Puerto Rican National Identity in the Book Puerto Rico The Report/Review

Essays on Puerto Rican National Identity in the Book Puerto Rico: The Four-Storeyed Country by Gonzalez Book Report/Review The paper "Puerto Rican National Identity in the Book Puerto Rico: The Four-Storeyed Country by Gonzalez" is a great example of a book review on social science. A. The contents of the book â€Å"Puerto Rico: The Four-Storeyed Country,† by Jose Luis Gonzalez are about Puerto Rican National Identity. The islanders have borne with conquests and had to bear with the onslaught of varied cultural patterns. The issues relating to race, nationality, and ethnicity are peculiar in Puerto Rico. This island has gone through the process of being under two colonial powers for long periods. The present question is, about the continuing impact of American colonial intervention on Puerto Rican culture. This national identity has been challenged often and the book by Gonzalez divides the history into four parts for understanding the successive developments. B. I choose chapter I of the book, â€Å"Puerto Rico: The Four-Storeyed Country,† from pages 1 to 30. In this chapter, the author goes to the specifics of the subject dealt with by him in detail in the later chapters of the book. The contents of this chapter are the essence of the book. Notwithstanding the territorial and cultural attacks, Puerto Ricans have succeeded in retaining their distinct identity. Gonzalez argues, "When the descendants of the first African slaves had already become black Puerto Ricans... the first Puerto Ricans were, in fact, black Puerto Ricans" (10). Subsequently, invasions by the colonial powers did impact the native people. But that was not their willing acceptance. The ideal of "Americanization" was imposed on the Puerto Ricans. They were aware of the necessity "to protect and shore up a national identity that the Puerto Rican masses have never felt like their true identity" (Gonzalez 24). The problems confronted by the local people and the coloni sts are more or less the same all over, in the affected countries like Puerto Rica. â€Å"It stresses the increasingly complex, yet unfinished, the character of colonial society, highlights its regional differences, and shows how economic growth, religious revival, and political maturation prepared the English colonists by 1750 for the epic events that would occur in the next generation.†(ksuweb.) Thus, the confrontation of the two cultures was inevitable, the offense of the colonists to assert their authority in all segments, and the efforts of the Indians to defend the cultural traditions of their homelands. C. The people of this country have succeeded in maintaining the essentials of their culture. Western influence on their lifestyles does count, but that is a global phenomenon which has happened in most of the countries under colonial rule. Puerto Rican culture is primarily the Caribbean and not American.

Top Glove Information Free Essays

Tan Sri Dr. Lim Wee-Chai (Appointed Chairman in 2000, aged 49) Chairman Founded Top Glove in 1991, totalling 26 years of experience in the latex industry. Former president of the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers’ Association (MARGMA), board member of the Malaysian Rubber Board, and Director of the Association of Malaysia Medical Industries. We will write a custom essay sample on Top Glove Information or any similar topic only for you Order Now Tan Sri Datuk (Dr. ) Arshad Bin Ayub (Appointed in 2000, aged 79) Independent Non- Executive Director Former Deputy Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, and current Chairman, President and member of various Malaysian rubber insitutions, namely the Malaysia Rubber Export Promotion Counci (MREPC)l, the Rubber Products Manufacturers Association and the Rubber Board. Puan Sri Tong Siew Bee (Appointed in 2000, aged 49) Executive Director Previously worked with United Overseas Bank and Utama Bank, with over 10 years of experience in operational systems in banking. Lim Hooi Sin (Appointed in 2003, aged 45) Executive Director Possesses more than 14 years of sales experience with Metlife Financial Services in the US, and is the founder of one of Top Glove’s subsidiary companies, Top Glove Medicial USA. Sekarajasekaran a/l Arasaratnam (Appointed 2000, aged 79) Independent Non- Executive Director Has held various engineering positions in government public works and utilities departments over the span of 20 years, and the Board’s nvironmental engineering consutlant. Lau Boon Ann (Appointed 2000, aged 53) Non-Executive Director Involved in the real estate and property development setor, with over 10 years of marketing and consultancy experience with various property companies. Quah Chin Chye (Appointed 2001, aged 52) Independent Non- Executive Director Has held various senior management positions over his 10 years of work experience. Lee Kim Meow (Appointed 2000, aged 48) Executive Director Has more than 12 years of experience in financial services and credit control operations with OCBC Finance and Asia Commercial Finance. He is currently a member of MARGMA, MREPC, as well the Asean Rubber Glove Manufacturers’ Association (ARGMA). Lim Cheong Guan (Joined in 2005, aged 42) Executive Director Responsible for the accounting, corporate finance and investor relations of the company, with over 10 years of accounting and auditing experience, including a stint at PricewaterhouseCoopers. How to cite Top Glove Information, Papers

Sugar act free essay sample

In addition, the Molasses Act was supposed to help the West Indies gain profits and raise revenue to pay off the debt from the French and Indian War in 1763. Nonetheless, it was never seriously enforced because the colonists found Ways to avoid paying the tax such as smuggling molasses and bribing custom officials. Furthermore, the new taxation jeopardized the region Britains economy instead since it hurt the West Indies rum industry, which relied on molasses (Abdullah). British Prime Minister George Greenville passed the Sugar Act on April 5, 1 764 in order to end illegal trading and collect money.The Sugar Act was not effective in gaining income. The act decreased the tax to three pence per gallon, which was supposed to make the tax more manageable for the colonists to pay. Nonetheless, it taxed more items such as textiles and wine. Furthermore, a new system of monitoring and security in trade emerged. There was a strict shipping procedure that colonists had to follow. Items for instance lumber were forced to be exported through British ports first before they land in foreign countries. Foreign exporters were required to fill out paperwork of their cargoes to confirm that no goods were smuggled into the county.Britain hoped that these rules would cause more trading with British merchants and employment of English workers (Foyer 134). Besides expanding the list of taxed goods and controlling shipping methods, the government created consequences for people who did not obey the law. If people tried to avoid paying the tax, they would be forced to go to court in Nova Scotia. Parliament did not want the violators to be tried in a jury comprised of their peers who could influence the verdict since they would favor the smugglers.It was difficult to escape conviction because the violators were automatically pronounced guilty unless hey proved their innocence. If the ship owner did not abide the regulations for imported goods, the cargo was at risk to be confiscated and the owner would also be put on trial (Sugar Act). Despite these threats, the revised act did not generate the outcome the British government expected. These new rules angered the colonists since popular food and merchandise became unaffordable, even though the tax was lowered.The businesses of British manufacturers also declined because the taxes minimized the colonists purchasing power. The Sugar Act ruined the economy of Britain and the colonies. It significantly reduced foreign trade and distorted the stability of colonial currencies. Since money was not being exchanged, the currency value deflated. The decrease in value meant colonies had to spend more money to buy goods. This influenced the loss of island trade partners such as Haiti and the Canary Islands, causing a global economic recession (The Sugar Act).Not only did the instability of the colonial currencies affect foreign countries, it also had a negative impact on British sellers because the colonists had to pay more for their goods. In addition, buyers from outside Britain had no motivation to purchase their goods since the colonists were not trading with them. The Sugar Act ultimately hindered the financial recovery of Britain. Because of the prominent issues with the new act, colonists began to demand change. The governments decision to impose the direct tax was unjust because there were no representatives for the colonists in Parliament to fight against it. The Parliament did not get actual permission from the Americans for the tax. The colonists believed that a tax could not be implemented by British governors because the British did not have the same representation as them. Boston declared that the city would not purchase all British imports to that colony. They wanted to gain the independence from Britain and be able handle the responsibilities with their own government. Therefore, the colonists created the slogan no taxation without representation and led a series of protests (No Taxation without Representation).In August of 1764, a group of merchants from Boston decided to boycott the purchase of British imports. The city of New York followed in Bosons footsteps and did the same. This really hurt Britains economy because their number of exports significantly decreased without he large colonial cities of Boston and New York purchasing their imported goods. Instead, colonists began to make movements to increase domestic manufacturing. The colonists reactions to the passage of the Sugar Act were generally in nonviolent boycotts.However, the passage of the Stamp Act, a similar act that required colonists to pay a tax with their purchase stamps for legal papers, documents and newspapers, was passed in 1765. This resulted in aggressive outbursts of violence. Samuel Adams and his Sons of Liberty led organized in riots in which they attacked and intimidated the tax collectors as well as burnt down British offices. The Sons of Liberty continued these violent acts for a few years until the Stamp Act was repealed in 1 766 and taxes on stamps were no longer collected (Pre-Revolutionary Activities). The Sugar Act ruined the economy of Britain and the colonies. The changes in shipping regulations reduced foreign trade because buying and selling goods abroad became more complicated. The act also distorted the stability of colonial currencies. Since money was not being exchanged, the value of colonial currency decreased. The British economy declined because its the colonies were not buying goods from British merchants. The high tax sparked the Illinois anger with Britain and the power that it has over the colonies. One event led to another and eventually ended with the Boston Tea Party. Moreover, the Sugar Act prompted Americans to ask for autonomy and contributed to the development of the American Revolution. The colonists dissatisfaction with the laws and restraints enacted by Britain, for example the Sugar Act, as well as Britains oppression towards the colonists economy were just the beginning of the turmoil that occurred between the colonists and Britain. The relationship between the colonies and Britain was permanently altered ever since the enactment of the Sugar Act. The colonists agreed with the fact that a tax was necessary in order to pay for the British troops that protected them.However, they disapproved Britains overextension of power over the colonists. The colonists would have preferred to unanimously agree on and create a tax themselves, but the British Parliament forced it upon them without their permission. The implementation of the trial system drifted the colonists and the British more. The violators had to appear in court in Nova Scotia and appear in front of a jury that consists of primarily British officials. This greatly angered the colonists because they were being tried in an unfair rout and declared guilty until proven innocent, showing Britains distrust.

Trouble in Paradise with Comments free essay sample

Company joint venture in China is one of the regions shining success stories. So why is generai manager Mike Gravesthinking about pulling the plug on it? ROM Mike Gravess tall windows, which were draped in red veivet, the view of Shanghai was spectacular: the stately old Western-style buildings, the riot of modem skyscrapers, the familiar needle of the TV tower. But today Mike barely noticed it. Clenching a copy of his Chinese partners proposal for another acquisition it would be the companys fourth he paced the floor and replayed in his mind that mornings unsettling phone call. He had called his boss. Bill Windier, at headquarters in Ohio, hoping to get a nice quote to inject into the brief remarks he was to make at that days banquet celebrating the joint ventures tenth anniversary. But as he gave Windier a quick rundown of what he intended to say mostly about the joint ventures progress toward world-class qualityMike could sense his bosss growing frustration. We will write a custom essay sample on Trouble in Paradise with Comments or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Aboutfiveminutes into the call. Windier cut Mike off in midsentence. saying,Dont throw your shoulder out patting yourself on the back. Windier reminded Mike about the margins he was looking for across all of Heartland Spindles businesses. A 4% ROI is pathetic, Windier said. Weve been in there ten years, Mike. The numbers shouid look better by now. He said he was looking for a 20% ROI, adding that such a number could surely be achieved through greater efficiency and more automation. And in Windlers view, the company had at least 1,200 employees too many. That needs to be fixed, fast, he said. Mike knew his boss wouldnt take no for an answer, but he had also learned that his Chinese partners would never agree to drastic moves such as the layoffs suggested by Windier. It was beginning to look as though the five good years he had spent here as general manager might be destined to come to a pairrful end. Mike couldnt help but HBRs cases, which arefictional,present common managerial dilemmas and offer concrete solutions from experts. A CHANGED WORLD AUGUST 2003 H B R CASE STUDY †¢ T r o u b l e in P a r a d i s e wonder if those harsh v^ords from Ohio were a warning that his contract might not be renewed in six months. Then, to top things off, just as Mike had extricated himself from the phone conversation, this latest acquisition proposal had arrived from deputy general manager Qinlin Li. The top executive on the Chinese side of the joint venture, Qinlin had been with the JV since its inception. As before, there would be almost irresistible pressure to go along with the deal. The Chinese side would make it clear yet again that the delicate partnership depended on Mikes support for continuous expansion and protection of jobs. The timing couldnt have been worse: The last thing Windier would want was more growth initiatives eating into the profits. A knock on the heavy teak door snapped him out of his musings. Feng Chen, Mikes assistant and translator, informed him that his car was waiting. nior executives, Qinllns immediate subordinates, stood up and nodded their greetings. There was a burst of excited applause, and cameras flashed. Qinlin was accompanying three important government officials into the room. They approached Mikes table and politely bickered for several minutes over who should enjoy the most prominent seat at the table, as required by Chinese custom. At last, the eldest and most highly placed official accepted the seat of honor. Qinlin stepped up to the podium, above which hung a huge Chinese knot of red silk, the symbol of cooperation. There was an expectant hush as he tapped the microphone. Ladies and gentlemen Qinlin began,thank you for joining me to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Zhong-Lian Knitting Company Limited. Those who were vwith the company at the beginning remember the hardships we endured and the hard work we put in. Since the establishment of Zhong-Lian as a 50/50 joint venture between Suzhou First Textile Company and our U. S. partner. Heartland Spindle Company, Zhong-Lian has faced many difficulties and obstacles. But we succeeded Mike was listening to the translators words, but he could hear the passion in Qinlins voice. We turned a money-losing company into a money-making company, and we made great headway as a result of support from our government, efforts on the part of both parent companies, and all our managers and employees. Mike hadnt been there during the early days, but he knew the stories. He was the fourth GM sent by Heartland in ten years. His two most recent pre- Enhance Friendly Cooperation As the car pulled up outside the ShangriLa Hotel, Mike forced himself to smile at the red carpet lined with dozens of lavish flower baskets sent by local government officials, business partners, suppliers, customers, and even competitors. A marching band in full uniform stood at the hotel entrance, and above it stretched a bright red banner that said, in Chinese and English: Enhance Friendly Cooperation and Ensure Mutual Growth and Celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of Zhong-Lian Knitting Co. Ltd. Mike exchanged greetings with Qinlin, who had been there for an hour already and was still seeing to last-minute details. In the ballroom, an elegant young woman in a red silk qi-pao, a traditional dress for formal celebrations, escorted Mike to the round table that was front and center. T\vo Chinese se- Katherine Xin is a professor of management and holds the Micheiin Chair in Leadership and Human Resource Management at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai; she is also the editor in chief of HBR China. Vladimir Pucik is a professor ofinternational human resources and strategy at the International Institute for Management Development (lMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland. 28 decessors had left before their threeyear assignments were complete, one for family reasons his wife couldnt adapt to China-and the other for a better job offer (allegedly). Mike, a veteran manager with 20 years of international experience, had lived and worked in Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia before Heartland sent him to Shanghai. Mikes toughest challenge at tbe outset was the language barrier. He wouldnt have survived without Feng Chens help. It didnt take long for Mike to learn what cha-bu-duo meant: almost okay. He hated that word! It was baffling to him: Even though his Chinese partners were intelligent and willing to work hard, they werent exactly obsessed with quality. They cut corners and hardly ever followed operating procedures to HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Trouble in Paradise †¢ H B R CASE S T U D Y It didnt make sense to him until months later, when Mike heard someone say, Keeping silent in a group is safer. You wont get in trouble if you dont do anything. But you will get in trouble if you make a mistake. We are experienced under this system, and we know how it works. At any rate, Mike was relieved when the equipment was set up even though it took two years and outside pressure from the provincial Environment Protection Bureau to make it happen. There was another burst of applause. Qinlins voice reverberated through the room. We have acquired three moneylosing state-owned enterprises and managed to earn an annual profit of between 5% and 6%, he said. The number of employees increased from 400 to 2,300 in the past decade. Given the slump of the textile industry in these years, Zhong-Lians achievement is remarkable. In the coming years, we will further enhance the company and maintain our growth momentum. Qinlin paused, and his eyes sparkled. Let me tell you another piece of good news, he said. We are preparing our fourth acquisition, which is expected to raise our production capacity by 40%. The number of our employees will grow to nearly 3gt;5oo. And all this will help us launch our next initiative: building our own national brand. An elegant young woman in a silk qi-pao escorted Mike What little appetite Mike had for the celebration vanished. He had long been to his table. But he was preoccupied by the Chinese executives trying to quash that kind of talk. Heartplans and what they would mean for profitability. land, he knew, would never support launching an apparel brand that would the letter. Buttons often fell off sweat- sewage disposal three months after he eat up resources and limit profits for ers before the garments were even started (he was astonished that his Chi- years. Qinlin knows this well, Mike shipped out of the factory. Cha-bu-duo nese partner hadnt updated it already), thought, so why is he raising expectais why Mike insisted on introducing his counterparts said, Okay, yan-jiu- tions in such a public way? Total Quality Management to Zhong- yan-jiu. T\vo months later, after Mikes Qinlin thanked the vice mayor and Lian and TQM was probably why the repeated prodding, the proposal made the other government officials without jV had been so successful. Mike had also it onto a meeting agenda. But at the whose wise supervision, in his effusive felt a small sense of satisfaction when meeting, the Chinese managers seemed words, the joint venture would not have he taught his Chinese colleagues a new reluctant to discuss the matter, and no made such great progress. The vice term: Six Sigma. one wanted to assume responsibility for mayor rose to speak and returned the Cha-bu-duo wasnt the only expres- solving the problem. When Mike asked compliments, praising Zhong-Lians consion Mike heard all too often. He also managers for feedback individually, tribution to the local economy esquickly got used ioyan-Jiu-yan-Jiu, which they all had ideas, many of them excel- pecially to maintaining employment means Lets review and discuss. When lent. He couldnt imagine why the man- levels and calling the joint venture a he proposed a new system to deal with agers hadnt spoken up at the meeting. flagship among the citys enterprises. A CHANGED WORLD AUGUST 200^1 H B R CASE S T U D Y †¢ Trouble in Paradise When it was Mikes turn, he too voiced the expected praise for the officials it was a ritual whose airy forms and steely seriousness had become almost second nature to him. But throughout his little speech, he felt he was hardly doing more than going through the motions. He was preoccupied by Qinlins plans and what they would mean for profitability. Later, the lazy Susan at each table was filled with eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, and two showpiece dishes: a whole suckling pig and a whole braised mandarin fish in the shape of a squirrel. Qinlin, as the host of his table, proposed hildrens education at Concordia International School (the best in Shanghai). Life here was easy and comfortable a world away from what it would have been like back in Ohio. But Mikes tension returned when he thought about his meeting the next morning with the people at Hua-Ying, the potential acquisition. He wouldnt be living in Green Villa much longer if he signed off on that deal. Over dinner, Mike told Linda about the conversation with Windier. Dont they understand that the Chinese way of doing business is different from the American way? Linda asked create another one: Many jobs would disappear. The Chinese partners were much more concemed with creating jobs and keeping govemment ofificiaJs happy than with improving quality. They wanted to keep growing into new provinces and buying up unprofitable companies, even if turning them around took years. But expansion would require significant additional resources that Heartland Spindle clearly wasnt ready to commit. And now there would be pressure to create a new company to market a national brand, again a drain on cash. So what do you think youre going to do? Linda asked. Im meeting with executives from Hua-Ying tomorrow morning. Maybe theyll surprise me with an operation that wont take forever to turn aroundthatd be the best case, Mike said. After that, Ill have to talk to Qinlin and the others about Heartlands concerns. But I know how that conversation will play out. Theyll say Heartland is being shortsighted and that the JVs history of turning around money-losing businesses should prove that we just need to be more patient. I wish Bill and the rest back in the States had a better understanding of how things work here. I was skeptical myself at the beginning. Remember when wefirstgot here and 1 was fuming at the business expenses? Seemed like every executive on the payroll was wining and dining some key partner or contact. And Robert OReilly, our controller, came to me shouting that our Chinese partner spent money like water. But, gradually, we both figured out that those expenses were paying off for us. The Chinese ritual of sharing food-nurturing ^i/anx(-is so powerful in making deals that it became one of our hidden assets. Im afraid we wont get those kinds of results if we focus only on cutting costs and laying off workers, as Ohio wants us to do. Life here was easy and comfortable-a world awayfrom what it was like back in Ohio. But Mike knew he wouldnt be here much longer if he signed off on that acquisition deal. a toast. Then he emptied his glass as a sign of his sincerity and joy. Glasses clinked; champagne and Coke bubbled. But Mike had become so attuned to the subtleties of these gatherings that he immediately noticed the response of the officials: Instead of emptying their glasses, they merely took sips. Mike supposed that they must have heard about his opposition, muted though it had been, to the expansion ideas. him sympathetically. Its not all about squeezingthe most out of your workers here. They value stability and long-term employment. Youd think Heartland wouldVe been prepared for this sort of performance. Its not like youre losing money, like so many JVs here do. Just last week on the course, Christie and Maya told me that their husbands businesses hadnt turned a profit yet I know, but that doesnt seem to be good enough any more, Mike said. He recounted Bills suggestions about layoffs and investing in more automated equipment. He knew that he would soon have to broach these subjects with his Chinese partners. Mikes biggest problem was that he could see both sides. Heartland wanted to reposition itself in the U. S. arketselling at discount stores wasnt profitable enough. But to enable Heartland to make the jump to high-end retailers, the joint venture would have to meet much higher standards of quality. Those old dyeing machines, for instance, would have to go; they had cost the company a lot of money over the last few years, not just in shipping and handling charges for returned products but also in terms of the companys reputation. New machines would fix that problem, but theyd Living in Style sitting in the backseat of the company car, Mike felt his tension ease when his driver, Lao Li, turned into his neighborhood. The car slipped by a row of cypresses and passed a perfectly manicured golf course. Designed in European country style, the elegant Green Villa was an ideal residence for expatriates. Mike loved this village its extensive recreational amenities, itsfirst-classservice. At very little cost, for example, Mikes family had hired a live-in domestic helper who happened to be a superior cook. His wife, Linda, played golf three times a week with her friends in the village, and she had recently taken up yoga. The company paid $7,800 a month to rent the familys home; it also paid for a chauffeur, a nanny, and the PowerPoint and Green Tea The chief executive of Hua-Ying, Genfa Wang, sent his own limousine to pick up Mike and Qinlin as a symbol of his HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW 30 Trouble in Paradise †¢ H B R CASE S T U D Y sincerity and hospitality. Genfa and his top managers were waiting at the gate when the car pulled up, and one of the men stepped forward to open the car door. Genfa greeted Mike, Qinlin, and Feng Chen with,My honor! IVlyhonor! It is a great pleasure to have you here with us. Thefirstbuilding they entered looked fairly clean, but the conference room carpet was pocked with cigarette bums. Not exactly a high-class operation, Mike thought. Up on the third floor, there was a disagreeable odor-no flush. He could just imagine the state of the plumbing. And hadnt leaky pipes been responsible for the initial spread of SARS into cities in Hong Kong? He was sure he had read something like that. His unease grew. What other hidden risks were lurking in this facility? There was no way he was going to be able to agree to this acquisition, he thought. But he was pleasantly surprised to see seven cups of Bi Luo Chun tea, one of the best Chinese green teas, on an ele- ant redwood table. And a minute later, Genfa pulled out a laptop and began making his presentation using PowerPoint slides. Mike was shocked. He hadnt expected such sophistication from a company this size, especially a company that seemed to lack modem sanitary facilities. Genfa, sensing Mikes reaction, said proudly,My nephew gave me training on this high-tech stuff. He is a college graduate, a vice GM of our company in charge of technology and engineering. Great, Mike thought with exasperation. There were probably a few relatives on the board, too. But his mood swung back during Genfas 40-nunute presentation as the CEO spoke precisely and clearly about the numbers-it was obvious he was shrewd about the market. Mike was intrigued. At the second building, his earlier impressions were reinforced: The machines in here looked old and shabby. Some workers were busy, but others were idly waiting for a product deliv- ery. Bales of goods were stacked high in one comer, and Mike stumbled over a box as he picked his way through the dim light. When he noticed that the record sheets on the desk and walls were handwritten, his heart sank: So much for high tech. On his way home that night in his own companys car, Mike gazed out the window, trying to figure out what to do next. Should he recommend the acquisition to Bill? Should he propose rejecting the deal and thus probably bring an end to the partnership? The idea of buying out the JV had occurred to him, but it clearly wouldnt work, not with the Chinese partner dreaming of a national brand. When the Audi came to a stop outside Mikes house, he hadnt reached any conclusions. He knew he was going to have another sleepless night at Green Villa. Can Mike keep the joint venture from unraveling? Four commentators offer expert advice. Right now, youre reading about the newest Spend a few weeks with us, and youll be creating Ready to find your edge in the world of business? Executive Education programs at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills Kenan-Flagler Business School provide you witfi skills that quickly translate to your everyday work environment from creative problem-solving to d eveloping globally competitive strategies. The following General Management Programs ate now enrolling: CALL TODAY FOR A GENERAL MANAGEMENT BROCHURE. Executive Development Institute {EDI) Senior Executives Institute (SEI) Global Executives Institute (GEI) PUT YOUR CAREER ON THE FA5T TRACK. Call 1-919-962-1531 or visit www. exed. uncedu/gm today to receive a brochure outlining our open enrollment and custom program offerings. UNC Business. Shaping leaders, driving resulU. UNC KCNANFLAGLER H B R CASE C O M M E N T A R Y †¢ Can Mike Keep the Joint Venture from Unraveling? Mike must reach out to political officials and understand their goals. I cannot overstress how crucial relationships are in China. M I ike Craves needs to do four things, and quickly. First, he needs to develop a clearer vision of Heartland Spindles-and its partners-strategic goals in China, Second, he needs to assemble a much stronger team for the company. Third, he needs to consider alternatives to the traditional 50/50 joint venture. And, finally, he needs to move outside his personal comfort zone as a manager. The lack of a clear, shared strategy is the most glaring problem in this case. Is Heartland chiefly interested in China as a low-cost production baseforU. S, exports? Or is it hoping to win a share ofthe domestic market? If so, which segment is Heartland focusing o n a n d based on what competitive edge? Without a clear strategy, its impossible to choose the right structure for and extent of cooperation with a foreign partner. Conversely, when your intent is clear and reasonable, you can get past a surprising number of obstacles. When Michelin started discussions in Shanghai with Chinas largest tire manufacturer, we were clear that we intended to develop a major center there for the world tire industry and that we would therefore have to bring our best technology. To protect that technology, we would need control ofthe venture, which initially seemed impossible to achieve from a legal standpoint. As it turned out, we got control because the municipality shared the goal and recognized the necessity. Perhaps there once was a clear strategy that has been forgotten overthe course often years and several changes in management. Mike should study the contracts and, more important, have discussions with the original sponsors ofthe deal. If he can learnthe initial intentions, he might find a positive starting point for rebuilding a spirit of cooperation vwith his partner. This brings me to my second point: the importance of mobilizing a team of people to further the JVs strategy. Political officials are going to be a big part ofthat team; they have a stronger influence on economic life in China than Mike might realize. He must reach out to them and understand their goals. It is not a matter of good dinners and dubious expenses left to the Chinese staff. Success will depend on the personal involvement of top executives. I cannot overstress how crucial relationships are in China, Only when individuals know and understand each other can they develop the level of cooperation required for success, Mike should convince his boss to be the one who owns the relationship with a key officiai-the vice mayor, say. Yes, this will add a layer of complexity, but success in China is as much about time as it is about money. This is the most important fact for Mike to impress upon the leadership back at headquarters. Our CEO, Edouard Michelin, is in the habit of coming to China two or three times a year, with a flexible agenda, and that does a great deal to develop and support our operations here. Mike also needs to think creatively about alternatives to the traditional 50/50 joint venture. For instance, if Heartland Spindle is focused on exports and profitability, it might make more sense to have a minority share in the venture. Heartland would bring knowhow to the table and would purchase the export production, leaving the Chinese partner to manage productivity and profit levels. That would protect Heartlands margins and reduce its investment, yielding a higher return on assets. The point is that this situation might require a creative solution, and that brings me to my final concern. Mike needs to move out of his comfort zone and learn to strategize and negotiate in a highly dynamic environment. He should be the one taking the initiative, not reacting in surprise to the ideas and actions of others. Ericjugieris the chairman ofMichelin (China) Investment in Shanghai. 32 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Can Mike Keep the Joint Venture from Unraveling? †¢ H B R CASE COMMENTARY I ts never easy making joint ventures work, especially when the strategic objectives of the partners diverge. Zhong-Lian Knitting has had a very successful ten years, during which the partners have been able to work out their differences. But this jV may well have outlived its usefulness. land Spindle is focused on short-to mediumterm financial returns and on transforming Zhong-Lian into a high-quality manufacturer. No amount of discussion is going to reconcile their differences. If he concludes that the status quo is not viable, Mike must ask himself a second question: How can he restructure or exit the JV in a way that makes sense for Heartland? To answer, he must take into account any termination or exit clauses in the joint venture agreement He must also determine whether Heartland needs to have an ownership interest in the JV to continue the commercial relationship with it and whether Suzhou is financially able to buyout Heartlands interest in the JV Mike would be well advised to investigate several options in parallel. They could include selling some or all of Heartlands interest to Suzhou. A phased exit in which Heartland reduces its ownership stake overtime could make sense if Heartland wants to minimize disruption in the relationship; it might also make it easier for Suzhou to raise capital (if this is a constraint). AIternatively, Mike could explore the sale of Heartlands interest to a more compatible third party. The partners might also wish to consider an IPO, assuming that Zhong-Lian is sufficiently developed to make this option realistic. An IPO would give Heartland an exit while providing the joint venture access to capital to continue its growth. A third question Mike should be asking is. What is Heartlands overall joint venture strategy, not just in China but also in other markets? Heartland should consider establishing a portfolio of joint venture relationships in China and other low-cost regions. That would allow the company to diversify its sourcing relationships, reducing the risk associated with any one partner. It would also allow Heartland to upgrade its skills in establishing and managing international joint ventures. Perhaps if Mikes boss became involved in negotiating a few international jVs, he would acquire a better appreciation for the challenges involved in managing such relationships. Zhong-Lian is similar to many other joint ventures in that its problems are partly due to its success. I am reminded of the jV created in the early 1980S by Merck and the Swedish pharmaceutical company Astra to help Astra enter the U. S. market. It operated successfully for more than a decade; by the late 1990S, various analysts estimated it to be worth up to $10 billion, largely because of sales of the blockbuster drug Prilosec. But the parties increasingly found that their objectives were incompatible. Merck wanted to continue benefiting from Astras current products and RD pipeline, but Astra needed control over its U. S. operations to pursue its vision of becoming a leading global pharmaceutical company. The partners eventually agreed to restructure the venture so that Dieter Turowski Is a managing director in Mergers Acquisitions at Morgan Stanley in London. Heartland should consider establishing a portfolio of joint ventures. That would reduce the risk associated with any one partner. Astra had control, and Merck would receive payments based on the sales of future products. Zhong-Lian and its Chinese parent, Suzhou First Textile, may be at a similar crossroads. To determine his next step, Mike Craves needs to answer a fundamental question: Have the partnersstrategic interests moved so far apart that the JV no longer makes sense in its currentform? The answer apDears to be yes. Suzhou is focused on expansion within China and on developing a national brand; this strategy will continue to put pressure on the ventures financial performance. Heart- A CHANGED WORLD AUGUST 2003 3 H B R CASE C O M M E N T A R Y †¢ Can Mike Keep the Joint Venture from Unraveling? H eartland Spindle entered the China market at the same time many multinationals did, about a decade ago, seeing the same enormous opportunity. The market was huge and there was undercapacity in many segments and industries, so high margins seemed assured. But that was a shortsighted and static view of the ma rket. As the multinationals rushed in and productivity quickly improved, the immediate result was a dramatic expansion of capacity, and margins deteriorated. In very short order. he companiesexpectations about revenues and profits became obsolete. and products with very strong brands. My first advice to Mike Craves would be to study the industry structure closely and determine whether a 20% return on investment is theoretically possible for Zhong-Lians products. The nextquestion is whetherthis joint venture is in a position to capture the highest margin in its industry. Does it have a unique business model, perhaps, based on some core competence? Maybe it can leverage its channel or its brand back in the United States or in other developed markets. Or perhaps Heartland can make the venture a bigger part of its global strategy, exploiting the regions labor costs and productivity edge to reconfigure its worldwide production strategy. If Mike doesnt discover a unique business model that will generate a 20% ROI, he needs to inform his boss that its time to exit. But if he believes such a return is achievable, he needs to restructure the jV to get there. If Heartland doesntwantto make any more of an investment in the venture, it could bring in a private shareholder or other marketdriven companies to buy the governments shares. Mike also needs to ensure that he is linking compensation packages to performance. Ive observed that employees in China-especially senior managers-respond very,very wellto pay-for-performance plans. Its been my experience that Chinese organizations are quite adaptable to other cultures. The problem here, and perhaps for many companies, is that real assimilation cantoccurunlessthe two partners are working toward the same goals. Zhong-Lian is under the strong influence of the government, and, as a result, it is doing exactly what should be expected: creating jobs and boosting revenue rather than profits. The minute Mike starts to create a market-driven and value-creation-driven connpany-largely by rewarding senior managers for gains in those directions-things will start to change. The joint venture is already one of the success stories on the Chinese business landscape. Ifthe venture is restructured and incentives are aligned with higher performance, it might even meet the expectations Heartland has set for it. Manyforeign executives said that if they were to move into China again, they would do so through a solely owned business, not a joint venture. Heartland also went the usual route of entering China by means of a joint venture. Many multinationals chose this path because of regulation requirements, others because of their unfamiliarity with the Chinese business landscape. Many of them have come to regret that decision. In a McKinsey survey of executives of foreign companies in China three years ago, a great number of respondents said that if they were to move into China again, they would do so through a solely owned business, not a joint venture. The main reason was that the partners often dont share the same vision or philosophy, and the disparity in the viewpoints hampers performance. The survey also found that morethanhalfofthejointventures in China are not working properly. David Xu is a principal In Zhong-Lians case, the problem does not seem to be the cultural difference so much as the difference in the two partners* visions and definitions of success. One question, then, is whether Heartlands high-margin vision is sensible. The textile industry in China is extremely competitive and will be for the foreseeable future because the entry barriers are low. The margins in textiles are therefore typically very low, except for special textiles at management consulting firm McKinsey Company in Shanghai. HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Can Mike Keep the joint Venture from Unraveling? †¢ HBR CASE COMMENTARY ment unless it improves the bottom line, wants to improve quality, and sees no benefit to creating a Chinese brand because it views China as a low-cost manufacturing platform rather than a market. In the absence of congruent performance objectives, the joint venture has no underlying strategic logic. Thus the partners immediately need to Lets look atthe Chinese marketfirst. Many revisit both their older and continuing reaforeign companies are finding it tough to sons for staying together. Ifthe partners cangenerate acceptable profits there. Even the not agree on a minimally acceptable ROI or Japanese, historically the biggest investors, that such a goal is a top priority, they should are seeing their lowest returns in China. (And think about exiting the venture. when the Japanese do invest, the size oftheir Finally, Mike is part of the problem. It is subsidiaries tends to be smaller; they dont absolutely stunning that he learned on the employ anywhere near the number of people day ofthe anniversary banquet that his partZhong-Lian Knitting does. ner wanted to make another acquisition. EiChina is also becoming a more expensive place to do business. Betweeni992 and 2001, the consumer price index in the United States increased by 1. 27times; in Shanghai, it went up 2. 21 times. Wage rates in Shanghai more than tripled between 1991 and 2000. Its not surprising that more and more competitive Japanese corporations have begun to pull out of the market-they are a ther the Chin ese partner is out of control or Mike is out of touch. How much time is Mike spending with the partner? Has he grown too comfortable in paradise? Mike needs to be proactive. Rather than simply waiting for his Chinese partner to hand him the names of acquisition candidates, for instance, he could develop specific acquisition criteria with his partner or even M ike Craves needs to start by acknowledging that his boss is correct: A 4% ROI is not enough for most foreign investors after ten years. So where is the problem? Is it in the Chinese market itself? Is it with the partnership agreement? Or is it with Mike? Id argue that all three contribute to this dilemma. Paul W. Beamish is the director ofthe Asian Management Institute at the Richard Ivey School of Business ofthe University of Western Ontario in London, Oritario. One ofthe largest costs in many joint ventures is the expatriate manager package. Perhaps he could save by reducing the number of expats. little further along the exit curve than Bill Windier is. Next,the partnership. In any international joint venture, the partners must share congruent performance measures. That is certainly not the case here. While both partners have an explicitgoalthattheJV be profitable, they differ widely in terms of what constitutes an acceptable financial return. Furthermore, some oftheir nonfinancial goals forthe JV seem to have evolved and have only now become explicit. The Chinese partner is happy with achieving a 5 to 6% profit and % being viewed asa local hero. It wants togrow the scope of the jV and establish a national brand. The U. S. partner wants a 20% ROI, will consider growth only if it improves profitability, has no interest in creating employconduct some investigations himself He should also look for additional ways of improving the JVs profitability. One of the largest costs in many joint ventures in China is the expatriate manager package. He could save money by reducing the number of expats, perhaps by promoting local managers. Lots of smart people are available. Various factors have contributed to the current situation, some of which such as the condition ofthe Chinese market-Mike cannot control. He needs to concentrate on the things he can change: the relationship between the U. S. and Chinese partners and his own managerial behavior.

Logic in Daily Life Sociology Essay Sample

Logic in Daily Life Sociology Essay Sample Logic in Daily Life Sociology Essay Logic in Daily Life Sociology Essay It is believed that a person can think properly without knowing the exact rules and laws of logic, using them only on an intuitive level. After all, there are musicians who can play any musical instrument, without knowing the printed music. However, these musicians are limited in their creativity. They cannot fulfill the work written with the help of printed music or record a melody composed by them. The person who has mastered logic thinks more clearly, his/her arguments are more convincing than of those who do not have logical thinking. People constantly use logic in everyday life. Logic is a study of methods of evidence and refutation. The author Patrick Hurley (2011) gives the following definition â€Å"Logic may be defined as the organized body of knowledge or science that evaluates arguments† (p. 1). It is a set of scientific theories, each of which addresses specific ways of evidence and refutation. In the book Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking, it is mentioned that â€Å"Logic is about clear and effective thinking† (McInerny, 2004, p. 1). Logic is a science of forms and laws of correct thinking. The word logic is derived from the Greek word logos, which can be translated as a concept, reason, and argument (Maldonato Dell’Orco, 2011). Currently, it is used in the following principal values; firstly, these words represent regularities in change and development of things and phenomena of the objective world (Maldonato Dell’Orco, 2011). Patterns of change and development of things and phenomena of the objective world are ca lled objective logic. Secondly, the word ‘logic’ refers to special regularities in the connections and the development of thought (Maldonato Dell’Orco, 2011). These laws are called subjective logic. Patterns in the development of relations and thoughts are a reflection of objective laws. Logic is also known as a science of laws of the development of connections and thoughts. This science appeared approximately in the V century BC in ancient Greece (Shenefelt White, 2013). A famous Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle is considered to be the creator of this science (Hurley, 2011). Logic is an ancient science. Nevertheless, it still retains its practical significance. Many different sciences and arts of the ancient world have forever gone in the past and present only a museum value and are interesting as monuments of the past only. However, some of them have survived the centuries and people continue to use them these days. They include Euclidean geometry and the logic of Aristotle (Hurley, 2011). In the XIX century, a new science appeared and began to develop rapidly (Hurley, 2011). It is symbolic – mathematical or modern – logic, which is a branch of higher mathematics. The comprehension of foundations of any science is a complex and painstaking work that requires much time. Logic is a special world, which opens not for everyone, but only for those who make great efforts for this. In other words, knowledge of the basics of science is a treasure in the receptacle of an educated person. Logic is an extremely important part of everyone’s life. It helps people to properly build their thoughts and express them, convince others, better understand the interlocutor, explain and defend the points of view, and avoid errors in reasoning. On the content, human mind is infinitely diverse, as people can think about anything, for example, about the world and the origin of life on Earth, the past of mankind and its future, books and movies, today’s affairs, and coming holidays. Each person has a certain logical culture, the level of which is characterized by the set of logical methods and ways of reasoning that a person understands, as well as a set of logical tools that he/she uses in the course of learning and practice (Shenefelt White, 2013). Logical culture is acquired in the course of communication, learning, and reading literature. Logic is not all about the content of thinking, but it examines only the forms of thoughts. It is not interested in what people think, but how they think. Thus, it is often called formal logic. Aristotelian logic is also often called traditional. Logic deals with a form of thinking. A form of thinking is a way of expression of thoughts or the scheme of their construction. There are only three types of thinking. The first one is the concept. It is a form of thinking, which represents an object or an attribute of object. The second type of thinking is judgment. This form consists of concepts related to each other. Judgment always claims or denies. The last type of thinking is inference. It is a form of thinking, in which a new proposition or a conclusion follows from two or more initial judgments (Hurley, 2011). In addition to the forms of thinking, logic is also engaged in the laws of thinking. The laws of thinking are the objective principles or rules of thought, the observance of which always leads the argument, regardless of the content to the real conclusions on the condition of truth of initial judgments. There are four basic laws of thought. They include identity, contradictions, the excluded middle, and sufficient reason. Violation of these laws leads to different logical errors and false conclusions. Sometimes, the laws of logic are violated unintentionally and out of ignorance (Hurley, 2011). However, it is sometimes done deliberately to confuse the interlocutor and present a false idea. Knowledge of logic increases the culture of thinking, develops skills to think more intelligently, and develops a critical attitude. Logic teaches one to argue correctly. It allows people to correctly defend their opinion, refute the erroneous belief of the opponent, find compromises, and expose the unfair practices and tricks. Finally, logic adopts the habit of thinking. Modernity forces people to know much. In such a way, school and higher education systems seek to enclose much information in students. In the book Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking, the author Merrilee Salmon (2012) states that â€Å"Information must be processed – understood, sorted for relevance, checked for accuracy and completeness, balanced against competing information, organized coherently, and analyzed for its application† (p. 2). However, they do not teach one to think. They do not tend to develop this human ability. Nevertheless, thinking is an extremely important aspect in personâ €™s life. Therefore, the notion that the study of logic does not have a practical significance is untenable. Many great philosophers and prominent figures of science and culture, such as Plato, Hobbes, and others attached great importance to the study of logic, knowledge of its laws, and pointed to the need to develop the ability to think logically. Logic is a necessary tool by releasing extra and unnecessary memorization. It helps to find the necessary notions in the mass of information. Knowledge of logic is necessary to any expert – mathematician, physician, biologist, and others. To some extent, logic was necessary for people at the most different historical epochs. However, it is especially necessary for precision of thought in the modern era. It is associated with the fact that the higher the level of society’s development, the greater are the requirements for the men, the own level of development, general, and special culture. In such a way, the need for the ability to think and reason and deeply understand the processes, occurring in public life, becomes extremely urgent. Accordingly, the role and importance of logic, as a science of thinking, is enhanced. Due to its extreme generality and abstraction, it is relevant to virtually all specific industries of science and technology. Despite the fact that these industries are different and unique, the laws and regulations of thinking, on which they are based, are united. Knowledge of logic is required for all people. However, there are sectors of human activity, professions, and specialties, where this knowledge is particularly necessary. Thus, logic knowledge is especially important for employees of public education (Sinnott, 2013). After all, these people are involved in an extremely important social process – the transfer of knowledge accumulated by mankind from one generation to another. Their activities are also largely associated with the formation of younger generation’s thinking. For them, it is important not only to think clearly, but also to teach thinking clearly and form a logical culture of students. Knowledge of logic is imperative to the workers of press and me dia. After all, their thoughts and words are addressed to the vast masses of population and can cause serious social consequences. Therefore, it is extremely important that information is strictly calibrated, balanced, and accurate. The need for knowledge of logic is obvious for health professionals (Sinnott, 2013). They deal with life and health. Therefore, logic errors are especially dangerous in analysis of the signs of the disease and diagnosis, and, thus, the determination of treatments. Knowledge of the laws and regulations of normally proceeding thinking is used in psychiatry as a mean of detecting violations of mental activity in psychiatric patients. Such logical methods as analysis, synthesis, generalization, and classification are usually used (Sinnott, 2013). Logic is of particular importance in the activities of lawyers. Cicero speaking of the court cases advised the speaker to carefully and thoroughly understand all the cases. In today’s legal practice, substantially all the arsenal of logical means is widely used. It includes definition, division, summing up under a concept, the version as a kind of hypothesis, inference, proof, and refutation (Sinnott, 2013). Thinking logically means to think accurately and consistently. Contradictions in arguments should be avoided. These qualities of thought are important in any field of scientific and practical activities, requiring the precision of thought and the validity of conclusions. Logic plays an extremely important role in everyday life. It organizes the correct methods of reasoning, as well as common errors in reasoning. It provides logical means for a clear expression of thoughts, without which, any intellectual activity is ineffective. Knowledge of logic raises the culture of thinking, advanced skills of thinking, and develops a critical attitude towards people’s thoughts. Knowledge of the rules and laws of logic is not the ultimate goal of its research. The ultimate goal is the ability to use its rules and laws in the process of thinking. The truth and logic are interconnected. Therefore, knowledge of logic is impossible to overestimate. Logic helps to justify the true judgment and to refute the false one. It teaches people to think correctly and succinctly. Thus, logic is a philosophical science of forms of human thinking and laws, to which it is subject. In such a way, logic is necessary for all people.

Walker Percy Essays Way to Make Them Effective and Great

Walker Percy Essays Way to Make Them Effective and Great Walker Percy essays are papers written about the essay works of â€Å"Walker Percy†. This novelist has given wonderful essay collections including â€Å"The Loss of the Creature†. In order to write such kind of essays confidently, students need some skills. Students can give a glimpse to the following tip and suggestions in order to write Walker Percy essays of effectual quality. Walker Percy essays can come out successfully when students put their dedication with care. When students attempt to make such essays, they can refer sample essays related to the topic under consideration. Walker Percy essays: Useful guidelines to make it effective Students can bring out great Walker Percy essay when they peep through these useful guidelines: Scrupulous discussion with essay instructor can make a great difference while writing such essays. Topic selection plays a vital role in bringing out the essay successfully. There are numerous effective topics related to diet and nutrition subject. Dedicated research plays the second vital role next to topic selection. Writing the essay as per given requirement is also vital for bringing out successful essays. Walker Percy essays: Tips to make it great Students can write awesome Walker Percy essay when they consider the below tips: It is necessary to present the essay using simple and uncomplicated language. It is necessary to conform to the essay restrictions with certainty. It is necessary to produce the essay as per instructor’s instruction. Walker Percy essays are the means that can be used by students to understand and express the significance of Walker Percy’s essay works. The tips given in this essay can be of great help for students.

Edward R. Murrow, Army-McCarthy hearings Research Paper - 1

Edward R. Murrow, Army-McCarthy hearings - Research Paper Example He constantly accused the federal government of being involved with the Communists. This is what initiated the army-McCarthy hearings in the first place. But in the end, his accusations and remarks were decreed as groundless. McCarthy blamed the army and the army blamed him and said that he was stating those remarks to please his senior David Schine and his friend, Roy Cohn (Caute). Many people in the government were intimidated by Senator McCarthy because of his popularity and his gift of gab. Despite his blames and accusations, people listened to him because he was an excellent orator. But it is unfortunate that he used his skills for the wrong purposes. This is why his sudden decline was his own fault, as was later proved by Edward Murrow. Another reason for McCarthy’s growing popularity was his relation with the Kennedy family. He was in their good books and while the Kennedy family was at its prime, McCarthy took unfair advantage of it. Moreover, the Kennedy’s were Catholics and so was McCarthy and this forged a stronger bond between the Kennedys and McCarthy. This is also why McCarthy gained infinite support when it came to targeting the Communist tribes. Many journalists and critics also claim that for McCarthy, being Communist was more of a personal issue and it was his fault that he amalgamated it with his profession(Caute). After these remarks began to surface, the Senate took the matter in its own hands. The Senate set up a committee to find the root of the problem. Normally, McCarthy was the one who governed these meetings but as this time he himself was being charged, Karl Mundt was elected as the leader of the committee. He was also a renowned Republican senator. At first the Senate was a little hesitant to make Mundt the head of committee because McCarthy was a lot stronger opponent and he made a rude opponent, but many members of the committee voted in favor of Mundt.