Marketing Topical Research Paper

Global Marketing Topical Research Paper Chu Nguyen Binh – DBA Hanoi NorthCentral University (NCU), USA National University of Hanoi (Vietnam) August 2009 Research title: Where would be the market for foreign banks in Vietnam after joining WTO? ABBREVIATION BTABilateral Trade Agreement CARCapital Adequacy Ratio FBBForeign Bank Branch FIBForeign Invested Bank JSCBJoint Stock Commercial Bank JVBJoint Venture Bank MOFMinistry of Finance NPLNon-Performing Loan SBVState Bank of Vietnam SOCBState Owned Commercial Bank SOEState Owned Enterprise SMESmall and Medium-sized Enterprise SSCState Securities Commission WBWorld Bank WTOWorld Trade Organization TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATION ABSTRACT 1. INTRODUCTION1 2. VIETNAM BANKING SECTOR – A SUMMARY1 3. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VIETNAMESE BANKING INDUSTRY3 3. 1. Very Low Market Penetration3 3. 2. Rate of Growth in Both Loans and Deposits Far Exceeding GDP Growth3 3. 3. A Highly Concentrated but Highly Fragmented Banking Market4 3. 4. Heavy Handed Regulation with Restrictions on Foreign Banks5 3. 5. Lack of Transparency Concerning Quality of Lending6 3. 6. Heavily Undercapitalized7 3. 7. Narrow Revenue Base and Few Product Offerings7 3. 8. Unknown Quantity of Non-performing Loans8 4. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BANKING SECTOR9 4. 1. The Government’s Strategy9 4. 2. State Bank of Vietnam – Freeing the Tiger9 4. 3. Regulatory Environment – Meeting International Standards10 4. 4. Developing the Capital Markets11 5. PROSPECTS FOR BANKING SECTOR GOING FORWARD12 5. 1. Non-Performing Loan Ratios to Rise, But Risks of Bank Failures Looms12 5. 2. Further Development Inhibited by Low Capital and Technology12 6. CONCLUSION14 REFERENCES15 ABSTRACT Vietnam’s banking system is dominated by five state-owned banks, with around 70% of system assets at end-2008. Around 38 private banks comprise roughly another 25%, with the balance substantially accounted for by a host of foreign banks. In recent years, the private banks, being more commercially oriented, have grown rapidly at the expense of the state-owned banks’ market share. The foreign banks have also grown, as opportunities improved for them after Vietnam entered a bilateral trade agreement with the US in 2001 and acceded to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2006. The Research Paper will examine the Vietnam’s banking sector as a whole, including general characteristics of the Vietnamese banking market. It then analyzes the proportion in term of loan and deposit of state-owned, joint stock, joint venture and foreign banks. In the second part, the report lists opportunities for foreign banks to penetrate the Vietnam market under new legal requirement of the Vietnamese Government. They can establish 100% foreign bank entity, purchase stake in local banks or set up joint venture with Vietnamese partners. Finally, it will examine strengths and difficulties in terms of technology, expertise and experience, service quality, risk appetite, etc. f the foreign banks when operating in Vietnam market. 1. INTRODUCTION There are a lot of banks in Vietnam. Too many in fact. Currently there are five state-run commercial banks, 38 joint stock commercial banks, four joint-venture banks, 29 foreign bank branches, 45 foreign bank representative offices, five finance companies and nine finance leasing firms operating in Vietnam. Since 1992, Vietnam has moved to a diversified sys-tem in which state-owne d, joint-stock, joint-venture and foreign banks provide services to a broader customer base. However, the four main state-owned commercial banks – the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank), the Industrial and Commercial Bank of Vietnam (Incombank) and the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (VBARD) account for around 70% of all lending activity. In a trade agreement with the United States signed five years ago, Vietnam fully committed to allow in foreign banks by 2010 at the latest, and to expose the banking sector to foreign competition. Under WTO entry rules the door may have to be opened even sooner than that. This has prompted foreign banking groups to closely scrutinize the Vietnamese banking sector as a business opportunity in itself. 2. VIETNAM BANKING SECTOR – A SUMMARY Vietnamese banking market is currently dominated by the five major State-Owned Commercial Banks (SOCBs), with 38 semi-private so-called joint stock commercial banks (JSCBs) gradually eating into their market share by better catering to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and retail clients. Years of lax monetary policy focused on supporting export-led GDP growth has flooded the banking system with money, pushing up redit growth to an annual average of 36. 4% over the past five years (2003-2007), hitting a peak of 54. 9% last year according to World Bank figures. High liquidity and a scramble for market share have resulted in a degree of aggressive lending, in particular to investments in the real estate and stock markets, which both experienced rapid downturns in 2007 and early 2008. State-Own ed Commercial Banks: The five SOCBs – Agribank, Bank for Investment and Development (BIDV), Vietcombank, Vietinbank and Vietnam Development Bank – hold roughly two thirds of banking assets according to IMF sources. The SOCBs are still encumbered by their previous role as instruments for implementing government policy. Indeed, the strong links between senior bank executives and the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam, and other state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have impeded much-needed corporate restructuring. Hence, SOEs still receive preferential treatment in loan allocation, resulting in the SOCBs running up high non-performing loan (NPL) ratios. The SOCBs are currently reporting NPL ratios of around 3%, but we are expecting this figure to rise to 5% before the end of 2008. However, we carry doubts about the reliability of official figures and suspect the real ratios could be significantly higher. Joint-Stock Commercial Banks: The 38 JSCBs presently control roughly 20-25% of banking assets in Vietnam, but are quickly eating into the market shares of the larger SOCBs by providing superior services to SMEs and retail savers. The JSCBs are generally better managed and more profitable than the SOCBs, but suffer from low capitalisation, which has made them vulnerable to Vietnam's domestic ‘credit crunch', prompted by the SBV's rapid tightening of its monetary policy. Foreign Banks: HSBC and Standard Chartered and a number of other foreign banks are already present in the Vietnamese market through joint ventures with JSCBs. HSBC increased its stake in Techcombank to 20% in August and Standard Chartered raised its stake in Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) to 15% in May 2008, but foreign banks have been prevented from increasing their stakes by restrictions on foreign ownership of domestic banks. Vietnam currently limits the shareholding a foreign bank can take in a domestic counterpart to 20%, with the total foreign ownership limited to 30%. 3. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VIETNAMESE BANKING INDUSTRY . 1. Very Low Market Penetration There are only about six million bank accounts in Vietnam, five million of them for individuals which amounts to a penetration rate of about 6%. In reality, the effective potential market size is about 20 million or trebles the current penetration level. That is the size of the AB socioeconomic class in Vietnam. Even so, if we comp are this to the internet and mobile penetration rate of 14% and 12% the number is rather low. The reason is simple: the distribution and infrastructure of banking services is very poor relative to the telecommunications industry, which has virtual national coverage. By contrast, banks are almost unheard of in secondary cities and rural areas. With a low urban population of about 29%, banks simply don’t have easy access to over 70% of the population. There are other reasons, of course. Until recently the government had encouraged a cash economy by paying state employees in cash; there is a traditional distrust of banks; the banks themselves have done a poor job of providing services to the retailing public; and small businesses too are poorly served by banks unwilling to give them large loans unless they have the collateral to back it up. Of course the banking industry is growing rapidly with both deposits and loans expanding at high, double-digit growth rates per annum. And some banks such as Vietcombank, ACB, Sacombank, and Techcombank are making a determined effort to court the retail market. 3. 2. Rate of Growth in Both Loans and Deposits Far Exceeding GDP Growth Credit growth in Vietnam has been expanding at a breakneck speed these last few years. Not surprisingly given heady GDP growth. Nonetheless, the sustained rate of increase over several years has raised eyebrows at international bodies such as the IMF and World Bank. They like their credit growth at room temperature, rather than piping hot. Well piping hot is what they’ve got. In fact, the state-owned banks saw credit grow at an annual average rate of 24% over the past five years. Given the inability of some bankers to distinguish a good credit risk from a bad one (assuming they have a choice) this is not entirely a good thing. Hence the international sigh of disbelief that such stellar credit growth has been accompanied by a falling NPL ratio. According to some economists a 7% GDP growth rate can accommodate an annual credit growth rate of about 14-20%, roughly a factor of two without generating a lending bubble. However, credit growth rates above that level for any extended period of time are unhealthy for an economy. Admittedly credit growth rates have been falling for the last year down to about 15% as the central bank has tried to rein in credit departments. So far this year in fact lending has expanded at only about 16% nationwide. Going forward the speed of credit growth may well start expanding again as WTO becomes a reality. One bank has forecast that credit could grow at 35% per annum over the next five years given sufficient access to capital. While the better banks could probably cope with this, the temptation for others to take on too much risk is high. 3. 3. A Highly Concentrated but Highly Fragmented Banking Market Five state banks have carved up 70% of the loan market while forty-odd joint-stock banks and a host of foreign banks scrap for the remaining 30%. Compare this with the US where the ten biggest commercial banks control only 49% of the country’s banking assets, up from 29% a decade ago. Thus, at the top tier, the market acts like an oligopoly, while beneath the surface there is a holy war going on as mite-sized private sector banks scrap for the rest. Since the market itself is growing so fast this may not seem so bad. The state banks are also slowly bleeding market share. Even so things look very lopsided. Enter the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), concerned about the fragmented nature of the private sector banks. They will introduce new regulations to force another round of consolidation in the near future. One way of doing this is to set high hurdles for any new established bank before it can get a license. All banks will need to have chartered capital of VND 1 trillion ($62. 8 million) which is exceeded by the existing capital of only the very biggest JSCB’s such as ACB and Sacombank. All other existing banks fall far short and will need to scramble for new capital or merge in order to meet the new requirements. And that is just the first round. From next year the SBV has circulated a draft proposal to raise the minimum capital level to about US$300 million. And there you have the consolidation trigger. 50% of the JSCB’s face merger or takeover. They will also have to demonstrate experience in banking governance. Banks will need to commit to Basel 2 standards from 2010. One of the key issues is the regulation of key stakeholders, such as a bar on lending to stakeholders or their affiliates. This is to prevent corporations from using their own banks as private piggy-banks. Currently a corporate of family can own up to 40% of a joint-stock commercial bank. 3. 4. Heavy Handed Regulation with Restrictions on Foreign Banks The government still exerts strong control on the banking sector in two ways. Directly, through various regulations and restrictions which govern how they conduct business and strictly licensing the type of businesses they can enter; and indirectly through the interference of a myriad of agencies and ministries, both local and national, who want to have a say on how scarce credit resources are allocated. The state-owned banking system is trying to shift from directed policy lending to a commercial system. But the transition is proving slow and painful. Given the legacy of state control at both national and local level it’s hardly surprising that the state-owned banks routinely complain about interference in their lending decisions and overall management. It seems that banking is too important to be left to bankers. The culture of social and political lending is still dominant amongst local officials and bureaucrats, as is the idea of consensus building and consultation before decisions are taken. To be fair, the problem has been recognized and things are getting better. With the proposed re-organization of the SBV for example, fewer local branches should reduce the amount of day-to-day noise coming in to credit departments. Local authorities will have less leverage in leaning on banks without the local central bank office to back them up. And the recently announced decree allowing for 100% foreign-owned bank branches will finally set the stage for a level playing field for foreign banks. However, without eliminating limits on branch openings and mobilization of Dong deposits (currently limited to 350% of total capital for foreign banks) some painful shackles will remain. . 5. Lack of Transparency Concerning Quality of Lending Lending decisions in Vietnam are still based more on relationships than cash flow. The assessment of loan customers is usually driven by the relationship with the bank and the size of the collateral being offered. Cash flow driven assessment and qualitative analysis is reserved for large private sector customers only. Amongst t he large banks only ACB bank uses DCF analysis across their entire customer base. The problem is partly due to outside interference in the decision making process and partly due to a lack of professional guidance. The absence of IT infrastructure to support professional credit analysis is another major factor. Another issue is exposure. Most banks lend a lot of money to a fairly narrow base of customers. The top 30 state-owned corporations probably account for over half of the state banks lending books. The private sector joint-stock commercial banks (JSCBs) are no different. 3. 6. Heavily Undercapitalized One of the legacies of state ownership is a severe shortage of capital at the state banks, a quality shared by private sector commercial banks as well. Government restrictions on equity holdings combined with a bond market that hardly functions has made raising chartered capital very difficult for banks. Average capital adequacy ratios (CAR) in amongst Vietnamese banks stood at 4. 5% at the end of 2007. This compares with an average CAR of 13. 1% in Asia Pacific and 12. 3% in South-East Asia. Admittedly with large scale raising of capital this year this number is improving. With most of the state banks well below the minimum 8% capital adequacy ratio for Tier 2 capital, lack of access to the international capital markets has constrained their growth. And this valuation is anyway based on a vary generous reading of their NPL’s. The JSCBs are in only a slightly better state with a handful able to cross the 8% hurdle rate. The rest are pitiful. And given that the domestic capital markets are still in the fledgling stages, raising new capital has been the biggest headache for all banks. The stronger JSCBs have responded partly by selling shares to foreign strategic partners. Further down the line, where profitability is lower and capital particularly skimpy the options are more limited. The SBV is chary of allowing smaller anks to raise capital from foreign investors. Going forward all of the banks have substantial appetites for raising further capital, to shore up their Tier 2 capital base to bring them over the 8% CAR hurdle by 2010. 3. 7. Narrow Revenue Base and Few Product Offerings Most Vietnamese banks make money from loans. And that’s basically it. Compare that to Western banks that make about a quarter of their income from fees – credit card fees, lending fees, arranging fees, etc. – and most have branched into wealth management. Well, not in Vietnam. To be fair this is tied into the lack of availability of credit history: banks don’t like lending to strangers they know nothing about. The state banks are generally geared to the large corporate and state-owned sector, providing syndicated loans for utilities, infrastructure projects, heavy industry and property developers. JSCBs are geared mainly towards lending to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and the wealthier retail customers. However given their low penetration and limited branch network they only reach a fraction of their potential customer base. Car loans, mortgages and house improvement loans are retail staples. And small business loans using property as capital is the basic model for the SME market. In general, the Vietnamese banking model is best described as relationship-based rather than product-based as in international banks. 3. 8. Unknown Quantity of Non-performing Loans If you were to believe the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) statistics the non-performing loans problem has been largely dealt with since 2000. Amongst the state-owned banks, non-performing loans (NPLs) have fallen steadily from 12. % in 2000 to 8. 5%, 8. 0% and 4. 47% in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. Under a new stricter definition, the official number in 2008 has risen to about 7. 7%. Overall, about half of the NPL’s are on the watch list, which is the second of five lending categories in the new SBV scoring system. The other half fall into the three categories below watch list which are of greater concern. For private sector JSCBs, average NPLs were said to be around the 1% level at the end of 2007. Of course few believe the official numbers. International bodies carried out a similar exercise using Ernst & Young and found that NPL’s in the system using international accounting standard definitions came to about 15-20% of outstanding loans in the state-owned sector. This number is conservative due to limited data; a figure between 20-25% is probably a fairer estimate. In this respect the slow development of the banking industry is a blessing in disguise, things could be a whole lot worse. The worry is that the gap between the official version and the real picture is large and may indeed be growing. Most NPLs are generated by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) refusing to pay their obligations to state-owned banks. Pre-equalization is a favorite time to write off or simply clear out these loans. That way SOEs can start their new life in the private sector unencumbered by debts. So apart from asking the government to honor the SOEs’ commitment and trying to seize collateral there is precious little banks can do. There is not yet an effective secondary market for bad debt, although attempts to kick-start one are ongoing. There are very few NPLs sale and purchase transaction taking place. 4. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BANKING SECTOR 4. 1. The Government’s Strategy After a long period of hesitation and hints of action the government has come up with a fast-track roadmap to liberalize the financial sector by 2010. Under the roadmap, the state will retain a controlling stake in the banks but its holdings will be quickly reduced to 51%. Foreign ownership will account for a maximum of 30% of total shares, while each strategic foreign institutional investor currently allowed to hold 10-20% at most. The 20% limit may be eventually erased but the 30% cap will stay for the time being. Basel 1 will be in effect until 2010, when the stricter Basel 2 standards for corporate governance will be introduced. The government will have to introduce further legislation before then to force banks’ compliance, particularly at the ownership level. This may create some buying opportunities amongst the JSCBs as families are forced to reduce their stake. 4. 2. State Bank of Vietnam – Freeing the Tiger In theory the central bank enjoys a wide remit. In practice it can’t do much without a legion of agencies and ministries throwing in their penny’s worth of advice. The central bank, the SBV, currently acts as the sole supervisory and regulatory body for the banking sector. It also owns the state-owned banks and sets interest rates. There is a clear need to separate the various roles of the SBV and give it increased autonomy in those areas such as monetary policy and regulation of the banking sector, which are clearly in its remit. The SBV also needs to be free of its role as custodian of the state’s shareholdings in the banking sector. The SBV sees several key roles for itself in the future: compiling and executing monetary policy, ensuring stability of the credit institutional system, act as a regulator to the banking system. In order to achieve this it needs legislative backing to clearly define its relationship with the National Assembly, government and all government agencies. In simple terms stop the incessant interference from other parties so that the SBV can get on with the job. After all, if the central bank is not allowed to set interest rate policy and regulate the banking sector without being leaned on, what hope is their for individual banks to lend money without getting the same treatment. Another issue is the lack of cooperation with the MOF on key issues such as bad debt and bank equitisation. MOF has often written off state-owned companies’ bad debt without consulting the banks. And the State Securities Commission (SSC), the stock market regulator often stalls on issuing licenses for banks to list. The two don’t play well together. 4. 3. Regulatory Environment – Meeting International Standards There are a myriad of regulations and decrees covering almost every aspect of the financial sector but we would like to look briefly at just three topics: progress removing restrictions from foreign banks, meeting international banking standards and the treatment of NPLs. With regard to meeting international banking standards, the government has appeared to follow WB recommendations to provide the necessary framework for an integrated financial system as required under WTO rules. And so in the last few years some of the necessary legislation has been pushed into place. On the NPL’s, the central bank issued Decision No. 93 to reclassify bad debts and risk reserves closer to international norms. So far, three state-owned banks (SOBs) claim to have successfully reduced their bad debt ratios to less than 5% in accordance with the new rules. Too successfully in fact, but more on this later. Overall the regulatory authorities are making an effort to converge with international stand ards in the financial sector, but with WTO membership and the 2010 deadline looming, time is not a friend. And foreign banks are still allowed to raise Dong deposits only to a ceiling of 350% of their chartered capital. In effect this locks them out of the domestic deposit market and is the most important impediment for their expansion plans. 4. 4. Developing the Capital Markets Banks need more tier 2 capital and bonds will provide the bulk of that. However with the bond market in its infancy there are still major constraints on the banks’ ability to raise sufficient capital quickly to reach the 8% capital adequacy ratio they crave. The infrastructure for developing the bond market is still not in place. HSBC is only now offering to provide a pilot rating scheme to enable potential investors to gauge the creditworthiness of various bond issuers. Fitch and Moody’s have also dipped their toes in the market, rating Sacombank and BIDV respectively. However rating services are horribly expensive and there needs to be a domestic agency to offer these services at prices most banks can afford. Another key hurdle lies with interest rate guidelines in place at all maturities along the yield curve. This prevents risk weightings and effectively bars smaller or weaker banks from coming to the market to issue capital whilst compensating for the higher risk by offering higher coupons. 5. PROSPECTS FOR BANKING SECTOR GOING FORWARD . 1. Non-Performing Loan Ratios to Rise, But Risks of Bank Failures Looms It is likely that there will be an increase in non-performing loan (NPL) ratios from the present 4-5% as an increasing number of companies and households default on their loans on the back of higher interest rates and slowing economic activity. A complicating factor in assessing the risk posed by deteriorating loan portfolios is that Vietnamese banks are currently applying a new system of internal credit rating schemes and debt classification systems in accordance with international standards. Implementation has so far been diverse between banks, making intra-sector comparisons a complicated business. Consultancy Ernst & Young has estimated that the application of the new standards is likely to lead to an increase in disclosed NPL ratios of 2-3 times, i. e. to the IMF estimates of 15-20%. While the new standards will make the NPL figures more internationally comparable, the resulting increase in the ratios is likely to create uncertainty about the proportion which can be attributed to the new standards and how much is down to an actual deterioration of loan portfolios. However, it can be believed that the effects on the overall economy from possible bank failures can be contained by larger JSCBs taking over smaller banks pushed to the brink by loan defaults and low capitalisation. Nonetheless, there might be possibility that the government or central bank will need to intervene to force mergers between banks and possibly also recapitalize those in worst health. 5. 2. Further Development Inhibited by Low Capital and Technology Consolidation should be a positive for the banking sector by decreasing excessive competition and increasing capitalization levels. Nonetheless, capital shortages, low technology and a shortage of skilled staff, especially at higher levels, will continue to inhibit the development of the banking sector. This will leave domestic banks exposed to the might of international banking giants such as HSBC and Standard Chartered, which are initially committing US$183 million and US$61 million respectively to their Vietnamese subsidiaries, placing them well in league with the larger JSCBs. Increased competition from foreign players will thus constitute a potent threat to domestic banks, which will be forced to improve services if they want to maintain their market share. Further expansion will need regulatory approval from the State Bank of Vietnam. The IMF has, in its annual review of the Vietnamese economy, set improvement of financial supervision as a prime task for the government in its reform agenda. The government raising the foreign ownership ratio to 25% for individual banks and 35% in total in 2009-2010 in order to maintain foreign banks' interest in holding stakes in domestic players, thus assisting in technology transfer. With the current system in place, there is a risk of a severe divide between better-capitalised, more technically advanced and better-managed foreign banks and a still relatively undeveloped domestic sector suffering from both a shortage of capital and low efficiency. Vietnamese banks are still primarily focused on taking deposits and lending and thus completely inexperienced in asset management and other financial services tipped to be the main growth areas in the Vietnamese banking market going forward. Domestic players, in particular the larger SOCBs, may have an advantage through their established branch network and client base, but this factor can be rapidly eroded as HSBC and Standard Chartered extend their operations. The threat from foreign banks will be particularly potent for the SOCBs, where reform has been slow in spite of the government's intention to place them foremost in the queue in the so-called ‘equitisation' process of transferring SOEs to private hands. It is unlikely that the government will find takers for its offers of 10-20% stakes in SOCBs for strategic foreign players if it does not radically review its privatisation procedures. With the state-owned banks constrained by politicised decision-making and the private banks suffering from a severe lack of capital, HSBC, Standard Chartered and other regional players will gain the upper hand over time as their extensive experience, superior technology, and readier access to capital work in their favor. It is unlikely that foreign players will dominate the Vietnamese banking sector in 10-15 years time, with the larger JSCBs being majority-owned by foreigners and the role of the once-impressive SOCBs reduced to supporting inefficient state-owned companies and agricultural households. 6. CONCLUSION In Vietnam, there is only less than 10% of Vietnamese currently use banks for financial services, instead largely relying on extended families and neighbourhood associations for lending and saving. However, a rising number of younger Vietnamese are now using banks for financial services, opening up great expansion opportunities in retail banking. The Vietnamese banking sector is a veritably good destination for early entrants as poorly-capitalised and inefficient domestic banks are ill-prepared for the opening of the banking market to foreign entrants as pledged in Vietnam's accession to the WTO in January 2007. With bank penetration at less than 10% and the Vietnamese economy forecast to grow by an average 7. 8% annually over the next ten years, the growth opportunities are great for foreign players. Top of Form REFERENCES Johny K. Johansson (2006). GLOBAL MARKETING Foreign Entry, Local Marketing, & Global Management. McGraw-Hill, Fourth Edition, International Edition. ISBN 007-124454-9. Vinacapital. Vietnam Equity Research. August 15, 2006 Fitch Ratings, Vietnam Special Report – Vietnamese Banks: Focus on Asset Quality – Three Stress Scenarios. February 25, 2009 at: www. fitchratings. com Vietnamese Banks: A Home-Made Liquidity Squeeze? May 2008 Jaccar Equity Research, Vietnam. Banks and Financial Services. The Bubbles did not Burst but Turned Grey. May 18, 2009 at www. jaccar. net Fulbright Research Project, The Banking System of Vietnam: Past, Present and Future. Nam Tran Thi Nguyen, 2001. at: www. iie. org/fulbrightweb/BankingPaper_Final. pdf retrieved on 27 Feb 2009.

Degree Appraisals Essay

General Electrics’ Durham, North Carolina assembly employees have a unique work environment in which they build the GE90 jet engine for Boeing. The 9 engine build teams consist of approximately 18 employees who own the entire process of assembling some 10,000 parts perfectly to create one complete engine assembly. The teams are self managed, doing everything from ordering parts and tools to scheduling vacation and overtime. The success of the teams comes from their founding method of agreement by consensus decisions making. In fact, the consensus decision making process has become a way of life to many of these employees, and management decisions are only needed about 12 decisions per year. Although employees don’t always have unanimous agreement, there is seldom any blame when things go wrong because of their strong trusting relationships. This type of consensus management has instilled a high level of trust relationships among the team members and their superiors. These self-managed teams operate in a culture of continuous feedback and rely on management to make them aware of problems and report solutions. Beyond the day-to-day decisions making, any major issues, such as safety and cost, are decided by a task force. The plant manager informs and educates the task force and employees about the problem and why it is important, and the task force decides how to address problems. The task force takes the responsibility to find solutions and decisions are reporting back to plant management on what the future solutions will be. These solutions and decisions made by the task force are communicate to the plant manager and then on to the higher-ups for their buy in. The Plant Manager Paula Sims, who has been on the job 4 years, has proposed to HR that she would like initiate a 360-degree review to supplement existing performance  measures. Ms. Sims’ proposal is met with some concerns from HR, it is assumed that HR has concerns that implementing a new system without a consensus decision will breakdown trust with the employees and limit the willing participation if the 360 review were to be implemented. Root Problem The root problem with Ms. Sims proposal is that the implementation goes directly against the culture of consensus agreement on making decisions for the teams and the plant. Since this would be considered a major change, it should be brought to a task force for review and solution, or at minimum be brought to the attention of all employees. In the past, Ms. Sims has experienced issues of missed trust with the assembly teams and this direct approach with HR for the implementation a new performance measure stands to have an equally negative effect. Alternative Ideas In order to address the root problem, HR would like to propose some alternative ideas to Ms. Sims proposals that could include awareness of GE corporate use general of 360 degree performance measures in other locations. Investigations on the benefits from other GE plants should be presented to employees to gain a better understanding and buy-in of the proposal. Knowing the culture of feedback that exist within the plant, Ms. Sims could call for a task force to investigate the benefits of 360 degree feedback and make a direction decision on the use of 360 degree appraisals. In consideration of alternative ideas, Ms. Sims should consider approaching the employees and HR by providing factual information about the value of peer reviews. For example, â€Å"research shows that appraisals by peers are useful predictors of training success and future performance† (Jackson, S.E., Schuler, R.S., & Werner, S., 2012). Additionally, since the GE employees are team-based units, it is also been shown that anonymous peer appraisals in teams increase interpersonal effectiveness, group cohesion, communication openness and group satisfaction (Jackson, et al, 2012). Furthermore, she could gain more leverage by stating the success of the peer reviews in other GE facilities, as real life inter-company example. The last alternative is simply do nothing and keep the current system as it is without a 360 degree review. Considering Ms. Sims determination to implement the new appraisal, she should consider a trial basis with a one the nine teams as a test bed  from training implementation and use of the 360 review. As multiple alternatives have been presented, a closer evaluation of each proposal is the necessary to derive the what is believed to the best alternative. 1. Awareness and Buy-in – this alternative looks at bringing awareness to the 360-degree appraisal as a supplemental appraisal by providi ng factual information on the benefits of the program at GE’s jet engine plant. Awareness makes buy-in easier when at the end of the day, you allow the teams to make a decision by consensus on the implementation of the new peer review. 2. Empowered team decision – this alternative simply turns the information and decision back to the team and task force. This alternative is the most cohesive alternative and aligns well with the culture of the company. 3. Trial basis – this alternative assume Ms. Sims pushes her idea forward and assumes she will be met with some resistance during the implementation phase. In this case focusing on a smaller beta test group proves to be easier to manage and create buy-in with when the results show positive improvements. 4. Status Quo – this alternative assumes that nothing is done, no implementation is agreed upon and the current performance measures stay in place without a 360-degree appraisal. Choose an Alternative & Implementation In an effort to maintain the strong trusting relationships that exist at the various levels of team members and management, it is recommended that the alternative proposal of â€Å"awareness and buy-in† be selected and acted upon. Implementation of this plan will begin with Ms. Sims collecting and presenting data from both internal GE resources and external resources to show the benefits of supplementing the current performance appraisals with a 360-degree peer review. Next Ms. Sims must work directly with HR to plan an appropriate training period and plan in conjunction with the roll out of information to the 9 assembly teams. This portion of the preparation should include the consideration of one group to be the test bed or beta group for evaluation purposes. Once the information is presented to all the employees, an internal task force should be commissioned to evaluate the information provided by Ms. Sims for the purpose my allowing the continuance of the consensus culture . There are a multitude of options this management team has in considering the addition of the new peer review. However,  allowing the teams and/or special task force to make the decision on their own and continue to feel the sense of ownership is paramount in the implementation phase of the proposal. Therefore it is recommended that after the beta group is selected and effectively trained, HR and Ms. Sims must monitor the effectiveness of the raters over an initially shorter period of time for the appraisals to take place. This step will be for the purpose of training and evaluation. Based the results from the six months data collection and feedback from the Beta group, Ms. Sims and HR will determine if further training is needed, if the employees are seeing value in the productivity and performance improvements as a result of using the 360 degree appraisals. If the results are positive the information will be shared with the task force and all employees for further implementation and training, beyond the beta group. Reference Jackson, S.E., Schuler, R.S., & Werner, S (2012). Managing Human Resources (11th edition)., Mason, OH: South-Western

Strategic Issues and problems of Starbucks Essay

Strategic Issues and problems of Starbucks - Essay Example This is because such firms are found to generate higher revenue than Starbucks in the market. The company was forced to change its marketing strategy as it could not compete with advertisement investments made by McDonald’s. Moreover, since the economic downturn, financial analysis shows that gross profit of the company has fallen. The company since 2012 has ceased operations of more than 500 underperforming stores across markets of U.S. and many other nations. Currently, the firm lacks adequate finances to expand business in the long run. It is also found that McDonald’s has, unlike Starbucks, gained competitive advantage in business through outsourcing, R&D, distributions and sponsorships activities. At this juncture, it is analyzed that the company can only sustain in such competition by introducing new innovation process in business and product differentiation perspectives. For such expansion programs, the company needs to develop new fund raising strategies. In the contemporary world, extent of business complexity has significantly increased. Profit and revenue generation a strategy of firms in the not only depends on internal and external factors, but are also highly influenced by effectiveness of its strategic management. Presently, the restaurant industry is dominated by giant global firms like, McDonald’s and Starbucks. It is found that scope of business internationalization of these firms has increased remarkably since last few years. Through business expansion, these firms have gained impressive global market demand shares as well as augmented brand value in business. However, since the global financial crisis, McDonald’s has won over Starbucks in terms of market competition McDonald’s has invested huge amount of capital in business, thereby generating severe barriers to expand for Starbucks. From the case study is found that Starbucks is facing financial crunch in its business, at present.

Postal rule Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Postal rule - Essay Example Its main effect is that the danger of acceptance being lost or delivered late by post is completely placed on the offered. Thus, if the offered is unwilling to accept the risk involved, he can acquire the actual receipt before binding legally. (Cook, 2008) Acceptance and offer analysis is an age-old approach of contract law, which is used in order to determine whether there is an agreement between two individuals or parties. A number of things can be offered, like a fax, newspaper, letter, email and also conduct as long as it conveys the idea of the offered given in the contract. An invitation to treat is not considered as an offer as it only indicates that a person is willing to discuss a contract. If the person the offer has been made to rejects it, the offer is destroyed, as it cannot be received in the future. Like in the case of Hyde v. Wrench, in reply to an offer for selling an estate at a definite price, the plaintiff responded with a lower price. Thus, the offer was then refused and when the plaintiff wanted to buy the estate at the former price, they could not as no contract was signed with the initial offer and hence it did not exist. (Undy, 1996) In revocation of an offer, the offered can revoke the offer even before it has been accepted, but this revocation must be conveyed to the person offered to. If a certain offer has been made to the whole world, like in Carlill's case, the revocation must be in the same form as the offer. Acceptance is the final expression of agreement to the terms of the offer. There are several rules of acceptance. An acceptance must be conveyed; as before making an acceptance the offer can be withdrawn. Only the person the offer has been offered to can accept the offer. The latter, is not responsible if some other person accepts the offer without his knowledge. If any method of acceptance, like email or post, is specified in the offer, then only those methods can be used which are as effective as the one given. Lastly, like in the Felthouse v. Bindley case, silence cannot be taken as acceptance. The offer is rejected or terminated in case the offered dies. In such case if the offer is still accepted, it remains valid. However, if the person the offer has been made to dies, then the offer becomes invalid. (Hedley, 2006) In recent times, among the easiest of legal questions asked in the field of contract law is linked with the advances in computer technology and is whether the mailbox rule should be applicable to the most modern and very quickly becoming the most accepted mode of communication - electronic mail or simply email. Today we live in the silicon age and this age has given us the world of the cyberspace. It has been debated over and over again whether postal rule should be applied to email. Both post and email are almost same. An email does not directly reach its destination. Thus, the sender does not have any control over the message. It reaches its destination taking incremental steps just like post. Thus, none of the parties can be blamed for a delay. Therefore, we can see that postal rule can be applied to email. (Lasensky, 2005) In conclusion, it should be stated that the judges in Brinkibon also noticed that this mode of communica

Individual case study analysis(Money is not always the best reward ) Essay

Individual case study analysis(Money is not always the best reward ) - Essay Example The analyzed data has further been presented comprehensively to recommend strategies that would help in enhancing the performances of the employees. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Discussion 5 Key Issues identified in the case 5 Critically Analyzing and Evaluating the Case Issues 5 Conclusion and Recommendations 10 References 11 Bibliography 13 Introduction After being appointed as the CEO of a sporting and community club, Tim Johnson was bestowed with the responsibility of developing an innovative organizational structure as well as to implementing human resource systems for the effective performance of the club. During that period, the annual turnover of the club was more than $ 33 million with 75 employees which depicted the financial viability of the organization along with its size, augmenting the necessity to develop an organized and effective organizational structure. After his joining, Tim Johnson recognized that the management of the club was ineffective due to the lack of effective Human Resource (HR) as well as operational policies which is essential to yield superior performance from employees. Strategically, Tim Johnson conducted a survey on the employees and was able to identify that a lack of morale as well as motivation persisted within the workforce. Correspondingly, he formulated plans to develop and implement strategies such as position descriptions, systems related guidelines, job specifications as well as other HR and operational policies to be followed by the employees. Formal meetings were also organized with the motive of informing the employees about the change in the organizational structure. The HR and the operational policies were further intended to be legally enacted so as to ensure ethical viability within the reframed organizational process. One of the most significant changes brought by Tim Johnson in the philosophy of the restructured organizational process indicated an increased focus on improving the performance of the employees through empowerment rather than considering the monetary reward system. The discussion will thus emphasize on the identification as well as the analysis of various issues which have been identified in this case. The results of the analysis will further be used to recommend strategies which are required to mitigate the identified issues. Discussion Key Issues identified in the case In the referred case, the issues which were faced by the sporting and community club hampering the performance of the employees depicted that the club lacked effective leadership from the senior decision makers of the organization. Owing to the ineffective organizational structure and ill-organized process related policies, the organization had to face various problems related with lack of morale among the employees which further obstructed an enhanced performance from the human resources of the club. Lack of motivation to work in accordance with the standards specified by the management for the effective achievements of the goals was also observed as a restriction to the enhanced performance of the club. The club did not have Human Resource Management (HRM) for effective HR as well as operational polic

ENG TOPIC IN LITERATURE DB 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ENG TOPIC IN LITERATURE DB 3 - Essay Example Mother was among the group of ladies, talking to her friend the only other coloured lady, wife of the junior clerk in the company where my father worked. She was young, and married only a couple of years ago. In the absence of her friend, during earlier occassions, I had seen mother sit on the periphery of the group, participating attentively in the general conversation, but not uttering a word. She preferred not to draw attention to herself, and was also afraid to speak in case her words were misunderstood. At home also, mother was a quiet lady, doing her chores, and running her home business of preserves and pickles, in a calm and mild manner. She also cared for my aging grand-mother as best as she could, though grandma took it all for granted. Grandmother expected her daughter-in-law: my mother to do the needful and much more also, like she herself had looked after my grandfather’s mother in her old age. Grandfather had helped her with the domestic work and lightened her du ties, as he was grateful that his mother was being accommodated in their home. But grandmother chose not to remember this fact. Mother ws keen to bring me up to be a fine, young woman whom she could be proud of. In that direction, she would teach me various skills in housekeeping, help me to be regular with my school work, and she expected me to behave well under all circumstances. I had been close to my mother as her only child, and being a girl had needed her presence in all aspects of my life. During my childhood days, I rushed home from school to greet her, and again in the evening after playing with my friends. Our feelings were mutual, and we shared a warm bond between us. I could sense sometimes in mother a requirement for understanding and friendship from my father, who generally maintained his distance from both my mother and myself,

Professional Staff Training in the Academic Library Essay

Professional Staff Training in the Academic Library - Essay Example As such is its scope, the basic questions this study intends to address are: For this study, the researcher will be relying heavily on books, academic journals, and electronic sources. The possible bibliographic tools that the researcher will need in the conduct of the literature research are the title, the author, the date of publication, the place of publication and abstract or summary of the book or article if there is one. At the same time, the researcher believes that the footnotes or endnotes or in-text citation used in the books or articles will be a lot of help in the search for topics pertinent to the study. In terms of the date of publication, the researcher thinks that it will survey works for the thirty or forty years for the purpose looking at theories that are considered a landmark in the field of our concern which was predominantly developed within this period. Although the researcher knows that coverage spans for a few decades whereas there are many contemporary developments the area, still the researcher thinks that understanding the landmark theories is pivotal in the understanding of the current trends in our field of studies. The possible constraints that the researcher may encounter in the literature search are first how will he be able to delimit the number of his references in the midst of numerous sources and references that he may find relevant to the study. This is an important concern since it is of equal gravity with research being conducted with very few available sources. And lastly, the concern with sources that seems to be weaving from one file to another without clearly delineating the boundaries. The article of Locke (1978) speaks of the fundamental error of scholars and managers alike in assigning goal setting as the fundamental mover for employees in participating in the fulfillment of the objective of the organization.

E-Logistics and International Supply Chain Management Essay

E-Logistics and International Supply Chain Management - Essay Example This report stresses that the service management activities of a company aptly use the internet and other information and communication technologies. This is because it is the only source of information for the customers of the business. The use of internet is done to provide real time data to the customers, especially related to the interfaces with the functions of the operations and logistics departments. The internet has major impacts ion these processes in both the downstream activities and the internal parts of the supply chain. The internet is used for the recognition of events and understanding the opinion of the customers and is also used to communicate effectively with the customers regarding their needs and the responses of the company. This paper makes a conclusion that the impact of the internet is a major area of focus in the supply chain management process. The development of e-SCM is only a step forward to integrate internet effectively in the supply chain and logistic processes. The main impact of internet is that it allows the sharing of real time data which is very useful for the smooth functioning of the supply chain management system. The use of internet can lead to several benefits like there reduction in the costs, maintenance of optimal inventory levels, proper allocation of stocks, advanced planning and proper forecasting of the demands and quick response to the anticipated market demands.

Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents Essay Example for Free

Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents Essay Childhood obesity has become a recurring theme in the news today. A variety of issues has been discussed regarding the cause of this popular issue. Emphasis is placed on parents, culture, school meals, and a number of other factors leading to obesity. Children and adolescents are not blind to the attention placed on obesity among them and their peers. If the thin bodies of magazines, TV and media weren’t enough, children now have to face the harsh realities of statistics that are constantly broadcasted in the news. This being the case, many children and adolescents have developed unhealthy means to either get thin or stay thin. Many struggle with eating disorders. Eating disorders involve a variety of descriptions of unhealthy patterns of eating. All of them involve some abnormal pattern of eating, including not eating. No matter the type or term given the disorder, they represent a serious situation and are a mental health concern. Two of the more well-known types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Both are common among youth. Anorexia Nervosa Description Sometimes just being ‘normal’ in size is not what an individual sees as normal in himself. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which being thin is not the only issue. It is characterized by starving oneself. Signs include a body weight of less than eighty-five percent the normal body weight for that specific height and age; 3 consecutive absences of a menstrual cycle; and an abnormally strong fear of gaining weight (e.g., â€Å"Eating Dis.† n.d., para. 12). A more common outward sign of anorexia is the intense fear of gaining weight. The youth may repeatedly express verbally his desire to be thin, his belief that he is fat or overweight, and a generally twisted view of own size or weight. All of this is typically coupled with an already thin body size. Use of laxatives in addition to severely limiting food intake is commonly seen. Anorexia Nervosa Cause The cause of anorexia is not one specific factor. It is widely agreed that many issues combine to lead to its development. These include social, cultural, psychological, and biological concerns. The role of neurotransmitters in anorexia is researched today. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter â€Å"known to affect appetite control, sexual and social behavior, stress responses, and mood† and â€Å"modulates feeding by producing the sensation of fullness or satiety† (Rome, 2003, p.100). A decrease in this neurotransmitter can be indicative of anorexia. There are also some indications of genetic factors involved in causing anorexia. Having a family member who suffers or has suffered from anorexia can predispose a child to development. â€Å"There are now multiple case-control studies designed to investigate the familiality of eating disorders, which demonstrate a higher rate of Anorexia nervosa in relatives of probands with anorexia nervosa† (Rome, 2003, p 101). Bulimia Description Another eating disorder common among children and adolescents is bulimia. Bulimia can actually be a subtype of anorexia. It is characterized by bingeing on food then purging the food via induced vomiting. The bingeing is considered uncontrolled and the person typically ingests much larger than normal amounts of food, sometimes secretively. Then, within an hour or two of eating, the person purges the food. This is usually done by self-induced vomiting; however, the vomiting is typically seen with misuse of laxatives, urine-producing medications, and enemas. All of these enable the individual to purge herself of the recently ingested large quantities of food. These binges occur â€Å"at least twice a week for three months or may occur as often as several times a day† (e.g., â€Å"Eating Dis.† n.d., para. 23). As a subtype of anorexia, the bulimic person is abnormally underweight. Being underweight, however, is not a prerequisite of the bulimic diagnosis. In fact, the average bulimic is of normal weight, but sees self as being overweight. Other common attitudes associated with bulimia include extreme exercise, secretive or abnormal eating habits or rituals, and irregular or absent menstrual cycles. Both bulimia and anorexia are commonly seen in individuals already suffering from anxiety and/or depression (e.g. â€Å"Eating Dis.† n.d., para. 29). Bulimia Cause As with Anorexia nervosa, a specific cause for bulimia is not known. Several factors, however, are thought to increase the likelihood of this disorder; many of these are similar to those of anorexia nervosa. Cultural and social influences on appearance and size, family problems, and mood disorders all have an effect on the development of bulimia. Gender plays a large role as well. The majority of youth suffering from both bulimia and anorexia nervosa, although more so with bulimia, are females (Fisher, 1995, p. 431). The same case study cited in the familial causes of anorexia nervosa indicates that having a family member who has previously been diagnosed with bulimia can also predispose an individual to the same behavior. Treatment Although Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia are two separate identifiable diagnoses, the treatments of these physical and mental disorders are similar. Physicians first analyze the individual’s specific overall health and possible contributing factors. The primary care doctor is the necessary authority to either treat or recommend for treatment. Possible physical effects such as malnutrition and dental issues are treated as needed. The mental and psychological treatment varies according to the child’s specific needs. Individual and family therapy, behavior modification, and cognitive therapy can all be used. Focus primarily tends toward the development of adequate coping skills, positive body image, and positive self-talk. Frequently, mood stabilizers are prescribed in conjunction with one-on-one therapy (Rome, 2003, p. 104). The family plays a key role in treating children and adolescents most significantly by the fact that parents and adult figures in the child’s life control and direct the routine of said child. In cases of severely physically compromised children, monitoring of vital signs, nutrition, and electrolyte balance by trained healthcare professionals may be necessary (Fischer, 1995, p. 435). Conclusion Eating disorders are spread across both adults and youth. As increasing attention is given the issue of childhood obesity—and as the media continues to push the preference for abnormally thin figures in beauty—the youth will suffer. They seek unhealthy means to be what culture, family, and society says is normal, accepted. Bulimia and anorexia nervosa are the result of these issues and remain common eating disorders among children and adolescents. These disorders, however, can be diagnosed and treated. Most important to the treatment of any disorder affecting children and adolescents is the role of parents or guardians. References Eating disorders in children and adolescents (n.d.) In Eating Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.lpch.org/diseasehealthinfo/healthlibrary/growth/eatdis.html. Ellen S. Rome, MD, Seth Ammerman, MD, et al. Children and adolescents with eating disorders: the state of the art. Pediatrics. 2003; 111: 98-108. Fisher M. Golden NH, Katzman DK, et al. Eating disorders in adolescents: a background paper. Adolescent Health. 1995; 16: 420-437.

History of perodua analysis

History of perodua analysis Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (PERODUA), established in 1993. In Malaysia Perodua is second automobile manufacturer which after Proton. It is a joint venture company between Malaysian and Japanese. The shareholders of Perodua are UMW Corporation Sdn Bhd 38%, MBM Resources Berhad 20%, Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd 20%, PNB Equity Resource Corporation Sdn Berhad 10%, Daihatsu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd 5%, Mitsui Co. Ltd 4.2% and Mitsui Co, (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd 2.8% (Corporate Information n.d). Perodua does not contend with Proton for the similar market niche because Perodua mostly produce small-compact cars. Since end of 2009, Perodua has sold some 1.67 million units of vehicle of a variety of models. Perodua also sell overseas their cars to UK, Singapore, Brunei, Fiji, Nepal and Sri Lanka. 1.2 Background of Perodua Perodua is located on a 138-hectare site in Sungai Choh, Rawang, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Besides, in the year of 2001, Perodua Auto Corporation Sdn Bhd (PCSB) was established in the final quarter year. Furthermore, there are also another two joint venture partners of PCBS from Japan which are Daihatsu Motor.Co.Ldt. and Mitsui Co. Ltd. The PCBS are being managed the manufacturing operations of the Perodua Group (Corporate Information, 2010). 1.3 Mission and Vision 1.3.1 Mission Perodua mission is to Professionalism in all our operations Efficiency in utilizing technologies and available resources Resilience in meeting our challenges Optimizing benefits to customers and stakeholders Dedication towards social responsibility to community, the environment and development of competent workforce Uniqueness in our products Aspiration to glorify the name of PERODUA 1.3.2 Vision The vision of Perodua is to be the most preferred automotive brand renowned for products and services of excellent quality which contributes to the development of the nation. 1.4 Product Milestone Below is the list of the vehicle that Perodua produce: The Perodua Kancil-August 1994 The Perodua Rusa March 1996 The Perodua Kembara August 1998 The Perodua Kenari   June 2000 The Perodua Kelisa August 2001 The Perodua Myvi May 2005 The Perodua Viva   May 2007 The Perodua Nautica 4WD May 2008 The Perodua Alza November 2009 (Corporate Information, 2010) 2.0 Analysis of Market Environment Factors that Affect this Company For a company it is very necessary to have updated date and to have a close watch and to assess the ever changing environment around them. There are 2 types of environment and there are Micro Environment and Macro Environment (Pride.et.al, 2007). 2.1 The Micro Environment The close forces to the company that have effect on its capability to get the goods successfully to the customer. While for the micro environment consists of 6 factors (Pride.et.al, 2007). 2.1.1 Customer Customer can be divided into 5 types of markets to get a better idea on them which are: 2.1.1 (a) Consumer Market The person who buys the product for consumption is called the consumer market (Pride.et.al, 2007). Perodua Company comes with varies vehicles that can attract buyers especially these who want an affordable yet efficient vehicle. The company mostly targets on individuals or families who want to buy quality car at a premium as Perodua Company sets up the prices that are reasonable and affordable by most consumers. Perodua Myvi is product on May 2005 by Perodua Company which is one of the examples for individual or family use. 2.1.1 (b) Business Market The companies which buy goods and services are to be used in the production id other goods (Pride.et.al, 2007). For instance, Perodua Company buys the parts from other countries but the assembling is done in Malaysia. 2.1.1(c) Reseller Market The companies that purchases the goods or services and resell the product without making any changes to it (Pride.et.al, 2007). For examples, Perodua dealers get the product from the main company and finally distribute to them without making any changes of the cars. 2.1.1 (d) Government Market For government market they may purchase it to be used it in the production of goods and services (Pride.et.al, 2007). For example, the model of Perodua Myvi, Perodua Kancil, Perodua Viva are provided to the government for the use of National Parade Day. 2.1.1 (e) International Market The products used for the use of the government to carry on with the government duties (Pride.et.al, 2007). For international market, Perodua Myvi purchases for the overseas market such as United Kingdom, Singapore, Brunei, Fiji, Nepal and Sri Lanka. 2.1.2 Company This segment is about the togetherness which should be there among all departments so that the product will be delivered to the customer in the desired time. This process will be an incomplete process if there are disagreements between departments, which will result in a delay of not delivering the product to the customer on time (Pride.et.al, 2007). 2.1.3 Competitors There are two types of competitors that will affect the sales of Perodua Company which are direct and in direct competitors. 2.1.3 (a) Direct Competitors The companies which manufacture the same products within the same industry (Pride.et.al, 2007). For instance, Suzuki, Toyota and Proton are Perodua Companys direct competitors as the companies sell similar types of vehicles within the same industry. 2.1.3(b) Indirect Competitors Indirect competitors mean that when any company which competes for the same customer dollar (Pride.et.al, 2007). The indirect competitors for Perodua will be Toyota, Proton, Naza, Honda, BMW, and Mercedes. This is because they are also produce cars and they are also competing for the consumer dollars (Corporate Information, 2009). 2.1.4 Suppliers Suppliers could be defined as those who supply the necessary parts to build the product. The supplier influences the quality and delivery of the ended product. Suppliers should be from a reliable source and should be consistent at an arms reach (Pride.et.al, 2007). 2.1.5 Marketing Intermediaries Marketing Intermediaries is also known as the middle man. The mediating is usually done by a company in order to distribute or promote goods to the customer (Pride.et.al, 2007). The sales Manager stated that Giga Shipping Company transports all the Perodua Products worldwide. There is also a trailer company which provides trailer service to transport products around Malaysia (Personal Development Leadership, n.d). Besides marketing intermediaries, mediating can also be financially. As an example, EON bank, RHB Bank, Islam Bank act as a mediator in order to promote Peroduas cars. These companies provide a loan system so that the customers could have a minimum payment monthly and enjoy the same benefits of a comfortable car. 2.1.6 Publics Publics could be defined as a crowd of people who have an interest in a company and also who make an impact to an organization to achieve its objectives. Moreover, a company will take this consideration and try building up relationships and also offer helpfulness to these groups. There are the 7 types of publics such as local, media, citizen action, government, general, internal and financial (Pride.et.al, 2007). 2.1.6 (a) Local A community relations officer is appointed by the company to be present at meetings with the local publics (Pride.et.al, 2007). Perodua Myvi customer are eligible to join the club via (http://www.myviclub.com/). There is a public relations officer is appointed from Perodua Company regarding this club. On the other hand, the officer also can meet with the customer and makes interaction with the customer. 2.1.6 (b) Financial The company issues an annual publication which is the annual report which also includes the financial statements in the company. The shareholders were given by the company (Pride.et.al, 2007). All the Perodua Company share holders receive the annual report of the company in order to keep the shareholders informed about the financial status of the company (Corporate Information, 2010). 2.1.6 (c) Media Media can be described as a company would promote their product more with a positively media coverage (Pride.et.al, 2007). For example, Perodua Company promotes Perodua Myvi on television advertisements. The official advertisement is telecasted on television. Also, they also advertise the product on the World Wide Web (Corporate Information, 2010). 2.1.6 (d) General The general publics view in the company is called general (Pride.et.al, 2007). Through our research, most of the customer would like to view on the Perodua Company. Hence, positive or negative, it is basically what the customer thinks about the company. 2.2 Macro Environment The societal forces that influence the organizations ability to provide the customers are called macro environment factors which are 6 factors. 2.2.1 Political Legal The legislation and laws which influences the industry, marketers should be on watch out of the laws which can involve the company in the future (Pride.et.al, 2007). Since Perodua Company is fully owned by the government of Malaysia, the tax is already included in the price of the vehicle. Therefore, the government gets a sum of charges (Corporate Information, 2010). 2.2.2 Economic Environment The Economic environment investigates the disposable income levels. In addition, the economic conditions include the business cycle, inflation, interest rate and inflations rates (Pride.et.at, 2007). 2.2.2(a) Inflation Rate 2.2.3 Technological Environment 2.2.4 Demographic 2.2.5 Cultural 2.3 How the Company faces Threats and how they convert them to Opportunity The SWOT analysis is known as the tool to asses a companys Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats. Strength and Weakness are known as internal factors while Opportunity and Threats are known as the positive conditions which could bring plunder to the company if acted in the necessary way. For Threats, it can be defined as the barriers which prevent the Company from reaching the companys objectives. When a company puts out a new product, there could be threats which come the companys way. Then the company should be ready with a defensive strategy to stand up against the threat and that strategy is known as Opportunity (Pride.et.at, 2007). After the release of Perodua Myvi, the company has faced several threats. So, to get rid of these threats of Perodua Company, Perodua Company came made that threats into opportunity by making up a strategic plan (Corporate Information, 2010). 2.3.1 The Entry to the Domestic Market The entrance of Perodua to the market was in the year of 1993 and it also result a massive change in the industry. Nissan and Toyota were dominating the market which result Perodua getting a small slice in the market. And Perodua got a boost because Indonesia. This is because they tend to sell about 500 Perodua Myvi cars in a month (paultan.org, 2010). 2.3.2 The Support Since Perodua was quite new to the domestic market, as mentioned previously there was also because of Indonesia. As a result of this undertaking of Indonesia, the workforce of Perodua was sent to Japan for a special training to learn more about engineering skills and assembling skills. This opportunity could be known as a Human Resource 2.3.3 The Competitors Perodua is known as the second National Car producer in Malaysia which is after Proton Company. But, the competitors to Perodua are from the domestic Market as well as the International Market. The Domestic competitors are named as Proton and Naza while the competitors from the international market are Toyota, BMW and Mercedes. Through these competitors are threats to the company, Peroduas strategic plan has kept them as the best car in the Malaysia up-to-date. Besides, Perodua Company is always on the watch out of product life cycle. So, if any company comes out with any new model, Perodua will try to modify the existing model or trying to put out a new model. All in all, company will always want to produce products according to customer trends and not company trends. If the company produces according to the company trends then the sales can go down. But, if the company acts according to the customer trends there can be good sales. 3.0 Target Market 3.1 Target Customer Characteristics Target market involves dividing a market into segments and then concentrating on marketing products on one or a few key segments (Pride.et.al, 2007). The target market of Perodua Myvi is segmented by demographic consumer such as the businessman who likes to work and it is convenient to them. Therefore, the comfort of the passenger is the main target. Also, the vehicle price of Perodua Myvi is affordable and reasonable for the customers which fulfill their demands too. Furthermore, the first target market strategy used is differentiated marketing. Differentiated market is the organization selects several market segments and designs different marketing mixes for each segment (Pride.et.al, 2007). The Perodua Company has used different strategy to attract different customers. Therefore, the Perodua Company offered the other vehicles for its different target segments to meet the customer demands. Some of the customers are looking for more convenient cars such as Perodua Viva while customers with big family would like to choose Perodua Alza. Another target market strategy used is undifferentiated marketing. The marketing mix, which are the 4Ps are the organization at the whole market. Besides, the organizations also used to avoid other segments from existing, the organization chooses to mass market (Pride.et.al, 2007). For example, 30 September of 2009, Citibank credit card deals have organized Perodua Myvi 10X rewards points Easy Pay Campaign. This is use to the customer can make a down payment by using the Citibank credit card and enjoy 0% interest on the customer down payment and 10X rewards point (Citibank Perodua Myvi 10X Rewards Points Easy Pay Campaign, 2009). While for the last target market strategy used is concentrated marketing. There are one or two segments will be selected by the company and a marketing mix for these few segments will be proposed (Pride.et.al, 2007). Therefore, the aim of Perodua Company use concentrated marketing strategy is not to maximize sales; it is efficiency, attracting a large portion of once section while controlling costs. 4.0 Product 4.1 Product Lines that are offered A product line is viewed as a unit because of marketing, technical or for end-use considerations, by groups of closely related product items (Pride.et.al, 2007). Perodua have released many models of Myvi to suit the different taste of the customers. Firstly, there is the original Myvi and now comes with another two different versions which is the Myvi SE and the Myvi EE (Exclusive Edition). Each of these models comes with a different pricing and specifications. 4.2 Core, Actual and Augmented When purchasing tangible product, the buyer will not only obtain the product itself, but also all the extra things that come together with the product. This is also known as total product. The total product of the item can be separated into three categories which are the core product, actual product and augmented product. 4.2.1 Core Product Core products are the essential benefits that the buyer want when purchasing the product. The actual benefit that the buyers get when purchasing a Perodua Myvi is transportation. Buying a Perodua Myvi allows the buyer can move around in a vehicle without depending on public transport. This allows the buyer to be able to travel to any destination at any time without relying on the rigid time frame of a public transport. 4.2.2 Actual Product Actual products are the fundamental expectation of the buyer of the product (Pride.et.al, 2007). The consumers most basic expectations from buying a Perodua Myvi are the style and design of the car. In the Perodua official website it is stated that the design of Perodua Myvi is a mix of classy and sporty characteristic (Perodua 2009). Besides that, there are many colours for the buyer to customize the Perodua Myvi to suit the their taste. The engine of Perodua is also manufactured in Japan by Daihatsu. The Perodua Myvi is also known to be more fuel efficient as compared to other cars sold in the market. It is said that Perodua Myvi Auto uses around 13.5 km per litre and the Perodua Myvi manual is clocked at approximately 17.1km per litre of petrol (Tan, P 2009). The Perodua Myvi is readily built with air-conditioner and entertainment system with the latest audio technology like mp3 and a USB reader (Perodua 2009). The consumer can have the option of the transmission of the car to be automatic or manual. To prevent the car from being stolen, Perodua Myvi is equipped with a security system which includes an engine immobiliser. The only way to unlock the immobilizer to start the car is by using the owners car keys. As a result, if somebody breaks into the car, they wont be able start the car by using duplicated keys or by tampering with the wires. 4.2.3 Augmented Product The augmented products are the additional services the consumer will receive when buying the product. The augmented product of buying a Perodua Myvi is that it easier to apply for a loan compared to other imported cars because it is a national car. Besides that, Perodua provide services like parts replacement and repair at their service centre. The spare parts of Perodua Myvi are also easily available compared to imported cars. Other than that, Perodua also provide an extended warranty service for free (Perodua, 2009). 4.3 Branding, Packaging, Labeling, Warranty, Customer Service 4.3.1 Branding (Shenron, 2009) Branding is a blend of a term, sign, name, symbol or design which is used to recognize and distinguish products and companies (Pride.et.al, 2007). Perodua has a small car like Myvi with a big future. Hence, Malaysias leading compact carmaker is always taken by Perodua. Besides, their management team still not really satisfied with their position at the top and their research and development facilities have given the most critical activity, innovation in design and creative engineering methods. Nowadays, Perodua is now able to deliver more stylish, unique, and cars with an attractive price to their consumers. This new brand statement, Building Cars, People First, is Peroduas new visual identity (Interbrand, 2010). Perodua expects to manage all their customers in harmony with their guiding vision. Besides, Perodua was at the position of seventh most valuable Malaysia brand in Interbrands 2007 survey and it looks set to continue get build up and enhance. This shows that Perodua try their very best to respond their customer satisfactory. 4.3.2 Warranties and Customer Services Perodua Company consists of customer service which is known as smart assist. In the even of a breakdown, members can call the toll free number: 1-800-88-5555. The call centre will dispatch a rescue team to the location of the vehicle. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Besides, all the customer service agents practice a friendly, thoughtful, humble and committed routine to give their customers very best service. Furthermore, 1-hour Superservis also provided and this service is a speedy service package that comes with a money-back guarantee once the customers car is not serviced in one hour. While for the warranty period, Perodua Company has given 3-year/100,000km manufacturers warranty. For the extended warranty is plus 3-year/75,000km. ETP is stand for Extended Warranty Programme which is an extension of the Basic Warranty Coverage that comes with your Perodua by giving the customer an additional coverage period (Perodua, 2010). 4.3.3 Product life Cycle Product life cycle can be defined as progression of a product through development, introduction, growth, maturity and decline stage. 4.3.3 (a) Development Product development is the incubation stage of the product life cycle. There are no sales and the firm prepares to introduce the product. 4.3.3 (b) Introduction In introduction stage, the product has just appeared in the market with the company having little profit or the negative profit as there is only little consumer awareness on the product. In this stage, the company increases the awareness of the public about the product through promotion or advertising. The Perodua Myvi is marketed to the public through local mediums such as newspapers, radio and television. 4.3.3 (c) Growth During the growth stage, sales start to increase rapidly but the promotion costs are still high due to increasing consumer awareness thru advertising and etc. The growth stage is critical to a products survival because competitive reactions to the products success during this period will influence the products life expectancy. The profits begin to decline late in this stage as other car competitors enter the market with their own cars to compete with the Perodua Myvi. 4.3.3 (d) Maturity During maturity stage, the sale curve peaks as there are maximum sales and production efficiencies lead to maximum profits occurring in this stage. In this stage, the company will want to maintain the sales on the product. In keeping the maturity stage going for as long as possible, the company reintroduces the Perodua Myvi with versions and will also have a facelift. Example of this is the introduction of the Perodua Myvi SE to the market. 4.3.3 (e) Decline In the final stage, which is the decline stage, the sales will fall rapidly. This is because the sales and profits of the product decline. Therefore, the company needs to determine whether to retain or drop the product. The current Perodua Myvi is in a decline stage but is still doing well in the market as it is ranked the top selling car in the country in the compact segment for the third year running in the assessment conducted by J.D. Power Asia Pacific, therefore leading the Perodua Company to continue the production of the car. The graph above illustrates how the product life cycle of Perodua Myvi has reached the maturity stage where the company is making maximum profit from the sales of its product that is the Perodua Myvi. (Managing Products and Brand, n.d). 5.0 Pricing Price is the value exchanged for product in a marketing transaction but price is not always money (Pride.et.al, 2007). There are some pricing strategies that use in Perodua Myvi product. For example, optional product-pricing, psychological pricing and geographical pricing. The optional product-pricing is the pricing the accessory sold with the main product. For instance, car sells with the air-conditioning. While for the psychological pricing is the price set reflects the psychology of pricing and not just the costs. For example, $45900 instead of $46000. Lastly the Perodua company also use the geographical pricing strategies in the Perodua Myvi product. The geographical pricing is pricing products to customers in different parts of the country such as FOB (free on board) and Zone pricing. FOB means that the customers need to pay the freighter fee from the carrier to the final destination and zone pricing is the company set up one zones, the customer in the more distant zones (Pride. et.al, 2007). 5.1 Optional Product Pricing Type of carsThe Perodua Company uses the optional pricing in the Perodua Myvi product, which is the pricing the accessory sold with the main product. The Perodua Myvi is divided into eight type, Myvi 1.0L SR, Myvi 1.3L SX, Myvi 1.3L EZ, Myvi 1.3L SXi, Myvi 1.3L EZi, Myvi SE GHS, Myvi SE ZHS and Myvi 1.3 ZHL. The different accessory of Myvi contains different prices. The different prices are as shown in the table below: (Based on the price listed given in the catalogue) Colour Solid Metallic SMET Myvi 1.0L SR RM 40,721.80 RM41,240.20 Myvi 1.3L SX RM 45,450.20 RM 45,925.20 RM 46,325.20 Myvi 1.3L EZ RM 48,425.50 RM 48,900.20 RM 49300.20 Myvi 1.3L SXi RM48,225.50 RM48,700.20 RM49,100.20 Myvi 1.3L EZi RM 51,240.30 RM 51,700.20 RM52,100.20 Myvi SE GHS RM 51,926.00 RM52,401.00 RM52818.20 Myvi SE ZHS RM 54,940.00 RM 55,426.00 RM 55,826.00 Myvi 1.3 ZHL RM 51,000.00 RM 53,500.20 5.2 Psychological Pricing The psychological pricing is the price set reflects the psychology of pricing and not just the cost. It is also apply in the Perodua Myvi product. Example: (Based on the price list given the catalogue) Myvi 1.3L EZ (solid) RM 48,425.50 Myvi 1.3L EZ (Metallic) RM 48,900.20 Myvi 1.3L EZ (SMET) RM 49300.20 5.3 Geographical Pricing The geographical pricing is the pricing products to customers in different parts of the country. The Perodua Myvi contains different prices according at the different country or different zone. Example (Based on the price list given in the catalogue) The Perodua Myvis Price in Malaysia (1.3L EZi) The Perodua Myvis price in UK (1.3 EZi) RM 52,240.30  £7,499 In the table above shown that the Perodua price in United Kingdom is cheaper once the price convert to Malaysia dollars. The reason Perodua Myvis price in UK is more expensive than Malaysia is because of the sales tax in under vehicle pricing and special interest rate is included (Perodua-uk.com, n.d) 6.0 Distribution According to Perodua Company, there are many branches in Kuching such as at Satok Parade, Jalan Matang and others. The location of Perodua Company can be easily found in Kuching. On the other hand, the Perodua Company also has branches at the overseas country such as in United Kingdom. The Channel organization that is used by the Perodua Company is shown below: 6.1 Conventional Channels The Conventional channels consist of independent producers, wholesalers and retailers. They are all self business which are trying to maximize own profit (Pride.et.al, 2007). 6.2 Vertical Marketing Channels For the vertical marketing channels, the channel members work in a group rather than individually. It is either one who owns the others or they are in contract with each other or has so much power that they all corporate (Pride.et.al, 2007). 6.3 Horizontal Marketing System It is an arrangement with two or more companies at the same level linked together to follow a marketing chance (Pride.et.al, 2007). 7.0 Promotion 7.1 Promotion Goals Promotion is communication by marketers that informs, persuades and reminds potential buyers of a product in order to influence an opinion or to get a response. While inform is a communication used to increase understanding of new brand, or a new product. The company explain how the products function, and recommend the new application for product. The other goals of promotion, persuade the customer to buy now. Finally, remind is a task of retaining the customer knowledge and to call attention to the customers about the importance of the products for they might be used in the future (Pride.et.al, 2007). The promotion goal of Perodua Company in the Perodua Myvi product is inform. Perodua Myvi is still the good selling product in the market. It is convenient and suitable for businessman but also good for small family. In addition, Perodua Company gave information about the Perodua Myvi to society by using several methods, such as brochures, internet advertising through Perodua official websites, road show and many more (Pride.et.al, 2007). 7.2 Promotion Tools To communicate with individuals, groups and organisations, various promotional tactics have been used by Perodua. When Perodua merges specific plans used to manage the integrated marketing communications for Perodua Myvi, that combinations form the promotion mix for Perodua Myvi. Advertisement, personal selling and sales promotion some of the elements of promotion mix. The elements of the marketing communications mix Sources from: (Dolak,D 2009) The main promotion mix used by Perodua in promoting Perodua Myvi is advertisement. Advertisement is the activity of attracting public attention to a product or business, as by paid announcements in the print, broadcast, or electronic media (advertising, 2010). Advertisements used by Perodua are television, the internet, newspapers and prints. The benefit of using advertisement is that it can cover a wide range of audience but is very costly. Personal selling is defined as oral communication with potential buyers of a product with the intention of making a sale (promotion-personal selling, n.d). The advantage of this that it can influence the customer more compare to advertisement. The disadvantage is that it depends on the attitude and the skilfulness of the salesperson to convince the customer. Perodua Myvi is sold through direct selling which is face-to-face by using a sales person. The sales person who does not directly work for the company mostly can lower the price of Perodua Myvi to attract customers. This is because they can deduct the price using their commission. While buying from salesperson at the showroom is more convenient as everything is handled by them and also the quality of the service is much better. Sales promotion refers to many kinds of incentives and techniques directed towards consumers and traders with the intention to produce immediate or short-term sales effects (Definition of Sales Promotion, 2010). Perodua have created many sales promotions to aid in the sales of Perodua Myvi such as the scrapping programme which was scheduled on 1 April 2009. This promotion allows customers to trade-in their old car for a reduction of RM5000 off any Perodua cars (Perodua 2009). Another sales promotion is customers can buy a Perodua Myvi on loan for RM347 a month for the first 5 years. If they booked and registered a Myvi from 13 June to 31 July 2009, the customer is entitled to join their contest. 7.3 Communication Process The communication process is a process whereby the sender is marketing their product to the receiver who is the public and except some feedback from them. Interference in this process which prevents the message being conveyed to the receiver is called noise. One of the noises that can affect Perodua promotion is competitors message. Other automobile companies will also have their own promotions to attract customers. They will always try to convince the customers in believing that their product is better than the rest. When P

Its Time To End the Death Penalty :: Anti Capital Punishment

The death penalty is an issue that has been debated for many years, and will be a highly debatable topic in the future. Because the death penalty has never been a clear-cut rule, there is much controversy on weather it is a cruel and savage act of justice or a socialized humane source of punishment. In addition to the fact that innocent people could be sentenced to the death penalty, we as a society do not have the right to take one another’s lives; two wrongs do not make a right.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans are granted constitutional rights that can not be taken away from the individual. Accordingly, each and every person is entitled to a fair and speedy trial. The possibility remains that the lawyer did not fight enough for the innocent person, and therefore, the innocent could be accused of such a crime punishable with the death penalty. Although this does not occur very often, it should never take place. In a society of freedom, our freedoms should not be taken advantage of and misused. Each individual living creature is created by a higher power. The United States of America was founded upon a society with morals and values and most importantly, God. Plants and animals are made for us by God to eat and enjoy, natural death is made by God to regulate population and the death penalty is made by man to punish those who kill. The right to kill those who kill is not granted to any individual, therefore, the death penalty is not a right any person can take advantage of and use as punishment. Punishment for wrongdoing is acceptable, but cruel and unusual punishment is against the law. If our society punishes those who commit horrible crimes such as killing another human being, then is it not considered cruel and unusual punishment to penalize a wrong with a wrong? Children grow up being taught that two wrongs do not make a right, so why is it that children are being taught this lesson when it is truly our justice system that needs this lecture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our society is caught up in trying to do what is right, when all it needs is a wake-up call.

Harmful Chemicals in Cosmetics Essay -- Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics

Although cosmetics became widely popular in the 1900s, tombs from 3100 B.C. have revealed that makeup originated in the first Egyptian Dynasty ("The History of Makeup", 1). Researchers found that these cosmetics contained ingredients that ranged from lead to cat dung; both of which are toxic. The use of toxic chemicals in cosmetics, such as coal tar, negatively impacts a person's health. Cosmetic companies put consumers' health at risk due to the use of toxic chemicals, marketing ploys and failure to properly regulate their own products and the chemicals they contain. While cosmetics pose dangerous risks to the human body in general, pregnant women and their fetus are especially vulnerable to the consequences of being exposed to these toxins. If some women are not willing to give up their cosmetics during pregnancy, the ingredients in makeup can be lethal to the fetus. Nail polishes and hair sprays contain substances called phthalates, which is more commonly known as a plasticizer and can be found in the material to make rain coats and garden hoses, and its purpose is to make plastic more flexible but still strong (â€Å"Controversy Over Phthalates in Cosmetics† par 1) .When phthalates are absorbed into the skin, they could harm the fetus and, in baby boys, they could cause irregular genitals. Another ingredient, methylisothiazoline (or MIT for short), can be found in everyday shampoos and body washes such as Head and Shoulders, Suave and Pantene Hair conditioner, products a pregnant woman may very well use, and tests have shown that exposure to this ingredient could cause abnormal brain development in the fetus ("Popular shampoos contain toxic chemicals linked to nerve damage" par 2). However, these chemicals can cause health defi... ...rench, Christy T. "History of Makeup" (2004): Authors Den. 20, September, 2011. Web. Mercola, Joseph. "How Dangerous are Your Cosmetics?" (2011): Mercola.com: Take Control of Your Health. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. Reid, Brian. "Controversy Over Phthalates in Cosmetics" (2011): Our Stolen Future. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. Rudow, Barbara. Turning Green (2008): California: Scobre Press Corporation. Pages 3, 14, 33. Print. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (2011): Environmental Working Group. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. â€Å"Coal Tar Hair Dyes: Hair Care Cautions† (2011): Hairfinder: Hair Styles, Hair Care & Fashion. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. "Cosmetic and Personal Care Products Can be Cancer Risks" (2011): Cancer Prevention Coalition. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. "Natural and Organic Beauty Products: Behind the Facade" (2011): Articlesbase: Free Online Articles Directory. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.

The Fascinating Town of San Rafael Essay -- Descriptive Essay About A

The Fascinating Town of San Rafael As a young child, I would visit my grandparents in Marin County often. My parents would pack my sister and me up in the car, and we would head north from San Francisco to the small town of Novato. The road to Novato took us through San Rafael, where I would always marvel at the one mile stretch of shopping mall that Highway 101 traversed. However, once we were into the hills of wine country and the shopping mall was a distant memory, so too became San Rafael. It wasn’t until I met Paul, my partner, that I learned the full story behind this fascinating town. San Rafael is located on the wedge of land that divides the San Francisco Bay and the mighty Pacific Ocean. Lying just 10 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Rafael serves as a major shopping destination and is the gateway to Wine Country. Despite its apparent peacefulness, closer examination reveals some interesting contrasts in this suburb of San Francisco, both in the surrounding environment and in the actual inhabitants themselves. Hills dominate much of San Rafael’s geographical profile. Partially located on a large rock quarry, San Rafael’s jagged edges provide stark contrast with its smooth, rolling hills and the nearby China Camp State Park, an almost unknown escape filled with lush greenery and forests. 10 years ago, both the state park and the surrounding hills were covered with oak trees. Recently however, the disease Sudden Oak Death has posed a serious threat to every oak tree in the area. Forestry officials have been forced to burn out any trees that have been infected with the disease, leaving the skeletons of these once mighty trees to dot the landscape. These reminders of nature’s tr... ..., many use drugs as an escape from the expectations of their parents and the intense atmosphere at San Rafael’s several private college preparatory high schools. These schools have a long expectation of both academic and sporting excellence, and those unable to cope with these expectations sometimes see drugs as their only way out. As illustrated here, San Rafael can be seen as a study in contrasts, within its environment, the political beliefs of its citizens, and in the racial and economic breakdown of these citizens. I learned from Paul that San Rafael was much more than I had originally thought. I quickly discovered that it was not, in fact, the pretty little town that existed solely to feed the two large malls it contained, but in fact has its own charms and dirty little secrets. Just like every town across America, it is not exactly what it seems. The Fascinating Town of San Rafael Essay -- Descriptive Essay About A The Fascinating Town of San Rafael As a young child, I would visit my grandparents in Marin County often. My parents would pack my sister and me up in the car, and we would head north from San Francisco to the small town of Novato. The road to Novato took us through San Rafael, where I would always marvel at the one mile stretch of shopping mall that Highway 101 traversed. However, once we were into the hills of wine country and the shopping mall was a distant memory, so too became San Rafael. It wasn’t until I met Paul, my partner, that I learned the full story behind this fascinating town. San Rafael is located on the wedge of land that divides the San Francisco Bay and the mighty Pacific Ocean. Lying just 10 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Rafael serves as a major shopping destination and is the gateway to Wine Country. Despite its apparent peacefulness, closer examination reveals some interesting contrasts in this suburb of San Francisco, both in the surrounding environment and in the actual inhabitants themselves. Hills dominate much of San Rafael’s geographical profile. Partially located on a large rock quarry, San Rafael’s jagged edges provide stark contrast with its smooth, rolling hills and the nearby China Camp State Park, an almost unknown escape filled with lush greenery and forests. 10 years ago, both the state park and the surrounding hills were covered with oak trees. Recently however, the disease Sudden Oak Death has posed a serious threat to every oak tree in the area. Forestry officials have been forced to burn out any trees that have been infected with the disease, leaving the skeletons of these once mighty trees to dot the landscape. These reminders of nature’s tr... ..., many use drugs as an escape from the expectations of their parents and the intense atmosphere at San Rafael’s several private college preparatory high schools. These schools have a long expectation of both academic and sporting excellence, and those unable to cope with these expectations sometimes see drugs as their only way out. As illustrated here, San Rafael can be seen as a study in contrasts, within its environment, the political beliefs of its citizens, and in the racial and economic breakdown of these citizens. I learned from Paul that San Rafael was much more than I had originally thought. I quickly discovered that it was not, in fact, the pretty little town that existed solely to feed the two large malls it contained, but in fact has its own charms and dirty little secrets. Just like every town across America, it is not exactly what it seems.