Electronic Information At The Bedside, And Barcode...

In recent years many innovations have been made to improve qualitative and quantitative aspects in the nursing profession. It is no secret that to accommodate the recent healthcare reform and its elevation of insured individuals, as well as the aging population, the medical industry has had to be more meticulous in improving nursing care and ultimately patient safety. Technological advancements such as the electronic health record (EHR), the electronic medical administration record (EMAR), and a handheld device used for scanning patient armbands and medications were all introduced around 2007, and have facilitated the ability of nursing staff to promote effective documentation, verification, and overall, communication. For this reason, this paper will focus on evidence that demonstrates how electronic documentation at the bedside, and barcode scanning, have improved nursing care and patient safety in various aspects of the health care setting. When it comes to documentation the mantra of phrases, â€Å"If it was not documented, it was not done† resides with many nurses. As Weiss and Tappen (2015) describe, â€Å"If a nurse did not ‘do’ something, he or she will be left open to negligence or malpractice charges.† Documentation is of utmost importance, and nurses are taught that the most valuable piece of information that can deter them from possibly losing a lawsuit is in fact, documentation. Nurses must be thoroughly knowledgeable of how the process of documentation works.Show MoreRelatedBar Code Scanning and Patient Safety Essay2555 Words   |  11 PagesBar Code Scanning and Patient Safety Phyllis Harman University of Southern Indiana Bar Code Scanning and Patient Safety The following paper explores eight published articles that address the issue of bar code scanning for medication administration and patient safety. Online research was conducted to locate and review articles which are included in review of literature, and to acquire accurate information addressing the issues discussed. The understanding of Bar Code Scanning for MedicationRead MoreA Research On Patient Safety1366 Words   |  6 PagesCenter in Pueblo, Colorado described how their facility started with barcode medication administration with a compliance rate of 98 percent or better in all inpatient areas, then added other workflows such as blood administration and specimen collection (Parker, 2015). In the current state, PatientTouch application reminds nurses if the patient hasn t received their first dose education. Blood transfusions now use barcode scanning to cross check and witness each event. Because Parkview has focusedRead MoreA Brief Note On The Electronic Health Record 1470 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology in Nursing: The Electronic Health Record An electronic health record allows providers to access health records more readily and to optimize the health outcomes of their patients. Missouri implemented a program with the goal to help Primary care providers to achieve meaningful use of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) by March of 2012 (Missouri Health Information Technology Assistance Center). Meaningful use focuses on things such as asthma, diabetes, and hypertension since they have theRead MoreHealth Care Information Systems That Offers A Revolutionary Workflow Driven Design And Addresses The Dynamic Nature Of Patient Care Essay1317 Words   |  6 PagesCerner Soarian Clinical is a health care information system that offers a revolutionary workflow-driven design and addresses the dynamic nature of patient care. It positions health care organizations to manage processes, as well as clinical data, from beginning to end across departments, disciplines, and care settings to help improve operational efficiencies and the busin ess of health care. During the two weeks of the go-live with the new system, there were a few anticipated as well as un-anticipatedRead MoreHuman Health And The Delivery Of Health Care Services ( American Medical Informatics Association Inc.869 Words   |  4 Pagesscience of how to use data, information, and knowledge to improve human health and the delivery of health care services (American Medical Informatics Association Inc., 2016). It includes the ability to locate or generate data as well as the storage and sharing of said data. Today, almost our entire society relies on technology in some form or another and the healthcare field is no different. The culture of nursing has changed dramatically over the past few decades; electronic charts and charting areRead MoreRfid ( Radio Frequency Identification ) Essay1383 Words   |  6 PagesRFID (radio frequency identification) uses radio waves to transmit information between RFID tags (chips) and RFID readers (What is RFID?, n.d.). There are two basic types of RFID tags. Active tags are larger and more expensive because they require an independent power supply to function, passive tags are cheaper, smaller and do not need a separate power supply (The Different Types of RFID Systems, n.d.). Initially, we will be implementing the use of passive RFID tags, which will help control theRead MoreMedicine and Computerized Management Systems Essay2001 Words   |  9 Pagesmanagement system increase the quality of patient care, along with the use and integration of handhel d devices? 2. Discussion of the security aspects that accompany the computerized management system; use, storage, and back up of patient information while maintaining patient confidentiality related to HIPAA (Health In formation Portability and Accountability Act). 3. The affects of the new computerized management system on healthcare costs. Another important aspect to consider when lookingRead MoreImproving Patient Care At The Nurse Manager1088 Words   |  5 Pagesbest care (Frank, 2007). According to the nurse manager, there are several methods in place to help with open communication and to disperse information across the teams. Emails are used for communication and there are also team meetings to keep everyone abreast of events. There is also the use of the â€Å"potty press† in the bathroom which displays information that the teams should be made aware of on a board in the bathroom. The â€Å"potty press† is updated frequently. Integrating evidence based practiceRead MoreA Study On Pharmacy Informatics1113 Words   |  5 Pagestechnology. Pharmacy informatics related to informatics relevant to practice of pharmacy. â€Å"Pharmacy Informatics† defined in some contexts as the pharmaceutical specialties dealing with computerized pharmacy. This topic will focuses on important role of information technology in preventing pharmaceutical errors. Medication errors occur during order or administration of medication. Medication error is any unwanted errors in the prescription, dispensing and administration of medication orders. Medication errorsRead MoreElectronic Bar Coding and No Interruption Zones to Decrease Medication Errors2088 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Electronic Bar Coding and No Interruption Zones to Decrease Medication Errors Introduction Research shows that medication error in hospitals and other health care settings leads to 373,000 preventable adverse drug events (ADEs) per year and that these events would increase to 478,000 within 20 years in the absence of additional preventive measures (Federal Register, 2004). While the use of barcode technology has had many applications in hospitals for quite some time it has only recently been

Indigenous Health - 1510 Words

INTRODUCTION Indigenous health is a vital tool in health care today. The case study is about an indigenous lady who is from a remote community. This case study will define culture shock, transcultural theory. Finally it will states the recommendations that can be acquired to improve the current indigenous health care issue as it can be noted that the indigenous health tends has been deteoriating. Culture shock Culture is all about an individual knowledge based on belief ,art,morals customs.Therefore culture shock occurs when people have different values and beliefs and are not tolerant of each others differences(Eckermann,Dowd,Chong,Nixon,Gray and Johnson,2006.).The separation of important people in†¦show more content†¦Germov ( 2009) further explained that the indigenous Australians found it hard to get employment as a result of convicts available for labour. These condition worsened their ability to be in good health. Basically the Australian economic development were based on selfish exploitation of natural resources which was mainly for civilization and maximizing of profit Germov (2009). The results of dispossession have had a great impact to indigenous Australians. These could be seen today as to why most of them are violent people. They feel the bitterness of what Europeans did to their country .Germov, (2009) explained that Europeans practiced ethnocentrism, meaning they perceived and interpreted the Aboriginal lifestyle as land wasting passive uncivilised and unoccupied .These led to forcibly relocating the Aboriginal people to settle in particular land regions the Aboriginals were subjected to violence and their land forcibly occupied. Contemporary Health issues Today Contemporary health issues are various in the indigenous community today. Most of aboriginal Australians living in rural areas hence for from the town Germov,( 2009).In Australia Health care is provided through insurance scheme for instance Medicare and also through the pharmateceutical benefits scheme(BSB) Germov,( 2009).According to Deeble,(cited in Germov 2009) furtherShow MoreRelatedHealth Of Indigenous And Non Indigenous Australians Essay2053 Words   |  9 Pagesjustice breakfast for 2016, my name is Annabel Miskell and I will be speaking with you about the impact health has had in the reconciliation process between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Indigenous peoples have occupied Australia for more than 60, 000 years, so why are they among the most disadvantaged in our health system? The right to a ‘standard of living adequate for †¦ health and wellbeing’ was established as a basic human right in Article 25.1 of the 1948 Universal DeclarationRead MoreEssay on Indigenous Health Care1568 Words   |  7 Pagesdispossession had on indigenous communities. It will define health, comparing the difference between indigenous and non- indigenous health. It will point out the benefits and criticism of the Biomedical and sociological models of health, and state why it is important in healthcare to be culturally competent with Transcultural theory. The case study of Rodney will be analyzed to distinguish which models of health were applied to Rodney’s care, and if transcultural theory was present when health care workersRead MoreEssay about Indigenous Health1500 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The status of Indigen ous health in contemporary Australia is a result of historic factors as well as contemporary socio-economic issues† (Hampton Toombs, 2013, p. 1). The poor health position of Indigenous Australians is a contemporary reflection of their historical treatment as Australia’s traditional owners. This treatment has led to Indigenous Australians experiencing social disadvantages, significantly low socio-economic status, dispossession, poverty and powerlessness as a direct resultRead MoreIndigenous Australian Mental Health929 Words   |  4 PagesMR Hon Peter Dutton MP Minister for Health Australian Government Department of Health Sirius Building, Furzer Street, Woden Town Centre Canberra ACT 2601, Australia Dear Mr Dutton: Thank you for taking time to read my letter. As a nursing student of University of Technology Sydney, I studied contemporary indigenous subject this semester. In this letter I want to illustrate 3 main social determinants of health that impact indigenous Australian health which I found and analysed during myRead More Health Issues of Indigenous Australians2337 Words   |  10 PagesAs health professionals, we must look beyond individual attributes of Indigenous Australians to gain a greater understanding and a possible explanation of why there are such high rates of ill health issues such as alcoholism, depression, abuse, shorter life expectancy and higher prevalence of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and obesity in our indigenous population. Looking at just the individual aspects and the biomedical health model, we don’t get the context of Aboriginal health. ThisRead More The Health of Indigenous Australians Essay2320 Words   |  10 PagesAs health professionals , we must look beyond individual attributes of Indigenous Australians to gain a greater understanding and a possible explanation of why there are such high rates of ill health issues such as alcoholism, depression, abuse, shorter life expectancy and higher prevalence of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and obesity in our indigenous population. Looking at just the individual aspects and the biomedical health model, we don’t get the context of Aboriginal health. ThisRead MoreHealth And Indigenous Australian Peoples Essay2350 Words   |  10 PagesSOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET Student: Anushia Bentley Student ID No.: 22413376 Unit Name: Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples Unit Code: CUL0048-2016-2 Tutor’s name: Liz Rix Assignment No.: 3 Assignment Title: Bentley Anushia 22413376 assignment 3 Essay Due date: 15th September 2016 (extension approved) Declaration: I have read and understand the Rules Relating to Awards (Rule 3 Section 18 – Academic Misconduct Including Plagiarism) as contained in the SCU Policy LibraryRead MoreThe Health Between Indigenous And Non Indigenous Australians1951 Words   |  8 PagesThe social determinants of health are described as the condition of daily living in which determines the individual’s chances of maintaining optimum health (Department of Health and Human Services 2015). In Australia, the health inequality between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is noted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to have the largest disparity in the world (Markwick et al. 2014). Statistically, the life expectancy for indigenous Australians who are born in 2010-2012 is estimatedRead MoreRacism And The Health Of Indigenous Women Essay1466 Words   |  6 PagesIslands are home to several indigenous tribes and nations. The nuclear tests devastated the inhabitants of the island, who experienced decades of birth defects and extremely high rates of liver, cervical, and lung cancer. â€Å"Between 1954 and 1958, one in three births in the Marshall Islands resulted in fetal death† (Smith 67). This is perhaps the most extreme instance of environmental racism in modern history, and the health of indigenous women was particularly abused. Indigenous women have experiencedRead MoreIndigenous Australians Had A Better Health924 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction (216 words) Indigenous Australians had a better health, in 1788 with the British arrival diseases like venereal syphilis, scarlet fever, measles, tuberculosis, Influenza, gonorrhoea and small pox, (Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, 2015) all the above diseases were introduced in to the wider communities of Indigenous Australians. Because of these many lives have been lost. Current health status of Indigenous Australians depend on many different factors â€Å"income education, incarceration

Benetton’s Innovative Strategy Free Essays

string(37) " supply chain model is given in Fig\." ABSTRACT The business environment of the modern world is very complex and effective business strategy plays an important role in the success of a business firm. The implementation of a strategy at the right time and right place to the right people is the key for success. The firm which succeeds in implementing this can overcome the hurdles of the business environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Benetton’s Innovative Strategy or any similar topic only for you Order Now This report gives the details of the main difference between the conventional and the new Benetton networks focusing on product design, supply and distribution. It also addresses the Benetton’s innovative strategy for designing and managing the global supply network. INTRODUCTION Benetton was a small company started in 1965 for making sweaters for the local retailers. The Benetton story of growth from a small company to one of the worlds largest garment producer is attributed to the establishment of an effective network for the production, distribution and retailing. The company extensively used subcontracting in the production, supply and distribution in the initial phase. As mentioned by Ramdass and Kruger the certainty of business like permanent orders and prompt payment helped them to establish a long standing relationship with the subcontractors. The strategy of outsourcing and effective networking of the subcontractors has reduced the cost of the company in terms of capital investment, labour and processing time. This helped the company to grow in a short span of time as a global leader in garment production. The effect of globalization has slowly changed the style of business of Benetton. In order to have effective control, Benetton started production poles and directly controlled market outlets. The change in the strategy helped the new Benetton to retain the competitive advantage. RELEVANT THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS Benetton is an example of an organization which has truly understood the meaning of integrated logistics across boundaries. Benetton has created a borderless world by linking raw material suppliers, 450 manufacturers and 6,000 retailers to deliver 60 million garments a year to satisfied customers in 83 countries (Dapiran, 1992). The Just-in-Time (JIT) method adopted by Benetton in dyeing helped to take care of the rapidly changing fashion in the garment industry.Benetton is doing the dyeing at the last moment of production depending on the latest requirements of the customers which increases the reaction speed and reduces the cycle time of products. They are able to get the latest requirements through the rapid transfer of information using the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system which links the market place with the manufacturing process. Benetton also showed that economies of scale is possible in the freight-forwarding function (Dapiran, 1992). It was established through a Worldwide Integrated Distribution Enterprise (WIDE) to control the international forwarding and customer clearance functions. Benetton success is mainly attributed to the strategy of ‘vertical de-integration’ in which they have centralized the processes having highest value addition and decentralized the remaining processes. COMPARISON BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL AND NEW BENETTON NETWORKS a) Product design Benetton Group is one of the worlds largest garment producer with a turnover of 2 billion Euro and 9500 employees (Benetton Group Annual Report 2011, 2011). They are mainly engaged in casual wear business, sports business and complimentary activities. The product design of Benetton is based on the ‘tinto-in-capo strategy’ in which the dyeing is postponed to last stage in order to capture the latest market trends. Benetton always tried to offer same or similar range of products in all the markets. But till the starting of globalization more than 20 percent of models in the casual wear segment were customized to satisfy the demand of each country (Camuffo, Romano and Vinelli, 2001). The models in each country were selected by individual retail agent which has resulted in developing different image for Benetton in different parts of the globe. The increase in the number of models increased the set up time which resulted in under utilization of the available facility. Globalization has changed the style of products offered in the textile industry. The cross country homogenization of consumer lifestyles is observed in the market which encourages the firms to produce global products rather than offering country specific products. This has resulted in changing the product mix of Benetton. There present plan is to offer more limited range of products in all the country. Nowadays only 8 percent of the models are only offered with differentiation suiting to the county specific demand.The reduction in the number of models helps to reduce the set up time which results in better utilization of the facility. In order to keep up with the fast changing market trends, Benetton is offering ‘Flash collections’. The company hopes that eventually flash collections can form 35 to 45 percent of the total products (Camuffo, Romano and Vinelli, 2001). Similarly Benetton has taken steps to streamline the brands. The brands specified for babies, chil dren and expectant mothers were totally eliminated and now it is branded for different age groups. Age groups are divided as children, men, women and expectant mothers. The products for men, women and expectant mothers are coming under the United Colors of Benetton brand which forms 47.6 percent of sales in 2011 as given in Fig. 1. Similarly the brand ‘United Colors of Benetton kids and Sisley Young’ is mainly aimed for children and young people which forms 30.2 percent of sales. Benetton is also doing research in finding new materials which are suitable to the modern world since it can be machine washed and does not need any ironing. This product is mainly aimed to build the Benetton image of global, young and easy to use with high quality and is marketed under the Sisley brand. b) Supply and production The conventional Benetton networks heavily outsourced labour intensive phases of production such as tailoring, finishing and ironing. The outsourced jobs were mainly done by small and medium sized firms in the north east of Italy and the major activities like weaving, cutting, dyeing, quality control and packing was done by Benetton. The conventional Benetton supply chain model is given in Fig. You read "Benetton’s Innovative Strategy" in category "Essay examples"2. In the mid 1990s Benetton has changed the strategy of outsourcing production jobs. They have set up a high tech production facility at Castrette with an area of 100000 square meters. It consists of five technical divisions for wool, cotton, tailoring, shirts and jackets, accessories and shoes. The Castrette pole is responsible for the production of garments and accessories for the casual wear and sports clothing with an overall capacity of 120 million items per year (Camuffo, Romano and Vinelli, 2001). Benetton has adopted the Castrette model in countries like Spain, Portugal, Tunisia, Croatia and Hungary. In all these counties they have set up production poles which are partially or totally owned and directly controlled by Benetton which coordinates the activities of group of SMEs in the particular area. The Castrette pole decides which item is to be produced in a particular foreign pole. The management of production is made in such a way that each foreign production pole is specialized in the production of a particular item and uses the skills existing in the particular area which helps in making a high quality product. Based on this criterion T-shirts are made in Spain and jackets are made in Eastern Europe. Fig. 3 shows the Benetton’s new supply chain model. By the beginning of year 2000 it is found that the production model in Castrette also started changing. The activities like quality control, cutting and dying which are considered to be critical are transferred to subsidiaries and the production pole is mainly concentrating on the elaboration of market sheets for the computerized fabric cutting system using CAD and CAM systems. The market sheets are sent electronically to foreign production sites for cutting prototypes and quality control of intermediate phases. The latest communication technologies have improved the coordination in the supply network which led to better timing of various activities and resulted in reducing the production lead time. c) Distribution and retailing The conventional Benetton network used to sell the products through a number of agents. The agents who sell the product will sign a contractual agreement with shop owners and they are also responsible for developing the market in their area. Benetton provided the necessary services for selling the products. The traditional strategy of Benetton to outsource the retailing to third party was successful. However in the present condition of the market this strategy is not able to sustain their position in the market. The new trend in the retail sector is to set up mega stores with an average size of 1500 to 3000 square meters (Camuffo, Romano and Vinelli, 2001). The average size of Benetton store was only 120 square meters and in order to overcome this difficulty Benetton decided to change the commercial policy and increase the size of the retail outlets. They are increasing the size of the existing retail outlets to display the whole range of Benetton products in the garment, shoe and accessories segment. Wherever expansion is not possible the retail outlet will concentrate on a particular product or segment.They have also opened up retail outlets in prime locations with an average size of 500 to 2000 square meters (Camuffo, Romano and Vinelli, 2001). The retail project started by Benetton aims at making a direct sales network. The network will consists of medium to large size shops owned and managed by the Benetton group. The direct controlled outlets will pose a big challenge to competitors since it is focusing on selling high fashion garments with continuous rotation of product display at the outlets with large display areas. Similarly the latest communication methods allow the Benetton’s directly controlled outlets to directly communicate with the headquarters. This will enable the firm to get an instantaneous picture of sales data and to design and produce items based on the market requirements. BENETTON’S INNOVATIVE STRATEGY a) Supply network re-organisation (upstream and downstream) In the garment sector the supply of raw materials plays a crucial role in deciding the lead time of production and managing supply chain in today’s world is very challenging (Christopher and Lee, 2001). So Benetton has carried out the upstream vertical integration to incorporate the textiles and thread suppliers. Benetton is having 85 percent control on the main supplier of raw materials who is providing 60 percent of woven fabric, 90 percent of cotton knit fabric and 90 percent of carded and combed wool (Camuffo, Romano and Vinelli, 2001). The upstream vertical integration helped Benetton to ensure the quality of the raw materials at the supply stage. This will help to send the purchased raw materials to production centers without any further quality check which will reduce the transportation costs and ultimately cut down the production lead time. In order to achieve total integration of the production cycle, Benetton has invested heavily in automating the logistic processes. This strategy brought down the average time for consignment to seven days and 10 million garments can be sent to all over the world in each month (Camuffo, Romano and Vinelli, 2001). b) Replication of its core capacity (supply chain design and management): After the merger of the Benetton sport systems with the Benetton group, it has to develop methods for managing two different businesses, the casual wear and sports wear/ sports equipment. Benetton has tried to exploit the synergies between the two businesses. Earlier the commercial and marketing activities of the Benetton sport systems were managed by the Benetton sport systems European subsidiaries. This helped to have a close interaction with customers and eliminated all intermediate structures such as trading companies. After the merger, Benetton has tried to optimize the distribution network by developing special areas in large sports shop to display and sell Benetton’s sports equipment brand. Similarly it is making a network of Playlife retail outlets repeating the successful model developed for the casual wear business. Benetton is also planning to develop partnership commercial relations with big specialized distribution chains which allow them to change from make to stock production approach to make to order approach. This commercial agreement known as Blade Express Formula helps to reduce warehousing and obsolescence of products. c) What and where outsourcing Benetton has a networked manufacturing system. So when an order is placed with the company, they will purchase the raw materials and send to the networked manufacturing groups. The company has made the network in such a way that each group is specialized in a particular activity which gives clarity of production, better quality and reduced realization time.The processes like cutting each piece of clothing, stitching, assembly, adding accessories and packaging is coordinated by the manufacturing network so that each has defined role and responsibility (Garcia, 2010). Based on the data of 1990, contracted network carried out 40 percent of wool knitting, 60 percent of assembly and 20 percent of packaging (Garcia, 2010. Benetton also created effective communication methods between the players in the same manufacturing network who produces similar items. So when a supplier runs into problem Benetton does not have to search for suppliers to overcome the reduction in production. The supplier who cannot execute the order will transfer the job to a capable manufacturer in the same network. This method was highly successful and helped Benetton to save 85 percent of costs compared to its competitors. The distribution network of Benetton consists of 85 agents around the world. Each agent is responsible for recruiting the retailers, displaying the fashion collections, processing retailer orders, selecting retail sites, carrying out training and giving the market feedback to Benetton. The agents were getting commission of 4 percent of sales for the job executed by them (Garcia, 2010). Benetton makes an agreement with the retail outlets such that they can sell only Benetton products, display the items according to the guideline and adhere to the price guidelines. In a nut shell the strategic outsourcing decisions of Benetton is as follows: CAD/CAM design, cutting, knitting, dyeing which is highly technical and involves high capital: do in-house. Garment assembly, finishing which involves large labour force: outsource to subcontractors. Raw material purchasing: do in-house. Mass distribution where fast cycle times needed to meet customer expectations with minimal inventories: do in-house. International transportation: outsource to international carriers. Freight forwarding: scale economies and service improvements possible with increasing volumes: change from outsourcing to in-house through joint venture. Global communications network: scale economies not possible with Benetton volumes: outsource to GE Information Systems. Retail stores: involves high capital, labour oriented and requires high customer service levels: outsource to licensees. CONCLUSION Benetton is well known for the bold strategies it has applied in its business model. It started with the networking of production through sub contracting, then entering the foreign markets though franchisees and then starting of production pole in Italy and other parts of the world. The present strategy of Benetton is to make use of modern means of communication and information technology in the field of business especially in marketing and production (Ahmed et al., 2011). In this regard Benetton has started a company United web whose primary job is to manage the e-commerce venture. The primary aim of United web is not to increase the sales but to reinforce the contact with the customers and to make the Benetton products and styles known to a large number of customers. It is seen that Benetton has changed means of business communication with the effective use of internet. Presently they have started e-procurement and online services for the distribution network. The making of ‘new’ Benetton is through the combination of using latest communication methods with the old Benetton strategy of effective networking. REFERENCE LIST Ahmed, I.et al., 2011. Information Technology – Its impact on Global Management. World Applied Sciences Journal 12 (7): pp.1100-1106. Benetton Group, 2011. Benetton Group Annual Report 2011. [pdf] Treviso: Benetton Group. Available at: [Accessed 10 August 2012]. (Camuffo,A., Romano,P., and Vinelli,A., 2001. Benetton Group: The evolution of a network to face global competition. Christopher, M. and Lee, H., 2001. Supply Chain Confidence: The key to effective supply chains through improved visibility and reliability. [pdf] GTM: Vestera. Dapiran, P., 1992. Benetton – Global logistics in action. International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management (1992).Vol.22, Iss. 6; pg. 7, 5 pgs EMCC, 2008. EU textiles and clothing sector: Location decisions. [pdf] Dublin: EMCC. Available at: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2008/48/en/1/ef0848en.pdf [Accessed 10 August 2012]. Garcia, J.M., 2010. Benetton and Zara information systems:a comparative analysis. [pdf] Harvard: Organizacion de Empresas. Available at: http://upcommons.upc.edu/pfc/bitstream/2099.1/9456/1/67045.pdf [Accessed 10 August 2012]. Hsia, S. and Chou, J., 2004. A creativity-based design process for innovative product design. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 34 (2004) 421–443. Kritchanchai, D. and Wasusri, T., 2007. Implementing Supply Chain Management in Thailand Textile Industry. International Journal of Information Systems for Logistics and Management 2(2): pp.107-116. Lambrecht, M and Vandaele, N., 1994. Queueing Theory and Operations Management. Tijdschrift voor Economie en Management (1994), Vol. 39, 4, 415-424. Ramdass, K. and Kruger, D., 2011. An Analysis into the impact of globalization on the clothing industry in conjunction with the clothing industry in South Africa. [pdf] PICMET2011. Available at: http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/5666/ramdass.pdf [Accessed 10 August 2012]. BIBLIOGRAPHY Mattsson, L.G., 2009. Collaborative planning in heterarchic supply networks[pdf]. Zurich:Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Available at: http://e-collection.library.ethz.ch/eserv/eth:30051/eth-30051-01.pdf [Accessed 10 August 2012]. Stark, K.F., Frederick, S. andGereffi, G., 2011. The Apparel Global Value Chain: Economic Upgrading and Workforce Development [pdf]. Duke University: CGGC. Available at: [Accessed 10 August 2012]. How to cite Benetton’s Innovative Strategy, Essay examples

Genesis of Business Model Canvas

Question: Write an essay on Genesis of business model canvas. Answer: Genesis of business model canvas The need for a canvas like framework arose when teaching students with no business knowledge. The need then arose that there should be a framework which gives detail on pre-business planning and ways of concept development. After many iterations, business model canvas came into being after the efforts of Osterwalder. He felt that when Company needs to optimize its activities, having a particular business model is important. It provides a systematic path to launch a new venture. It is necessary to examine all alternatives and their implication thoroughly before pursuing any path. To avoid making guesses and uncertainty in the work process, the business model canvas is the key to implementing strategic business plans. Therefore business model canvas was proposed to compare and contrast plans and determine which the best plan to carry forward is. It allows both a novice entrepreneur and an experienced investor to grab business opportunity within a short period (Sarma Sun, 2016, January ). Unique features of the approach of the Business Model Canvas Osterwalders business model concept features nine building blocks such as value proposition, key resources, key activities, partner network, channels, customer segment and relationship, cost structure and revenue streams. The model describes the proposed channels of distribution of products and services, their value proposition in terms of services offered and their unique advantage. It reveals the key activities for executing value proposition and the network of partners in the particular organization. The canvas gives detail on the target market, type of relationship they want to maintain with customers and the overall cost and expense structure. It also specifies the way a firm will determine its pricing and profit. It is an appropriate framework for developing, documenting and evaluating business plans (Gronum et al., 2015). Comparison with another business model Apart from Osterwalders business canvas, there are other business model frameworks such as Zachman, Porters Value Chain, Microsofts motion and IBMs component business model (Leschke, 2013). The nine building blocks of Osterwalder has been mentioned above. The value chain is dependent on activities like planning, governance, and execution. Though different in approaches, all framework leads to the same goal. The difference lies in the area covered for the functioning of the framework. Some may apply for the whole enterprise while some may just be beneficial for execution part. Other important features in business model map components include entrepreneurial fit, product alternative, and industrial environment (Michelini Fiorentino, 2012). Benefits or limitations of using Osterwalders business model Considering the case of oil industry, the BMC helps to visualise the whole picture of the business and helps to spot the strength and weakness. It offers an opportunity to plan, verify, and iterate. It helps to test the hypothesis and validate with the customers. It gives factors related to products and under ones control. All the business elements revolve around BMC. However, it ignores the strategic purpose of the oil industry and excludes the concept of competition. It is difficult to get the practical experience of manufacturing process. All its nine elements cannot be defined that as some parts are more highlighted than others and priorities cannot be set. The model fails to give the environmental impact of oil industry (Weiller Neely, 2013). Reference Gronum, S., Steen, J., Verreynne, M. L. (2015). Business model design and innovation: Unlocking the performance benefits of innovation.Australian Journal of Management, 0312896215587315. Leschke, J. (2013). Business model mapping: A new tool to encourage entrepreneurial activity and accelerate new venture creation.Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness,7(1), 18-26. Michelini, L., Fiorentino, D. (2012). New business models for creating shared value.Social Responsibility Journal,8(4), 561-577. Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Bernarda, G., Smith, A. (2014).Value proposition design: how to create products and services customers want. John Wiley Sons. Sarma, S., Sun, S. L. (2016, January). THE GENESIS OF FABLESS BUSINESS MODEL: INSTITUTIONAL ENTREPRENEURS IN AN ADAPTIVE ECOSYSTEM. InUnited States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Conference Proceedings(p. R1). United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Weiller, C., Neely, A. (2013). Business model design in an ecosystem context.University of Cambridge, Cambridge Service Alliance.

Marketing mix free essay sample

The marketing mix for a product is a major factor in influencing whether a business can sell it profitably. The marketing mix is made up of seven interrelated decisions ? the 7Ps. The four key ones are product, price, promotion (including advertising and packaging) and place (where and how a product will be sold to consumers). The other 3Ps largely relate to marketing services – people, process and physical evidence. Consumers require the right product. This might be an existing product, an adaptation of an existing product or a newly developed one. The right price is important too. If set too low, then consumers may lose confidence in the product’s quality; if too high, then many will be unable to afford it. Promotion must be effective – telling consumers about the product’s availability and convincing them that ‘your brand’ is the one to choose. Packaging is often used to reinforce this image. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing mix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Place refers to how the product is distributed to the consumer. If it is not available at the right time in the right place, then even the best product in the world will not be bought in the quantities expected. Selling services successfully requires people who can interact positively with customers and create the correct impression to encourage them to return. This is particularly relevant in the hotel and restaurant industry. The processes that a business has in place to satisfy customers’ wants reliably and consistently form an important part of marketing services. For example, banks replacing an out-of-date debit card without the customer having to ask for one. Physical evidence means allowing customers to see for themselves the quality of the service being provided. This will reduce the element of risk in buying a service as opposed to a tangible product. For example, a clean and well-presented reception area in a hotel would raise appropriate expectations in the mind of the customer. Not all of the 7Ps have the same degree of significance in every case. It is vital that these elements fit together into a coherent and integrated plan. An appropriate marketing mix will ensure that these marketing decisions are interrelated. They must be carefully coordinated to make sure that customers are not confused by conflicting messages being given about the good or service being sold. These are all examples of poorly integrated marketing decisions. The marketing strategies – shown in bold – lack integration with the rest of the marketing mix and are therefore inappropriate. If the messages consumers receive about a product are confused or lacking in focus, they may fail to recognize the true identity or ‘personality’ of the product. Consumers are likely to reject products where the marketing mix has not communicated a clear and unambiguous message, resulting in fewer long term sales. Marketing Mix free essay sample As the most popular electronics company among consumers in the world, Samsung owns a good reputation. Moreover, Samsung occupies more than 20% of total export in South Korea (Samsungish, 2010). Currently, the innovation and high quality of Samsung’s products are recognized by the whole world (SAMSUNG, 2010a). 1. 2 Theory 1. 2. 1 Market Segmentation Market segmentation means that businesses divide their markets into a few sections with similar features, so that they can target different groups of consumers and produce merchandise or service for them. Market segmentation is classified into four methods which are geography, demography, psychology and behaviors (Hall et al, 2008). Marketing mix Marketing mix is defined as â€Å"those elements of a firm’s marketing strategy which are designed to meet the needs of its customers†. There are four factors which are called 4Ps, and they are product, price, promotion, and place (Hall et al, 2008:75). Aims The objective of this report is to analyze the differences of the market segmentation and marketing mix of LG and SAMSUNG. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Mix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Findings LG LG, a well-known brand around the world, is to sell TVs to rural areas in China (Articlesbase, 2010). Home appliances such as TVs, washing machines, and refrigerators are LG electronics’ major products (LG Electronics, 2010). In addition, LG is adept in using advertisements to attract shoppers (Pakistan amp; Gulf Economist, 2005). SAMSUNG Similarly, Samsung sells its products in the world. It not only sells to cities but also rural areas. In order to privilege consumers, Samsung holds promotional events to attract shoppers. However, Samsung has some products which LG does not produce, such as PC peripherals, print solutions, and memory cards (SAMSUNG, 2010b). Discussion Market segmentation LG An obvious way of segmenting market is geography. LG Electronics sells its merchandise spread all over the world, especially well-known countries, for example, LG digital television in China. Yucheng Zheng (2010), the CEO of LG Electronics (China) Co. , Ltd. , reported that LG launched a project to promote digital television in rural area in China. LG targets at the rural market and provides digital TVs and home applicants for rural consumers. The emphasis of rural segment is â€Å"price competitiveness†. LG is going to reduce the price of its products so that it can develop well (Articlesbase, 2010). SAMSUNG Samsung focuses on rural area as well, for example, the Samsung color TV in rural area and urban area of China. This segment involves â€Å"mass market, low- and medium-end units to rural customers or high-end products to urban customers† (EssayForStudent, n. d). To deal with an extensive product line, a mass market capacitates Samsung to satisfy consumer needs. Because Samsung enters China market late, it faces challenges to be succeeded in mass market. Furthermore, the rural market, which is approximately 80% of the whole market, is aimed by Samsung via the â€Å"low-end units†. However, because of the previous businesses of â€Å"low-cost, low-end color TVs†, Samsung had to exploit a new â€Å"high-end TVs† in urban market. With the remarkable improvement of peoples living standard, the quantity of high-end TVs in urban market in China is increasing though the segment is not big (EssayForStudent, n. d). Marketing Mix LG Product LG pays attention to upper and upper middle classes and provides products for those consumers. High quality and good service of LG products are so progressive that products are output to developed countries (Pakistan amp; Gulf Economist, 2005). LG Electronics (2010) in China shows that the products include TV audio video, mobile phones, home appliances, IT products, and air conditioning (LG Electronics, 2010). Price The pricing strategy of LG is â€Å"cost plus fixed mark up†. Following the pricing policy, LG’s formula is â€Å"import cost + reasonable gross profit†. The formula is used to cover the market cost and make profits in any market including China (Pakistan amp; Gulf Economist, 2005). An LG’s cell phone called Lollipop cost RMB 2,000 in 2009, when it first appeared in China. Promotion One effective way of promotion is advertisement. As a famous brand, LG advertises its products to get promoted (Pakistan amp; Gulf Economist, 2005). LG is accustomed to inviting famous stars to advertise its merchandise. For instance, Kim Tae-Hee, a famous actress, advertised for LG mobile phone and camera. Her advertisements attract young shoppers in China to buy relative merchandise. Place LG’s merchandise is sold throughout the world, especially developed regions. There are numbers of LG retailers in big cities including Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. In addition, LG sells its products in home appliance interlink retail enterprises such as Suning and Gome in China. SAMSUNG Product As same as LG, Samsung also provides mobile devices, TV audio video and home appliances for Chinese shoppers. However, there are some products that LG lacks, such as camera camcorder, PC peripherals, print solutions, and memory cards (SAMSUNG, 2010b). Moreover, â€Å"focusing on the future of wireless communications, Samsung launched futuristic products such as the mobile hone watch, the PDA-phone, the digital camera cum mobile phone, the MP3 mobile phone and its latest model of 3G mobile phone† (123HelpMe, 2010). Price The price of Samsung products is similar with LG. For example, Samsung F480 Mobile Phone, which has â€Å"223 MB Memory, 5 Mega-Pixel Camera with 4 X Digital Zoom†, cost RMB 993-RMB 2,325. Another example, â€Å"Samsung UA40C7000 40 3 D LED TV, which is 40 Screen, Full HD, High Definition, Widescreen, HDMI, Internet, and 1920 x 1080 pixels†, cost RMB 9,320- RMB 15,656 (MyShopping, n. d. ). Promotion Samsung constantly holds sales promotional events. For example, recently, there is an event called â€Å"Samsung Smart TV Promotion† in HongKong. Customers can get a â€Å"FREE Samsung 1TB external Hard Drive and 3D Starter Gift Pack upon purchasing eligible model of 3D LEDTV and 3D LCD TV† from 16th October to 30th November (SAMSUNG, 2010c). The promotion is able to help Samsung expand its sales. Place Samsung sells its products by retailers and home appliance interlinks retail enterprises Suning and Gome as well as LG. Nevertheless, Samsung not only sells products in cities, but also in countryside. Samsung in China took part in a policy named â€Å"home appliances to rural areas† in 2009. This policy was to add profits to the masses that lived in rural areas. Samsung was one of the companies that help rural people improve their living standard. Conclusion In short, the report involves the background of the two competitive companies, theory of market segmentation and marketing mix and comparison between the two companies. Via discussing market segmentation and marketing mix of LG and Samsung, the superiorities of the two companies are obvious to be found. The general strength of Samsung is better than LG, so LG has to be enhanced. Recommendation According to the analyses above, LG is recommended to improve its promotional events so that there will be more consumers to purchase its merchandise. Furthermore, LG is supposed to expand the range of its products to different fields. However, Samsung should classify its segmentation more clearly. As a result, if the two companies reduce the price, the demand of their electronic products will increase. Read more: http://www. ukessays. com/essays/marketing/marketing-mix-of-lg-and-samsung-marketing-essay. php#ixzz2OTcQ9YYp Marketing Mix free essay sample The purpose of this paper is to describe the elements of the marketing mix which is product, place, price and promotion. In addition, selecting the organization whom I work for which is DirecTv and describe how each one of the four elements of the marketing mix impacts the development of DirecTv’s marketing strategy and tactics. This paper will also be describing how each element is implemented. The concept or term of â€Å"marketing mix† became popular after Neil H. Borden published his article in 1964, The Concept of the Market Mix. He later began teaching this term in the late 1940’s. The ingredients in Borden’s marketing mix included product planning, pricing, branding, distribution channels, personal selling, advertising, promotions, packaging, display, servicing, physical handling, and fact finding and analysis. Not long after E. Jerome McCarthy grouped these ingredients into four categories that today are known as the four P’s of Marketing. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Mix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These marketing decisions generally fall into the following four categories. The first P is product and this term refers to tangible, physical product as well as services. Some examples of the product decisions to be made are brand name, functionality, styling, quality, packaging, and so forth. The second P is Price which includes pricing strategy, suggested retail price, volume discounts wholesale pricing, cash and early payment discounts, seasonal pricing, and so forth. The third P is Place or distribution which is about getting the products to the customer. Some examples include distribution channels, market coverage, specific channel members, inventory management, warehousing, distribution centers, order processing, and so forth. The fourth P is Promotion which represents the various aspects of marketing communication, that is, the communication of information about the product with the goal of generating a positive customer response. Some examples are promotional strategy, advertising, sales promotions, public relations publicity, marketing communication budget and so forth (NetMBA, 2008). TiVo is a brand of digital video recorder that offers numerous functions far advanced than the regular VCR or DVD player. The TiVo recorder has the ability to pause and replay live TV as well as an array of flexible ecording services that is personalized for the consumers. The adoption of TiVo when it was first released was facilitated by the belief that consumers who owned a TiVo black box and subscribed to the TiVo service can take control of what programs to watch and when to watch them. The device attracted consumers who were tired of missing their favorite shows because they were too busy to watch them. TiVo also ena bled people to fast-forward over irreverent advertising. TV watchers can â€Å"pause† a live show to conveniently handle interruptions too. As shown above, the services that TiVo provides allow the consumer to be in control and makes TV viewing â€Å"a lot more enjoyable. † (Global Advertising Strategies, 2008) Television satellite provider DirecTV and TiVo have extended their current non-exclusive partnership to include the development of a new, high definition DirecTV digital video recorder (DVR). The two companies also extended their mutual intellectual property agreements. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal is expected to bring TiVos broadband and search capabilities to a wider audience. DirectTV currently has more than 17 million subscribers, while, as of July, TiVo had 3. 8 million. In 2005, DirecTV said it would stop marketing TiVo and instead offer a DVR made by NDS, a division of News Corp. With the launch of High Definition, HD receivers along with the DVR features DirecTv are booming with orders for high definition. The packaging of these receivers for DirecTv started in black and the products were made from different companies like RCA, Phillips, Sony, Hughes and so forth. Since the taking of name of DirecTv, the product has since changed now the LEDs illuminate in blue a flashy pizzazz to the product. The casing went from a flat black to silver and back to a glossy black which gives it a bling-bling look you can’t resist. Striving for continuing growth in the US, DIRECTV has been targeting various ethnic communities in the US by expanding its programming lineup over the years. After the success of the initial offering of several Spanish-language channels, the company developed and implemented its WorldDirectc program to provide high-quality, in-language programming to various ethnicities in the United States. By the end of 2005, the company was able to offer its viewers Spanish, South Asian, Marketing Mix free essay sample Coffee is not just selling products, but it is a label. It is a label and a brand that consumers believe in. Starbucks decided to be personal with their customers. Understanding the consumers thoughts became a main goal for the marketing team. The marketing team understands that people want to belong and people want to feel they are being or doing something better than the quote on quote â€Å"others†. To relay these feelings to the customers Starbuck’s Coffee base the appeal on the environment that it provides for the customer. Starbuck’s Coffee expects customers to arrive at a given store, relax at a table, talk, read, listen to music, study and drink coffee. Starbucks also prides it’s self on diversity. Jim Donald, President and CEO of the Starbucks Corporation states, â€Å"When we embrace diversity, we succeed† (www. starbucks. com). Creating The Environment To create this type of environment Starbuck’s Coffee marketing team has placed conversation topics on the sides of each cup to spice up any meeting that one may have. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Mix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Starbuck’s Coffee also allows all customers to have access to the internet which always can prolong a stay. Starbuck’s Coffee guarantee’s the average customer that is visiting a store; quick service with the surety to leave with the strong smell of a coffee house. They are so committed to having their stores feel and smell like a coffee house that they even prohibit their employees from wearing perfume and cologne because it takes away the aroma of the coffee. In addition, Starbuck’s Coffee makes sure that they are environmentally friendly so that it also adds to their image that they are promoting. Kembell, 2002). PLACE Typically their stores are in high traffic locations where people will just encounter the store without having to search. Starbucks is placed in high-visibility locations. These locations are geared with the average building size of 1,500 square feet. This includes office building, shopping malls, grocery stores, and retail centers. These are the type of area’s people love to be in and Starbucks location is an added topping for both retailers and customer’s alike. Starbucks has built relationships and formed agreements with several companies who they see have additional avenues to meeting customers. These companies include but are not limited to Kraft Foods Inc, PepsiCo Inc, and Dreyers Grand Ice Cream. These agreements were made to reach more Starbuck’s Coffee consumers where ever they are. Distribution Starbucks does not limit the company to a physical location. Starbucks distributes there products via mail orders and online web-sites. Both of these avenues are used for the convenience of its customers. Again independent of the customers, anywhere any place when needed Starbucks is ready and available. Promotion Starbuck uses non-traditional forms of advertising. They use local print ads and imagery in movies to advertise. It is all about the label. It is the women on the cup says more than words. You see the label, and you sense the coffee. Price The products/label of Starbucks Coffee has been marketed so well that price is not a matter. People who come to Starbuck’s Coffee are buying the experience. The experience in many ways is priceless. The effects The marketing strategy for products that the marketing team used was branding the full experience. With the use of custom coffee beans, CD’s, coffee cups, signature chocolate, and an out of this world eco-friendly lay out; Starbucks has maintained a brand consumers believe in. The marketing strategy for place that the marketing team used was connecting with other companies to partner up and build relationships and formed agreements with several companies who they see have additional avenues to meeting customers.

7 Dos for Dangling Modifiers

7 Dos for Dangling Modifiers 7 Dos for Dangling Modifiers 7 Dos for Dangling Modifiers By Mark Nichol In each of the sentences below, the noun phrase immediately following the introductory phrase is not the referent for that phrase; you have to keep working through the sentence and locate another noun, or, sometimes, surgically separate a â€Å"(noun)’s (noun)† phrase to isolate the correct one. 1. â€Å"If asked what will reverse the trend, my first response would be cynical but probably accurate.† In this sentence, â€Å"my first response† is being asked a question. The person, not their response, is the target of the query. In this case, introduce a subject into the introductory phrase: â€Å"If I were asked what will reverse the trend, my first response would be cynical but probably accurate.† 2. â€Å"Seen mainly as the brainchild of frontman Jack White, the band’s breakthrough came at the start of the new millennium.† The band’s breakthrough, rather than the band itself, is identified as the brainchild. Here, introduce the subject, follow with the introductory phrase as a parenthesis, and conclude by referring to the details of the breakthrough: â€Å"The breakthrough for the band, seen mainly as the brainchild of frontman Jack White, came at the start of the new millennium.† 3. â€Å"For a representative of a country that is one of the United States’s most important allies in Asia, her language is notably candid.† This sentence suffers from an almost identical problem, except that, instead of a noun with a possessive, it features a possessive pronoun: The solution, however, is different: Convert the possessive pronoun to an ordinary one and attach a pertinent verb: â€Å"For a representative of a country that is one of the United States’s most important allies in Asia, she used language that is notably candid.† 4. As a longtime holiday city, hotel options range widely in Luna Azul. This sentence identifies â€Å"hotel options,† not â€Å"Luna Azul,† the longtime holiday city. To correct this error, reverse the order of these phrases and revise the intervening wording: â€Å"As a longtime holiday city, Luna Azul features a wide range of hotel options.† 5. â€Å"Created in 1972 by the United Nations to stimulate awareness of the environment, San Francisco will be the first North American city to host World Environment Day.† According to this sentence, San Francisco was created by the United Nations in 1972: Depending on the emphasis, start with the city’s name as the subject or recast the sentence to emphasize the observance: â€Å"San Francisco will be the first North American city to host†; â€Å"World Environment Day, created in 1972 by the United Nations to stimulate awareness of the environment, will be celebrated in San Francisco, the first North American city to host the festivities.† 6. â€Å"Clearly organized, each tree receives its own entry in the book that includes its cultivation requirements, uses in its native land, historical anecdotes, and more.† Here, the writer credits each tree with being clearly organized, but the book is the subject, so make it the subject: â€Å"The book is clearly organized, and each tree receives its own entry, which includes its cultivation requirements, uses in its native land, historical anecdotes, and more.† 7. â€Å"Based on a play, you can see its theatrical, neatly formed vignettes unfolding right in front of you.† Art imitates life, and vice versa, but to my knowledge, I’m not based on a play: But it in this case, a movie is: â€Å"It’s based on a play, and you can see its theatrical, neatly formed vignettes unfolding right in front of you.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating Conjunctions"Owing to" vs "Due to"5 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers

Write a(4pages) research proposal of Medical Data Security Paper

Write a(4pages) proposal of Medical Data Security - Research Paper Example The need for implementation of medical data security has been brought about by the need to safeguard the sensitive medical data records. As the need to shift to use of electronic patient records arise as opposed to the paper-based record, issues concerning the security of the patient records have emerged. With the rising use of electronic record systems i.e. EMR (Electronic Medical records) to manage medical data, this has brought about the need to on why medical data should be as secure as possible. This note illustrates on the various medical data vulnerability issues which are of key concerns with respect to most EMR systems which finally compromise the security of the medical data. The aim of this research paper is to outline the security threats that harbor /limit the effectiveness efficiency of the security records. The study will narrow down the EMR (Electronic Medical Records system) which has been a great system for managing patient’s data record. From the proposed research study, a viable and empirical solution to counter the security threat posed by the EMR systems which will go to a large extent in ensuring that patients records remain secure and confidential According to a survey conducted in 2003 by the Consumers’ Association and Health n behalf of the NHS Information security showed that there were great concerns with regard to medical data security and they felt that the records were susceptible to many security breaches. The patients in the survey also expressed their concern that their full medical records should only strictly restricted to healthcare as well as the ambulance staff offering the treatment. There was wide support on the safeguards to be put in place which included public sharing agreement, training for NHS staff as well as a confidentiality clause in [3]. A SWOT analysis which was conducted by US Health Care indicated the EMR

Russia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Russia - Essay Example Specifically, this paper will discuss and analyze some of the different features of tourism industry in Russia, in order to understand its related factors, determinants, and its influence on other sectors of the country. Geographically, Russia is considered as transcontinental country having its boundaries in both Asia, as well as, Europe. In specific, a larger part of the Russian Federation is extended in northern Eurasia. Moreover, some of the countries that share their borders with Russia are Poland, Finland, Norway, Georgia, China, North Korea, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Latvia, etc. It can be seen that a number of these countries are rich in terms of culture and heritage, which is a kind of benefit for Russia, for being located in a rich cultural region. In terms of borders touching waters, Russia shares its boundaries with the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Caspian Sea. In addition, it provides sea route with the Pacific Ocean, as well as, the Arctic Ocean. (Jafari, pp. 516, 2003) A country sharing its boundaries with so many land and water locations is considered an immensely benefited location in context of tourism, which is the reason that despite of Russia’s image of battle land and s uperpower, its historical places attract millions of tourists every year. Another reason for selecting Russia particularly for this study is its recognition as the largest country of planet earth covering 17,075,400 square km, and thus, the paper will now try to identify different physical resources that are contributing in appealing millions of inbound, as well as, outbound tourists from different parts of the globe. Almost every country has been blessed with historical treasures, physical features, attractive sites, etc; however, it is essential that such places should be maintained and utilized according to the demands and specialties of particular region. In other words, physical features can be utilized for energy purposes, as well

Racism in Finding Forrester Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Racism in Finding Forrester - Essay Example Finding Forrester" has elements of class, race, ethnicity and stereotyping and even gender inequality that are featured invariably in the various threads of the story as the director, Gus Van Sant would relate the 2000 movie. The film tries to reproduce what obtains in society in as close to reality as possible. Starting with sociological perspectives, this paper gives a synopsis of the film, progresses on to the story in selective perception mode and picks on incidents of the story featuring these sociological terms with an insight of what happened.In a gritty New York neighborhood, a shadowy but perpetually unseen figure appears behind thin curtains. Rumors abound regarding The Window's identity and story, prompting African-American Jamal Wallace to accept a dare to infiltrate The Window's apartment and bring something out. Jamal is a 16-year-old scholar-athlete and aspiring writer in inner-city Manhattan. When he's not writing in his journal in his bedroom, Jamal and his boys woul d play basketball on a local Bronx street court. They note that they're being observed by someone with binoculars in a nearby apartment building.As Jamal enters the apartment, he is caught in the act and accidentally leaves behind his backpack, which contains his journals. The Scottish reclusive genius writes comments in the notebooks, and drops the backpack through a window.Jamal returns for more lessons. His efforts lead him to get tutored by The Window, with Jamal agreeing not to reveal his whereabouts. The tutor turns out to be a Pulitzer Prize-winning classic novelist, William Forrester, who wrote "the Great 20th Century Novel," Avalon Landing, and had been reclusive for four decades. Forrester is a male Caucasian in his mid seventies. Sociological perspectives Blacks like Jamal are considered inferior by some theorists as a result of flawed genetic traits (Eitzen and Zinn 2004). In The Bell Curve work of Herrnstein and Murray (1994), Blacks are said to be mentally inferior to Whites. Such genetic inferiority, according to Gould (1994) cannot be changed by environmental changes. These theories bordering on biological deficiency, generally are not accepted in the scientific community (Eitzen and Zinn 2004). Media, however, just like films, continue to give attention to the thinking of these theorists. The Movie Race is a huge issue in the film and many stereotypes are made. Jamal Wallace is introduced in the film as a typical Black teenage male who goes to a low class school in the Bronx and really excels on the court as a basketball player. He is looked upon as an amazing Black as though unexpected because of his color. One proof of this is that the teacher (April Grace) calls Jamal's mother in to school, to inform her of her child's amazing abilities. Jamal is also looked at as given to playing or to pleasure because of his class. Although he had wanted to realize his writing ability, the exclusive New York school that had offered him a scholarship, is actually more interested in having Jamal play basketball to improve their school image. He soon learns that after losing several players to graduation, the school is looking to restock the basketball team. In fact, Jamal gets transferred there as a junior, presumably to have him educated. A Black, Jamal is seen to fit in their objectives as Blacks are of a class, easily pliable and more oriented to playing than studying. Or so the prep school thought. Jamal has been characterized also as an underachiever in class. This plot point caters to the stereotype that Black students get bad grades. This is different from the view that Jamal may want to get bad grades to fit in with his bad-grade-getting peers. This is probable and is more of peer pressure among the young which can be found in whatever race. The first view, however, which appears truer as far as the story is concerned, is stereotyping while the second view is non-racial. The first view which

Joint Venture in the Construction Industry in Spain

Joint Venture in the Construction Industry in Spain An estimated 20,000 joint ventures have been formed worlwide over the past two years. Such strategic alliances can provide business owners with long-term security, new revenue channels, and , often, the anchor needed to maintain stability in otherwise turbulent waters. A successful joint venture can open the door to a wold of future partnership opportunities (Robert L.Wallace 2004) Factors now at play in our economy make it more feasible and more critical than ever for small business owners to leverage the power of joint venturing. These factors include: The emergence of the customer economy Advances in technology that have neutralized time and space contraints Change brougt on by shifting demographics More entrepreneur- and more oportunities- as a result of downsizing In the midst of these world-changing trends, what is often missing from a succesffull business strategy are the critical alliances and strategic partnerships that will help leverage the strenghts and minimise weaknesses. Forging joint ventures and strategic alliances will allow business to win millions contracts as the partner with large companies to offer with, breadth, and depth demanded in the marketplace. Done well, joint ventures provide both participating businesses with a chance to learn and benefit from each other, and to achieve results neither could achive alone. In this dissertation will be explained- how to enter into joint ventures well so a company can prosper in ways it never could by doing it alone CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i ABSTRACT ii CONTENTS iii LIST OF TABLES v LIST OF FIGURES vi INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Introduction 2 1.2 Objectives of Dissertation 2 Contents 3 JOINT VENTURE EXPLAINED 2.1 Joint Ventures Explained 2.2 The Rationale of Joint Venture Formation 2.3 Joint Venture Formation 2.4 Management and Implementation LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1 Forms of Joint Venture 3.2 Motives of forming a Joint Venture 3.3 Selection of Partners 3.4 Preliminary Agreement and Negotiation Research Methodology 4.1 Research Approach 40 4.2 Research Ethics 41 4.3 Interviews 42 4.4 Survey 46 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 5.1 Basic Conflicting Interests 5.2 Loss of Autonomy and Control 5.3 Findings CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES Chapter One Introduction and Objectives of Dissertation Introduction Business once grew by one of two ways: grass roots up, or by acquisition. Today business grow through alliances- all kinds of dangerous alliance, joint ventures, and customer partnerign, which by the way, very few people understandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Peter F.Drucker 2007) Experiences of joint venture management in the construction industry traced back to the early 60 ´s. It appears that characteristics of this industry favor the proposition of joint ventures formation. Although statistics are not available, this is obviously true in relation to the infrastructure development of Spain at the present moment The determination of the . 1.1 Objectives of Dissertation This paper attempts to review the existing literatures on management of joint ventures its merits and problems, particular issues arisen and suggested management techniques to cope with such obstacles in operating a joint venture. Interviews were conducted with two senior staffs of one of the partners of a joint venture formed by four construction firms. The joint venture is currently undertaking one of the Train Station Core Projects to be completed before July 2011. It is hoped that hand-on experiences of these senior staffs, at the level of Management Committee of the joint venture, as well as the operational level of the joint venture, would provide us valuable insight and opinion on the art of joint venture management, as a reflection and complement to the general review of the literatures. The key objectives are: To critically appraise the existing literature to Corporative alliances issues and the role of International Strategy in applying these issues. To establish the importance Strategic alliances with competitors in the international market. To evaluate the purposes of strategic alliances as well as to what extent might be successful a company. To determine other factors that influences companies in seeking Joint Ventures. To assess the sources of value creation. To study possible pitfalls in doing a Strategic Alliance. To draw conclusions upon a joint venture in a case study. 1.2 Contents In Chapter 2, the organization of interest is described in detail along with an explanation of its forms. In Chapter 3 the literature in relation to joint venture and strategic alliances in general and its application within the company is critically reviewed. Chapter 4 describes and justifies the research methods employed and includes a section on the ethical considerations of the project. In Chapter 5 the findings of the one-to-one interviews, In Chapter 6 the findings are analyzed and evaluated in relation to the published research literature. In Chapter 7 a joint venture framework for the SMART Services is presented along with a plan for its implementation. Finally, in Chapter 8 conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made for future work. A list of references is provided and the appendices contain pertinent information, documents (including, the survey questionnaire) and collated data. Chapter Two Joint Venture Explained 2. Joint Venture Explained A joint venture is the coming together of two (or more) independent business for the sole purpose of achieving a specific outcome that would not have been achievable by one of the firms alone. (Source: Wallace 2004) 2.1 The Rationale of Joint Venture Formation The form of joint venture provides benefits and a skeleton, based on which the management philosophy of the joint venture builds up. . (See Figure 1) Figure 1: Joint Venture. Business Benefit Source: Trendsetter Barometer, PWC In respect of share of management, there are dominant parent ventures, share management ventures and independent ventures. Degree of involvement of parents in these types of joint ventures differs, and in turn these joint ventures face different types of nature and management problems. At operational level, there are approaches of integrated structure and non-integrated structure. The nature of the business and the share of responsibilities in various aspects of the business will be the determination factors of choice Generally speaking, the choice of form of joint venture should be made in accordance to what contributions are required of the parents in order to achieve the purpose of forming the joint venture. Companies forming joint ventures basically intend to develop markets and products. Common reasons are: to suit government policies, pooling resources, risk sharing, building business relation and to reduce competition. The first step to form a joint venture, after realizing that such tactics is desirable, is to select a partner. Consideration on selection of partners concentrates on three major themes: shared objectives, mutual trust and co-operation, and abilities of the potential partners. Appropriate partners should be compatible in their objectives of forming the joint venture and their expertise/Knowledge on the business. Right partners also should possess similar management styles normally. Lastly it is important that potential partnerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s real intention is realizes, to avoid future major disagreements. 2.2 Joint Venture Formation When the partners have reached initial agreement to form a joint venture, often a preliminary agreement is signed. It forms a basis for the drafting of the detailed agreement, and provide framework for the partners to work together and proceed to more detailed planning works. But subsequent negotiations following for the preliminary agreement often provide good chances for the partners to understand more thoroughly the expectation of potential partners. It is not uncommon that a final agreement cannot be reached because major conflicts are revealed in the process of subsequent negotiations after preliminary agreement. It is always intended to write agreements to cover all contingencies. But some managers consider that it is not so practically possible in view of the rapidly changing environments nowadays. Instead, emphasis should be placed on building up mutual trust and thus it is important to incorporate a sense of fairness into the joint venture agreement. Generally defined, well understood mutually, and respectful to each other ´s rights in return to their contributions committed. It is suggested that the best solutions should be an agreement covering all possible contingencies, together with the design of a flexible mechanism allowing changes to be agreed between efficiently while promoting cooperation and mutual trust. A very important aspect in drafting the joint venture agreement is the design of reward system for the partners. Pay-off in the form of product flow between the parents and the joint venture is often the source of major management problems and conflicts. Such product flow diverts attention of the parents from the joint venture ´s benefits. Again, fairness and willingness to co-operate are the keys to resolving such problems. If at all possible, market comparison is a useful guide to fix the transfer price in a fair sense. The primary concern of a partner in forming a joint venture is probably the degree of control over the business. In respect of split of ownership, majority-minority shares are sometimes preferred, as the majority of partner can act as leader for the joint venture and thus gives direction in a less ambiguous manner for the operation of the joint venture. On the other hand, come companies prefer equal shares to ensure willingness of all partners to contribute efforts as required and they may also feel more comfortable that all partners have equal statusà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? in the joint venture. Ownership distribution is less important than how operation control is actually apportioned. There is no rule on thumb on allocating operation control. General guidelines are that each parent should be motivated to make necessary commitments continuously in accordance to their abilities, and that each parent should be protected in its interests. To enhance long term co-operation, exploitation of other partner ´s interests must not be attempted. It must be emphasized that full equality in operating control requires much more efforts from all partner, and the joint venture would have to be operated in day-to-day on-going negotiations and compromise among the partners. 2.3 Management and Implementation Standard joint venture organization consist of two components the management board and operation organization. The management board is the highest authority of the joint venture. The composition of the board and jurisdiction of the board determine largely the share of power among the partners. To build an effective board, board members should be delegated enough and necessary authority by their own companies in making decisions and vote in the board. They should endeavor to maintain mutual trusts among the partners, to sustain the common goal and objectives of the partners and to the exercise effective control over the joint venture. This is better to clearly separate the operation organization independently from the management board, to avoid biases or perceived biases towards one particular partner. As mentioned earlier, staffing is a possible and often effective way of controlling the joint venture operations. But overact may generate resentment from other partners. It will be extremely difficult to build up cohesiveness of the operation organization from all the partners. The organization will possibly segregate into groups of their own companies. Theoretically, secondly is desirable only if considered necessary for the needs of the joint venture. Otherwise recruitment from outside can more easily maintain the independence of the operation organization. The joint venture manager is an important role, as the leader for the operation organization, the bridge between the child and the parents, and sometimes as the mediatorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? for the parents if disputes arose among them. He has to possess negotiation skills, people skills, and selling skills to bring together mutual co-operation form all parties concerned. He is often found to be involved in ambiguous relationship, with his sub-ordinates and supervisors, and wit the parent companies. In order to achieve his task of pleasing everybody and avoiding conflicts and tension between the parties concerned, he has to be highly tolerant and ambiguity. The joint venture manager should be loyal only to the joint venture, not to any of the parents. He has to be perceived as neutral, otherwise his opinions will never be convincing to other people. Biased loyalty of the joint venture manager will arouse other parents taking harmful measure against smooth operations of the joint venture. Being neutral is an important qualification of the joint venture manager in order to gain autonomy and trust, which in turn makes the joint venture more likely to succeed. The joint venture agreement implied an independent operation organization separated from the parents to be fully responsible for daily management of the business and that the operation organization enjoyed a high degree of autonomy. In practice, the independence and autonomy were granted to the operation organization, only if all parents, in particular the joint venture manager, will act truly neutral. Without such belief, parents were able to exercise disruptive negative measures to hinder the normal implementation of management for the joint venture operations. The case also supported that the quality if the joint venture manager in negotiation skills and human relations, and its relationship with the parents was a paramount importance of the success of the joint venture. A strong leader might be harmful for a joint venture, but a practical and flexible manager surely is very useful. Chapter Three Literature Review 3.1 Forms of Joint Venture 3.3.1 Share of management The fundamental question in management of joint ventures is the degree of involvement of partners in decision making processes on major policies as well as day-to-day operations of the joint ventures. In this respect, joint ventures are often categorized into three types: (Stephen I. Glover and Craig M. Wasserman 2003) Dominant parent ventures: in which management decisions are dominated by one parent, either formally by majority voting rights in all major aspects or informally by management settings to control key decisions makings without significant involvement from the other party. Shared management ventures: in which management of joint venture operations are shared between the parents, either shared by each providing resources in certain functional areas or shared by pooling resources at most levels of the joint venture operations. Characteristics of this type of joint venture are the necessity of frequent negotiation and agreement between the partners at most all levels and aspects of the business management. Independent ventures: in which parent ´s involvements in the management of the joint venture is very little, as it is left almost entirely to an independent group of personnel employed under the joint venture. The roles of parents are not too much different from shareholders, except that they may be providing other distinct types of resources as well as capital and there are only a few shareholders. Dominant parent ventures and independent ventures are thought to be more trouble free, as they require less interaction and thus less potential conflicts between the parents. However, there are no concrete evidence to suggest that these two types of ventures will be more likely to succeed than shared management ventures. Obviously the choice of joint ventures types is dependent on the situation and nature of the business and the parentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s  ´characteristics. Circumstances often call for shared management but no other choices, simply because joint efforts are required to achieve what is intended. Pooling of resources, and thus a mixed input of management efforts from both parents, may be the fundamental desire of forming the joint venture. In such cases, dominance of one parent certainly cannot fulfil the purpose of the strategic alliance and the question is to overcome the difficulties of shared management on joint ventures operations. Legal Form In terms of the legal form of the joint venture, there can be three choices: (Dennis Campbell and Antonida Netzer 2009) Consortium: it refers to a grouping, formed on a one-off basis, which is governed by a contractual agreement. The contractual agreement is made to define clearly the position of each of the parents, including a specification of the authority, responsibility, liability and power of each party. Parnership: it can take a form of formal partnership. The parties are then effectively recognised in law as partners. The joint venture is considered as a business entity on its own, in legal terms, separated from the individual parties. As partners, each of the parties is legally liable for any debt or default committed by other partners on behalf of the joint venture, which may not be the case if formed as a consortium depending on details of the contractual agreement of constituting the consortium. Incorpotation: joint ventures which are intended to be a permanent business are usually constituted as an incorporate entity. This would enable the parties being insulated from the risks of the business of the joint venture, as a limited company. The major disadvantage is that the profit and loss sustained by the joint venture as incorporation cannot be set off against that of the parent companies for tax purpose. 3.1.3 Operational Structure The two extreme categories of operational structure of a joint venture are integrated joint venture and non integrated joint venture (Dennis Campbell and Antonida Netzer 2009) Integrated Structure: the parties agree on a certain proportion of capital and resources investment and a prescribed profit or loss sharing formula, and they both participate on every level of execution of the joint venture business. Non-integrated Structure: in such case, the joint venture usually provides for general management machinery, which looks after overall administrative and coordinative roles for the joint venture business. The whole business is then divided into packages or portions which are assigned to the parents to execute and operate such packages or portions as designated in the joint venture agreement (Appendix A) In practice joint ventures are usually a mixture of these two approaches. The question is the degree of integration to be adopted for the given set of circumstances faced by the joint venture. For that joint venture business that can be divided into clear cut portions and such divided portions will suit the capability and resources of different partners, non-integrated approach will usually be adopted. While the joint venture business is complex and it requires a centralised management of all aspects of the business, the management will be integrated. Integrated approach is more difficult to manage. Conflicting interests and ideas between the partners can arise more often than non-integrated approach. But it is often unavoidable as the nature of the joint venture business mar not is possible to be divided neatly into portions. On the other hand, for non-integrated approach, complicated contractual argument can arise between partners. In case of joint venture agreement in a basis of joint and several responsibilities, it is not uncommon that the partners lodge contractual claims against each other on non-performance or default of the other parties in executing their portion of the joint venture business resulting loss to the whole joint venture from third party claims. The Case Study The parents attempted to adopt a mixture of shared and independent management for the joint venture under study, as implied in the conditions of the joint venture agreement. The management committee of the joint venture, which was the highest level of decision making and policy setting, were composed of one representative each partner. In respect of operational structure, a mixture of integrated and non-integrated approach was adopted. While a separate joint venture organization supposedly independent from the partners managed and operated the whole joint venture business integrally, the project was divided into portions and packages which were then subcontracted back to the partners under the joint venture 3.2 Motives of forming a Joint Venture Companies forming joint ventures basically intended to develop markets and products i.e. to strength the firmsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ existing business, to take the firms existing products to new market, to obtain new products that can be sold in the firm ´s existing markets, and to diversify into new businesses (Mark de Rond 2003) These objectives can be achieved through various ways, as shown in figure 1.1 But why choose a joint venture to try to achieve these objectives? Common reasons are: (Das y Teng 2000) Government Policies: because of licensing requirements of the government for undertaking a certain type of business in a country, e.g. for construction works in Spain many foreign companies may wish to form joint ventures with local companies who have the required licenses at hand in order to enter the market first, while they at the same time apply for the necessary licenses which may take months or even years in some cases. Many governments, who attempt to protect the development of certain industry of their countries, establish regulations that prohibit foreign companies to set up wholly owned subsidiaries. If foreign companies wish to explore the market of those countries, they have no choice to form joint ventures with local companies. Risk Sharing: in very large and risky projects that companies feel uncomfortable to bear but unwilling to give up the business opportunity, several companies share the risk by undertaking the project jointly. These risk may be commercial risks (finance, source of materials, technical uncertainties, etc) or political risks (change un government policies, unstable political status of the country, etc) Figure 1: Motives for joint venture formation New Markets Existing Makets To Take Existing Products To Foreign Markets Open Markets Closed Markets To Diversify into New Business Learning from your partner Learning with your partner To Strengthen the Existing Business Achieving economies of scale Acquiring technology Reducing financial risk To Bring Foreign Products To Local Markets Marketing and distribution Screwdriver assembly Developing local technology Technology flow back to parent Existing Products New Products Source: (Das y Teng 2000) Pooling of resources: companies often join to develop business that requires a combination of different resources (finance, technology, market access, local experience, etc) that none of these companies possess all of them, e.g. a combination of market access by one company and technical knowledge of a product by another, combination of different technical skills that are necessary to develop a product, or a combination of several companies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"resources to achieve economies of scale. Building business relation: some companies form joint ventures with in order to build up wide business relations among the industry. They believe that this will enable them to widen their networks of business and that it may be helpful for their further business developments in long term. Reduce competition: joining with your competitor automatically reduce the degree of competition. This is particularly useful if there are only a few potential competitors only. It is not uncommon to find in certain industry that formations of joint ventures effectively create monopolistic or oligopolistic conditions. The Case Study In the construction industry inherent risks involved in the projects are the major concern of a company ´s business strategy. Sharing of commercial risks (financial burdens on the company, source of raw materials, technical uncertainty involved with the works) for large scaled projects is the major reason of forming joint ventures. Because of the huge amount of resources involved and the multi-disciplinary nature of the projects, pooling if resources from several companies is necessary to gain sufficient competence in order to tender for the works. Not a single company may have all the necessary skills and sufficient amount of resources that are required for those Train Station Core Projects. Formations of joint ventures become the most common tactics for the construction firms to undertake those projects. Political risk is also a major concern especially for foreign firms who are not familiar with the policies. Most foreign firms conceive that formation of joint ventures is an effective way of securing the safety of the business, particularly when undertaking infrastructure development projects of payment terms. Large construction firms (both local and international firms that were interested and had potential to undertake these large projects) gradually formed into groups of consortium to tender for these jobs. As a result, the industry transformed into competing allied groups, instead of competing among individual firms. Although such transformation might be unintentional at the time these companies first formed joint ventures, they now became aware of such advantage and might use this again as one of the useful tools in future when considering the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s strategy competitions in the industry. 3.3 Selection of Partners 3.3.1The Criteria of Choosing a Partner Considerations on selection of partners concentrate on three majors themes: (Lynn Krieger 1991) Shared objectives Mutual trust and willingness to co-operate and Having necessary skills/resources The task is to find a compatible partner in respect of these three major themes. The right pair or group of partners often implies an asymmetry of partners, i.e. the right partners often have different quality and characteristics so that they will complement with each others on the need of the business. Basic consideration is whether the potential partner can provide what you need and the confidence of the potential partner ´s willingness to co-operate. They may not have the same objective but their co-operation should fulfill each other ´s objectives. They may not have the expertise on the same area, and they should possess different knowledge so that when combined together their competence will be strengthened. In fact two partners having expertise on the same area often is the source of conflicts as both will consider their own approach is superior without due respect on the other partner ´s expertise on the field. But right partners should desirably have similar management styles and outlooks so that their overall business strategy would go along the same direction. Otherwise, conflict on major business policy that is originated from the incompatibility of the partners expectation on what the joint venture should achieve eventually arise someday Lyn Krieger put forward two prepositions: The more similar the culture of firms forming a shared management joint venture, the easier the venture will be to manage. The more similar in size are the parents of a shared management venture, the easier the venture will be to manage. A significant size mismatch between a venture ´s parents can create a lot of problems for the venture. Culture here refers to both corporate culture and the culture of the country from which the firms are based. These propositions are based on the principle that managers, to be effectively working together, need to be able to evaluate each other ´s judgment and the way of working before they can build up a cohesive team. The second proposition is an extension of the first one as size of the company can contribute to difference in corporate culture. One should also be alert on any hidden agenda of your potential partner (Kathryn Rudie 2003). Confidence on the observation of your potential partner ´s real intention and objective to form the joint venture is a pre-requisite condition before a decision can be made on the choice of partners. The classic tragic case of Beijing Jeep is a good example of hidden agenda. Both partners did not spell out clearly their real intention of what was to be achieved, and both partners did not understand thoroughly the other partner ´s real intention before signing the joint venture agreement. Unreasonable conflicts arose not long after formation of the joint venture, when both parties realized that they were expecting something beyond the wishes of the other party. The tragedy ought to be avoidable if both parties made clear of their expectations before signing on the joint venture agreement. 3.3.2 The Process Selection It is suggested that a step-by-step approach should be adopted to develop relationship with potential partners (Kathryn Rudie 2003): Prepare a checklist desirable quality of the partner Searching out for potential partners based on the checklist Prepare proposals and issues to study and negotiate with the potential partner If possible, try out a joint venture of small scale before committing long term and large scaled joint venture business Theatrically, this process enables the partners to develop faith and mutual trust and allows better mutual understanding before placing large financial stakes on joint ventures with unfamiliar partners. Obviously, this takes a long time and in practice the ever changing business environment often does not wait for such long process of partner selection. Business opportunities simply slip away before the good partner relationship can evolve in this way. In real life, it is often founded that good joint venture partner relationship is assumed at the time of signing the joint venture agreement, and the assumption is often based on personal relationship between the CEOs of the companies. The Case Study Major consideration in selection of partners was what resources the partner could bring in to supplement his shortages and strengthen the competence of the company to successfully tender for the job. Reputation and track record in the international construction industry was the first item to check on, particularly as the potential partner was new-comers to Spain. It was admitted that the other partnerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s intention of choosing the company was not fully known at the time of forming the joint venture. At that time, it was only understood that the company was chosen by other partners because of its local experiences in Spain and the feeling of political security that the firm could provide as a whole owned company. It was now gradually revealed that