A Brief Note On Itc Limited And Itc - 1219 Words

Introduction of ITC ITC Limited or ITC is an Indian headquarter in Kolkata, India. Its diversified business includes five segments: â€Å"Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Hotels, Paperboards, Packaging and Agri Business†. In 2012-13, annual turnover was $ 8.31 billion and at the end of the same year, its capitalization was US$ 45 billion. It employs over 26,000 people at more than 60 locations across India and is part of Forbes 2000 list. Company has been in scandals regarding funding of Political Party to gain monopoly in Indian Cigarette market. ITC claims† that it is the â€Å"on1y company† in the world of advanced dimensions to be Carbon Positive, Water Positive and Solid Waste Recycling Positive. ITC Limited has completed 100 years on 24 August 2010. The earlier decades of the company activities centered on the tobacco industries. Since 1964 conclusive evidence of the deadly effects of tobacco consumption has 1ed to a sharp decline in official support for producers and manufacturers of tobacco, in spite of its 1arge contribution to the agriculture, fiscal, manufacturing and exporting sectors of the economy. Viewing the changes in the business dynamics in the tobacco industry, the company starting looking to other venues for earning revenue. In 1970’s, it started reducing the foreign equity holding in the company to 40%. In 1975, the company enters the hotel business with the acquisition of a hotel in Chennai which was rejoined ‘ITC-Welcomgroup hotel Chola’. In 1979, ITC started theShow MoreRelatedWills Lifestyle7563 Words   |  31 Pageswith us throughout our internship. In the end we express our heartfelt gratitude to our faculty, Ms. Vandana Narang and Ms. Anandita Sardar for their supervision and help in the best possible ways throughout the period of internship. Internship Brief The industry internship programme is an introduction to the industry and understanding of designer’s role and responsibility in this context. It is aimed at providing us with a professional design experience by familiarizing us with a working knowledgeRead MorePk Electricss International Marketing Analysis2280 Words   |  10 Pageswould Use 6 Modes of Market Entry 7 Most Appropriate Mode for PK Electrics 8 Conclusion 8 Reference 9 Introduction Since PK Electrics was established in 1987 in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China. It has grown from a local supplier producing a limited range of electrical cabling and switches to a national supplier of a wide range of electrical supplies including: cables, sockets, switches and light fittings. It has three factories based in Zhejiang province and good reputation for quality and customerRead MoreDesigning A Better Organizational Process4695 Words   |  19 Pageswork process and their Organizational structure. 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Mehadi Masud Lecturer Faculty of Business Studies Department of Accounting Information Systems University of Dhaka Prepared By Mohsina Akter Roll-11124 Section-B, Batch-11 Faculty of Business Studies Department of AccountingRead MoreIndian Laptop Industry7351 Words   |  30 PagesA Strategic management Report On The Laptop Industry in India By: Abhishek Dutta Ayush Palod Amit Jha Aditya Patnaik Debanjan Roy Kanwardeep Singh Mukesh Lohan Pallavi Arora Ravinder Pal Singh Shantanu Sinha Sujay Kher Somdipto Ghosh A brief Introduction on the Laptop Industry of India Computers One industry which continues to hold its head high even in an environment of industrial slowdown is information technology (IT) - with annual growth rates of software value hovering between 20% and 30%Read MoreTeaching Assistant Level 2 (Assignment 3)6057 Words   |  25 PagesLevel 2 Teaching Assistant Certificate - Assignment Three Unit 3 Supporting the Curriculum TASK 9: Using subject headings together with a brief summary of the subject, describe the range and main provisions of the relevant National curriculum in the school where you are employed. 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Fundamentalist Islam Essay - 2425 Words

The key issue in the Middle East, increasingly, has less to do with the Arab-Israeli conflict and more to do with fundamentalist Islam. What is fundamentalist Islam? On the one hand, it manifests itself as a new religious conviction, reaffirming faith in an awe-inspiring God. On the other hand, it appears as a militant ideology, demanding political action now. One day its spokesmen call for a jihad (sacred war) against the West, evoking the deepest historic resentments. Another day, its leaders appeal for reconciliation with the West, emphasizing shared values. Its economic theorists reject capitalist greed in the name of social justice, yet they rise to the defense of private property. Its moralists pour scorn on Western consumer culture†¦show more content†¦But if Muslims now return to the original Islam, they can preserve and even restore their power. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;That return, to be effective, must be comprehensive. It is not merely a religion, in the Western sense of a system of belief in God. It possesses an immutable law, revealed by God that deals with every aspect of life, and it is an ideology, a complete system of belief about the organization of the state and the world. This law and ideology can only be implemented through the establishment of a truly Islamic state, under the sovereignty of God. The empowerment of Islam, which is God’s plan for mankind, is a sacred end. It may be pursued by any means that can be rationalized in terms of Islam’s own code. At various times, these have included persuasion, guile, and force. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What is remarkable about fundamentalist Islam is not its diversity. It is the fact that this idea of power for Islam appeals so effectively across such a wide range of humanity. Fundamentalists everywhere must act in narrow circumstances of time and place. But they are who they are precisely because their idea exists above all circumstances. Over nearly a century, this idea has evolved into a coherent ideology, which demonstrates a striking consistency in content and form across a wide expanse of the Muslim world. [2] Fundamentalist Forerunners nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The pursuit ofShow MoreRelated Ideology of Fundamentalist Islam Explained Essay5434 Words   |  22 Pagespolitical orientation of Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966), an Egyptian civil servant turned political and religious activist, inspired by fundamentalist Islam. To gain an understanding of what influenced and formulated Qutb’s ideas it has been necessary to provide some background information relating the history of modern day Egypt and the emergence of reformist and fundamentalist Islam, from the 19th century until Qutb’s time. The essay also seeks to give some biographical information in order to provide a fullerRead MoreCulture and Religion8004 Words   |  33 Pageshats, praying at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. TV has also covered the revolution in Iran and the Taliban victory in Afghanistan. These pictures give us a good idea of fundamentalism in two if the three major monotheistic religions, Judaism and Islam. The other one is fundamentali sm within Christianity. II. ORIGINS OF CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISM The Enlightenment, in the 18th and 19th century Europe, inaugurated a period in which traditional Christian beliefs were placed under attack. EnlightenedRead MoreCharacteristics of Religious Fundamentalism Essay1162 Words   |  5 Pagesauthority and oppose the challengers, often using political means o further their cause. One characteristic of religious Fundamentalism is that most Fundamentalist groups have a charismatic, authoritarian leader. This person is usually male, who may claim to be divinely informed. An example of this was the Christian Fundamentalist Peoples Temple religious cult led by Reverend Jim Jones. He had such control over his followers that when he asked them to take their own lives inRead MoreEssay on Fundamentalism and Religion785 Words   |  4 Pagesin the west associate fundamentalism with Islam, this is indeed a mistaken belief. Fundamentalism is defined as the affirmation of religious authority as holistic and absolute, admitting of neither criticism nor reduction; it is expressed through the collective demand that specific creedal and ethical dictates derived from scripture be publicly recognized and legally enforced . (Lawrence) Therefore the essence of fundamentalist belief is doctrinal confirmity, of notRead MoreIs Religious Fundamentalism Always Totalitarian and Prone to Violence?1856 Words   |  8 Pagesthe moral protest of faiths such as Islam and Christianity can be linked to the rise of Religious Fundamentalism, as they protest the influence of corruption and pretence that infiltrate their beliefs from the spread of secularization (Heywood, 2012, p. 283). Religious Fundamentalists have followed a traditional political thought process yet, have embraced a militant style of activity which often can turn violent (Heywood, 2012, p. 291). To be a fundamentalist is to wholly believe in the doctrineRead MoreThe Birth Of Islam And Islam1129 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: The birth of Islam published liberal and humanistic origin of Islam in east Bengal. But later this Islam turn into political Islam due to three reasons the emergence of religious based Pakistan state, failure of punished the war criminals and the declaration of Islam as the state religion in replaced of secularism (8th amendment 1988). The failure of the state to provide basic need to the people, increasing violence in Economy and political sector growing discrimination in society,Read More Terrorism and the Pursuit of God Essay example648 Words   |  3 PagesIslamic religion, the religion that the hijackers are suspected to adhere to, claiming that Islam reveres its martyrs and sanctions war. But the answer is much more complicated than this, and a look at religion and technology can help get a clearer picture of Islam and the events of September 11. Karen Armstrong, in her book The Battle for God, claims that nearly all religions have a sect of â€Å"fundamentalists,† or what some have called â€Å"extremists,† who feel it their duty to rebel against the recentRead MoreIslamic Fundamentalism is based on Islamic ideology. It is also seen as a group of religious800 Words   |  4 PagesIslamic Fundamentalism is based on Islamic ideology. It is also seen as a group of religious ideologies trying to return to the fundamentals of Islam. Muslim Brotherhood started in Egypt in the year of 1928. Muslim Brotherhood is an anti-colonial, transnational Sunni Islamist movement, it is attempting to integrate Islam into politics and government. Members of the brotherhood believe the Quran and Sunnah should be the basis of the government (Johnson, 2014). Muslim Brotherhood is not only foundRead MoreIslamic Extremism Is Becoming A Global Matter1605 Words   |  7 PagesIslamophobia. To fully comprehend how attitudes toward the Is lamic religion have changed in the past decade, one must consider the history of Islam, and the societal and cultural changes pertaining to Islam. Islamophobia is becoming a global matter, and one must be aware to understand religious conflicts, as it can immensely influence society. The religion of Islam originated from the Prophet Muhammad whom Muslims believe that he was chosen to spread God, or Allah’s message (â€Å"The Prophet†, n.d.). AccordingRead MoreMuslim Immigrants And The United States871 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"extremists†, â€Å"jihadists†, â€Å"fanatics†, â€Å"fundamentalists† etc. They were being feared, discriminated and even harassed. One of the most widely discussed issues in the U.S. Muslim community is the negative image of Islam in the American media, an issue that was cause for concern even before 9/11. While appeals to the media for accuracy and fairness continue, newspaper headlines regularly print the words â€Å"Islam† and â€Å"Muslim† next to words like â€Å"fanatic,† â€Å"fundamentalist,† â€Å"militant,† â€Å"terrorist† and â€Å"violence

Elastic and Inelastic Demand free essay sample

The demand for newspaper is inelastic while the supply for newspaper is elastic in the short run. This means the quantity demanded for newspaper does not respond strongly to price changes but the quantity supplied for newspaper is responsive to price changes in the short run. (Mankiw, 2009) The demand is inelastic because newspaper has very few substitutes. Although online news is getting popular nowadays, the majority still prefer to read the papers. Besides, newspaper is a necessity which people read every day to know what happens around the world. Newspaper has a broadly defined market and it has no good substitutes. (Mankiw, 2009) The supply of newspaper is elastic because firms that produce manufactured goods such as newspapers can run their factories longer in response to a higher price. (Mankiw, 2009) From the graph, we can derive the table below: Without TaxWith TaxChange Consumer SurplusA+B+CA- (B+C) Producer SurplusD+E+FF- (D+E) Government Revenue -B+D+ (B+D) Total SurplusA+B+C+D+E+FA+B+D+F- (C+E) Consumer surplus decreases by the area B and C while producer surplus decreases by the area D and E after a tax is imposed. Both tax levied on sellers and tax levied on buyers place a same size of wedge between the price that buyers pay and the price that sellers receive (Mankiw, 2009). Regardless of how the tax is levied, buyers and sellers share the tax burden (Mankiw, 2009). Buyers pay more and sellers receive less. Meanwhile the government revenue from collecting taxes increases by the area B and D. As a result, total surplus decreases by the area C and E causing a deadweight loss. Tax has made both consumers and producers worse off and it decreases the overall welfare of society. The equilibrium quantity falls after a tax is imposed causing the market of newspaper to shrink. (300 words) Task 2 Negative consumption and production externalities are considered harmful to society. A negative externality is the adverse and uncompensated impact of one person’s actions on the wellbeing of a bystander. (Mankiw, 2009) Negative consumption externalities cause a difference between private benefit and social benefit (Tutor2u, n. d. as social benefit takes into account of both the private benefit and the adverse impact of one person’s actions on the wellbeing of society. When the marginal private benefit gt; marginal social benefit, a negative consumption externality exists (Tutor2u, n. d. ). The intersection of the marginal-private-cost curve and the marginal-social-benefit curve determines the optimal output level. From the diagram, we can know that it is less than the market equilibrium quantity. This shows that the good is over-consumed. There will be a deadweight loss of economic welfare. Negative production externalities cause a difference between private cost and social cost because social cost takes into account of both the private cost and the external cost. When the marginal social cost gt; marginal private cost, a negative production externality exists (Tutor2u, n. d. ). This means that the cost to society of producing one good is larger than the cost to the producers (Tutor2u, n. d. ). The optimal output level is determined by the intersection of the marginal-private-benefit curve and the marginal-social-cost curve. It is also less than the market equilibrium quantity according to the diagram above. Again there will be a deadweight loss. Because both the negative consumption and production externalities lead markets to produce a larger quantity than is socially desirable, the markets are inefficient. Thus market failures happen as markets fail to maximize total surplus, causing deadweight losses. Therefore negative consumption and production externalities are considered harmful to society. (Mankiw, 2009) The production of rare earth will cause negative production externality to society. This is because the refinery of rare earth ore will generate radioactive waste which is seriously harmful to human beings. Recent protests in Kuantan to stop Malaysian government from letting Lynax, a giant Australian Mining Company to build the world’s largest refinery for rare earth metal in Gebeng and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s recent comments about the radioactive waste in Perak have made Malaysians recall back the incident of Bukit Merah during 1980s (Mariam Mokhtar, 2011). In 1982, Asian Rare Earth (ARE) which is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Chemical began operating its rare earth plant in Bukit Merah. ARE extracted yytrium (a rare earth) from monazite, one of the minerals found in amang for use in high technology products. Both monazite and the waste contain thorium hydroxide, which has a half-life of 13. 9 billion years. Cancer-causing radon gas is released during decay of thorium. (Mariam Mokhtar, 2011) Because of the radioactive waste, the residents of Bukit Merah suffered very serious harmful effects. Not only there is a high incidence of cancer rate, the residents suffer birth defects and leukemia. Jayabalan, a general practitioner physician and toxicologist who treated the leukemia victims, carried out a survey and proved that the number of miscarriages in the village was higher than the national average (Mariam Mokhtar, 2011). A sample test on 60 children had found that their bloodstreams contain high levels of lead (Mariam Mokhtar, 2011). According to New York Times, Lai Kwan, the former workers of ARE, has spent the last 29 years taking care of her son from her pregnancy while working in ARE’s refinery, who was born with severe mental and physical disabilities (Bradsher, 2011). The harmful effects of radioactive waste are long term. Parents of those children who were born with birth defects and leukemia have to take care of their children for the whole life time. The victims of Bukit Merah incident still suffers today. After a long-drawn battle and petition of the residents against ARE, Japanese environmentalists and politicians stepped in and persuade ARE to close the refinery in 1992. Mitsubishi Chemical agreed to fix the problem and subsequently spend $100 million to clean up the site.

Shinto Exam Preparation Notes free essay sample

Shinto is a native Japanese mythology/religion influenced by Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Kami, a key concept in Shinto’s belief refers to the superior, mystical or divine, that permeates the natural world. Origins of the universe: Earliest Shinto text is the Kojiki or ‘record of ancient matters’ written in 712 CE Kojiki tells the story of how the cosmic order arose out of chaos during the age of the kami when something like a huge celestial egg split in half to form heaven and earth. The earliest gods attended this spontaneous development and they produced a second generation of divinities who were paired with one another as brother and sister (also husband and wife) the last pair of divine siblings named Izanagi and Izanami were instructed by their elders to create the islands of japan. They did this, and the country they made compromised the whole creation of time. The stories and myths about creation -The celestial pair gave birth to the sacred land of japan and to all the kami or ‘superior spirits’ that inhabit the land. We will write a custom essay sample on Shinto Exam Preparation Notes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They bore the divine kami of the rivers and rocks and mountains and trees and also gave birth to the spirits of the natural forces such as wind and fire and so on.. -Eventually the great mother goddess, Amaterasu, kami of the sun, comes into being, along with her wild and intractable brother, the god, Susanoo-o-Mikoto, kami of storms. These two kami of the sun and of the storms become the paramount deities in subsequent Shinto mythology. Principle beliefs -The universe has three levels- plain of heaven: where kami live (hight) the present human realm: the middle land (where humans live) and at the depth (below) is the world after death. More sophisticated Shinto mythology but in the hearts of the common people they prefer the perpetual country or ‘tokoyo’ view that the eternal spiritual domain where the kami abide in perfect tranquillity with the human realm. (everything is on the human/middle level) they believe in the middle land (perpetual country or tokoyo). -Fundamental idea in Shinto is that of kami. Kami is the indefinable quality felt in spiritual realities. They also believe in the kami of ideas such as creation, growth and development. Kami is the awe inspiring sacred nature of things. the sacred is understood through actually experiencing, but cannot be captured in theories or words. -They communicate with the kami directly so they have no need for elaborate or formal theories. -Shinto is a religion of sentiment rather than sermons. The proper end of Shinto is not to grasp the idea of kami but to feel its boundless presence. Rituals -Jinja Shinto- takes place at shrines and is domestic and lo cal (local shrines are where regional kami are worshipped ie. River kami, beach kami. This allows local communities to affirm their togetherness in the presence of their local kami.. every home has a shrine called a kamidana at at this level Shinto can be seen as the way a family worships their ancestors[mirror covered by a door]). -Minzoku Shinto- relates to folk religion in japan (what everyone follows) -Koshitsu Shinto- practiced at a national level and relates to the emperor and his family. (at a national level, shrines dedicated to the imperial family[descendants of the gods] help japan celebrate its unity as a nation).

Enhancing international dimensions in apparel Essays

Enhancing international dimensions in apparel Essays Enhancing international dimensions in apparel Essay Enhancing international dimensions in apparel Essay Enhancing international dimensions in apparel and merchandising curricula in the USA A practitioners perspective Hong You School of Fashion, Reason University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Bongo Jinn Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA Abstract Purpose For many years, the textile and apparel industry has been on the forefront of globalization. To prepare students in the global business environment, this study seeks input from the US business communities and provides suggestions for enhancing the international dimensions of the apparel and merchandising auricular in the USA. Design/methodology/approach Two sets of data were collected and compared: the general data were collected from various business sectors via telephone interviews, and the product-specific data were gathered from US apparel manufacturers using a modified Dilemmas mail survey method. Findings Results indicated that the most important benefit of doing business internationally was expanded market,while the obstacle identifiers oftenest cultural differences. The study also found that understanding (I. E. Cultural/business practice differences, etc. ) is more critical than application or competency (I. E. Pacific skills) for college international education and that taking general and product-specific approaches is most efficient to enhance international dimensions in textile and apparel curricula. Practical implications Practical implications discussed were: first, international education in the textile and clothing field should be developed with a strong focus on small businesses; second, the international dimensions of apparel design, production, and merchandising curricula should be developed using a region-specific, rather than a one-fits-all approach; third, students in the textile and clothing field should be fully prepared in understanding, rather than in application or competency; and fourth, educational modules that help the students better understand international markets should be incorporated into curricula. Originality/value We hope this report raises attention with regard to why and how international dimensions can be incorporated into instruction. Based on this report, we expect more practical and innovative international education dialogues to begin. Keywords Textile industry, Garment industry, International business, Higher education, curriculum development, Unlit Paper type Research paper EAI states AT America The Emerald Research Register for this Journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this Journal is available at www. Merchandising. Com/ architectures www. Nearsightedly. Com/1361-2026. HTML Partial funding support for this project was provided by the US Agricultural Experimental Station Fund. This paper has been reviewed in the same manner as an academic paper. JEFF 232 Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management Volvo. 9 NO. 2, 2005 up. 232-243 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 1361-2026 DOI 10. 1108/13612020510599376 Introduction It is a well-estab lished fact that the textile and apparel industry is an important actor in the US and global economies. The textile and apparel supply chain is one of the most globalizes industries, involving more than 10 percent of the world business (Clock and Junk, 2000). It is a common business practice that some aspects of textile and clothing products, such as raw materials, components, labor, and assembly, are sourced from overseas, and the finished products are marketed elsewhere in the world. In the USA, the textiles and apparel sector sources 88 percent of its products internationally for the domestic market (Elevate, 2000). The apparel companies are owe faced with a rapidly changing industry landscape that requires forward-looking global strategies (Rabin, 1999) and visionary leaders. Nonetheless, can we claim that higher education in textiles and clothing has sufficiently prepared its students for the challenges in this global environment? Probably not. While internationalization of the business curriculum has drawn attention in past years and there are good resources available regarding international business concepts in general business education, these resources are not targeted to a specific product category and largely focus on multinational companies. As the small US companies exports were as high as 51 percent in 1997 (National Security and International Affairs Division, 2000), adopting general international business concepts with a large company focus does not appear to be sufficient preparation for textile clothing students. While a growing number of major four-year universities in the USA have implemented some international-related courses, this effort is not prevalent. One recent curriculum analysis of textile and clothing programs reveals that more than half of the four-year colleges in the USA do not offer any international courses Non, 2002). Given that globalization is impacting very phase of sewn product manufacturing and marketing, the absence of international perspectives in curriculum results in a critical gap between higher education and the needs of the industry. How does one enhance international dimensions in the current curricula? What content and skill training needs to be Included ? An Important source Tort answers to tense Stetsons Is Industry professionals who are involved with international business operations on a regular basis. This paper reports on two current surveys with US business communities and provides suggestions for enhancing the international dimensions of apparel and reconsidering curricula. As textile and apparel related business requires both general and product-specific knowledge, this study colleted two data sets, one from the general business community and one from the product-specific (I. E. Apparel) business community. Literature review The importance of international business education in apparel curricula For many years, the textile and apparel sector has been on the forefront of globalization. No industry is more broadly dispersed around the world than the textile and apparel industry. Approximately 200 nations are involved with apparel production for international markets. In addition, a single apparel item produced and marketed within one country is a rarity. In the USA, more and more textile and apparel companies have engaged in international business, whether sourcing production or marketing products. About half of apparel sold in the USA is imported, and most of this imported apparel is sourced by Us-based companies (Junk, 1998). Apparel and merchandising curricula 233 Wall-Mart, the worlds largest company, not only sources from numerous suppliers worldwide, but also sells merchandise in more than 5,000 stores in 11 countries around the globe (Wall-Mart, 2004). Lands End, Inc. , a successful catalog company, ships products to consumers in 185 countries and is receiving significant return from its worldwide business on the web (Slaw, 2001). Many US apparel specialty store retailers, such as Gap, Liz Collarbone, Ann Taylor, Limited, etc. , source internationally without having any production facilities in the States, then market throughout the world. The Gap sources in nearly 50 countries and has 3,000 stores in Canada, the I-J, France, Germany, and Japan. Liz Collarbone sources globally, using 240 factories in 31 different countries to meet its needs Non, 2001). This tremendous trend of global sourcing can be observed easily in developed countries other than the USA. Most global apparel brands heavily leverage global sourcing strategies. Hennas Mauritius ABA (H M), the worlds second largest clothing retailer, sources from 1,600 suppliers throughout Europe and Asia, and operates more than 700 stores in the world Non, AAA). Along with the proven importance of global sourcing and marketing, the need for efficient global supply chain management is highly regarded among practitioners. Due to numerous SKU in a season to handle, the customers appetite for variety, increased rates of product introduction, product proliferation, and shortened product cycles, the ability to respond quickly to the markets needs has become a critical competitive advantage of a firm Non, Bibb). Speed is the competitive tool used by Ezra of Spain to achieve its success. Ezra, launched in 1975 as a local store, is now the worlds third largest clothing retailer with $2. 6 billion (USED) total sales per year. Ezra has stores in 34 countries with 80 percent of its 1,160 stores in Europe. It takes less tan two weeks Tort a SKI art to get Trot Larvas eagles team In span to a store In Paris or Tokyo. This is as much as 12 times faster than competitors. With shorter lead times, Ezra can ship twice a week (compared with once every 12 weeks for some competitors) to each store (McGuire, 2001). The textile and apparel production- distribution supply chain involves many fragmented nodes: agriculture (fiber sources such as cotton, linen/flax, wool, mohair, and silk), manufacturing at various levels (yarn and fabric production; apparel production; and wet finishing), distribution, and consumers. Coordinating these nodes agile with overseas suppliers requires the most sophisticated management skills. Despite these remarkable changes in apparel production, marketing, and management, our understanding of the important changes is vague. The current status of the international component in apparel curricula in the USA A great body of academic papers, reports, and anecdotes address the importance of international business education. Kodiak and Daniels (2003) survey with top managers clearly indicated continuing need for international business education in the USA. They claim that with the projected growth of international operations, additional international business education programs should be developed, particularly orgasm with a focus on Asia. Among many subject matters, Kodiak and Daniel (2003) found that, at minimum, all business graduates need to have an appreciation for cross-cultural differences and a global perspective. Although the importance of international business education is widely accepted among many scholars, practitioners, and policy makers, international perspectives in clothing and textiles education have not been systematically discussed. Only one report, to our knowledge, provides exploratory findings. Jinns (2002) analysis of the SEEM current status of international components in the apparel curriculum provides strong evidence of the lack of international education. Jinn systematically selected every other clothing-related department in US four-year colleges from the membership directory of the International Textile and Apparel Association (IOTA) and analyzed 62 valid curricula provided on college web pages. Surprisingly, the results showed that more than 50 percent of the four-year colleges did not offer any international courses. To better prepare students for the global business environment and to provide a more realistic view and vision, the international dimensions of apparel design, production, ND merchandising curricula need to be enhanced. Method Data collection We collected two sets of data, general and product-specific. To gain broader international business perspectives, general data were collected from various business sectors via telephone interviews. We employed structured and open-ended questions to allow depth of information. This was particularly important when no prior data existed. Trained interviewers from a Bureau for Social Research at a US university conducted the series of telephone interviews. In addition, product- and industry-specific data were gathered from US apparel manufacturers using a mail revue moment Respondents General sample: 47 companies were selected from a list of participants at a conference on doing business internationally. Due to their established international contacts, the respondents could identify what they need for success in the international marketplace and provide a realistic perspective on how to best prepare college students for global competition. A broad range of companies were included in the sample, including those producing chemical products, instruments, equipment, metal products, electronic components, and apparel and other sewn products. More than half of the respondents led small businesses (small business is defined as a company that has fewer than 500 employees according to the US Small Business Administration). Product- and industry-specific sample: a list of 1,500 US apparel companies was purchased from Dun Broadsheet. Data were collected using Dilemmas (2000) mail survey method, which included a first mailing, a follow-up postcard a week after the first mailing, and a second mailing two weeks after sending out the postcards. A cover letter explaining the purpose of the research, a questionnaire, and a self-addressed, stamped return envelope were included in the iris mailing. Each questionnaire was addressed to the president of the company, and the president was asked to transfer the questionnaire to the person who was most qualified to complete it. All questionnaires received after the first mailing cutoff date were checked for moroseness bias according to a procedure proposed by Babble (1990), with no statistical evidence of moroseness bias identified in demographic characteristics. Most of the respondents were in a top-level management position (e. G. President, chairman, CEO, COO, etc. ) (75. 2 percent) or in a manager/director level position (18. 6 recent). A total of 127 questionnaires were returned, resulting in an overall response rate of 8. 5 percent. Among the returned questionnaires, 113 were identified usable and Apparel and 235 were included in data analyses. Among them, 95. 2 percent (100 out of 105 valid cases) were identified as small businesses. We consider the two sets of data as complementary. First, general data provided us with a broad picture of international involvement across different sectors in the USA, while the product- and industry-specific data yielded more focused information about the textile and apparel industry. By analyzing the two sets of data together, we can reach a more comprehensive understanding on how the textile and apparel industry compares with other industries in international business endeavors. A better understanding of the current international business involvement of the textile and apparel industry will help prepare the students in the field. Second, since business operations vary significantly among industries, needs in international business education identified across diverse fields are broader in scope and can provide guidelines for product-specific curriculum content development. That is, utilizing interdisciplinary output can help educators think out of the box for clothing an e Ill curriculum Improvement. However, product- Ana Industry-spectral knowledge and skills for doing business internationally are also critical to the success of students in this field. Therefore, in order to reach a more holistic view of the areas needed to enhance international dimensions in the textiles and clothing curriculum, we should integrate the findings at two levels, general and product- and industry- specific. Measurement and data analysis General data: the respondents were first asked questions related to the company, such as number of employees, product/service the company provided, the companys primary customer, and if the company was doing business internationally. If the answer to this last questions was no, the respondents were asked to explain why not and the interview ended. If the answer was yes, the interview continued with questions related to the companys international business operations, such as in what country/countries the firm was doing business and the business relationship between the company and its partners (contractor, vendor, supplier, branch office, joint-venture partner, or other). In the last section of the interview, the respondents were asked three open-ended questions: (1) What do you perceive as the benefits of doing business internationally? 2) What do you perceive as the obstacles/challenges in doing business internationally? (3) If an educational unit in raising global awareness is to be developed with college students as target audience, what would be the areas you think need to be addressed? Descriptive analysis was performed on quantitative data using SPAS for Windows 1 1. 0. The qualitative data were coded by th e researchers collaboratively, and the themes were identified. Product- and industry-specific data: we began by asking if the company was doing business internationally (I. E. Rouging), and how much the firm sourced from each of seven regions using seven-point Liker scale (1 livery little, 7 h frequently). Each respondent was asked if he/she believed a college education was needed in five specific areas (understanding international markets, global product development process, global supply chain management, understanding other cultures, and global sourcing) JEFF 236 using seven-point Liker scales (1 h not needed, 7 h essential). In addition, company anemographic variables, such as number of employees and sales volume, were included . Descriptive statistics were performed, and the results were compared with those from the general data. Results International involvement General data showed that of the 47 firms interviewed, approximately 80 percent of the companies were doing international business. Regarding the business relationships with the partners, about 50 percent of the companies reported that their partners were the contractors. The survey with US apparel manufacturers (product- and industry-specific data) showed that of the 113 firms, 90 firms (79. Percent) indicated that they source globally. Considering the US apparel industry sourced B percent AT Its products Trot overseas In AY (Elevate, our data reflect this trend. From this result, we can conclude that there are definite needs for international education in general as well as apparel-specific areas. Countries with which the firms were doing business General data indicated that the international markets in which respondents were conducting business we re in rank order, Asia, South America, Europe, North America, Africa, and Australia (Figure 1). A survey with product- and industry-specific data infirmed this finding. That is, US apparel manufacturers were also doing business with the East Asia countries most, followed by South Asia, Middle Asia, Pacific Basin, Mexico, Italy, and South American countries (Figure 2). This finding correlates with Kodiak and Daniels (2003) study, which found that Asia was the most important market of current US businesses. This finding suggests that region-specific international education in the apparel design, production, and merchandising curriculum may be more effective than a one-to-fit-all approach. It would be ideal to repaper students to Figure 1. Countries with which US firms were doing business: general 237 work with all the countries in the world; however, if the resources for developing educational materials are limited, focusing on Asian countries may be an economical solution. On the other hand, it is also crucial to be aware that the world apparel industry is changing rapidly. In the recent past, Latin America apparel manufacturers emerged as competitive suppliers, accounting for 24 percent of the US apparel import (Grief, 1997). Therefore, the apparel design, production, and merchandising auricular should be tailored to the global shifts in regions. Benefits and obstacles of doing business internationally According to the companies interviewed, the most important benefit of doing business internationally was expanded market, followed by low cost, higher quality, manufacturer flexibility, and worldwide recognition. Regarding obstacles (Figure 3), cultural difference was identified most often, followed by legal environment, business operation and process difference, commercial and political risk, and trust between business partners. These findings shed light on the areas that international business education should emphasize in order to develop efficient professionals who are capable of maximizing benefits in the global business environment, while innovative overcoming barriers they face in doing business internationally. Areas of international education In terms of the areas that need to be included for raising global awareness in college students, the responses from the general business data were content analyzed by the authors and classified into three categories: Understanding, Application, and Competency (Figure 4). When classifying into the categories, generous discussions ere held until the authors reached the same conclusion. The three areas were Hogue apparel 238 conceptualized by the authors reasoning that instead of Just listing the areas of need, presenting the findings in a meaningful interpretation would provide better insight. In Figure 4, the size of the diagram denotes the rate of response. That is, a large diagram indicates a higher rate of response. Respondents wanted college students to be prepared to the greatest extent in understanding, rather than in application and competency. Further analysis suggested that an understanding of ultra/business differences was the most important, followed by an understanding of legal environment, marketing/market development, international trade, political environment, and networking. The importance of an understanding of Figure 3. Perceived obstacles of doing business internationally Figure 4. Important areas of international business education: general 239 cultural/business differences corresponds to a study done by Kodiak and Daniel (2003), which found that an understanding of cross-cultural differences was the most important international skill sought by companies for both professional staff and line management employees. Data from US apparel manufacturers also indicated a strong need for college international education. Overall, the US apparel manufacturers considered understanding international markets as the most important area in which to educate college students, followed by global product development process, global supply chain management, understanding other cultures, and global sourcing (Figure 5). In particular, small firms showed stronger interest in all aspects of international education (Figure 6). These needs assessment studies suggest an urgent need for mall business-focused training. The results from the two data sets generally agreed that understanding is more critical than application or competency (I. . Specific skills) for college international Figure 5. Education: apparel (mummer notes mean value) Figure 6. Education: large US apparel firms vs. Small US apparel firms (number denotes mean value) 240 education. While the US apparel manufacturers favor a more product-oriented approach, such as international product development and global sourcing, we believe that taking both general and industry- and product-specific approaches is the cost efficient for enhancing international dimensions of apparel design, production, and merchandising curricula. The general approach guides students in the big picture, while the industry- and product-specific approach leads the students to more specific contents tied closely to their major area of study. Conclusion and recommendations There is little doubt that the textile and apparel industry is operating in an interconnected global environment. Companies involved in international business are faced with increasing challenges in intense global competition, changes in nonuser tastes, trade-offs between cost and quality, communication obstacles, legal and political risk, etc. To survive and succeed in global competition, the industry needs effective strategies and proficient leaders. Meanwhile, textile and apparel programs in higher education have been slow in providing the most appropriate education and training to the students who will be the backbone of the industry in the near future. To investigate possible strengthening of the international dimension of apparel design, production, and merchandising curricula, this research invited input from industry professionals. Two sets of data were collected and compared. The general data were collected from 47 companies in various business sectors in order to obtain general guidelines for international business education. A separate set of product- and industry-specific data were collected from a survey of 113 US apparel manufacturers. Based on the findings, we believe there is a compelling need for enhancing international education in apparel design, production, and merchandising curricula. Therefore, we provide the following suggestions and recommendations. First, international education in the textile and clothing field should be developed tit a strong focus on small businesses. Despite the significant contribution of the small business sector to the US and global economies, many international business courses and education/training materials were developed from the perspective of large multinational companies. While these companies have capabilities to train their employees, small businesses lack resources to provide training to address international business issues. Considering the fact that the small business sector also proposes many entry-level positions (Harrison, z ten needs Tort International education with a small business focus for college students is imperative. Second, the international dimensions of apparel design, production, and merchandising curricula should be developed using a region-specific, rather than a one-fits-all approach. Educational materials should be developed with a clear focus on the regions with which the US businesses are most involved. Regarding the textiles and apparel industry, this region is Asia. Additional educational materials may be developed for other regions using a parallel approach. Third, students in the textile and clothing field should be fully prepared in understanding, rather than in application or competency. Specifically, educational materials should help students develop a sound understanding of cultural/business differences, as well as an understanding of the legal and political environments in which the international trade takes place. A thorough understanding Apparel and 241 is a prerequisite for application and specific skills that the students will need in their professional positions. Finally, educational components that help the students better understand international markets should be incorporated into curricula. Since an understanding f international markets was identified by industry practitioners as the areas most needed for college students, significant efforts should be devoted to teaching students various aspects related to international markets. How should these suggestions be incorporated into international education in apparel design, production, and merchandising curricula? We propose that an international module be developed in every course in the apparel and merchandising area. Instead of developing a single international course which requires time and commitment, perhaps it is more efficient and economical to evolve educational modules that can be integrated into the subject matter of a course already developed and taught. For example, the importance of international markets and global branding may be included in the introductory course to fashion industry; how goods are mass produced overseas may be taught in the apparel mass production course. In the visual merchandising course, cultural differences in preference of visual merchandising and advertising presentations may be introduced. In addition, how apparel goods are sourced from and marketed to international markets may be discussed in one of the merchandising acquisition and allocation courses. An easy method of enhancing students understanding of cultural/business practice differences and international markets is to utilize government data. Government data may include country reports and market reports by the US Department of Commerce. Newspaper and trade magazine articles may also be used. Enhancing international dimensions in textile and clothing curricula is imperative. We posit that this effort should be collective within a program, not Just the effort of an individual instructor in one course. Therefore, administrative support and team

Home Schooling is an Ideal Way to Obtain Quality Education

Home Schooling is an Ideal Way to Obtain Quality Education Home Schooling Is the Best Bet for a Quality Education School System Is Too Standardized Anyone who takes an objective look the state of American public education today will agree it’s hindering the future of our country. School systems are faltering, focusing more on standardized testing than educating our youth. Teachers, for the sake of keeping their jobs, â€Å"teach to the test† – and students graduate with a half-baked understanding of the world, sub-par skills, and an incomplete education. Aside from academics, the public school is no place to learn. It has become more like a prison – where violence, crime, and attention-seeking behaviors are too prevalent. But this is the worst possible recipe for a classroom. There is always the option of homeschooling one’s children, which is an ideal way for our youth to obtain a quality education. To begin with, homeschooling is an ideal way to obtain a quality education, especially if the teacher has an extensive education. Any parent or home-schooling teacher should have at least a Master’s degree in Education, along with several years of teaching experience; however, a Ph.D. is best – a true expert with in-depth research, a thorough understanding of, and an insightful perspective on, homeschooling. This way, they will objectively teach the home-schooled students, in turn providing them a strong academic and intellectual foundation. This is much better than the everyday teacher who most of the time just has a Bachelor’s degree; rarely in the public education setting would any student, grades Kindergarten through the 12th grade, get educated by such an expert in the field. Also, homeschooling is an ideal way to obtain a quality education if the parent brings in expert consultants and tutors to teach the children a wide array of topics. A Quality Education Is about Being a Well-Rounded Student There is more to the picture than just time in the classroom – even in the home classroom. In order for a home-schooled student to obtain a quality education, they must also be encouraged, maybe even forced, to attend lectures, seminars, and museums from quite a young age, maybe even 10 or 11 years old. A quality education is about being a well-rounded student who is exposed to different areas of thought from various individuals. These extra-curricular activities are perfect for this. You may like these articles: Relieving Students School-Related Stress Educational Field Trip Safety Issues Combining Academic Knowledge and Practicality The Bright Sides of Academic Intellectuals We Call Nerds Learning from Budget Books Too often in public education, students are held to a rigid course structure, where they learn information on a superficial level. This is detrimental to the student’s education because they are not learning; rather they are remembering information for the â€Å"test.† Homeschooling offers a student a quality education if they get to broaden their intellectual horizons by learning from experts who offer their findings to people. This way, they learn more than just what is on the test – they learn information that will remain with them the rest of their lives. Home-Schooled Children Should not Be Cut off from the Rest of the World Homeschooling is an ideal way to obtain a quality education if the student is not cut off from the rest of the world, including other children their age. A home-schooled student may already be seen, and conditioned to be, a sort of outcast; usually, these kinds of students are less social in the company of other children their age, so they must learn to assimilate in the company of others. Any student can stay at home and be a brainiac, a straight-A student who knows everything. But then they get into the real world and choke, unable to be around others with contrasting experiences, beliefs, and education. To fix this, home-schooled students should be encouraged to be social – even with non-home-schooled students. This will broaden their idea of the world, and from this, they will be well-rounded, well-educated individuals. In conclusion, there are of course many naysayers who feel a home-schooled education is the worst possible thing for a children: they say it isolates them; they get an incomplete, subjective, limited, sub-par education – one that will ultimately, in their lives and professional careers, hinder them from success, happiness, and fulfillment. But this argument is quite weak, and it generalizes all home-schooled educational endeavors. For whatever the reason for homeschooling one’s children, it can work to the children’s advantage in obtaining a high-quality education if it is done right and thoroughly and responsibly. A home-schooled education like this, with the aforementioned characteristics, would certainly change all the stigmas attached to homeschooling. This is, of course, is the perfect scenario, and unfortunately may not be the case with most home-schooled students.

International trade ( Economic ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International trade ( Economic ) - Essay Example In the perception of many in the developing world, the IMF has played major roles in helping countries overcome financial problems such as those that occurred in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, and Turkey. The problem with Turkey sticks out like a sore thumb: the country has had it eighteenth program with the IMF but its problem persists. In 1997, the IMF thrust itself into prominence when it intervened in the Asian Financial Crisis as countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines – and more particularly, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia -- saw the value of their currencies plummet to unprecedented lows. The timely assistance provided by the world financial body helped these countries tide over the crisis but the process was fraught with painful adjustments and even triggered harsh criticism of IMF policy measures in these countries as to their appropriateness, given the peculiar domestic macroeconomic conditions. South Korea obtained a $55 billion credit from the IMF with certain attached conditions. South Korea was to open its economy and banking system to foreign investors and eliminate trade-related subsidies and import licensing, thereby making it vulnerable to foreign competition . The IMF also required the country to maintain a low inflation rate of 5 per cent. This was inconsistent with th e fact that the fall in the value of the Korean won and subsequent rise in import prices would create pressures on domestic prices. The unpleasant consequence of this was that the high interest rates made all the more difficult for South Korean companies to service their debts, thus the IMF was criticized for exacerbating the crisis these companies were facing instead of abating them. By applying cut-and-dried solutions to problems in countries with unique problems, the IMF opened itself to criticism of lack of