Competitors and Strategic Performance Management Essay

Competitors and Strategic Performance Management - Essay Example Competitors and Strategic Performance Management is one of the crucial strategies for the success of organizations operating in competitive environments. McDonald has built a competitive edge through robust Strategic Performance Management that aligns the performance of its employees to the corporation’s strategic objectives and organization’s vision. McDonald is without any doubt making significant strides in innovation, business expansion, and cost reduction to outmatch its competitors and increase its market share. Proactive approach in managing its business threats keeps McDonald remain valued in the market. In addition, the corporation understands that, there is a need to keep continuing monitoring its business external environment (competitors) to ensure that it formulates the most relevant strategies to promote and cope with stiff competition (Love, 1999). In order to understand its business environment, McDonald analyses its business competitors as those that co mpete with its â€Å"customers spending power.† Some of the identified competitors are; brand competitors, industry competitors and form competitors. The industry competitors are regarded as the most critical ones since they offer almost similar products and services. The corporation further analyses competitors’ characteristics as serving the same customers, having superior or same technologies in products preparation, similar distribution channels, and same target market. McDonald further recognizes the need to examine their competitors existing strategies and objectives. The corporation analyses competitors’ strengths and weaknesses in regard to its business (McDonald, 1996). By undertaking competitors’ analysis, McDonald understands that it will be able to do business forecasts on the competitors’ plans and strategies. Based on the Cohesion Case analysis of MCD, its three major strengths include; large/strong customer base covering approximately 118 countries. For example in Europe, there is an increase in the number of restaurants from 6,650 to 6,485 which reflects a considerable increase in customer base.  

12 angry men movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

12 angry men movie - Essay Example The movie for nominated for three Oscars(Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing, screenplay based on material from another medium) and finds a place in the list of all time great movies. In 2007, the library of Congress chose â€Å"12 angry men† for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. Here, we analyze the dynamics of the 12 jurors and what might have influenced them in taking a decision in favor of or against the accused. The movie begins with the scene in which the judge is seen giving instructions to a jury consisting of 12 gentlemen. The judge informs the jury that the defendant will have to take the electric chair if proved guilty. The jury is also instructed that their judgment should be unanimous. The jury then moves into the jury room where they get acquainted with the other members of the jury and start their work. The case which opens up as an open and shut case takes a turn when one of jurors (juror #8) decides to veto the decision of the other eleven jurors. He is able to convince the other jurors that the defendant should be acquitted as there is doubt beyond reasonable limit questioning the authenticity of the witnesses. However, the other jurors do not follow the juror #8 quickly. The juror #8 faces strong argument from the other members which sets up the film. The jury decided to vote 12-0 in favor of acquittal and closing scene shows the twelve jurors leaving the jury room to present their findings of fact to the court. Juror #8(Henry Fonda) is the most important character of the plot as he is the first to veto the decision and question the authenticity of the witnesses. Though the juror #8 appears both confident and nervous at the beginning, as the discussion proceeds he succeeds in making the other jurors believe in his argument that there is doubt beyond reasonable limit in declaring the boy as guilty of murder. Juror #9 immediately supports the view of juror #8. Juror #5 and #2 also follow

Severe Storm exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Severe Storm exam - Assignment Example It is because of this movement that a derecho is referred to as a; â€Å"straight-line wind damage†. Derecho winds originate from downbursts. They possess almost similar characteristics. The inherent difference is that; derechos assume a curved shape, while downbursts maintain horizontal dimensions of approximately 4 to 6 miles. Winds in a derecho have must be greater than 57mph for them to be considered as severe wind gusts (according to the National Weather Service). There are three different types of derechos: serial derencho, progressive derencho, and boundary waters-Canadian derencho. The serial derencho originates from multiple bow echoes in a wide squall line. The progressive derecho originates from single bow echoes in short line of winds and thunderstorms. The Boundary Waters-Canadian Derecho develops from a narrow progressive derecho in the bow echo system. The ‘derecho triangle’ is extensive; from Minneapolis to Dallas to Pittsburgh. Derechos occur mostly in the late spring and summer seasons. They take place along two axes: the extensive â€Å"corn-belt† region; from the upper Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley and from the mid Mississippi Valley to the southern plains. They are not common during autumn and winter. If they occur during these seasons, they are experienced in eastern Texas to the south eastern states. Isolated derecho have been experienced in the western United States during the spring. In the mid-Atlantic, derechos are mostly experienced in the warm season. They take place on the fringes of great heat waves. Large-scale heat waves provide conditions that are conducive for the development of derechos. The heat waves and derechos are linked by an Elevated Mixed Layer (EML); mid-tropospheric layer of air that develops over the elevated arid terrain. Emls exhibit steep reductions in temperature with height. These temperature differentials enhance

Astronomy Major Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Astronomy Major Assignment - Research Paper Example These are rays that form from the interaction of the shock waves with subatomic particles causing acceleration of rays with the speed of light that constitute cosmic rays. The duration of supernova is difficult to determine and is mainly grouped into three stages. The explosion stage is the first stage and it normally takes a minimum time of a second. The second phase is the time it takes to reach its peak brightness which is normally a few days (Bodenheimer, 2011). The last phase is the phase it takes to dim out which normally takes a few months or years. The time for the whole process therefore ranges from months to years depending on the type of supernova. Many chemical elements result in the remaining remnants of a supernova explosion. The chemicals may be original in the remnants or may be as a result of heating up of the ejected gases by the shock waves emitted. The elements are cobalt, sodium, nickel and sodium. The other compounds that form are radioactive isotopes formed by the interaction of the shock waves and the emitted materials. Recently there are studies showing the Supernova 1987A emitting ‘star guts’ with a velocity (Bodenheimer, 2011). There were other elements this supernova ejects: helium, hydrogen, oxygen, silicon, iron and sulfur. The energy a supernova radiates is close to the energy of billions of sun put together. This explosion frequently occurs in other galaxies in the universe except the Milky Way galaxy where there have been few supernova events. The explosion has the effect of distributing elements and speeding cosmic rays in the galaxy besides increasing the temperature in the of the galaxy medium (Knapp, 2013). The explosion emits radiation that can be estimated to the energy released by a 1028 megaton bomb. Supernovae form in many different ways. The mode of formation dictates the type of supernova that forms. They are classified with regards to the physical type and nature & shape of the spectra.

United States History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

United States History - Essay Example Firstly it is the case that the civil rights act in 1964 made it illegal to engage in any type of job discrimination and eliminated segregation initiatives at the federal level. Secondly the Voting Rights Act in 1965 guaranteed that minorities could be allowed to register to vote and prohibited hindrance of voting through the elimination of voter qualification tests. Lastly there was the Immigration and Nationality Services Act in 1965 which eliminated regional quotas on immigrants. In terms of the anti poverty legislation that was enacted, anybody who is familiar with Lyndon Johnson recognizes that he came from a very modest background in rural Texas and from this perspective, Johnson enacted the Office of Economic Opporunity which was a grass roots initiative to find sources for over three billion dollars appropriated to be spent over three years from 1964. Lastly there was the Higher education act in 1965 which significantly increased money given to state universities and created a number of scholarships. In this regard there have been a number of successes however one of the major downfalls of this initiative is that a great deal of money that was earmarked for these massive programs quickly tapered off after the Vietnam war began and as such one could argue that the war declared on racial injustice and poverty took a backseat to an actual war. A#2) The role that President Nixon and his advisors had in the illegal and unethical activities of the Watergate scandal are numerous. Ultimately it became clear that the break-ins were committed by five members of the Committee to Re-Elect the President who were ultimately funded by a kind of slush fund earmarked for he collecting of intelligence against democrats. The goal was to break into the Democratic National Committee’s office and steal important communications. While to connection to higher

Catcher in the Rye Essay Example for Free

Catcher in the Rye Essay The word ‘morals’ is concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction of right and wrong. Themes such as innocence, isolation and youth reside in the novel, the audience is made aware of Caulfield’s view on children’s innocence, the isolation he feels and how he perceives adults as ‘phony’. Holden Caulfield is a 17 year old adolescent boy that becomes infatuated with protecting the ‘innocence’ of younger children. Caulfield feels mentally, socially and personally isolated from everyone else. He desires the need to be not alienated. He attempts to reach out to someone but this desire for a connection is mitigated by hesitation. â€Å"The first thing I did when I got off at Penn Station, I went into this phone booth. I felt like giving somebody a buzz, but as soon as I was inside, I couldnt think of anybody to call up. So I ended up not calling anybody. I came out of the booth, after about twenty minutes or so. The short sentence structure emphasises Caulfield’s hesitation of trying to contact someone but not being able to commit to it, this then positions the reader to feel sorrow for the isolation that Caulfield feels. Caulfield’s hesitation to immerse himself in a connection with another person, explores the idea that whilst Caulfield was progressing with his coming of age, this isolation is a step back for the development of himself. Salinger captures an adolescences bias perception of adults being phony and that they only think of themselves. Salinger explores the perspective of children being a complete world apart from the adults through Caulfield. ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ examines the theme of youth in conjunction with the process of becoming an adult. Caulfield has an idealized perception of what children are like, he has a fantasy of what children are like, and he hastily makes assumptions of adults, predominately on how they treat children. â€Å"There was a lady sitting next to me that cried all through the goddam picture. The phonier it got, the more she cried. Youd have thought she did it because she was kind-hearted as hell. But she had this little kid with her that had to go to the bathroom, but she wouldnt take him. She kept telling him to sit still and behave himself. She was about as kind-hearted as a goddam wolf. † The simile ‘She was about as kind-hearted as a goddam wolf’ emphasises the similarities between the lady and a wolf, this then positions the reader to become aware of Caulfield’s feelings towards adults and the lack of ‘respect’. This sense of him having no ‘respect’ for adults’ challenges society’s moral of respecting your elders is explored throughout the novel and represented through Caulfield’s character. In conclusion, J. D Salinger explores ideas and concepts of what it is like to become of age and how society’s morals are challenged by adolescents and children. He uses themes such as the innocence of children, the isolation of Caulfield and how the youth perceive adults to represent these ideas. I believe that Salinger effectively explores the ideas of coming of age and challenging society’s morals within his novel by using these themes and allows myself as an individual to understand the novel on a deeper level.

Company Purpose And Stakeholder Analysis: Wonderland

Company Purpose And Stakeholder Analysis: Wonderland Wonderlands history dates back to 1950s when it was started in Germany as a partnership business between a chemist and a child psychologist. These toys flooded the German and the Scandinavian markets in their initial years of launch. The market extended to cover the US and UK in the 1960s. Currently, the company enjoys the largest market share with its toys being available in more than 80 countries worldwide. The company is headquartered in Frankfurt and it has regional head offices in New York, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires. The offices in Frankfurt, Montana and Bute are dedicated solely to the creation of new toys to improve the companys brand. However, China, Taiwan, India, Korea and Honduras do most of the manufacturing works. Wonderland has recorded admirable growth both in its scope of operation and in its revenues. In 2009 for example, the company recorded total revenue of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬850 million from all its regions. In a bid to serve the customers even better, the company diversified its activities in the 80s and 90s to include other childrens items such as school bags, board games and party items. The company has also employed more than 10,000 people who work in different centers. For instance, 3,000 people work in Montana while 2,000 work in Frankfurt. Others work in the local offices as marketers, sales representatives, retailers and distributors of the companys products. LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS Wonderland has been very successful as a result of the contributions made by its stakeholders. These stakeholders are categorized into two divisions; primary stakeholders and secondary stakeholders. Primary stakeholders These are stakeholders who are directly affected by the company activities and vice versa. They include: Employees Shareholders Customers and Suppliers Secondary stakeholders These have interest in the company but their effect is not felt directly by the company. They include: The government, Media, Competitors, Lobby groups and The local community COMPANY PURPOSE AND STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS Company Purpose The purpose of this company is to produce high quality branded children items and distribute them globally so as to reach our target customers and hence fulfill their educational and recreational needs. Stakeholder analysis Primary stakeholders A) Shareholders Shareholders are the owners of Wonderland Company. They invest their money in the company so as to propel it to achieving its objectives. Wonderlands shareholders are categorized into two: institutional shareholders and individual shareholders. Institutional shareholders refer to organizations that have bought shares in this company with the hope of realizing returns from their investment. Examples of such organizations might include Virgin Airlines Company and Sony International Corporation. Individual shareholders, on the other hand, are the individuals who purchase shares of a given company with the aim of making profits. The founders are the major individual shareholders since they contributed the start-up capital. They possess majority of Wonderlands shares and have greater voting powers. In addition, the company has offered shares to other individual shareholders in Frankfurt (Turner, 2011). Interests of shareholders in the company Shareholders have a great interest in Wonderland, as noted above. They invest their money in the company with the hope of realizing returns in the short and long term. They are therefore concerned with the profitability of the company. Wonderlands managers have a great responsibility in ensuring that shareholders are contented with the performance of the company. When making decisions about the company, they ought to be very careful with the outcome since any loss made by the company will be felt by the shareholders. Managers ensure that both the short term and long term effects of their decisions are beneficial to the company so as to improve the value of shareholders investment. Powers of the shareholder In Wonderland, shareholders greatly influence the way it is operated. They decide who will be the company manager and who will be in the board of directors. Shareholders have voting rights on a variety of issues concerning the company. This means that the important decisions affecting the company, such as mergers, cannot be made without their consent. They vote for or against the proposal by the board of directors. Shareholders decision in the company is final. Notably, managers cannot change what has been jointly agreed upon by the shareholders (Worthington, 2007). Shareholders also have the power to make by-laws of the company. By-laws refer to a set of rules and regulations that govern the operation of the company. All the employees of the company abide by these by-laws. Any violation of these by-laws is sanctioned and necessary actions taken. The company holds annual meetings with its shareholders to discuss and review the performance of the company. In this meeting, they review the companys accounts for transparency and profitability check. During these meetings, the appointed auditor presents periodic reports. Members have powers to either endorse or refuse to endorse these reports. Nonetheless, the powers of shareholders in Wonderland commensurate with the number of shares held in the company. For example, an individual shareholder with 1,000 shares in a company has more powers than the one with 50 shares. This means that if the majority of Wonderland shareholders have 20 shares and one of the shareholders has 1,000 shares, it will requir e the company to have 50 shareholders with 20 shares so as to match the voting powers of one member with 1,000 shares (Worthington, 2007). B) Employees Employees refer to the workers in a company. They are directly associated with daily operations and therefore determine the output of the company. They can be categorized into different levels depending on the nature of the company. They include individual contributors, professionals, managers and senior technical professionals, directors and company presidents. In Wonderland, each employee fits in his place in the organization depending on the level of education and skill specialization. In order to effectively achieve the objectives of the company, managers have a duty of ensuring that work is well structured so as to avoid collision of employees. Similarly, it is important for the managers to communicate the vision of the company so that employees work collectively towards achieving this vision (Shukla, 2006). Interests of employees There are various interests that employees have in Wonderland. One of the most important ones is having their fundamental rights respected. These rights include the right to remuneration, right to associate with others, right to fair treatment, freedom from discrimination and freedom of expression, among others. Therefore, they will be productive if these rights are honored and if they feel that they are being respected. To achieve this, managers need to cultivate a working environment that will compel employees to give their best so as to achieve the objectives of the company (Shukla, 2006). Wonderland employees just like in any other company want to receive competitive pay. Competitive pay refers to the payment that is made to employees and that which commensurate with the employees skills, level of education and motivation in the work place. They expect a pay that is consistent with the market rates (Shukla, 2006). The companys employees also want to be given an opportunity to earn more. This is made possible by increasing their pay with time, paying them for overtime work and commissions where necessary. Another expectation of employees is regular review of their pay. This means that employees do not expect to stagnate in one pay scale. In addition, they need to be given a chance to participate in the decision making process as this will motivate them to work towards the enactment of these decisions (Shukla, 2006). Employee powers Employees have a great influence on the direction that a company takes. As highlighted above, managers, as the employees of Wonderland, are mandated to run the company. They therefore have powers to make decisions on the day to day running of the business. If these decisions are sound, the company stands to benefit. However, if they make misguided decisions, the performance of the company will deteriorate. It is the duty of Wonderlands human resources manager to hire junior employees to carry out middle and lower level activities of the company. If the human resources manager hires skilled and qualified people for this work, then the company will yield good results. However, if he hires under-qualified staff, Wonderland will not achieve its objectives (Shukla, 2006). The motivation of the employees in the company also plays a big role in the achievement of the company objectives. It is the duty of the employee to carry out the decisions made by the shareholders and the top management. A positively motivated workforce will carry out its duties with passion thereby enhancing the realization of the goals communicated to them. Negatively motivated employees on the other hand may affect the reputation of the company by producing poor quality commodities. It is therefore the duty of the company managers to cultivate a participative culture where an employee will be free to communicate his feelings about the company (Shukla, 2006). C) Customers Customers are the buyers of Wonderlands products. They are the end users of its product. They include the parents of children in pre-schools and primary schools. Throughout the manufacturing process, great care is taken so as to produce products that are competitive in the market and they that add value to the customer. It is important for the business to understand the behavior of its customers. Satisfied customers are pillars of any successful business. They also contribute to the reputation of the company if their needs are met as they desire. The customers determine the growth potential of a business (Akinnola 2011). Accordingly, every business manager who has the desire to generate income from the business must strive to ensure that the desires of the customers are met. Though customers are not included in the decision making process of the company, they play a big role in enhancing the achievement of the set business objectives. Interests of customers The interest of the customers in Wonderland is to maximize the utility derived out of the consumption of its products. They want the company to meet their needs in a way that creates value for their money. In order to fulfill this demand, the company must ensure that they first survey those needs before embarking on production. Through this, the company will be assured of ready market. However, companies that go ahead to make production without consulting from the customers risk market failure (Akinnola, 2011). Power of the customers Customers have a greater influence on the success of the company than any other stakeholder. It is a known fact that the profits of the company are out of the customers spending. If the spending by the customers is low, then the profitability of the company also declines and the opposite is true. The influence of the customers is so strong that managers must consult before making any decision affecting them (customers). In the toy industry, customers tastes play a big role. It is imperative for the Wonderland to carry out a research so as to understand the tastes of customers in different parts of the world. Cultural influences also affect the customers decision making process. As the companys products target different cultures, it is important to study these cultures so that the toys which will be produced meet the demands of these markets (Akinnola, 2011). D) Suppliers Suppliers are the firms and the individuals who deliver the resources that the company uses in the production of goods and services. Wonderland establishes specific suppliers so as to ensure consistency in the provision of the necessary resources. If resources are not supplied on time, production delays will be inevitable and consequently the customers will not receive finished goods on time. In establishing the relationship between the suppliers and the company, it is important to note that this relationship is based on value. Value in the sense that if the suppliers deliver quality resources, the end products will be of high quality and therefore goods delivered to customer will reflect value for his money. Interests of suppliers Suppliers are businessmen and therefore their main interest in the company is profits. The second interest of suppliers in the company is to secure a contract that will shield them in case the market fluctuates. Suppliers desire to be in business throughout the year. However, there are seasons when the prices go down making them to operate at a loss. Securing a contract to supply resources to the company means that the prices will not fluctuate and therefore the supplier will make profits all through. Powers of the suppliers Sometimes suppliers may join forces to dictate the terms of their supply to the company. This is especially in situations where suppliers are few and the buyers are concentrated. When the supplier has a strong brand name, he may have greater influence in the company than other factors. Nonetheless, mutual agreement between the supplier and the company is required to ensure that a sustainable relationship exists. To neutralize these powers, Wonderland can contract for its needed resources in advance so as to prevent the supplier from misbehaving as the market changes. Secondary Stakeholders A) The government The role of the government in Wonderland cannot be overlooked. Being an external stakeholder, it plays an important role in shaping the external environment within which the company operates. The roles of the government in the company are executed by a specially formulated agency that is answerable to the government. The main interest of the government in the company is to regulate its operations so as to ensure that consumers do not suffer loss as a result of business activities. The government therefore regulates the competitive practices, and the industry-specific practices. In addition to its regulatory roles, the government has powers over the Wonderland Company. It can revoke its license and subject it to legal actions in case its activities are not acceptable in the country where it operates (Enotes, 2011). B) The media Media plays an important role in Wonderlands growth. For example, the company will use media to reach out to the target customers. Media also creates a forum whereby the customers express their views about given company. The media can influence the image of the company among the customers and therefore influence their purchase decision. The company must therefore cultivate a positive relationship with the media so as to have a positive image in the face of its stakeholders. As far as Wonderland is concerned, efforts have been put in place and agreements achieved with Disney and childrens TV programme producers so that the company will use the character of these programs in designing toys and accessories (Liss, 2000). C) Competitors Competitors are other important stakeholders in the company. The presence of competitors in the industry help in improving the quality of products produced and services rendered. The interest of the competitors in a company is to learn its weaknesses and capitalize on them. There is competition for customers as well as market share. Our companys managers therefore need to be cautious when disclosing information about the company that can be used by the competitors to the disadvantage of the company, especially in a market where there are many competitors (Carlson 2004). It is important for our company to take a survey of the market so as to identify competitors, their weaknesses and strengths. In the toy market, Wonderland faces stiff competition from Mattel and Hasbro. Both have been in the market for many years and therefore offer stiff competition to Wonderland in its bid to capture the promising markets all over the world. In addition, the two companies have strong brand names be sides offering a variety of products targeting different customers. D) Lobby groups A lobby group refers to a collection of people who come together to advocate for certain interests that they feel are threatened by the decision made by the company leaders. In as much as lobbying affects the performance of the companies, it is one of the trusted means through which proper functioning of the businesses can be achieved. Environmental activists are examples of a lobby group that greatly influences the operations of Wonderland. With the issue of global warming taking priority, they seek to regulate the amount of carbon dioxide that the company releases in the process of modeling the toys. Their interest is to ensure that the operations of the company do not negatively affect the environment. Lobby groups have powers to influence the activities of the company. They can influence the consumers to boycott the products of the company. It is therefore imperative for the company to establish a positive relationship with the lobbyists so as to avoid instances of being accused for undertaking illegal activities (Hart, 2004). E) Local community When the company undertakes corporate social responsibility activities, its intention is to create a positive impact on the local people directly related to the company. In Wonderland, local communities are the people who surround the company. In case of harmful emissions from the company, the local community would be the first to receive the effects. Local communities offer the local infrastructure that the company needs in order to achieve its objectives. On the other hand, they expect the company to pay back by carrying out activities that do not adversely affect them. These stakeholders have powers to influence the company to either continue with its activities or to stop its operations. They are able to unite and stop the company from causing negative effects to the community (BusinessLink, nd). The Global Society Global society, in its most basic definition, refers to the society that is integrated together into a single community with improved levels of interaction. Global society is a consequence of the globalization process. Human beings are social by nature and would embrace any means that brings them close to each other. Courtesy of internet technology, people can communicate with other on the far side of the world just by a click of the mouse. Nonetheless, global society deals more with the individuals in the society than it does with the general society. It is the efforts of individuals that lead to the development of global society. The vision of the founders of Wonderland was to reach customers in all parts of the world. Globalization has speeded the achievement of this vision by facilitating prompt marketing and distribution of the company products. Generally speaking, global society has improved efficiency with which people in the society interact (Taylor Francis, 2011). Integrating the concept of global society into the operations of any business raises issues that are not consistent with the goals of the company. Some of these issues favor the accomplishment of the business objectives while others hinder this accomplishment. These issues include: Cultural differences Inequity in development Environmental degradation Human rights abuse Government structures 1) Cultural Differences Culture refers to a set of beliefs that a given group of people has adopted as their way of life. No culture is greater than the other and attempting to change peoples culture is an effort in futility. Founders of Wonderland decided to launch their operations in areas with a culture different from that of the companys home country so as to be more competitive and more profitable. They also wanted to outsource raw materials from other countries where the cost of acquiring those resources are lower than in the home country. (Smith Ethel, 2007). The most successful companies are those that have understood the cultural differences of target customers. These companies keep abreast of the importance of these differences and will research ways to fulfill customer needs without interfering with their cultures. Wonderland understands that people from different cultures might have different approaches to the same issues (Smith Ethel, 2007). 2) Inequity in Development This refers to the differences in the levels of development in different countries. It is measured both in economic and infrastructural terms. Inequity in development affects the running of international companies. Factor endowment contributes more to this inequality whereby companies that are endowed with more resources excel better than those with fewer resources. With development inequality being experienced in the global society, it is hard to achieve a fair play ground where all companies can compete favorably. Also, as a result of differences in the factors of production, massive movement of labor from one country to another is affecting the operations of the company. For this reason, a difference in Wonderlands prices is justifiable. In countries where cost of operation is low, our products are low and vice versa. In general, companies operating in the global environment are as competitive as their resources can allow (Taylor Francis, 2011). 3) Environment Degradation Environmental degradation is another issue that global society has brought. The issue of global warming is being addressed and measures being put in place to combat global warming. The Kyoto protocol of 1997 that sought to regulate the percentage of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from the industries is still in discussion with companies being forced to adhere to the restrictions imposed by this protocol. Wonderland therefore checks on its processes to avoid legal actions from being instituted against it. Notably, in the toy companies, modeling plastics releases smoke into the atmosphere. Being part of the global society, the company will take measures to ensure that it honors this requirement (Taylor Francis, 2011). 4) Human Rights Abuse When operating in a global society, it is possible to unknowingly promote the abuse of human rights. Much business is done via the internet without necessarily knowing the processes that take place at the other end. For example, a company may order a product online. The supplier will send the consignment to the buyer. Without proper research the buyer may not know how this product has been manufactured. The supplier may have used child labor, which is in contravention of basic human rights. Wonderland will ensure that it chooses suppliers that do not engage in such activities. 5) Government structures in a global society Another issue that Wonderland faces when operating in a global society is the difference in government structures. The structure of the local government where the company is located may be different from the structures of the other country. An example of this is where the local government embraces socialism economy and the foreign country embraces capitalism economy. Secondly, a government may be aristocratic while another one may be democratic. Operating in varying government structure may be difficult therefore companies will need to understand this from the outset (Taylor Francis, 2011). Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | Summary Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | Summary Frederick Douglass revolutionary novel, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass; An American Slave, sent a seismic shock through American society, altered many peoples perception of the â€Å"peculiar institution†, and utilized a stylistic combination of flawless rhetoric and his poignant first-hand account of childhood shattered by slavery. Douglass childhood was marred by an all-encompassing sense of nothingness, he did not know his parentage, mother, age, or birthday; he felt inferior to white children, and lusted after the simple knowledge about themselves the whites regarded so casually. Through revealing specific details of his childhood experiences Douglass creates an emotional connection with his intended audience, Christian, white, Northerners, and by use of pathos, strengthens that bond with every paragraph. Douglass begins his haunting tale with one of the few cemented truths of his childhood; his birthplace. He was born in Tuckahoe, Maryland, to Harriet Bailey, an attractive slave woman with a dark complexion and light, loving demeanor. However, these small truths were overshadowed by dark, looming clouds of uncertainty, which posed more questions than it ever answered. A young Douglass was left confused; Who was his biological father? Why was he so cruelly separated from him mother? What was his true age? Was the master actually his Father? These questions pestered Douglass for years, and as the excerpt explains, he had no venue through which to glean the information. â€Å"I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master†¦He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent.† Douglass spent his childhood swathed in mystery, he never had the chance to enjoy the warmth of a mothers love, swathed, bundled, protected. Douglass accounts his separation from his mother for a variety of reasons; including an effort to solicit pathos from his readers, illustrate the magnitude of inhumanity bestowed upon slaves, and to appeal to white mothers, who would deem the action both barbaric and unforgiveable. Douglass reflects upon his mothers death with very little emotion, and states â€Å"She died when I was about seven years old, on one of my masters farms, near Lees Mill.† This quote exemplifies an understatement at its best; Douglass remarks upon his mothers death the way one talks about the weather, matter-of-fact and resigned. The casual way he speaks of his mothers absence in his life is directly conflicts with the sacred bond betweenmother and childset forth through countless books and artworks, such asLa Pieta.According to Douglass, separating a mother and child before twelve months was a common practice in Maryland, an action which most likely would have been deemed irreprehensible by sympath etic northerners. Douglass also tackles another large and unsolved topic; the mysterious identity of his father. Although Douglass is mostly uncertain of the details of childhood, one concrete fact remained a constant; his father was white. Douglass writes â€Å"The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father; but the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing†¦the means of knowing were withheld from me.† This quote is perhaps the most profound piece of the provided excerpt, not only did it add a new and puzzling aspect into the glimpse of Douglass childhood, but it also provided ammunition to enrage the pious, abolitionist, Northerners. Douglass rawappeal to emotionspeaks volumes, the scope of slavery knew no bounds, and bent the moral code of the 19thcentury to suit its depraved ways. Douglass non-existent father is introduced alongside the death of his mother, conjuring up feelings of sympathy and pity for Douglass among his intended audience. Douglass innocence was snatched away by the poisonous talons of slavery, leaving him vulnerable to the plights facing the adult world while still within the confines of childhood. By recollecting thetraumatic eventsof his early years he solicits a barrage of emotions from his intended audience, ensuring the success of his slave narrative. The death of his mother and hidden the identity of his father, Douglass paints a picture of heartache, loneliness, and uncertainty. In conclusion, Douglass detailed recollection of his past created pathos within his intended audience and undoubtedly opened the eyes of a plethora of ignorant Americans who simply believed slavery was a natural practice within Americas boundary lines.