Most Important Employee Skills in the Workplace
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Risks Faced by International Businesses in Developing Countries
Political Instability
The recent case involving GMR Group in Maldives wherein the new government cancelled the license of the company for the Male Airport illustrates the biggest risk that international businesses face when they operate in developing countries. It is often the case that the change in government leads to a reevaluation of the contracts with the result that some of them are scrapped. This kind of approach must be avoided as international businesses operate under the assumption that the contractual obligations that they have entered with a particular government have to be honored by subsequent governments.
Added to this is the political instability in many developing countries like Nigeria where the continuous churn in the political landscape makes the operation of international businesses difficult. In other words, the policy paralysis and the bureaucratic logjam because of political instability pose the biggest risk to international businesses.
Economic Risk
The second category of risk that international businesses face is the prevailing economic structures in developing countries. For instance, many multinationals flocked to countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia with great expectations. However, the Asian financial crisis of 1998 put paid to their economic activities because of the impact of the crisis on the economic structure of the country. Indeed, prudent economic management is the key aspect here. In these countries, due to the mismanagement of the economy, the economic crisis ensued and this led to capital flight from these countries.
The key point here is that international businesses must be prepared to sudden changes in the economic situation in developing countries since the economies of these countries are not as deep and resilient like those in the West. Of course, the recent global economic crisis affected the resilience of the West as well but that is another topic altogether.
Societal Risk
The third type of risk is societal which is to with the prevailing social situation in the developing countries. Because a certain section of the populace has benefited from the international businesses, the other sections feel left out and marginalized and they resort to pressurizing the government to include them in the developmental process. As some authors have put it, the world is on fire because of ethnic hostility to the operations of the international businesses. This was the case in many countries in Africa and East Asia where the minorities who lost out from the opening up of their economies resorted to social unrest and societal pressure to jeopardize the operations of the international businesses.
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Moreover, this risk has metamorphosed into outright rejection of international businesses in many countries. The spree of nationalization and taking over the operations of international businesses in many countries across the world has made life difficult for international businesses in those countries.
Closing Thoughts
International businesses face many risks when they operate in developing countries and this article has discussed a few of those risks. The subsequent articles would go into detail about each of these risks. It would suffice to state here that astute management and business friendly policies are needed from the governments of the developing countries if they are to attract foreign capital.
The Mobile Wave is the Wave of the Future
| The evolution of media and its interaction with business trends has gone through several waves. If it was Web 1.0 with the introduction of the internet, then it was Web 2.0 with the explosion of social media. Both these waves of innovation revolutionized the virtual world and gave new meanings to how we live, shop, and consume content online. While Web 1.0 went from a platform of communication exchange to a full-fledged commercial medium with online portals offering everything from groceries to guns, Web 2.0 revolutionized how we connect to each other and use social media to spread news and information around. The latest innovation that is happening is the mobile wave and without calling it Web 3.0 since it is outside of the traditional realms of the internet, it can be said to be nothing less than a complete overhaul of the way in which we connect to others and view the world. |
The mobile wave is the wave of the future and it has been helped greatly with the introduction of the Smartphones like Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy Series. These Smartphones that go beyond mere web enabling of the gadgets and instead, have the apps that are unique and specific to user requirements would change the way we consume content and shop using these Smartphones. Indeed, society and business are in for an overhaul as the mobile wave promises to take the virtual revolution one-step ahead by providing users with the ability to transact without having to use physical cash or even credit cards. The point here is that retailers like Starbucks in the United States and Airtel in India have already introduced the concept of mobile currency that enables the users of m-commerce to buy and sell goods and services without the need for credit card and other intermediaries.
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Of course, currency cannot be eliminated completely and what this mobile commerce promises is that the intermediate layer between a shopper and the product that in Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 used to be the payment gateway would be eliminated by using a special form of credits that are linked to one’s bank account and other deposits of currency. With this, the mobile wave heralds a new era where in the future, by means of iris scanning and optical code recognition, consumers would be able to seamlessly move from retailers to transport to workplace environments where everything is connected by the emerging mobile technologies. Considering that the present generation uses Smartphones in a major way, it would not be too much into the future when we would see all of this happening. Indeed, as the experiences of the QRS code scanning and use by consumers for their shopping and information needs shows, the mobile technologies have the potential to remake the way businesses and consumers interact.
Finally, as with any technology or innovation, there is a bit of hype here. However, when one cuts through the jargon and the propaganda, one still gets the feeling that the potential for businesses and consumers is indeed huge with the mobile wave.
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Environmental issues
For decades we have been busy with the invention of latest technologies to make life easier for us. Unfortunately, in the endeavor to make life more luxurious, we have neglected a serious problem closing in on us, namely-environmental problems. Starting from rapid deforestation to global warming, from worldwide floods to extinction of different life forms on the earth, the list of environmental problems is endless. Environmental tribulations have become a major concern to environmentalists all over the world today. It is therefore high time to gear up and take necessary steps. If we don’t do something to protect our environment, soon the earth will turn to a desert, inapt for life. So, let us unite together to save our planet so that our children can live in this beautiful planet. While it won’t be possible to stop the power plants (one of the major sources for pollution) or stop deforestation, saving energy at home is what you can do on your own that will surely make a difference. The following sections throw light on the different environmental problems that plague mother earth.
Current Environmental Issues
Oil Spills Although oil spills have been there for a long time, the recent BP oil spill in America is one of the biggest environmental issues so far that affected the country in April. Oil spills disrupt marine ecology completely and affect the marine life very badly. It is one of the most important environmental issues that should be taken care of immediately to prevent marine life from becoming extinct. Cases of oil spills have also been reported in other coastal cities around the globe. Population Explosion Overpopulation is another crucial environmental problem that has concerned scientists and environmentalists all over the world. With the advancement of medical science, mortality rate has decreased worldwide to a significant level. Many countries are now taking family planning projects to control overpopulation. If the population rate of the world continues to increase at the present rate, soon there will be no trees and land left to support growing humanity. Climate Change And Global Warming The environment is being continuously polluted, and this has led to the accumulation of green house gases. Global warming is the primary cause of erratic weather patterns the earth experiences today. While some places suffer severe droughts for many years at a stretch, some places receive excess rainfall and experience floods. The increasing temperature of the earth is melting ice caps due to which the sea levels are rising day by day. If the ice caps continue to melt at this same rate, soon half of the earth will be under water. Management Of Wastes Improper waste management is another vital environmental problem. Wastes are either dumped into oceans or in landfills that have been wrecking havoc. Many waste products are non degradable and accumulate thus causing damage to the environment. Proper waste management is important for safe surroundings.
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Other Environmental Issues
· Water pollution from industry waste and oil spills is a common environmental issue.
· Deforestation is another important environmental issue. Forests have been cut down in a large scale to provide land for construction or for agriculture.
· Air pollution from excessive carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and CFC emitted from vehicles, AC, fridges, etc has led to ozone layer depletion.
· Nuclear testing and nuclear energy damages the environment in an unimaginable way. The two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are still suffering from the damage caused by the atom bomb explosion of the Second World War
· Many animals are now becoming extinct due to human activities like hunting and poaching.
· Natural flora and fauna habitats are being ruined by man. This has also contributed to the disruption of the biodiversity.
Some people think that economic growth is the only way to stop world’s poverty and hunger, while others say that economic growth is the cause of environmental disasters. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Over seven billion people inhabit the earth today. Without economic development, it would be impossible to feed them all. It is true that industrialization which drives economic growth also leads to several environmental problems. This, however, does not mean that we should forsake economic development to protect the environment. Instead, we should develop eco-friendly technologies. It is impossible to eradicate poverty without economic development. Poverty and hunger are the biggest problems that people face in economically backward countries. Industrialization is the only solution to this problem. Industrialization helps create jobs and alleviate property. Employed people have improved purchasing power. They can feed and clothe their family. On the flip side, industrialization has resulted in environmental pollution. Factories emit poisonous gases into the atmosphere. This causes air pollution and several health problems. When factories dumb industrial waste into oceans and rivers, it results in water pollution. Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides not only causes soil pollution but also leads to several illnesses in human beings. Besides causing health problems, environmental pollution upsets the balance of our ecosystem. Global warming has become a major problem all over the world. Climate change causes floods in one part of the world and droughts in other parts. In fact, today environmental problems threaten the very existence of life on this planet. This is not something that we can ignore. To conclude, we need both development and a clean environment. We can’t sacrifice one for another. This wouldn’t be possible without investing in sustainable technologies. Governments and big organizations must encourage research into the development of eco-friendly technologies. Spreading awareness about the impact of environmental problems is equally important.
Most Important Employee Skills in the Workplace
by Mary Jane
Employers looking to hire new employees look for specific skills and qualities in new workers in hopes of creating or maintaining an efficient, professional and productive workplace. Some of the most important employee skills in the office or workplace are often rooted in how people work and communicate with one another and how research and planning is done in the workplace. Examine your best qualities and skills before entering a job interview, so your best skills stand out for a prospective employer.
Communication Skills
Employees must have strong communication skills, as they have to communicate with one another and with supervisors. Some employees working in customer service must also communicate directly with customers. Effective communication skills are important to ensure written emails are clear, documents are readable and speech during presentation is clear and professional. Listening skills are also crucial, as employees must listen to different approaches and ideas for projects and assignments, especially when working as part of a team.
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