Factors Involved in the Tanker Contract Essay Example for Free

Factors Involved in the Tanker Contract Essay Issues that relate to security are of key concern to all nations (Meyer, 2007). The national security and internal defense are some of the sectors that are allocated lump sums of resources in the budgetary allocation (Meyer, 2007). Such allocations are in line with the perceived importance that the area of defense has. The united states as a country is no stranger to conflict and is one of the country that has been involved in external conflict for long periods of time both in the 20th and 21st century (Meyer, 2007). The politics involved in the security are some of the most interesting and widely covered happenings in the US press. Financial power is seen to go in line with military power in that countries that have the financial ability tend to develop their military capabilities and the same can be said of countries that have military abilities. National security is an area of key concern and therefore there is lots of secrecy involved in its dealings (Meyer, 2007). The nature of the deals often require utmost confidentiality from the parties involved and therefore many transactions happen in well defined and approved channels. The military association are developed with time and may be extended to association in other areas since its better to develop good relations with persons with security details that could be detrimental to the country if leaked (Meyer, 2007). The military world has been developing with technological improvements and the military equipments currently being used are characterized by more accuracy and considerable throughput (Verkuil, 2007). These two factors are but a few of the considerations in choosing a partner or a contractor that will help in developing certain aspects of the security system (Verkuil, 2007). It therefore does not come as a surprise that military procurement procedures and processes have considerable controversy since people have varied views on efficiency and security implications (Verkuil, 2007). This research paper analyses the issues involved in the airforce contract tender to build tankers between Boeing and Northrop Grumman with the aim of highlighting key issues involved in addressing security critical details. Background Boeing KC-767 is one of the military aerial refueling strategy that had been developed by Boeing 767-200 (CBS News, 2008). The tanker was designated KC-767 after it was selected by the US airforce to replace the KC-135s. However, in December of 2003, the contract was frozen after corruption allegation on the bidding process were forwarded. The development of the project is said to have cost Boeing over $ 1 Billion as the project was based on the assumption that the US airforce will be the chief consumer. Ever since the freezing of the project the Italian and the Chinese government have each ordered a number of these tankers. To address the KC-X competition the Boeing offered the 7627-200 Long range freighter which is based on the KC-767 (Online News Hour, 2008). However, the Department of defense selected KC-30 which was developed by Northrop Grumman (CBS News, 2008). The Boeing company on the 11th March 2008 submitted a protest on the decisions made by the airforce, the United States accountability office upheld their protests and in so doing the status of the KC-45A was placed in doubt and therefore the Boeing company was again in position to bid for the contract (CBS News, 2008). This was no to be since the US government in September 2008 terminated all bids on the KC-X (CBS News, 2008). In March 2002, the US airforce selected Boeings KC-767 on the grounds that it had clearly demonstrated the abilities to meet their requirements. The United States Airforce (USAF) in their acceptance statement brought out four points that they cited as being behind their decision (CBS News, 2008). The Boeings design was designated KC-767A and was included in DODs 2004 model designation report. Approximately 100 KC-767 tankers were leased from Boeing for the air refueling program. Even though the refueling program was in place in many countries in the US, many had questions about its effectiveness and cost implications especially the idea of leasing crafts which may never have any buyer once the lease period was over. This argument brought forward by senator McCain was however countered by the number of US allies who were more than willing to buy their used crafts (CBS News, 2008). The congressional budget office was next in line as they criticized the budget stressing on its fiscal irresponsibility (United States Government Accountability Office, 2008). This led to the striking of a deal where the state would buy 80 KC-767 and lease twenty (United States Government Accountability Office, 2008). However, in December of 2003, the pentagon announced that the project had to be frozen due to a corruption allegation brought against one of its former staffer (CBS News, 2008). Furthermore, documentations that proved that the A330 based tankers were more suited to the task specifications of the airforce were more cost effective relative to Boeing tankers were found (CBS News, 2008). The scandal led to the sentencing of the culprit who pleaded guilty to corruptions and led to the resignation of Boeings CEO. Donald Rumsfeld in 2006 announced the cancellation of the KC-767A leases as a measure aimed at cutting the costs and a redefinition of the USAF mission (United States Government Accountability Office, 2008). The defense secretary further stated that the move will not in any way affects the mission of the KC-767A as the upgrade of the KC-135s fleets will help in moving towards the goals (United States Government Accountability Office, 2008). However, the development did no affect the relationships between Boeing and its other customers. The development were however short lived and Boeing and Northrop were soon back in the ring fighting for a big defense contract. The basis of Boeings arguments was that the KC-30 was more versatile and had a large furl capacity than the KC-135 that were being used by the airforce. The KC-135 was developed by Boeing who were bidding for an airforce contract against their nemesis Northrop Grumman . The latter won this round of battle as the departments of defense announced that it has won the tender to procure 179 new KC-45A tankers (Online News Hour, 2008). The Boeing company almost immediately took to the Government Accountability Office and filed a protests claiming the evaluation of its KC-30 was unfair (Online News Hour, 2008). Boeing further claimed that its refueling tanker could easily be reconverted to a passenger plane compared to Northrops version as shown in the Air forces post decision briefing. According to Boeings vice president they had more strengths than their competitors was all he heard from the post decision briefing. Boeings protests led to a review of the selection process by the accountability office which forced Northrop to freeze the project which it had already allocated $ 35 billion (Online News Hour, 2008). Northrop Grumman executives are on the other hand highlighting the irresponsibility involved in freezing a critical project to the development of the military for expensive lobbying in the congress that will inevitably lead to a change of the decisions made by the airforce (Online News Hour, 2008). Northrop Grumman executives further claim the decision is ironic since they put their best efforts in ensuring that the airforce receives a products that they consider the best in consideration of the design (Online News Hour, 2008). They are pushing for the public knowledge of the facts of what they represents and what they are not. The congress was divided sharply on this issue and so was the general public. Boeing supporters claim that the Northrop Grumman design was a basic passenger airbus plane (Online News Hour, 2008). A Kansas congress man was cited claiming that the decisions made by the airforce was a bad one as the airforce as it has bend backwards to deal with a French company (Online News Hour, 2008). Boeings die hards near its main production facility claimed that it is the only true tanker manufacturers and a mistake had been made (Online News Hour, 2008). A Washington senator supported this point of view and claimed that offering a military contract to a foreign company was suicidal and would incapacitate Americas ability to develop their own fleet if they should ever pull out of the deal (Online News Hour, 2008). An Alabama state senators is of a different view and approached the subject from a resource allocations view point (Online News Hour, 2008). People near Northrop are bound to benefit more that those near the Boeing plants and therefore there senators have opinions that display their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the resource allocations (Online News Hour, 2008). She further states that there have to be losers and winner either way (Online News Hour, 2008). The Boeing group further accuse the airforce of a change in parameter in order to accommodate the design put up by Northrop Grumman so as to ensure two bidders are present (Online News Hour, 2008). Even though many are of the view that the airforce was trying to lock out Boeing due to the scandals it previously had, Boeing executives were of the view that was not the case as the specifications that were asked by the airforce were changed considerably to ensure Northrop was in the race (Online News Hour, 2008). They further claim that the large sized tanker proposed by the Northrop was a liability and only countries not interested in their taxi ways would allow for such aircrafts. The Northrop group however counter this argument by stating that their design is more sophisticated and has advantages that are yet to be seen (Online News Hour, 2008). Issues Boeing is one of the worlds best known manufactures of aircrafts and so is Northrop Grumman who are the manufacturers of the airbus (Online News Hour, 2008). These are two top brands who are obviously competing in other areas of business and therefore any decision that involve them is bound to raise considerable heat. It should b noted that both are American companies though Northrop Grumman is partly owned by a French company. The nature of the contract which involves the security of America as a nation is a matter of national concern as it involves the development of structures that could ensure the growth of security systems. Boeing and Grumman being business structures, such a big contract will obviously attract the interest of stakeholders from both sides. There are a number of key issues that have been brought out by the airforce contracts which include: i. Politics Military contracts are a matter of public concern since it is in place to protect the public, the resources used in the military contracts are derived from taxpayers and therefore the failure of such projects will be a waste of taxpayers money (Meyer, 2007). When McCain questioned the cost effectiveness in leasing planes that would otherwise have no values when their lease period was over his motive as the senator of Alabama was to ensure that the taxpayers money is channeled to useful projects. Furthermore, it is quite clear that the politicians have the ability to shoot down potentially useful deals due to what Northrop Grumman executives refer to as expensive lobbying. Politics is not always objective for there are situations where the stakes involved are shielded from the public and though the politics and viewpoints will be developed to suit the public, the real reasons are often personal (Meyer, 2007). The inclusion of politics in such cases therefore has both advantages and disadvantages and should be weighed carefully. Military procurement just like any other public procurement scheme is prone to corruption, this was the case in the original contract that was brought to an end by Rumsfeld in 2006. Moreover, the big money involved in military procurement processes act as a natural catalysts for corruption, therefore there is need to come up with a robust self regulated systems that will ensure that such unethical practices are not in anyway included in the procurement process, the congress thus comes into the picture (Meyer, 2007). However, the political system is not known for its objectivity. In the cases, some of the reasons brought out against Northrop Grumman are flimsy and lack in objectivity. The fact that there will be lobbying is a clear sign that there will be loss in objectivity thus the decision will tend to favor groups that are be able to garner enough political support in the congress. Furthermore, the political system is one of the most corrupt system there is and the rationale in placing such a system to guard against corruption is questionable. ii. Security Military procurement is a security critical matter (Meyer, 2007). The military is in place to ensure that the US is protected against its external enemies (Meyer, 2007). The seriousness with which the equipment tendering process is treated and the keen eye that the media watches the unfolding of such events relay the importance placed on the military by the American people. The US is traditionally a fighting nation and the effectiveness of its military and equipments is one of the factors that has cemented its place as a world power. Military activities require high levels of secrecy (Meyer, 2007). There is need to come up with effective equipments that can be used in varied situations. It should be noted that the arguments brought forward by the executives from both sides are centered around the superiority of their products or the weaknesses of their opposite. The need for accuracy and well developed products that have the required reputation are some of the considerations that led to the two big companies making it to the final stage. The two companies are multinationals that have developed their brands all over the globe. It is noteworthy that when the US defense secretary cancels Boeings leases other nations still seek their products and are continues seeking the products that have been labeled cost ineffective due to the reputation associated with their brand name. The importance of the security system is seen in the number of avenues and legislative systems that have been put in place to ensure that the process is done in a just manner (Krishnan, 2008). When the airforce declares that Northrop Grumman had won the bid for the airforce tankers, Boeing seeks redress through a different avenue: Public accountability office. The office looks at their complaints and decides to freeze the process. It should be noted that it was the same office that had early in the decades frozen a billion dollar Boeing contract due to corruption charges. Even though there are systems put in place to ensure proper procedures in procurement of services and services, they can be outdone easily (Krishnan, 2008). The corruption allegations made in the initial Boeing contracts are a clear case where the protocols were overridden and it only came to realization a couple of months after the contracts had been signed. Furthermore, the fact that is was later found out that a different design could meet the specifications made by the airforce with reduced costs clearly show that even though the guidelines are put in place they are rarely followed thus the need for a system or authority that will follow up on the recommendations and processes to ensure that they conform to the laid out guidelines. Some politicians have argued that the French affiliation of the airbus manufacturer is in itself a security risk and therefore a purely American company should be contracted. However, such a contracting systems will obviously lock out other capable companies and therefore bring about questions on the integrity of the bidding process. America has prided itself as being a liberalized nation, putting up measures that will lock out other qualified members on the basis of the compositions of its investors is contrary to the spirit of liberalization. Furthermore, being involved with a company that has partnered with a success story in Europe shields the tanker project from American economic downtimes though it effectively ensures that the project is affected by the happening in Europe. It is unrealistic to lobby for Boeing on the basis of confidentiality; a company that has already shown traces of corruption cannot be trusted and neither can a company that is yet to prove its worth in the military sector. Therefore, system should be put in place to ensure that the projects are monitored and compared to some given standards if either is to be awarded the contract. iii. Stability The US is the father of capitalism and is therefore a country that is characterized by intense competition between industry players who will always be on the look for additional finances that will ensure their development into the future (Verkuil, 2007). On the day it was reported that Northrop Grumman had won the military contracts its share prices rose by over 20 cents and Boeings shares fell by a couple of cents (CBS News, 2008). Note, the development in the contract procurement were being watched by investors who will then make their decisions on which company to invest in. Even though the large money involved in the transactions may be enough to lure investors into channeling their resources to a particular company, the reputation involved in being a company contracted with one of the worlds best airforce to develop its aircraft tankers is enough to cause significant changes in the companys share index. Being a capitalistic economy where entities gain at the expense of others, Boeing is bound to feel the pinch. The situation is made worse by the consideration that Boeing has a well developed reputation and therefore failure to win a contract from a partner that it has associated with for a long time may be taken by the investors and its consumers in the wrong light. It may imply that the partner does not trust its capacity to develop superiors products or has doubts on its potential to remain productive. To bring the idea of reputation into perspective, many are of the notion that the corruptions charges brought against Boeing may have affected its chances of successfully bidding for the contract (Verkuil, 2007). This holds considerable weight in that the military is not all about facilities but also reputation. The American people and its enemies will always keep a keen eye on the military and any transactions conducted with a partner who is proved to be corrupt will dent on its integrity thus its reputation. Conclusion Awarding a contract to a company to deliver services that are of public interest is a complex process and will always involve the media and many other systems that have been put in place to ensure the safety of the public. Individual good and interest will always be central in the arguments brought forward by most people, this is more pronounced if the contract will significantly affect many people. It is therefore upon the government and the social systems to ensure that the systems put in place to ensure effectiveness of the bidding process are functioning properly and are robust enough to deal with the dynamism associated with such processes. If need be, changes must be instituted to ensure that the system are functioning. The products delivered must measure up to some predetermined standards to ensure quality and accountability. These measures and other quality management measures if well integrated into the bidding and implementation of contracts that are of public interest will ensure that the public benefits in the best possible way. Word Count: 3271 Reference List CBS News (2008). Boeing Spurned On Huge Air Force Contract. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2008/02/29/business/main3894669. shtml? source=RSSattr=Business_3894669 Krishnan, A. (2008). War as Business: Technological Change and Military Service Contracting. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Meyer, J. (2007). Working in a War Zone: Military Contractors. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Online News Hour (2008). Boeing, Northrop Grumman Clash Over Tanker Contract. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from http://www. pbs. org/newshour/bb/military/jan-june08/tanker_05-06. html. United States Government Accountability Office (2008). Statement Regarding the Bid Protest Decision Resolving the Aerial Refueling Tanker Protest by The Boeing Company. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from http://www. governmentexecutive. com/pdfs/061808cd1. pdf Verkuil, R. (2007). Outsourcing Sovereignty: Why Privatization of Government Functions Threatens Democracy and what We Can Do about it. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Focusing on the first scene Essay Example for Free

Focusing on the first scene Essay At the beginning of the play, from Alfieris monologue you can tell that there is constant tension between the people in the neighbourhood because of when he says how I often think that behind that suspicious little nod of theirs lie three thousand years of distrust. This shows that this trust hasnt been broken recently, it has been going back generations upon generations. The comment Oh, there were many here who were justly shot by unjust men. Justice is very important here says to the reader that no matter how much violence it may lead to it will be done, and in the hands of the Italian civilians. They dont go to the police and instead fight it out themselves. Things are obviously starting to calm down now though because Alfieri no longer keeps a pistol in his filing cabinet and says that people are now quite civilized, quite American. When we first meet the Carbone family, we see an excited Catherine welcoming Eddie home from a long day of working in the docks. Catherine obviously has been waiting around for his approval of her new dress because she is very excited when she asks him what he thinks, (running her hands over her skirt) I just got it. You like it? and when he also asks about her hair change she wants his immediate approval. Eddie delivers with flattering comments like oh, your mother was alive to see you now and you look like one of them girls that went to college which is a complement in itself because it is saying she looks smart and sophisticated and not like any average person. Eddies comment about how the dress looks a bit short when she sits down and how she walks is what reveals his protectiveness over her and how she may look attractive to other men. Listen, you been giving me the willies the way you walk down the street Im telling you youre walking wavy He doesnt like that she may seem attractive to other guys in the neighbourhood. This upsets Catherine because Eddies approval obviously must mean so much to her. She even almost breaks into tears because he disapproves of how she walks. Eddie has always treated Catherine like a baby, even now when shes 17 years old he says Youre a baby, you dont understand these things. when he talks about her waving to Louis he warns her that I could tell you things about Louis which you wouldnt wave to him no more. Louis is obviously not the nice guy that Catherine thinks he his and seems like he has a dark past. From Catherines comment about how I wish there was one guy you couldnt tell me about means that Eddies has a dark story about every guy in the neighbourhood which is so bad it would actually lead to an end of conversation between them and Catherine. Beatrice and Eddies relationship has an obvious problem which is that he has more feelings for Catherine than he does for Beatrice. Which Beatrice realises but Eddie doesnt. At the beginning Beatrice isnt so open about the fact that she knows Eddies has feelings for his niece, but after some time she starts to argue with Eddie whenever its just them left in the room. But right now at the beginning Beatrice doesnt speak it out. When Eddie tells Catherine that Beatrices cousins have landed, B. is very concerned about how the house looks and that she hasnt bought a new table cloth (astounded and afraid) Im I just I cant believe it! I didnt even buy a new tablecloth; I was gonna wash the walls. Eddie is actually a nice and caring person and not just the guy who brings in the money. He reassures Beatrice that Listen, theyll think its a millionaires house compared to the way they live this calms her down a bit but she is still a little doubtful until Eddie says Youre saving their lives, whatre you worrying about the table cloth? They probably didnt see a tablecloth in their whole life where they come from which begins to calm her down. When Beatrice and Catherine reveal to Eddie that Catherine may start working, it isnt surprising that Eddie is worried because he has feelings for her and obviously doesnt want her to go to work and meet other men. Also Eddie obviously usually has say in the house because as soon as they say Catherine has a job he replies with what job? Shes gonna finish school. When Catherine tries to change his mind he interrupts her and says No no, you gonna finish school. It seems everything has to go through eddies approval before anybody can make any changes to anything. But when the two women manage to get him to half agree he still isnt sure about it. The stage direction showing that hes strangely nervous proves this. It seems like there is no end to his questions because it goes from wheres the job? What company? to Nostrand Avenue and where? to what about all the stuff you wouldnt learn this year though. Eddie is just trying to keep Catherine at school so she will still be living in the house. If she makes her own money sooner or later she will move away. If she has been offered a job and been told she is the best student in the class there is no more for her to learn. Then it turns to That aint what I wanted, though. Which shows that Eddie had a plan set out for Catherine this whole time which would probably keep her in the house for as long as possible and now she wont be following it. He still tries to convince her that she shouldnt go to work by saying Near the Navy Yard plenty can happen in a block and a half. And a plumbing company! Thats one step over the water front. Theyre practically longshoremen. Eddie himself is a longshoreman so this obviously means if she is going to leave he wants her to leave to better people than himself or Louis or the plumbers at her stenography job. Beatrice replies with Yeah, but shell be in the office, Eddie but again its not what Eddie had in mind. He had had good intentions for Catherine because he wanted her to be with different kind of people. I want you to be in a nice office. Maybe a lawyers office in New York in one of them nice buildings. He obviously doesnt want her to go because when Beatrice tells him to think about it (he is silent, staring down at the tablecloth, fingering the pattern). Beatrice tells him that shell get out of the subway and be in the office in two minutes but Eddie is somehow sickened by the idea of her working in that neighbourhood. After some time Eddie actually agrees to let her work, Catherine is excited and says that she will buy new dishes with her first pay and Eddie replies with a sudden and then youll move away Catherine denies this accusation but Eddie still carries on with Why not? Thats life. And youll come visit on Sundays, then once a month, then Christmas and New Years, finally Catherine again denies the accusation but Eddie is hurt that she will be leaving him and the house and this shows he isnt ready to move on yet.

Factors Influencing MNCs Investment Choice in India

Factors Influencing MNCs Investment Choice in India The Asian economies have been the main focus of global investors for last few years because of their growth nature and the way they facilitate the establishments of new businesses. Within these economies, India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan and many other countries are included the essence of these countries is that they promote overall development in terms of more and more investments from domestic as well as foreign investors for the improvement in their gross domestic product and standard of living. All of these countries have their own core strengths to attract investors, for China it is their abundant cheap labour resource, for India it is the quality of available talent that has created a mark in the global space in the software, services industries. India possesses one of the greatest potential the Democratic government that formulates various policies to benefit the common people of the country. To improve the livelihood, provide better facilities for the citizens the GOI is always committed to invest more and more. Therefore all these factors have actually made India a place full of opportunities not only in the services sector but also in the manufacturing domain. As more private and government funded institutes are coming up with better facilities for learning and development in the both professional and personal fields, students are getting the feel of the corporate world and the criticalities involved therein. Indian economy has been the major centre of attraction for all of the developed nations. More and more MNCs are looking forward to build a long term comprehensive and sustainable relationship with Indian companies to enter the lucrative Indian market. FDI has been one of the major sources of investments in the sunrise industries as well as core industries that need a revamp in terms of innovative practices and management policies. The proportion of FDI and economic growth are positively correlated and combination of both is actually driving the overall GDP of the country. India is poised to be one of the biggest economies, thus it needs more and more collaboration with global organizations that would lead towards more employment that can actually move up the consumption pattern of the citizens to sustain growth trajectory even in time of economic recession. Whether India possesses any geographical locational advantages or not, or whether MNCs believe that owning the establishments in any foreign location would help them grab the market more quickly these are few issues which would be analyzed in detail. This thesis report outlines the factors pertaining to India, those attract foreign companies to invest in India through direct and indirect path and how it has been the core strength of the country to grow depending on the investments made by both domestic as well International business houses. Finding out those elements whose impact has been significant in the Indian growth story would be of utmost importance from the purview of this study. Concepts from various models have been undertaken to understand the underlying theory and analyze from the point of view of an investor as well as the foreign location of investment. B. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY The coverage of the study includes finding out the opportunities and potential hindrances for investment in various sectors in India. Now a days India is being compared with China, Russia in terms of their economic growth and also market strength to sustain any kind of global economic disaster and also to keep moving the wheel of growth. We would analyze the critical scenarios of already present in the economy based on few models and understand the potential of future investments and try to match whether there are any opportunities for even smaller Indian players to become a part of the growth story. We would keep a track of the sectors which are very small now but showing a good promise for investors and how the GOI should take care of the rules and regulations so as to make the entry path very easy. Exports have been Indias major strength and its actually shortening the gap between import and export. That is a very good sign of improvement of overall market sentiments. OBJECTIVES/ PURPOSE OF THE STUDY- To find out the factors which drive various sectors of the Indian economy and analyze the outcomes of investments already made. The project would specifically concentrate on the potential of the country in attracting investors from different geographies. We would use the Dunnings OLI model, Uppsala model, Transaction cost theory etc and many more to find out what drives the foreign MNCs to look for Indian markets. Which are the major domestic player as well as International players those are operating in India presently and which are the pockets or zones that are giving them a major boost in their business growth? Also we would understand the market operating challenges faced by them and what are the measures that they implement to overcome those. D. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY- We would go through the movements of export goods and how the final products or services have changed its form considering the two different eras pre and post economic liberalization. We would design a questionnaire and administer it among a particular target group to find out their psychology or their opinion about the suitable direction for the investment portfolio of various organizations and according to them where the growth potential lies and where the country is lacking as compared to other economies. We would implement the concept from different models and find out what are the elements which are the main catalyst behind Indias growth saga. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESIS E1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS:- The research would incorporate these questions during the research and try to analyze from various point of views. Q1. What are the ownership advantages that a MNC can possess? Q2. Whether is it better to own or outsource the operations for a particular foreign location? Q3. What elements form the locational advantages for a foreign country for any investor? Q4. Does Internalization really give an edge over other methods of investments? Q5. Is Internalization a step by step process or it can be achieved directly? Q6. What is the implication of culture/geographical proximity for the case of foreign investments? So these are the broad areas which would be discussed in this thesis report to understand the driving factors for foreign investments. HYPOTHESIS:- The kind of growth potential the Indian market is promising is full of hopes even for the younger generation because it would provide job opportunities in a huge volume. There has been birth of a bread of young entrepreneurs who want to make their mark by doing something for their own as well as benefit the overall economy. So the transaction cost theory would be used to analyze the initial set up costs, various commission based charges that any business need to incur. The basic hypothesis would be build upon the fact to find out the several factors those influence foreign investors to choose India as one of their major investment destination. Transaction Cost Theory shows us that any MNC would like to optimize its transaction cost of initiating any business process in any new geography. Uppsala model shows the direction towards an efficient process followed by MNCs while making the investment decision in a foreign location. H1. Do OLI advantages make a country favourable for investments? H2. Step by step internalization process makes MNCs more efficient as compared to the direct internalization process H3. Transaction costs are basically sunk costs for a MNC H4. Gaining experience of domestic markets facilitates the decision making process for investment in foreign location H5.Geographical and Cultural factors significantly impact the investment decision LITERATURE REVIEW Indias major advantages are its availability of good quality talents hugely required for the software and services industry, cheap labour wages facilitating operational issues at a very lower cost as compared to other developing nations. Its strategic location and the kind of international border it shares with its neighbouring nations give it an edge over other Asian economies in terms of accessibility of raw materials and markets to export produced goods. The GOI has taken several measures to make investments in India simpler by means of promoting SEZs, STPs with lower tax regime. The kind of growth potential it promises is immense in terms of volume of business as well as value. Being the largest democracy in the world, the laws would actually become more and more citizen friendly and thus leading towards sustainable business environment. Transaction cost theory states that when the internal transaction costs are higher than external costs then the company would outsource some of its jobs to other agencies and downsize. And when the reverse is true the organization would grow. Both the situations are understandable from the figure given below. (SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transaction_costs) The literature review would focus on the following points OLI ADVANTAGES The ownership, locational and Internationalization are the major factors that drive the investment decision for any MNC. India in a way possesses one of the most important resources the pool of available talent. Geographically also India has an advantage over Russia and many other countries the climatic conditions are also is suitable for any kind of businesses. Many foreign MNCs are entering the Indian market by means of joint venture and many are initiating in the SEZs to get tax benefits. TRANSACTION COSTS: HOW TO GET THE MAXIMUM OUT OF IT Transaction costs are generally the cost of participating in a market; this may vary from market to market as well as category to category of products or services. The bargaining cost is the most important one because it decides the capabilities of the investors, like how well can they manage their channel partners? UPPSALA MODEL This model determines the step by step procedures those are followed by MNCs in order to get the feel of the market. Any organization would not mind to have few orders from foreign clients to find out their own prospect in that market and if they feel that they have the required potential, it may lead to full fledged investments in terms of machinery, labors etc. DATA COLLECTION METHOD H1. PRIMARY The primary data would be collected by means of administering the research questionnaire among a specific target group. The target group may be People from various background working in several industries with market knowledge for more than 3 years H2. SECONDARY The sources of secondary information would mainly be journals, magazines. PROPOSED ANALYSIS OF DATA The data output from the questionnaire would be analyzed using statistical tools and applying the present market conditions. We would find out the factors those drive the export growth and what the GI needs to perform to attract more investment both from domestic as well as International players. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY- The upshot of the study would provide us with an understanding about the factors those drive the investment decision for any MNC considering the Indian market. Various models would help us to analyze the pros and cons of the market conditions and find out the flexibility, accessibility of the market. More and more foreign MNCs are trying to grab the growing Indian market, because within the next 15-20 years India is poised to become one of the global super powers. And that means it would need overall support from various spheres of the geography manufacturing, agriculture, services etc. So it is better for the MNCs to start finding out their core competencies specifically for India and look for suitable options for investments. So from investment choice point of view this report would give us insights that might help any MNC planning to enter the Indian market LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY- This report would entail few models that can define the potential of the market; it would clearly distinguish between various factors which influence the investment decision. So it would not be possible to consider the strength and weaknesses of every company to find out their core competencies before investing; it would not encompass the criticalities involved for all the industries in India. But overall it would generate sufficient idea that would guide any investor while choosing the lucrative Indian market.

The Mayas, Aztecs, And Incas Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations each originated from Latin America. Some Mayans lived in southern Mexico in the present day states of Chipas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yacatan, and Quintana Roo. Other Mayans lived in Central America in the countries of Belize, Guatemala, and ancient Honduras. The Incas lived in an Empire which they called Tawantinsuyu. Tawantinsuya means four parts. The Incas lived in present day Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. The four parts were a long coastal strip, the high peaks and deep fertile valleys of the Andes, and the mountainous edges of the tropical forest to the East. The Aztecs were from Aztlan in either north or northwest Mexico.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each Maya City governed it's surrounding area and some large cities each controlled one or more smaller cities. A Maya City ruler would be succeeded by his younger brother or son. This led generations of a single family to rule for hundreds of years. Inca leaders kept their power by giving entertainment and luxurious goods as gifts to the people. The citizens paid taxes in return for these gifts. In the Inca culture, the emperor married his sister and his generals would be his relatives. The Inca rulers were allowed to govern independently. The Aztec power was held together by land ownership. A few families shared a piece of land and part of the land was given to the state as a tax.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Entire Maya families ...

Jamaican Culture and Society Essay examples -- American History

Jamaican Culture and Society I. Introduction- Retracing the Remnants of Colonialism: When discussing and analyzing contemporary Caribbean culture one must not fail to acknowledge the dreadful legacies of colonialism and imperialism. Contemporary Caribbean society, politics, and economics thinly veil the ramifications of a colonial and hegemonic past. Due to the remnants of colonial institutions such as slavery and the plantation system, the Caribbean has experienced a range of negative societal effects, namely the consolidation of a unifying cultural identity. The demise of colonialism in the Caribbean did not mark the end of social stratification based on racial and ethnic divisions. The prevailing racial distinctions and hierarchy that characterized colonialism via the institution of slavery have historically thwarted any systematic attempt to create a distinct national cultural identity. Thus, this study of the Jamaican culture and society will intimately relate racial ideologies and social class structures in order to illustrate the dynamics of the Jamaican cultu ral identity crisis. II. The Emergence and Implications of a Social Caste System: The post-colonial period in the Caribbean posed the challenge of creating nation states with thriving societies that would meet the desires and destinies of their inhabitants. Jamaica, which recently attained its independence from Great Britain in 1962, was indeed no exception to this challenge. In fact, Jamaica, like many of its Caribbean counterparts, "had an inordinate difficulty in creating and maintaining a strong, cohesive national sensibility" (Knight, 307). The difficulty of creating a cohesive national identity initially emerged in the post-emancipation period in J... ...liography- Excerpts taken from: Michelle Cliff’s essay, "If I Could Write This With Fire." Henriques, Fernando. Jamaica: Land of Wood and Water. Maggibbon & Kee: London. 1957 Knight, Franklin. The Caribbean: The Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism. Oxford University Press: New York, 1990. Lawson, Winston Arthur. Religion and Race: African and European Roots in Conflict- A Jamaican Testament. Peter Lang Publishing: New York, 1996. Morris, Mervyn. "Making West Indian Literature" University of the West Indies 2013. Web 9 May 2015. http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1280&context=anthurium Nettleford, Rex. Caribbean Cultural Identity: The case of Jamaica- An Essay in Cultural Dynamics. UCLA Publications: Los Angeles. Nettleford, Rex. Identity, Race and Protest in Jamaica. William Morrow & Company: New York, 1972.

O’Connor’s Mission Essay -- Literary Analysis

It is a given that Flannery O’Connor is one of the most recognized southern female writers. This is mostly due to the pure religious content and reality in her writings. One of those stories, â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† is one that combines her love of religion with her personal experience. It is a story on which its simple beginning tricks the reader, and its complex ending brings both questions and tears. What looks like just a field trip vacation turns into an unnecessary massacre for the purpose of understanding both religion and the human race. In â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† O’Connor is able to leave impressions of her life on the location, characters, and scenes by the use of her love of religion and life experiences. Most of her life, Flannery O’Connor traveled around the United States, yet most of her life was spent in a place near Milledgeville, Georgia (May 17). On this detail, we can infer that it was no coincidence that she picked Georgia as her starting location for the story. It was a town she knew best, and could certainly describe to the perfection any places that she would’ve wanted to add. In the case of the story, O’Connor only describes one place, The Tower, and a little restaurant inside it where the family dines in. â€Å"The tower was a part stucco and part filling station and dance hall set in a clearing outside the Timothy† (O’Connor 302). Deferring from this description, O’Connor must have been in that place at least ten times; because a person who has never been to Georgia could never know what The Tower, its location and the Timothy were, nor would they have been able to guess on such a place. O’Connor included some of her l ife settings in order to make the story’s setting more realistic and credib... ...ically with â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† Flannery O’Connor shows her biography to the world, and keeps her identity hidden while making a realistic story that we can all learn and ponder about. Works Cited "Flannery O’Connor." Georgia Literary Festival. Georgia College and state University, 12 Dec 2000. Web. 27 Mar 2012. . Magee, Rosemary M. Conversations with Flannery O'Connor. Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1987. 5-10. Print. May, Charles â€Å"Career, Life, and Influence† Critical Insights Flannery O'Connor. 1st edition. Salem Press, 2012. 3-22. Print. O’Connor Flannery â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find† The Norton Introduction To Literature. Shorter 10th ed. Booth, Alison, and Kelly J. Mays. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Co Inc., 2010. 299-310. Print.

Themes of Romeo and Juliet

Themes of â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† Love as a Cause of Violence The themes of death and violence permeate Romeo and Juliet, and they are always connected to passion, whether that passion is love or hate. The connection between hate, violence, and death seems obvious. But the connection between love and violence requires further investigation. Love, in Romeo and Juliet, is a grand passion, and as such it is blinding; it can overwhelm a person as powerfully and completely as hate can.The passionate love between Romeo and Juliet is linked from the moment f its inception with death: Tybalt notices that Romeo has crashed the feast and determines to kill him Just as Romeo catches sight of Juliet and falls instantly in love with her. From that point on, love seems to push the lovers closer to love and violence, not farther from it. Romeo and Juliet are plagued with thoughts of suicide, and a willingness to experience it: in Act 3, scene 3, Romeo brandishes a knife in Friar Lawrence's c ell and threatens to kill himself after he has been banished from Verona and his love.Juliet also pulls a knife in order to take her own life in Friar Lawrence's resence Just three scenes later. After Capulet decides that Juliet will marry Paris, Juliet says, â€Å"If all else fail, myself have power to die† This theme continues until its inevitable conclusion: double suicide. This tragic choice is the highest, most potent expression of love that Romeo and Juliet can make. It is only through death that they can preserve their love, and their love is so profound that they are willing to end their lives in its defence.In the play, love emerges as an amoral thing, leading as much to destruction as to happiness. But in its extreme passion, the love that Romeo and Juliet experience also appears so exquisitely beautiful that few would want, or be able, to resist its power. Fate From the beginning, we know that the story of Romeo and Juliet will end in tragedy. We also know that the ir tragic ends will not result from their own personal defects but from fate, which has marked them for sorrow. Emphasizing fate's control over their destinies, the Prologue tells us these â€Å"star-crossed lovers'† relationship is deathmarked.In Act l, Scene it, as Lord Capulet's servant is searching for someone ho can read the guest list to him, Benvolio and Romeo enters Completely by chance, Capulet's servant meets Romeo and Benvolio, wondering if they know how to read. This accidental meeting emphasizes the importance of fate in the play. Romeo claims it is his â€Å"fortune† to read † indeed, â€Å"fortune† or chance has led Capulet's servant to him † and this scene prepares us for the tragic inevitability of the play. The lovers will be punished not because of flaws within their personalities but because fate is against them.Ironically, the servant invites Romeo to the Capulet's house, as long as e is not a Montague, to â€Å"crush a cup of w ine. † Only fate could manufacture this unlikely meeting with Capulet's illiterate servant, as only fate will allow Romeo to trespass into the Capulet's domain and meet Juliet. In Romeo and Juliet, death is everywhere. Even before the play shifts in tone after Mercutio's death, Shakespeare makes several references to death being Juliet's bridegroom. The threat of violence that pervades the first acts manifests itself in the latter half of the play, when key characters die and the titular lovers approach their terrible end.There are several ways in which the characters in Romeo and Juliet consider death. Romeo attempts suicide in Act Ill as an act of cowardice, but when he seeks out the Apothecary in Act V, it is a sign of strength and solidarity. The Chorus establishes the story's tragic end at the beginning of the play, which colours the audience's experience from the start – we know that this youthful, innocent love will end in tragedy. The structure of the play as a tragedy from the beginning makes Romeo and Juliet's love even more heart breaking because the audience is aware of heir impending deaths.The Journey of the play is the cycle from love to death – and that is what makes Romeo and Julie so lasting and powerful. Age Throughout Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare establishes the ideological divide that often separates youths from adults. The characters in the play can all be categorized as either young, passionate characters or older, more functional characters. The youthful characters are almost exclusively defined by their energy and impulsiveness – like Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, and Tybalt. Meanwhile, the older characters all view the orld in terms of politics and expediency.The Capulet and Montague patriarchs are certainly feisty competitors, but think in terms of victory as a concept, ignoring the potential emotional toll of their feud. Friar Laurence, who ostensibly represents Romeo and Juliet's interests, sees their union i n terms of its political outcome, while the young lovers are only concerned with satisfying their rapidly beating hearts. While Shakespeare does not posit a moral to the divide between young and old, it appears throughout the play, suggesting that the cynicism that comes with age is one f the many reasons that humans inevitably breed strife amongst themselves.It also implicitly provides a reason for young lovers to seek to separate themselves from an ‘adult' world of political violence and bartering. Revenge Romeo and Juliet suggests that the desire for revenge is both a natural and a devastating human quality. From the moment that the play spirals towards disaster in Act Ill, most of the terrible events are initiated by revenge. Tybalt seeks out Romeo and kills Mercutio from a half-cooked desire for revenge over Romeo's attendance at he masquerade ball, and Romeo kills Tybalt to avenge Mercutio.Romeo's desire for revenge is so overpowering that he does not pause to think abou t how his attack on Tybalt will compromise his recent marriage to Juliet. Of course, the basic set-up of the play is contingent on a long-standing feud between the Montagues and Capulets, the cause of which no longer matters. All that matters is that these families have continued to avenge forgotten slights for generations. Though Shakespare rarely, if ever, moralizes, Romeo and Juliet certainly presents revenge as a senseless action