Informal Speech Outline

First Man in Space Topic: Yuri Gagarin General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about first man who escaped Earth’s gravity and appeared in space. Thesis: Gagarin was to be the very first man being in space. Introduction Attention Getter: What would you think if I ask who was the first man in space? First idea is Neil Armstrong? Isn’t it? But what if I say that there was cosmonaut from Soviet Union who traveled in space one year earlier? Significance of Topic: Sounds not familiar?Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history on April 12, 1961 when he became both the first person in the world to enter space and the first person to orbit the Earth. Establishment of Ethos: Since childhood, this man was a hero of mine that’s why I decided to investigate his biography more detailed. Thesis: Gagarin was to be the very first man being in space. Preview Statement: So today we will go on tour to the spacecraft and take a look at Yuri Gagarin’ s life background, his road in becoming a cosmonaut, and the historic flight itself. (Transition: So let’s start our trip by finding out Yuri Gagarin’s life background. Body I. According to article â€Å"Life and Death of Yuri Gagarin† published in Engineering and Technology magazine on April 2011, Yuri Gagarin was born in March 9, 1934 in a small village west of Moscow in Russia (then known as the Soviet Union). Yuri was the third of four children and spent his childhood on a collective farm where his father, Alexey Gagarin, worked as a carpenter and bricklayer and his mother, Anna Gagarina, worked as a milkmaid. A. Like millions of people in the Soviet Union, the Gagarin family suffered during Nazi occupation in World War II. After a German officer took over their ouse, the family constructed a small mud hut where they spent a year and nine months until the end of the occupation. 1. Life was difficult during the war and the Gagarins were kicked out of their ho me and moved to another city. B. When Yuri was fifteen he entered a vocational trail and learned to be a metalworker. 1. In two years as the best student he was sent to continue his study to Saratov high technical school. a. While studying there, he joined the Aero Club where he trained to fly an aircraft. b. This hobby predetermined his future charge; Gagarin decided to devote his life to aviation.C. In 1955 he enrolled into the Russian Air Force and two years afterwards graduated with honors from the Soviet Air Force Academy. 1. However, while Gagarin enjoyed being a fighter pilot, what he really wanted to do was to go to space. a. Since he had been following the Soviet Union's progress in space flight, he was confident that soon they would be sending a man into space. b. He wanted to be that man. (Transition: Now that we know life background of Yuri Gagarin, lets move to a how Yuri became a cosmonaut. ) II. His desire was so strong that in 1960 he applied to be a cosmonaut. A.Acc ording to â€Å"First man in space† published in About. com on May 5,2010, Yuri Gagarin was just one of 3,000 applicants to be the first Soviet cosmonaut. 1. Out of this large amount of applicants, just 20 were chosen and Gagarin was one of the 20. B. During the extensive physical and psychological testing required of the chosen cosmonaut trainees, Gagarin excelled at the tests while maintaining a calm behavior as well as his sense of humor and readiness to the upcoming flight. 1. Later, Gagarin would be chosen to be the first man into space because of these skills. (Transition: Now lets take a look at the historic flight itself) III.So on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin boarded Vostok 1 (the name of the spaceship) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome located in Kazakhstan. A. Although he was fully trained for the mission, but no one knew if it was going to be a success or a failure. Gagarin was to be the very first human being in space, truly going where no man had gone before. B. Gagari n was rocketed into space, using an automated system. 1. Gagarin was not given the control to the spacecraft during his mission because scientists were worried about the psychological effects of being in space; it wasn’t discovered by that time. C.After entering space, Gagarin completed a single orbit around Earth. The spaceship’s top speed reached 17,600 miles per hour. At the end of the orbit, spaceship reentered the Earth's atmosphere. 1. Gagarin was in space exactly 108 minutes circled the entire globe. 2. Right before he landed, a farmer and her daughter spotted Gagarin floating down with his parachute. a. Once on the ground, Gagarin, dressed in an orange spacesuit and wearing a large white helmet, Gagarin terrified two women and it took him a few minutes to convince them that he is a human, not an alien and to direct him to the nearest phone.D. For this accomplishment Gagarin was awarded medal and title hero of Soviet Union. 1. Yuri Gagarin’s successful fl ight into space paved the way for all future space exploration. Conclusion Summary Statement: So, now you know a life background of Yuri Gagarin, his road in becoming a cosmonaut and his historic flight. References Bizony, Piers, (April, 2011). Life and Death of Yuri Gagarin. Engineering & Technology. 31 (2), pp. 35-37 Rosenberg, Jennifer (May 5, 2010). The First Man in Space. Available at: http://history1900s. about. com/od/1960s/a/yurigagarin. htm. Last Accessed March 15, 2013.

The Competent Teacher

The Competent Teacher The purpose of this article is to evaluate how teachers need to prepare to be competent for the 21st century. Researchers and teachers are becoming aware that the 21st century classroom is changing dramatically. A team of teacher educators from NIE sat down and asked themselves these questions. : What are the roles of the teacher in the 21st century? What are the competencies teachers need to fulfill these roles? What can our teacher education programs provide to help them with this task? Some of the roles they identified included: nurturing the whole child, providing quality learning, working with others, and developing a strong set of personal values. They then made a list of core competencies that every trained teacher should have. The core competencies were classified into 3 broad performance dimensions. These dimensions are, professional practice, leadership and management, and personal effectiveness. Professional practice, is the idea that the teacher takes every opportunity to encourage learning, and believe that all students can learn. And learning isn't limited to the classroom. The teacher takes every opportunity to improve on his or her own professional practice, in order to provide quality learning. Leadership and management is the idea that a competent teacher is a leader who wins the hearts and minds of the students and sees value in working with parents, colleagues, and other professionals at any and all given times. Personal effectiveness is the idea that teachers have to hold themselves to the highest moral and ethical standards both in and out of the classroom. The thinking behind this idea is summed up best as â€Å"you must believe in yourself before others will believe in you†. I think that for a teacher to be competent in the classroom today they must evaluate themselves on a yearly basis. Every class, and student is different and teaching material changes over time. Technology is also a key element in the classroom. A teacher must stay up to date and be proficient on the various aspects of the technology world. I believe a teacher should be able to adapt to different classroom settings, students and situations as they are presented. Becoming a teacher is a job where one must expect the unexpected and be able to deal with it on a professional level. (Citation: singteach. nie. edu. sg Issue 23- march/april 2010)

National Parks: a Double Edged Sword?

National Parks: A Double Edged Sword? Justin Pearly Environmental History Prof. Mark Bishop Newell Tuesday July 21, 2009 Pearly 1 Few places can match the sheer diversity of wildlife and culture that exists in the country’s national park system. Humans, with the future in mind, have â€Å"set aside† these beautiful sites of wonder and awe. But at what cost? Do national parks end up being good and bad at the same time? Our national parks are a supposed to be a natural treasure. Here the unspoiled grandeur and beauty of nature can be appreciated in its most pristine form. However, the amount of people that are visiting these parks has risen to levels that threaten the very beauty and well-being of these paradises. Its now seems apparent that there is a price to pay for allowing humans into an area that did not have many humans before. To understand the present state of the nation’s parks, and ultimately their entire future, it is crucial to first look back at the past. The first national park was Yellowstone National Park. This sprawling park contains such amazing geological and biological sites that it had been considered a national park long before it was ever officially named one. Its combination of diverse wildlife, and geologic features such as, waterfalls, canyons, geysers, and hot springs made it obvious to any who had experienced it, that this was a place that should be preserved just the way it was. That was why in 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant made it officially the world’s first national park. The only problem being, it was a completely unique creation, the first of its kind. This means that all ground that they covered would be new. Due to inconsistencies with the way national parks were being governed, and the fact that there were was no central governing body for national parks Congress created a Pearly 2 National Park Service that would operate within jurisdiction of the Secretary of the interior. Signed by President Woodrow Wilson on August 25, 1916, the National Park Service Organic Act created the National Park Service which put the country’s national parks in its jurisdiction. Wendy Hart Beckman in her book entitled â€Å"National Parks in Crisis: Debating the Issues,† states that, â€Å"The Organic Act said the National Park Service’s purpose was to ‘promote and regulate the use of the†¦ national parks†¦ which purpose is to conserve scenery and the natural historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. † When trying to unravel the ethics and issues concerning the parks one must keep referring back to this original mission statement. The purpose of national parks is to enjoy the scenery and to leave it unchanged for future generations. However, this statement seems somewhat contradictory, when considering the fact that most national parks are areas that did not have native humans for much of their history. One of the first things to consider about this complex issue is: Why do people want to go there in the first place? Why is it important to them? The first and most obvious reason to let people into our national parks is for their own personal enjoyment. People derive a great deal of pleasure out of leaving their boring, monotonous urban and suburban lives behind even if it is for just a weekend, or merely an evening. People in cites often lead sedentary lifestyles, and need to get outside in a natural setting even if it is just to walk. Some people might even think the air in these preserves tastes fresher! People get a taste of what the earth was like before humans were there. These Pearly 3 can be places of relaxing or exercising. Have a you ever scaled a thousand foot mountain? Hiking can be quite exhilarating. Parents can, in effect, introduce the next generation of conservationists to these areas. Children that have grown up with these sites in their hearts will never forget how incredibly important they are. People becoming informed and interested in nature is one of the most important functions of a national park besides the preservation of the actual land itself. Even without any previous interactions with nature, or any history or knowledge of the place that you are going to you may find and enjoyment to be effortless. When people witness something with their own eyes, it is very different from looking at a picture, or reading about something in a textbook. There is a definitive advantage to experiencing things in person. Subtleties stand out. All five senses can be invoked. People who are not familiar with this kind of beauty are usually particularly awestruck. A memory is formed which is nearly impossible to erase or change (although one’s perspective of the event can change). Every time one person gets hooked on nature, that person will usually try to their share its grandeur with other people. People who appreciate that wonderful wilderness will then go out of their way to help conserve it. There is also a secondary effect in addition to making the individual feel good. Whether or not a reverence for nature existed before their encounters with these sacred sanctuaries does not matter at the point that people start to care about these wonderlands. All that matters then is that people who have visited and enjoyed themselves now feel like they have a vested interest in the parks. Now that they have traveled through the park, they feel the weight of responsibility for their actions. They also realize that everything they do, can produce an effect which, were they not there, never would have occurred. The more Pearly 4 aware and informed people are, the better the decisions they tend to make. There is even an organization called â€Å"Leave No Trace, Inc. † which tries to inform visitors of ways they can reduce the amount of impact on the ecosystem during visits. The group has even compiled a list of seven â€Å"principles† that can help people lessen their impact on the land. 1. Travel and camp on durable surfaces 2. Leave what you find 3. Plan ahead and prepare 4. Dispose of waste properly 5. Minimize campfire impacts 6. Respect Wildlife 7. Be considerate of other visitors While all these principles sound nice on paper, the amount that people adhere to them, and how effective they can be in reducing our footprint remains to be seen. When discussing the concept of â€Å"leaving not trace† one must begin to wonder about the impact of human travel. Even a foot-trail through a park is altering the natural landscape. The question of how much altering of the landscape is acceptable is not an easy one. It has led to intense debate for over a century. Roads are one of the most obvious signs of human interference. While providing a route for visitors to come and enjoy the parks, they also obscure the natural landscape. I think most would agree that a road cutting through even the most pristine wilderness takes Pearly 5 something away from it. So, the parks need people, and people need roads. Or do they? A rather extreme solution might be to restrict road building all together. Access to areas could be achieved by a more â€Å"green† method such a bicycles, or walking. There is also a major issue of dam building. Many a heated debate has occurred when discussing dam building. There are few things that alter the natural landscape like a dam. One would think that national parks would be free from man made structures such as dams. However this is not the case. For example in the 1930’s the federal Bureau of Reclamation proposed putting a dam in Dinosaur National Monument’s Echo Canyon. The purpose of this would be create a clean source of electricity using the power of the water flowing over the dam that would be built. While many of the locals upstream from the dam liked the prospect of water in their dry canyon, they would be flooding one of the greatest fossil sites of the Jurassic. Let’s consider the interaction between people and animals. This has been a long and curious story. With the intention of making the park safer for visitors, park staff have, in the past, killed animals that were deemed a nuisance. This includes predatory animals such as wolf or bear, but also includes herbivores such as the elk. And while it is no longer legal for anyone to kill these animals, we have accepted a very shaky truce with them. Humans entering parks are told specifically not to feed the animals. It is a warning that is not heeded as much as it needs to be. When wild animals are fed by humans they get conditioned to expect food from them. Therefore, they are more likely to come around humans hoping for food. This can be very dangerous! While wild animals can seem cute Pearly 6 and harmless they rarely are (harmless of course). Even something seemingly docile like a white-tailed deer can become aggressive and do severe damage, especially to an unsuspecting human. People frequently fail to realize that wild animals are just that; wild. Wild translates into unpredictable. I’m sure I could get more than a few circus performers to agree with me. The irony of this whole situation is the greatest asset to national parks also happens to be their greatest downfall, Humans, while having the potential to create on a monumental level, also have a similar capacity for destruction. Even more confusing is that fact that the opinions of people on both sides of these issue have well founded, and very convincing arguments. National parks are an important part of American history and need to be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations. Debate is good in the sense that any publicity is good publicity. As long as people feel strongly on both sides we are more likely to reach some sort of compromise. Pearly 7 Bibliography De Voto, Bernard. â€Å"Shall we let them ruin our national parks? † Saturday Evening Post, July 22, 1950. Chittenden, Hiram Martin. The Yellowstone National Park Beckman, Wendy Hart. National Parks in Crisis: Debating the Issues (Berkley Heights: Enslow, 2004) Wendy Hart Beckman, National Parks in Crisis: Debating the Issues (Berkley Heights: Enslow, 2004) Beckman 18, 19 Beckman 65-68 Beckman 19, 20 Beckman 14, 15, 53

Asia Pacific Breweries

International Business Environment Project GROUP PROJECT: ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES LIMITED (APBL) Prepared by G&T Consultancy (TZ02): Benjamin Jethro Neo Czaraim Suganob Carreon Michelle Oh Hui Ling Ratchadakorn Wongphothiphan Valerie Ng Shi Min Yap Yi Jun Prepared for: Ms. Ng Lay Khim, Linda Date of Submission: 18th July 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Company and IndustryOne of the main components of the beverage industry is Alcoholic drink; an example of a company that produces alcoholic beverages, namely Beer and Lager is Asia Pacific Breweries. Listed on the Singapore Exchange, Asia Pacific Breweries Limited (APBL) is one of the key players in the beer industry Asia Pacific Breweries, formerly known as Malayan Breweries Limited (MBL) in 1931 is a joint enterprise between Heineken International & Fraser and Neave. Its present name was given in 1990.As of today, Asia Pacific Breweries also operates a broad global marketing network, which extends across 60 countries and is supporte d by 30 breweries in 14 countries, namely Singapore, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. Asia Pacific Breweries also offers their consumers a wide range of brands, be it global, regional or local, which suit the taste of various beer drinkers; boasting a wide range of choices, including Tiger Beer, Heineken, Anchor Beer, Baron’s Strong Brew, ABC Extra Stout and Bintang Beer.Their beers are brewed under the supervision of Heineken technical experts, who can call upon countless years of experience of European brewing excellence. Using only the finest ingredients, maintaining the most stringent brewing standards, and conducting over 200 quality checks during the process. This scrutiny over production of APB beers has reeled in many awards while their breweries are among the forerunners in their respective markets. 2. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES 2. 1 StrengthsTiger beer, the prize brand of APB, was the winner of the UK's Brewing Industry International Awards, the most esteemed award in the brewing industry 1998. The brand won a Gold medal in the International Style Lager category in the 2010 World Beer Cup; and silver medal in 2010 World Beer Championships. Anchor Beer was presented a gold medal in Selection Mondiale in 2010, a gold medal by Australian International Beer Awards in 1998, on top of several other honors. Since beer sales mostly relied on quality and tang, the higher quality standards of APB beer, makes APB standout in the competitive brewery business.APB's Tiger and Heineken brands scores on the point of identity and thus have a strong brand image. A part of one of the few establishments in Singapore, APBL set up the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation (APB Foundation). This foundation provides financial aid to causes in Creativity Development, achievements in Human Excellence and Humanitarian Awards. APBL plays a significant role in gi ving back to the communities in which they operate. Being socially responsible, each of them renders support to the various educational, social and environmental causes in the respective countries.Through its endless efforts towards community and environment protection, APB continues to build a long-term relationship and good rapport with its customers. 2. 2 Weaknesses Although the US market is mounting at a slower rate compared to certain Eastern European and Asian markets, lack of presence in this market puts the group at a disadvantage as compared to some of the other great players in the industry. Since large beer consuming countries provide possibility for volume and revenue expansion, a modest presence in these markets results in a drawback for APB.The anticipated sale of APBL’s 50% owned Heineken-APB (China) Pte Ltd to China Resources Snow Breweries Limited would not be going through due to an unreachable agreement with CRSB. 3. OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS 3. 1 Opportuni ties With a rise in disposable income and alcoholic beverages more widely accepted by its people, Asia had its potential as a profitable market. APB operates primarily in Asia Pacific, which grew at a compound annual growth rate of 5%, reaching a figure of $112. 2 billion in 2009. To maximize on their Asian opportunity, APB has ventured into New Caledonia and Indonesia. In FY2010, hey came into possession of Heineken International's 65. 1% interest in PT Multi Bintang, Indonesia and also Heineken’s 87. 3% interest in Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle Caledonie, New Caledonia. The group also received beer brand Bintang and its trademarks rights. The acquisition allowed APB to launch their other popular beer brands easier as it gave them a firm consumer base in Indonesia and New Caledonia. APB is extending its brand portfolio by adding more flavors and varieties. They acquired Bintang and Number One, from Indonesia and New Caledonia in FY2010. The group also introduced some other ne w brands in the same year.Laos has its local beer Namkhong; New Zealand was introduced Monteith's Crushed Pear Cider while Tiger Crystal was presented to Vietnam and, as a limited edition, to Malaysia. APB attracts consumers of distinct tastes by presenting new brands every now and then. 3. 2 Threats Beers belongs to one of the highly taxed commodities globally; especially high in the countries APB operates in. Per liter of beer was imposed an excise duty of S$70 in Singapore, the single largest market of APB. New Zealand also increased excise duty. This caused DB Breweries, the New Zealand division of APB to increase its prices by 3%.Higher prices are a result of higher excise rates. APB, known for being a cheaper option of premium brands, may lose its current consumers if excise rates continue to rise and cause APB to set a higher price for its beer brands. Alcohol companies have received criticism on their advertisements and thus, countries set a legal ban on spirits advertisemen ts on TV and radio; on broadcast advertisements which associate alcohol with children or leisure, or promoting alcohol abuse; as well as on sponsorship of TV and radio programs by companies mainly concerned about alcohol production.These rules would hinder APB’s development, as its awareness in the consumers would decrease. Beer has been linked with negative health issues. Among people, there is a general negative perception about beer having an effect on the body fat and cholesterol. On the other hand, wine is considered a healthier option to other beverages. In matured markets like Western Europe and North America, beer is losing its field to wine, as there is an increase in consumers’ preferences for healthier alternatives. Wide variety of alcohol products available readily and extensive advertising is also bringing a negative impact to beer sales. . KEY CUSTOMER (GROUPS) & COMPETITORS Key customer groups Business to Customers APBL has large consumer base due to its wide variety. Tiger beer, among all the brands is the most famous international brand with largest number of consumers. Tiger Beer targeted the vibrant young Asian adults; Tiger also launched Tiger Crystal Lite, a softer-flavored Tiger Beer to cater consumers especially the Chinese who prefer lighter taste. Likewise, Heineken and Gold Crown targets young Asian adults in Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, China, Singapore, and Malaysia.Anchor, which offers consumers with international, affordable quality brew, is more successful in Hainan, Cambodia and Vietnam. Everyday drinkers in Singapore and Malaysia are appealed to Anchor while Cambodians and Singaporeans in their 30s-40s are appealed to stouts including Guinness, Extra Stout and Amber Stout. Baron’s Strong Brew had European as its loyal customer base appealing those who favor strong alcohol taste. Business to Business The company has a strong market share in various countries within the Asia Pacific Region.It also boas ts that in the UK, Tiger Beer can be found in more than 8,000 premium bars, clubs and distribution outlets in major cities. APBL’s products can be found in almost any shop that sells alcoholic beverages in the countries it has expanded to. Competitors Asia Pacific Breweries’ faces many competitors in the industry, namely in Breweries, beverage manufacturing, alcoholic beverage manufacturing, bars and nightclubs and restaurants, bars and food services. APBL’s local and overseas competitors include Carlsberg A/S, whose company perates in Europe and Asia. Asahi Breweries, Ltd, Suntory Group and Kirin Holding Company, Ltd, which primarily operates in Japan. SABMiller, which primarily operates in Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. The Philippines-based company: San Miguel Corporation and China Resources Enterprise Limited based in Hong Kong. Kirin Brewery Company, Limited is engaged in producing alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, food products and pharmaceuticals thro ugh its subsidiaries. SABMiller is engaged in producing and distributing beer, malts and carbonated soft drinks.Likewise, Suntory Group primarily operates in the non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, food products and the food services business segments. Carlsberg, a renowned competitor, is also engaged not only in the production, marketing and sales of beer, but also produces soft drinks, energy drinks and bottled water. San Miguel Corporation, yet another renowned competitor, also engages in the production of beverages and is involved in other business segments such as food and packaging products, power generation and distribution, mining, fuel and oil, infrastructure, telecommunications, management and development of real estate properties. . EXISTING OPERATIONS OF COMPANY 5. 1 Entry modes used for expansion Joint Ventures Asia pacific breweries preferred mode of entry is Joint Ventures. For example, in Singapore, Asian Pacific Breweries started out in Singapore as a Joint Ventu re between Heineken International and Fraser and Neave in 1931 and was known as Malayan Breweries Limited. Asia pacific breweries also used joint venture in Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand. In Cambodia, Asian Pacific Breweries formed a joint venture with Progress Import and Export, which formed Cambodia Brewery Ltd.In China, Asian Pacific Brewery formed a 50-50 joint venture with its shareholders, Fraser and Neave, Limited and Heineken in China known as Heineken-APB (China). APBL also engaged in a joint venture with Laos: Asian Pacific Breweries opened a brewery in Laos through a joint venture with the Government of Laos and SBK Consultant Ltd. Malaysia’s Guinness Anchor Bhd was a result of the merger of Guinness Malaysia Bhd and Malayan Sdn Bhd whose parent company is the current Asian Pacific Brewery. In Mongolia, Asian Pacific has formed a 55-45 joint venture with MCS Holdings LLC.APBL also entered Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand via Joint Venture. In Thailand, Asian Pacific Breweries entered Thailand, to form a joint venture with Thai Life Insurance Company Limited and Thai Pure Drinks Company Limited. Similarly, In Vietnam, Vietnam Brewery Ltd. , (VBL) was formed by a joint venture between Saigon Trading Group (SATRA) & APBL. Finally, In Indonesia, APB participates in the Indonesian beer market via PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk (MBI). Acquisitions In 1955, APB entered Papua New Guinea by acquiring a stake in the brewery, which has been the sole beer brewer in Papua New Guinea since 1983.Further expanding their foothold in the South Pacific, APB entered the beer market of Solomon Islands with a majority  stake in Solomon Breweries Limited (SBL). Merger In New Caledonia, APB entered the beer market of New Caledonia via Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle Caledonia (GBNC). GBNC was formed in 1974 as a result of a merger of two breweries in the territory of New Caledonia. Partnership In Sri Lanka, APBL formed a partnership with Sri Lankan-based Anandappa family group and associates and MBL Offshore Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Phoenix Beverages Limited, which is a leading beverage group from Mauritius, to form APB Lanka.Please refer to Appendix A for APB’s shareholdings in the various countries 5. 2Types of operating issues or problems encountered Operational issues: When expanding into foreign countries, the scale of investment and exports increases. Large amount of capital is needed for venturing into new markets, resulting in the company having fewer budgets to channelize into other new markets or other development areas like R&D. Additionally; customers in different market have different standards, forcing APBL to consistently adapt the flavor to suit to local’s tongue.The unexpected fluctuating exchange rate incurred loss as seen when â€Å"APB suffered a paper loss of S$37. 9m & S$14. 5m in 2008 & 2009 respectively. â₠¬  APBL experiences currency risks due to contractual cash flow invoice in another currency. There is potential currency mismatch in investing countries like Vietnam and Mongolia. For example, APBL invests in USD but revenue generated comes in VND. High agricultural products price resulting from natural disasters also happens in overseas production subsidiary would increase cost of beer production.There might be political and economic regulatory uncertainties in investing market that delay the business operation or high entry barrier in some country as government restrict foreign investment scale or the sales of beer. Economic problems: Due to increase in prices of agricultural products such as wheat and barley, this increases the cost of beer production as well. APBL had to absorb this increase in cost of production, which will be bound to induce negative effects such as an increase in selling prices of beer to offset the higher cost of production.This might lead to potential loss of customers. Also, the value of the firm may be affected by unanticipated and volatile changes in the exchange rates on home currency. For example, the depreciation of Tugrik led to an exchange loss of $ 5. 9M. Political problems: When venturing into Mongolia, there were various benefits and risks encountered by APBL. Some political risks encountered were that the political system lacks transparency and corruption level is high.When venturing into Indochina, there was similarly a high level of corruption in the government coupled with a high tax regime of 45% which decreases the profit margin of APBL due to the higher expenses incurred from the high tax regime. Legal problems: Asia Pacific Breweries’ financial manager, Chia Teck Leng is currently serving 42 years in prison as a result of swindling S$117 million from a Scandinavian bank, two Japanese banks, and a German bank across a period of four years to make up for his gambling addiction.This is reflected as the lengthie st jail term given for the biggest case in commercial fraud in Singapore to date. Chia was charged with using underhand means to extort foreign banks of about S$117 million, criminal breach of trust of S$53 million, money laundering, and encouraging his girlfriend Li Jin to use a forged passport. He was imprisoned on 2 April 2004 after pleading guilty to 14 charges. 6. FUTURE EXPANSION PLAN 6. 1 Selected countries and reasons for expansion Reasons for venturing into Spain The Spanish culture is known for drinking a lot of beer.If APB ventures into Spain, it can be assured of a big market to introduce its products to. But despite the presence of many other beer companies in Spain, APB is a cheaper alternative compared to other beers, which will thus attract many consumers. Furthermore, it is known that good beer is a sign of a good restaurant. If APB can satisfy its customers’ standard of ‘good beer’, it can definitely boost the reputation of restaurants that cate r APB to its customers. In addition, foreign beers are very rampant in Spain. This shows that the Spanish would welcome foreign beers.Thus, this ensures that APB products will have higher chances of being accepted by the Spanish. Barcelona is also known to be a ‘Drinker’s Paradise’. However, there have been negative feedbacks about the type of beers offered in Barcelona bars, which does not complement the drinking environment in Barcelona. Hence, if APB products can satisfy the Spanish, this will up the profit that bars make from selling beers, which will in turn benefit APB in the long run. From 2009 to 2012, the economy of Spain met with a downturn, and almost a quarter of Spain’s workforce was unemployed.APB can now make use of the unemployed as labor for APB in Spain. Reasons for venturing into Australia The wine industry has expanded rapidly but Australians will always be known as beer drinkers, even rivaling the likes of Germans. Therefore, if APB ve ntures into Australia it will also have a large market of consumers to introduce its products to. Coupled with the fact that APB is a cheaper beer alternative, there is a high chance that many consumers will turn to APB to satisfy their demands. There are also various Beer Festivals held in Australia on a regular basis.Such Beer Festivals include ‘The 7th Annual Australian Beer Festival’ which attracted a large crowd of over 10000 people with 24 Australian brewers and over 100 Aussie beers present during the festival. Such Beer Festivals are definitely a good avenue to increase the reputation of APB at a large and quick scale if APB were to venture into Australia. In addition to Beer Festivals, there is also the presence of beer competition such as the ‘Australian International Beer Awards’. This is yet another platform for breweries to showcase their premium beer and brewing excellence.All these platforms reflects the Australian’s interest in beer d rinking and thus this is definitely a good reason for APB to venture into the Australian market and grab its own customer loyalties and build its reputation in Australia. More importantly, the economy of Australia is one of the most developed, modern market economies in the world. In 2011, the Australian economy was the fastest growing advanced economy in the world, with a GDP of approximately US$1. 6 trillion. This means that the Australians are earning more than the worldwide average.The IMF in April 2012 predicted that Australia would be the best performing economy in the world over the next two years. With such a boosting economy in Australia, APB should venture into Australia. Australia has also entered into many FTAs with ASEAN countries and Australia is also a member of various international organizations such as APEC and WTO. This puts Australia in a very good position to make foreign trading with other countries, granted support from these organizations 6. 2 Identification of sub-factors used for expansion Political-Legal factorsSub-factors used: Country risk ranking, political stability ranking, legal regulatory ranking, corruption index and political transparency index and ease of doing business ranking. Political and legal forces greatly impact the success of a company expanding into a foreign environment. It comprises of three main pillars. They are government regulation; laws that restrict the amount of trade freedom a foreign company has in a host country. The Government bureaucracy provides the foreign company with the legal license to conduct business activity in the country and political stability.Economic factors Sub-factors used: GDP growth rate, GDP Growth Projection, Purchasing power parity, Per Capita Income, Inflation rate, Exchange rate stability and presence of competitors. Economic factors refer to whether the country is favorable in terms of its economy. It is a significant factor considered when expanding, as economic factors will greatly affect the success of the company in that country. Social Cultural factors Sub-factors used: Education level, Language, Religion, Income, Age and Ethnic distribution and attitude towards time. The social culture in every country is different.The language, attitudes towards business, religious beliefs, traditions, and customs varies greatly from country to country. Managers must be aware of the differing cultures and specific taste of each country and tailor their products to suit their individual cultures. By doing so, it raises the level of competiveness and demand for that product in that market. Geographical factors Sub-factors used: Accessibility to raw materials, agricultural products available, natural hazards, climate, percentage unemployed in labor force, minimum gross annual wage rate, land area, lease period of land, cost of land & terrain.Geographic features in every country heavily influence the rate and pace at which a foreign company can expand in the host country. Surface features such as navigable rivers and flat plains aids travel and contact with others, hence accelerating the productivity of the company. However, countries with topographical features like treacherous mountain ranges, deserts and large bodies of water may discourage communication. This affects consumers’ product needs and wants, hence requiring managers to be extra particular about their preference. Technological factorsSub-factors used: Availability of Digital Network Infrastructure, Internet penetration rate, Presence of legal framework for intellectual property and presence of e-banking structure. Technological advancement varies extensively throughout the world. Most firms would expand into a new market only if there is demand for its product or if the technology and infrastructure there can support its existing production operations. A country with the latest technology and infrastructure would mean lower costs for the company that is intending to ente r into that market. 6. 2. Political/Legal Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Country Risk Ranking| Risk ranking of 61. 83| Risk ranking of 82. 25 ? | Political Stability Risk Ranking| With a Political Instability Index of 5. 5, Spain is ranked 104th in the world. | With a Political Instability Index (PII) of 3. 6, Australia is ranked 154th in the world. ?| Legal Regulatory Risk Ranking| Overall assessment of Spain is B, 30. | Overall assessment of Australia is A, 18. ?| Corruption Index & Political Transparency Index | With a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 6. 1, Spain is ranked 30th in the world. With a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 8. 7, Australia is ranked 8th in the world. ?| Ease of Doing Business Ranking| Spain achieved a rank of 44. | Australia achieved a rank of 15. ?| In terms of Political-Legal factors, Australia is more favorable as it is better than Spain in terms of Country Risk Ranking, Political Stability Risk Ranking, Legal Regulatory Risk Ranking, Cor ruption Index & Political Transparency Index and Ease of Doing Business Ranking. 6. 2. 2 Economic Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| GDP Growth Rate| 0. 8% (2011 est. )| 1. 8% (2011 est. ) ? | -0. 1% (2010 est. )| 2. 7% (2010 est. )  ? | Purchasing Power Parity| $1,413,468 million (2011)| $914,482 million (2011) | Per Capita Income| $32360 (2010-11)| $65477 (2010-11) | Inflation Rate| 3. 1% (2011 est. ) ? | 3. 4% (2011 est. )| | 2% (2010 est. )  ? | 2. 8% (2010 est. )| Exchange Rate Stability| Euros (EUR) per US dollar – 0. 7107 (2011 est. ) 0. 755 (2010 est. ) 0. 7198 (2009 est. ) 0. 6827 (2008 est. ) 0. 7345 (2007 est. ) > Less stable| Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar – 0. 9694 (2011 est. ) 1. 0902 (2010) 1. 2822 (2009) 1. 2059 (2008) 1. 137 (2007) > More stable ? | Presence of Competitors| Yes. There are strong competitors but not so many brewery companies ? | Yes. There are strong competitors and various microbreweries companies. Tense competit ion| In terms of Economic factors, Australia is more favorable because it is deemed better in five out seven sub-factors. From the comparison table, we know that Australia’s economy is more stable and more favorable for business as compared to Spain because it has a higher GDP Growth Rate and Projection, a lower Purchasing Power Parity and a higher Per Capita Income.Furthermore its Exchange Rate Stability is also more stable. 6. 2. 3 Social Cultural Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Education level/ Literacy rate| 98. 5| 99. 98 ? | Language| Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, and Basque 2%  | Majority: English 78. 5%, Chinese 2. 5%, Italian 1. 6%, Greek 1. 3%, Arabic 1. 2%, Vietnamese 1%, other 8. 2%, Unspecified 5. 7%  ? | Income Distribution| * 10% Rich (25. 2% of income) * 80% Middle Class (72% of income) * 10% (2. 8% of the income)| * 10% Rich (25. 4% of income) * 80% Between the two (72. % of the income) * 10% Poor (2% of the income. ?| Attit ude towards time| The Spaniards are typically a laid back group of people, with a relaxed sense of time| It is expected of an individual to be punctual in any occasion ? | Age Distribution| 0-14 years:  15. 1%15-64 years:  67. 7%65 years and over:  17. 1%| 0-14 years:  18. 3% 15-64 years:  67. 7%65 years and over:  14% ? | It is more feasible to expand into Australia because its Social Cultural factors are more promising. It has a higher Education level and Literacy rate, which means the citizens in Australia are more employable.In terms of Language, majority of Australians speak English thus dispelling any language barriers. Australia’s attitude towards time is also more advantageous for the business. 6. 2. 4 Technological-Infrastructure Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Secure Internet Servers| 285| 2003? | Internet users (per 100 people)| 65. 8| 75. 9? | Presence of Legal framework for Intellectual Property| Copyright Law of SpainSpanish Patent and Trademark Of fice| Australian Property Law ? | Presence of e-Banking Infrastructure | Top 8 country, 46% utilization ? Top 10 country, 44% utilization| It is also more practical to expand into Australia because it is better in terms of the Technological-Infrastructure sub factors. In order for an international business to experience ease in communications between countries, its technological factors must be superlative. By analyzing the various sub-factors, we know that the Internet users (per 100) and Secure Internet Servers in Australia is much higher. 6. 2. 4 Geographical Factors 1 Factor| Spain| Australia| Natural hazards| Periodic droughts, occasional flooding and volcanism ? Cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires volcanism| Climate| Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior,  partly cloudy and cool along coast ? | Generally arid to semiarid (low precipitation); temperate in south and east; tropical i n north| % Unemployed in Labour Force| 20. 065%? | 5. 233% | Minimum Gross Annual Wage Rate (International Dollars)| $11,426. 00 ? | $20,027. 00| Land Area (sq. km)| 505,370| 7,741,220 ? | Terrain| Large, flat to dissected plateaus surrounded by rugged hills ? | Mostly low plateau with eserts, fertile plains in southeast| Upon comparing both countries’ Geographical Factors 1, Spain is more favorable. This is because it is less prone to natural hazards and its climate is more conducive for setting up a plant. They also have a large unemployment rate, which APBL can take advantage of if they chose to expand into Spain. 6. 2. 5 Geographical Factors 2 Factor| Spain| Australia| Length of road network| The road network comprises a total of 346,858 km| The road network comprises a total of 913,000 km ? | Number of Airports| 47 Airports | 448 Airports ? | Number of Seaports| 66 Seaports| 214 Seaports ? Preferential Tax Incentives for Foreign Investors| Deductions are readily availabl e for export activities, investment in the environment, R&D, extraordinary profits reinvestment, training, etc. ?| Subjective to the nature and size of the investment project, the relevant Australian State governments may give rebates from payroll, stamp and land taxes on an ad hoc basis and for limited periods. | By analyzing the Geographical factors 2, Australia is much better because it has a longer road network, more airports as well as seaports. This means that it is much more accessible if we expand into Australia. 6. Recommendation, reasons and type of entry mode to use for Australia. Recommendation We chose to enter the Australian market with either a company currently existing in Australia or a company that hasn’t expanded into any other countries, and have similar goals as Asia Pacific Brewery. We have chosen to go with Coopers Brewery Limited, the largest Australian-owned brewery or the largest home brewing equipment producer in the world. Reasons By venturing into Australia with Coopers Brewery Limited, the chances of reducing cost and risk would be higher as compared to attempting to enter the market alone or with external companies.This would be due to the fact that Coopers Brewery Limited has an established name and hence, this allows them to share their experiences with APB, reducing the trouble of setting up their own subsidiary, ultimately reducing the chances of consumer doubt. Therefore, smaller amount of investment is required to put APB’s business into operation. APB need not waste valuable time to set up its own subsidiary or look for ways to enter the Australian market, which it has low international experience or little cultural knowledge of. Knowledge wise, APB would have an advantage when going into joint venture with CoopersBrewery Limited because they possess information and first-hand experience about the local market demand and they know what â€Å"works† in order to satisfy their consumer’s standa rds and preferences. In terms of production capacity, APB would be able to increase its product and sales volume as there might be sharing of staff and production facilities between both brewery companies. They can also share the cost of marketing and advertising their brewery products. APB can now afford to sell its product at cheaper price, thus increasing its competitiveness in the brewery industry within short period of time.Type of Entry Mode to use We chose to enter the Australian market via Joint Venture with Coopers Brewery Limited. Coopers Brewery Limited was established in 1862, by Thomas Cooper at his home in the  Adelaide  suburb of  Norwood, South Australia. Being the utmost powerful beer company in South-Australia, Coopers Brewery Limited would have the largest amount of market shares hence we would be able to penetrate the markets and promote APB’s branding to Australia, as the consumer-producer’s trust is already established.APB can build good rel ations with its new retailers and customers since its joint venture partner already has a reputable brand image, thus this adds on to APB’s credibility without much effort required. Therefore, APB would be able to distribute its product more efficiently through the availability of existing market channels that Coopers Brewery Limited has. 6. 4 Reasons for not selecting Spain. By comparing both countries, and weighing the factors used for expansion, we have unanimously concluded that Spain is not as favorable as compared to Australia.In terms of Political-Legal factors, Spain’s country risk ranking is lower than Australia, which indicates political instability that is unfavorable when setting up a business. Furthermore, Spain’s ranking when it comes to ease of doing business is ranked 44 in the world, a significant inferiority compared to Australia which ranks 15. Economically wise, Spain’s GDP Growth rate is relatively smaller compared to Australiaâ€℠¢s. In terms of Per Capita Income, Spain’s is much lower compared to Australia, which might play a role as to unsatisfactory sales.Furthermore, by comparing 5-year statistics, the exchange rate stability also fluctuates more than Australia, therefore being less stable. By looking at the Social Cultural factors, Spain is less favorable than Australia because of its lower literacy rate and minor percentage of English speaking individuals, Moreover, the Age Distribution in Australia is better than Spain because despite the exact same percentage of people aged 15-64, the youth’s population in Australia is greater than Spain.This means that in the future, Spain’s percentage of 15-64 would be less compared to Australia. This age groups consists of the majority of working individuals, hence, a smaller figure would be deemed as having an adverse effect to the company. Technological Factors also indicates that Spain isn’t on par with Australia. International Busin esses rely heavily on technology for communication. If APBL wants to expand to a country, it would be an advantage if the country’s penetration rate were higher.By comparison from the table above, it is evident that the Internet Users (per 100) in Australia far exceeds Spain’s, which would mean that there are more computer literate individuals in Australia as compared to Spain, which would pave the way for more employment opportunities. Geographically speaking, Spain’s land area is comparatively smaller than Australia. In order to establish a major brewery, a vast land area is required and Australia has more land than Spain, which means that it would be more economical as land isn’t as scarce.The comparison also shows that Spain has lesser Airports, Seaports and a shorter length of road network, which reflects that the accessibility in Spain is inferior to Australia’s. CONCLUSION Our consultant team has found that Australia would be the more promis ing country for Asia Pacific Breweries’ expansion plans. This is conclusive of our results, which were based on a thorough assessment of thirty-six diverse sub-factors, which are instrumental in successful business expansions. Australia was found to be more favorable in twenty-six out of the thirty-six factors.Australia boasts a relatively slight political risk and has low corruption in the country, which provides a conducive and secure environment for Asia Pacific Breweries to conduct its operations in. Furthermore, agricultural produce in Australia is suitable for the brewing of quality beer, thus Asia Pacific Breweries does not need to source for additional raw materials, which would otherwise incur a huge cost. Australia also has a comprehensive web of transport infrastructure, which would greatly increase the efficiency of Asia Pacific Breweries operations, hence cutting costs.The quality of education in Australia is also of a high standard, producing a workforce that is highly literate. A highly educated work force will not only increase work productivity but also the overall competitiveness and capabilities of Asia Pacific Breweries in Australia. The Australian economy shows no sign of slowing down as GDP growth rates are projected to continue increasing through the years. Additionally, the per capita income in Australia is considerably high, which means that the average Australian is comparatively well to do.As beer is a lifestyle product, a strong, robust economy coupled with a high standard of living will be able to better complement and boost the sales of beer. After taking into considerations the abovementioned conclusions, the team here at G&T Consultancy would like to offer a recommendation for Asia Pacific Breweries to expand into the Australian market. APPENDIXES Appendix A: APB’s Shareholdings BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Asia Pacific Breweries Limited – SWOT Analysis Overview, (2011) Retrieved 20 May 2012, from  http://forum. sh areinvestor. com/forum/showthread. php? 23-Asia-Pacific-Breweries 2.APB: Commences Legal Proceedings Regarding Proposed Sale Of Heineken-APB (China)(2012) Retrieved 20 May 2012, from  http://forum. shareinvestor. com/forum/showthread. php? 23-Asia-Pacific-Breweries 3. Market line, Last updated (2012), Retrieved 22nd May 2012 from: http://360. datamonitor. com. libwww3. np. edu. sg/Product? pid=88B119E4-FAC0-4BA3-B0B8-403ED16218AA&view=SWOTAnalysis 4. Damien Corrigan – Beer in Spain: What to expect in a Spanish Bar (2012) Retrieved 29th May from: http://gospain. about. com/od/fooddrink/qt/beerinspain. htm 5. Beer drinking in Barcelona, Spain, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. beertutor. om/city_guides/barcelona. shtml 6. Beers of Australia, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. clickforaustralia. com/BeersofAustralia. htm 7. Australian International Beer Awards, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. beerawards. com/index. asp 8. The 7th Annual Australian Beer Festival? Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th October, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. australianheritagehotel. com/beerFest. html 9. Economy of Australia. (2012), Retrieved 12th June from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Australia 10. Economy of Spain (2012), Retrieved 12th June from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Spain 11. 11.Singapore, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: h 12. ttp://www. apb. com. sg/singapore. html 13. Cambodia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: http://www. apb. com. sg/cambodia. html 14. 13. China, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 15. http://www. apb. com. sg/china. html 16. 14. Indonesia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 17. http://www. apb. com. sg/indonesia. html 18. Laos, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 19. 20. http://www. apb. com. sg/laos. html 21. 16. Malaysia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 22. http://www. apb. com. sg/malaysia. html 23. 17. Mongolia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 24. http://www. apb. com. sg/mongolia. html 25. 18.New Caledonia, Retrie ved 10th July 2012 from: 26. http://www. apb. com. sg/new-caledonia. html 27. 19. New Zealand, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 28. http://www. apb. com. sg/new-zealand. html 29. 20. Papua New Guinea, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 30. http://www. apb. com. sg/papua-new-guinea. html 21. Sri Lanka, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 22. 23. http://www. apb. com. sg/sri-lanka. html 24. 22. Singapore, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 25. http://www. apb. com. sg/solomon-islands. html 26. 23. Thailand, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 27. http://www. apb. com. sg/thailand. html 28. 24. Vietnam, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 9. http://www. apb. com. sg/vietnam. html 30. Cambodia Brewery Ltd sales down 10pc in ’09. (2010, 8th February). Retrieved 11th July from: http://khmernz. blogspot. sg/2010/02/cambodia-brewery-ltd-sales-down-10pc-in. html 31. Coopers Brewery, Retrieved 11th July 2012 from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Coopers_Brewery 32. Rogers, S. (2010, October 26). Datablog. Retri eved 4th July from http://www. guardian. co. uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/26/corruption-index-2010-transparency-international 33. Viewswire. (2010). Retrieved 4th July from http://viewswire. eiu. com/site_info. asp? info_name=social_unrest_table&page=noads 34.Cia – the world factbook. (2012, June 08). Retrieved 4th July from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sp. html 35. CIA. (2012, February 15). Cia world factbook. Retrieved 4th July from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as. html 36. European beer guide. (2006). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. europeanbeerguide. net/spanbrew. htm 37. International monetary fund. (n. d. ). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. imf. org/external/country/AUS/index. htm 38. International monetary fund. (n. d. ). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. imf. org/external/country/ESP/index. htm 39.Spain economic statistics and indicators. (2011, August 01). Retrieved 4th July from ht tp://www. economywatch. com/economic-statistics/country/Spain/ 40. Australia economic statistics and indicators. (2011, August 01). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. economywatch. com/economic-statistics/country/Australia/ 41. Retrieved 10th July from http://www. unece. org/fileadmin/DAM/hlm/wpla/publications/restrictionsanalysis. pdf 42. Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. (2011, November 14). Retrieved 10th July from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_minimum_wages_by_country 43. World risk average. (2011, June 03). Retrieved 10th July from http://www. uromoneycountryrisk. com/ 44. Economic Intelligence Unit. (2011, July 15). Retrieved 10th July from http://www. eiu. com/ 45. Trumbic, T. (2011). Retrieved 13th July from The World Bank website: http://www. doingbusiness. org 46. Barrientos, M. (2011, 12 21). www. indexmundi. com/georgia/. Retrieved 13th July from http://www. indexmundi. com/ 47. Executive planet. ( 21:). Retrieved 13th July from http://executiveplanet. com/ 48. Wikipedia. (2012, March 31). Retrieved 13th July from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita 49. Wikipedia. (2012). Retrieved 13th July from: http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Category:Beer_and_breweries_in_Spain 50. Wikipedia. (2012). Retrieved 13th July from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_breweries_in_Australia 51. (2011). Retrieved 17th July from The World Bank Group website: http://data. worldbank. org/indicator/IT. NET. USER/countries 52. (2011). Retrieved 17th July from The World Bank Group website: http://data. worldbank. org/indicator/IT. NET. SECR. P6/countries 53. Business Review. (2012) Retrieved 17th July from: http://apb. com. sg/annual-report. html 54. Top Countries for Online Banking. (2010, October 27). Retrieved from http://www. onlinebanking. net/top-countries-for-online-banking/

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Competency to Stand Trial in the United States Research Paper

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Christian Expression Vocation - Essay Example Third, Christian vocation may connote gifts and leadership in readiness for lasting service. In view of this, Cooling (19-31) indicates an individual is self-conscious of his or her own gifts and capacities and to exhibit a fairly focused sagacity of the manner in which God wants these qualities to be employed to the advantage and betterment of the general world. Abraham is one of God’s servants who exercised utmost faith in the Creator by following all the commands of God. After the death of his father, Abram was instructed by God to abandon his homeland for another place where He would direct him (Eslinger 189-193). The faithful took his household of three including his wife Sara and Lot and followed God’s commands to what is today Israel-Palestine land. Despite the fortunes in the rich land, Abraham never built a home in this new environment but led a nomadic life, moving from one place to another to earn a living. The immense faith demonstrated by Abraham led him into securing his descendents the rich land. Additionally, God altered his name from Abram to Abraham and his wifes from Sara to Sarah. This is a clear manifestation of the strong faith he had in God. Few would agree to change their name in favour of a new beginning. According to Eslinger (192-207), God tempted Abrahams faith in Him by instructing him to offer his only son, Isaac for sacrifice. This event was imperative on two grounds: if the Isaac was sacrificed Abram would not have any heir to take over the land that God had assured Abraham. If Abraham successfully offered his son to God as sacrifice, he must have had faith in the coming back to life of the departed. Once God witnessed the seriousness of Abraham, in regarding the sacrifice of his son, He set forth and offered him a ram instead, to offer in the occasion.

Renewable Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Renewable Energy - Essay Example The Atoms for Peace (2010) described renewable energy as â€Å"a source of energy or power that has the capacity to replenish itself. Renewable energy can sometimes be called infinite energy, because it relies on energy that is in infinite supply. Renewable energy is also considered clean energy, because it does not produce toxins or pollutants that are harmful to the environment in the same manner that non-renewable energy does. Thus, renewable energy is also known as green or clean energy† (Atoms, 2010, pars. 1 & 2). The . The alternative fuel sources such as solar power, wind power, geothermal, biofuel and tidal power have ultimately been proven and needed to sustain life and uphold the objective of providing a cleaner and healthier environment as a legacy to the next generations to come. Potentials for renewable energy sources actually abound. Ironically, despite man’s rapid growth and development, the most plausible alternative sources which remain to be available are the wind, tide and sun. These are not only renewable but perpetual. The essay hereby aims to proffer relevant aspects of hydrogen as fuel for transportation of the future. Specifically, the discourse would perform a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis on hydrogen as a direct combustible fuel for transport by 2025. Inititally, hydrogen would be discussed in terms of qualifying it as a portable energy storage method, rather than a renewable energy, per se. Prior to the presentation of a SWOT analysis on hydrogen as fuel for transport, a general discussion of the benefits of renewable energy would be enumerated, as well as its disadvantages, to highlight evaluative factors of renewable energy, as a whole. The utilization of renewable and alternative energy sources with emphasis on utilizing solar energy, the tides and the wind could provide man with the following benefits. There are advantages which are clearly identified in utilizing alternative fuel sources. Among

Identify three important conditions for successfully initiating a Essay

Identify three important conditions for successfully initiating a price increase (Pricing Strategies) - Essay Example However, in general context most of the companies price their products in such a way which allows them to remain affordable to the clients and offers them a certain societal value. Pricing strategies come mainly in the form of new product pricing, product mix pricing and price-adjustment strategies. Among the aforementioned forms of pricing, a number of strategies can be employed by the company to price its products. The pricing strategies are described below. New Product Pricing Strategies. These strategies are mainly divided into two types, namely market skimming pricing and market penetration pricing. Market skimming pricing entails setting high price for a product during its launch and slowly reducing the price with the passage of time. On the other hand, market penetration pricing is about setting a low price for a newly launched product and then gradually increasing it as the products reaches the growth stage in its life cycle. Product Mix Pricing Strategies. Companies have several options to price their product mix. It purely depends on the intentions of the company. Some of the most commonly used pricing strategies in this context are product line pricing, product bundle pricing, captive product pricing, optional product pricing, and by-product pricing. Each of these strategies considers certain aspects in pricing the product. Price-Adjustment Strategies. The price of a product needs to be adjusted at times due to the changing situations and several customer differences. Some of the commonly used strategies in this context are geographical pricing, international pricing, discount and allowance pricing, psychological pricing, segmented pricing, promotional pricing, and dynamic pricing. After companies develop the pricing structures of their products, they often face a condition when they are required to modify the prices due to a specific reason. Nevertheless, price changes are initiated

Visual Persuasion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Visual Persuasion - Essay Example In the book entitled, Visual Persuasion: The Role of Images in Advertising written by Messaris (1997), the author explained that visual persuasion is actually a form of exploration of distinct and unique images used in the advertising field. As such, it is relevant to emphasize that the act of being persuaded takes the collaborative effort of the organization persuading and the person/s being persuaded: â€Å"because of the process of co-creation, all persuasion consists of self-persuasion to some degree. We rarely act in accordance with persuasion unless we participate or interact in the process logically and/or emotionally† (Larson, 2010, p. 22). Visual persuasion is undertaken for the purpose of presenting arguments in a clear manner through images that could be appreciated through seeing. In court cases for instance, where visual persuasion is useful, it was emphasized that the benefit of using graphic presentation includes the fact that â€Å"it is cognitively more complete. By showing, as well as telling, throughout the presentation, you are engaging and using more of the jurors’ working attention, causing them to pay more attention, and to notice and see more of your argument† (Broda-Bahm, n.d., p. 4). The presentation shown in Figure 1 attests to this fact. Another benefit noted of visual persuasion is the evidence of greater preparation put into the work; and thereby, apparently increases credibility of the promoter. On the contrary, some visual persuasion strategies which aim to sway the audience into believing a proposed point of view; even against norms or universal standards could be deceiving and manipulative. For instance, Figure 2 allegedly advocated that â€Å"Joe Camel is presented as cool, adventurous, and attractive to women† (Blackmon, n.d., p. 1). Visual persuasion has tendencies to present

The meaning of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The meaning of Life - Essay Example Such theories seek to find some essence that characterizes the behavior of things in some general domain of study: physical phenomena, life, the mind, language, and so on. Questions like "What is the mind" or "What is life" presuppose the meaningfulness of such a quest for general knowledge. We do assume that there is a nature of things, and we are led by the metaphysical impulse to seek knowledge at higher and higher levels, defined by ever more general categories of things. A person will somehow seek for self-actualization. They say, in becoming self-actualized, you already stop seeking because you already have achieved a concept of the meaning of your existence. Thus, people get some good education, earn some money, build a good family and do something that will eventually follow the dreams they have been yearning for. And yet, some people discover later on that getting what you want could still not satisfy the questions about the meaning of their lives. People have to struggle to achieve these things and it is in their quest that they learn lessons about life. Every triumph and every failure adds something up to yourself and you always strive to become better the next time around. Apart from our internal struggles in how we achieve the lives we want, there so many external things that also influence on how we live our lives.

T&M- wk 9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

T&M- wk 9 - Essay Example r to make the results more valid and reliable, the examiners should be trained in a way that he or she overcomes his or her biasness towards races other than his or her own (Sattler, 1970). Similarly, the test administration and scoring procedures should be followed strictly so that there is no room for any subjectivity in the results (Sattler, 1970). An examinee factor that may influence the test results is the difference in the linguistics background of the examinee (Domino & Domino, 2006). The standards lay emphasis on the fact that a few tests are unsuitable for certain individuals whose familiarity with the language is doubtful (Lam, 1993). For example, the reliability and validity of tests for those examinees who do not speak English is suspect (Domino & Domino, 2006). Translating tests is not an easy task and it cannot be taken for granted that the validity and reliability of the translation are similar to the English version of the test (Lam, 1993). Thus, to overcome this hurdle, the test should be provided in the language, the examinee is most comfortable in and evidence for test comparability in different languages is obtainable (Lam, 1993). Tina the external influence that you mentioned from the examiner or the environment that could influence the test results is rapport. You are right; this is one of the most significant aspects of test administration as determines the quality of the relationship between the examiner and the examinee (Naglieri & Goldstein, 2009). The examiner should develop rapport with the individual taking the test before actually starting with the testing process (Naglieri & Goldstein, 2009). Trying to establish an encouraging and comfortable environment is vital if the examinee test effort is to take place (Naglieri & Goldstein, 2009). On the other hand, Tina, you should keep in mind that the examiner should have a good rapport and nothing more because involvement beyond good rapport will risk the introduction of errors which

Equinox Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Equinox Company - Essay Example This implies that a firm must be accountable for the negative effects of its operations on its stakeholders. A reporting entity is an organization that collects analyses and gives a report pertaining to the financial information. Equinox Company is a corporation dealing with stipulation of credit ratings for various companies for the purpose of financial analysis and assessment. It was started in the year 1899, and it has served over four hundred companies. It is situated in Atlanta in Georgia. This company has played a major role in the corporate world by securing jobs for more than seven thousand employees. This company is committed to safeguarding the environment from pollution from its own economic activities. This company is known to incorporate its stockholders in decision making process. This gives the community a chance to give credible contribution with regard to the company’s social responsibility. Activities of Equinox Company Ltd The activities of this company are many given its competitive advantage as a reporting entity. The entity provides credit reports to customers on demand. This enables various consumers to access financial aid by use of their financial credit status. Moreover, this serves a sales and marketing technique because a financially stable enterprise is considered favorable. It also carries out investigations on errand companies on request by state agencies and criminal investigation agencies. They give assurance to potential investors of some companies with an aim of encouraging investment in these entities. Provision of credit ratings of companies that are subject to syndicates in order to obtain concrete facts with regard to the liability of these companies. It contributes in the market liberalization as it reveals to the public some crucial information with regard to the credit worthiness of many companies hence enabling consumers to make informed decisions. It also performs audit for companies on ad hoc basis. This gives the stakeholders of the companies concerned an assurance of the safety of their resources. Equinox Company also provides reports to Insurance companies on demand. This helps the insurance companies to make informed decisions before accepting to cover risks of its prospective clients. It also sells credit reports in its possession to many industries of diverse types of businesses. It also sells sophisticated software for effective and efficient credit rating of a client. This entity provides population data to the demographic department. This enhances quick financial decision making with regard to the available resources. It provides non-financial data to its clients. This enables it to have a wide customer base hence high level of annual revenue. Furthermore, the company provides theft and fraud prevention products which help in keeping the levels of criminal activities in the business enterprises. Equinox Company corporate Social Responsibility It provides all the people with a si ngle free credit file which helps in the personal financial analysis and assessment. This sparks investments in various projects because a high portion of the population is aware of their financial abilities. The firm practices strategic corporate social responsibility which enables it to identify specific social concerns to be solved. The management of the company always incorporates the input of all stakeholders in decision making. This provides an opportunity to the members of the society to give substantial feedback with regard to corporate social responsibility. Investors have cited the corporate social responsiveness of the company as the major competitive advantage. This initiative has been hailed as a source of motivation and sense of belonging

Immigration Reform and Control Act Research Paper

Immigration Reform and Control Act - Research Paper Example Other programs like the Agricultural worker program also provided permanent residency status to more illegal immigrants. Border patrols were enforced while all employers were required to verify the legal status of the job candidates as regards the authority to work in the US within three days after employment offer. The Act led to increase in the number of illegal immigrants and other social problems like low wages. Immigration reform and Control Act Immigration Reform and Control Act-requirements and issues in workplace Introduction Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was enacted to deal with various immigration problems. Section 1324a of the Act prohibits employees to hire or continue employing illegal immigrants with prior knowledge that the employee is an illegal immigrant. All employers are required to make proper verification that all employees are legalized to work in the U.S including the American citizens, aliens holding express authority from the attorney General to work in the US and resident aliens (Schultz, 2000). According to the opponents, granting amnesty and sanctioning employees did not deter illegal immigrations. Allocation of billions of dollars on border patrols and hiring of additional border enforcement agents could not solve the illegal immigration problem unless the US demand for cheap labor was addressed. This paper shall examine the pros and cons of the Act and effects in the workplace and society. Employers are required to submit form 1-9 detailing the documentation of the employees together with identities and authorization to work in the US. Failure to verify the employee documentation and identity will subject the employer to a fine ranging from $ 110 per worker without the Form 1-9 to a maximum penalty of $ 1,100 per worker without the documentation (Schultz, 2000). The debate of the impact of the Act has attracted intense demand with proponents arguing that it was effective in deterring illegal aliens and reducing social problems in the society. On the other hand, opponents of the Act reduced availability of cheap labor in the economy and slowed down economic growth in the agricultural sector (Smith, 1997). The Act aimed at controlling the high flow of undocumented immigrants in to the US and ensuring on authorized residents were entitled to the available job opportunities. The Act sought for increased border surveillance and enforcement of immigration laws and amnesty program for the undocumented immigrants who met certain minimum standards for authorization as legal aliens (Powell, 2005). About 2.3 undocumented aliens from Mexico were granted permanent resident status in the US. The Act provided for sanctions on employers who knowingly employed illegal immigrants unauthorized to work in the US or continued employment of those illegal aliens (Schultz, 2000). The Act also provided sanctions for employers who hired employees without verifying and properly documenting the identity and legal status of the employee in regards to the ability to work in the US (Smith, 1997. More employers were penalized for undue diligence in verifying the identity of the prospective employees and not filing documentation requirements with the relevant authorities (Laet, 2000). On border enforcement program, the Act provided for 50 percent increase in border patrol manpower to apprehend the illegal immigrants along the border points and especially the US-Mexico border. Additional funds were utilized in deporting illegal immigrants

Barnes% Noble Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Barnes% Noble - Essay Example Another factor affecting the component of publishing is the steady increase of the price of oil and natural gas. In printing, most of the raw materials used for printing like inks are derived from oil. Its mail order catalogue is also affected by the rising cost of postage. In printing, which composes the bulk of Barnes &Noble’s expenses, one of the problems aside from rising cost is the large amount of paper used and the toxic waste it produces such as solvents and inks. Likewise the industry sees the digital technology rather expensive and cuts their profit. As to availability of transportation and shipping airlines, I see no problem as to its availability since there are available companies like Fedex and other airline companies. The only problem seen here is the cost of freight, and insurance. As to employment, Barnes and Noble recognizes the efforts of employees by giving them a rewarding career experience. Competitive compensation, benefit package and promotion. It provides employees a financial security plan, sick leave and disability pay, life insurance, continuing education, transit benefits and discounts (Barnes & Noble, n. d.). They believe that it is rewarding to discover new writers. Average annual revenue of a printing press employee is $145,000.(First Research) while pay for writers is not disclosed. A supplier has bargaining power if he possess the capacity to dominate the contracting partner due o its influence, power, status or size, or through a combination of various tactics. Barnes & Noble who owns the largest chain of bookstores in US, has the power to command the price of books and to control

Ancient Rome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ancient Rome - Essay Example The paper tells that the wonders of ancient Rome are many. It is easy to understand why historians feel that this society was the highpoint of the ancient world. This opinion is supported by the fact that so much of ancient Rome is still alive today in the cultures of the West. One way that the ancient Romans have affected the world is through the invention of the republican form of government. Their conversion of Greek direct democracy into a system of government that allowed the masses to participate while incorporating checks and balances to protect against corruption is a marvel. Many of the liberal representative democracies in Europe and North America are based in some way on the Roman Republic. Consuls, tribunes and the senate have modern counterparts in the House of Representatives, Senate and President in the United States. This form of government has spread all over the world thanks to the focus on individual and human rights that must be protected in order for this sort of democracy to work. Another way the Romans influenced our current world is through their focus on the rule of law. Roman laws were codified in The Twelve Tables. This became a foundation for all of Roman law that was to be enacted throughout the empire. The Roman emphasis on the rule of law ensured that justice could be guaranteed for all Roman citizens throughout the Roman Empire. This security encouraged trade and travel all over the Empire. Establishing the rule of law helps many Western nations today ensure that all citizens are treated fairly regardless of race or religious affiliation. A final influence that can be seen in America specifically is the connection between religion and politics. It is campaign season in America, and even though the Constitution of the United States declares freedom of religion, the religious and moral beliefs of the candidates is of great importance. It is reported in the news almost daily. Roman politicians were among the first to manipulate the religious beliefs of the population in an effort to win votes. The modern politics of religion have their origins with the orators and politicians of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. In class we talked about the ‘cradles of civilization’ we discussed four major ones, what are the similarities of these areas and are they the only ones? Along with the cradles of civilization what are the general characteristics of ‘complex societies or civilizations’? Physical geography is the major unifying feature of the ‘cradles of civilization’. Civilization started in geographic locations where a food surplus was easy to obtain. All of civilization is founded on the ability to raise more food than each individual farmer needs. This excess food leads to specialization of labor and provides the means for the beginnings of trade. All early civilizations started in places where some outstanding physical feature allowed for the creation of surplus food. I n the case of the earliest civilizations, the physical feature was a river valley. The Sumerians in Mesopotamia were supported by the Tigris and Euphrates, the Harappans had the Indus, the Egyptians had the Nile and the Chinese had the Huang He. Rivers provided a source of food through fishing and irrigation for crops. As civilization developed, they also provided a means of transportation. Physical geography also affected later civilizations such as the Greeks and the Romans. Access to fertile, grain producing regions in Sicily and Crimea caused much of the imperial expansion and diplomatic intrigue for both of these civilizations. As each of these river valley civilizations grew, they developed certain characteristics that all complex civilizations seem to share. The first of these is a means of social stratification that is possibly justified or explained through religious beliefs and teachings. This is seen in Egypt through the

Lincoln Electric Essay Example for Free

Lincoln Electric Essay Lincoln Electric’s CEO Massaro was correct in his assessment that, markets in developing countries would grow faster and yield a higher return. This strategy was critical and in alignment with the organizations goal to reach 50% foreign sales revenue. As president of Lincoln Asia, Mike Gillespie faces a great challenge with his decision to enter the Indonesian market. If Mr. Gillespie does decide to enter Indonesia, he must also decide whether to do it alone or through a joint venture, and how to structure employee compensation. It looks like Gillespie conducted enough corporate anthropology research to identify viable consumer product needs that Lincoln Electric will be able to provide (stick consumables vs. automatic consumables segments). I understand that investing in Indonesia offers many benefits to the organization, mostly towards increased profit margins and market share of consumable products (for further information regarding the strategic planning for entering Indonesia see Exhibit 1). However, in my opinion, Gillespie does not have enough data to make an informed decision regarding this move. Fear of a rekindled Civil War, unstable inflation rates, and other activities in the country revealed both economic and political instability. Other issues to be considered include labor issues of Indonesia 1. I would recommend further market and cultural analysis to aid his decision-making. If Gillespie decides to enter Indonesia, it is my recommendation to enter with a partner. I support this recommendation because, through his own market analysis and consultation it was identified that due to the political structure a local partner with in-depth knowledge, and political connections would be essential for success. I understand that a joint venture will decrease Lincoln Electrics profit margins, but in my opinion, the joint venture will minimize investment risk, especially if a partner is able to provide capital towards the cost of building a facility. Gillespies choice in partners should be based off of a predefined set of criteria. These criteria should include current relations/contracts with Lincoln Electric, current market share, knowledge of local market and culture, political and business contacts. The partner should also have the ability to withstand any financial risk toward this investment. See table 2 for a breakdown of both potential partners and how they compare to the criteria. I would recommend a joint venture with both companies (Tira and SSHJ). The reason for this recommendation is due to the diverse benefits, which both companies can bring to the venture. However, I have concerns regarding the loyalty of either partner to the Lincoln Electric brand. If we apply the social exchange theory to this situation, one could speculate that when more than one partner is included in a business relationship, the loyalty of each business partner may decreases due to competition and fear of favoritism 2. It is Gillespies intention to implement a piecework compensation structure and I support this decision. It is also the intent of Lincoln Electric to exceed minimum wage requirements and prevailing rates. Gillespie has concerns regarding the ability for all employees to meet minimum wage using piecework compensation. It is my recommendation to set the minimum daily quota at the minimum wage rate. I would also implement an aggressive performance bonus paying out monthly vs. annual. I would highly recommend further cultural analysis with a focus on time perceptions and labor perceptions of the local culture. The compensation structure should be adjusted as time goes on and favorable trends in compensation are identified.

Formative Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Formative Evaluation Essay The processes of evaluation depend mainly on the purpose of the evaluation and the object to be evaluated. There are many processes of evaluation, but the most important basic distinction in these processes is between formative and summative. Formative Evaluation In this process, the evaluation is done on the strengths, weaknesses and even on how to improve the object. It is usually done by examining the delivery of the service or the technology, implementation of the quality, and the assessment of the organizational personnel, procedures, and context among others. The formative evaluation can be subdivided into the following types of evaluation which are very essential: assessment evaluation, which is used in order to determine the feasibility of the evaluation and how the administrators, sponsors, donors among others can help to improve its usefulness; process evaluation, this mainly involves investigation of the process of service or technology delivery and other alternative delivery processes; needs assessment, this is used to determine who needs the program, the greatness of the need, and even how to meet the need; and lastly, implementation evaluation, which involves the monitoring of the fidelity of service or technology deliverance ( Trochim, 2006). Summative evaluation This process of evaluation examines the outcomes of the effects of some object on the service or technological deliverance. It usually describes what happens subsequent to technology or service delivery, assess whether the object caused the observed outcome, and even est imate the cost associated with the object. The summative evaluation consists of several types and these include: impact evaluation, this usually involves the assessment of the overall effects of the service or the technology; outcome evaluation, this deals with investigating whether the service or the technology caused the effects on that specific target outcome; cost effectiveness and benefit analysis, which deals with questions of efficiency and effectiveness by standardizing the outcomes in terms of values and cost; meta-analysis, which involves the integration of the outcome estimates from the all the studies done to come to an overall judgement about the question(s) being evaluated; and lastly, secondary analysis, which involves reexamination of the existing data so that new questions can be addressed or new methods can used (Trochim, 2006). The most important objectives of evaluation is to provide a useful feedback to various audiences, who may include administrators, sponsors, staff and even donors among others. It is often done to gauge success in attaining organization goals. In most cases, the feedback from evaluation is perceived as useful since it helps in decision-making and policy formulation. However, in very rare cases the evaluation feedback can fail to influence the making of short-term decisions. The evaluation tool is mainly used in a workplace by the employers to review employee performance and is usually done by the supervisors or senior managers. In such a case, it may involve assessing how the employee is doing using performance scale rating which show the strengths and weaknesses in important areas which may include promptness and following given instructions among others. The employees are also given the chance to share their suggestions and concerns about the workplace experiences and details such as pay raise, promotions and many others. Furthermore, the significant progress made in achieving the employee goals in a set time period is also evaluated. These employee goals can be set by the organization or can be set voluntary. Word Count: 560 Reference List Trochim W. T. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Retrieved on May 2, 2009 from http://www. socialresearchmethods. net/kb/index. php