What is the state of corporate governance in the UK, USA, EU, Literature review

What is the state of corporate governance in the UK, USA, EU, Australia, Japan and the GCC countries - Literature review Example It a discipline that focuses mainly on existing relationships between a company’s top management, its stockholders, boards, regulators, other stakeholders and auditors, and is a â€Å"system by which companies are directed and controlled† (Corporate Governance, nd., p.11). The system takes into account various market and regulatory structures, while also considering objectives for governing business firms. As OECD framed it, â€Å"Corporate governance involves a set of relationships between a company’s management, its board, its shareholders and other stakeholders. Corporate governance also provides the structure through which the objectives of the company are set, and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance are determined† (OECD, 2004, p. 11). ... pted for preventing or diminishing contentious issues arising mainly from conflicts of interests include institutions, customs, procedures, laws and policies, which affect the manner in which a business firm is regulated (Cadbury, 1992, p. 15). An important theory within corporate governance deals with the extent and nature of  liability  of those concerned in the running of the  business. Another related yet different theory within corporate governance deals with its effects on  economic efficacy that mainly focuses on the welfare of its shareholder (Haidar,  2009). In large corporations that have different management and ownership with no regulating shareholder, the  agent-principal issues  may crop up between top management (an agent) that may have varying interests and may possess more information than the firm’s shareholders which form the principals. The main problem in this field arises when the board of directors instead of managing on behalf of the compa ny shareholders become separated from the latter, while becoming to more loyal to the firm’s management (Bebchuk and  Jesse, 2006). This dimension is often present in many of the current public debates, and is taken into consideration while framing regulatory policies. Currently there has been a great deal of interest in studying theories and practices of corporate governance of contemporary business firms, especially in the context of liability, after the bankruptcy of many of the well-known MNCs during 2002 and again during 2007-09 economic crisis, which concerned primarily accounting fraud (Haidar,  2009). Various corporate scandals  at different times, over the past few years, have led to sustained interests from both political and public world in maintaining a control and regulation over corporate

Feminist and Post-Colonal Theory on a literary text Essay

Feminist and Post-Colonal Theory on a literary text - Essay Example This essay demonstrates that every culture had a way to resist the epic changes that were being imposed by the British Government. And in this story â€Å"Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies† (Rushdie). We see this resistance by the way the way men treat their women in Indian settings. Even though they are modernized they still practice their traditions like arranged marriages and the women also wear the veils except our main character Rehana and some other few women she points out.This essay demonstrates that every culture had a way to resist the epic changes that were being imposed by the British Government. And in this story â€Å"Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies† (Rushdie). We see this resistance by the way the way men treat their women in Indian settings. Even though they are modernized they still practice their traditions like arranged marriages and the women also wear the veils except our main character Rehana and some other few women she points out. In the story al ong a line is described outside the British consulate, this is symbolic of Euro-centrism that those people think that England is better to live in than India (Rushdie). Rehana surprises Muhammad Ali by turning down his offer of a free British visa. She also fails her exams on purpose, and when Ali asks her, she says, â€Å"there are some boys who need me† (Rushdie). Rehana symbolizes resistance to a new culture and thinking.   This paper makes a conclusion that the way the women are interrogated in the British consul symbolizes neo-colonialism (Forster).

How Culture Affects Identity

How Culture Affects Identity Culture can be defined as the increasing deposit of knowledge, material objects, values, religion, notions of time, attitudes, hierarchies, concepts of the universe, spatial relations, roles, and beliefs and possessions gained by a group of people in the path of generations through individual and group striving (Poyatos, 2002). Culture can also be termed as communication and the vise versa. This is because culture is a symbol of communication. Some of these symbols include knowledge, a groups skills, attitudes, motives and values. Culture can also be defined as the sum total of all the learned behaviors of a group that are commonly considered to be the tradition of a particular group of people and are conveyed from generation to generation. Identity can be defined as a set of personal or behavioral characteristics by which an individual can be associated with a certain group. Identity also refers to the state of an individual having some specific qualities which identify him with a p articular group of people or things. The combination of these two nouns (culture and identity) gives rise to cultural identity which refers to the sense of belongingness to a particular group or culture. From a personal view, culture refers to the way (aspects) of a persons life. These aspects of life include language which is one of the oldest medium of expression in the human institution, arts and sciences which are the forms of human expression most refined and advanced and thought which can be defined as the methodologies in which an individual perceives, interprets, and understands the world around him. There is also spirituality which is a value system passed through generations for the purpose of well being in human beings. It is expressed through actions, language and social activities which are perceived to be the shared pursuit within any particular cultural community. All cultures or social organizations have severe dimensions just like physical dimensions of length, height, width, time and height. The cultural dimensions may vary according to size, permeate the whole or by definition one cannot see a dimension of culture or society just the way we see an individual person however each person manifests each of the five dimensions of culture. Hofstede came up with five dimensions which are rated in 53 countries basing on indices of each dimension. These dimensions are namely power distance (hierarchy), femininity versus masculinity, collectivism versus individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and long term versus short term orientation (Hofstede, Pedersen Hofstede, 2002). (PD) Power distance refers to the extent to which less powerful members expects respects and accepts unequal power distribution within a particular culture. According to Hofstede, high PD countries tend to maintain centralized political power and display tall hierarchies in organizat ions with massive differences in salary and social status. Subordinates always perceive the manager as a benevolent dictator and they are therefore expected to follow the rules just as they are stipulated. The low PD countries perceive subordinates and supervisors as closer to being equal and easily interchangeable (Marcus Gould, 2000). They also have more flattened hierarchies in organizations and with less difference in salaries and social status. In these low PD countries, equality is generally desired and expected. As a citizen of United States my country has a current PDI of 40 in comparison to the worlds range of 55 (Marcus Gould, 2000). I support this low PDI because in my American culture there is better equality between the societal levels, government institutions, organizations and within families. My American cultural environment is stable and there is cooperative interaction in all power levels. I practice American culture and identity and its because of this that I can say my culture has sense of equality. For example teachers, students (children) and parents perceive each other as equals but not necessarily identical. The students and teachers relate well. Personally, I relate well with my lecturers and none of us feels like he/she has power over me as his student. In work places, people hold different position but regardless of this many perceive each other as brothers and it is therefore difficult to find some work related humanitarian crises. Individualism in culture refers to loo se ties. This mans that one is expected to look after himself, his immediate family and no one else. Collectivism on the other hand means that people are incorporated together by birth into cohesive, strong groups that act as protection in exchange for unquestionable loyalty. According to Hofspede, individualistic cultures value freedom, personal time and extrinsic motivators like material rewards at work (Marcus Gould, 2000). In these individualistic cultures, individual socio-economic interests are highly valued and strong rights of privacy are maintained. In general it advocates for the ideologies based on self-actualization, self government, self realization and freedom. On the other hand collectivist value skills, training, physical conditions and the intrinsic rewards based on mastery. In relations to family they value harmony, silence, use of shame in the achievement of behavioral goals and the strife to maintain face. The socio- economic interests are highly valued rather than individuals. According to the American culture which is also my cultural identity, we prefer situations whereby there is self sustenance. For example personally I like attending to my issues in my own way since thats what my parents have taught me. If I am in need, I believe I should consult my parents, brothers and sisters before going to the external world. I also try to realize my goals using my own version without interference. This tendency is very common in the American culture. This is well supported by the studies of Hofstede which show that in the year 2009 the United States had an IDV of 91 the highest dimension compared to the other countries (Marcus Gould, 2000). This means that the society has high individualistic attitude and relative loose bond with others. Therefore, the society is more self dependent and is concerned only for themselves and their close family members. Masculinity and femininity refers to the gender roles in a particular culture. Traditionally the masculine roles were based on assertiveness, toughness and competition while the feminine roles were based on tenderness, orientation to people, home and children. These traditional gender distinctions are almost breaking due to the collapse of feminine roles. The traditional masculine work goals included recognition, earnings, challenge and advancement. The traditional feminine work goals included good relations, employment security and good living and working conditions. As an American upholding the American culture, I have realized many women trends are changing since they are pursuing degrees and diplomas to get into white-color jobs unlike in the early days when females used to stay at home taking care of children. Many females have taken jobs such as engineering, medical and teaching jobs which used to belong to men. According to Hofstede, in the year 2009 the MAS for America was 68 meaning the country experiences a higher degree of gender differentiation roles (Marcus Gould, 2000). This means that the female population is more assertive and competitive just like men. Uncertainty avoidance dimension deals with the societys tolerance as it pertains to ambiguity and uncertainty. It depicts how members in a society have attempted to cope with the anxiety through the minimization of uncertainties. In the cultures of high uncertainty avoidance people always prefer formally designed activities and explicit rules. You will also find that most of the em ployees tend to retain their employers (Amanda.com 1). In low uncertainty avoidance cultures, people always prefer implicit rules and more informal activities. Again, employees cannot retain their employers. In my American culture rules are very flexible and it accommodates diverse ideologies. For example there are many religions unlike in other countries like Islamic where only one religion is tolerated. My American culture has few rules and it doesnt do much to control all outcomes and results. It also tolerates a variety of ideas believes and thoughts. The long term versus short term orientation refers to the societys time horizon. It also examines the importance of the future compared to the present and past. In my American culture I believe that I believe that I will meet my obligations and I also believe the American society will always meet its obligation no matter the hardships and inconveniences we will experience. Also, I appreciate my American tradition which is characterized by a lot of hard work in order to achieve something meaningful in life. Culture and identity positively influences the relationship between me and my parents because we rarely have any conflicts. This is because I know what my parents advocated for since my childhood (family traditions) and this makes it easier for us to interact without much issues arising. Culture and identity has had a negative impact between my family members and me because some cultural aspects are continually changing but they are not adapting to these changes. For example the American culture has shunned the traditional segregation that existed between the black and the white Americans but my parents do not always welcome the idea of the association between these too American ethnic groups. This means that I am not always allowed to bring visitors from a different ethnicity. Again my culture doesnt allow people to attend church without formal dressings. This has caused a negative impact on the relationship between me my parents and the church. Due to changing modes of dressing I find the cultural church dressing code not entertaining while at the other hand the church leaders are opposed to the new ways of dressing in the church. Our culture advocates for good mannerisms at school failure to which one is subjected to parental punishment. This has fostered a positi ve interpersonal relationship between my peer group, teachers and me. This is because I am aware of the rights and the wrong and therefore I try to avoid conflicts resulting from disobedience or arrogance towards my peers. My American cultural identity has also helped me in forming positive personal relations with the surrounding people and communities. This is because it advocates for brotherhood and I therefore try to be careful when socializing with people so as to avoid conflicts. Consequently, many people in the community find me as their friend who they can count on and therefore good interpersonal relations. Due to my cultural identity I have individually and collectively experienced many challenges in the American society. One challenge is that of persistent identities in form of biracial perceptions. This is because many people keep on asking me about my race because my bodily appearance doesnt suggest it. Ethnocentrism is the other challenge. This is because some of my college friends like the children from the very rich families in the community feel that they have superior ways of life (culture) than us from middle class families. They tend to perceive us as inferior, wrong in all aspects and strange. Another challenge I have faced due to my cultural identity is prejudice. This has been caused by the attitude of ethnocentrism. My fellow college mates from wealthy backgrounds tend to show intolerant and unfairly biased attitude towards me and other people of my status (middle class). The next challenge is cultural stereotyping. This is because of the exaggerated generalizations about a particular group (females). For example in the American culture the females have been stereotyped in terms of their emotions. It is believed that females experience and also express sadness, fear and sympathy. On the other hand men experience and express anger and pride. Another challenge is cultural proximity whereby many cultures are assumed to be similar. For example due to modernization, the subcultures (white and black) in my country have now been integrated almost into one though people come from different places of origin. The other challenge I have faced due to my cultural identity is that of misinterpretation of codes. For example due to my dress code most of my colleagues mistake me for a Muslim lady because I always have veil on my neck and put on a long skirt. There are several occasions whereby my verbal behaviors or cues have been misunderstood like when I use inflections (variation of speech). When I lower the pitch of voice too or make it deeper on certain words. This low pitch implies confidence, certainty, and authority. However my college mates view this as a sign of ignorance or lack of cooperation in speech. Other times I use upward inflection (raised pitch) in speech to communicate uncertainty, surprise and doubt. This however bring about miscommunication when am talking to my college friends who come from other cultures like Muslims who perceive my tone as a sign of coercion and harassment. Some times I repeat my statements as a sign of emphasis but some of my friends perceive that as a speech problem. Often, I get frustrated or angered when my friends mistake these verbal behaviors to be signs of weakness. There are several occasions when my non-verbal behaviors have been misunderstood. For example when I use a frequency of glances to indicate attention, interest and involvement most people think that am being timid and am using it to protect myself from them or as a sign of fatigue. Some of my friends have also misunderstood me through tactile communication (touch). For example I give a warm hug to all my friends as a sign or greetings when we meet but some friends mistake me for a multiple lover. Others mistrust their companions due to these kinds of greetings. This mistrust is caused by the fact that they interpret it emotionally. Some of my friends misinterpret my use of fig which in my culture means you cant have it. They say that it is immoral or obscene. I feel sad when people misinterpret these non-verbal cues.

Monica Lewinsky: Women in Society, Body Image and Feminism :: Essays Papers

Monica Lewinsky: Women in Society, Body Image and Feminism In the current post-impeachment proceedings the question becomes whom it has affected most and what it will mean to them and their agenda. Obvious groups that will suffer most from the impeachment that are subject to the after effects are the Republican Party and American politics in general. As far as individuals are concerned, Monica Lewinsky has a good deal of post-scandal baggage. But what about those who will experience the effects of Monica and what she represents as a woman in American society? The movement which has suffered the most in the standpoint of social and political agenda are the Feminists. Using Feminist criticism to analyze the discourse surrounding and as well as by the speaker, Monica, I aim to reveal how women's place in society led by the Feminist's has changed due the sex scandal and where it maybe headed next. In looking at this aspect of the scandal it becomes crucial not just to analyze the discourse of Feminists and Monica but to find it in a larger scheme of a society which shapes many of the gender roles and pressures put on individuals to look and act in certain ways. There is an evident change in the role of women in American society that has occurred as a result of the scandal which is important not just to the Feminists and their supporters but to any female who enters the public arena and is faced with pressures and expectations put on them as a result of their gender. As a leading special interest group, Feminists, who are politically active concerning gender roles in society, have been at the forefront of the Paula Jones case and the Lewinksy-Clinton scandal. What comes at odds with the Feminist stance in politics is a womanizing Democratic President that they support and his opportunizing and provocative young mistress. It was something the Feminists were neither prepared for nor easily responded to when given the option of a liberal President with sexual issues or the conservative, Republican moralists taking charge. We deplore his misconduct but we also understand the hypocrisy of his opponents. We Have years of progress at stake if the President is hounded out of office. But worse yet, We wish the ushering into power of a puritanical or fundamentaliststs, sex police which Speaks of freedom but allows government to destroy the right of privacy.

An Introduction to Car-sharing & Zipcar Essay

Back in 2000, in lieu of overcrowding in the US car rental market, Zipcar implemented a blue ocean strategy and established its car-sharing business as the dominant alternative to car ownership. Compared to car rentals firms that charge users on a per day basis, Zipcar offers users the flexibility of deciding the number of hours and distance of car usage. In addition, unlike car rental firms which require customers to pick up the cars from their offices, Zipcar allows members to pick up a car from their nearest parking lots located at strategic points throughout metropolitan areas. The added convenience over the traditional car rental business model, coupled with Zipcar’s first mover’s advantage in the US market, led Zipcar to be the largest car-sharing company in the world, with a total of 570,000 members and 8,000 cars. Zipcar’s Service Proposition – 4 Simple Steps to Driving a Zipcar Firstly, new users are required to apply for a Zipcar membership which costs about USD60 annually. Secondly, users proceed to reserve a specific car model at their preferred nearest location, via phone, online or the Zipcar mobile application. Thirdly, users proceed to their reserved cars and unlock their cars by having an RFID scanner located on the car’s windscreen scan their assigned Zipcards. Lastly, users return their cars to designated parking lots and will be subsequently billed on a per-hour basis, without having to pay for fuel or insurance costs. Zipcar’s Four Market Segments The bulk of Zipcar’s operations is located within the US, although it does operate in selective cities of Canada and the UK. Its revenues come from the following four market segments. Individual Membership| Servicing individuals who prefer car-sharing to urban car ownership due to significant cost savings| Universities| Working with universities to address the lack of parking lots by providing car-sharing to staff and students and reducing the number of cars on campus| Businesses & Government| Working with businesses and local governments to meet environmental goals by providing employees access to Zipcars and encouraging car-pooling| FastFleet System| Selling its proprietary and trademarked car-sharing management systems to organizations interested in implementing an internal car-sharing program| Opportunity for Zipcar to Enter the Growing European Car-Sharing Market In 2006, the European Union (EU) announced plans to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint across European nations. Under the new EU energy policy, European nations are required to report their annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. As such, given their ability to reduce the cars on the road and consequently the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints, car-sharing services flourished in Europe. According to Frost & Sullivan, the revenue from car-sharing in Europe is likely to hit $2.6 billion EURO ($3.4 billion USD) by the 2016. This figure even exceeds the projected US car-sharing revenue in 2016 of $3.3 billion USD. Given that the European car-sharing market is likely to be more lucrative than the US one, Zipcar should not miss out on the opportunity to expand its operations to Europe. Our Recommended Goal for Zipcar and Reasons for Recommending It Despite lacking a first-mover’s advantage, we recommend that Zipcar sets its sight on penetrating the European car-sharing market, specifically Germany and Switzerland, and seizing market leadership in the long run. Our group proposes the use of creative collaboration strategies as a workaround to Zipcar’s lack of first-mover’s advantage when entering the aforementioned markets. These strategies will be further elaborated upon in Component #2. Our recommendation of seizing market leadership in Switzerland and Germany is based on the following reasons. Firstly, Zipcar’s acquisition of UK car-sharing market leader (Streetcar) in addition to its minority stake in a Spanish car-sharing start-up (Avancar) provides a solid geographical platform for expansion across Europe. By tapping on the knowledge base regarding the European car-sharing scene Streetcar and Avancar built up over the years, Zipcar could better understand the differences in consumer preferences between European car-sharing customers and their US counterparts without any incurring any market research expenses. Zipcar could then tweak their car-sharing offering and achieve higher levels of market-fit. Secondly, Germany and Switzerland make up 35% and 19% of the European car-sharing market respectivelyv. Apart from the UK, which Zipcar is a market leader in due to its recent acquisition of Streetcar, the remaining European nations only make up single-digit market shares amongst the European car-sharing market. Since Germany and Switzerland make up almost half of the European car-sharing market, entering these two markets instead of other geographic markets should give them the greatest Return on Investment (ROI). Thirdly, by targeting high-growth car-sharing markets like that of Switzerland and Germany, Zipcar can reap substantial economies of scale and scope, which will lead to a lower cost structure, as it increases the size of its car fleet to meet the increasing demand for car-sharing in these nations. For example, Zipcar could negotiate bulk insurance deals at cheaper rates with insurance companies. Seeing as how Zipcar’s recent profit margins have been eroded by increasing operating costs like soaring prices of petrol, it is important that Zipcar explore cost savings through economies of scale and scope to ensure long-term sustainability of profits. Competitive Advantages that Helps Zipcar Fulfill Long Term Goal Firstly, as a car-sharing firm that owns the largest car fleet in the world, Zipcar has developed numerous patented technologies and invests heavily in research and development to uncover new innovations that might strengthen its technological leadership. For instance, its patented â€Å"Z3D Knowledge Center† technology is capable of synchronizing and displaying real-time information like reservation cost, vehicle location maps on various consumer touch-points like the online website, Zipcar mobile application and telephone reservation system. Looking forward, Zipcar is planning to use its proprietary wireless data network to be the first car-sharing provider to implement in-car Bluetooth and even Internet Wi-Fi services. Secondly, over the years, Zipcar has been building a significant amount of brand equity. Today, Zipcar is a brand that is synonymous with car sharing and environmental conservation. Its powerful brand and trustworthy brand name is underscored by the numerous awards it has won over the years. For example, Advertising Age Magazine named Zipcar in its 2009 list of â€Å"Top 30 World’s Hottest Brands†. Given its powerful brand, Zipcar will find it easier to gain the trust of potential collaborative partners. However, transferability of these competitive advantages across geographical boundaries might be held back by differences in consumer behaviours and competitive landscape. For instance, Europe and the US have radically different GPS networks and Zipcar might encounter challenges in implementing its patented GPS-reliant â€Å"Z3D Knowledge Center† technology in Europe. The extent to which Zipcar could leverage on its competitive advantages will ultimately depend on the effectiveness of its deployment strategies. Potential Pitfalls that Zipcar Should Look Out for When Pursuing its Goals While penetrating the European market, Zipcar should be wary of the threat it might face in the US market from an emerging form of car-sharing where online communities like Zimride allow individuals to form car pools with others who reside near them. It is important that Zipcar hedge against this increasingly popular form of car-sharing by not overcommitting its financial capital to the European market, and allocating a fixed portion of its annual marketing budget to the US market, in order to differentiate itself from Zimride as the superior car-sharing offering through the use of creative marketing initiatives and even sales promotions.. Challenges Faced as a Second-Mover into the Germany and Switzerland Market We established in Component 1 that Zipcar’s next logical course of action will be to compete for market leadership in Switzerland and Germany. However, this will be an uphill task, as Car2Go and Mobility, the respective market leaders in Germany and Switzerland, have leveraged on their first movers advantage to erect significant barriers to entry. Firstly, as first movers, Car2Go and Mobility have established themselves as technological leaders and have shaped customer expectations regarding car-sharing technological features. For instance, Car2Go has installed patent-pending electronic dashboards in their cars, which allows users to get directional help via GPS technology, as well as keep track of distance travelled and its resultant costs. Zipcar on the other hand, is in the midst of implementing such technologies and might come across as an inferior choice to certain group of customers. Secondly, Car2Go and Mobility have pre-emptively secured scarce assets vital for success of a car-sharing business. Being first on the scene, they have secured strategic and limited parking lots around the cities as their designated car-sharing parking lots. Facing the above second mover’s disadvantages, it will be challenge for Zipcar to enter the new markets in the conventional manner. As such, our team recommends using creative collaborations strategies, tailored specifically for Germany and Switzerland separately. Entry into Germany as a Second-Mover via Collaboration with a Railway Operator * Reasons Why Zipcar Should Collaborate with Deutsche Bahn AG By collaborating with Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG), the government-owned railway operator, Zipcar will gain swift access to scarce resources in form of car-sharing parking lots. In the urban areas, most of the limited viable parking lots have already been converted into Car2Go’s designated lot due to their first mover’s position, leaving close to none for new entrants. Being a state-owned public transport operator, DBAG holds strategic state-owned land areas in urban districts, which could be converted into designated Zipcar parking lots. This is made possible by a German legislation allowing government authorities to authorize the conversion of state-owned land into car-sharing stations and lots. As such, Zipcar avoids the lengthy process of acquiring parking lots on their own prior to beginning operations, during which Car2Go would have continued to strengthen its market leadership in the absence of Zipcar. * Reasons Why Deutsche Bahn AG Would Want to Collaborate with Zipcar The DB brand is synonymous with being the â€Å"frontrunner on climate protection†. By collaborating with Zipcar, which â€Å"takes 100,000 cars off the road and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 150 million pounds annually†, DB could tap on Zipcar’s credibility and proven track record of being environmentally friendly to enhance its brand equity as consumers start to closely associate the two brands over time. Besides, prior in-depth studies in European nations have shown that collaboration between car-sharing and public transport firms have resulted in higher profit margins for both party. * Executing the Collaboration and Achieving Long Term Market Leadership This collaboration will seek to integrate different transport options, giving citizens in Germany the option of catching a train for the main part of a trip, before picking up a Zipcar at a specific station and drive for the last part of the journey. The customers of DBAG are an ideal target segment for Zipcar to extend its service offering to, as these frequent railway commuters are unlikely to own a car. Hence, Zipcar should launch initiatives that convert railway commuters into Zipcar members. For instance, Zipcar could execute joint marketing campaigns with DBAG promoting joint-package pricing programs where consumers enjoy discounted rates for railway train rides and Zipcar’s car sharing services. Zipcar can also leverage on the unique marketing channels DBAG offers by posting marketing collaterals in railway stations and within trains themselves to educate commuters about its car-sharing offer. Given that countless Germans take the railway every day, this serves an effective platform for Zipcar to reach out to an enormous target group. These marketing collaterals should also make the partnership between DBAG and Zipcar obvious, through slogans like â€Å"Zipcar – the public car from DBAG†. Knowing that the service is jointly-offered by their established and trusted public operator, consumers will be more receptive to Zipcar’s offer. In the interest of user convenience and expediting the adoption rate, Zipcar should clearly indicate on the DB railway transport route map which stations offer car-sharing services. Zipcar should also station staff at railway stations providing reliable information regarding car-sharing. Entry into Switzerland as a Second-Mover via Collaboration with Universities Mobility, the Switzerland car-sharing market leader, is involved in a collaboration with the Swiss Federal Railways. Hence, Zipcar cannot use the same collaboration strategy as what we proposed for Germany and we suggest Zipcar collaborate with local universities instead. * Reasons Why Zipcar Should Collaborate with Switzerland Universities Zipcar lacks a knowledge-base about the Switzerland car-sharing market, particularly consumer preferences and strategic locations where car-sharing is in high demand. By collaborating with local universities that serve an importance source of learning, Zipcar could rapidly build up its knowledge-base through interactions with tertiary students, as compared to venturing into the market alone without any form of market intelligence or research. Universities are also ideal collaboration partners as college students are generally open-minded youths who form the majority of the â€Å"early adopters† who are eager to try new innovative ideas like car-sharing. * Reasons Why the Switzerland Universities Would Want to Collaborate with Zipcar The collaboration with Zipcar achieves a strategic fit – reduction of carbon footprint. Switzerland is one of the leading environmentally friendly countries due to continuous governmental efforts to promote a green lifestyle. Zipcar’s mission statement of reducing global carbon footprint will resonate well with these government-linked universities. In addition, most Switzerland universities, especially those located in the city, face parking management issues due to the lack of land and face an institutional need to reduce cars parked on campus. Collaboration with Zipcar provides a cost-effective manner of solving the above issues, given Zipcar eight-years’ worth of partnership experience with US colleges, during which they achieved a proven track record of cutting down the number of cars and traffic congestions in various campuses. * Executing the Collaboration and Achieving Long Term Market Leadership Initially, Zipcar should focus on promoting mass adoption among university students. As it is a rite of passage for most European graduates to purchase a car when they leave school, it is crucial for Zipcar to get students to experience the benefits of car-sharing first-hand and warm them up to the idea of a car-free lifestyle post college years. Since most university students have limited spending power, Zipcar should tailor its marketing initiatives to convey the cost savings students will enjoy as a Zipcar member, due to their lack of a need to pay for car insurance, parking and rising fuel prices. Zipcar might also want to emphasize a story of convenience, where students’ matriculation cards could double as Zipcards that unlock Zipcars. Taking into consideration that university students are mostly Millennial (adults belonging to Generation Y), who are progressively getting more environmentally conscious, Zipcar could also highlight the fact it offers a selection of hybrid cars, like the Totyota Prius and Citroà «n C1. Upon achieving mass adoption status, Zipcar should convert graduating college students into life-long Zipcar members, by offering incentives of lower annual membership fees and loyalty points. By targeting a specific target segment (i.e. college students) instead of competing head-on with Mobility for the same group of customers, Zipcar can steadily grow its market share and eventually emerge in a good position to challenge for market leadership. Bibliography i Baan, J., Mack, D., Murphy, T., Sharma, S., & Watson, L. (2011, 08 22). Zipcar to set the Pace in Race for â€Å"Young Urbanite† Market. Glendale, Arizona, USA. ii Edgar Online. (2011, 04 14). Edgar Online – ZIPCAR INC. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Edgar Online: http://www.edgar-online.com iii Garthwaite, J. (2011, 4 14). Car Sharing Startups Bask in Zipcar’s I.P.O Glow. New York, USA: New York Times. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from NY Times.com: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/car-sharing-start-ups-bask-in-zipcars-i-p-o-glow/ iv Zipcar Inc. (2011, 01 01). How It Works. 4 simple steps to freedom from car rental and ownership – Zipcar. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Zipcar: http://www.zipcar.com/how/ v Zipcar Inc. (2011, 01 01). Rate & Plans, car sharing instead of car rental and owning a car – Zipcar. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Zipcar Inc: http://www.zipcar.com/dc/check-rates

The education in Britain and China

The Education in Britain and China Abstract: Education plays an important role all over the world. A highly developed nation depends on educated professionals and a skilled workforce. Education is an absolute necessity for economic and social development. UK and China, sharing different culture, have two typically different education systems. This essay pays more attention to the diversity of two education systems. Some similarities and differences can be found, which can be classified as the comparison in eastern and western education. Key Words: Education; Britain; China;Introduction: The education system of the I-JK is quite special and has an old history of evolution. It differs from that of China, but there are also some connections and differences between two countries. As for which one is better, it depends. Just as a coin has two sides, both are better than each other in some areas. Body: 1 . Education System Education is a vital concern throughout Britain. The Britain educat ion system is divided into early years, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. While in China the public education is run by the Ministry of Education.All citizens must attend school for at least nine years. The government provides free primary education and secondary education for the teenagers. And there is also pre- school education, higher education and other educations. 1 Pre- school Education Up to age 5, children in Britain may have some pre-schooling in nursery schools, day care or play groups. The government has no obligation to provide such facilities, so many schools are private enterprise arrangement. The condition is similar in China. While the government also provides some financial support for parents in Britain, hat we don't have in China. Primary School In Britain, primary education is given for the students aging from 5 to 11. In this period, students learn to read and write. It is similar to the educational system in China. 3 Secondary Educ ation In Britain, students from 11 to 16 years old receive secondary education. They follow a general syllabus which leads to the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). After passing this exam, there is a selection of subjects. Lessons are given together with assignments which need to be completed in order to pass this level. While in China, the aim of three-year middle education is to enter into a better high school.High school is essential for Chinese students to get into a better university. So it is necessary for Chinese students to study hard. 4 Higher Education After further studies in the I-JK, students can accept higher studies. There are about 90 universities, including the Open University, Oxford, and Cambridge, that were established in the 13th Century. Universities are funded indirectly by central government grants. They enjoy complete academic freedom, appoint their own staff, ecide what kind of students to admit, provide their own courses and award their ow n degrees.Admission is by selection, which is on the basis of A- level results, school reterences and an interview. Older students may quality tor admission through different examinations provided by fundamental courses of further education at colleges. Degrees are awarded after successful continuous work assessment and final examinations. The higher education in China is obviously different from I-JK. In China, it is commonly considered that public universities, especially those national universities are better than private ones, under great nfluence by the Soviet Union's higher education system.Universities in China generally select their students based on students' performances in the College Entrance Examinations; the entrance scores required by public universities are typically much higher than those of private ones. 2. Teaching Mode On the whole, we may use â€Å"flexibility' to describe British mode and â€Å"formality' to outline Chinese mode. This kind of mode is typical in the universities. In British, there is no fixed text books or bibliography, your texts are in the library and in every aspects of social life related to your specialty.The professor will choose his content of teaching in accordance with the latest trends and requirements of society. Apart from traditional classes and lectures, informal group work, presentation and manual practices also abound, which improve students' ability to pose new points as well as to analysis and solve practical problems. All of these make them more competitive in the Job market. In contrast, Chinese pattern of teaching is more systematic and rigorous, inheriting the legacy of feudal times. The majesty of teacher prevailing, few disciples dare to defer the supreme authority of their hierophant.This sort of manner ensures the accurate and effective inform of knowledge, while hampers the spirit of innovation. Despite new systems of appraisal of pupils imported from the west, exams still retains its dominant place in evaluating how a student is getting on. That is probably why Chinese â€Å"geniuses† sweep almost all the gold medals of ‘MO, but none manage to get a Nobel Prize in science technology. 3. Conclusion The British school children are not designed for the future to impart certain specialized knowledge, but the key to expand children's horizons, to develop good abits, for future acceptance of high level education.Children in the classroom learn what they want and how to learn. The class atmosphere is free with no unified regulations or formal syllabus, but with children's love to move, easy to transfer the characteristics of interest, whenever and wherever possible to replace the teaching content. In addition to simple reading, writing, calculating, music, dancing, painting, and handmade, they also carry out various activities whatever children like. â€Å"Open education† is the biggest characteristic of British school children. This kind of eaching method i s used in both group activities and individual activities.A flexible schedule and many self-education materials are used to cultivate children's independence and creativity. The Chinese education is a little bit different from Britain's. Children in China are a little more stressed than those in Britain. China's exam-oriented education is a huge burden for today's children. Designed to give the students hardly any time to breath, the Chinese education system is adept in teaching the children â€Å"summaries†, also teaching that it's perfectly acceptable not to uestion the status quo. (A Chinese Teacher's Perspective: China and the U.S. Education Systems Compared) In conclusion, the differences between Britain and China result from the culture differences. The western education puts emphasis on diversi ty, tree learning atmosphere and the lite principle ot playing, learning and growing. It is something that we lack and need to modestly study. While there is no strict core syst em in the content of the curriculum, happy growth reduces to follow one's own inclination. Each has its own merits. All we need to do is that†learn from ach other, take the essence and discard the dregs, and grow together.

My Number Essay Example

My Number Essay Example My Number Essay My Number Essay Interpretation of â€Å"My Number† by Billy Collins Billy Collins’ poem, â€Å"My Number† combines the use of personification and imagery to illustrate the uneasy feeling of uncertainty in regard to Death and its imminence. The persona is waiting in constant fear for Death’s arrival, as he is clearly not ready for Death to find him. Collins uses personification in the first stanza when he writes the following: Is Death†¦ reaching for a widow in Cincinnati or breathing down the neck of a lost hiker in British Columbia? (1-4) Death is able to move about from place to place, and the persona wonders how far Death is from his own house. Death is given the ability to â€Å"reach† (2) and â€Å"breathe† (3), which are human actions. This gives the first allusion to the Grim Reaper, as that is the best known image of Death, personified. The second stanza also personifies Death as he â€Å"tampers† (6), â€Å"scatters† (7), and â€Å"loosens† (8). Death is wreaking havoc wherever he goes. He messes with brakes, gives people cancer, and terrorizes roller coasters (5-8). The persona ponders the ways Death could use to do his dirty work. The third stanza is where one senses the true fear of the persona. His main concern is if Death is â€Å"too busy.. to bother with [his] hidden cottage/ that visitors find so hard to find. † (5, 9-10) He is hoping Death has too much to do to bother with searching for this well-hidden house in the middle of nowhere. In the fourth stanza, the poem takes a turn when the poet combines the personification of Death with the imagery of Death. The persona imagines Death at the end of his driveway, stepping out of a hearse with his black cloak on, hood up, and scythe in hand (11-15). This is a second, more obvious allusion to the Grim Reaper; however, this time Death is at his own door. The final stanza begins with a question of uncomfortable humor that the persona would regularly need to ask his visitors, since his house is so hard to find. Collins writes, â€Å"Did you have any trouble with the directions? /I will ask, as I start talking my way out of this. † (16-17) The persona is trying to lighten the mood of the situation, so he can find a way to escape Death. As the persona dwells on Death, it becomes closer and more real to him. He is wasting time worrying about something unavoidable. As he ponders Death, it ultimately finds him unprepared and more terrified than ever to die.