trust has a lot of dimensions mainly like integrity, competence, consistency, loyalty and openness etc. Integrity relates to things like truthfulness and honesty, competence means the interpersonal and technical knowledge and skills, consistency relates to predictability, good judgment and reliability under various situations, loyalty means the willingness to safeguard and prote ct face for any other person and openness relates to the reliance on someone else to provide you the truth in full. There are three types of trusts that employees in any company can experience. One is deterrence or fear of punishment based trust, the other is identification or trust based on mutual understanding, appreciation for other people’s desires and wants, and the knowledge based or behavioral predictability based trust that roots back to the interaction history. At the company I worked the basic issue was that the trust was deterrence based. It means that the employees feared punishment and were forced to trust the CEO whereas they dint not like his leadership style at all. Solution of the issue In the world today effective managers should develop trusting relationship with the ones they seek to be leading. As with the increasing competition in the world the managers who lack this factor are not taken to be an effective. Organizations nowadays are strictly in search o f transformational leaders (Kaiser, 2009). The transformational leaders are the ones with vision and are charismatic to carry that vision. True leadership effectiveness is the product of exhibiting of right behaviors at the right time. Leader should be someone who has a personality, verbally adept, smart and likeable. Good leaders and managers know how to keep the environment of the organization competitive and cooperative at the same time (Hofstede, Gert, and Michael, 2010). The greatness of the organizati

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Why social network industry has no inventory and large cash in Essay

Why social network industry has no inventory and large cash in balacesheet - Essay Example Lack of need for inventory therefore explains absence of inventory from accounts of companies in the industry. The industry is also profitable, based on trend in technology that makes its products marketable and low costs. These lead to high proceeds and therefore high value of cash and cash equivalents and $ 3.323 million for Facebook in the year ended 2013 and $ 0.841 million for Twitter in the same period are examples. The industry is also oligopolistic, a factor that concentrates proceeds among few players. Consequently, cash and cash equivalents have to be high per player, compared to values in competitive industries in which many players share the markets’ proceeds (Albarran, 2013). The types of products that the industry offers, which do not require inventory for production, maintenance, or delivery explains lack of inventory while high profitability and oligopolistic nature of the industry explains the high value of cash and cash equivalents that firms report in the

Friday, August 23, 2019

Control room Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Control room - Movie Review Example Hassan Ibrahim, the former BBC reporter, has been assigned to cover Iraq’s tragedies in the war. He is accused of creating stories which are not there. America downplays the situation in the warfronts. The movie highlights the role of the media in the war, and the importance of its coverage which is only next to the strength of the war machines fighting the war. The documentary shows the predicament of Lieutenant Josh Rushing, American Marine in charge of press at Central Command. He is a balanced individual, philosophical and sober but as a true American Marine, he is thoroughly convinced about the merits of the war. He sees nothing wrong in the American version of the media coverage. Dema Khatib on the other hand, though swears by the nationalism propounded by Al Jazeera, wishes for a future for his children in America. Control Rom has succeeded in revealing the truth about the war in the fronts. It depicts how in the desperate situations of the war, objectivity of the press becomes the casualty, and how the news is constructed as per the demands of the situation. Vested interests are in politics and they have also infiltrated the press. The bombing of an Al Jazeera post by America, indicates how serious are the compulsions of the war to silence the pen, apart from destroying the

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Support Children and Young People’s Positive Behaviour Essay Example for Free

Support Children and Young People’s Positive Behaviour Essay †¢ AC2.1 Describe the benefits of encouraging and rewarding positive behaviour It is important that the adult influences of the classroom recognise and praise the positive behaviour of individual pupils – especially those who struggle to maintain good behaviour and tend to be told off more than others. It is also essential to praise constant good behaviour (from pupils who never misbehave) to avoid the development inappropriate behaviour. Children respond to all kinds of positive praise. In my setting, the class teacher and LSA’s often add positive words like ‘fantastic’, ‘brilliant’ or ‘well done’ when acknowledging their input towards the class. We also use house tokens to reward good behaviour. Giving the pupils a physical reward makes them feel that the efforts they make in their positive behaviour is very appreciated. The more we praise good behaviour of individuals, the more likely the pupil is to continue the good behaviour and maintain a positive attitude towards school and learning. †¢ AC1.1 Describe what each policy/procedure says, and what its purpose is The primary school in which I work has many policies and procedures in place to ensure that all school rules are adhered to, at all times, by all staff and pupils. It is the duty of the schools staff (teachers, LSA’s etc.) to ensure that the pupils follow the school rules, and that we ourselves are always knowledgeable about existing and new policies and procedures, and enforce them where necessary. A hard copy of the schools policies and procedures must be available for all staff members and visitors to the organisation to read. The school’s behaviour policy is very important and must be understood by all teachers and LSA’s, to ensure that the pupils are given fair, consistent guidelines on behaviour. Policies and procedures are enforced to ensure that the pupils understand what is expected of them and the boundaries and restrictions to help them manage their behaviour. Enforcing such policies and procedures from an early age will help the children develop and understanding of how to behave, not just at school, but throughout day-to day life. If the schools behaviour policy is understood  and practiced by adults on a daily basis, the children will follow their example by displaying good behaviour, and should carry the skills of respect and good behaviour through to adulthood. In the contents of the behaviour policy of the school I attend, it states the sanctions to be followed where the school rules are broken. On the first and second occasion the pupil is given a warning. On the third occasion the pupil is given a yellow card. On the fourth occasion the pupil has to miss part of the next available playtime (5 minutes in which to reflect on their behaviour and how they can make it better – should the pupils behaviour improve after the third warning, the yellow card is to be disregarded). If poor behaviour persists the pupil’s parents are informed, and an appropriate strategy is to be agreed between the parents and teacher – whilst keeping the head teacher informed. Should the pupil continue to show bad or inappropriate behaviour, the pupil will be sent to the head teacher, who will then discuss the agreed strategy with parents and the pupil concerned. The behaviour policy also states that praise and rewards should be regular and consistent. We must offer positive verbal praise when possible. Class rewards will be used in each class to encourage peer reinforcement of appropriate behaviour. The behaviour policy also contains details of the school rules, the ‘VIP awards’, and the ‘star of the week award’. Children with examples of excellent behaviour or exceptional work will be sent to the head teacher for praise. †¢ AC1.2 Describe the importance of all staff being consistent and fair when applying each policy/procedure. In my setting, all staff members have read the schools policies and procedures, and are kept up-to-date of any amendments or changes. Staff members are expected to practice these policies and procedures at all times whilst monitoring the behaviour of pupils in all activities. We must report any inappropriate behaviour to the class teacher and take action where appropriate. We must be fair and consistent when applying the school  procedures to ensure that the pupils are treated equally. If pupils who behave badly are treated differently, or in their eyes unfairly, they will become confused of their boundaries and unsure of what is expected of them. Treating misbehaving children differently will have a negative impact on future behaviour. Recently, I witnessed a pupil at my setting using inappropriate language during a music lesson, where the class teacher was not present. I took the pupil to one side and bent to their level. I informed the pupil that the language they had used was both inappropriate and unacceptable. I told the pupil that I would be informing the class teacher of the incident and that should it happen again, I would be sending them straight to the head teacher’s office. Another child had overheard the inappropriate language and copied it. I took the same action with the second child, and then separated them, moving one child to the other side of the classroom. After the music lesson, I informed the class teacher of both incidents, who thanked me for my input and said that the pupils would need to be closely monitored for the rest of the day. †¢ AC3.2 Describe occasions when behaviour problems have been referred to others. Describe why the behaviour was referred to someone else, and explain why it was referred to that person. In a recent maths lesson, I was sat with a SENCO pupil offering lesson support. During the lesson the pupil started stabbing a school text book with a pencil. I told the pupil to stop, and informed them that they had caused deliberate damage to school property. I told the pupil that I was giving them their first warning and told them that I hoped it was their last warning. About 5 minutes later, while the pupil thought I wasn’t looking, they began stabbing the book again. I immediately removed the book from their desk and referred the situation to the class teacher. I informed her that the pupil had already received one warning, and had continued to cause damage. The class teacher was concerned that the pupil had continued to damage the text book even after having a warning. She decided to refer the pupil to the head teacher’s office, to help them understand the consequences  of their actions and the repercussions of damaging school property. During a morning break, I noticed that a child who was normally very sociable was sat on their own. I approached the child and sat next to them. I asked them if they were ok and whether they wanted to join in with the other pupils who were playing, to which they replied no, they wanted to sit alone. I asked if they wanted to sit me with me for a while and then maybe join in with the other children if they felt like it, to which they said yes. I asked them if they were feeling ok, or needed a drink perhaps, but they said no. The pupil sat with me, very quietly, for the whole break. I was concerned as this was a sudden change in behaviour. After break I approached the class teacher and asked to talk in private. I informed the class teacher that I was concerned about the pupil as they were normally very sociable but today they were very quiet and seemed troubled. The teacher thanked me for my input and informed me that the pupil was experiencing a difficult time at home. The teacher asked me to keep a close eye on the pupil and continue to offer support. The teacher also said that she would discuss the pupil’s change in behaviour with their parents, as the home life was having an effect on their school life. I referred the above mentioned incidents to the class teacher, as the class teacher has a greater knowledge of the individual pupils and their background. I felt that as a volunteer Learning support assistant I had offered all possible contributions towards the situation. I thought that the situations need to be taken further than my jurisdiction, so referred them to the class teacher. In both cases, the class teacher made a decision to refer the situations even further, to the parents or head teacher. I did not feel that it was appropriate for myself to make such a decision, so referred the situation to my immediate supervisor.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

My Life Essay Example for Free

My Life Essay Everyone seems to ask themselves what do they really want from their life? What are we all really striving for? While people should ask themselves what can they do to help others? When a person helps other they meet their physical and emotion need. Helping others also brings compassion and compassion equals a better society. From a person coming from a rich family they have more opportunities open to them to achieve what they want. While a person from a poor family doesnt have the easy life compared to the person from the rich family. A person coming from a poor family has to go through more obstacles, and struggles to achieve what they want. When you actually make that goal it feels you up with joy. My father works two jobs and is still struggling to pay the bills. One of my goals is to have a stable career so that neither my mother and father have to worry about paying the bills on time. I would like to be a major league baseball player or a successful entrepreneur in the music business. At the beginning of each goal you will always set unrealistic standards that you slowly but surely can adjust to become realistic. For now, my first major goal in high school is to recive a 3. 5 or higher. With that, good grades are necessary and I would, or rather, I will maintain As, and Bs in all of my classes. I believe with god grades I can accomplish much mre in life and have more opportunities. Followed up by that I would like to of course, graduate high school and set myself ready for whatever comes next in my life. And this would be entering a university of my choice such as Florida state university. I would like to be able to graduate high school with good grades and a high GPA to give me the opportunity to choose what university I would like to attend instead of having to settle for less. With major goals there also comes minor goals. My first minor goal is to be a good student. I would like to actually get along with my teachers and be able to comfortably communicate with them. With respect like if they were any other person. Throughout my years in school I’ve learned that teachers are not only there to teach but their here to help and id very much like to have the opportunity to be helped by people who care and who can help me stay on the right track. My goals are set and I plan on achieve them no matter what because I never give up on a plan that I set myself up and that I know that I will do well in. I Study whenever I get the chance to achieve my goal for a Gpa of 3. 5.  I also train everyday whether I’m at practice or not so I can have an advantage over the other players because I work harder and have more dedication to the sport that I love to play. I’ve dedicated my heart into baseball because I’ve been playing it since I was in elementary school I was raised to never give up on your goal and to fulfill it to the very end. I feel that I am the perfect man for the job and I would be very grateful if you gave me the opportunity to have this job. I am a hard worker I will stay on top of my work and do everything on time and will never slack off.

Tesco Plc

Tesco Plc Strategic analysis: a case study of Tesco Plc with reference to Chinese market  · Introduction: This assignment is relating to strategic analysis of Tesco Plc. Main focus is given on global expansion of Tesco in Europe, Asia and U.S. it is difficult to sum up all strategies that has been adopted by Tesco PLC in different parts of the world therefore to be more effective emphasis will be given on strategic analysis of Tesco in China. Furthermore this assignment is focused on the reasons why Tesco has opted to go international. I will analyse certain aspects such as location advantage, to analyse that what was the reason that Tesco has chosen Asian market for it business operation and will include pull factors such as cheap labour, low production cost and increased population, ownership advantage i.e. Toscos reputation, name recognition and goodwill etc and Internalization that how Tesco handles it markets secrets (not to be copied by its competitors) by securing ownership control, as in Chinese market Tesco successfully entered with 51%-49% joint venture with a local company but to secure absolute ownership Tesco increased its shares to 91%. The assignment will also concentrate upon push factors that what were the reason in the UK market that compelled or instigated Tesco to expand its operation to overseas markets. These reasons include UK market saturation, overseas market size, increased economic growth in the home market that enables the company to invest in foreign market and less opportunities of financial growth in the local market because of high competition, exploiting resources etc I will also link different theories with Tesco global strategy i.e. (1) Strategic international expansion (2) Porters five forces (3) Porter diamond model (will be exhibited in appendix) (4) Swot analysis (will be exhibited in appendix) (5) Dunnings electric theory etc It will also analyse the role of Tesco club card loyalty scheme in gathering information from its customers in order to know customers behaviour and need. Furthermore the study also concentrates upon Toscos strategic initiatives i.e. customers focus, act local, maintain focus, use multi formats, developing capacity and build brand etc which is used by the company in its domestic market and overseas. The assignment also contains a COMPARISON OF Tesco with its market rivals i.e. Wal-Mart and Carrefour and their strategic approaches in overseas markets. Similarly the study will also look at Tescos strategy of sourcing to low cost producers and Tescos own brand i.e. Tescos value products etc.  · Company background: Tesco was founded by Jack Cohen in 1919. Since its inception the company has gone through different development stages and Tesco is now one of the UKs largest retailers and is one of the top three retailers in the world. Tesco is operating business activities in three main regions in the world i.e. Europe ( Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey and Poland) Asia ( China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand and India) and U.S . The company has 3,799 stores located in Europe, Asia and U.S and has employed over 440,000 people around the world.[1] Tesco has adopted different strategies for gaining entry into foreign markets i.e. Acquisition of The Three Guys chain in Ireland in 1979, Acquisition of Catteau in France in 1992, Acquisition of 51 per cent of Global in Hungary in 1994, Acquisition of K-Mart business in Czech Republic/Slovakia in 1994, acquisition of Savia in Poland in 1995, acquisition of ABFs Irish food retailing business in 1997 Acquisition of 75 per cent share of Lotus in Thailand in 1998, Partnership with Samsung (81 per cent) and the acquisition of Homeplus in South Korea in 1999, Acquisition of one Makro store in Taiwan in 2000, Joint venture with Sime Darby Bhd (Tesco share 70 per cent) in Malaysia in 2001, Acquisition of HIT hypermarket from Dohle Gruppe in Poland in 2002, Acquisition of the C Two (C2) in Japan in 2003,[2] Joint Venture in China and wholly owned subsidiary in India. Strategic analysis of Tesco: The main driver of Tescos successful business is because of overseas expansion, moving to higher margin non-food merchandise and maintaining a strong UK core business. Its UK success has been built on low prices, cultivating customer loyalty, offering a range of different store concepts and expanding into retailing services, such as banking and insurance. Tescos focus on non-food items has led some to wonder whether it is fair to compare Tesco with the other grocery retailers at all as it seems to have become a consumer goods company.[3]  · Tesco long-term strategy: Tesco is growing with enormous speed. The company is following its long-term strategy based on five main initiatives, i.e. core UK business, international growth, Non-food, retailing services and community plan are the main objectives of achieving its long term success. Tesco has adopted an effective and constant growth strategy which has enabled the company to strengthen its core UK business and expand into new developed and developing markets around the world. The rationale for the strategy is to develop the scope of the business to enable the company to deliver strong, sustainable long-term growth and competitiveness by following the customer into large expanding markets at home and overseas by serving their needs through selling a wide range of products and services such as food products, financial services, non-food products and telecoms etc.[4] The strategy of diversification and global expansion of Tescos business operation was laid down in 1997 and has been the foundation of Tescos success in recent years. The new businesses which have been established and developed over the last decade are competitive and profitable and have enabled the company to lead largest market outside the UK.  § Core UK business: UK is the biggest market for Tesco and the company aims to provide all its customers with excellent value and choice. The company has developed a range of formats such as Tesco Express convenience stores, Tesco Metro stores, Tesco Super stores and Tesco Extra Hypermarkets.[5] The UK grocery retail market remains the largest source of revenue for Tesco, representing some 50% of last years (2008)  £59.4 billion of sales.[6]  § International growth: Tesco is expanding its presence across the world with main focus on customers need. For the purpose of better understanding of local customers and providing excellent services Tesco employees local staff which helped the company to achieve market leading position in Asia and across Europe. The company is giving more emphasis upon developing a range of local formats i.e. Express stores and Value stores in order to serve the needs of smaller communities. The companys overall performance of overseas businesses was very strong in 2009, particularly against the background of increasingly challenging trading conditions in international markets as the effects of the economic downturn on consumers have grown and spread around the world. [7]  § Non-food: In the beginning Tesco was popular as a food retailer but with the passage of time non-food remains an important part of Tescos strategy and the company continue to grow both sales and market share. Tesco has adopted the policy of differentiation and has now extended its policy to selling non-food items such as clothing, electrical goods, books etc.[8] Similarly Tescos online non-food business, Tesco Direct, continues to grow rapidly, increasing sales by more than 50% in 2009. The company is also planning to introduce an online clothing offer making fashionable, affordable clothes easier to buy for many more customers.[9]  § Retailing Services: Developing Retailing Services has been part of Tescos strategy for over a decade with the aim of bringing value and simplicity to customers through services such as telecoms and financial products. After ten years of success, we have given it a renewed focus and in July we announced that Andrew Higginson would relinquish his role as Group Finance Director to take on the role of Chief Executive of Retailing Services. He has assembled an experienced team to really drive forward this part of the strategy, which we believe has the potential to deliver  £1 billion of annual profit in the next few years.[10] With the rapid changing life style for satisfying customers needs Tesco provides new products and services like online shopping, personal finance and telecoms etc.  § Community plan: Tesco is also playing an active role to be a good neighbour in the communities where the company operates its business activities. We understand the importance of behaving responsibly in all our operations. Over the past year, we have worked even harder to be a good neighbour and have strengthened our contribution to the wider communities we serve.[11] All communities have their own individual concerns and priorities and so each of our countries has its own Community Plan. Whilst the goals and targets are tailored specifically to each country, each plan is underpinned by five core promises: actively supporting local communities; buying and selling our products responsibly; caring for the environment; giving customers healthy choices; and creating good jobs and careers.[12] Tesco believes that its success depends on listening to the customers, and responding to their feedback by giving them what they want. Often the most significant contributions the company can make to communities are at the truly local level and so over the past year the company have appointed over 250 Community Champions in stores and depots across six countries. These members of staff are dedicated to working with local schools, charities and services to support the causes that matter most of its customers.[13]  · Tesco in Europe:  · Tesco in Asia:  · Tesco in U.S:  · Tesco FDI: Foreign Direct Investment plays an important role in global economic growth and development. Due to global economic system competition increased and different governments are making strategies to reduce or remove trade barriers and encourage foreign companies for investment. Multinational companies are trying to enter new emerging economies to gain competitive advantage over their competitors.  · Tesco JV:  · sourcing: To ensure that we offer the best possible prices for customers we buy many products globally so that we benefit from our scale. We have an international sourcing office based in Hong Kong which is responsible for buying 100,000 non-food products for the Group. The international sourcing operation has seen rapid growth in the last few years and now sources 60% of our clothing in the UK and 40% of hardlines, including electricals, homewares, entertainment, toys and books. In Europe it provides over 25% of our hardlines and 85% of our clothing and we have recently started to source products for Asia. In the last year our international sourcing team shipped 72,000 containers from 54 ports.[14] We also have sourcing centres in China, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Turkey, with smaller offices in Thailand, Czech Republic and Italy. [15] We have invested in buying hubs where we have a critical mass of suppliers and shipment volumes. It helps to be close to our suppliers so that we can ensure great quality products, delivered from ethical sources, on time and at the best price.[16] Where possible we try to source products direct from factories rather than through agents or middlemen. This way we can ensure the lowest possible cost price as well as making sure that our products are sourced safely and fairly. We also manage to strip out more costs by consolidating freight volumes. This gives us the best shipping and transportation rates, which can be passed on to the customer in the form of lower prices.[17] Strategic analysis of Tescos expansion to china: to look at Tescos expansion strategy into Chinese market there are many factors involved. Reasons of Tesco global expansion: Tescos expansion was spatially characterised as being largely regional in nature and less global oriented. Cautiously, Tesco had decided to dominate the smaller central European markets that were unlikely to attract much attention from the large retail multinational peers such as Carrefour and Wal-Mart who preferred to focus on the larger markets. The company incrementally entered markets rather than entering several markets at the same time.[18] Tescos huge growth in this country is a hard act to follow. With the domestic market increasingly saturated, some UK supermarket chains, namely Tesco, Sainsbury (who have now sold their interests in the USA) and MS have looked to overseas markets to maintain their positions. This is a whole new ball game, bringing into play competition with large firms from other countries, such as US retailing giant Wal-Mart and French multinational Carrefour.[19] Main reasons for an organization to expand their business operation to overseas markets include saturated markets, growing economies and improving transportation systems and in some countries business environment seems more attractive than others. Most recently, Tesco has moved into China and the USA, and its rivals i.e. Carrefour has started pulling out of some eastern European countries while focusing on its Chinese strategy and Wal-Mart is also expanding business operation aggressively worldwide.[20] Determinants of foreign market entry modes: The choice of entry mode into a foreign market has a great impact on the success of a firms international operations, so consequently, related theories and critical determinants will be represented in the following section as to understand the relationships between MNEs and different factors. Mode of entry into foreign market: Tesco used a combination of multinational entry mode strategies within one country. As previously discussed, Tesco entered the central and eastern Europe by acquiring a relatively small chain of convenience stores in Hungary, a supermarket business in Poland and a department store chain in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (see Table II). It was certainly unusual for such a large public company to become involved in these operations, and even competitors at the time questioned the logic of their approach. However, the use of â€Å"seed acquisitions† with a view to develop knowledge of the market before expanding organically through store-by-store development allowed Tesco to minimise their own human and financial capital in the face of potential economic and political uncertainty.[21] There are a number of strategies that can be adopted by an organization as a mode of entering into foreign market i.e. foreign direct investment, wholly owned subsidiary, joint venture, franchising, licensing and contract manufacturing. Some of these strategies are associated with high risk such and needs high investment and management skills i.e. wholly owned subsidiary and direct acquisition and some of them are exposed to minimal risks from overseas markets i.e. licensing, franchising, contract manufacturing and joint venture. Joint venture is a lowest risk strategy that accompanies greater benefits for the organization such as gaining overseas market knowledge and knowing consumers behaviour from overseas partner, risk sharing and gaining quality management capability.[22] Tesco has opted joint venture in order to gain entry into Chinese market. The company has gained a substantial presence in China in 2004 by signing an agreement of 51%-49% joint venture with a host company Shanghai Hymall Commercial Retail Group which was subsequently increased to 90%-10% in 2007.[23] Market attractiveness: Reasons of global expansion: There are a number of push factors and pull factors that plays an important role in an organizations decision of expanding business operation to foreign markets. The following are the main factors that motivated Tesco to invest in China. Push Factors: Home market saturation: When a business organization decides to enter into a foreign market there are a number of push factors that instigates such organization to invest in foreign market. In the case of Tesco the main factor of its global expansion is home market saturation as there is no room for further expansion because of large number of retailers and high competition. Increased capital gain from home market: Another reason of business expansion to Chinese market could be increased capital and better performance of Tescos business in the UK market which has enabled the company to expand its business to more profitable regions i.e. china. Pull factors: Foreign market attraction: The existence of potentials and financial gains in overseas markets are important pull factors that attract foreign companies to invest in such markets. Chinese market is expanding with enormous speed and it has been predicted that the market will worth $596bn by 2010 which gives an insight to foreign companies i.e. Tesco and its rivals, to exploit the existing potentials in Chinese market.[24] High quality production at low cost: Similarly high quality production at lower cost and the availability of cheap labour is another pull factor that attracts foreign investment. To look at China labour is very cheap and the country is capable of producing high quality products at competitive cost, there for it is very advantageous for Tesco to invest in Chinese market. China is the prime location of sourcing for Tesco products within china and for its business in the rest of the world. Tesco club card loyalty scheme: Tesco is using club card loyalty scheme as a marketing tactics in order to know customers behaviour in purchasing products from Tesco[25] and in return this scheme leads to customers commitment to do business with the organisation, to purchase their goods and services repeatedly, and recommend the services and products to others.[26] Dunnings: To make an effective strategic analysis of Tesco in Chinese market it would be better to take into consideration the Dunnings Electric theory. This theory includes location advantage, ownership advantage and internalization. Motives of International Expansion Many companies expand their business internationally, and compete within the globe market. They know their domestic market better than abroad, and they may face the customs, language, tariff regulations, transport systems and volatile foreign currencies for international operation. This means they will have to face many new challenges, if they decide to enter into a new foreign market, but why do they do so? There are several motives for international expansion (Jobber, 2001). Saturated domestic markets: There are few opportunities for the company to expand in the domestic market with sales and profit pressure. This is one of the major drivers of international expansion. Many of the European supermarket chains were fuelled by the desire to take a proven retailing formula out of their saturated domestic market into overseas market. Small domestic markets: For some industries, survival means broadening scope beyond small national markets to the international arena. Companies cannot compete against with other strong global competitors. Therefore, internationalisation is the fundamental condition for them to survival. Low-growth domestic markets: when economy is in recession at home, companies want to seek new marketing opportunities in more buoyant overseas economies. Customer drivers: Customer expectation is also one of the factors, which affect the companys decision to go international. This is increasingly common in advertising, with clients requiring their agencies to coordinate international campaigns. Competitive forces: when the several companies in the same industry go abroad, this cause others to follow in order to keep the market share and growth rates. This is particular in oligopolistic industries. The attack of the foreign competitor entering into the domestic market is also another factor affecting a companys decision to go abroad. Cost factors: High national labour costs, shortages of skilled workers, and rising energy charges can raise domestic operation costs to uneconomic levels. These factors may stimulate the company to choose foreign direct investment in low costs areas, such as Asia, Central and Eastern Europe. Foreign market expansion can also reduce costs by gaining economies of scale through an enlarged customer base. Portfolio balance: Marketing in different regions provides the opportunity of achieving a portfolio balance, and each region may have different growth rates. By marketing in a selection of countries, the problems of recession in some countries can be balanced by the opportunities in more buoyant economies in other countries. First Buy successful companies abroad, not ones that need turning around:There followed a strong expansion overseas in the 1990s, with ever more significant movement into growing markets such as Hungary and the Czech Republic, Thailand and South Korea. Here Tesco was buying into successful companies, but also ensuring neighboring markets were targeted and that its expansion strategy included eventual market domination. Hence the second lesson for internationalization success: Second It is all about market synergies and market share: Internal strategic processes. One of the chief concerns for retail strategists is market selection. Tesco decided to enter into markets where local competition was soft, hence the initial forays into Eastern Europe and South East Asia, away from the harsh gaze of other expanding giants such as Wal-Mart. Tesco also adapted to opportunistic events, and decided on different entry modes in order to develop knowledge. Hence the next lesson: Third You will never learn anything until you open some kind of store somewhere: External strategic processes. Tesco were comparatively weak internationally compared to bigger, more experienced rivals, despite their increasing dominance in the UK, but it nevertheless decided on an aggressive, organic expansion strategy in its target markets that left some analysts wondering about its long-term prospects. However after sticking with the strategy, it has been paying off, with its vulnerable period seen as a necessity for long-term growth internationally. It also had problems over planning procedures in foreign countries, particularly Ireland, but negotiated with central government for mutual benefit. Also key were Tescos dealing with shareholders, who were initially wary of risking their investment abroad, and there were reports that the City held back expansion within European in the 1990s. However as initial forays such as Catteau became successful, however gradually, soon the debate surrounded the pace of expansion. Tesco initiated a ‘‘ What is apparent from the completed study is that despite concerns from analysts and shareholders about its internalization strategy, and despite negative local press and resources issues, Tesco got it right. public relations exercise to get shareholders more on board with their internationalization strategy, although this was seen through by many, and exerted debatable influence. Internal operation functions. Many international ventures founder on the failure to commit enough human capital to a project, and this constituted Tescos next lesson. Fourth Use strength and size at home to secure the best human resources overseas In order to compete with the likes of Carrefour in their own jardin, Tesco had to make sure it had the very best people on hand to drive its expansion. Experience with financial capital and marketing were also imperative, ensuring that the correct strategies and knowledge was on hand in foreign markets. This is particularly the case in the latter category, where expansion can be seen as an invasion by the home press. While Tesco almost inevitably suffered some bad press initially, the adoption of an intensive PR campaign once business success started to develop overseas highlighted the need for an evolutionary marketing strategy. [27] Factors underlying Tescos success An analysis of the UK online grocery market highlights five factors that have been critical to Tescos success profit model focus; smart mover entry; leveraging â€Å"reach†, â€Å"richness† and â€Å"affiliation† (Evans and Wurster, 1997); strategic positioning (Mintzberg and Waters, 1985; Hamel, 1997); and brand power. [28] The first ‘Fresh Easy Neighborhood Market opened in Hemet, 75 miles east of Los Angeles on 1st November 2007. As the Financial Times commented: ‘Tesco†¦has staked its fortunes on an innovative new store that is about a quarter of the size of a traditional US supermarket, building on the success in the UK and Europe of its Tesco Express local stores. Some elements of the Hemet store will be familiar to UK shoppers. But the store also includes a â€Å"kitchen table† where a staff member heats up samples of prepared foods such as pizza and chicken curry. In a further innovation, all the check-out registers require customers to scan their own goods with staff on hand to assist (Financial Times, 4 November 2007).  · Conclusion: [1] Tesco Introduction: cited at http://www.cn.tesco.com/en/aboutus/aboutus_history.htm [2] P. Mark (2005), Retail multinational learning: a case study of Tesco, Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, UK, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management Vol. 33 No.1, 2005 pp. 23-48 Emerald Group Publishing Limited [3] Corporate Watch UK, Tesco: a Corporate Profile: Cited http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=252 [4] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [5] Tesco Introduction: Cited http://www.cn.tesco.com/en/aboutus/aboutus_enterprise.htm [6] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [7] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [8] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [9] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [10] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [11] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [12] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [13] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [14] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [15] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [16] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [17] Tesco p Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009 [18]International Journal of Retail Distribution Management Vol. 33 No. 1, 2005 pp. 23-48 Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0959-0552, p 30 [19] Corporate Watch UK, Tesco: a Corporate Profile: Cited http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=252#world [20] Wal-Mart, Tesco and Carrefour do battle in the East, VOL. 24 NO. 2 2008, pp. 5-7, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543 [21] International Journal of Retail Distribution Management Vol. 33 No. 1, 2005 pp. 23-48 Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0959-0552, p 31 [22] Wal-Mart, Tesco and Carrefour do battle in the East, VOL. 24 NO. 2 2008, pp. 5-7, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543 [23] Wal-Mart, Tesco and Carrefour do battle in the East, VOL. 24 NO. 2 2008, pp. 5-7, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543 [24] Wal-Mart, Tesco and Carrefour do battle in the East, VOL. 24 NO. 2 2008, pp. 5-7, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543 [25] Tesco American Dream, Doing it differently, Emerald insight, VOL. 24 NO. 2 2008, pp. 11-15, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543, p 13 [26]T. J. Jason. W. Karen (2006), University of Abertay, Dundee, UK, British Food Journal Vol. 108 No. 11, 2006 pp. 958-964 Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0007-070X (originally cited in (McIlroy and Barnett, 2000, p. 348). [27] The secrets of Tescos expansion success, How the UKs largest supermarket is creeping up on Carrefour and Wal-Mart: DOI 10.1108/02580540510630650 VOL. 21 NO. 11 2005, pp. 5-7, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543 [28] The UK grocery business: towards a sustainable model for virtual markets Ray Hackney Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK, and Kevin Grant and Grete Birtwistle Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management Vol. 34 No. 4/5, 2006 pp. 354-368, Emerald Group Publishing Limited