Nike – good or bad?

Nike is good: A factory called Samyang in Vietnam (a factory under Nike contract) seems to be keeping satisfactory working levels within the building. It employs 5,200 people, most of them being women. The factory is made up of six big buildings with well-kept surroundings. Inside, there are fans keeping the workers cool, fire extinguishers about in the case of an emergency, and workers can easily access goggles, masks and gloves if they need them. Workers get double the local average of $54 per month and an annual bonus of at least one month's salary. Other factories get a lot less – in rural areas, factories pay $35 per month, in suburbs they pay $40 per month, and in cities, $45 per month. In state-owned factories (factories owned by the government), workers get a surprisingly low $15 per month! All this money they are getting has allowed most of them (three quarters) to buy a television, many to have a motorbike, some to have phones, etc. Not only does this improve their life, but it also allows other businesses such as petrol stations, electronic repair shops, etc. to function properly and make money too. This is called the multiplier effect. Nike has made changes to improve health and safety. In 1998, it replaced the very hazardous petroleum-based solvents with less harmful water-based ones. In 1999, an expert in the field went to verify Nike had actually done this at the Tae Kwang Vina factory in Vietnam. The investigator found that Nike had indeed replaced the compound and had also installed local exhaust ventilation systems. They also discovered that Nike had trained certain staff personnel aspects of health and safety. Nike is bad: Nike does not own the factories their clothes are manufactured in. This means they can leave at any time, leaving thousands of workers unemployed and fighting for their life while they find another job. For example, on February 22nd 2008, the BJ&J factory in the Dominic Republic announced that it was going to slowly fire workers and close. The factory, owned by Korean company called Yupoong, was making Nike caps at the time. In the Tae Kwang Vina factory mentioned earlier, some health and safety issues remained. Some sections of the factory were still exposed to hazardous chemicals, and to high heat and noise levels. In 1997, it was found that workers in a different factory were being exposed to 100 times the legal limit of Toluene, a toxic gas. Nike gets its clothes made in countries with free trade zones where it is illegal or extremely difficult for workers to organise into trade unions. It is practically impossible for workers to get better conditions (such as better pay, improved health and safety, etc.) when they cannot get together and form a united group to approach their boss. However, this said, some factory workers have done it before and achieved what they were protesting for. The Ching Luh Nike factory has 21,000 employees, and in June 2008, after going on strike for 2 days, they managed to get Nike to increase their wages by $6 a month. Some people think that the minimum wage in countries is enough to survive because the cost of living in that particular country is lower too. The chart below proves this to be wrong with three primary countries that Nike manufactures in. Nike doesn't pay lots to its workers. In many countries, they live way under the predicted living wage. The table shows the average wage of all the factories in that country, and the living wage in each. The data presented is only an average. Some factory workers earn only $1.60 a day, where the price of three meals a day is $2.00.

Best essay ever

Grouping Europe into 3 segments WWW Super Nozzles in Europe Wool No clear sales goals. Growth in Industrial Chemicals 02 Different markets 03 Growth in Europe 04 Other areas of the world 05 New Joint ventures 06 New branded sub-assemblies 07 Growth in Plastics 08 Growth in Canada 09 Manufacturing in Europe THREATS TO Extra fees in Europe TO Fragmented media in Europe TO Cultural barriers in Europe TO New competitors TO Government Solutions AY Create a Joint venture with a company in a single country in Europe.Europe is too big of an area with too many different languages and cultures for a small company eke Kinesics. They need to narrow their focus on one country. Also, by creating a Joint venture they can bypass all or some of the fees that make their European product up to 45% more expensive. The idea seems to be working well in Canada. If it goes well, create more Joint ventures in other countries in Europe.PROS CONS Pl more narrow target market CLC less potential sales UP better understanding of market CO less control over operations UP reduced fees CO share profits Leave Europe. Focus efforts on U. S. Where there is still huge potential for growth. Continue sales from Canada and Japan. Pl no wasted efforts/money in Europe CLC lose European sales UP more energy put forth towards U. S.CO less international exposure UP safe decision CO Company growth may slow down Exhibit 1 SSL Exclusive rights to the mixing device without moving parts SO Unlike components, branded products came in standard sizes that could be plugged in to existing machinery SO Choosing target applications and selling only branded subassembly to them, management was pleased with the financial returns of this strategy SO It appeared that Canadian Kinesics would double their sales from 1972-1973 SO Good ales in synthetic fibers, pulp and paper, industrial chemicals, plastics, waste application, made company versatile SO Only 6 sizes of Super Nozzles were needed to cover U. S. Arrests SO New pr oduct that no one else had, only company with the technology SO More organized than European sales, over 1 million orders SIS Created multiple branded subassembly and able to create custom components.

Canons of Taxation

A good tax system is one which is designed on the basis of an appropriate set of principles (rules). The tax system should strike a balance between the interest of the taxpayer and that of tax authorities. Adam Smith was the first economist to develop a list of Canons of Taxation. These canons are still regarded as characteristics or features of a good tax system. Adam Smith gave following four important canons of taxation. 1. Canon of Equity The principle aims at providing economic and social justice to the people. According to this principle, every person should pay to the government depending upon his ability to pay. The rich class people should pay higher taxes to the government, because without the protection of the government authorities (Police, Defence, etc. ) they could not have earned and enjoyed their income. Adam Smith argued that the taxes should be proportional to income, i. e. , citizens should pay the taxes in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state. 2. Canon of Certainty According to Adam Smith, the tax which an individual has to pay should be certain, not arbitrary. The tax payer should know in advance how much tax he has to pay, at what time he has to pay the tax, and in what form the tax is to be paid to the government. In other words, every tax should satisfy the canon of certainty. At the same time a good tax system also ensures that the government is also certain about the amount that will be collected by way of tax. 3. Canon of Convenience The mode and timing of tax payment should be as far as possible, convenient to the tax payers. For example, land revenue is collected at time of harvest income tax is deducted at source. Convenient tax system will encourage people to pay tax and will increase tax revenue. 4. Canon of Economy This principle states that there should be economy in tax administration. The cost of tax collection should be lower than the amount of tax collected. It may not serve any purpose, if the taxes imposed are widespread but are difficult to administer. Therefore, it would make no sense to impose certain taxes, if it is difficult to administer. Additional Canons of Taxation v Activities and functions of the government have increased significantly since Adam Smiths time. Government are expected to maintain economic stability, full employment, reduce income inequality amp; promote growth and development. Tax system should be such that it meets the requirements of growing state activities. Accordingly, modern economists gave following additional canons of taxation. 5. Canon of Productivity It is also known as the canon of fiscal adequacy. According to this principle, the tax system should be able to yield enough revenue for the treasury and the government should have no need to resort to deficit financing. This is a good principle to follow in a developing economy. 6. Canon of Elasticity According to this canon, every tax imposed by the government should be elastic in nature. In other words, the income from tax should be capable of increasing or decreasing according to the requirement of the country. For example, if the government needs more income at time of crisis, the tax should be capable of yielding more income through increase in its rate. . Canon of Flexibility It should be easily possible for the authorities to revise the tax structure both with respect to its coverage and rates, to suit the changing requirements of the economy. With changing time and conditions the tax system needs to be changed without much difficulty. The tax system must be flexible and not rigid. 8. Canon of Simplicity The tax system shoul d not be complicated. That makes it difficult to understand and administer and results in problems of interpretation and disputes. In India, the efforts of the government in recent years have been to make the system simple. 9. Canon of Diversity This principle states that the government should collect taxes from different sources rather than concentrating on a single source of tax. It is not advisable for the government to depend upon a single source of tax, it may result in inequity to the certain section of the society; uncertainty for the government to raise funds. If the tax revenue comes from diversified source, then any reduction in tax revenue on account of any one cause is bound to be small.

Investment Appraisal Assignment - 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Investment Appraisal - 2 - Assignment Example The money accumulated is then invested in various investments, so that it generates further income. It is made sure that the income generated is enough to payout the pension benefits provided to the employees. The management of the funds is not necessarily separate from the management of the company. Usually these managers have expertise in investment techniques, in order to maximize the return upon the investments made. The fund portfolio is evaluated as how much percentage is invested in each portfolio. Also, it is taken into consideration how the return from each investment is accounted to the performance, of the fund as a whole. Based on the performance of the funds the investment appraisal is carried out. Fund Investment The pension fund is the accumulated fund, collected from the employers and employees. The earnings that this fund generates is accumulated within itself. The fund is managed by professionals with expertise in the related field of investment. The funds are to be utilized in fulfilling the financial needs of the company, which it has to bear in terms of constructive liability. The constructive liability being, to pay pension and other after retirement benefits to the employees. Pension fund are the accumulation of funds that are invested in various investments, where the returns are generated. ... The current portfolio is invested diversely in four divisions of investments, namely, UK Equities, Overseas Equities, UK Gilts and UK Property. A mere 5% of assets also exist in the form of cash. A) Review of Current Portfolio In the current portfolio of the assets, UK equities have a weightage of 50% of the fund. The assets held by the funds should not lose value and should be able to provide a handsome amount of return. Based on the risks associated with the assets of the fund, the main cause of concern is whether the fund performance is persistent and increasing or not (Christopher, et al., 1998). The portfolio of the funds consists of 25% of UK gilts investment which are the least risky of all the investments and also provide the least return. The appropriation of the funds in the current portfolio elaborates that 5% of cash is held. With the total fund size amounting to ? 1billion, this amounts to ? 50 million. This is an asset that is not invested and is losing value over the t ime. The cash that is retained in the portfolio is not considered to be healthy. Other liquid assets, such as equity stock, can easily be traded in the market. It should be considered as it will benefit the fund. This is because it shall be providing a return, thus minimizing the impact of inflation and reduction in the value of money. The majority of the portfolio consists of UK security and amounts to the ? 500 million. This amount is invested in the equity stock of the companies listed in the stock exchanges in United Kingdom. The performance of the fund is mainly concerned with the amount of return and the rate of return that it provides accounting for the risk associated with it too (Chan, et al., 1995). The performance of

How Google Is Making Us Smarter Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

How Google Is Making Us Smarter - Research Paper Example Through the use of computer, tablet as well as Smartphone technology, children are able to learn new things spontaneously as well as in various modalities (Shirky, 3). Pat Wyman, best-selling author of Amazing Grades: 101 Best Ways to Improve Your Grades Faster, clearly maintains that the â€Å"21st century learners use all three learning modalities as they interact with technology†. As the children can learn by watching videos, reading or listening to audios, internet empowers them to learn in their best suited way and technology permits them to turn out to be better critical thinkers as they organize all the information they learn for school projects (Atlantic, 2). The curiosity of the children as well as their ability to absorb information has enabled them to understand topics or subjects that they normally would not due to increased accessibility to means of information. The children have developed online comprehension and reading skills that have made them smarter. Unlike the conventional modes of learning, for instance, books or tutorials from teachers, the information provided by the internet is unlimited. The internet technology is unlimited unlike the information that is garnered from teachers, adults and textbooks that is limited by time, cost and experience (Druin et al. 89).The best study resource ever developed is computer or internet. It is full of crucial information, provides boundless avenues of carrying out research and analyzing the desired results (Shirky, 3).

The Integration of European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Integration of European Union - Essay Example Also, the abolishment of conflicting laws and uniform rules and regulations will assist businesses to streamline and adopt uniform policies across the EU. This paper will discuss some of the benefits that businesses of the 21st century may acquire due to an integration of EU and will further discuss as to what are such benefits, how they may be of any help for the businesses. The focus of this paper will, therefore, be largely on examining the advantages and challenges of EU integration for businesses. European Union comprises of 27 member States and is serving as a Political as well as Economic Union of European Countries. The basic philosophy behind the integration of Europe is to allow the regional integration by creating a single market for the whole of Europe. The basic theme of EU is despite having differences in the values and cultural aspects of the individual member countries; however such differences shall not be the basis of competition between the Member States. Thus despite the creation of single currency and market, EU Member States have retained their individual characteristics thus creating a fine amalgamation of integration which is advocating the formation of collective identity for EU while at the same time allowing individual member States to keep their own individual characteristics intact. Established in 1993 as a result of Maastricht Treaty, EU is now a region comprising of 500 million people contributing almost 30% of the share in the World Gross Domestic Pr oduct. At the global level, EU is, therefore, operating as a system of super nationalism as well as inter-governmental allowing member States to dominate the world scene in the disguise of an integrated Regional Community. One of the most important aspects of this integration is the fact that establishment of EU has resulted into the creation of a single market which not only allowed the free movement of people but also goods and services thus creating a strong window of opportunity for businesses working within the Region to flourish and prosper at least at the Regional Level.

Open source software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Open source software - Essay Example In today's business world which uses IT for its optimal and non-stop functioning, a database is something which any organization will not run without. Speedy business needs has made database an absolute requirement. As their number increases, so is the competition between them. These all vendors always think about new and innovative ideas to win the market competition. One of these way has been to offer customer an open source software so that if the customers preferences changes they can make necessary amendments This has given rise to a numerous software solution providers or database developers. Does this, supplying open source software,give an indication about future of all database Vendors Do all database vendors will eventually have to open up their source code or go out of business This essay disagrees to this thought and will examine few reasons for it.Those who still believe in supplying closed source software will always own a bigger share of the market as they have been do ing it in the past.In the recent past some companies have searched for a more economic database than to shell out a hefty amount to Database biggies every time they thought of expanding their business limits.There stepped in the open source database software because modifying it to the extended needs just take little.As the volume of business is rising and so does the requirement of software capabilities.Many companies today resort to open source database but merely acquiring an open source doesn't guarantee that whatever changes you make to the database it will always work with finesse. There may be instances of irrecoverable data loss or reduced security. There will be no one to take guarantee to that effect. That's why, industries where there is a requirement of updating the software importantly with the transfer of their past crucial data, they will always look for bigger companies doing this against insured terms. These insured terms are not possible even if you have a complete software development wing in your office. Developing software is a group effort, but modifying the software with keeping existing data intact is a serious group effort. Now days there are so many companies selling open source databases but they are less preferred upwards in size of business. So the open source will of course keep in market and remain in competition with the packed database software but will never be able to beat them. There is also a psychological reason behind this that as someone reaches towards the peak his chances of falling are increasing. The top of the peak is all surrounded by falls so after reaching near to peak no one would like take a cheap and risky step but will always go for a costly but assured step. For example a bank would never use open source software modified by its own organization. There is a related online special article in which Lacy S (2006) has told about Herman's search for database management keeping budgetin mind. "His search took him in an unexpected direction. He's spended a lot of time evaluating databases built around the open-source software that's disseminated and developed freely over the Internet. Sony, like most big companies, has been conservative when it comes to open source. So now Herman and executives like him are the spoils in what's shaping up to be a heated round of database wars. On one side are the defending champions -- Oracle, IBM, and Microsoft -- against a ragtag bunch of coders and some more organized corporate ventures, all going to market in different ways, but all trying to take down the Big Three using the power of open source." This open source trend is rising not only in database softwares but in other fields too. In this regard Valimaki (2005) states in his book - The rise