Mini-Assignment #1 †Case: Mccain Foods Limited

1. If you were in charge of the Asian operations for McCain, how would you recommend the company overcome the challenges in the Chinese market? Being a foreigner in any market is a challenge, if I were in charge of the Asian operations for McCain I would first gain an understanding of what appeals to the Chinese market. This way I will be able to produce a product that will not only satisfy the Chinese consumers but also not offend them.For example, in regards to packaging, the Chinese market are very attracted to the colour red as it conveys good luck and good fortune while our company should avoid the colour white as it represents death and mourning. It is simple details like these that the Chinese market would become more comfortable and willing to accept western food. Additionally, prices of the McCain products may be seen as overpriced compared to local Chinese products.A different approach being in charge of the Asian operations would be to adjust the prices of our products, pe rhaps set them at a price lower than the standard in order to appeal to the Chinese consumers who are not familiar with McCain. Lowering the price will allow consumers to give McCain foods an opportunity to show western foods can be accepted. Once McCain foods have become more familiarized with the Chinese community our company would be able to raise prices as we have already established an appealing brand with consumers.Another effective decision to overcome the challenges in the Chinese market would be to improve advertising of McCain products. Advertising campaigns including celebrities endorsing products have proved numerous times they improve sales and overall awareness of the brand. The reason for this is because especially in the Chinese market, when consumers see celebrities they look up to become associated with a product, it gravitates their interest towards that certain brand or product. 2. Drawing from Hofstede’s work on global cultures, what challenges might Cana dian managers at McCain face when interacting with their Chinese business colleagues?Hofstede’s work on global cultures includes power distance, individualism-collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity-femininity. The challenges in regards to power distance include that Canadians may treat subordinates more fairly and equally unlike Chinese managers who believe in formal authority and knowing your place of rank within the company/business. The challenges with power distance Canadian managers may face will initially be establishing a relationship with Chinese business colleagues.They may find that the Chinese are less willing to exchange information and communicate with one another as Canadians follow a more democratic view versus the Chinese following an autocratic view. Secondly Canadians may face challenges with individualism-collectivism as their scores differ vastly. The mindset of the two cultures clash as Canadians have an un-biased take when it comes to hirin g and promotions; solely looking at performance and the potential of that person while the Chinese take on a more biased view giving higher priority towards people managers have a connection with such as family members.The main challenges would be compromising on how to promote and hire employees with such different views. Essentially Chinese business colleagues have an approach of comparing results with other companies whereas Canadians look at a broader picture, viewing productivity/efficiency success. The challenge both cultures will have to face is compromising management styles to please employees as well as contribute towards the company’s success. Bibliography: China – Geert Hofstede. 2 Feb. 2013 Canada – Geert Hofstede. 2 Feb. 2013

How to Tell a True War Story Essay

O’Briens â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story†, is a compilation of war stories and some experiences that men have had while away from home, at war during a battle. The theme of O’Briens short story is to always look at the positive side of all things that may happen in one’s life. There is a positive side in every single action that takes place in people’s lives. O’Brien tries to explain a war story as best as he can but, most believe that to actually know the events that happened and how gory or pleasant each little thing was, one must experience it themselves. O’Brien’s objective is to prove to the audience that it is next to impossible to tell a â€Å"true† war story and be able to explain all of the details in which are seen throughout a war. In the story, the plot is not an easy one to follow. This is caused by the author putting multiple war stories into one complete story. The following quote is an example of O’Brien trying to express as many minor details as possible: â€Å"They carry the soldier’s greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing. Men killed, and died, because they were embarrassed not to. It was what had brought them to the war in the first place, nothing positive, no dreams of glory or honor, just to avoid the blush of dishonor. They died so as not to die of embarrassment.†(O’Brien 1152) This quote is a direct quote from a different short story pertaining to war. Obrien uses this type of writing to try and capture as many minor details as possible in the short story. In the story, this quote explains how every man away from at war is trying to mask their emotions as well as their fear of dying. In the short story called â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story,† the narrator Tim O’Brien himself has a friend who went to war in Vietnam. His friend Curt Lemon, Tim O’Brien however does not return home to his friends and family after the war is over. In the story, there aren’t any morals. Most people believe war is an awful place and they are exactly correct. The theme of O’Briens short story, â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story,† is to always look at the positive side of things that happen in one’s life. It takes a true soldier who has been in Vietnam fighting in the war to take a positive look at the tings occurring in his life. Shortly after the death of Rat Kiley’s best friend, Curt Lemon writes a letter to Lemons sister, Kileys friend who recently passed: â€Å"He was a slim, dead, and almost dainty young man of about twenty. Hel lay with one leg bent beneath him, his jaw in his throat, his face neither expressive nor in exp ressive. One eye shut. The other was a shaped hole.† (O’Brien 1151) This quote is some of the details in Rat Kileys letter to his dead friend and fellow solider, Curt Lemon. The audience expects the letter to be full of positive things because this is how Rat Kiley looked at certain things though his own eyes. The audience is led to believe that he constantly took a positive outlook in life, which is how all people should see things. Curt Lemon’s sister had no response to Rat’s letter home informing the family that their son had passed. In â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story†, the plot is very hard to follow and to some the theme is hard to find as well. In the end, â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story† is a well written short story by O’Brien. One could take many life lessons from O’Brien’s work as well as get a little insight of what it might be like to serve for one’s country at war.

Conquest of mexico essays

Conquest of mexico essays The Aztecs Account of the Conquest of Mexico "Is Hernan Cortez Guilty of violating International Laws?" The discovery of the New World was part of the remarkable European expansion. This expansion was possible due to the European's technical skills in navigation, their economic status in maritime and military enterprise, their interest in spreading Christianity and their determination to gain new lands and wealth. The Spaniards reached the New World in a conquest spirit. Spain's exploration of the New World was driven by their interest in expansion of their empire and spread of Catholicism. Many of the dedicated missionaries who embarked on the explorations were consistent in their purpose to, as they put it, " save the souls of the heathen Indians". For the conquerors like Hernan Cortez and Fransisco Pizarro their motivation was no doubt more complex. Hernan Cortez was born in Medillin, Spain in 1485. His Father fought against the Moors and his mother was an honest religious woman. After failing as a student Cortez came to the New World following in his father footsteps. He became involved in many expeditions and in 1518-1519 the governor of Cuba, Velazques motivated to acquire the riches of the land, wanted to make full contact with mainland, Mexico, and Cortez was appointed the leader of the expedition. Cortez narrowly managed to undertake the expedition and in 1519 he arrived in Mexico with only 500 men, 16 horses and several pieces of artillery. Cortez landed near Villa Rica de Vera Cruz and immediately gain political control of the city. Soon the Spaniards started to trek inland and fought against the Tlaxcalan people who surrendered and became Cortez's most faithful allies. By October 1519 this combine force reached the Aztec village of Choula where they slaughtered over 3000 citizens of Choula. At this point the ruler of Tenochtitlan, Motecuhzuma was very troubled but he believed that Cortez was actually t...

To His Coy Mistress

To His Coy Mistress Free Online Research Papers My Grandmother is what some would consider a feminist. She believes that woman have the potential to do anything but men hold them back. My Gram has very strong feelings about a woman’s role and how men play into it. Being extremely close with my Grandma has imprinted these views and ideas on to me. My Grandmother tells me that I can do anything I want and I don’t need a man to help me. She also tells me that I can be â€Å"choosy† and not to settle for less than perfect. Her last major view is don’t let a man disrespect you in any form. Having these views when reading, â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† these views shone through with my interpretation. This poem by Andrew Marvell, is a poem that is open for interpretation. One can view it as that the male character is madly in love with this woman and he is telling her to seize the day. The other way to view it, the way that I view it, is that the male character is a just a man looking for sex fr om this woman. Never the less, the poem contains many components that make it so beautiful. â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† is about a man pleading with a woman to have sexual intercourse with him. He persistently tells her that there is no time and they have to do it as soon as possible. The male character in this poem, to me, is generally looking for sex. I do think he loves her but wants the sexual aspect of their relationship more than anything. This poem has three parts. The first part is him saying if they had enough time they would have the world. He also tells the girl that if there were was enough time, they would be able to take it slow, but there is not so they need to do it now. In the second part he is saying they don’t have enough time and death is coming. The third part is saying that now they have to satisfy each other. I believe the theme of this work is â€Å"carpe diem†, live each day in Latin. Marvell’s main goal in this poem is to tell the reader to live you life to the fullest because you never know what tomorrow holds. No matter how one interprets what the male character is saying to the mistress or what he expects of it, the theme is live your life and do not dawn on the past. I believe Andrew Marvell’s life and his past up to writing this poem has a great influence on and a main reason why he wrote it. Marvell received a scholarship to Trinity College in 1638. A few days later he received the news of his mother’s death. Unfortunately, two years later his father passed away as well. After undergoing these tragedies at a young age, Marvell didn’t give up and throw his life away. Marvell continued to be very successful through the duration of his life. He was fully involved in politics and wrote several successful poems and earned a very good salary. A lot of people would give up and waste their lives away after going through what he went through. Marvell’s message in this poem is to not let life get you down when something bad happens. Live each day like it is your last because eventually good will come, and live it fully because you don’t know when your end will come. Marvell makes use of allusion, metaphor, and imagery in order to convey a mood of endurance and to explicate the theme of carpe diem. Marvell makes reference to past and future events on a scale. His allusions to religious scripture early on in the poem give the impression of vast ages passing, spanning most of time itself. The period from ten years before the flood until the conversion of the Jews crosses a massive amount of time. Another such technique is the metaphor. Lines 11-12 read, My vegetable love should grow / Vaster than empires, and more slow. The first line makes the narrators love a slow-growing vegetable. Such a growth would take far longer than humans to live and be greater than an entire empire. Personally I think that Marvell‘s attempt at portraying his theme is the imagery. We would sit down, and think which way / To walk, and pass our long loves day is free of the pressures of age. Not only are they walking, which implies calmness, but they are sittin g down and considering which way to walk. This carefree attitude is unusual in this poem because its entire goal is to tell the reader to live each day because you don’t know when your last day is. The theme is also repeated through out the poem that there is no time. â€Å"To His Coy Mistress†, is written in iambic tetrameter. It is also written in an A, A, B, B rhyme scheme. Marvell took the concept of carpe diem and transformed it into a beautiful poem with many techniques that supported it. The male character was trying to express that time was limited in live to the female character. The interpretation of whether he was sincere about his love for her or just another man looking for something sexually is up to the reader. The main concept of the poem is to live your life, carpe diem. Research Papers on To His Coy MistressMind TravelBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementThe Effects of Illegal Immigration19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe

Catherine the Great of all Russia

Catherine the Great of all Russia Essay Catherine II (a. k. a. Catherine the Great) Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, empress of all Russia, did much to continue the process of Westernization reforms began by Peter the Great. Catherine was devoted to art, literature, science, and politics. Many people say she had a great gift and was a great leader, thus she was awarded with the name the Great She helped develop schools, hospitals, and many other organizations for the country. She was a shrewd leader and autocrat and helped to continue and further reforms made by Peter the Great, finally making Russia a permanent European power. Originally named Sophie Frederick Augusta, Princess of Anholt-Zerbst, she was born in Stettin on May 2, 1729, the daughter of the German prince of Anholt-Zerbst . At the age of fifteen she went to Russia and married Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, heir to the Russian throne. The marriage was despondent, but intelligent and ambitious Catherine soon managed to assemble up a liaison of supporters. On October 1, 1754, Catherine gave birth to her son, the future emperor, Paul Petrovich Romanov, and three years later on December 20, 1957, she gave birth to her daughter, Anna Petrovna Romanov. Elizabeth died on December 25, 1761, and Catherines husband succeeded as Peter III. Erratic, unstable, and contemptuous of his Russian subjects, the new ruler soon made himself unpopular, especially with certain German officers. Led by Alexei Orlov (whose brother Grigori was Catherines lover) the officers staged a coup in June 1762. Peter was deposed (and subsequently murdered) and Catherine was placed on the throne in his place. Catherine was fascinated with the philosophies and theories of the Enlightenment, and was well acquainted with the literature of the French Enlightenment, which was an important influence on her own political influence. She corresponded extensively with Voltaire and Denis Diderot, gave financial support to them and a number of other French writers, and played host to Diderot at her court in 1773. Although, this gesticulation of hospitality was partially aimed at creating a favorable image in Western Europe, she was probably sincere in her interest and her hope to apply some of the ideas of the Enlightenment to rationalize and reform the administration of the Russian Empire. Imbued with the ideas of the Enlightenment, Catherine aimed at completing the job started by Peter the Greatwesternizing Russiabut she had contradictory methods. Rather then forcing society to reform, she encouraged individual initiative in pursuit of self-interest. In the early years of her reign, she sought to win the support of the Russian gentry, and, in particular Despite her interest in legal reform, the commission she appointed for that purpose failed to accomplish its goals. But eventually, she learned how to select capable assistantsfor example, Nikita Panin in foreign affairs, Alexandre Suvorov in the military, and Grigori Potemkin in administration. Among Catherines more benevolent achievements were the foundation of the first Russian school for girls and of a medical college to provide health care for her subjects. In the early years of her reign, Catherine sought to win the approval of the gentry, which was a small part of Russias population. She succeeded to a degree with the upper class, but did nothing for the overwhelming majority of the populationthe enserfed peasantry. Conservatism Peasant unrest culminated in a great revolt (1773-75), led by Cossack Yemelyan Pugachov, that raged over much of the Volga River Basin and the Ural Mountains before it was finally ruthlessly crushed by military force. The revolt marked a turn toward more reactionary internal policy. READ: Essay about College Tuition Is Too High EssayThe Cossack army was disbanded, and other Cossacks were granted special privileges in an effort to transform them into loyal supporters of the autocracy. The revolt alerted Catherine to the necessity for reform. In 1775, she reorganized the local administration, integrated the Cossacks into the regular army, and put the serfs belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church under the administration of the state. In 1785, she issued two chartersto the towns and to the nobilityto involve the educated classed in local administration in return for protection of their status and property rights. In similar spirit, Catherine established the Free Economic Society to encourage the modernization of agriculture and industry. She promoted trade and the development of underpopulated regions by inviting foreign settlers such as the Volga Germans, and she founded new towns (Odessa, for example) and enterprises on the Black Sea. Herself a prolific writer, Catherine patronized arts and letters, permitted the establishment of private printing presses, and relaxed censorship rules. Under her guidance the University of Moscow and the Academy of Sciences became internationally recognized centers of learning; she also increased the number of state and private schools. As a result, the Russian nobility, and some townspeople, also began to organize associations for the promotion of schools and publications. Catherine, who did not want to surrender control over social and cultural policy, viewed these activities with suspicion. The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 and the publication of Alexandre Radishchevs journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow in 1790, in which the author denounced the evils of serfdom, the immorality of society, and the abuses of government, prompted Catherine to impose repressive measures, which in turn alienated many of the educated. Finally, Catherine vastly expanded the Russian empire. Following the two successful wars against Turkey (the Russo-Turkish Wars of 1768-74 and 1787-92), Russia secured the Crimea and thus realized a centuries-old dream of establishing itself on the north shore of the black Sea. The fertile lands of the Ukraine were also opened for settlement and soon became the granary of Europe. Catherine also participated in the partitions of Poland (1772,1792, and 1795) bringing a large part of that country under Russian rule. Catherine had twenty-one lovers, and her spirit doctor inspected them all before they could be her lover but Sergei Vasiljevits Saltykov (father of her first son) and Grigori Orlov (father of second son) were special to her. Upon the death of Catherine on November 17, 1796, modern Russian society was organized and its culture had struck firm roots. Russia was also playing a determining role in world affairs.

Reading questions on environmental law article Essay

Reading questions on environmental law article - Essay Example People thought the animal would be made extinct unless the hunt was regulated. Many proponents of the idea of banning the whale hunt point out that the when the hunt was unregulated, several species of whales were made extinct by over-hunting. They say that we have forever lost a number of animals that were unique in their biodiversity. They point out the same thing would happen if the hunt was made legal in certain areas again. However, the damage done to whale stocks occurred almost entirely before the advent of the International Whaling Commission. That is to say, that whale stocks were depleted in the days before there was any real regulation whatsoever and that the current system is quite sustainable. Also very few of the species that animal-rights activists claim are endangered actually are. The numbers are very unclear. Few people no the real dimensions of the whale population today. There is no clear-cut evidence that a regulated return to the whale hunt by countries that currently ban it would have a devastating impact on whale stocks. And without thi s evidence it is hard to suggest that continuing the whale hunt would be a negative thing. Many of the other arguments made by whaling conservationists are similarly flimsy. While few would argue that the methods for hunting are especially humane—for example the use of the exploding harpoon is a bit cruel—these things can easily be improved and suffering can be reduced. Just as in Canada, Canadian sealers must use more humane methods, so can whalers stop exploding whales and instead start killing them more humanely. No one is arguing for a completely unregulated hunt—that is a red herring. The animal rights activists have created a false dichotomy. It is part of rhetoric trick on their part when they argue that to hunt whales means to have no rules whatsoever. A properly regulated hunt can reduce the suffering of whales and bring rogue, illegal hunters (who are inclined to use cruel

Natural and houman life in Mono Lake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Natural and houman life in Mono Lake - Essay Example While many species find the lake unfavorable for life due to its high pH and alkalinity, the alkali flies find a lot of benefit in these conditions (Herbst1& Bradley1 670). The water of the lake provides a natural breeding ground to the flies much as it provides good ground for feeding as it is filled with different kinds of algae; blue and green (Herbst1& Bradley1 670). Many species of birds live around Mono Lake and many others travel from as far as South America and take time to rest and rejuvenate on as they migrate from different places. The birds mostly find the Mono Lake a suitable ground for breeding as there is plentiful supply of food in the form of alkali flies and brine shrimps, especially between mid summer and fall (Cash & Bradley 312). It is estimated that over 100 bird species in totaling millions grace the Mono lake area at different times of the year (Mono Basin Ecosystem Study Committee of the National Research Council 46). It is estimated that more than 44,000 California Gulls find breeding ground around the lake in spring every year (Mono Basin Ecosystem Study Committee of the National Research Council 46). Some of the birds that are found in the wider Mono Lake region include red-necked phalaropes, flamingoes, egrets, Wilsons phalaropes, horned lark , bank swallow, dusky flycatcher, stellers jay, scrub jay and eared grebes, to name but a few. While the population of water fowls such as ducks was high in the lake several decades ago, this is no longer the case. The ducks, Gadwalls, Geese, Mallards,and Green-winged Teals have almost disappeared over the years as a consequence of the diversion of the river that flowed into the lake in 1941. Humans have lived in the Mono Lake region for a long time. The Kutzadikaa people find benefit from the lake in that they normally hunt alkali flies for food during winter periods as noted by Herbst and Bradley (193). For the different bird species and the tufa mounds that