Ethical Dilemma Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Dilemma - Term Paper Example She also runs a daycare center hence her hands were pretty full. After refusing the deployment orders Hutchinson was subsequently arrested and is currently held at Fort Stewart, GA as investigations continue. The young mother faced a dilemma of leaving her ten month old son with a relatively unknown person or possibly the child protection service and obeying military orders or ignoring the orders and remaining behind until she sorted out the issue. She chose the latter and that is why she was arrested for ignoring military orders. The consequence of her action is that she could lose her job and be jailed for up to one year. Deontological theory on ethics holds that one should do what is right the consequences notwithstanding. It further argues that that there are some actions which are considered morally wrong and should be avoided. Such acts include cheating, murder or punishing the weak and innocent. Theological theory on the other hand refers to dilemmas which mostly have a religious perspective. For instance a Christian soldier who is forced to go to war where there is a possibility of killing the enemy. This certainly goes against the Christian teachings. (Reamer 26). In my view the case of Hutchinson falls under a deontological dilemma since she just wanted to do what she believes is right for her innocent child. She didn’t refuse to go to war because it is against her religious beliefs. According to Reamer a case of some Israel soldiers who refused to bomb unarmed Palestine youth because of their Christian beliefs would appropriately fall under a theological theory dilemma. (31). The matter is currently being investigated by the military to determine the correct position. Kevin Larson a spokesman for Hutchinson’s unit says that the army cannot deploy a single mom with no child care plan. I agree with the position

Aristogoras of Miletus Essay Example for Free

Aristogoras of Miletus Essay In 499 BCE, Aristagoras made a mistake that greatly changed history and led to western ideas being spread throughout the world, a major turning point in shaping the culture of future generations. It resulted in many wars and conquests but ultimately this mistake is why today delegates to the United Nations wear suits and ties instead of turbans. Aristagoras was the Persian governor of Miletus on the edge of the Persian Empire. The nearby island of Naxos rebelled against the Persian Empire and Aristagoras seized the opportunity to take it back and get a promotion to a better position from the Persian emperor Darius I. At the very least, even if it did not lead to advancement, he could add Naxos to his growing state and get money from the taxes on its citizens. Since Naxos was an island, Aristagoras needed a navy to conquer it so he got the help of Artaphernes, the governor of Lydia and Darius’ brother, to supply his navy to take Naxos in exchange for some of the plunder. In addition, Artaphernes provided Aristagoras with his skilled and clever naval admiral, Megabates. Unfortunately, Aristagoras publically insulted Megabates leading him to warn the people of Naxos of the impending invasion. The invasion failed because the people of Naxos were prepared and Aristagoras was defeated. The problem was that Aristagoras promised Artaphernes a portion of his booty and since he had none, Artaphernes would take revenge. At the very least Aristagoras would be exiled, but most likely Artaphernes would kill him, easily within his power since he was the brother of the king and had connections. To save his skin, Aristagoras started a revolt against Persia and got some of his neighbors to help him, such as Athens and Ephesus. His army marched to Sardis, the capital of Lydia, and burnt it to the ground while Artaphernes hid in the citadel. Darius I saw what happened and quickly defeated all of the rebels except for the Athenians who escaped by ship. Darius then launched the first of the Persian Wars which culminated at the Battle of Marathon, where the Greeks easily defeated the Persians, ending the war. The second of the Persian Wars was launched by Darius’ son, Xerxes, which the Persians â€Å"won† after the battle of Thermopolis, but they later lost Greece in a rebellion. Greece survived and a few hundred years later, the son of Philip of Macedon, Alexander the Great, spread Western culture in his vast conquests. â€Å"The world as we know today† is because of Aristagoras’ mistake that shaped the west (Fawcett 5). Context of that World The Mediterranean world in 499 BCE was very different from our own; the main power was the Persian Empire. Persia was a very large empire consisting of twenty provinces called satrapies which were ruled by a governor, or satrap. The satrap was appointed by the king who at that time was Darius I. The satrap’s duties included taxing the people, acting as a judge, and making important decisions for the satrapy. The farther the satrapy was from the capital, the more autonomous it was because at that time the fastest communication was on horseback, which often took months to get from one part of the empire to another. It also took many months to raise an army and march it to the farthest part of the empire if a problem needed to be handled. As a result, the satraps on the far reaches of the Persian Empire acted as kings of their own satrapies and could, in general, do as they pleased, which describes Aristagoras and his satrapy Miletus. While the rule of the different satraps varied based on their location, they were all united with a uniform system of laws and judges. They shared abundant resources and order was maintained. They were also all connected by a well maintained and patrolled system of roads and cultural and technological exchange was ongoing. This existed in sharp contrast to the Greeks, who were divided in hundreds of different independent entities, called polis, ruled by tyrants. Though bound together by language, religion, and lifestyle, they were a resource poor region. As a result, each polis was fiercely jealous of independence and suspicious of their neighbors, with frequent conflicts erupting. While, collectively, they occupied a large area, they were not a dominant world force at that time. All this changed after Darius declared war, and the major polis came together and formed an alliance to counteract the Persian threat. Although Greece continued as an independent collection of city states after they defeated the Persians, they were eventually brought together under the rule of Philip of Macedon. Expansion of the Greek Empire continued under the rule of his son Alexander the Great as the Greek way of life spread throughout much of the Mediterranean area and into southwest Asia, forming the foundation western culture. Bibliography Abbott, E. A History of Greece, Part II: From the Ionian Revolt to the Thirty Years’ Peace 500-445 B.C. New York, Putnam, 1892. Although an old work, this book will provide a good synopsis of Greek history and the impact of Aristagoras’ actions on Greek history. Curtis, John E. and Nigel Tallis. Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia. Los Angelos: University of California Press, 2005. This resource provides an in-depth perspective of the complete history of the Persian Empire and the impact of Aristagoras. It also has a lengthy bibliography that can be used to find further resources. Fawcett, Bill. 100 Mistakes that Changed History. New York: Penguin Group, 2010. This book provides an excellent overview of Aristagoras’ rule of Miletus and the subsequent rebellion that resulted in the war between the Persian Empire and the Greeks and how his actions changed history. Herodotus, The Histories, Revised. Trans. Aubrey de Salincourt. Ed. John M. Marincola. New York: Penguin Books, 2003. The only existing primary source, this edition also includes editorial comments to aid in understanding of the text, a glossary, timetable, and index. An updated bibliography is also provided which can be used to find additional sources for further research. Holland, Tom. Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West. New York: Doubleday, 2006. A relatively recent work, this book will provide a more updated viewpoint and accounting of historical events surrounding Aristagoras. How, W. and J. Wells. A Commentary on Herodotus, with Introduction and Appendices Volume 2 (Books V-IX). New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Impact of New Media on Teenagers | Research

Impact of New Media on Teenagers | Research THE IMPACT OF NEW MEDIA ON TEENAGERS CONDUCT Emily Shaba The data was obtained through interviews at two high schools and through the below interview questions. Interview questions The majority of teenagers in schools access new media through their phones and laptops. The main sites that are used or the most used form of new media is Facebook and Whatsapp as well as the internet in general through Google to find out things they are curious about. Most of the youth as well admitted to having used new media frequently some even admit to being addicted to it. According to the research however new media has positively impacted teenagers in a lot of positive ways the first being it helps them with research in school work and finding out about other things that they may be curious about. Social sites help to build a closer relationship between teenagers and their friends plus relatives that may be far away. It provides quick and cheap communication as compared to phone calls and text messages or travelling to meet their friends and relatives. It also helps with making new friends for teenagers that are naturally shy and cannot or find it had to make friends or interact with others physically. They get a chance to find someone to interact with and talk to when need be. Makes them understand new technology that is coming in and how to use it effectively. They are however also some negative ways in which new media impacts teenagers firstly being that despite the ability to make new friends they are not trustworthy. This may be imposter’s people with bad manners that may end up sharing them with the teenagers or worse criminals who end up harming innocent teens or stealing from them. Most teenagers also admitted to the fact that it is too tempting, it gives them the chance to see things that may be inappropriate to them on a silver platter it is like leaving chocolate on the table for a kid and telling them not to eat when its alone with them in the room for days and nobody has the ability to know if they eat it. This also results in teens being exposed to porn and other inappropriate pictures which later trigger things like premarital sex and early pregnancies. Teens are also exposed to a western way of life and tend to think drugs and alcohols are part of life and if you do not drink go clubbing or use media then you feel left out and backwards in time. It is so addictive that teens can not focus on anything else other than it. It also gives wrong information about various things and teens get wrong advice from their new internet found friends about different things which ends up corrupting their character. Most teenagers agreed to there being a change in the way they act or view things since they started using new media. They know more things than they did in the past and they are pickier about things more especially the way they dress or act around friends. New media from an academic point of view has also impacted them positively in that it helps them with homework and research when their given something to work on at school. It also helps them to find notes, books and past papers that their school may not be able to provide which also helps with their performance in class. They also learn a lot of new things online that they may not be able to learn in school. They are able to get inspiration from other people that they are able to look up and find out about their lives online. It helps with their spellings and grammar. New media however also has academic disadvantages which according to the research included: It reduces concentration on school as the time that would be used for studying is rather used on new media or social sites. Instead of concentrating in class teens are busy on their phones using social media or thinking about what to say to who, their next Facebook or WhatsApp profile picture and status. It makes them lazy and increases chances of plagiarism as they might as well take an already written paper and just change it than spend time on writing a paper rather than on the internet. Due to the many abbreviations used on social sites the teens spellings are sometimes affected and their language too. It provides them sometimes with the wrong information on their school work too. It has also impacted the way they relate to their friends in that they have more time to chat and hence it brings them closer. However other friends that do not use new media are isolated. It reduces interaction between teens instead of them meeting up to chat or do another thing they only want to talk using social media. Most teens start to feel that their culture is left behind and start to despise it. They, as a result, they forsake culture and tradition which ends up leading them astray. This also destroys the spreading of our African culture and heritage with other as it is slowly dying. People end up following western culture and values and even dressing which may be inappropriate for the African society. Like not doing house chores or ignoring guests when they come instead of greeting them and making them feel at home. Most admit to their principles being bent to some extent to fit in which may not, however, be an appositive thing, especially If what they are fitting into is inappropriate and destructive. I was also shocked to find out that their other teens that do not use any form of new media or social site and some that only use new media for school in this day of age and time. This was due to parents denying them access to it after witnessing a reduction in their grades. Others were because of their religion not permitting them to do so or simply not wanting to do so after being affected by it negatively in some ways. They said the was an increase in their performance due to this in class as they had more time to study but however lacked some friends and often felt left out. Most teens did say they should be an age restriction on sites as to what they can and cannot view. They should be appropriate pictures on social sites. And finally, parents should mind the time that their children are given internet access. Some teens suggested being given access in the evening, weekends and on holidays. The Victorian Era: Social Classes Of England The Victorian Era: Social Classes Of England The Victorian Era social classes of England are unlike any other social system; every rule could be bent or broken (An Ancestry.com Community, par. 1). A person could be born into the lowest class, and could end up being part of the nobility by marriage (An Ancestry.com Community, par. 1). Some heiresses were married to local families (Thornber par. 10). An example of the odd rules would be how the aristocracy and gentry, in mid-nineteenth century, would become the upper class(Cody par.2). The Victorian Era is viewed as a period of great opportunity for every class.(Loftus par. 1). Each class can be divided by power, authority, wealth, working and living conditions, life-styles, education, and culture(Cody par. 2). At times, the middle class took power, not the upper class(Loftus, par. 1)The lower class was divided mainly by the wealth and working conditions of families(Channe14.com, par. 19). The main groups consist of upper class -aristocracy and gentry-, middle class, and lower cl ass. The gentry were lines of land-owning families from noble men (Thornber, pars. 2 and 4). Their system of inheriting the land from their father helped the gentry, but it eventually destructed them (Thornber par. 4). A main reason was the decline of agriculture after the Napoleonic Wars (Thornber par. 4). Some of the gentry managed to keep their estates (Thornber par. 8). Another reason for the gentrys fall was the male inheritors decline into moral sin (French and Rothery 403). The landed gentry was in control until the younger sons started to put the families financial security in danger; they were soon sent to an outside school (French and Rothery 403-405). This moral decline was soon blamed on the parents teaching of their children (French and Rothery 404). Although the kids did go to school, their circle of activity still revolved around society (French and Rothery 405). Although one might think the gentry to be powerful, the aristocrats retain the power (Channe14.com, pars.8). The sinple definition of aristocracy is rule of the best or superior (Aristocracy, par. 2). It has the least change out of all the social classes (Channe14.com, pars.8). Most people who made up the aristocracy were politicians who came from noble families (Channe14.com, pars.8). The unelected House of Lords is mainly made up of aristocrats (Channe14.com, par. 8). If you were part of the British aristocracy, by birth, you were a gentleman (The Gentleman, par.2). To be an aristocrat one had to have land (An Ancestry.com community, par. 1). Oddly enough, most aristocrats were not of the richest or most powerful families (An Ancestry.com Community, par. 3). The aristocrats were also head of the social life (Channe14.com, par.10). The great families filled the main circles, through their youth, with fashion and culture (Escott par. 2). They lived on grand country estates where they would go hunting and fishing (Channe14.com, par.10). Some aristocrats even had London estates which would opened up during certain seasons (Channe14.com, par. 10). Aristocrats eventually came to a point where they did not do anything but flaunted their wealth, and politics became a game (Escott par. 2). They realized they needed to step up their game when the middle class began to rise (Escott par. 2). The middle class consisted of businessman, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, merchants, and any other men just above the lower class (Loftus par. 2). To be part of the middle class, one had to take care of ones self, their family, and ones community (Loftus par. 4). It is safe to say that a definition of the middle class is impossible (Loftus par. 1).The dream of the businessmen in the middle class was to become part of the aristocracy (Channe14.com, par. 11). Over time, the middle class changed into a small group mainly made up of professionals, factory owners, merchants, and writers (Channe14.com, par 12). An example of one of these would be the writer, Conan Doyle (Hammer 56 65). The middle class, unlike the aristocracy, made their society on rights not by hereditary gain (Loftus par. 1). The middle class has two main sections, the upper middle class and the lower middle class (Channe14.com, pars. 13 17). The upper middle class was between professionals, and industrialists (Channe14.com, par. 14). Professionals were the doctors, lawyers, clergy, and top civil servants (Channe14.com, par. 14). The lower middle class was made up of mostly women (Channe14.com, par. 16). Many upper middle class men worked in banks or climb up the ladder to rule the empire (Channe14.com, par. 15). These men were usually the ones who used their riches to buy homes and became just as rich as the aristocracy (Loftus par. 3). The middle classs economy and financial variations were made by differences on background, politics, and religion (Loftus par. 3). They mainly came from political coherence (Loftus par. 4). Emphasized by competition, thrift, and self-reliance, the middle class began to rise into power (Loftus par. 4). All their success was due to their principles on individuality (Loftus par. 5). Every middle class person, through hard work and self- reliance, could have had economic and social success (Loftus par. 5). Many critics, like Thomas Carlyle, were fearful that the middle class individualism would be a threat to the community (Loftus par. 5). Much of the middle class success came from the political economy as well as the social economy (Loftus par. 8). They were always ready for improvement; it was key to their culture (Loftus par. 8). The middle class defined themselves by attempting to make the lower class see their potential (Loftus par. 9). The lower class was more commonly known to the Victorians as the working class (Channe14.com, par. 18). The workers of the working class can be divided into six groups: high-paid labor, regular standard earners, small regular earners, intermittent earners, casual earners, and the lowest class (Channe14.com, pars. 18 and 19). The largest group division were the regular standard earners, which had more people than the other five groups put together (Channe14.com, par. 20). The regular standard earners were men who made their wages from the Victorian economy; as it rose, so did their wages (Channe14.com, par. 20). When the economy boomed, people had less children, which meant more time for relaxing (Channe14.com, par. 20). The Victorian Era was the best time for one to spend their days in leisurely activity (Channe14.com, par. 24). As life became better for the higher working classes, who are known as deserving poor, the poor became more desperate (Channe14.com, par. 21). While the deserving poor get charity, if and when they need it, the lowest class gets nothing (Channe14.com, par. 21). This class made up about a quarter of all the outskirt areas (Channe14.com, par. 21). Some of these people may be criminals or unemployed, but each of them live in conditions beyond their control (Channe14.com, pars. 22 23). Times became so bad that one might have seen another selling dog droppings (Channe14.com, par. 22). Country poverty was even more sad (Channe14.com, par. 23). Most people survived on eight pounds a year (Channe14.com, par. 23). Some teenagers were forced to join gangs and mothers had to give their babies opium so they would not cry (Channe14.com, par. 22 23). Though, if one of these men could save enough money to start a small business, he could move up into middle class (Loftus par. 11). The Victorian era was the best time for leisurely activity (Channe14.com, par. 24). The upper class, middle class and lower class began to fade away shortly after this end of this period (French and Rothery 402-422). As stated earlier, the Victorian Era gave opportunity to most everyone (Loftus par. 1). Each class opportunity was shown through power, authority, and wealth (Cody par. 2). At the close of this era, the higher middle class sat with the upper middle class at operas in the royal box, thus showing the opportunity in the classes (Channe14.com, par. 3). Interestingly enough, there are a few noble families still left in England today (An Ancestry.com Community, par. 18). Work Cited An Ancestry.com Community. 31 March 2010. English Social Classes. 08 November 2010 . aristocracy. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2010 ed. Channe14.com. 2010 Time Travelers Guide to Victorian Britain. 2010. . Fordham.edu. 2010. Modern History Sourcebook. 2010. . French, Henry and Mark Rothery. Upon Your Entry into the World: masculine values and the threshold of adulthood among landed elites in England 1680-1800.Social History. 33 (4 Nov. 2008) : 402 422. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO Brandon Public Library. 01 November 2010. . Hammer, Joshua. Sherlock Holmes London. Smithsonian January 2010:56-65 David, Cody. The Victorian Web. 2002. The Victorian Web. 22 July 2002 Social Class. 27 October 2010 . David, Cody. The Victorian Web. 2002. The Victorian Web. 22 July 2002 The Gentlemen. 01 November 2010 . Loftus, Donna. BBC. 15 October 2010 The Rise of the Victorian Middle Class. 08 November 2010 . Thornber, Craig. Cheshire Antiquities. 2010 The East Cheshire Gentry. 08 November 2010 .

What influences demand for housing? :: Economics

What influences demand for housing? There are many key factors that will affect the demand for housing some of the easy ones to notice are population and price. These factors effect lots of goods as the larger amount of people the more consumers there will be. With price a consumer will always wish to pay the lowest amount for a good. If the price gets to high then they will find a substitute. Looking at population in more detail it isn't as simple as it would first appear. You could just say the public will buy a house and the more public there is there is more demand for the good. This in turn would allow housing companies to charge larger prices and so only the rich can afford it. The problem is that people don't have to buy a house they can rent one or share one. As well as these factors they can take out a loan to buy the house and pay it back over a period of time. Loan companies charge interest and when interest rates are low more people take out loans as they don't have to pay back such a large sum of money. With lots of loans companies coming up, it has become very easy for anyone to get loan whatever their background is like. Renting a house can be done in lots of ways. Some people make their career in it they buy lots of houses and rent them to people who are unable to buy a house. This is good for people who are only in the country for a short period of time, as you can charge them large amounts because of the location of your house. Some people don't have any money at all and are in a bad economic state and are given a house/flat by the council. They still have to pay money to live in the house but less than from private rent business. Private rent businesses are there to make a profit and will charge higher prices and have better quality goods to match. When looking at price it normally goes on a set pattern that as high prices means less demand and vis versa. The problem was this didn't happen and looking at figure 4.8. This is due to the low interest rates charged by loan companies mentioned above. When addressing others factors you need to look at the country and is it going through some sort of event. During a depression people are find it hard to get a job due to high unemployment. With this the demand for new house with the public wouldn't become a luxury that

Zeus’s Role in the Illiad

Zeus, the Supreme Greek God In Greek mythology Zeus is king of the gods, ruler of Mt. Olympus, and controlled sky and thunder. In Homer’s The Iliad, Zeus was the supreme god of gods and the overseer of all events that took place during the Trojan War. Because of Zeus’s special skills, he had power greater than all other gods put together, and used it to ensure that events of the war took place the way fate meant for them to. Zeus was the son of Chronus and Rhea. If it was not for his mother, Rhea, Zeus would have been eaten by his father just as all his siblings before him were. When he was born, she hid him and instead gave Chronus a rock wrapped in a blanket. When Zeus was older he cut open his father’s stomach and released the swallowed children. Then, Zeus overthrew his father and became king of the gods. He married the goddess Hera, who was one of his sisters, but he also engaged in many other relationships. According to Allexperts, an online encyclopedia with in depth information about all greek mythology characters, â€Å"Zeus possesses superhuman strength superior to that of any other Olympian, the average male member can lift about 30 tons, though Zeus is capable of lifting at least 90 tons. † (Zeus 1). Zeus had superhuman strength, along with, speed, agility, and godlike reflexes. He also possessed godlike stamina, immortality, and the ability to change shapes, and see the future. â€Å"The grateful Cyclopes taught Zeus how to wield his energy-manipulating powers in battle† (Allexperts 1). Using this ability, he was able to generate large amounts of energy and release lightning bolts. The lightning bolts, bull, eagle, and the oak, were his symbols. In to The Iliad, Zeus ensured that fate took its course in the Trojan War. His supreme power over all made this possible. His power was seen in his confrontation with his wife Hera when she accuses him of plotting secret plans. As a result, the people of Olympus recognized his authority and realized it must never be questioned, and Zeus was worshiped all the more. Using his authority, Zeus enabled destiny to take its course. He ensured fated events took place, such as the deaths of Patroklos, and Hektor. He also prevented Troy from falling at the hands of Achilles. While everyone in The Iliad was taking part in the war in one way or another he claimed neutrality, and tried to keep other gods from intervening. Because Zeus reigned over all others he took part by watching over and overseeing the events to make sure destiny was fulfilled. He consistently attempted to maintain the divine order of things. Parada, Carlos . â€Å"Zeus becomes ruler. † Greek Mythology Link, 1 Jan.

Strategic and Organisational Analysis of Li Ning Co. Ltd. The WritePass Journal

Strategic and Organisational Analysis of Li Ning Co. Ltd. Introduction Strategic and Organisational Analysis of Li Ning Co. Ltd. Introduction1. Examine the problems associated with Li Ning trying to become a global brand. From a marketing perspective, what do you think Li Ning should do to address those challenges?1.1 The competition with local and international rivals in domestic market1.2 Country of origin (COO) effects and the brand image1.3 The product portfolio and RD 1.4 Price decision1.5 International marketing1.6 Distribution agreements1.7 Culture dimensions   2. Considering the current stage of the internationalization of the company, for a market of your choice, develop a foreign market entry strategy.2.1 The choice criteria for the market chosen2.2 The analysis of market entry strategy 2.3   Key marketing mix activities for initial entry to the US marketReferencesRelated Introduction Li Ning Co. Ltd., one of China’s leading sports-apparel makers was founded from a family business by the well-known Olympic gymnastics gold medallist, Li Ning (Meuer and DiVito, 2010). With the reputation of its founder, the extension of its product range, some influential sponsorships and the success of penetrating second- and third- tier cities in the Chinese market, Li Ning has gained the popularity and high brand awareness in China, also a high market share. However, when the international companies began to value and target at the growing Chinese sportswear market, Li Ning gradually faced an intensified competition from international firm like Nike and Adidas in Chinese market, as well as from few local rivals in terms of the price, such as Anta and Peak. Li Ning firm has made some internationalization efforts in recent years like export activities, building its RD centres abroad and other attempts, but it remains overwhelmingly China focused and all the actions aim to es tablish a global brand in Chinese consumers’ eyes. Besides, those internationalization attempts did not bring any considerable revenue. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the challenges which Li Ning may face in the process of establishing its global brands and put forward the feasible international brand strategy and the foreign market entry strategy by referring to some theories of international marketing. The paper proceeds first by discussing some problems associated with Li Ning trying to be a global brand respectively and rational recommendations will be raised during the discussion. Second, the suggestion about the market choice and a foreign market entry strategy will be illustrated in terms of three aspects: the choice criteria for the entry market, the selection of entry mode and some key marketing communication strategies. 1. Examine the problems associated with Li Ning trying to become a global brand. From a marketing perspective, what do you think Li Ning should do to address those challenges? Facing the fierce competition from international and local rivals, the company reaches an agreement to build its international strategy and its global brand apart from protecting the domestic market. However, Li Ning has to take some potential problems into account in the process of internationalization and seven related considerations will be illustrated in this part. 1.1 The competition with local and international rivals in domestic market It can be seen that some well-known international brand such as Nike and Adidas possess relatively high market revenue in Chinese sportswear industry, as well as Li Ning and Anta, two top domestic brands (appendix 1). As far as Li Ning concerned, how to block international brands and also successfully retain the local market is one of the key points to become a global brand. Looking at the entire Chinese market, Li Ning positions itself as a competitive rival in providing price-quality bargains product and penetrates different levels of Chinese markets through its extensive network of distributors, sub-distributors and retail stores, especially in second- and third-tier cities where about 76% of Li Ning’s stores are located (Meuer and DiVito, 2010). However, temporarily leading position may be weakened when global brands gradually shift their focus to less developed regions in China where incomes are rising and consumers’ brand loyalties and shopping preferences have no t been established (Burkitt, 2010). With regard to global sportswear marketers, Nike and Adidas have both aimed at China as their second largest market in the world and put a lot of efforts in first-tier cities of China, like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. They set up their own retail channels like flagship stores or brand centres respectively in Beijing to create strong brand and retail experience (Meuer and DiVito, 2010). With higher brand positioning and name recognition, international brands are more effective in capturing market share in major cities where Li Ning has not paid more attentions. In order to become a global brand, Li Ning realizes that more emphasis should be put on the market of top- tier cities, but the reality is that Li Ning may have to use lower prices to distinguish its brand in this stiff competition with international firms (Burkitt, 2010). Thus, Li Ning needs to rethink its brand positioning both in local and international markets rather than only rely on price-quality bargains and utilize marketing communications to boost its brand awareness which will be discussed in the later paragraph. 1.2 Country of origin (COO) effects and the brand image In the eyes of most Chinese consumers, Li Ning’s brand identity is always associated with its founder, a national sport hero, so it is easier for Chinese consumers to understand and recognize Li Ning’s logo design, ‘flying red flag and initials of its founder’. Taking consumer ethnocentrism into consideration, domestic consumers may have more favourable attitudes to this brand because of the company’s history and culture. ‘Consumer ethnocentrism’ which was introduced by Shimp and Sharma (1987), refers to the consumer prefers domestic goods due to strong nationalistic beliefs and feelings. As the chief executive of Li Ning Co. said, ‘we want people to look at our brand and feel proud that they are part of something- proud of China’s growth’ (Burkitt, 2010). In addition, with the potential growth and importance of younger segments, Li ning has moved its sight towards them However, using consumer ethnocentrism to affect the purchase decision of young urban Chinese may not work, because Javalgi and White (2002, p. 568) summarized that ‘younger, better-educated and high-income consumers seem to be less ethnocentrism to foreign goods and services’, as well as people who are more open to foreign cultures. Besides, country of origin (COO) also has a negative impact on product and brand evaluation among young Chinese consumers. Many Chinese young consumers, especially teenagers, are keen on the American culture and other western cultures, such as freedom, risky spirit and personality, so they are more likely to choose a global brand which originated from western countries. While in the eyes of international consumers, it is hard for them to make any resonance with Li Ning without related cultural background, and they may perceive its logo as being similar or a copy of Nike swoosh. Similarly, think of the effect of COO, international consumers will use COO cues when they meet the unfamiliar brand and the bias against products generally from developing countries, so some country-image stereotypes, such as low price or low quality may hurt Li Ning’s brand image. Thus, in order to weaken the negative COO perception, Li Ning should alter the consumer attitude towards the product and brand through marketing communication and give its brand a unique identity. Thinking of Nike and Adidas, they both have their unique global identities which are created and preserved by variety communications such as advertising, celebrity endorsement and marketing campaigns. Therefore, there is still a big gap between Li Ning and global brands in terms of brand awareness and brand image. In order to attract the younger generation worldwide, Li Ning need to find out and build its unique brand image through redesign a more differentiated brand logo and slogan, strengthen the product range and design, and also create more targeted marketing campaigns. 1.3 The product portfolio and RD Sportswear can be divided into the following categories: professional sportswear, casual sportswear and fashion sportswear (Euromonitor International, 2007) and there are some overlaps among these groups. Based on the statistic from Euromonitor International (appendix2), it is shown that fashion sportswear, which is the hybrid of casual sportswear and fashion wear, is growing more rapidly than other sportswear segments in China market, so the company which can rapidly discover this potential demand and launch the new products will differentiate itself from rivals. Nike and Adidas have experienced substantial growth after they introduced fashion sportswear series, and yet, in this segment Li Ning has left behind other global brands’ steps. Besides, the global sneaker company has also developed new technologies which would be introduced into high end product to differentiate its brand because international consumers believe that global brands usually develop new products and tec hnologies faster than rivals (Holt et al., 2004), such as the Nike Air max 360 (features a foamless mid-sole technology), the Adidas 1 (includes a microprocessor technology)(scribd.com/doc/39006282/Athletic-Footwear-Industry-Analysis accessed 22 April 2011). In short, there is still a long way to go for Li Ning to catch up with those global brands in new product development and the range of product line, especially in new technologies and high end products. Now Li Ning, which established two RD centres abroad, has recognized product research and development as one of important steps to its internationalization strategy. Making full use of that can help Li Ning develop high-end products which can stimulate its starting point for brand positioning, better satisfy customers’ needs for fashion or performance and also upgrade the brand image. It is also recommended that Li Ning could also try to get access to some professional and well-known designers who have rich experience of customers’ preferences and global fashion trends to design its product. 1.4 Price decision On the basis of pricing strategy prototypes (Solberg et al., 2006), Li Ning falls into the global price follower position. Its price decision can be summarized as follows: first, under the same quality but it is much cheaper than international competitors, meanwhile it provides higher quality, but more expensive than local rivals. Second, Li Ning has to lower down the price in domestic market when larger and more experienced global brands have put pressure on it. Third, Li Ning has limited preparedness for its international attempts and set the price slightly cheaper than Nike and Adidas on its direct access to the foreign market (Meuer and DiVito, 2010). Holt et al. (2004) mentioned that international people think it is rationale for global brand to charge premium price if offering more quality and guarantees than others, three opportunity for Li Ning to reduce the pressure from globally branded counterparts and set a better price to increase its profitability are to identify the ni che market or a new segment or to develop a new technology which is difficult for its rivals to imitate (Solberg et al., 2006). 1.5 International marketing As the increasing level of income and the improving quality of life, the purchase decision among Chinese people less depend on price and functionality, but more on brand image, product design and style (Euromonitor International, 2007). Similarly, the main competition for market share among global brand lies in non-price competitions and the brand loyalty is quite high in this industry, In retrospect to the success of two dominators brands in the sporting goods industry, Nike and Adidas, they have some things in common for their international marketing communication strategy: using extensive marketing campaigns, creative advertising and celebrity endorsements to establish a differentiated brand image (scribd.com/doc/39006282/Athletic-Footwear-Industry-Analysis accessed 22 April 2011). In addition, due to their leading roles in the global market, they have a financial advantage on marketing and advertising expenditures, also on access to endorsement. Even though Li Ning’s canno t compete with them for these marketing resources, it has also sponsored different international sport events and teams, as well as some world well-known sports stars (Meuer and DiVito, 2010). However, those efforts aimed to increase its brand awareness among Chinese consumers rather than international consumers. Facing those difficulties of establishing popularity with brand-conscious consumers, two feasible strategies may help Li Ning create more targeted advertising and marketing campaigns. First, with the growing fashion trend in sportswear, the celebrity in other areas, such as music or film could also produce the similar influence as sports celebrity on younger targets, so using music celebrity endorsement may rejuvenate the brand image and enlarge the potential buying groups which not only includes the sports fans. Second, Li Ning can sponsor some competition like basketball, soccer or running at region level to fit targets’ particular needs. After all, the quality and suitability to the wearer are more convincing than other factors. 1.6 Distribution agreements The management of existing domestic channel distributors and the access to distribution opportunities in global markets constitute another barrier for Li Ning’s internationalization attempts. In terms of the domestic market, Li Ning has took the leading role of establishing a national franchised distribution system in 1993 (http://brand.icxo.com/htmlnews/2008/08/13/1304126_0.htm accessed 26 April 2011) and this entry mode helps its open average 840 stores per year mainly focus on second- and third- tier cities from 2004 to 2008 (Meuer and DiVito, 2010). Second, Li Ning also has its wholly ownership retail stores- 11 flagship stores located in major first- tier cities, but they are only accounts for 7.8% of Li Ning’ total revenues, others generated from sales to franchised distributors ibid. Third, with the rise of e-commerce, Li Ning cooperated with two big online trade platforms, ‘taobao and tanyou’ to launch the online sportswear store in 2008 (http://bra nd.icxo.com/htmlnews/2008/08/13/1304126_0.htm accessed 26 April 2011). This marketing alliance gathers each advantage, and also let Li Ning gain the knowledge about e-channel which has laid a good foundation for setting up its official online store in 2010 and optimizing the new official website ibid. However, the network channel seems be lack of the interaction between customers and products, so the online shop could be better used to disseminate and strengthen its brand image rather than generate revenue. With regard to the global market, the big brand company prefer to select the local distributors with experienced management teams, nationwide distribution abilities and sufficient resources to help them expand its global market rapidly (Frost Sullivan, 2008). Besides, the prominence of a brand among global customers also has an important impact on retailers, so retail stores would be more likely to leave shelf space for the brand which has established a history of good sales (tttp://www.scribd.com/doc/39006282/Athletic-Footwear-Industry-Analysis accessed 22 April 2011). Therefore, the small scale of Li Ning means it has no position to compete with Nike and Adidas in local distributors when entering a new market. Li Ning has to work harder on overcoming the relationships with foreign retailers who may narrow its entry to the foreign market and having its goods seen comparing to its international rivals. Apart from that, franchising and running its own name stores could be considered, both of them can boost company brand presence and are high control of assets, but meanwhile the former one involves complex operation procedure and long time to select and the later relates a high risk and high investment. 1.7 Culture dimensions Hofstede (1994) defined that the category of people which shares the different cultures can be a nation, region , gender culture or age group. Foremost, it is important for Li Ning to assess the cultural differences among regions of China, first-tier cities versus other less developed regions. Consumes in different regions of China have their own distinct characteristics and shopping preferences. Second, ‘power distance’, one of Hofstede’s (1994) national culture differences dimensions, refers to the level of inequality between followers and leaders, should be considered among Chinese young urban consumers who are more fashion demands on sportswear and more brand-consciousness (Frost Sullivan, 2008). In order to display their identity and personal value among their reference groups, they are more likely to spend on global brand. Even one may feel ‘lose face’ if he or she wears with a local brand compared to others who wear the global brand. Thus, if Li Ning not redefines its brand image or just simply pretending to be western, it is unable to compete with those high-ended international brands among Chinese young urban consumers in first-tier cities of China. Additionally, organisation culture management is another factor should not be neglected on Li Ning’s way to be a global brand. The brand culture is derived from the company culture, so the primary task for a strong global brand is to build its unique company culture and transfer the company into a modern management enterprise. Originally, Li Ning grew from a family business which later becomes a big obstacle to the development of the brand. The incoherence between enterprise management mode and its business development urge Li Ning reform the enterprise personnel and recruit professional talents in production, research, marketing and other areas (http://pp.hw01.com/a/1003/10/1210467_2.htm accessed 24 April 2011). Soon afterwards the specialization and standardization of the management help the company experience a rapid growth in business.   2. Considering the current stage of the internationalization of the company, for a market of your choice, develop a foreign market entry strategy. Li Ning makes many efforts step by step and has gained a little experience in exploring the foreign market and during the period of 2008 Beijing Olympic Game, Li Ning has become a brand widely recognized in the west due to the fact that its founder lighted the Olympic flame wearing Li Ning’s shoes magically (English website). Besides, at the end of June, 2011, Li Ning launched its new logo and English slogan to refresh its global brand image. All those efforts make clear that Li Ning has fully prepared to expand to the foreign market and it is worth learning that all possible entry strategies must share one element which the essential for the success of internationalization, that is, commitment (Yip et al., 2000). Specifically, many aspects of the firm should be committed to the entry market: organization structure, human recourses, marketing mix strategies and market research ibid. The rest of this essay will respectively focus on the choice of which country to enter and the related entry mode and key marketing mix activities. 2.1 The choice criteria for the market chosen Based on Whitelock’s (2002) summary of international market entry method, a comprehensive market entry decision cannot disassociate different approaches from one to another, so the choice criteria for the US market relies on the combination of experience-related, resource-related and competition-related considerations (Madhok, 1996). Experience-related considerations drawn from the Uppsala model will be assessed firstly. This model put an emphasis on a firm’s previous experience and the capabilities acquired from that (Madhok, 1996), also considers the concept of ‘psychic distance’ which refers to firms are suggested to entering the market which is psychically close and they have certain knowledge basis to reduce the uncertainties and risks in the process of internationalization (Whitelock, 2002). According to Hofstede’s (1994) summary of five dimensions of national culture differences, China and the Unite State have a big difference in cultural background, and the extended psychic distance seems more problematic for Li Ning in terms of understanding the American culture and being lack of local customers’ preferences and behaviours. However, if Li Ning enters into some cultural similar market, like some Asian countries, lower brand awareness and risks still exist. Besides, the ne gative effect of a Chinese brand also set a barrier to enter in those psychically close markets. Instead, if Li Ning could have a good performance in the US market, then its status of an international brand will not be questioned; at the same time, some previous efforts made in the US market, such as indirect export activities, the establishment of RD centre and a small retail store, can also bring a lot of feedback and information about the US sportswear industry and the local customers. Second, resources-related considerations mainly focus on the characteristic of the environment and interactive networks in it. From the tables in appendix 3, it is shown that US is the largest globally sportswear market and holds in the top position in the total sportswear expenditure per capita in 2008 (approximately $232.8) which was far more than that in China (approximately $7.4). Moreover, the sportswear expenditure in 2008 represented 0.49% of the US GDP per capita (Chu, 2010). On the other hand, the US sportswear industry seemed to be affected by the global financial crisis and increased by only 0.5% in 2010, but this industry may experience a promising rise after the economic recovery (Frost Sullivan, 2010). As far as the relationship with potential consumers is concerned, the prosperity of a good interaction lies in effective marketing strategies including celebrity endorsement, creative advertising and technological expertise in product design ibid. Similarly, those style- conscious and image-conscious consumers respond will them with more brand-consciousness and stronger brand loyalty. In terms of competition-related considerations, two elements should be addressed: the intensity of competition in the entry market and Li Ning’s strategic brand positioning. Undeniably, the sportswear industry of US market is a relatively mature industry which is dominated by a few large firms, such as Nike and Adidas who have already gained their strong brand image; Nike’s products are considered to be high quality and stylish, while superior performance and professional are associated with Adidas (copy). Additionally, there are some relatively high entries barriers set by them, such as higher brand awareness, unique brand image, and established agreements with big named athletes, celebrities and retailers. They even launch the product for every sector of the market in terms of price and intended purpose (for performance, lifestyle or fashion) ibid. However, some smaller firms which specialize in particular purpose of shoes can also successfully capture particular segm ent in the US market, such as K-Swiss in tennis, Vans in skate and lifestyle shoe ibid. In summary, there are three reasons to support Li Ning enter into the US market: First, previous efforts made and the network built in that market. Second, the big US sportswear market size and the potential market opportunity seem very attractive for Li Ning’s foreign expansion. Third, the success cases of sportswear firms who target at the niche market or design for a particular activity in such a competitive environment also contribute to Li Ning’s entry strategy. 2.2 The analysis of market entry strategy After deciding which market to enter, the firm should concentrate on how to go there, that is the selection of entry mode. Yip et al. (2000, p.15) stated that various entry modes-export strategies, licensing, franchising, joint ventures and others â€Å"differ in the degree of control the firm exerts on foreign operations.† Several recommendations on that will be given then. First, Li Ning has adopted a few entry modes to test the US market previously, including indirectly exporting its products to the American market at the beginning of the 1990s, building a small RD centres in Portland in 2008 and more recently establishing its first US retail stores in Portland (case) and the purpose of doing that is to acquire some local resources and experience to better understanding the US market. Because of the fierce competition in the US sportswear industry, great control on channels, high brand presence and local expertise should be Li Ning’s priority to select the entry mode, so the suitable entry strategy could be the combination of direct export through both company owned overseas facilities and some local well-known retailers, such as Footlocker, Finish Line, and franchising. Meanwhile, those entry modes involve relatively moderate control and investment in marketing channel activities by the parent firm (Goodnow and Hansz, 1972), as well as certain risks. Besides, the United States market which shows a greater equality among society level and has a more stable cultural environment could be an advantage to pursue an entry strategy involving greater control and investment in marketing channel activity. Second, the image and positioning of distributors or partners is a very important criterion. Based on Arnold’s (2000) seven rules of international distribution, it is not necessary to look for the best distributor who has already served major customers with similar product line. The choice of partners should regard the distributor with an image or strategy which is in line with the brand image Li Ning wants to maintain. For example, if Li Ning decides to position itself as mid- to high-end sportswear marketer in the US market, it should not choose any discounted retailer or other partners who may lower Li Ning’s brand image and may cooperate with some retailers who specialize in stocking goods with high price point and the newest trends. Third, the e-commerce of the United State is well developed, but online stores are only used by few shoes retailers and sportswear makers, so it is too early to evaluate its effects. However, making full use of the e-commerce can make up Li Ning’s limited access to local distributors and sports celebrities, and this business model is cost-saving and low risky. However, choosing the right entry mode is only the necessary condition due to the possibility of country-specific problems and contingency. In order to enhance the possibility of successfully entering a new market, some cultural dimensions between China and Unite State cannot be neglected. First, according to Hofstede’s (1994) summary of dimensions of national culture differences, China (20) and Unite State (91) lie in the two extreme sides of the individualism dimension which indicate China is a society with collectivist culture and strong relationships among members, families and groups, while the population of the United State are more individualistic and self-reliant attitudes and relatively loose bonds with others ibid. This difference may result in consumers’ various responds to promotion strategies. Word of mouth and reference groups seem more effective among Chinese consumers. Second, similarly, the comparison in power distance dimension also displays a big gap. There is a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the Chinese society that means consumers more prefer to choose the brand which is desired by many people or can represent their social status and high standard of living; however the United States shows a greater equality among society level and has a more stable cultural environment. Thus, an in-depth research about the real reason for US consumers’ brand loyalty needs to be conducted, whether the unique brand image, celebrity effects or the product design. 2.3   Key marketing mix activities for initial entry to the US market The related products and marketing mix activities should meet the common needs of local customers, so before achieving the US market, the firm should identify the US sportswear market segment and decide its product and brand positioning. Li Ning does not have clear targeted segmentation in China and the brand positioning is also very vague, but compared with other rivals in domestic market, Li Ning’ brand tends to focus on mass to mid-end markets both in sports footwear and apparel and the price also set in the middle level (Chu, 2010). Next, some specific suggestions will be given in the following aspects: product portfolio, brand positioning, price decision and the marketing communication strategy. First, sports products can be designed for various sports areas. Li Ning positions itself as the global brand for running and badminton because of the fact that Adidas covered football area and Nike firmly held the basketball area worldwide (case). Linked to the condition in the US market, running footwear has been experiencing the biggest growth and its sales accounts for 25% of total athletic shoe sales (copy). Thus, the running product is suggested to be the focused product category for Li Ning. Then according to the consumer-specific usage with the running product, consumers can be divided into three segments: performance-orientated, causal-orientated and fashion-orientated customers; and this division can also be used in the domestic market. Another point cannot be ignored is the unity of product size system with the target region must be implemented because normally foreign people have larger-size feet. Li Ning has experienced the consequence of this defect by closing its Maast richt store in Netherlands (Meuer and DiVito, 2010). Actually, Li Ning has learned from the former lesson and remodelled the size of its product with the same method which Nike and Adidas have used. Regarding the brand positioning, Li Ning needs a strategic brand positioning to break out the US market. Li Ning has currently developed a big multi-brand family in domestic market including the well-known Li Ning brand, the French top outdoor brand- AIGLE, the international leading brand in badminton and pingpang- Hongshuangxi and a hypermarket brand advocated fast fashion- ZDO. In order to avoid foreign consumers linking the low price to the brand and lower the brand image, it is better to only establish and launch the high-end brand in the US market at first. Thinking of the price decision of the US market, Nike, such a big global brand, also launches low price product to reach all areas of the market (copy), so it is risky to compete with them in the US market by adopting a low price strategy. To be a global price follower is more appropriate for Li Ning to first enter the US market, so Li Ning need to obtain some formal marketing research about market intensity information and the average retail price of the US market from local agencies and rivals’ company reports, then picks up the leading competitor based on the product positioning and set the price which closely follows its rival’s price of similar product. Furthermore, the price decision should always be in line with the brand positioning. As Nagle and Holden (1995) claimed, price can be used as a competitive tool only when the company seeks more advantages by offering a less expensive product but with same values than its competitors. Thus, overall middle to high pri ce brackets should be applied in the US market due to the high brand positioning of Li Ning’s product. Finally, referring to the marketing communication strategy, creative advertising, celebrity endorsement and sponsoring events all play an important role in helping the company build a good brand image and gain the popularity in the US market. On one hand, the design of local advertising is very important. Li Ning can cooperate with some local professional agencies specialize in branding and advertising which may maximize their local resources, knowledge and experience to better deliver the brand message. On the other hand, although the excellent performance on 2008 Beijing Olympic Games has vigorously promoting Li Ning’s brand to the whole world, owing to those global brand’s unbeatable economies of scale and scope as well as financial advantages in their home market, Li Ning has to make use of some specific local collaboration or sponsorship to promote its products, such as the athletics competition at regional or national level, the NBA basketball competition, some lo cal running community. References Arnold, D. (2000), â€Å"Seven Rules of International Distribution†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. (Nov-Dec), pp. 131 – 137. Burkitt, L., â€Å"Li Ning takes on Nike, Adidas†, The Wall Street Journal, Index 18, September 29, 2010. Hofstede, G. (1994), â€Å"The Business of International Business is Culture†, International Business Review, Vol. 3(1), pp. 1-14. Holt, D.B., Quelch, J.A. and Taylor, E.L. (2004) â€Å"How Global Brands Compete†, Harvard Business Review, September, pp. 68 – 75. Javalgi, R.G. and White, D.S. (2002), â€Å"Strategic Challenges for the Marketing of Services Internationally†, International Marketing Review, Vol. 19, pp. 563-582. Meuer, J. and DiVito, L. (2010), â€Å"A Grand Entrance? Li Ning’s Emergence as a Global, Chinese Brand†. RSM Case Development Centre, www.ecch.com Solberg, C.A. (2008), â€Å"Product Complexity and Cultural Distance Effects on Managing International Distributor Relationships: A Contingency Approach†, Journal of International Marketing, Vol. 16. (3) Whitelock, Y. (2002), â€Å"Theories of Internationalization and Their Impact on Market Entry†, International Marketing Review, Vol. 19(4), pp. 342-347. Yip, G.S., Biscarri, J.G. and Monti. J.A. (2000), â€Å"The role of the Internationalisation Process in the Performance of Newly Internationalising Firms†, Journal of International Marketing, Vol. 8(3), pp. 10-35. Online Sources Chinese No.1 Sportswear Brand- Li Ning’s World [online]. 10 March 2010. 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