Friday, January 31, 2020

Global Business and Political Forces Case Study Essay Example for Free

Global Business and Political Forces Case Study Essay Walgreens Corporation â€Å"C-Level Executives† will have to consider the Global Business and Political Forces associated with their Global International Expansion plans into the Country of Brazil during the period of (2014-2016). Analysis The key issues Walgreens Corporation â€Å"C-Level Executives† pose to face would be attempting a massive global expansion and creating new value innovation within that new global market. The want and need to expand internationally into Brazil might potentially cause the Company to lose its current top rated status quo and therefore could risk their Company’s name and future success rate if prior strategic planning is not done properly. Current competition in the same U.S Market looking to expand internationally such as CVS could also pose and cause a potential threat to Walgreens expansion plans. However, the Brazilian market is even more competitive because Brazilian Company’s already know how to operate in that country and are already familiar with the areas region. Therefore, their capabilities of gaining access to information and expertise about where the high demand for property expansion location sites would be at to open a new booming business, stands to be greater than that of other countries outsourced investors or foreign Company’s looking to expand. Related assumptions Walgreens would have to be able to maintain a competitive advantage point globally, so creating an exclusive brand pertaining to that specific region of the country, as well as, maintaining or improving their current Prescription Savings Club program and product line seems essential to their international expansion success. In order to stay ahead of the game and beat out any competition Walgreens â€Å"C-Level Executives† will need to focus on its core competencies and strengths. These practices are going to be critical when serving a diverse Country, while maintaining Walgreens longstanding tradition of fairness, trust and honesty. ((2013). Company Overview). Alternatives There are several alternative actions the C-Level Executives can take that would include the following: First, management must actively evaluate and manage any potential political risks involved when making global expansion investment decisions and then continue to monitor those associated risks on a routine basis. Political forces and risks that could impact Walgreens are going to be subject to change, so it won’t be considered enough to evaluate those risks only once before the decision to invest has been made. Executives of Walgreens must take an active approach and monitor political risks all the time and use those findings to their advantage by applying those methods strategically towards any other investments, operational plans and any other future decisions. Therefore, management over political forces must be implemented into Walgreens operating business practice and processes, in order to protect their investments. (PwC Advisory and Eurasia Group.) Secondly, obtaining reliable, accurate information and interpretation of international business risks tend to be roads blocks at times for executives seeking to better their decision making through evaluation of political risk. Therefore, the use of multiple world-wide sources in which provide up to date, extremely accurate information that has not only been analyzed but also prepared by top risk managers should also be considered as part of an ongoing systematic approach to political risk management. (PwC Advisory and Eurasia Group.) Thirdly, To avoid any future setbacks from competitors such as CVS and similar Drugstore/Retail chains, Walgreens will need to create and invest in a new value of innovation to enhance their diverse customer’s experience. I believe Walgreens strengths lies in the fact that they have their own unique branding style and a high level of ethical quality in the way they perform their business practice, so by enhancing their current U.S. loyal customer connections over into their potential new global customers they stand a better chance to set themselves apart from CVS and any other competitors they might be faced with along the way. Evaluation International partnerships increase challenges but also create new ideas in new markets that can then be translated back to US markets. Because all companies, even primarily domestic ones, are affected by politics to some  degree, all need a baseline of political risk management activity. At a minimum, company management should be aware of how political risks affect business processes, and they should factor these risks into both investment decisions and general risk management. Recommendation My suggestion would be that the â€Å"C-Level Executives† when operating internationally should carefully analyze their current approach to political risk management and determine whether it is contributing to their current business performance strategy as efficiently or effectively as it could and should be or having and adverse effect, taking away from it instead. Once carefully reviewed and evaluated they should find areas for improvement and make changes accordingly to ensure a better business development plan for the following (2014-2016) timeline. Implementation Long-term sustainable success internationally depends in good part on a company’s ability to grasp the implications of political risk and apply them to business risk. By embedding political risk considerations in normal business processes, companies enable management to make better decisions regarding global expansion, sourcing, branding, intellectual property protection, community and government relations, operational structures, and other business issues that arise in complex international markets. (PwC Advisory and Eurasia Group.) Conclusion Ultimately, any company looking to expand globally has to be willing to take risks, but it’s also essential to their future developmental successes that before taking that huge leap to expand internally that they become extremely aware of the high stacks and potential risks involved. In general, the more a company ventures beyond its home country physically or through outsourcing the more it increases its exposure to political risk. Companies should keep in mind, however, that even a minor investment involving a major risk or opportunity can have a material impact. Sustainable success internationally depends in good part on a company’s ability to grasp the implications of political risk and apply them to business risk. Mark Wagner, Walgreens Executive Vice President Operations Community Management had this to say: Our customers come from all walks of life, and it would be impossible for us to serve them well if we developed identical, instead of individual needs. Ive found the best way to recognize individuality is by taking time to learn about diverse interests and their background. Everyone has needs, wants and expectations and as managers, its our job to develop that strategy and exceed those expectations. (Walgreens outlines strategy to analysts.)

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Walking through the Woods :: Personal Narrative

So I went home this weekend, and in my neighborhood there is a small pond and all behind it is just woods. I’ve traveled in these woods as a little kid numerous times, with my friend and her father and he would teach us about the different bugs, trees and rocks we encountered along the way. Going back in the woods this past weekend, I was overcome with a feeling of nostalgia. I remember the times we would try to climb the trees, or chase after the grasshoppers or even just walk around and all the fun we used to have. Walking through the woods alone made me miss all the fun times I had as a child. As I child I was carefree, I knew who my friends were and I had no worries about trust and my relationships with others. Growing up, especially in college I’ve began to question my friends, I have a whole lot more stress and things are definitely not as simple as they once used to be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The woods were the same woods they used to be, not much has changed, but the person walking through them has. I can not even remember the last time I entered the woods behind the pond, but I know one thing for sure that I have grown up so much since then. Walking through the forest I began to think of all the ways I have changed and I realized a few things. Physically, obviously, my appearance has changed, but emotionally I have changed a whole lot more. I have began to lead a more stressful life, with school work, friends and family always a constant thought in my mind. I have learned that I have begun to trust people too easily and then in the end I am always hurt. I have learned that people are not always who they say or portray themselves as. I do not regret all the things that I have learned, I am actually quite grateful for them. Without all these changes I would not have been able to grow into the person I am today.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

An Educational Workplace Challenge Essay

â€Å"It is our deep faith that God is compassionate and merciful, and mercy is what he bestows upon His subjects. He is generous and beautiful, and beauty is what he gives. That is how we should see the world, beautiful, with all its resources and contents, known to us or unknown. Qatar, our beloved, is also rich in natural resources. Be it human buds or wild flowers. All are blossoms, all are natural, all are beautiful bearing Qatar’s name. Let us all work together, caring for our little buds. Lets us plant them deep in the consciousness of our land. Let us nurture them with love and care to help them blossom into flowers filled with beautiful scents and filling their surroundings with beauty. † Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser Bin Abdullah Al-Missned. (Shafallah 2007) â€Å"A picture says more than a thousand words. † For an educational institution, the vision statement shows the picture of what the school will be at its best. On the one hand, the vision is the very basis for everything that the school, the management, the teachers, the students, their parents and the community, all work for. On the other hand, the mission is the means to achieve this vision. The mission determines the strategies that will be implemented by the school management to achieve its goals and vision. Leadership takes a significant role in the achievement of this mission. This paper discusses workplace challenges and the influence of leadership in the achievement of successful school reforms. The Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs and its efforts to solve its major problems and improve the implementation of its educational programs will be discussed using the concepts on leadership. Specifically, the paper will focus on the concept of parallel leadership and the roles of the school management and teaching professionals as leaders in influencing the school’s needed reforms. The Workplace The School The Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs is a non-profit private school located in Doha City, Qatar, providing comprehensive services and care to individuals with departmental learning challenges, their families and the community. It was established in 1998 through the efforts of community leaders who believe in the vitality and importance of the family and the child’s role in the society particularly those children with special needs. They want to provide the children with the best care, services and educational facilities that will enable them to adapt to the surrounding environment in order to live among others in the community, and eventually secure their future. The center provides diagnosis, evaluation, school programs, training and development services for all children with all forms of disabilities from ages three to twenty-one years old. The goals and objectives of the school are: To provide comprehensive educational, instructional, rehabilitation, social, vocational and recreational services for children with special needs. To provide support and family counseling services to families of children with special needs, including individual and group therapy. To provide community awareness on dealing with children with special needs, as well as fostering acceptance and understanding of the nature of disabilities. To provide training opportunities through Shafallah Center and establishing an international entity specializing in this field. To serve as an advocate for public policy and legislative support of appropriate educational and vocational programs for children with special needs. (Shafallah 2007) School funds are generated from local and international grants and from regular tuition and matriculation of the students. The school offers five (5) programs aligned for students depending on age and learning concentration. These are the Pre-school and kindergarten which enrolls students ages 3-5. The school unit 2 is for students aging 6-21 with mild and moderate challenges, its coursework are in pre-academic, academic and pre-vocational and emphasizes on social and daily life skills. Unit 3 caters to students with mild and severe intellectual and developmental disabilities from ages 6-21; its programs are aimed to increase independence and activities are centered on daily living, self care and basic communication including socialization and leisure education. Unit 4 is designed for those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, ages ranging from 6-21. The program uses the model TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic Related Communication Handicapped Children) and other models tailored for these children.