Target, Positioning, and Marketing Mix at Bmw

Target, Positioning, and Marketing Mix at BMW is one of the world’s biggest extravagance vehicle organizations and it is straightforward why. Not exclusively does this superior auto brand have a high resale esteem, yet solid brand faithfulness and a much greater net revenue than mass-delivered vehicles (Holloway, 2002). This thusly empowers the excellent creator to spend more on innovative work into the psyches of its objective market to improve, further developed vehicles with a ground-breaking brand picture. BMW is a German vehicle, cruiser and motor assembling organization, which claims and delivers the Mini brand, and is the parent organization of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW is notable for its lively, yet modern picture which has been developed since the 1970’s with many engine sports triumphs, and its BMW Group’s overall statement of purpose, â€Å"To be the best premium producer in the industry† (http://www. bmwgroup. com). Most of BMW’s achievement is ascribed to the advancement of a steady advertising arrangement, the ‘market niche’ procedure. The organization has assembled is brand on four guiding principle, which are innovation, quality, execution, and restrictiveness, though BMW has generally situated its image to be seen as the pioneer in execution (Arnold, n. d. ). Actually, the BMW gathering and all BMW models are about execution out and about and inside the plant where they are fabricated. The central center advantages for BMW clients are dependability, solidness, and style. Individuals who purchase BMW are additionally paying for the designing and quality, not for breakdowns (Arnold, n. d. . Purchasers regularly expect certain characteristics in their vehicles when they buy at BMW. Brand relationship of German extravagance brands like BMW incorporate amazing, excellent, quick, pricy, rich, tasteful, and smooth (Holloway, 2002). BMW proprietors as a rule buy since they realize they can depend on its strong foundation of top notch vehicles, and prevalent execution, yet they likewise realize they are getting a vehicle that looks lively, tasteful, and costly simultaneously. Innovation assumes a tremendous job in the contrast among BMW and its rivals. BMW has consolidated its boss quality item with that of innovation to upgrade BMW administration experience for its clients. Actually, research by Wanke, Bohner, and Jurkowitsch, (1997) recommend that BMW’s Augmented Reality has made the extension and broadens this present reality by adding virtual data to help BMW Service staff in their profoundly requesting specialized work. Utilizing enlarged reality, a BMW repairman gets extra three-dimensional data on the motor he/she is fixing. For instance, increased reality can be utilized to help in diagnosing and tackling the shortcoming in and motor (Horatiu, 2009). Aside from the genuine condition, professionals can see for all intents and purposes vivified parts, the devices to be utilized and hear guidance on every one of the working strides through earphones coordinated inside the goggles (Horatiu, 2009). Next stands the selectiveness of BMW’s expected item and the ideas’ beginning think of. BMW now makes vehicles utilizing assets that would some way or another be squandered by effectively utilizing them. For example, the Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project at BMW used to lessen its dependence on flammable gas and better uses the beforehand undiscovered methane, which is a result of disintegrating junk and can effectsly affect air quality. By transforming this methane into vitality, the plant has decreased carbon dioxide discharges proportionate to expelling 61,000 vehicles from the U. S parkways every year (Arnold, n. d. ). Today, 63 percent of the plant’s complete vitality is gotten from landfill gas (Arnold, n. d. ). Not just that, this undertaking has three center advantages, it lessens the measure of destructive ozone depleting substances discharged into the air, permits BMW to utilize a squandered vitality source by changing the methane gas created from the close by Palmetto Landfill into power to warm for the plant, and it sets aside a ton of cash for the organization overall (Arnold, n. . ). BMW is presently the principal auto organization on the planet to utilize efficient power vitality to fuel its work of art office. Besides, since its beginning, the task has been extended to use landfill gas to fuel 23 stove burners in the paint shops at BMW and gracefully roundabout warmth to these regions (Arnold, n. d. ). Moreover, advertisers have grouped BMW items as forte merchandise since they have a one of a kind trademark or brand distinguishing proof for which an adequate number of purchasers are happy to put forth an extraordinary buying attempt (Kotler and Keller, 2009). Shoppers who buy BMW’s are happy to make a huge effort and travel a remote place to get one. Truth be told, BMW is an item that remains over the rest requiring next to no if any correlation with different brands as purchasers definitely know precisely what they are searching for when looking for this specific kind of vehicle (Holloway, 2002). In this way buyers that buy BMW’s are speculation purchasers and regularly have upscale buying propensities. What's more, it is this explanation that BMW, in contrast to numerous different advertisers, has quit accentuating socioeconomics, for example, focusing on clients dependent on age and salary, and tarted focusing on dependent on mentality and way of life. BMW advertisers comprehend that their clients are worried about status, thus this is the thing that they concentrate on. When publicizing BMW advertisers have concentrated on the points of interest of the BWM and accentuation are regularly positioned on the way that BMW is persistently dealing with its vehicles execution quality through time, and examination (Boudette, 2005). It reliably endeavors to improve its items and for quite a long time has created exceptional yields and pieces of the pie for this very explanation. Preferably, BMW’s situating has been kept up over such an extensive stretch of time in light of the fact that the organization has and builds up a mind blowing upper hand. As far as value, BMW’s mid-run vehicles start around $29,400 up to the most lofty and lavish vehicles estimated around $130,000 (Boudette, 2005). Also, every new BMW is secured by a restricted guarantee for deserts in materials or workmanship for the initial four years or 50,000 miles, whichever starts things out. BMW likewise offers a rust insurance program for 2006 and more up to date models, which gives a 12-year restricted rust puncturing security without mileage impediments (http://www. bmwgroup. com). Extra adornments and administrations offered by BMW incorporate iDrive, Real Time Traffic Information, BMW Roadside Assistance, and BMW help even more reasons why purchasers pick BMW. iDrive joins BMW vehicles’ with correspondences, route and amusement capacities permitting proprietors to cause calls, to tune in to music, plot courses and discover spots to stop en route, with only one controller all simultaneously. Ongoing Traffic brings proprietors down shorter and quicker courses, keeping them from stalling out in rush hour gridlock. It recognizes car crashes and postponements progressively and persistently refreshes the administration 24 hours every day, 7 days per week, while littler markets report just during typical driving hours (http://www. bmwgroup. com). BMW Roadside Assistance is a component most BMW proprietors find encouraging supposing that they are voyaging and get a level, come up short on gas, or need a tow BMW will send somebody out promptly to help regardless of where the client is found. BMW proprietors are shrouded in each of the 50 states, in Canada and Puerto Rico, regardless of whether another person is driving the vehicle. These administrations are offered 24 hours, 365 days every year, at no extra expense, and with no mileage limitations (http://www. bmwgroup. com). BMW help, then again, fills in as a conviction that all is good, and is there for BMW customer’s security. It is an advantageous help that includes true serenity for BMW proprietors, and is appropriately prepared in 2007 and later models. BMW help is a piece of the Ultimate Service at BMW, and is incorporated at no extra expense for as long as 4 years. This administration associates proprietors to a reaction expert that can help with nearly everything, from a crisis circumstance to bearings and traffic data by only a press of a catch (http://www. bmwgroup. com). At BMW dispersion is about the utilization of reliable gauges of value, security, and procedures at all areas. They ensure overall premium items made by BMW Group just as the cautious utilization of assets being the core value behind all creation and arranging. Its living structure is the thing that empowers it to respond deftly to client requests and market necessities and conditions all through the world (Ludwig, n. ). This is the reason they have such adaptability in models, just as their capacity to assemble extra quantities of specific models in different plants, if vital. BMW gives its buyers precisely what they need fabricating models with alternatives modified to fit the individual shopper (Ludwig, n. d). Subsequently, the company’s businesses keep not many v ehicles on the parcel. Rather, BMW offers private showrooms where clients can see vehicles and spot orders with singular custom alternatives that they select (Ludwig, n. d). After the vehicle has been chosen and the client has picked their individual custom highlights, BMW guides its assembling plant to create the vehicle and convey it inside merely days. Strategically, with regards to BMW and the channel of data, it implies utilizing CRM to reinforce correspondences with its sellers and make it as simple as feasible for expected clients to get all the purchaser data they need (Ludwig, n. d). BMW bunch additionally utilizes web based business procedures as a way to investigate the market for powerful business. The gathering presented a requesting framework in 1998 which gives sellers the choice of demonstrating clients their ideal vehicle on the screen and affirming the conveyance date on the spot. Using this framework, the time span when the vehicle can be buil

Philosophy Historiography Marquis De Sade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reasoning Historiography Marquis De Sade - Essay Example Once more, their need is being proposed and required for an individual to shape a genuine feeling of self and division from others. In the case of Vlad Dracula, the horrible vampire who used to suck the blood of its casualties around evening time, every one of the three thoughts of intensity, delight and brutality are joined. Dracula is without compassion, love, caring emotions, yet is loaded up with a severe feeling of self. He exemplifies vanity and self-centeredness, unmistakably isolating himself from his casualties in his being better than them. Another model in this subject is that of the witch chases. A couple of hundreds of years prior, individuals began dreading individuals (particularly ladies) who would in general display bizarre highlights, capacities or forces. They could be healers, ladies who know an uncommon calling or one that intrigued or confused others. Whatever the case was, these ladies were reproved as others, witches, malicious ladies that craving to make mischief and insidiousness deeds others. Each and every individual who didn't fit the typical principles was in danger to be regarded all things considered, and at a specific time, things got unfathomably wild, as hundreds and thousands of individuals were pushed off and killed due to their distinctive self, for their being other, as the network characterized it. These and different rages in the sixteenth and seventeenth hundreds of years (yet additionally in different hundreds of years) outline that there was a dread of others, of outsiders, of individuals with abilities that surpass the standard. As it were, an aggregate feeling of self for the network was characterized, and any individual who didn't satisfy those gauges and conventions confronted an awful discipline, which was normally demise. Here we see the utilization of savagery and force the larger part has over the minority, the people. We can see that religion has had its part in these issues. Initially, religion frequently manages the issues of intensity, savagery and joy. For the most part, Christianity (as

Student Exchange Essay Samples - Tips to Choose

Student Exchange Essay Samples - Tips to ChooseWhile you are looking for student exchange essay samples, always keep in mind that you are not just searching for the right one. You should always bear in mind that if you are in the process of completing a student exchange program, you must be careful in selecting the one that you want to read and you must always keep the other's preferences in mind.When you search for student exchange essay samples, you will be able to see many kinds of essays. But it is not really that easy to determine which one to choose from them. So, here are some guidelines that you can follow in your search.The first thing that you should do is to look for online journals or websites. There are many journals and sites where you can find students' and teachers' comments on essays written by both the writers. All you have to do is to go to the websites or journals, and check out the comments. This is the best place where you can find the perfect exchange essay sam ples for your student.Once you have finished finding the sample that you want, you must be sure to look at all the details carefully. Check whether the essay samples are written according to the syllabus or not.Now, you must be asking why? Well, it is because if the sample is written according to the syllabus, then there is less probability of any plagiarism. This is because the writing styles are almost similar and this is how the school chooses the candidate for the exercise. If the writer does not follow the syllabus and actually uses his or her own style, then the school will not approve the writing to be used for the competition.So, when you are looking for student exchange essay samples, make sure that the sample is written according to the syllabus so that you are assured that it is written according to the syllabus. Do not settle for just the random quotes as they are not very accurate.The last thing that you must do is to make sure that you read the entire exchange paper ca refully. This is because sometimes, the writer would insert something wrong or will also make a typo that can make the entire exchange paper look very incorrect.Therefore, when you are looking for student exchange essay samples, it is important for you to ensure that you keep the school syllabus in mind. While you are doing so, you will be able to find an ideal one for your student.

Sarbanes Oxley Act Of 2002 - 1635 Words

In order to prevent the happening of such disaster, the USA congress enact a new regulation named Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 , also called â€Å"Public Company Accounting Reform and investor Protection Act† The main purpose of the act is to protect shareholders and general public from accounting errors and fraudulent practices in the enterprise, as well as improve the accuracy of corporate disclosures. (Mike Oxley 2002). Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is deemed to be one of the most virtual governance reforms and corporate disclosure in the United States history. This act made it possible to quantity the responsibilities of company’s management. Pursuing personal interests is nature calling and nobody can predict the future accurately, which†¦show more content†¦2.2 PCAOB In some particular case, the accounting standards exactly are the problems. The legislation fixed it though asking those special institution, such as the Securities and commission and the Financial Accounting Standards Board, to tighten the accounting standards. For instants, the â€Å"special purpose entities†, that is a institution created by non-profit company , used to treat some particular risk facing by the company during their operating. Nevertheless, in Enron’s case, such institution seems just like useless decorations for their fraud. As required in Sarbanes-Oxley, the capital of Financial Accounting Standard Board should come from itself or public companies. Have no benefit-based relationship with accountants. It ensure that the membership of Financial Accounting Standard Board was independent from accounting operation. The rise in accounting restatements and earnings manipulation suggested that the deeper issue was not with the accounting standards themselves , but rather with the enforcement of those standards through auditing (Bratton, 2003). The Sarbanes-Oxley created a new institution in the first section named Public Company Accounting Oversight Board(PCAOB). During those years before the create of PCAOB, there were some independent agency and private regulatory institution, such as SEC and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A common problem of those institution was that the quality of audits was cheap. For

Youth Suicide - 3237 Words

Spring 2010 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMIC CENTER OF EXCELLENCE ON YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE Fact Sheet YOUTH SUICIDE by Michiko Otsuki, Tia Kim, and Paul Peterson Introduction Youth suicide is a major public health problem in the United States today. Each year in the U.S., thousands of teenagers commit suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds, and the fifth leading cause of death for 5-14 year olds. (American Foundation of Suicide Prevention [AFSP], 2010; National Center for Health Statistics [NCHS],2006) The reduction of adolescent suicide is one of the major objectives of the Healthy People 2010 Initiative (Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Scope†¦show more content†¦The home is the most common location for firearm suicides by youth (Brent et al., 1993). 2 Maladaptive coping skills Maladaptive coping skills and poor interpersonal skills limit adolescents’ ability to problem solve, thereby increasing the likelihood that suicide will be considered the only solution (McBride Siegel, 1997). Early youth substance use also increases the risk of suicidal behaviors (Swahn, Bossarte, Ashby, Meyers, 2009; Cho et al., 2007; Swahn et al., 2008; Swahn Bossarte, 2007). Stressful life events Adolescents who attempt or complete suicide experience multiple negative life events (Reinhertz et al., 1995). The events may have occurred in childhood, such as physical and/or sexual abuse, neglect, separation and previous suicide attempts (King, O’Mara, Hayward, Cunningham, 2009). These stressors often overwhelm the coping skills of the adolescent because of his/her inexperience with such life situations (Wagner, Cole, Schwarzman, 1995). Other life events are also associated with suicide risk: interpersonal losses (e.g., breaking up with a boyfriend/girlfriend), legal or disciplinary problems (e.g., getting into trouble at schools or with a law enforcement agency), andShow MoreRelatedSuicide And Youth Suicide1234 Words   |  5 Pages Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US. The percentage of gun deaths by suicide is 64%.Youth suicide rates are going up at an alarming rate in the years. The number one method that people go to is firearms, 49.8% of suicidal people chooses this method.They found that in 2014, the most recent year for which data is available, the suicide rate for children ages 10 to 14 had caught up to their death rate for traffic accidents (source 1). In all, 425 children ages 10 to 14 killed themselvesRead MoreEssay on Youth Suicide1214 Words   |  5 PagesYouth Suicide Introduction Suicide is a tragic event. It has a profound personal effect on all associated with the person who died. Families, friends and society as a whole are affected. There is a particular poignancy when the suicide is that of a young person at the threshold of life. Australia has the fifth highest suicide rate per 100 000 persons in the world. While suicide is highest among males, suicide attempts are higher among females and youth suicideRead MoreCauses Of Youth Suicide1316 Words   |  6 PagesYouth Suicide Suicide can be described as a process which includes thoughts of death (killing one’s self), to the actual act of carrying out the suicide attempt. In the United States, suicide is the third leading cause of death among our young people (McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter, 2017). Approximately 16% of youth have thoughts of suicide, 13% will attempt to develop a plan, and 8% will actually carry out this plan every year (McWhirter et al, 2017). Every day, five young peopleRead MoreEssay on Suicide Among Youth1302 Words   |  6 PagesSuicide Among Youth A suicide attempt is a non-fatal act in which an individual deliberately causes self- injury and should be recognized as a method of communication from a youth who may be experiencing severe problems. Canadian statistics from the Suicide Information and Education Center in 1996 recorded 25 000 attempted suicides and 250 successful suicides. 1 in every 100 people who try to commit suicide will die. Based on the 1996 statistics one can assume that these numbers have increasedRead MorePreventing Youth Suicide Essay2131 Words   |  9 Pages Youth suicide is a public health concern. Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death among children ages 15-24. Recently, more young people died from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other medical conditions combined (Miller, Mazza, Eckert, 2009). 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A Woman And A Nail - 1451 Words

A Woman And A Nail Judges 3-5 For almost 20 years the Israelites had served Eglon, the wicked king of Moab. Then Ehud, a man that the Lord had raised up to save the Children of Israel, killed Eglon. Eglon is the only person in the Bible who is described as being â€Å"very fat.† Ehud, a Benjamite, was the second judge of Israel. He was a left handed man who wore a dagger on his right thigh. After Ehud killed Eglon, the Land enjoyed peace for 80 years; however, â€Å"When Ehud was dead the Children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.† Those were the days when everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Although, the Lord had delivered the nation of Israel on several occasions, they had gotten careless and sinful again; therefore, The Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin, king of the Canaanites. That is not the only time God has judged His people by selling them to the oppression of the enemy and America needs to wake up before it’s too late. Now, I remind you that this is not a fable; it’s a true life story from the Bible, which contains excellent encouraging lessons for today’s Christian. V In fact, I have about a half-dozen sermons that I preach from this story, but don’t worry; I’ll only be using one of them today. The Children of Israel were to have driven the Canaanites out of the land, and they did so to a degree, but not completely. The Israelites swept down across the land and conquered it; nonetheless, there were groups of Canaanites that wereShow MoreRelatedA Woman And A Nail1294 Words   |  6 PagesA Woman And A Nail Judges 3-5 For 18 years the Israelites had served Eglon, the wicked king of Moab. Then Ehud, a man that the Lord had raised up to save the Children of Israel, killed Eglon. Eglon is the only person in the Bible who is described as being â€Å"very fat.† Ehud was the second judge of Israel, a Benjamite and a left handed man who wore a dagger on his right thigh. 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The color red is interpreted in poetry as a figure of speech for passion, anger and strong emotions. Satyamurti is suggesting that women who paint their nails red are trying to seek attention from the world. She uses different relationships to the women: her daughter, her lover, and the society and tell how they would react to red nails. The first word in every line starts withRead MoreMall Observation Essay1112 Words   |  5 Pagesfloor near Sears, there is a nail salon that goes by the name of â€Å"Royal Spa†. There was a bench nearby so I took a seat and observed the interaction between the nail tech and a white American lady. She looked as if she was in her mid-forties and perhaps wealthy since she had a large Louis Vuitton bag next to her side. I could hear the Asian nail tech trying to converse small talk with her client. 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Theme Assignment- Night free essay sample

Night Theme Assignment Holocaust survivors provide an opportunity for studying the lasting effects of massive suffering and extremely stressful experiences. Before the Second World War, the Germans made laws, which said that Jewish people are no longer welcomed in Germany. German people began to persecute them. When the Second World War started most of the Jews were brought to concentration camps all over Europe including Eliezer and his father. Everyone who was in one of these concentration camps will never forget their experience during the war. In the novel, Night, Elle Wiesel states the theme, that the victims of the Jewish holocaust are profoundly affected by their hellish experiences. Many quotations from different major characters extracted from the novel support the theme. â€Å"One day I was able to get up, I decided to look at myself in the mirror on the opposite wall. I had not yet seen myself since the ghetto†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 115) this quotation is a final statement about the effect the Holocaust has had on Eliezer. He implies that even though he has survived the war physically, he is essentially dead; his soul was killed by the suffering he witnessed and experienced. In this quote he indicates a fundamental separation between his sense of self and his identity as a Holocaust victim. His body-image reminds him of how much he suffered throughout the holocaust and how much of himself-his faith in God, his innocence, his faith in mankind, and his family. Eliezer survives and develops a sense of identity that will endure beyond the Holocaust. In assessing the impact of the Holocaust on survivors, it needs to be said that no person could have survived Hitlers concentration camps and emerged totally unchanged. Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp that turned my life into one long night seven times sealed â€Å"(p. 34, 11-12) this is one of the first quotation which shows that Eliezer’s life change from the beginning of the camp. The quotation is taken after Eliezer is brought to the camps. In his head there are always these memories from the journey they had to make. He thinks about Mrs. Schachter who went crazy in the train because she had no water. He thinks about the smoke from the crematoria which scared him a lot. And he thinks about all his lost hope. Elizer doesn’t believe in god anymore beginning from this point. He thinks if someone like god would exist, he wouldn’t have to suffer in a concentration camp and he wouldn’t have to see all these pain. â€Å"That night, the soup tasted of corpses† (p. 65) this passage occurred after the pipel suffered, struggled between life and death, under Eliezer’s eyes, as he was obligated to watch a criminal act. Eliezers had seen worse, like the old man and the Polish boy who had done wrongs to deserve the punishments they received. The Polish boy stole during the bombing session and the old man ate soup from the cauldron. The pipel on the other hand did not really do anything wrong, but refused to talk and sacrificed his life. The death of the innocent child represents the death of Eliezer’s own innocence. Elizer was starting to lose faith in god in a world where an innocent child could be hung on the gallows and his entire emotional worldview transformed. The fact that the young boy remained alive and experienced death slowly made them cringe the most, which is why the soup tasted like corpses. Many psychological effects caused by the Holocaust forever changed the way the Jewish people view the world and themselves. â€Å"Many years later in Paris, I sat in the Metro, reading my newspaper. Across the aisle, a beautiful woman with dark hair, and dreamy eyes. I had seen those eyes before. † (p. 53, 21-23) this quotation occurs when Eliezer is working in a factory. One day, unprovoked, Idek, a German officer, savagely beats Eliezer, after which a French girl who works next to Eliezer in the warehouse offers some small kindness and comfort. She tells him to keep his anger for another day and advise him not to begin consider rebellion but to rely on faith. Eliezer sees after many years this one French girl again in Paris. He still remembers her look, especially her eyes. They talk about what happened in their past and in this one moment they shared. This quotation proves that pain goes by, but the horrible memories are still alive and can be affective in a person’s life. â€Å"Men to the left, women to the right† (p. 29) eight words spoken, indifferently, without emotion with painful life changing meanings. These ords separated Eliezer and his mother and sister forever, as well as countless other husbands and wives, mothers and sons, fathers and daughters on their arrival. The weak, old, and young people were basically worthless and had to be immediately executed by the SS officers. It emphasizes the cruel Nazi guards and the tragedies that were daily upon Jews in Auschwitz concentration camp. Millions of J ewish lives were profoundly affected by the Holocaust as a result. Being separated from your loved ones at such a young age is something that sticks with you your whole life and can make you cold as a person. Years later I witnessed a similar spectacle in Aden. Our ship’s passengers amused themselves by throwing coins to the â€Å"natives,† who dove to retrieve them† (p. 100, 18-20) in this quotation Elizer is after the Holocaust on a ship for holidays. When this ship passes natives the passengers starting to throw coins to them. Elizer sees how to young children are fighting in the water to grab these coins. Immediately his old memories are coming up when he is sitting in the train and people try to help by throwing bread into the wagons. But the people in there are starting to kill each other for bread. Deeply in Eliezer’s memories is one moment when a son kills his own father just to eat his bread. Elizer who felt this pain already once doesn’t want to happen it again, so he tells the passengers on the ship to stop it. All this proves that his experience and all the things that happened in concentration camps will never be forgotten by the prisoners â€Å"Jews, listen to me! That’s all I ask of you. No money. No pity. Just listen to me! † (p. 7) this passage occurs after Moshe returns and describes how the deportation trains were handed over to the German secret police at the Polish border. He escaped the concentration camp in order to warn Eliezer about the situation, but no one wanted to believe his story and people thought he was a lunatic. Moshe was a different person when he returned to his hometown; the joy inside of him was gone. His horror stories about deprivation, killing, and taking away everything you owned sounded so awful and unbelievable that his truth was dismissed. Moshe tried his best to warn the people from Sighet, but they ignored him and as a result everything that he was telling the citizens actually occurred again in 1944. This time he was clever enough to slip away before getting caught again. This quotation proves that Moshe’s previous hellish experience affected his chance of surviving. â€Å"I became A-7713. From then on, I had no other name. † (p. 42, 23) The Nazis started in the camp to mark people. They did it so they wouldn’t have to learn the names of the prisoners and the Nazis could handle with numbers and letters to identify them. Every prisoner became his own number. This number is a symbol for how he was seen in Auschwitz, as a slave and not as a person. This tattoo will always stay on Eliezer’s body, and it constantly reminds him of the many bad memories and feelings at the camp. So the most terrible thing which will always remind Elizer of his ominous time at Auschwitz is his tattoo. Night mostly occurs when suffering is worst, and its presence reflects Eliezer’s belief that he lives in a world without God. In Night, Eliezer exploits this allusion and develops the theme that the victims of the Jewish holocaust are deeply affected by their hellish experiences. Wiesels experiences in the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald are very well detailed in the story; his accounts of starvation and cruelty are shocking—an intense testimony to the penalties of evil. The Holocaust was perhaps the most evil single event ever performed by human beings. Today, he is a writer, professor, political activist, and a holocaust survivor. â€Å"No human race is superior, no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them† Eliezer Wiesel.

Financing Elections Essays - Campaign Finance In The United States

Financing Elections Financing elections is one of the major and disputable problems that American politics face presently. Analysts became worried that the rising costs of campaigns distort elections in the interests who have the money. Also another problem that worried people and analysts was that the politics seemed to be leaving the realm of political parties, and those who had the money to afford expensive media campaigns won the privilege of governing us. Next reformers required and applied new reforms in the campaign financing. Many more people are concerned about where the money for campaigns comes from. This type of concern led to the laws that prohibit individuals from contributing large sums of money to specific campaigns. The assumption is that these individuals contribute huge sums of money in hope of some later benefit. Let me talk a little about history of reforms. Reformers put restrictions on campaign money for more than a century. In 1907, the Tillman Act prohibited contributions from corporations and national banks to candidates for federal office. Enforcement and further legislation to restrict campaign money were weak. for decades after that, until the Watergate scandal erupted before the 1972 election. Secret and illegal contributions had been made to Nixon's re-election campaign in1972. Congress responded by amending a 1971 law that required reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures. The amendments imposed strict limits on both contributions to candidates and parties and spending by candidates in federal elections. An individual, for example, could give a maximum of $1,000 to a candidate for federal office and $20,000 to a political party. But the major change in the funding came with the case Buckley v. Valeo. Conservative New York Sen. James Buckley and liberal former Minnesota Sen. Eugene McCarthy challenged the law. They argued that the limits in the law violated their own First Amendment rights as candidates, as well as the rights of campaign contributors and political and other organizations. They filed suit against Francis Valeo, secretary of the U.S. Senate. An appeals court supported most of the law, and the challenge moved to the Supreme Court, where it was argued in November 1975. So what did the court actually decide? It ruled that the post-Watergate limit placed on the amount of money a candidate for federal office might spend was an unconstitutional violation of the candidate's freedom of speech. Another provision of the law, limiting the amount of money that individuals and organizations could contribute to a candidate, was deemed not to be unconstitutional, because it served the important interest of preventing corruption. Campaign spending by candidates, the court reasoned, was closely related to political speech, which the court has always given the highest level of First Amendment protection. Campaign money is spent on flyers, campaign advertising and generally getting the candidate's message out? are all political speech. While striking down the limits on campaign spending, the court said limits were permissible for presidential candidates who agreed to the limits in exchange for federal funding of their campaigns. Sources of campaign funds: So nowadays, generally, campaign funds come from the following sources: the candidate himself or herself, other individuals, political action committees, political parties, and public financing. In the prenomination phase of the presidential election, contributions come from three sources-individual contributions, PAC contributions and federal matching funds. PAC contributions play a minor role in presidential nominating politics than they do in congressional elections. In short, the sources of funds for the presidential primaries are basically individual contributions and public matching funds. Even as millions in contributions fuel the presidential campaigns of Al Gore and George W. Bush, both candidates say they want to reduce that excess of money next time. Even as the presidential candidates decry soft money (independent donations that support candidates without being coordinated with the candidate's campaign) it still flows ever faster into party coffers. Both Gore and Bush have attacked the use of ?soft money?. Gore says he would do away with this kind of donation altogether, while Bush would only ban soft-money contributions from labor unions and corporations. This year's elections are the most expensive campaign cycle in American history, with an estimated cost of $3 billion. (show transparencies). Critics say that because the Buckley decision left campaign spending unregulated, the demand for money in politics has increased uncontrollably, creating incentives to get around the contribution limits Nonetheless, many

Mount Wilson Observatory

Mount Wilson Observatory High in the San Gabriel mountains, north of the busy Los Angeles basin, the telescopes at the Mount Wilson Observatory have been watching the skies for more than a century. Through its venerable instruments, astronomers have made discoveries that have changed humanitys understanding of the universe. Fast Facts: Mount Wilson Observatory Mount Wilson Observatory has four telescopes, three solar towers, and four interferometer arrays. The largest telescope is the 100-inch Hooker Telescope.One of the most important discoveries made at Mount Wilson in its early years was by Edwin P. Hubble. He found that the Andromeda Nebula is actually a separate galaxy.The CHARA Array on Mount Wilson was used in 2013 to detect starspots on the star Zeta Andromedae, and in 2007, it made the first measurement of the angular diameter of a planet around another star. Today, Mount Wilson remains one of the premier observatories in the world, despite the incursions of light pollution that threaten its clear views of the sky. It is run by the Mount Wilson Institute, which took over the administration of the observatory after Carnegie Institution for Science planned to shut it down in 1984. The site has been kept open and running again since the mid-1990s. Mount Wilson and Observatory ridge aerial photo. Doc Searls, CC BY 2.0   History of Mount Wilson Observatory Mount Wilson Observatory was built on the 1,740-meter tall Mount Wilson (named for the early settler Benjamin Wilson). It was founded by George Ellery Hale, a solar astronomer devoted to studying and understanding sunspots, and was also one of the key people involved in building telescopes in the early 20th century. He brought the 60-inch Hale reflecting telescope to Mount Wilson, followed by the 100-inch Hooker telescope. He also built a 200-inch telescope at nearby Palomar Mountain, south of Los Angeles. It was Hales work that eventually inspired Griffith J. Griffith to give money for the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. The observatory at Mount Wilson was originally built with funding by the Carnegie Institution of Washington. In more recent times, it has received funding from universities. It also solicits support from the public in the form of donations for the continued operation of the facilities.   The 100-inch Hooker telescope, once the largest in the world. It is still in use today. Ken Spencer, CC BY-SA 3.0   Challenges and Telescopes Building world-class telescopes atop the mountain posed a number of challenges for the observatorys founders.  Access to the mountain was limited by the rough roads and even rougher terrain. Still, a consortium of people from Harvard, University of Southern California, and Carnegie Institutions began to work on building the observatory. Two telescopes, a 40-inch Alvan Clark instrument, and a 13-inch refractor were ordered for the new site. Harvard astronomers began using the observatory in the late 1880s. Encroaching tourists and the owners of the land made things difficult, and for a time the observatory site shut down. The planned 40-inch telescope was diverted for use at the Yerkes Observatory in Illinois.   Eventually, Hale and others decided to return to Mount Wilson to build new telescopes there. Hale wanted to do stellar spectroscopy as part of new advances in astronomy. After much back-and-forth and negotiations, Hale signed a contract to lease 40 acres at the top of Mount Wilson to build an observatory. In particular, he wanted to create a solar observatory there. It took several years, but eventually, four great telescopes, including the world’s largest solar and stellar instruments, would get built on the mountain. Using those facilities, astronomers such as Edwin Hubble made significant discoveries about stars and galaxies.   The Original Mount Wilson Telescopes The Mount Wilson telescopes were behemoths to build and transport up the mountain. Since few vehicles could make the drive, Hale had to rely on horse-drawn carriages to bring up the mirrors and equipment needed. The result of all the hard work was the building of the Snow Solar Telescope, which was the first one to be installed on the mountain. Joining it was the 60-foot solar tower, and then a 150-foot solar tower. For non-solar viewing, the observatory built the 60-inch Hale Telescope, and then finally the 100-inch Hooker Telescope. The Hooker held the record for many years as the worlds largest telescope until the 200-inch was built at Palomar.   The Hale telescope being transported up to the summit of Mount Wilson. Public domain.  Ã‚   Current Instruments Mount Wilson Observatory eventually gained several solar telescopes over the years. It has also added instruments such as the Infrared Spatial Interferometer. This array gives astronomers another way to study infrared radiation from celestial objects. In addition, there are two stellar interferometers, a 61-cm telescope, and the Caltech Infrared Telescope are also in use on the mountain. In 2004, Georgia State University built an optical interferometer called the CHARA Array (named for the Center for Angular Resolution Astronomy). Its one of the most powerful instruments of its kind.   The top of the solar tower on Mount Wilson.   Dave Foc, CC BY-SA 3.0.   Each piece of the Mount Wilson Observatory collection is equipped with state-of-the-art CCD cameras, detector arrays, and spectrometers and spectrographs. All these instruments help astronomers record the observations, create images, and dissect the light that streams from distant objects in the cosmos.  In addition, to help correct for atmospheric conditions, the 60-inch telescope has been outfitted with adaptive optics that allow it to get sharper images. Notable Observations at Mount Wilson Not long after the largest telescopes were built, astronomers began flocking to use them. In particular, astronomer Edwin P. Hubble used the Hooker to peer out at distant objects that were (at the time) called spiral nebulae.  It was at Mount Wilson that he made his famous observations of Cepheid variable stars in the Andromeda nebula, and concluded that this object was really a distant and distinct galaxy. That discovery in the Andromeda Galaxy shook the foundations of astronomy. Then, a few years later, Hubble and his assistant, Milton Humason, made further observations that proved the universe is expanding. These observations formed the basis of the modern study of cosmology: the origin and evolution of the universe. Its views of the expanding universe have informed cosmologys constant search for an understanding of such events as the Big Bang.   Edwin P. Hubble, the astronomer who used the Mount Wilson 100-inch telescope to observe distant galaxies. His work led to the discovery of the expanding universe. Public domain   Mount Wilson Observatory has also been used to look for evidence of such things as dark matter, by astronomer Fritz Zwicky, and further work on the different types of stellar populations by Walter Baade. The question of dark matter has been studied by other astronomers as well, including the late Vera Rubin. Some of astronomys most prominent names have used this facility over the years, including Margaret Harwood, Alan Sandage, and many others. Its still heavily used today and allows remote access to observers from around the world.   Dr. Vera Cooper Rubin in 1970, working on measuring galaxy rotation rates. Vera Rubin Mount Wilson in the Public Eye The administration of Mount Wilson Observatory is also dedicated to public outreach and education. To that end, the 60-inch telescope is used for educational observing. The grounds of the observatory are open to visitors, and there are weekend observing sessions and tours available as the weather permits. Hollywood has used Mount Wilson for a filming location, and the world has watched several times via Webcam as the observatory was threatened by wildfires. Sources â€Å"CHARA - Home.† Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy, www.chara.gsu.edu/.Collins, Marvin. â€Å"Benjamins Mountain.† Broadcast History, www.oldradio.com/archives/stations/LA/mtwilson1.htm.â€Å"Mount Wilson Observatory.† Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 15 Jan. 2014, www.atlasobscura.com/places/mount-wilson-observatory.â€Å"Mount Wilson Observatory.† Mount Wilson Observatory, www.mtwilson.edu/.

Palliative care- Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Palliative care- - Essay Example Cancer is an incurable condition that is growingly becoming common among the elderly people as well as a bigger segment of the population. With early diagnosis and timely intervention, the patient’s quality of life can be gratefully improved. The challenge of managing chronic pain usually makes many patients to give up the fight to carry on with life. However, there has been progress in better pain management that seeks to extend the life of patients and improve their condition, thus limiting the option for assisted euthanasia. The family is the immediate primary care giver that should be listed in the care of the patient; it forms a useful link in the provision of service in palliative care. They provide psychosocial support and necessary home-based care for the patient. Key decisions that affect the patient’s medical condition should aim to incorporate their decision. Conflict of interests over the individual and family arises when the family’s expectations exceed the individual’s, hence the need to balance societal expectations to meet individual needs. The health care team should provide the best care and support for the patient to meet varying needs of the patient. They have to stick to the guidelines of the nursing or medical care when managing patients in palliative care or at any stage of medical treatment. The necessary link is provided in the Australia guidelines for medical provision of palliative care that stipulates the standards of practice, which should be used as a yard stick for performance. The patient rights are usually guided by the code of standards for practice outlined for reference. The key obligation should always be to ease pain and prolong lives, which are aspects of good care. Laurie’s experience with a terminal illness depicts the moral lessons that the media shapes following events that pity the societal structures in explaining causation that draws parallel from the various arguments, which point to the ideal

Discuss the ethical issues related to information technology Essay

Discuss the ethical issues related to information technology - Essay Example Organizations should be carefully monitored in the way they use collected data and use private data. Censorship should not be used in a way to deprive human rights and should remain within confines of ethics. The price of reputation; protecting privacy online. (2013, Feb 23).  The Economist,  406, 64-65. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/business/21572240-market-protected-personal-information-about-take-price-reputation This article particularly ties with the learning of LO1 and LO2 in that it proposes some ways in which personal information may be protected. According to the article, many websites provide data manipulation services at the expense of the genuine and well intentioned internet users. For instance, a convicted rape criminal may have a better online personal image than a bank manager through information manipulation. It is proposed that a database depicting real-world reputation be set into place to discourage fake companies from manipulating private data. With internet providing rich or ‘big data,’ many web based companies are increasingly collecting and using private information for financial gains. Many companies collect and use personal information to target advertisement as seen in increasing junk mails. Companies are using social media information to discriminate employees. Within companies, employee emails and online activities are continually being monitored. On the other hand, intellectual property rights are violated every day. Intellectual property simply refers to the legal frameworks protecting intellectual resource such as business secrets, copyrights, trademarks, patented inventions and other intellectual resources to ensure such resources are managed and used ethically and legally. Understanding of intellectual rights marks the beginning to honoring them. For instance, whereas it may be ethical to keep a soft copy of a favorite music track, sharing it may be

Managing in a Global Economy Essay Example for Free

Managing in a Global Economy Essay Hollister Co. is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie Fitch Co. The company was launched by July, 2000. It is headquarter at New Albany, Ohio. Till 2012, Hollister already has 571 stores in the world [Appendix 1]. Like its parent company, Hollister sells casual apparel which include knit layers, tanks , graphic tees, polo shirt, plaid, classic, sweaters, hoodies, outwear, jeans, pants shorts, skirts, dresses, sweatpants, and yoga; and the accessories which include totes, belts, socks, and fragrance. The concept was originally designed to attract consumers aged 14–18, at a lower price than the parent brand through its California-style inspired image and casual wear. Goods are available in-store and through the companys online store. It was ranked as the second most preferred clothing brand of US teens on a long list of actual West Coast companies in 2008 by Piper Jaffray. (Hollister official website, 2012) According to Abercrombie Fitch’s latest 10-k form, Hollister’s net sales in 2011 and 2010 are $2,022,002,000 and $1,552,814,000, separately. There is 30% increase of net sales from 2010 to 2011. Based on the data, we can figure out that Hollister’s net sales are almost two times to its parent company. Foreign Markets Expanding Motivation The motivations for Hollister to expand in foreign markets will be defined as two categories. First of all, Abercrombie Fitch wants to get rid of its lower sales in U.S market and earn profit from outside expansion. Abercrombie began to launch its expansion plan outside the USA since 2007, driven at least in part by a weakening of its domestic market. For the quarter ended July 28, Abercrombie reported a profit was dropped by nearly 52%. According to media reports, more than 135 of its American stores have been closed since 2010 and there will be 180 closures in the following year. However, based on Abercrombie Fitch’s 10-k form, the net sales of international stores are increased steadily. The company therefore has high hopes for the European and Asian markets, where its expansion is being pushed forward. (WSJ, 2012) Hollister, as one of its subsidiaries, plays a crucial role in the expansion plan because it has good performance with higher net sales and large numbers of sh op. Another reason for Abercrombie Fitch is Asia apparel market is keep growing. Asia’s fashion and apparel market will continue to grow at a healthy clip through 2011-2015. The reason why we focus on Asia area is because as forecast last year, clothing demand in Asia is higher than the demand in Western Europe and North America in 2011 [Appendix 2]. â€Å"Many economists predict that demand will be driven by rising personal disposable income levels and an increased focus on fashion apparel, especially in the main cities.† Said by Carrie Yu. As we known, many foreign apparel brands are already present in Asia, and they will spread steadily. Here we have a figure to show the market demand growth in different Asia countries [Appendix 3]. After analysis the data and GDP per person at purchasing-power parity [Appendix 4], we choose three countries-Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong-that are good for Hollister to expand in. Three Study Countries: Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong Japan Our first choice is Japan. Here we have two reasons to support our idea. First of all, it goes without saying that Japan is one of the most potential countries in Asia. For years, Japan has been Asias richest and most powerful economy. It was the first Asian economy to industrialize, and the emerging Asian tigers—Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea. There are three advantages for Japan to become a good expansion country. Firstly, the economy of Japan is the third largest national economy in the world after the United States and the Peoples Republic of China and is the worlds second largest developed economy (Oced library, 2010). According to the International Monetary Fund, the countrys per capita GDP was at $34,739 or the 25th highest in 2011. Besides, according to Wipo resources, Japan is the worlds 3rd largest automobile manufacturing country, has the largest electronics goods industry, and is often ranked among the worlds most innovative countries leading several measures of global patent filings. Summing up all these data, we can figure out that Japan is a growing market. Strength The strength for Japan is it got the high purchasing power. According to Appendix 5, the GNI of Japan is 45180 US dollar in 2011, while GNI of US is 48450. However, it doesn’t mean that the purchasing power of Japanese is lower than America citizen. The consumer spending is enormously high in Japan. Spending is an important role of consumers. Consumer spending plays a significantly economic factor since it usually coincides with the overall consumer confidence in a nation’s economy. High consumer confidence indicators usually relate to higher levels of consumer spending in the economic market. Consumer confidence provides governments and businesses with an analysis on consumer perception. (EconomicsHelp, 2011) From CIA factbook, we can figure out that Japanese is the third country which got higher purchasing power parity toward to Asia area, besides China and India. Moreover, The Japanese are very loyal to foreign prestigious fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. The sales of these companies have been growing steadily with support from young consumers. As a subsidiary of Abercrombie Fitch, Hollister must play a leading role in fashion trends if we focus on marketing promotion. Weakness The main weakness for Japan divided by two parts. Obviously, the first weakness is the unpredicted geography phenomenon. Everybody knows that Japanese business have got a tough time by tsunami and earthquake in recently years. These two disasters are having large negative economic effects on Japan since it is a major role in global supply chain and as a producer of final products. Based on this fact, we think Japan is not a good place to set up facility in order to produce clothes. Second of all, According to Reuters (2011), Japans new government faces a dilemma over how to keep its campaign promises while reining in huge debt, a fragile economy that could slip back into recession, and strains in ties with close security ally the United States. Thusly, we think Japan will not be an appropriate country because it got unstable political risk. Opportunity No doubly that Japan is the core of fashion in Asia area. It is famous by its creativity and design toward to the whole world. As a result, as an apparel company, Japanese market has potential opportunity to be entered. According to Japanese fashion market report (2011), here we have two advantages to prove that Japan is a country full of fashion. 1. Japan is a critical fashionable country because it holds many fashion events annually. Thusly, Japanese consumers are sensitive to trend cycles in the international fashion market because there are so many brands enter into Japan market every year. 2. They are significantly influenced by Fashion Magazines. Although technology is developed these years, magazine is still playing an important role in Japanese teenagers’ life, like Mina, Rays, Vivi and etc. So if Hollister invest in Japan, focusing on magazine will be a good choice for this company when they doing marketing promotion. Threat Everything has two sides. Since Japanese fashion market is full of opportunity, it is also highly competitive. According to Imported Luxury Brands Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2011, imported luxury brands market in 2010 is estimated at 831.4 billion yen, 92.9 % of the size in previous year. This data means that there are many companies already in the market. The number of competitors in Japan is huge. According to Appendix 6, 24% market is owned by US brands. After doing research, we known that Hollister’s main competitors, Gap and American eagle outfitters, have already entered Japanese market. What’s more, even though they are owned by the same company, Abercrombie Fitch, probably another biggest competitor, entered Japanese market since 2009. [Appendix 7] In a conclusion, although Japan got higher purchasing power and fashion opportunity, it is still not an appropriate country to be entered because of the political risk and high competition. Singapore Singapore is located in southeastern Asia at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula; the city-state of Singapore consists of a main island and some 60 islets. The country has a population of 4,740,737 in which the capital and major cities occupy 3,654,103 people according to the data last year. Although the country seems not as large as many other countries, Singapore’s gross domestic product was $326.8 billion and its per capita GDP of 61,103.36 US dollars in 2011 estimates is comparable to that of leading Western European nations, and its high standard of living and strong trading links have secured its position as one of ASEAN’s leaders (Global Road Warrior, 2012). Strengths 1) Outstanding tax system.When Japan cuts its corporate tax rate this Sunday, the U.S. will have worlds highest tax rate on business income. The following chart has shown the data. (Figure Source: Isidore (2012), CNNMoney) However, Singapore’s corporate income tax rate is low which in a flat of 17% since 2010. It is often cited as the leading example of countries to reduce corporate income tax rates and introduce various tax incentives to attract and keep global investments. Since January 1, 2003, Singapore has adopted a single-tier corporate income tax system, which means there is no double-taxation for stakeholders. Tax paid by a company on its chargeable income is the final tax and all dividends paid by a company to its shareholders are exempt from further taxation (Janus, 2012). Two of Singapore’s unique advantages are its low effective personal and corporate tax rates. Personal income tax has a tier system that starts from just 0% and goes up to 20% for income above $320,000. Similarly, effective corporate tax rate for Singapore private limited companies for profits up to $300, 000 is 8.5% and capped at a flat rate of 17% for profits above $300, 000 (Janus, 2012). What’s more, there are no dividend or capital gains taxes in Singapore. 2) High purchasing power.The GDP per Capita, in Singapore, when adjusted by Purchasing Power Parity is equivalent to 278 percent of the worlds average. Consumer Spending in Singapore increased to 27,485.40 in May of 2012 from 27,467.20 in February of 2012. Historically, from 1975 until 2012, Singapore Consumer Spending averaged 12,752.67 reaching an all time high of 27,485.40 in May of 2012 and a record low of 3,553.90 in February of 1975 (Trading Economics, 2012). 3) Exchange rate Labor cost.The USDSGD spot exchange rate depreciated 0.0194 or 1.56 percent during the last 30 days. According to Janus (2012), The Singapore dollar has been consistently appreciating against major currencies. It also got about $260 billion based on average exchange rates or $252 billion based on year-end currency rates last year. Historically, from 1980 until 2012, Singapore Labor Costs averaged 96.00 reaching an all time high of 129.93 in February of 2009 and a record low of 57.37 in May of 1980. These data are all lower than Hong Kong and Japan’s (Trading Economics, 2012). 4) Political stability.Singapore is rated No.1 as the most politically stable country in Asia (Janus, 2012). 5) English is main language.Singapore has a 10-year compulsory education program commencing at the age of 7 years. English is the first language and the medium of instruction in schools (Global Road Warrior, 2012). This means almost 100 percent of People in Singapore speak and understand English well, which would bring much easier communication for Hollister to enter into the country, especially to the communication within the management level of Singaporean while doing business. 6) Quick and easy registration. It only takes about 1-2 days to incorporate a company in Singapore, with the government providing assistance along the way (Janus, 2012). As the easiest place to do business in the world, Singapore company registration is a quick and easy process, which involves just two procedures that can be completed online within 24 hours for a retail outlet. A Singapore subsidiary can be wholly owned by a foreign company and is considered a separate legal entity from the parent company. Also, a Singapore subsidiary is generally treated as a local resident company and therefore is entitled to tax benefits available to local companies (Janus, 2012). Weakness 1) If you want to set up a limited liability company (LLC), there are two conditions that are required: it must have two agents acting on its behalf in the country; and one of them must be a Singapore resident, a native Singaporean, or someone who has a Singapore employment pass. 2) Singapore is among the most expensive in the world, as the cost of living here is very high. 3) Hollister has to hire Singapore resident and qualified Singapore auditors to do the business accountings to work with government. Opportunities 1) Singapore is one of the world’s famous shopping paradises. Its central business district has a lot of upscale shopping square: from the latest fashion clothes, jewelry, watches, perfume, cosmetics to the sports goods and daily necessities etc. Singapore’s retail sector has done well in 2010 and well into this year on the back of the tourism sector’s robust performance and in spite of a slowing economy in recent months. According to the latest retail sales index released by the Singapore Department of Statistics, Singapore’s retail sales excluding automobiles increased 7.4% year-on-year in August 2011(Janus, 2012). Hollister, as the subsidiary brand under Abercrombie Fitch, has very large opportunity to get benefits from opening retail stores in the country. 2) Singapore is also ranked the No. 1 in tourism so there is the potential to do business. Threats Fashion is a highly competitive industry worldwide, but Asia stands out for its stylish and practical design. Although Hollister is also a very famous American brand under AF, it still faces strong competition from Asiatic fashion. Since Singapore emerges as global fashion apparel hub with large amounts of upscale shopping squares, the opportunity to open shops in this fashionable country could also become a big threat. Hong Kong Hong Kong is a Chinese special administrative region situated in eastern Asia, with a 455-mile coastline on the South China Sea and a 19-mile border with China. Hong Kong’s population is 95 percent Chinese, with the majority coming from neighboring Guangdong province or within Hong Kong itself. The population was about 7,122,508 in 2011. Cantonese and English are the two official languages. Hong Kong’s free-market economy was vulnerable to the global economic crisis of 2008, but its increasing integration with China helped it to quickly recover (Global Road Warrior, 2012). The GDP in Hong Kong was worth 243.67 billion US dollars in 2011, which roughly equivalent to 0.39 percent of the world economy (Trading Economics, 2012). Strengths 1) Well located.Hong Kong is located at the heart of Asia, alongside many of the region’s most exciting business market such as Guangzhou, Taipei, Manila, and Bangkok etc. And it is the gateway to Mainland China. 2) Free trade port.Easy government policies for foreign fashion brands. Hong Kong is known for its free port status and easy customs procedures. Duty is paid on very few products. 3) Tax-friendly economies.Hong Kong’s profit tax is capped at 16.5 percent according to the 2011 study, and there are no capital gains and dividends taxes (InvestHK, 2012). Weakness 1) Most of good locations have already occupied by large local fashion chains or early entering foreign fashion brands. 2) After the global financial crisis in 2008, the economies of Hong Kong still need to recover. 3) Hong Kong has the lowest GDP in 2011 compared to Singapore and Japan. Opportunities 1) There are large fashion-hungry population in the Hong Kong market, especially many people from Mainland China love to go shopping in Hong Kong. 2) Some foreign retailers are successful in the Hong Kong retail market. In addition, Abercrombie Fitch was prepared entering into the country, which would in a sense lay a good foundation to its subsidiary, Hollister. Threats 1) Competition with Many local fashion brands, such as GIORDANO, BALENO, Bossini, Esprit and so on. And what is worsening is that these local brands all offer very cheap prices. 2) Many other foreign fashion competitors: Hong Kong shopping malls are creating space for Swedish brand Monki and U.S brands Gap, Forever 21 and American eagle. Others like HM, Zara, Mango and Japanese brand Uniqlo have already established outlets in the city (Thondup and Tsang, n.d.). After reviewing the strength, weakness, opportunity, and weakness in the three countries, we chose to expand business into Singapore. We strongly recommend Hollister Co. to invest in Singapore where is a stable and strong economic, and a low risk country in political change. Singapore Marketing Singapore is an island country. The land area is 714.3 Square kilometers. The population in 2011 is 5,260,000. The population density in 2011 is 7,257 per Square kilometers. Shenton Way is the fourth largest financial center, the adjacent Keppel port is one of the worlds busiest ports. According to Singapores economic structure, the manufacturing sector accounted for 25%, the construction industry accounted for 5%, wholesale and retail trade accounted for 16%, transportation and telecommunications accounted for 11%, the financial services industry accounted for 12%, business services accounted for 12%, the hotel and catering industry accounts for 3%, the other accounts for 16%. Due to it is a small country, shopping is considered a kind of sport in Singapore. The government draw up a lot of plans on developing their shopping market. For one thing, many shopping malls almost per square mile are located in Singapore. Orchard Road, one of the famous shopping streets, is a 2.2 km long st reet and it is a retail and entertainment centre in Singapore. Orchard Road also contains a large number of high-end restaurants, coffee chain, nightclubs and hotels. There are many famous building and variety of retail store as well as there is large number of luxurious products with well-known brand. There’s practically a shopping sale of sorts all year round in Singapore, with the most notable one being the Great Singapore Sale. On the other hand, it’s a year-round shopping paradise. You only need to take a walk down Singapore’s iconic shopping districts to find out what’s in store for you. The best time to visit is during its annual eight-week Great Singapore Sale, when all kinds of discounts and deals pop up island-wide from late May through July. Great Singapore Sale 2012 will be held for 8 weeks from Friday, 25 May 2012 to Sunday, 22 July 2012. The Great Singapore Sale 2012 has been timed to coincide with the peak travel seasons to enable visitors to enjoy the fantastic deals all around. During the Great Singapore Sale 2012, you can enjoy up to 70% discount for everything on sale, anywhere in Singapore. From posh shopping centres in Marina Bay and Orchard to small stores in the suburbs, you will find fabulous deals for clothes, gadgets, beauty treatments, spa, attractions, and even food! (Great Singapore Sale, 2012) Furthermore, Singapore set large variety shopping malls to meet the different requirement of various groups. The ethnic shopping enclaves in Singapore include Little India and Chinatown – both are tourist attractions in their own right, steeped in ethnic colors and flavors. (Singapore Shopping Madness, Yong Shu Hoong) For instance, Chinatown mainly offers authentic Chinese products including tea, herbs, medicines, foodstuffs, silks, cheongsams, handicrafts, household items and antiques. Finally, Singapore duty free shopping prices at all three terminals are competitive with most places in Asia. The slippery greenback means rates are fluctuating constantly. Pick up a 50ml Dior j’adore eau de toilette for around S$96 (US$76), Chanel Alure EDP 50ml at S$112 (US$89). (Singapore Shopping Madness, Yong Shu Hoong) Human Resource Management ââ€"†Human Resources Management Practice Due to the explosive growth of the Asian economies over the past two decades, considerable attention has been focused on the human resource management (HRM) practices of Asian businesses. Cultural diversity of workforce in modern business organizations against the backdrop of globalization has attracted the attention of many researchers and analysts. By the 21st century, Singapore has developed into advanced and high-income economies, specializing in areas of competitive advantage. As one of the four little dragons in Asia, Singapore can be an interesting subject to study and it is also important for MNCs to understand Singapore’s advantages and disadvantages of its human resources management practice. Hollister Co. is an American lifestyle brand by AF Corporation. The concept was at a lower price point than the parent brand through its SoCal-inspired image and casual wear. Hollister Co. could take some advantages of Singapore’s human resources management practice to expand its business in Singapore. According to a demographic survey, as of 2011, the population of Singapore is 5.18 million people, of whom 3.25 million (63%) are citizens while the rest (37%) are permanent residents or foreign workers. The government is considering capping these workers, although it is recognized that they are crucial to the countrys economy, as foreign workers make up 80% of the construction industry and up to 50% in the service industry. (Building and Construction Authority, April 2011) Singapore is a multicultural country with a majority population of Chinese (74 percent), with substantial Malay (13 percent) and Indian minorities (9.2 percent). The country has four official languages consisting of Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. English is the main working language and is the mandatory first language in all schools in Singapore. Most Singapores Chinese derived from southern China, especially in Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan, of which 40 percent is Fujian, the followed is Chaoshan, Cantonese, Hakka, Hainan and Fuzhou. To developing human resource management practice for Hollister Co., we should understand Singapore’s basic Human Resource Management (HRM). Hollister Co. is categorized as a service business while Singapore is a country which workforces are highly related to services sectors. In addition, considering the features of Singapore’s location, demography and other fields, its human resources is consisted of Western and Asian features. We will focus on Singapore’s HRM style and features of workforces to develop the human resources management practice for Hollister. ââ€"†Human Resources Management Style Leadership and the Workforce in Singapore is a survey that evaluated by the Singapore Human Resources Institute. Data were obtained from 192 respondents who were engaged in a wide variety of Singaporean industries. A total of 68 per cent of the respondents are HRM practitioners. Many of the respondents are supervisors reporting to senior management such as CEOs and managing directors. (Chart 1) All the data shows that globalization has had its impact on Singapore in a much more pronounced way. Singapore has been reputed for very advanced HRM practices both at the national and the international levels. In addition, Singapore has been especially known for its international HRM practices in a small city state. On the other hand, Singapore didn’t focus on manufacturing; it is a city state with a greater focus on financial services and other services instead, such as banking and insurance. Moreover, Singapore has a similar diversity culture of shopping centers manned by equally culturally diverse workforce. (Malikanrs, 2010) Singaporean enhances on performance record and job experiences, appropriate training and seniority when considering promoting its employees. Singapore has no set patterns of recruitment for either the entry level or middle level positions due to affecting by the Western model. However, Hofstede (1984) found that the national culture of Singapore is high in power distance. In high power distance cultures, superiors and subordinates treat each other as unequal. Singapore is also called a â€Å"nanny state’ in which people are supposed to do exactly what they are told. The mixed unique feature of national culture therefore makes Singapore’s HRM practices more complicated. ââ€"†Hiring and Retention The unemployment rate in Singapore was last reported at 2 percent in the second quarter of 2012. Historically, from 1992 until 2012, Singapore Unemployment Rate averaged 2.4 Percent reaching an all time high of 4.8 Percent in September of 2003 and a record low of 1.3 Percent in September of 1997. The employment rate for older residents made good progress. A record 61.2% of residents aged 55 to 64 were working in 2011, up from 59.0% a year ago. The employment rate for both males (from 75.0% to 76.4%) and females (from 43.4% to 46.3%) in this age group rose to new highs in 2011. Singapore’s workforce is inherently diverse due to their multi-racial community. Employees from different generations, gender, nationalities and cultures often work together in the same organization. It is therefore important for organizations to put in place policies and practices to build an inclusive and harmonious workplace. A diverse workforce that is well-managed can bring about better business per formance and higher employee engagement. ââ€"†Training and Advancement The improvement in educational profile of older residents was another contributing factor as the better educated were more likely to participate in the labor market than those less educated. The educational profile of the labor force continued to improve, as the better educated younger residents enter the labor force and the relatively less educated older cohorts retire progressively. The share of degree holders in the labor force almost doubled from 15% in 1999 to 28% in 2010. Conversely, the lower educated labor force from 36% to 22% over the same period. (Chart 2) ââ€"†Compensation Chart 3, 4, and 5 in appendix show the average salary, turnover rate, and worked hours of Singaporeans. The average salary for Singaporean to work 46.3 hours per week is around Singapore $ 4,000(about $ 3,000). The average over-time work hour is 3.7 hours a week. (Employment Situation in Fourth Quarter 2010, 2011) ââ€"†Ideal Human Resource Management First of all, we would like to talk about language skill. As mentioned above, English is the official language in Singapore. In addition, Singaporeans have high level of education and language skills in average. Therefore, the company can hire local employee without worrying about language barrier. Furthermore, we’ll analyze workforce. Due to the mixed unique feature of national culture, Singapore’s workforce is inherently diverse. Employees from different generations, gender, nationalities and cultures often work together in the same organization. On the one hand, it is easy to train and educate new employees to understand Hollister’s organizational cultures and requirements. On the other hand, Hollister Co. also has to understand the mixed unique feature of national culture. With the aging of population, Singapore government also encourage foreigner to go there and look for a job. In the meanwhile, Singapore advocates foreign enterprise producing products which is suitable for the elderly. This is another opportunity for Hollister Co. to expand their business in Singapore. Finally, we’ll talk about hiring, training, retention, promotion and salary. The unemployment rate in Singapore is very low, the educational background of workforce is becoming higher and higher, the low labor turnover and high level of wage show the Singaporeans are likely skill oriented workforces. The average monthly wage in Singapore is around 4,000 Singapore dollars which equals $3,000. It is a little bit lower than the average income that American household makes. (How much does the average American make breaking down the us household income numbers, 2011) Because Hollister Co. does not have to pay so much money for workforce training, we suggest Hollister Co. offer a somewhat high wage than the current clothing stores in Singapore and use bonus to motivate employees. Political and Legal Environment ââ€"†Legal Environment The Republic of Singapore has a legal system largely based on the British Westminster model, where the power to govern and administer the country is divided between the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. Ranked by the World Banks report, Doing Business 2007: How to Reform as the most accommodating country to do business in the world, Singapore is a strategic and reliable base for foreign investors to invest in the emerging Asian markets. (Overview of the Legal Environment of Singapore, RSM Chio Lim) Singapore is well known as the Switzerland of Asia. With a population of approximately 5 million people, Singapore has an astounding 90% literacy rate, and over 85% of inhabitants have a secondary or higher education. The country has almost zero crime, zero corruption and no drug problem. (Singapore Incorporation Advantages) (International rankings of Singapore, Wikipedia) Political environment Pro-business environment: One of characteristics in Singapore is its pro-business environment. It means that Singapore has an environment that is favorable for foreign investments and can attract many foreign entrepreneurs. Furthermore, it is easy for investors to set up businesses and make higher profits. Compared to other countries, investors only have to take 1-2 days and they can incorporate a company in Singapore. Because of pro-business environment, Singapore has become one of favorite countries for investment (Singapore Incorporation Advantages, 2012). Financial assistance: In order to help start-up companies to gain funding, the Singapore government agencies set up several financial assistance schemes to let start-ups gain access to funding to turn their business ideas into reality. Moreover, Singapore government sets up many private sectors to help investors improve efficiency strengthen capabilities of their company (Singapore Incorporation Advantages, 2012). Great tax system: For a starting business, taxes cost is always a top priority. One of features in Singapore is its low effective personal and corporate tax rates. For the personal income tax, Singapore government is based on personal income to design a tier system that starts from 3.5% to 20%. For corporate tax, †Singapore private limited companies for profits up to SGD 300,000 is below 9% and capped at 18% for profits above SGD 300,000.ï ¼â€š(Singapore Incorporation Advantages) After 2010, corporate income tax rate will decrease from 18% to 17% in Singapore. Furthermore, there is no capital gain tax. It represents that Singapore government uses a single -tier tax policy. This policy is that when the income has been taxed at the corporate level, companies can give shareholders dividends for tax free (Singapore Incorporation Advantages). Political systems: Singapore government has an open attitude and its vision is broad to the whole world. Its political system is using a rational, pro-business way to enact laws, decide priorities and sets regulations. For example, there is almost no restriction on foreign investment including manufacturing and service activities. Any business is supported by political infrastructure and given maximum encouragement from the government. This support is an important way to let businesses grow and prosper (Singapore Incorporation Advantages). In addition, the immigration policy is open and flexible in Singapore. It assists the relocation of foreign investors to set up businesses here. If a business entrepreneur needs to run his business or and hire foreign professionals, the government can make appropriate Singapore work visa provisions to meet his needs and wants (Singapore Incorporation Advantages). Free trade agreements: Free Trade Agreements is a significant system in Singapore. It means that most products can be imported without barrier. Businesses can enjoy many benefits including tariff concessions, preferential access to certain sectors, faster entry into markets and Intellectual Property protection. Moreover, Free Trade Agreement is a way to connect Singapore to their trading partners such as United States, Europe, China, Hong Kong and, Japan (Singapore Incorporation Advantages, 2012). (Singapore Incorporation Advantages, 2012) High Quality of Life One of reasons why many investors set up their business and relocate to Singapore is the quality of life. Singapore is in a convenient location and provides a great public and private transportation, a safe and clean environment to live. It also offers an outstanding support system for businesses. Singapore is suitable for work and living. (Singapore Incorporation Advantages, 2012) Economic and Financial Environment In fact, the economic situation in Singapore is very strong and stable, because the attitude of government is open-minded and this country is anti-corrupt. The economic growth is also steady. Singapore is one of countries in the world that has the largest per capital Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is equal to the total expenditures for all final goods and services produced by a country in a period of time and measures national income and output for a countrys economy. According to the World Bank, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Singapore was worth 239.70 billion US dollars in 2011. The GDP value of Singapore is roughly equivalent to 0.39 percent of the world economy. Historically, from 1960 until 2011, Singapore GDP averaged 51.8 billion USD reaching an all time high of 239.7 billion USD in December of 2011 and a record low of 0.7 billion USD in December of 1960 (Trading Economics, 2012). (Trading Economics, 2012) The annual growth rate in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures the increase in value of the goods and services produced by an economy over the period of a year. It considers a full year of economic activity and avoids the need to make any type of seasonal adjustment. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Singapore expanded 2.00 percent in the second quarter of 2012 over the same quarter of the previous year. From 2007 until 2012, Singapore GDP annual growth rate averaged 5.1 percent reaching an all-time high of 19.8 percent in June of 2010 (Trading Economics, 2012). (Trading Economics, 2012) Singapore exchange rate is range from $1.30 to $1.50 for the last 10 years. It is kind of stable. Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) manages the exchange rate of the Singapore dollar. Investors can transfer funds in and out of Singapore freely in any currency. Furthermore, Singapore government bond has very good rating. Standard Poors (SP) in August 2011 gave it AAA and Moody’s gave it Aaa in 2008. According to China Post, Singapore banking system is rank top four in the world. When other country have problem with financial crisis, most of Singapore banks were rated B by Moody. We have to realize more about Singapore’s banking system for doing business. Banking System Cash and Check In Singapore, for foreigners or tourists, it is very convenient to bring their own currency and exchange from market to airport. Foreign currency banknotes and travelers checks can also be changed easily at most banks. In addition, ATM link to global banking networks can be found everywhere. Foreigners or tourists can pay for most things by using a credit card in Singapore. (Singapore Banking System, 2012) Singapore banks issue checks that can be processed electronically. Writing check can only use black and blue inks. If a person only wants to deposit and does not cash the check, he has to draw two parallel diagonal lines in the upper left corner. If he crosses out ‘or bearer’, to the right of the payee line – the check can only be deposited into the account of the named payee. When a person deposits check, he has to write his name, account number and telephone number on the back of the check. (Singapore Banking System, 2012) ATM-Automated Teller Machine ATM machines for local banks are everywhere in the Singapore. In fact, all of the Singapore local banks and some of the international banks such as Citibank, HSBC and Standard Chartered have issued ATM cards. It considers that foreigners and investors have to withdraw money immediately in a place. However, there are not many branches and ATMs in the international banks. Here is a limitation and daily withdraw amount from ATM cannot exceed SGD$3,000. (Singapore Banking System, 2012) Cash Flow Because using check will take time to clear the bank, companies have to take that into consideration for their cash flow. There is a well-established banking system with three major local banks that offer a full service of consumer banking in Singapore. It includes ATMs, telephone banking and internet banking. In addition, besides local banks, some international banks in Singapore are doing the same business. Recently, those international banks have been allowed to set up branches and 15 ATMs. (Singapore Banking System, 2012) Accounting Standards Singapore accounting standards are followed the International Accounting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. Financial Reporting Standards (FRS) is accounting standards in Singapore. All companies with financial period starting on or after January 1, 2003 have to comply with Financial Reporting Standards (FRS) (Introduction to Accounting Standards in Singapore, 2012). One of the main principals of Singapore accounting standards is accrual-based accounting. It is the same as United Stated General Accepted Accounting Principle (GAPP). Under accrual basis, the revenue and expenses are recognized and recorded in the period when they occur but not receive or pay cash. They are recorded in the accounting records and reported in the financial statements in a period of time. The function of preparing financial statements on the accrual basis is to inform users not only of past transactions including the payment and receipt of cash, but also of duties to pay cash and funds that have received in the future (Introduction to Accounting Standards in Singapore, 2012). Actually, there are contains about 39 different standards with each standard named as FRS X in Singapore’s accounting system. For example, FRS 1 represents Financial Statement, FRS 2 represents inventories and FRS 18 means revenues. In addition, each standard involves a specific topic like presentation of financial statements, recognition of revenue, accounting for inventories, and so on. (Introduction to Accounting Standards in Singapore, 2012) Cultural of Singapore In Hofstede’s theory, there are five dimensions of culture, which are power distance, individualism, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. The five dimensions are used to make a distinction between country and country. The society of Singapore is basically consisting of Chinese people. Around 77% of Singaporeans are Chinese. Therefore, the culture of Chinese does influence Singapore a lots. For example, the Buddhist-Shinto societies have an additional dimension which is long-term orientation (Geert Hofstede, 2011). Singapore Five Dimensions Culture Asian Countries Dimension Culture http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_singapore.shtml (Geert Hofsted Cultural Dimensions-Singapore, 2011) Power distance With Chinese population, Singaporeans are affected by Confucian thinking and values, so they adhere to a hierarchical relationship in their society. They believe that their society is composed of people who are in different standing and unequal relationship. The differences in standing are the signal for people to evaluate each other. The lower standing people should heed what a superior says. In addition, junior and less experienced people are expected to keep their opinions in their hearts. This kind of high power distance has been characterized in Asian society for at least two thousand years (Geert Hofstede, 2011). Individualism In an individualistic society, we can find the relationship of people is loose. The United States is the most individualistic society, but Singapore is ranked 53th out of 66 countries (ClearlyCulture, 2009). In Singapore or other Asian societies, children are raised to stay with the family. Children are educated to be a part of the group and stay in the group when they are infants. Children are taught to be dependent on the group, to make decisions which benefit the group, to support the group, and to maintain the honor of the group. The group can be family, school, or company. All of the decisions which are made by the elders for the children are common. After the Singaporean children become adults, they are not expected to cut off the former relationship (Geert Hofstede, 2011). Masculinity A high score on this dimension means competition can drive this society to success. Traditional Chinese culture is a typical masculinity. Singapore has almost 77 percent of populations are Chinese. Children are always taught to compete with other people in the school. Singapore is in the almost middle of the scale but a little on the feminine side. That means that there are still some softer aspects of culture like leveling with others and sympathy for loser in Singapore (Geert Hofstede, 2011). Uncertainty avoidance Comparing with other countries in the world, Singapore is a country with low degree of uncertainty avoidance. Singaporean comply with their rules because their high PDI. That is why Singapore is a â€Å"Fine† country (Geert Hofstede, 2011). Because Singaporeans are indirect and implicit in their communications, they will not publicly use the word â€Å"no†; likewise, their â€Å"yes† does not usually mean assent (Kwintessential, 2011). Unlike other Asian cultures, the western cultures also affect Singapore’s culture. Therefore, the degree of facing uncertainty avoidance is lower than other Asian countries. Long-term orientation The short-term orientation is related to truth and the long-term orientation is related to virtue. Singapore’s cultural qualities show the perseverance and sustained efforts support the long term investments. People believe that the truth depends a lot on situation and time in a society with a long-term orientation (Geert Hofstede, 2011). Doing business in Singapore, the relationship with other people is very important; especially you must respect the elders. Also, you must be more patient because the organization will show their purpose which is for long-term profit, not short-term gains (Kwintessential, 2011). Organizational Structure An organizational structure is setting the company into different levels, including person and work, so each person needs to perform and accomplish the company goals (Chapman, 2008). There are two types of organizational structures which are flat organization and hierarchical organization. A flat organization is an organization which is few or no levels between managers and employees. The advantage of a flat organization is top management contact directly with the staff level employees. Middle managements are eliminated, so it can also reduce the organization’s budget costs. In this structure, the communication between managers and employees would be improved and the organization is fast to respond to consumers and market conditions. The disadvantage of a flat organization is difficult to maintain when the organization grows bigger. A hierarchical organization is the layout of a pyramid. Every employee obeys someone else in this organization. The advantage of a hierarchical organization is the management can control closely. Also, the role and responsibility of each employee are distinguished clearly. The disadvantage of this organization is the decisions will be difficult to make because the organization is consisted of a multilayer management. It costs a lot to maintain a multilayer management and the communication would be slow from the bottom to the top (Colette). Hollister Co. is a subsidiary company of Abercrombie Fitch, so the management chart of the Hollister is the same with Abercrombie Fitch. The following table is Hollister’s organizational structure. In this table, we can consider Hollister is a hierarchical organization. An Executive VP or senior VP head all major business processes of the company. The CEO at the top, EVP/SVP on the second, EVP/SVP on the third and SVP on the fourth level are four basic layers at senior management. This hierarchical structure makes Hollister’s management make decisions quickly and let employees in each group understand their roles and responsibility clearly. On the other hand, there are still some disadvantages, which are high costs and many layers of communications, in this structure. For example, the SVP of Supply chain needs to go through two management layers in order to reach the CEO of Hollister. The hierarchical structure delays the communications between management and employees. A hierarchical structure costs a lot to maintain for Hollister. Hence, in a recession, Hollister might restructure to reduce costs and improve communication. Source: http://www.cogmap.com/chart/abercrombie-fitch-co (2010) Hollister still can use its hierarchical structure into its international markets such as Singapore. Singapore is an open country and there is no limitation in Singapore, so Hollister can use any types of organizational structure they want. If Hollister use the hierarchical structure successfully in its home country and in other international markets, Hollister should use the same structure when they expand to Singapore. Singapore is also a hierarchical structure country because its high power distance. Hollister’s International Expansion Strategies After review Hollister Co. and Singapore cultures and structures, we put forward three strategies which Hollister can use to expand its business to Singapore by exporting, licensing or wholly owned affiliates. Exporting is the first way the company can expand into a new market. By exporting, Hollister does not need to invest in Singapore and can test Singapore’s market. The disadvantages of exporting are Hollister has to suffer tariff and non-tariff barriers, high transportation costs and depend on foreign importers for product distribution. The second strategy is Hollister can give a license of its design to a Singapore Apparel Company. This way Hollister can earn profit without investing and suffering tariff and non-tariff barriers. The disadvantage of licensing its design, Hollister might be subjected to the local apparel company becomes its competitor. Hollister also cannot control the quality of products which the licensee produces, so Hollister’s brand or reputation is on risk. The third strategy is that Hollister can expand to Singapore’s market by itself. Hollister can choose a place where there will be a lot of people, including domestic residents and tourists, to visit such as CentrePoint, the most popular mall in Singapore. The advantages of expanding itself are that Hollister can have complete control and receive all of the profits. The disadvantages of expanding itself are the high costs and the greater loss if it fails. Recommendation After review three strategies, we recommend Hollister to expand itself in Singapore. Hollister has enough capital to invest into Singapore because it has a powerful backing, Abercrombie and Fitch. This way Hollister can keep their quality of products and have complete control. Hollister can test the market and the market condition by opening the first in Singapore. In order to be success, the most important things are that Hollister needs to learn Singapore’s culture and establish the relationship with the consumers and suppliers. Hollister can adapt to the Singapore’s culture and consumer taste by reviewing a quarter of sales. After its sales grow stably, Hollister should continue to open more stores in Singapore.