Barack Obama - Knox College Commencement Address free essay sample

SAT Admission Ticket What It Is, How to Print It Out, and What to Do if You Lose It

SAT Admission Ticket What It Is, How to Print It Out, and What to Do if You Lose It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’ve signed up for the SAT, you’ve probably heard that you need an SAT admission ticket to get in on test day. The College Board makes a big deal about these tickets, and it can be stressful to figure out how to input all your information, get the right picture, and find a way to print the ticket. Don’t worry! This guide will walk you through exactly what the admission ticket is, how to print it out, and what to do if you lose it. What Is the SAT Admission Ticket? The admission ticket is your proof that you are registered to take the SAT. You must have it to be admitted to the testing center on test day.It also has helpful information about your testing center (for you) and any accommodations you might need (for your proctor). I've included my SAT admission ticket below, so you can see what one looks like. Let's go through the key sections- I numbered them above. Your photo: it's a picture of you! The College Board requires this to help discourage cheating. There's lots more info about how to pick a good photo below. Your personal information: This section contains info like your address and your birth date. Make sure it's all correct well in advance of your test date. Test day info: This section has information about when and where you're testing and which test you're taking (the SAT, the SAT with Essay, or the SAT Subject Tests). Notes for students: This section includes special instructions for what to do when you get to the test center. For example, at my testing center, I had to pay a dollar to park and got my room assignment at building FF. (Despite the instructions, I hit a few snags, so remember to leave yourself plenty of time no matter how prepared you are.) Supervisor instructions:This section includes any extra info your proctor might need. For most students, it's blank, but if you do have special accommodations of some kind, politely remindyour proctor when you arrive. Why Do You Need an SAT Admission Ticket? Essentially, the admission ticket is meant to prove you are who you say you are. In its current form, the ticket is a reaction to issues the College Board has had with cheating: students would have someone else register in their name and take the test for them. Make sure to bring your SAT ticketwith you on the day of the test or you won’t be allowed in. How Do You Get an SAT Admission Ticket? As you might have gathered, in order to get an admission ticket you must register for the SAT. If you haven’t already done so, you can find step-by-step instructions here. During that process, there are two key steps that you'll need to complete to get your SAT ticket. How to Pick a Photo During that process, you’ll be asked to provide a photo for your ticket. This can seem daunting, because the College Board has a lot of rules for what kind of photo you can use. There’s no need to panic, however. The key points are that it needs to be a photo of you that is just your head and shoulders and is well-lit enough that you’re easily recognizable. If you have a .jpg version of your school photo, you can use that. Another good option is using a webcam to just snap a photo right with your computer. Otherwise, get a friend or family member to help you take a headshot with a phone or digital camera. How to Print Your SAT Admission Ticket When you’re done with registration, a screen will come up with your SAT Admission Ticket. Make sure all the information is correct and then print out. It can be in color or in black and white- as long as all of the information, including your photo, is clearly visible. If you prefer, you canwait to print the ticket out later. You can access it anytime through your College Board account. Print your ticket out in advance so you don't have to worry if the printer decides not to work. But What Should You Do If... ...You Lose Your Admission Ticket? If you misplace your ticket, don’t panic! It's easy to reprint a lost SAT admission ticket. Just go to the College Board website and sign in. Click on the link for â€Å"Print My Admission Ticket† and reprint. ...You Realize the Information on the Ticket is Incorrect? Again, this problem is easily fixed by logging into â€Å"My SAT.† You can edit your personal information at any time, up until the Monday before the test date. Remember to reprint the ticket once you’ve made your changes to ensure that it matches the information that the College Board has on file. ...You Get to the Test Center and Realize You Don't Have Your Ticket? The proctors will not let you take the test without your ticket, so if you don't have it you'll be in a bad spot. However, you can try having a friend or family member bring it to you if they live nearby. It’s better to avoid this situation all together, so make sure you have everything you need for the test together in one place the night before. If you’re prone to losing things (or just very paranoid), you can also try: making a backup copy and putting it in the car. taping the ticket and your ID to your calculator. Having a system will make you more likely to remember everything you need on the day of the test. Key Facts to Remember About Your SAT Admission Ticket Let's review the important points you need to keep in mind: You must have your admission ticket to get into the test center on the day of the SAT. Your picture must be recognizable as you. Make sure to print your ticket out at least the night before so you know you have it. You can print your SAT admission ticket at any time by logging into â€Å"My SAT.† If you have any other questions about the SAT ticket, just post them in the comments! More Suggested Reading If you're uncertain about the registration process, check out our step-by-step walkthrough of the process (with pictures) and our guides to when to test, how much the SAT costs, how to cancel your registration, and whether you should send the four free score reports. If, on the other hand, your test date is right around the corner, read up on these last minute test day tips that will help you reach your ideal SAT score. Finally, consider taking a look at some of our SAT prep materials. We have great guides for all three sections, including general strategies, study tips, and in depth skill reviews(there are links to each section on the right). Try starting with our guide to the 5 tips that you must use, which will get you thinking about the test in the right way. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

MANAGING INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MANAGING INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS - Essay Example I am currently working as a volunteer in this organization. I am working as part of a volunteer team headed by Omar. Our team recently took two decisions; one related to the selection of a place for volunteering and the other related to the recording to the video from the selected volunteering place. This paper analyses how we made those decisions as a team. â€Å"The main characteristic feature of the team is synergy through which team members act together and achieve better results than if they perform alone or in other organizational forms†(Petrov, p.91). Our team leader is really a good person who respects the opinions of all the team members. He is democratic in his functioning and always ready to consider the opinions of each team member seriously. Before the selection of the place for volunteering, he asked the opinions of all the team members. Each team member gave suggestions about the places which need volunteering services. Since ours is a charity organization, we decided that the most suitable place for volunteering should be the place where homelessness is a critical problem. Many places were suggested by the team members. Then after brief discussions we have shortlisted two places. After an opinion poll, we selected a place which was supported by the majority of our team members. The decision related to the recording of the video was also taken after hot and meaningful discussions within our team. Some team members argued that each member should be given the permission to record videos from the site/place we selected whereas others pointed out the practical difficulties while everybody concentrates on video recording alone. Finally we decided that only few people will record videos while others concentrate on other matters related to our assignment. â€Å"Team Dynamics are the unseen forces that operate in a team between different people or groups.

Radio report about jazz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Radio report about jazz - Essay Example Ultimately, Blakey sets in the performance with his drum thus blending the mix proportionately. Benny Golson finds his way again after two and quarter minutes with his saxophone that purposes to offer liveliness and reality to the band. Lee Morgan halts but the other musicians maintain their respective roles in the band. Bobby Timmons seems to enjoy the music as he is seen very vibrant and also seems to follow everything closely. One can clearly notice the sounding of the drum set that Blakey bring into play to add rhythm to the piece. All the five band members now come in but the trumpet is higher in pitch and tune, something that is noticeable. Lee Morgan seems to struggle so as to hit higher notes to maintain the pitch and to also upkeep with the rest in the performance. The jazz slows down and picks rhythmically. Blakey is seen stepping from behind the kit and gives a brief introduction about their platter that he does in a rush. Lee Morgan is the solo who seems more involved in this piece. Morgan is likely to have found solace in his trumpet that he deliberately sounds consistently to blend the music. The trumpet is the most conspicuous in the entire piece thus Morgan is a key element in the band as he carries on strongly even when his colleagues slow down or even remain silent at some instances. He is seen to struggle to deliver the highest pitch ever in the performance but he still perseveres on. Only at some few instances does he rest although not so long like some other members. Lee progresses with success to the last point of the performance with a lot energy, lively and composed. Moanin’ Moanin’ was performed live in Belgium in 1958. The band members include Art Blakey, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, Lee Morgan and Jymie Merritt who play the drums, saxophone, piano, trumpet and the bass respectively. This song is a rendition about the projects title that plays for nearly fifteen minutes and is basically a joyful piece of music more so to those who like the studio. Noticeably, the camera work has been done with excellence that makes the performance clear. The piece starts by the solo engaging the audience who in turn applaud the message. The piano kicks off the performance as others join the accompaniment. Benny with his saxophone and the trumpet rest at some intervals after which the trumpet carries on for the better part of the piece with others on board too. At this point Benny stops and rests for the others to continue but joins at some point after which the trumpet rests. All except the trumpet are live and active with the applause from the being noticed. I remember Clifford I remember Clifford is the title of the jazz that was written by Benny Golson who played tenor saxophone. This was done to commit to memory the life of Clifford Brown, who played the trumpet, after his death in an accident. These two were great band mates the entire album pays tribute to Brown with Lee morgan for trumpet, Art Blakey with his drums, Jymie Merritt for bass and Bobby Timmons playing the piano all on board. Timmons is seen moving his foot inconspicuously counting in the number being also in the speed and tone of the music. The entire band heightens the speed and pitch charging ahead where Golson and Morgan howl at the top of their ability thus displaying their prowess and might while at the same time revealing their respective insight and

What Is Executive Coaching And Its Benefits Management Essay

What Is Executive Coaching And Its Benefits Management Essay This report has been structured around the changes and concerns that are currently impacting Cassidys as an organisation, such as our decision to develop Cassidys into an international organisation. The first international store to open will be in Auckland, New Zealand, which is set to open early 2011. International growth will continue with opening of Cassidys in Canada in late November 2011. In order for business growth and the expansion of Cassidys, we need to make sure our executive leaders are ready to lead our organisation within a new environment. Due to the growth of Cassidys our needs are changing. We now require a larger and more flexible leadership team that has the skills and knowledge to succeed in an ever changing environment. Organisations will always benefit from having highly trained executives who possess exceptional leadership skills. Investing time and money into the development of executives are a necessary expense if an organisation aims to excel. The success of Cassidys requires that our current and future leaders perform to their maximum potential. Developing the skills and knowledge of executive leaders can benefit the whole organisation, as they have the ability boost our sales, profits, revenues, consumer recognition and loyalty. Executive staff retention is also critical to the success and growth of Cassidys. Last financial year it was recorded that our organisation spent over two million dollars on costs related to staffing retention. Failing to retain a key employee is costly, various estimates suggest that losing a middle manager costs an organisation up to 100 percent of his salary. The loss of a senior executive is even more costly. It is important for Cassidy to work on staff retention if it wants to grow .2 There has been a phenomenal increase in use of executive coaching over the past decade or so. A 2004 survey of the HR/Training community conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK showed that four-fifths of respondents now use coaching in their organisations. The Australian Institute of Management claims 70% of its member companys hire coaches. Berglas (2002) stated that there were more than 10,000 professional coaches in the United States, and this figure was expected to exceed 50,000 by 2007. What Is Executive Coaching and its Benefits? Executive Coaching is a specialized form of coaching that is becoming one of the fastest growing trends within employee development. Executive coaches work with an organisation to help highlight and develop a plan that works in conjunction with the needs and objectives of the organisation and members of the executive team and supporting staff. In an increasingly fast-paced and complex corporate world, there are few places where an executive or senior manager can step back and reflect on the range of issues facing them. Having a coach provides a wider perspective, additional points of view and a degree of objectivity that can be difficult to obtain when youre leading an organisation. Coaches are seen as a sounding board outside of the organisation, having this option benefits the executive as they have a listening ear that provides a safe way for them to voice their frustrations, explore their options, and talk through new courses of action. Kilburg (1996) describes the relationship o f a coach and client as: A helping relationship formed between a client who has managerial authority and responsibility in an organisation and a consultant who uses a wide variety of behavioral techniques and methods to help the client achieve a mutually identified set of goals to improve his or her professional performance and personal satisfaction and., consequently, to improve the effectiveness of the clients organisation within a formally defined coaching agreement Kilburg (1996, p.142) He also describes key benefits that clients and organisations achieve through executive coaching: Executive coaching can assist executives to find new and productive ways to manage the interpersonal aspects of leading others Coaching can provide executives to find powerful ways to influence others Reduce turnover and retain top performing staff Enhanced individual and organisational performance Improved organisational strength Perception of management as being committed to employees and their growth and success Improved employee morale, more committed employees, thus greater productivity Retention of high potential talent and talent magnet Better client relationships Positive work environment, thus  greater productivity Executives learn coaching techniques  which they can implement with their teams for improved relationships and productivity, as well as  enhanced employee development Positively affect organisational culture Ability to  recruit key talent through enhanced reputation within the industry Executive coaching helps the executive to expand leadership skills Who coaches are trained facilitators, not consultants, counselors, trainers or mentors What coaches do produce positive changes in business behavior within a set schedule with a limited time frame. The process of executive coaching Whilst it is important to understand the benefits that Cassidys can achieve using executive coaching, we also need to understand some of the methods and practices coaches use. Kilburg (2000) suggests the coaching process is a kind of circle of awareness within which the coach engages the client in a series of single-loop, double-loop, and triple-loop learning experiences to assist the client to understand the nature of the current organisational environment, the leadership situation, and his or her experiences with it: Learning in action: The ability to be self-aware as the client is performing a task. Reflection on learning in action: The ability to be aware of different ways to approach a task and how to modify approaches as the task is being performed. Reflection on reflection on learning in action: The ability of the client to be aware of multiple levels of complexity, paradoxes, and polarities in the situation with the intent of learning how to better perform in the future Internal and external coaches To select the correct type of coach of the right saturation both internal and external coaches need to be explained. An external coach is an external consultant to the company. An internal coach works for the company and usually a senior manager, a persons line managers, or members of the HR department. Each type of coach excels in supporting the executives for a board range of scenarios. External coaches excel in these areas: Coaching clients at the higher end of the corporate ladder If there is an environment of low trust and/or hostility between staff Navigate attitudes and little expectation of success When objectivity is critical for helping the executives Confidentiality between the coach and client External expertise and knowledge Unbiased and impartial opinion Internal coaches excel in these areas: Interment knowledge of the company is required Culture issues are affecting the client and internal knowledge is required The budget on coaching is limited or other Financial constraints Large amount of coaching is required The need to provide a Consistent approach provided by the company A mixture of internal and external coaches will provide Cassidys with the greatest flexibility. The external coach should be used to train the more senior members of the team, while also training and mentoring the internal coach. This will enable the internal coach to gain experience and knowledge, while still providing useful corporate and culture knowledge about the organisation. Leadership The skills and behaviour of organisation leaders affects the entire organisation and its successes. It is vital to Cassidys future that we assist our leaders to develop and help them reach their maximum potential. Cassidys requires exceptional leaders to help change and run this organisation, while ensuring that leadership and inspiration are coming from the top and filtering down. With the expansion into our new overseas market, some of our executives will be required to lead these stores. Cassidys will need to provide extra assistance for these executives as they will be responsible for the growth of our international stores, faced with an array of obstacles such as developing the Cassidys name within a new market. Executive coaching could be a strategy used to enhance Cassidys leaders. By using executive coaching, our leaders can be coached to successfully change operational procedures, expand and emphasize their extensive corporate knowledge, develop their communication skills, and improve their influence on those around them. All of these are traits of an effective leader. Elizabeth Thach (2002) conducted a study using 360 feedback and executive reporting with the aim to determine the impact executive coaching has on leadership and its effectiveness. The study was carried out over three different phases with feedback on the leader being collected from direct reports, peers, and managers. The executives were also required to report the number of times they met with their coach, and their self-reported increase or decrease in leadership effectiveness. It was found that the executives reported a smaller increase in their effectiveness as compared to what was reported in the 360 feedback. Figure 1 shows what the impact of coaching has on increasing leadership effectiveness. Figure : The Impact of Executive Coaching on Leadership Effectiveness Executive coaches usually work with individual leaders encouraging them to lead by example, motivate, improve their focused and stay committed. Although individual executive coaching could be a key to Cassidys success, isnt the only method that can be used to develop its leaders and executives. Other methods Cassidys should venture into are executive team coaching and mentoring. Team Coaching helps a group of individuals to perform more effectively in their work as a group. Although often provided via one person who is in-charge of the team, Team coaching aims to discover major values and expectations, agree common goals and targets and helps improve communications/lessen disharmony/conflict between team members. With the expansion of Cassidy there will be new executive teams created in both national and international departments. To help the executives transition into their new roles and create a productive team Cassidys should be to providing extra support to executives so they can create a cohesive unit that can quickly build a foundation of trust. One method Cassidys could use to help executives build effective teams is to hire an executive team coach. Executive team coaching differs from executive coaching in a group setting in that the coaching client is the whole team as a system rather than each of the executives in turn. During executive team coaching sessions, the team works on its usual business, typically running a business meeting, and then is coached on its collective process to achieve results. The focus of the team coaching process is on improving operational interfaces between team members while they work on achieving their objectives, rather than focusing on developing each of the executives individually, or simply focusing on improving relationships. They are each expected to contribute according to their strengths and the needs of their team. The same goes for team coaching which is not meant to develop perfect teams, but teams that contribute better to their organisation. Further, the successful development of an executive team will yield more effective collaboration, greater alignment in strategy execution, improv ed quality, products or services for customers, and ultimately, financial returns for the team and organisation. Mentoring differs from coaching but is focused around the transmission of knowledge and the forming of relationships between the parties. This relationship is usually long running and typically is formed with a more experienced person transferring their corporate knowledge and understanding to a newer staff member, whilst also providing support. Cassidys could use mentoring when the international transition occurred to provide the newer team members with the corporate knowledge they will need to succeed in the international environment. Cassidys will also need to investigate the return on investment (ROI) before proceeding with the implementation of a executive coaching plan. Below is an extract from a case study that shows the great returns that could be gained: INTRODUCTION A Fortune 500 firm and Pyramid Resource Group, a coaching services company, recently engaged MetrixGlobal LLC to determine the business benefits and return on investment for an executive coaching program. A Fortune 500 firm launched an innovative leadership development effort that was expected to accelerate the development of next generation leaders. The participants in this effort were drawn mostly from the ranks of middle managers and from many different business units and functional areas. Leadership development activities included group mentoring, individual assessments and development planning, a leadership workshop and work on strategic business projects. Coaching was considered to be a key enabler for this approach to leadership development because the participants could work privately and individually with his or her coach to develop specific leadership competencies. The client organization engaged the Pyramid Resource Group to provide coaching to the leadership development participants. While participants spoke very highly of their experience with coaching it was decided to conduct a formal assessment of the effectiveness and business impact of coaching. As a result of coaching the participants reported that coaching significant improvements in: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Personal or workgroup productivity 50% à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Employee satisfaction (personal as well 50% favorable as being able to increase employee satisfaction of their team members) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Customer Satisfaction 50% à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Annualized financial benefits 50% of participants Most frequently cited significant impacts: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work output 30% favorable à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work quality 40% favorable The Bottom Line: Coaching produced a 529% return on investment and significant intangible benefits to the business. Our organisation is about to embark on one of its biggest developments in the history of Cassidys. As an organistation we need to prepare our executives with the skills and knowledge that will help them compete in a very competitive environment. Although coaching and mentoring can provide us with assistance in growing our department stores we need to remember that the upcoming pressures that could arise. Investing in making sure that our leaders have the best tools and skills to carry them through the could benefit from implementing all three programs if they are used correctly. For any of these methods to work the individual receiving the training needs to be willing to change and believe that coaching and mentoring can be a positive experience for those who are involved. It also needs to be understood that coaching and mentoring is not a solution to every problem within an organisation. A

Essay on Edwin Chadwick

Edwin Chadwick was a man that made a huge different in our world a long time ago. Mr. Edwin Chadwick was born January 24th, 1800 and passed away July 16th, 1890. He lived a very long life and it was all due to the changes in the world that he made that prolonged his life as well as our lives today. I know everyone is asking the same question, â€Å"What did a man that died about 120 years ago do that helps prolong my life today? † I will tell you and explain how we still live by Mr. Edwin Chadwick’s changes and use his invents to this day. Mr.  Chadwick was born in Manchester, England; but was raised by both his parents in London. Mr. Chadwick was an attorney. Edwin Chadwick received his earliest education in Longsight and Stockport. In 1810, his parent decided to more to London where then begun to receive education by private tutors. Mr. Edwin Chadwick was an attorney that was all about making changes in the reforming of the poor laws and making sanitary conditions better so it could improve the public health. Mr. Edwin Chadwick believed that his inventions would not only improve the health of people, but it would also save money. In 1834, Edwin Chadwick was given a job as the secretary of the Poor Law Commissioners. Mr. Chadwick’s sanitary ideas made the government fierce and sustain criticism. Mr. Chadwick paid out of his own expense for researches and publishing papers about the unsafe sanitary conditions. Mr. Edwin Chadwick had a lot of problems with his superiors and there was a lot of disagreement that lead to the dissolution in 1847 of The Poor Law Commission. At the same time that Edwin Chadwick was working for The Poor Law Commission, he was answering questions about sanitary and trying to find away to improve it. Mr. Chadwick was all about making changes in reforming of the poor laws and sanitary conditions. Mr. Chadwick strongly believed that the unsafe sanitary conditions were causing illnesses and lots of unnecessary deaths. Mr. Edwin Chadwick was putting together ideas that later was known as the â€Å"sanitary idea†. In 1842, Edwin Chadwick invented what we know today as the sewer tank. He found a healthier and proper way for removal of trash and sewage. Mr. Edwin Chadwick knew that the odor from the sewage and trash was harming the public. Mr.  Edwin Chadwick also knew that by putting the sewage underground and running it through a special pipeline into a special designed tank would be healthier for the public and by doing so the unpleasant odor (miasmas) from the above ground sewage and trash would disappear. After Mr. Chadwick introduced the sewage tank and proper trash removal the life expectancy increased. Edwin Chadwick invented the self flushing toilet; it was lined in glazed bricks. We use these several times today and never really thought about where they came from or what life would be like without them. Mr. Chadwick invented and changed our sanitary conditions; by doing so there are few illnesses and deaths. We can flush our toilet and do not have to smell that nasty odor from the gas that would one day kill us. Edwin Chadwick had the idea of separating the sewage lines and water line a distances away from each other. By doing so it proved clean fresh drinking water that we enjoy today. In 1847, Edwin Chadwick changed the amount of smoke and soot that comes from chimneys. He created a law that protects the public from the harm of hazard materials. By doing so Edwin Chadwick helped control the pollution in our environment. This made it a lot easier and safer for people to breath fresh air and enjoy being outside. Edwin Chadwick forced the government to get health inspectors to see that our community stays safe, so that we could have healthier lives. He also pushed the government for better-ventilated and less crowded housing for families, wider streets for traveling to and from, workplace health and safety legislation for employees, increased use of indoor plumbing, and stops the children employment in factories. In 1854, Edwin Chadwick pushed the government to registration of all births, all deaths, and all marriage. It is amazing that if it was not for Edwin Chadwick we would not have birth certificates of our children, death certificates of our loved ones, or marriage licenses to our spouses. A driver’s license is needed to get a job and/or any government help that anyone might need. In 1854, Edwin Chadwick pushed the government to registration of all births, all deaths, and all marriage. It is amazing that if it was not for Edwin Chadwick we would not have birth certificates of our children, death certificates of our loved ones, or marriage licenses to our spouses. By inventing these certificates we can keep count of the population of people today. Because of Edwin Chadwick, We have birth certificate for our husbands, sons, daughters, and ourselves. We have marriage licenses to show our husbands when they acts crazy; okay and the men can show them to the wives too. We need death certificates to claim life insurance policies of loved ones.

When You Shouldnt Go Global

Running head: VETTING GLOBALIZATION STRATEGIES When You Shouldn’t Go Global; Vetting Globalization Strategies Table of Contents Executive Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Case Overview †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 SWOT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Situation Analysis†¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 STAB Principles †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Christian Values †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 Recommendations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 Executive Summary It has been argued that companies who have experienced some level of failure when trying their hand at cross-border ventures have simply attempted the leap under misguided information. It is argued that such failures are in direct result of inadequately vetting their globalization strategies. We offer an in depth discussion surrounding the globalization issue and the necessary strategies, followed by recommendations we believe could help reduce the prevalence of globalization failures. We open our discussion with a 2008 case study urging the company considering globalization to ask themselves a series of revealing questions. Providing real life examples, we go on to highlight several underlying pressures and challenges often associated with the process of globalization. An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, often associated with a firm who is not prepared for globalization, is performed. The often intimidating global climate and several mixed assumptions surrounding globalization are discussed across a multitude of service industries. We continue by presenting three of Sun Tzu’s principles, as cited in The Art of Business, as we argue ways in which they are instrumental to any successful globalization venture, providing examples of firms who have historically and successfully applied the three principles. Several Christian values and how they are intertwined within the structural framework of a successfully globalized firm mentioned, noting the importance of a functional mission statement and several key characteristics to be explored before attempting the cross-border venture; ensuring global readiness. Finally, we offer several recommendations that we conclude are vital in addressing globalization preparedness, suggesting that with additional research, insight, and after fully vetting the related risks and rewards, the frequency of globalization failures would be significantly reduced. Case Overview Marcus Alexander and Harry Korine (2008), argue that many companies do not take the time to ensure that their globalization strategies were not â€Å"deeply misguided. † Believing that many of these failures could be avoided, Alexander and Korine (2008) recommend the company pondering globalization ask themselves three questions: 1. Are there potential benefits for our company? 2. Do we have the necessary management skills? and 3. Will the costs outweigh the benefits? Among the arguments made by Alexander and Korine is that which encompasses the pressures surrounding the globalization process. Alexander and Korine (2008), argue that companies going global in relation to various marketplace pressures are making serious mistakes, subsequently forced to undo their international investments, often involving the firing of senior management teams. Alexander and Korine (2002), offer up examples of failed strategies such as Dutch financial-services firm ABN Amro, Daimler-Chrysler, and AES – a U. S. based energy firm that despite operating in 29 countries on five continents, struggle to bring added value. The authors relate the struggles of deregulated industries to a â€Å"glocal† problem. That is to say that many â€Å"customer expectations, operating environments, and management practices of a globally standard service can vary greatly depending on location,† in example, citing the standardization of electricity flowing over power grids (Alexander & Korine, 2008, p. 107-109). Every industry has its own challenges with globalization. Issues within the service industry, such as Starbucks, for example, have been that profit margins are equivalent to about half of that which can be expected domestically. In the IT industry the protection of intellectual property rights has caused many companies to simply leave countries like India, while the failed integration of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler is a perfect example of a failed globalization strategy in the manufacturing industry (Alexander & Korine, 2008). In discussing some of the strategies that did work, such as GE, and Renault’s alliance with Nissan, Alexander and Korine caution against focusing on these success stories. Stating that that while many companies are planning rapid expansion, they are underestimating the management challenges. Their final point is that the landscape of players is very different than that of the global landscape of 30 years ago. Today’s successful global behemoths, according to Alexander and Korine (2008), are more diversified â€Å"both in type and international footprint. † Meaning, such companies possess a greater diversity in the types of subsidiaries they own and operating in more countries than ever before. SWOT Analysis – When you Shouldn’t Go Global Strengths Reduced financial, political, currency, and exchange risk- Foreign investment involves all of these risks. By refraining from foreign investment we avoid these risks. Simplicity of operations- Setting up and maintaining foreign investments complicate operations. Refraining from going global keeps operations more simple. Protection of intellectual property- It is very difficult to protect intellectual property in foreign countries. By keeping all activities domestic, one is adding a layer of protection to intellectual property rights. Weaknesses Loss of economies-of-scale and economies-of-scope- This according to Alexander and Korine is what is not being fully realized by going global, and therefore may not be that significant of an issue in many industries. Loss of first-mover advantages- Choosing not to go global may mean making the irrevocable choice to give up the first-mover advantage. This is usually a very small window and a one-time opportunity. Foregoing additional revenue sources- For a company that has no additional potential revenue sources domestically, going global may be the only opportunity to gather additional revenue. Foregoing market growth- For companies wishing to expand market reach, the choice to forego going global will limit their market penetration. Opportunities No financial investment- Refraining from foreign financial investment frees-up those funds for investment in domestic activities. No use of other resources- Refraining from going global frees-up all resources (human, etc. ) for use in domestic activities. Threats Loss of market share to competition- Should one’s competition be successful in going global, they may be able to offer similar products at much lower prices thus forcing you out of the market. The competition may also offer superior products at higher prices, and capture the market, via the use of superior technology. Loss of talent to competition- In many fields, such as high tech and engineering, the worldwide competition for talent is fierce. Failure to go global often means failure to secure talent. Loss of learning opportunities- Since globalization can take the form of joint ventures. There is also the threat of the loss of learning from a joint venture partner that should be considered. Situation Analysis Since the seventh century business have possessed the desire to operate internationally however, those considered truly global, did not start appearing until the past century. With growing stories of globalization successes, follow just as many testaments to failures. Despite the growing number of failed attempts the overwhelming pressure to conduct the ultimate border-less business has become increasingly enticing. Most large companies founded 20 years ago feel battered by numerous external forces pushing them towards globalization. Driving forces such as the removal of political and regulatory barriers to global trading and investment and the ability to conduct business 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world, draw these business behemoths one step closer to customers in emerging economies (Alexander &Korine, p. 106). Deanna Julius (1997), lists in her article titled Globalization and Stakeholder Conflicts; a corporate perspective), three primary, macro-level forces, driving the need for change as; how companies are organized, how goods and services are produced and how they are bought by and delivered to customers. Alexander & Korine (2008), mention that while many of the companies that have rushed to globalization have benefited, or at the very least have not suffered irreparable damage, some are witnessing major fallout from the move. The authors suggest that while companies often fail from misguided global strategies and an unanticipated level of execution, they could have avoided such failure by seriously addressing if potential benefits even exist in going global, if their management possess the necessary skills and the most logical one, will the costs of going global outweigh the benefits? Alexander & Korine (2008), argue that most companies fail to ask themselves these questions due to previously held false assumptions regarding the virtues of globalization and seduction from the stock market. As previously mentioned, deregulated industries such as those who provide water, power, and mail service are among those experiencing global failure. Alexander & Korine (2008), suggest that deregulated industries are operating under the misguided assumptions as well. The greatest assumption being that, going global will save them money, given they will be sharing resources across their international operations. When in reality, the costs to enter the foreign markets end up outweighing the assumed benefits (Alexander & Korine, 2008, p. 107). Managerial fads are suggested to undermine rational behavior from within a company, thus resulting in sloppy thinking that distracts management from more imperative tasks associated with global success. Properly servicing global customers from a national perspective contributes too many failures given, much attention must be afforded to a mix or global and local factors simultaneously. Global manufacturing companies are said to fail due in part to the complexities related to the integration tactics necessary grow and compete better, resulting in costly delays and thus failures (Alexander & Korine, 2008, p. 110). STAB Principles Win All without Fighting – Capturing Your Market without Destroying It The goal of business is to survive and prosper over a long period of time. Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War, described the strategy in achieving this long term prosperity as an offensive one in which a company must take all under Heaven intact, â€Å"Thus your troops are not worn out and your gains will be complete (McNeilly, 1996, p. 11). McNeilly (1996), utilizing Sun Tzu’s principles in his book The Art of Business, adds that, by taking all under heaven intact you will capture your marketplace thus ensuring your company’s survival and prosperity. However, your desired markets must be defined as such and nothing less than commitment in achieving market dominance must be displayed (McNeilly, 1996, p. 1). Application of Sun Tzu’s principle, win all without fighting – capturing your market without destroying it, as cited in McNeilly (1996), has been useful to many of today’s leading companies, including global cement producer, CEMEX. Cemex’s CEO Lorenzo Zambrano has applied Sun Tzu’s technique when expanding his cement company in Mexico and abroad. By the year 2000, CEMEX had become the world’s third largest cement company. In Cemex’s quest for market dominance they switched to a strategy of growth through acquisitions. In the late 1980’s large firms were considering expanding their operations into Cemex’s Mexican territory. Realizing the imminent threat CEMEX decided to unify its Mexican operations by acquiring two of Mexico’s large cement producers, affording CEMEX access to Mexico’s central market and bolstering its exporting capabilities, making CEMEX Mexico’s largest cement producer and a threat not to be competed against. While CEMEX won all without fighting, they gained market dominance in Mexico, later fueling their geographic expansion (Ghemawat, 200, p. 155). Deception and Foreknowledge – Maximizing the Power of Market Information Foreknowledge, as described in Sun Tzu’s third strategic principle, is not projecting what will happen in the future, based on past occurrences or merely conducting a trend analysis. Foreknowledge and maximizing the power of market information is to; gain firsthand knowledge of your competitions strengths and weaknesses, know their capabilities, culture and mindset, and obtain a deeper understanding of who their decision makers are and what their future goals and plans are (McNeilly, 1996, p. 0). As Sun Tzu stated in The Art of War, as cited in McNeilly (1996), regarding foreknowledge â€Å"What is called foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits, nor from Gods, nor by analogy with past events, nor from calculations. It must be obtained from men who know the enemy situation. † In order for a company to succeed on a global scale not only do the ins and outs of their competition need to be understood and plotted against, they must also know themselves; their own weaknesses, strengths, people and plans as well as the market in which they will be entering. A corporation lacking this level of foreknowledge should reconsider entering global markets until they better know themselves and their competition. Before Wal-Mart swept our nation, Sam Walton gathered vast amounts of information on his competitors, large and small, before he ever brought competition to their territory. In fact, before Wal-Mart took on then behemoth value retailer Kmart, it was the smaller, local mom and pop retailers that were seized up. Walton learned about the smaller retailers value chains and distribution methods, through foreknowledge, he attacked their weakest points, where they could not afford to compete, in costs and deceptfully defeated them where they did not expect it; in their own small, rural towns. Defeating the smaller retailers gained Wal-Mart the necessary market share to then surround urban Kmart. Wal-Mart, knowing that Kmart’s operating costs was on average 5% higher than theirs attacked Kmart at its cost structure, and won. Kmart was just not able to get under Wal-Mart’s five point advantage in operating costs (McNeilly, 1996 p. 25). In 2009, after waiting for a new government with a more ‘hopeful’ political environment and a well paired partnership with local market-savvy grocery retailer, Bharti, Wal-Mart utilizes foreknowledge and deception to enter India’s market. Historically however, Wal-Mart has been unsuccessful in several global markets such as Japan due to their inability to adapt to local markets and tastes (Consumer Goods, 2009). As McNeilly (1996), notes in summary, you must learn everything you can about your competition, not merely the facts, but you must also learn about its culture, market, mindset and capabilities. Possibly additional foreknowledge in these areas could be of great use to Wal-Mart. Character Based Leadership – Providing Effective Leadership in Turbulent Times Character based leadership is not only desirable but it is an attribute than often separates the globally successful firms from the rest. When a company first tries its business hand and people skills at cross-border trading, most of the times are turbulent ones and without effective and transparent leadership, going global can quickly escalate from intimidating to downright terrifying. When we think of character based leaders, often people like Chrysler’s Lee Iacocca, Steve Jobs (Apple), The Snyder family (In-N-Out burger), Dan Cathy (Chick-Fil-A), Eric Schmidt (Google) and Jim Skinner of McDonalds come to mind, but McNeilly (1996) reminds us that not only are leaders of this caliber unique, they can also be hard to find. It is of no coincidence than that we can more readily recall companies operating under less than character based leadership, faster than those with it. Companies like Nike, BP, Exxon (Valdez Oil spill) and even Carl’s Jr’s current CEO Andy Puzder, come to mind. Sun Tzu stated in The Art of War, as cited within McNeilly (1996), â€Å"The general who in advancing does not seek personal fame, and in withdrawing is not concerned with avoiding punishment, but whose only purpose is to protect the people and promote the best interests of his sovereign, is the precious jewel of the state†¦few such to be had. McNeilly (1996) suggests that leaders of this caliber are desirable given they put the needs of others before theirs, they have strong and well developed characters. Becoming such a leader is not easy and will require much sacrifice to: â€Å"Build your character, not just your image; lead with actions, not just words; Share employee’s trials, not just triumph s, motivate emotionally, not just materially, assign clearly defined missions to all, avoiding mission overlap and confusion and the make your strategy drive your organization; not the reverse† (McNeilly, 1996, p. 119). Jim Skinner, CEO for McDonalds and winner of the 2009 CEO of the Year award is greatly admired and willingly followed by his employees around the world and thus a great example of a character based leader attributing to McDonald’s global successes. Skinner, who began his career with McDonald's in 1971 as a grill cook was named CEO in 2004, at a tumultuous time for the company. Skinner acted quickly to turn the company around and in result between 2004 and 2008 McDonald’s revenues climbed 41. 1 percent in four years, and net income jumped by 81 . 3 percent (Top Executive, 2009). The top nominees for CEO of the year are judged by such criteria as; leadership, integrity, ability to outperform and for their commitment to employees. It was no surprise to those who knew and worked with Jim Skinner that he had excelled in every category. After receiving the award, Skinner acknowledged the support his leadership team, along with the entire McDonald's system, stating â€Å"Together, our franchisees, employees and suppliers make up what we call our three-legged stool, we succeed only when all three legs of that stool are strong, aligned and performing at the highest levels† (Top executive, 2009). In closing, Skinner noted that while the challenges of leadership have grown more complex in the multifaceted business climate, holding fast to fundamental principals will serve today's global business leader well (Top Executive, 2009). The character based leader of today’s successful global firm provides effective leadership in turbulent times, Sun Tzu refers to this as ‘moral influence’ stating in The Art of War, as cited within McNeilly (1996), â€Å"By moral influence I mean that which causes people to be in harmony with their leaders, so that they will accompany them in life and unto death without fear of mortal peril. Skinner possesses moral influence among his employees, an important principle that will undoubtedly advance McDonalds in global markets around the world. Christian Values At the minimum, companies poised for global success, will adopt a mission statement. Ideally, these companies will have a statement of values. One organization that is not on ly global, but transnational – World Vision International has a statement of values that serves as moral compass in decision making and strategic planning. It states that WVI’s values are to â€Å"Bring a Christian, community-based, child-focused HIV and AIDS response, reflecting God’s unconditional love for all people and the affirmation of each individual’s dignity and worth† (World Vision International, 2009, p. 2). It is these types of clear statements of vision that removes the guess work from the Christian Business Praxis model. Additionally, companies need to look at the characteristics of their organization and the values their leadership possesses to determine whether or not the decision to global is in the best interest of the organization. Some examples are: Benevolence- For many organizations benevolence is the primary reason for going global. This was certainly the case of bicycle manufactures and APU alumni ACIRFA, who after going on mission to Africa saw a need for transportation and found a way to meet that need. Stewardship- Stakeholder theory, which seems to dominate most modern business decision making, indicates that it is unethical to go global without first considering the impact on all of your stakeholders. Clearly, one’s shareholders are his or her primary stakeholders. However, one must be mindful of the fact the fact that the organization is also the steward of its employees. And, to that end the organization has a duty to plan responsibly and minimize risk to those employees. As such, it is important for organizations to ensure that they are balancing potential profitability with the potential of not serving some of those under their care. Collaboration- This is a particularly useful skill if an organization is considering joint ventures. If, however, the organization has found that that the leadership of the organization or the organization as a whole is particularly weak in this area this is an indicator that a joint venture is not ideal. Integrity- The challenge associated with integrity (assuming that your organization possesses a great deal of integrity) is that one doesn’t know the off-shore partners and vendors one’s organization will be dealing with. New relationships will need to be established, and with that trust will need to be cultivated. Management skill- For every ounce of management skill it takes to manage domestically it takes a pound to manage off-shore. This is because there is an entirely new set of challenges and risks. There are language barriers in many cases. There are currency fluctuations, political risks, supply chain issues, and a whole host of challenges that one may not have realized existed even with extensive due diligence. Passion- The type of passion we are addressing here is the type associated with buy-in. If all members of the executive management team have not bought-in to the idea of going global it is going to be very difficult to have a great deal of success. Leadership must be passionate about going global. They must be excited, and they must be convinced that this is the future of the organization for global efforts to be successful. Preparation- Preparation is the key to success in going global. It may be fine to start out by simply exporting a few items. However, as demand increases, organizations will find that the need for strategic planning and preparation will also increase. Should a company wish to enter into either a joint venture, licensing agreement or build facilities off-shore, extensive due diligence involving outside consultants will be necessary. Zest- As we have suggested, going global is not for the faint-at-heart. Leaders have to be willing to take risks, and moreover leadership should invigorate others. Going global is not an easy task, great planning and preparation are integral. There will be many challenges and many hurdles and in many cases there will be more reasons to quit than stay the course. Therefore, zest is a prerequisite for going global. Recommendations Before making the decision to go global, heed Alexander and Korine’s advice, and ask three questions of your organization: 1. Are there potential benefits for our company? 2. Do we have the necessary management skills? and 3. Will the costs outweigh the benefits? The answers to those three questions will give the organization a starting point from which to determine if going global is in the best interest of the organization as a whole. Next, ask the operational questions- Is going global necessary for the growth and/or survival of our organization? Is globalization worth the various risks involved? Can effectively and protect our intellectual property in a cost efficient manner? Will the complications surrounding operations be overwhelming? What do we stand to lose if we don’t go global and if we don’t who within our competition will? What possible ramifications exist at the expense of not going global? Are we losing out on a learning opportunity by not going global? Is there unsecured talent out there that we may miss out on by not going global? Then ask the company, how much the above is worth in terms of opportunity cost? If we don’t utilize our time and resources in going global, how then will we allocate said resources to growth? Then ask your company the values questions- Is going global a responsible and ethical management decision? Can we trust that we will find people of integrity in the global economy to do business with and if so, do we possess the necessary passion and zest to be successful at such as risky cross-border venture? In addition, have we well prepared, and will we continue to be, throughout every step of the process? After asking the above questions we recommend conducting a detailed SWAT analysis where all possible risks and rewards involved with going global are fully vetted, then establish that all Christian perspectives are clear and present and finally, if the decision to go global is made, go forward while applying Sun Tzu’s Art of Business principles. In conclusion, Alexander and Korine (2008), suggest that we should not expect the influx of globalization failures to stop or improve any time soon. Making the valid point that, companies in a variety of industries will continue on in their reckless pursuit of global strategies, activists will continue to cause change and disruption and less than character based leaders will stand behind flawed globalization strategies, all the while, customers will always be demanding select attention. While it is undeniable that globalization is a seductively daunting opportunity with promises of increased power and unlimited benefits looming about the mere thought and that while even the best and brightest leaders, heading up the most well prepared companies may eventually succumb to its pressures, make the cross-border transition and possibly fail at it, keep in mind- sometimes to fail is necessary to succeed. References Alexander, M ; Korine, H. (2008). When You Shouldn’t Go Global. In Bartlett, C. A. ; Beamish, P. W. Transnational Management- Text, cases, and readings in cross-border management. 6thed. p. 105-112). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Consumer goods: Wal-Mart cashes in. (2009). Business India Intelligence, 16(12), 3-4. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com Fraser, R. (2006). Marketplace Christianity: Discovering the kingdom purposes of the marketplace. 2nd ed. Kansas City: MO: New Grid Publishing. Ghemawat, P. (2000). The Globalization of CEMEX. In Bartle tt, C. A. ; Beamish, P. W. Transnational Management-Texts, cases and readings in cross-border management, 6thed. (p. 146-166). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Julius, D. (1997). Globalization and Stakeholder Conflicts: A corporate perspective. International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-). Globalization and International Relations (Vol. 73, No. 3, p. 453-468). McNeilly, M. (1996). Sun Tzu and the art of business: Six strategic principles for managers. New York: Oxford University Press. World Vision International. (2009). Global hope initiative annual report 2009. Retrieved from http://wvi. org/wvi/wviweb. nsf/0CF6565756AEA942882575590061CEAC/$file/ Hope_Annual_Report_Exec_Summary_2009. pdf 2009 chief executive of the year. (2009). Chief Executive, (242), 68-70. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/212098908? accountid=8459