Recent new york history with short essay format questions Assignment

Recent new york history with short essay format questions - Assignment Example the inefficiencies within the governments, as well as introduced reform coalitions and invented â€Å"methods of mobilizing public opinion† through â€Å"muck racking, celebrity picket line, forcing of an official witness-calling investigation, launching of a referendum campaign,† and poring over the city planner or commission government’s outputs (Rodgers, â€Å"Atlantic Crossings† 52; Thelen 1885 qtd. in Rodgers, â€Å"In Search of Progressivism† 117). Progressivism caused a lot of civil-focused reforms via the amendment of the Constitution; these reforms covered or created the personal income tax, Federal Reserve, antitrust laws, immigration-restrictions and food regulation (Leonard 207). A significant highlight of progressivism in New York City is its participation in the reformation of prostitution in the Tammany Hall. A published report, which linked â€Å"Tammany Hall with police-protected brothels,† paved the way to â€Å"redefine† policies that caused the proliferation of prostitution (Engs 76). In an incumbent party’s view, the Progressives took its opportunity to strike whenever government inefficiencies are spotted. Exploiting government flaws through reform proposals is a foolproof idea to firmly root the Progressive Party in New York. The only drawback of this movement is the simultaneous reforms’ sustainable capacity; with all the reformation occurring, there may be not enough people to watch its effectivity. Consequently, feedback is not captured to be incorporated to reform-improvements. The fiscal crisis in New York consisted of the primary and secondary cause. While the primary cause is considered the root cause, the secondary causes were government responses to the primary cause. The primary cause was the â€Å"city’s exaggerated forecast of real estate revenue collections† (Fuchs 56). This forecast left the city with significant deficits. However, instead of cutting spending, the government resorted to short-term borrowing (Fuchs 56).

Entrepenurship-6.What factors affect the development and Essay

Entrepenurship-6.What factors affect the development and implementation of effective strategies in small businesses(SME) - Essay Example The survival of SMEs within the modern market is a challenging task: the increase of competition globally has led SMEs to change their strategies in order to meet the demands of the market. Despite the fact that SMEs operate locally (i.e. only within a specific country, with exception in case of online activity) they should continuously review their strategic choices in order to ensure the effectiveness of their plans in terms of the market’s demands and the customer preferences. Current paper refers to the factors that can affect the development and the implementation of effective strategies in SMEs. There is no reference to specific country; rather a series of data and findings related with SMEs that operate around the world will be employed in this study. Potential suggestions will be also made under the terms that the strategic restructuring of a small firm is feasible under the conditions of its market and its financial strength to respond to the demands of the relevant e ffort. As already noticed above small businesses have a limited number of employees – that could be depended on the relevant governmental regulations (in the example mentioned above, the New Zealand, the number of employees of SMEs cannot be higher than 5). In this context, entrepreneurship in SMEs has to be appropriately customized in order to meet the demands of the market but also to respond to the needs of the firm. In SMEs their owner is usually actively involved in all operational activities; he’s not just a supervisor of the employees (although this option would be also available). In accordance with the above, entrepreneurship in SMEs should focus on the design and the development of the appropriate strategies that would support the increase of the firm’s productivity towards the stabilization of the firm’s position in the market. If the above target is achieved, the

Market Analysis of Coca Cola

Market Analysis of Coca Cola Jump to: PEST Analysis | SWOT Analysis Coca-Cola, corporation nourishing the global community with worlds largest selling soft drink since 1886. Its nations top soft drink brand, with the best bottling network. It is the largest marketer of non-alcoholic beverages in the world. In India, Coca Cola was the leading soft drink till 1977 when govt. policies necessitated its departure. It returned to India in 1993 after a 16 year hiatus and made significant investments to ensure that the beverage is available to more and more people, even in the remote and inaccessible parts of the nation. In the minds of worlds consumers the brand has assumed an iconic status. Coca Cola was initially advertised as a remedy for headache and exhaustion. It has been advertising on television for 50 years. COCA COLA INDIA (CCI) Leading player in the Indian beverage market A fortune 500 company in India (73rd position) Coca Cola India with PepsiCo forms Duopoly Includes 24 company-owned bottling operations Came back in 1993 and acquired local brands (Ibef, 2010) (Coca Cola India, 2010) 2. COMPANY BACKGROUND Marketing Coca Cola in India-The post-liberalization period in India saw the comeback of Coca Cola but Pepsi had already beaten Coca-Cola to the punch, by creatively entering the market in the 1980s period by way of a joint venture. In a way Pepsi benefited the Coca Cola by developing the Indian soft drink market in the early years of liberalization .The only disadvantage was that CCI in 1993 applied the American way of life approach in selling its product on the contrary, Pepsi targeted the youth. (Coca Cola India, 2010) 3. The Marketing tools: The Marketing Environment 3.1-The Macro Environment- PEST Analysis of Coca Cola (P)OLITICAL ANALYSIS- Political variables have very little effect on the CCIs selling and production behavior. There are few exceptional things like the environmental protection laws they somewhat effect the industry of coca cola. The state government of Kerala released a report on March 22, 2010 holding Coca Cola responsible for causing pollution and water depletion in a state of Kerala and made it liable for Indian rupees 216 corer for damaged caused as a result of the companys bottling operations. To deal with this problem the company has made proper adjustments in plant and applied the proper way of wastage management. The companys production also gets effected by the elections and military take over because in the day of election any countries production in any field is declined. (E)CONOMICAL ANALYSIS- Inflation in any country is not good from its production point of view. So, coca cola is no exception. Its impact on coca cola is highly negative. In a country like India where there is a high rate of unemployment, CCI directly employs approximately 6,000 people and indirectly creates employment for more than 1,25,000 people in related industries. Its among the countries top investors having invested more than US$ 1 billion in India in the first decade and further pledged another US$ 100 million in 2003 for its operations. (S)OCIAL ANALYSIS- CCI in partnership with the NGO, Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency (BISWA) has launched a program to build awareness on micro-nutrient malnutrition (or Hidden Hunger) in the bottom of the socio economic pyramid population in India. They are constantly working to keep their product environmentally and socially beneficial to the communities they serve. Their community water programs are designed to support healthy watersheds and sustainable programs to balance the water used throughout their production process. CCI has been awarded the Social and Corporate Governance Award for Best Practices in Corporate Social Responsibility in 2009. All India Division COBOs are now ISO 14001 certified. (T)ECHNICAL ANALYSIS- The CCI uses the more advanced technology in its production process. Computers have become the basic needs these days and it is giving the way of other industries to come to new technologies and into a new world of business. Computers can increase the efficiency of its business and the latest coke vending machine will now employ the use of (user friendly) touch screen technology. SWOT ANALYSIS OF COCA COLA (S)TRENGTHS Brand Ambassadors-focused target marketing by launching appropriate brand ambassador for the target market. Diverse Product Portfolio. Extremely Recognizable Brand. Improved Quality Control. Heavy Investment. Bottling System. (W)EAKNESSESS Reduced Consumer Purchasing Power. Issues for Health Care. Environmental Destruction. (O)PPORTUNITIES To serve a large geographic diverse area Brand recognition Sponsorships (T)HREATS Substitutes Heath Consciousness Consumer preferences Stiff Competition 3.2-The Micro Environment The micro environment represents those elements over which the marketing firm has full control in order to reach its target market i.e. the 4 Ps, which it can use in order to gain information that will better help it in its marketing operation. MAJOR COMPETITORS Coca cola major competitors is Pepsi as its portfolio includes- PEPSI 7UP NIMBOOZ MIRINDA SLICE MOUNTAIN DEW After CCI it covers the 2nd largest market share % of the soft drink industry in India (Pepsi Co India, 2010) Consumer Behavior- The two factors that dictate the Consumers decision-making process are involvement and perceived risk. The consumer will follow the habitual decision making steps while purchasing coca cola. Habitual Decision Making Product Coca Cola Level of Involvement Low ( unimportant decision ) Perceived Risk Low ( simple , low-cost product ) Information Processing Respond to environmental cues ( shop signage or displays ) Learning Model Behavioral learning ( ad shows product in beautiful setting , creating positive attitude ) Needed Marketing Action Provide environmental cues at point of purchase , such as product display Fig 4.2 extended problem solving versus habitual decision making (Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes and Mitchell, 2009, Pg151) In India the perception of the people regarding coca cola is that, they consider it as a drink which can quench their thirst as well as creates a sense of belongingness. Indias physical environment is suitable for the sale of soft drinks moreover during festive time sales are doubled. Thus the need of buying a soft drink falls in the first and third level of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs (Exhibit 1.) Situational Influences Physical environment Time Internal Influences Perception Motivation Learning Attitudes Personality Age groups Decision ProcessLifestyle PURCHASE Social Influences Culture Subculture Social class Group memberships Fig 4.4 Influences on Consumer Decision Making (Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes and Mitchell, 2009, Pg151) SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS- Different aspects of social media, which CCI uses in order to communicate with its consumers. This in turn will increase Brand awareness Positive image for the brand 4 THE ORGANISATION MARKETING MIX- 4.1-PRODUCT- http://www.coca-colaindia.com/media/images/brand_logos_all.gif Major Brands of Coca Cola- Coca Cola Diet coke Thumbs Up Sprite Fanta Limca Minute Maid Pulpi Orange Maaza Kinley Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh Georgia Burn http://cdn.i.haymarket.net.au/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=http%3A%2F%2Fi.haymarket.net.au%2FNews%2FCoca-Cola+India.jpegw=460 The product strategy includes decisions such as product design, packaging, branding, etc. Coca Cola brand consists of different packs and flavor. They promote all brands available in brand pack under their product strategy. 4.1.1-Packing Strategy Coca Cola products are available in different packing, in order to capture each and every segment. GLASS PET CAN FOUNTAIN 200ml, 300ml, 500ml,1000ml 500 ml, 1.5 L, 2 L ,2.25 L, 300 ml + 100 ml 330 ml Various Sizes 4.1.2 -THE STRATEGY PLANNING PRODUCT EMPHASIS EXISTING PRODUCTS NEW PRODUCT Existing MarketMarket penetration strategy (Coca Cola) Market EmphasisSeek to increase sales of existing products to existing markets Product development strategy (New Launches e.g. Burn) Create growth by selling new products in existing markets NEW MARKETS Market development strategy Introduce existing products to new markets Diversification strategy Emphasize both new products and new markets to achieve growth Fig 2.4The Growth Strategies (Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes and Mitchell, 2009, Pg 70) New Launch- CCI launches Burn, Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh and Maaza Milky Delite http://popsop.com/wp-content/uploads/maaza_milky_delite_01.jpg https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXvwHTRTbCglWgZNTUq3sza4VG4eXwLRrZRBAOIbMCI2lmtnruKHXGeAvybzajE9WK9ecNMO5aQy22LJTfgP6x73adtR1xCmt8s21KQss-9pabrHCsmHR3pFDo9tKzfjS6lFjsYKKL0U/s1600/burn.jpg http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100409/ls15.jpg 4.2- PRICE- Firms Pricing Strategies should be based on costs, demand or the prices of competing products. CCI, some time back, had initiated the first cola price war by launching small 200ml packs priced at Rs 5. On the other hand its competitor Pepsi India also reduced its prices of 300ml pack from Rs.8 to Rs. 6. CCI was able to reduce its price from Rs 7 to Rs 5 because it acquired a big glass bottle manufacturing facility which enabled it to offer small bottles at reduced process. PRICE STRATEGY- DIFFERENT PRICE IN DIFFERENT SEASON India is a country with diverse season, summer season is supposed to be a good season for beverage industry. During winters they reduce their prices to maintain their sales and profit. They usually reduce the prices of their pet bottles or 1 litter glass bottle. Even during festivals they offer different price schemes. 4.3-PLACE- 4.3.1DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY- Events- Cricket Matches, FIFA World Cup, World Cup Hockey, Common Wealth Youth Games, Cultural Festivals, Concerts etc. Urban Distribution Network Consumer Retailer Spoke Hubs Bottling Plant Rural Distribution Network 4.3.3-CCI KEY LOCATIONS (Coca Cola India, 2010) 4.4:- PROMOTION CCI follows the Pull Promotion strategy Coca Cola is the official beverage partner of the Common Wealth Games 2010 (CWG), because of which it enjoys exclusive marketing and supply rights for the beverage across its portfolio. CCI has undertaken the largest ever free product sampling program called Delhi celebrates a cultural fiesta where 5000 artists will perform. The companies association with the commonwealth games will provide the opportunity to enhance its brand value. These games will help consumers in connecting with the brand. When product is seen more in the market, they have good sales too because according to the experts the product which is seen more in the market sell more too. Types of Media which CCI uses Print Media Posters and Stickers Material TV Commercials (TVCs) Billboards Holdings Banners Celebrities Getting shelves Sales promotion Placing the product at an eye catching position in the shops UTC scheme (Under the crown scheme) To keep the products in nice condition, company provides-Freezers, display racks, etc Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, etc- CCI have their own and separate brands account on these social networking sites, where they directly gets the opinion of todays generation about the existing and new products. http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/7lva67i2vf9rsu8/images/19-f744e60085/000.jpg (Google, 2010) 5. THE SEGMENTATION, TARGETTING AND POSITIONING STRATEGY- 5.1-SEGMENTING STRATEGY CCI focuses on Demographic segmentation 1. Generational marketing CCI targets the youth of the country. Coca Cola started using Indian themes in order to appeal the Indian customers. They wanted to communicate with the youth. Considering that the Indian youth respected traditional Indian values coca cola created advertisements showing college students valuing their culture. This connection helped coca cola in creating its own personality with which Indian youth could relate itself and it resulted in the suitable positioning of the brand. 2.Gender- CCI have different product range for different genders like for males there is Coca Cola, Thumps up, for females they have Fanta, for kids they have Maaza. 3. Rural Market- The majority of Indian population i.e. (74%) lives in numerous villages scattered throughout the country. Estimates show that rural India accounts for 58% of Indian rural disposable income and 41% of middle class. 5.2-TARGETING STRATEGY Coca Cola commercials basically target on young generations, because they want to represent Coca Cola with the youth and energy. Rural Market is also a very attractive target- In order to reach to the rural India, CCI had also launched television commercials targeting at rural population. This market covers 80% of Indias new coke drinkers. 5.3 -POSITIONING STRATEGY CCIs Initiative in Indian Market- 5.3.1- Urban India- In order to target the metropolitan areas and large town audience, CCI captured the theme of Celebration and Joy of peoples, they showcases increasing social and economic status of the people in their television commercial (TVCs). This theme they applied for positioning their brand in urban market. Life ho toh aise (life as it should be) was very popular and successful tagline. 5.3.2.-Rural India- Under it they have tapped the local entertainment like fairs and local festivals They increased their TVCs on Doordarshan (the local channel), designed to target rural customers. Its all rural marketing initiatives were well supported by TVCs. In 2002 CCI launched Chota Coke (Mini Coke) at Rs 5considering the pocket size of rural consumers. CCI communicated this price cut message with the help of TVC featuring leading Hindi movies star Amir Khan in rural settings to enable proper brand association because large number of people inspire to emulate these celebrities. It will help in creating the right identity for the brand. Its tagline gained a lot of popularity Thanda Matlab Coca Cola (Cold Means Coca Cola) (You Tube, 2010) http://www.thaindian.com/images/stories/aamircoke.jpg Exhibit: Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola Advertising Campaign 6.-RECOMMENDATIONS- New Strategy- Rural market (MARKET IS CREATED AND NOT BORN) Rural consumers are inclined more towards the home made drinks like Lassi, lemonade etc. So, we need to target them when they are out of their home and will need something to quench their thirst. Rural India with the average income of Rs 100/day, consider coca cola whose average price comes around Rs 10, as a luxury product .Moreover soft drinks categories are undifferentiated in the minds of rural consumers. The good news is that the rural consumer market which grew 25% in 2008 is expected to reach US$ 425 billion in 2010-11 with 720-790 million customers. 1. As this market is not fully utilized, there lays a huge scope to reposition the brand in a more effective way to prove that CCI is the suitable brand meant for rural customers and there is a need to shift it from luxury item category to every day product category. 2. An appropriate marketing strategy is required, which is only possible by listening to consumers needs and requirements. Advertising Strategy- Looking at the tough competitors there is a need for aggressive marketing campaign. Announce a new campaign for CCI. In order to connect with the rural population, CCI should increase social welfare activities. Prior creating the ad ,following points should be kept in mind- Selecting an appropriate brand ambassador with which the rural population could relate itself with. Brand promotion by targeting folk and traditional culture. To think local we have to act local. Distribution Strategy- There is a need to extend CCIs distribution channel especially in rural sector. Creating an Extended Distribution channel available all over India, it will provide support to TV commercials. Branding Strategy- There is a need to restructure the communication channel, which will bring open and honest views of the people (public, media, employees, suppliers, state and national government, channels). It is the only solution to resolve the issues in a way that it benefits the Indian consumers as well as CCI.

Government Spending, Deficits, and Keynesian Economics Essay -- Econom

A growing government is opposite to America’s economic interests because the various methods of financing a government - taxes, borrowing, and printing money have harmful effects upon the economy. There are many reasons why there is a high deficit in the United States such as extensive spending. This is true because government spending is often economically destructive, regardless of how it is financed. There are many causes of the steady growth in U.S. trade deficits. There are many people are against the high deficits especially economists. â€Å"Economists define government intervention in the foreign exchange market as the buying or selling of foreign exchange for the purpose of manipulating the exchange rate. â€Å"(Case, pg. 398) Economists would agree that there are situations which lower levels of government spending would improve economic growth and other situations in which higher levels of government spending would be pleasing. Economists will generally agree that government spending becomes a burden. Economists feel as though by raising the deficit we are spending money the economy does not. If United States would raise taxes to help pay off the deficit that would not work since so many Americans are out of work. In addition, they believe that raising the GDP taken by the state sector has a negative effect on the growth of the private sector of the economy. Even though the economy could benefit from the budget deficit such as economic growth, the economists do not want to take a chance on that. Also, s ome economists are also concerned that higher borrowing by the government may also openly result in reduced utilization spending. They argue households recognize that higher current government borrowing results in highe... ...ful spending because it is taking a toll on our future, our children’s future, and our children’s children future. Works Cited 1. Case. Principles of Macroeconomics, 9th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions 2. United States Economy - Monetary and Fiscal Policy." Country Studies. U.S. Department of State. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. . 3. Mitchell, Dr. Daniel. "The Impact of Government Spending on Economic Growth." Conservative Policy Research and Analysis. 15 Mar. 2005. Web. 16 Aug. 2011. . 4. Pettinger, Tejvan. "Monetary Policy vs Fiscal Policy | Economics Blog." Economics Help - Helping to Simplify Economics. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. .

5 Year High School

Daniel Kim 12-5-11 Honors English, period 5 High school essay Educators have been recently debating whether or not to extend the four years of high school to five years. They have argued that students need the extra year to have more time to achieve all that is expected of them. Yet, others have argued that the percentage of high school dropouts would increase, because the students would lose interest in their education, and will eventually drop out of high school. Considering all the pros and cons, such as economics, student voice, and curricular plan, sustaining the school year duration of four years would be the most sufficient choice. High schools do have a limited amount of money that is accessible to them. Most schools already struggle to keep the required four years of education in their system. Adding another year would devastate many schools in the United States of America. High schools would have to make major decisions to cut funds in categories such as sports, materials, and hours in a school day. Not to mention that having another whole class of roughly 300 students would require more staff, consequently costing the district more money. Students should have a part in making the decision to either keep the current four-year curriculum, or to extend it to five years. If school boards do decide to extend the duration of high schools without the opinions of high school students themselves, students surely would not just sit quietly about the decision. Four years is plenty of time to achieve what students need to learn in high school. Instead of looking at the decision to increase the duration of high school, educators should be looking at how to increase the efficiency of education throughout the four years of high school. Although adding a whole year of high school would allow teachers more room to teach what they are required to teach, it can also disrupt the smooth flow of education that is being handed to us already. Students who already entered college would be behind a year of education. Educators argued that colleges would like to see high school students develop more in a longer period of time, but having five years of high school would shorten the numbers of students in each class, and when it comes to their senior year, the population would be extremely low. Reviewing the cons of adding another school year to high school, it is clear that educators should not intervene with the current four-year duration of high school. Educators must look at this decision in different perspectives, such as the views of students, because this decision could result in one of the biggest mistakes in education.

Business Gone Green Ethical Reasoning Assignment Essay

AB0603 Business Gone Green Ethical Reasoning Assignment Summary Page| Your name: Chia Xinying| Your Instructor: Dr. Josephine Lang| Seminar Group: 01 Word Count: 1095| Briefly lay out, in bulleted-form in the space provided within this page (i.e., do not elaborate), the content of your write-up in addressing the various criteria in the ethical reasoning rubric.| Criteria| Your points| 1. Specify the ethical issue identified| * Edited women from their Saudi Arabia’s catalogue * Goes against Ikea Group and Sweden’s values * Reflects the pervasive ethical business challenge faced * Further ethical implications such as cultural imperialism| 2. Issue construction: Theoretical perspectives used to elaborate on the issue| * Consequentialism – Ethical Egoism: Self interest to garner business support justified * Consequentialism – Utilitarianism: Went against view of majority; unjustified * Deontology –Kantianism: In accordance to moral rules of Saudi Arabia, against principle moral of rights * The Conventional Approach: Follows conventional Saudi Arabia’s advertising; justified| 3. Issue construction: Uncertainties inherent in the issue| * Business ethics and corporate social responsibility- search for universal values for international commercial behaviour * Cultural Imperialism – Infringement of Islam values- Westerners criticize what they do not understand, it might not be right to criticize Ikea’s behaviour * Intent of altering Saudi’s Catalogue – intent remains unknown| 4. Explanation & justification: Effects on key stakeholders| * Ikea as a corporation & its employees- negative repercussions on its reputation and credibility thus imperative for the company to adopt an international guideline * Ikea’s local and global customers- many Swedes were offended by Ikea’s decision * Swedish government – have portrayed Sweden as being gender unequal| 5. Conclusion: Values, synthesis, and trade offs| * Important that Ikea stands by its values in all circumstances * In order to send the correct message to its consum ers target * Corporate  red light to Ikea to take cultural marketing issues more seriously * Act in the interest of its stakeholders as it serves an indirect representation. * How to reconcile localization with a universal ethics code, however, will remain a challenge for Ikea as well as other corporations.| Checklist | 1. Summary page ____ 2. 900 to 1100 Words Essay ___ 3. List of References ____ | 4. Signed Declaration of Academic Integrity _____ 5. Self-assessed Ethical Reasoning Rubric ______| NANYANG BUSINESS SCHOOL AB0603 – Business Gone Green Ethical Reasoning Assignment 1095 words (excluding headers, sub-headers and citations) Name: Chia Xinying Student Matriculation No.: U1110173A Instructor: Dr Josephine Lang Definition of the Ethical issue Ikea, the international furniture company, edited women from their Saudi Arabia’s catalogue. This action is deemed ethically inappropriate, as it seems to support gender inequality, which goes against Ikea Group and Sweden’s values. (Quinn, 2012) Some may argue that Ikea was submitting to pressure from the conservative Islamic state while others say that Ikea was just respecting and being understanding towards Saudi Arabia’s cultural standards. This media coverage aptly reflects the pervasive ethical business challenge faced by globalized companies, where it is difficult to find a balance between international commercial behaviour and localization of marketing communications. Moreover, this issue could lead to further ethical implications such as cultural imperialism, which will be discussed further. Theoretical Perspectives to Elaborate on the Issue 1) Principles approach (a) Consequentialism – Ethical Egoism Under the egoism approach, Ikea’s decision is justifiable as the move to satisfy Saudi monarchy’s gender segregation rules (Kayyem, 2012) could be seen as an act of self-interest to garner business support in a male-dominated society. On the other hand, Ikea may have also thought that it is an ethical action to be sensitive to women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and conform to them. (b) Consequentialism – Utilitarianism On the basis that following the view of the majority will produce the best consequence, Ikea’s action is unjustifiable as its action is against the values of Ikea, Sweden and even United Nations (United Nations Millennium Goals). Ikea’s act has thus garnered many bad press and negative reaction from the general public. It has also worsened its own brand image and reputation in the globalized economy. (c) Deontology -Kantianism Ikea’s actions are in accordance to moral rules dictated by the Sharia council as women’s rights in Saudi Arabia is largely influenced and defined by Islam and tribal customs. However, this conflicts with the moral principle of rights stating that, â€Å" All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.† (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) 2) The Conventional Approach In this final approach, the justification of an act depends on the prevailing norms of the society. In Saudi’s advertisements, women only appear infrequently. (Quinn, 2012) It is not unusual to see censors blacking out many parts of a women’s body in imported magazines. Thus Ikea’s actions will be deemed acceptable to the conventional approach of advertisements in Saudi Arabia. From the different theoretical perspectives above, it clear that the moral rules and principles that Saudi Arabia follows is different from the rest of the world. Thus it really boils down to which values do Ikea chooses to uphold. Uncertainties Inherent in the Issue (a) Business ethics and corporate social responsibility  Being a globalized business, Ikea will be constantly dealing with business ethics issue such as the search for universal values for international commercial behaviour. For example, when you adapt your business practices to the country’s customs, cultural values and legal requirements, it might be seen as unacceptable in your home markets. (Baker, 2012) Vice versa, if Ikea were to release an unaltered version of the catalogues in Saudi Arabia, would there be a backlash in the Muslim community? This business uncertainty remains a challenge to international companies. (b) Cultural Imperialism – Infringement of Islam values Furthermore, there are many misconceptions in the West about women’s life in Saudi Arabia (NAFJAN, 2012). Western critics towards women rights in Saudi has â€Å"failed to understand the uniqueness of Saudi Society†(Zoepf, 2010) and thus should not inflict western values or lifestyles on the Saudi Arabians said journalist Maha Akeei, a frequent critic of Saudi’s patriarchal customs. (Hiel, 2007) Since Westerners criticize what they do not understand, it might not be right to criticize Ikea’s behaviour when Ikea is being sensitive to their culture. (c) Intent of altering Saudi’s Catalogue While the reason why Ikea decided to steer away from their progressive Swedish values at home is unclear, it is difficult to ascertain whether the issue was ethical as mentioned earlier. Effects on key stakeholders (a) Ikea as a corporation & its employees Ikea has always been a brand conscious company who has an image  that cares about sustainability and its moral values. The company is named one of the ‘World’s Most Ethical Companies’ for the fourth consecutive year in 2010. (PRNewswire, 2010) However, the fact that the company could betray the company’s values at the drop of a hat, have disappointed many of its customers. Even though Ikea was quick to apologise, its actions already has negative repercussions on its reputation and credibility. (Knowledge@Wharton, 2012) Therefore, it is imperative for the company to adopt an international guideline for its employees to follow to better deal with such dilemmas in the future. The company continued: â€Å"We are now reviewing our routines to safeguard a correct content presentation from a values point of view in the different versions of the IKEA Catalogue worldwide.† (Quinn, 2012) (b) Ikea’s local and global customers Moreover, many Swedes were offended by Ikea’s decision, believing that the deletion of women from the Saudi catalogue portrayed their country as being â€Å"gender unequal.†(Vasic, 2012) Global customers who are supporters of women’s rights will also think less of Ikea and be less loyal towards Ikea. (c) Swedish government Even though Ikea is a private company, it inevitably projects an image of Sweden around the world. (Swedish equality minister Nyamko Sabuni, CBC News, 2012) An article of the Swedish Institute also further substantiates that â€Å"Ikea is doing more for the image of Sweden than all governmental efforts† (Wà ¤stberg, O., 2009). As mentioned, Ikea’s decision might have portrayed Sweden as being gender unequal, thus it is important for Ikea to uphold Sweden’s image, as it is a corporate representation of the country. In all, Ikea’s reputation has taken a toll and should operate with the right values expected from its customers. Conclusion Based on the ethical theories of egoism, conventional approach and moral rules in Saudi Arabia, Ikea’s actions are deemed ethical while based on utilitarianism and principles of rights, their actions are deemed  unethical. While one can never satisfy everyone, it is important that Ikea stands by its values in all circumstances, (i.e. sent the original Swedish version of the catalogue to Saudi Arabia) especially when it involves a violation of human rights, (Knowledge@Wharton, 2012) to send the correct message to its consumers target. While there might be nuances of cultural imperialism when different stakeholders criticize Ikea’s actions, it once again boils down to understanding both cultures fully before making a stand. To recapitulate, through globalization and communications revolution, it is inevitable for companies to face ethical and cultural conflicts. Ikea reflects the realistic marketing choices confronting many globalized companies around the world, with the companies not hesitating to localize their marketing communications though it is against the company’s code of conduct. While Ikea’s motive remains unknown, it has apologised nonetheless. This lesson learnt serves as a corporate red light to Ikea to take cultural marketing issues more seriously and to act in the interest of its stakeholders as it serves an indirect representation. Also, exactly how to reconcile localization with a universal ethics code, however, will remain a challenge for Ikea as well as other corporations. References: Quinn, B. (2012). Ikea apologises over removal of women from Saudi Arabia catalogue. The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/02/ikea-apologises-removing-women-saudi-arabia-catalogue United Nation. (2010) United Nations Millennium Goals http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ United Nations (2010) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1 http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml Baker (2012) IKEA’s Saudi catalogue apology – right and wrong http://www.mallenbaker.net/csr/post.php?id=453 Zoepf, Katherine (2010). â€Å"Talk of Women’s Rights Divides Saudi Arabia†. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/world/middleeast/01iht-saudi.html?pagewanted=1&src=me&_r=0 Hiel, Betsy (2007). â€Å"Dhahran women push the veil aside†. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 19 September 2010. http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/middleeastreports/s_507462.html PRNewswire ( 2010) IKEA Named as One of the ‘World’s Most Ethical Companies’ for Fourth Consecutive Year in 2010 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ikea-named-as-one-of-the-worlds-most-ethical-companies-for-fourth-consecutive-year-in-2010-89384407.html Arabic Knowledge@Wharton. (2012, October 16). Missing the Picture: IKEA’s Women-free Catalogue in Saudi Arabia Fails to Protect Company Values and Reputation. Retrieved from Arabic Knowledge@Wharton: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/arabic/article.cfm?articleid=2880 Vasic 2012 Ikea Erases Women From Saudi Arabian Catalogue http://blogs.ubc.ca/ninavasic/2012/10/02/15/ Swedish equality minister Nyamko Sabuni, CBC News, 2012 Ikea regrets editing women out of Saudi cataloguehttp://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/10/01/ikea-saudi-catalogue-controversy.html Wà ¤stberg, O.(2009) Branding Sweden & Ikea http://www.placemarketing.nl/countrybranding/branding-sweden-ikea/ Declaration of Academic Integrity Declaration of Academic Integrity Please sign (for hard copy submissions) or put a tick in the box (for online submissions) to indicate that you have read and accepted the following statements. Your assignment will not be accepted without this declaration ————————————————- ————————————————- I confirm that: ————————————————- I have read and understood the University’s Shared Values & Honour Code, including the information on practices concerning the academic integrity (given in http://academicintegrity.ntu.edu.sg/a-guide-to-academic-integrity/) and that in the attached coursework submission I have worked within its expectations. ————————————————- I am aware that failure to act in accordance with the University’s Shared Values & Honour Code may lead to the imposition of penalties which may include the requirement to revise and resubmit an assignment, receiving a lower grade, or receiving an F grade for the assignment; suspension from the University or termination of my candidature. ————————————————- I consent to the University copying and distributing any or all of my work in any form and using third parties to verify whether my work contains plagiarised material, and for quality assurance purposes. ☑ I have read and accept the above. If you require any further guidance about academic integrity, please talk to your profess or refer to http://academicintegrity.ntu.edu.sg Course title: Business Gone Green Course Code: AB0603 Assignment: Ethical Reasoning I, Chia Xinying, declare that the work which I am submitting is original and that I have made proper referencing and citations (where appropriate and required). Chia Xinying 10th March 2013 NameDate Signature AB 0603 Business Gone Green Ethical Reasoning Rubric ISSUE DEFINITION: Describes the Issue of the Situation| Weak| Defines the issue either too narrowly or too broadly with embedded personal biases| Average| Defines the explicit issue appropriately and impartially| Professional| Defines the issue holistically and impartially with logical elaboration| | Weak Average Professional____________________________ 1 2 3| ISSUE CONSTRUCTION : Identifies Alternative Theoretical Perspectives| Weak| Identifies only one theoretical perspective with scant elaboration| Average| Identifies only two theoretical perspectives with some elaboration | Professional| Identifies numerous pertinent theoretical perspectives with good elaboration| | Weak Average Professional____________________________ 1 2 3| ISSUE CONSTRUCTION: Identifies and Elaborates on Uncertainties| Weak| Unable to identify uncertainties inherent in the ethical situation| Average| Identifies only a few uncertainties inherent in the situation with inadequate elaboration| Professional| Incorporates a comprehensive understanding of uncertainties with logical arguments| | Weak Average Professional_____________________________ 1 2 3| EXPLANATION AND JUSTIFICATION: Discusses Effects on Key Stakeholders| Weak| Does not directly describe effects of issue on key stakeholders | Average| Provides little or only superficial discussion of effects of issue on key stakeholders | Professional| Identifies the key stakeholders and addresses their interests and concerns holistically with evidentiary support| | Weak Average Professional_____________________________ 1 2 3| CONCLUSION: Clarifies Values, Synthesis and Trade-offs| Weak| Does not discuss the issue holistically and does not explain how various factors were weighed in arriving at a conclusion| Average| Discuss the issue within a narrow context and provides inadequate evaluation of alternatives and weighing of factors | Professional| Provides a holistic discussion of the issue, reconciles conflicting values/interests, and justifies trade-offs made in reaching a conclusion| | Weak Average Professional_____________________________ 1 2 3| Sources: (a) Wolcott, Susan k., (2005). Colloquium on Change in Accounting Education, October 28, 2005. (b) Sonenshein, Scott. (2007) The role of construction, intuition and justification in responding to ethical issues at work: the sensemaking-intuition model. Academy of Management Review, Vol. 32, No.4, pp. 1022-1040.