Walmart and Government in China Essay Example for Free

Walmart and Government in China Essay When Walmart decided to expand into China, a countless number of hurdles stood in its place. They knew that the store model that has made them the number one retailer in the world was not going to work within Chinese culture, but just how much different would they have to be from the cookie-cutter stores that are found all across the United States? In order to dominate the retail market in China as successfully as they have in other markets across the world, dynamic change and the ability and willingness to work with the Chinese government would be crucial to their success in China. Faced with the strict rules and regulations that would hamper their growth and general operations, Walmart had to find a way to make and keep China and her people happy. Along with all the excitement, pomp, and circumstance that Walmart would bring into China, certain blemishes would follow as well. Low wages, discrimination, and utter dominance over an area it occupies left many questions as to whether Walmart would be accepted or rejected. But the first stumbling block that Walmart would have to face upon entering China would be one of its most challenging: The Government of the People’s Republic of China (Naughton). Upon entering any foreign market, one of the biggest problems facing Walmart and its expansion is government regulation and government worry over the massive company’s monopolization and impact on local markets. Moving into China, Walmart was going to have to assure the Chinese government that they were there to give the Chinese people a better retail alternative, provide abundant employment, and help China’s economy by establishing healthy competition, all while providing the Chinese people with an increased range of products and increased product quality available at the lowest possible prices (Huffman). Walmart in the United States is a very powerful company. In other countries, however, they are not viewed the same. This became very clear when they entered into China. Walmart faced problems that couldn’t be fixed with quick solutions. Finding suppliers, dealing with unions, rigid local competition, and cooperating with a communist government are examples of such problems. Once it found solutions to the above problems, Walmart opened a Supercenter  and Sam’s Club in Shenzhen in 1996 (Foreman). Walmart China, as it is known today, actively participates in communities by providing funding for charities, education and medical care. In fact, in April of this year, Wal-Mart launched its third annual nationwide community service week: â€Å"Keeping the Traditional Virtues – Walmart Filial Piety Activity†. For a period of one week, community service for the elders of each specific community holding the event was performed. This government and community involvement is necessary for Walmart and the trust it needs to gain from the Chinese people (Walmart). When Walmart first opened its doors back in 1996, they first felt the restraints from the government while trying to put products on their shelves. As an result of Mao and the period when every village and community was designed to be self sufficient, Walmart could not set up conventional distribution centers such as are found here in the United States. Products that would move from one city to another would require the approval of local officials, a task of staggering proportions. Instead, Walmart has had to set up buyers in each community and city that it operates in to purchase items that have to be bought locally through government and state approved vendors. Because of this, there are not very many national brands that can be found inside of Walmart China. This is gradually changing as China evolves and her people become more influenced by western culture and style. An example would be with cosmetics. When Walmart China first opened, the cosmetics available would not sell. It wasn’t until demonstrations were given and the local Chinese ladies were given makeovers that the make-up started to sell. As a result, not only did the cosmetics started selling fast, Walmart was able to bring in more expensive, higher-end brands (Trunick). When Walmart China bought initial products from suppliers back in the first few years in operation, for every purchase order issued, there were twenty-one documents that went along with it, simply to comply with central and local government regulations. Each individual store had to write the purchase orders by hand and issue their own checks. There could be no  central ordering or payment systems. Hard paperwork was required, and still is today although not as much, which resulted in having to pay additional employees to process the paperwork, subjects documents to human error, and is simply inefficient. Today, although the rules are definitely felt and abided by, regulations are slowly easing up. Walmart is slowly becoming able to centralize more and more of its processes (Trunick). Walmart is a well-admired company today in China. Just as employee songs and Walmart chants can be found in sites in the United States, they can be found in the Chinese locations as well. Adjusting to operating under the People’s Republic of China wasn’t the only thing Walmart had to get used to. They also had to get used to local customs and preferences. When Sam’s club first opened, it didn’t do as well as the Sam’s clubs here. The simple fact was that the Chinese didn’t have storage available to them such as we take for granted here in the States. The Sam’s Club in Shenzhen had to evolve to fit the needs of its customers and not vice-versa if it was to succeed. It did and it has, respectfully (Huffman). In every country, city, and community around the world that Walmart operates in, they constantly strive to be an asset to the area they are in. Not only do they provide numerous jobs to the areas, including employment to disable persons, they enable families to be able to afford things that they may not otherwise be able to afford. The contributions that Walmart makes to every community its in are numerous, and Walmart China is no exception. A few examples of the awards Walmart has won in China, according to the Walmart China website, are as follows: †¢Supplier Satisfaction by Business Information of Shanghai for five consecutive years. †¢Best Employer for University Student. †¢Leading Multi-National Enterprise in Asia by Asian Wall Street Journal. †¢Best Employer in China Retail Industry by CCFA. †¢China Most Valuable Brand by Fortune Chinese Version. †¢2008 Top 10 Best investing Fortune 500 Companies in China by Southern Weekend Magazine. †¢Excellent Employer by Fortune Chinese Version. †¢Multi-Nation Company Charitable Donations by Forbes Chinese Version. †¢Most  Admired Company by Fortune Chinese Version. †¢Best Community by Guangming Daily. Today, Walmart serves more than 28 million customers each month in 89 cities throughout China. It employs over fifty thousand people in China alone. Along with improving the way of life for the people and towns it serves, Walmart China is also helping the environment in the areas it operates in. In the mountainous regions of China, it is building water reservoirs in order to help solve water shortage problems facing the farmers and residents residing there. To help villagers reduce their carbon footprint and provide hot water to their village, Walmart is supporting the installation of solar panels. They also have implemented a direct farm program that works to eliminate the amount of time fruits and vegetables take to get to the store. Not only does this help to ensure the best possible quality of produce, it helps sustain the local farms and villages who produce the goods. It ends up being a win for the consumer as well as the grower (Walmart). Despite the governmental control that China has on Walmart versus other countries that Walmart operates in, China as proven to be a goldmine for Walmart’s growth, especially since their expansion has slowed in markets such as the United States due to such factors as saturation and slowed economy. Emerging economies, such as what China is experiencing, is extremely promising for Walmart’s continued growth and development. Walmart China has taken problems and turned them into opportunities. By working heavily with the local and national government, they have been able to overcome barriers to ensure their continued success. The biggest challenge that Walmart has faced in China is the acceptance of organized labor. In every market but China, Walmart has aggressively worked to keep unions out of their store. But unlike labor unions such as we have here, the unions in China are different. Chinese unions don’t negotiate labor contracts as they do here. In China, they are considered an arm of the government, they help secure social order, and they provide funding to the Communist Party. After several years of unrelenting persistence by the government, Walmart China finally buckled and unions were established across the nation (Naughton). Works Cited Foreman, William. â€Å"Wal-Mart’s New Market: Small Town China†. Huffington Post. 18 Oct. 2008. 1 Dec. 2009 . Huffman, Ted. â€Å"Wal-Mart in China: Challenges Facing a Foreign Retailers Supply Chain†. China Business Review. 1 Dec. 2009 http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0309/wal-mart.html. Naughton, Keith. â€Å"The Great Wal-Mart of China†. Newsweek. 30 Oct. 2006. 5 Dec. 2009 . Trunick, Perry. â€Å"Wal-Mart Reinvents Itself in China†. Logistics Today. 6 Jan. 2006. 5 Dec. 2009 . Walmart. â€Å"A Brief Introduction to Wal-Mart in China†. Wal-Mart China. 7 May 2009. 5 Dec. 2009 .

Corporal Punishment in Schools Essay -- Essays Papers

Corporal Punishment in Schools I wrote this paper for Contemporary Moral Issues class. This was an assignment of our choice and I chose to do this topic, because the week before in Intro to Education we had discussed discipline methods and I was astonished to learn that corporal punishment still existed in schools. I am hoping that by including this piece of work on my webfolio others will become aware that corporal punishment is alive and used often in our schools. In the following paper I will discuss the controversial issue of the use of corporal punishment in schools. Supporters for corporal punishment say that it is a deterrent to misbehavior and delinquency, is needed to maintain discipline, and is not a form of child abuse. The position against corporal punishment says that it is of limited effectiveness, has potentially serious side effects, is a form of child abuse, and should be abolished in all schools. I think the position against corporal punishment should become the social or public policy. Corporal punishment should not be used as a form of discipline, because it leaves psychological and physical harm on children. The first key argument against corporal punishment that I will present is the argument that corporal punishment is a form of child abuse. The Policy Statement of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry states, "corporal punishment is a discipline method in which a supervising adult deliberately inflicts pain upon a child in response to a child's unacceptable behavior and/or inappropriate language" (1). If one is deliberately inflicting pain on another, then that is for sure a form of abuse. Many students are physically and psychologically assaulted... ...htm 1. Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. Guidance for Effective Discipline." American Academy of Pediatrics 101 (April 1998) Database on-line. Available from ERIC, American Academy of Pediatrics. 1. Flynn, Clifton P. "Exploring the link between corporal punishment and children's cruelty to animals." Journal of Marriage and Family 61 (November 1999). Database on-line. Available from ProQuest. 3. Hyman, Irwin A. "Using research to change public policy: reflections on 20 years of efforts to eliminate corporal punishment in schools." Pediatrics 98 (October 1996). Database on-line. Available from ProQuest, Expanded Academic ASAP. 2-4. Hyman, Irwin A. and Pamela A. Shook. Dangerous Schools: What We Can Do about the Physicaland Emotional Abuse of Our Children. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass, 1999. 3.

Emotionally-Charged Subjects Essay

Parents and teenagers need not always argue about issues that are manageable. The key to managing these issues is in understanding each other’s position and in finding a middle-way solution. If we can aim for a win-win solution, that would be best, but many times it may not be possible. So, adjusting our wants with regards to the other’s position may be necessary to solve our problems. Let us take the issues of friends, money and school for example. If we try to understand the problems facing each side, from the teenager and from the parents, we can try to negotiate our way to a solution. First, many teenagers today have friends that parents disagree with, but both sides can work on a solution. Proverbs 18:24 says, â€Å"A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother† (New American Standard Bible). The teenager has to understand that quality friends are more important than quantity. Bad company may lead to drug abuse, alcoholism, pre-marital sex, unwanted pregnancies and other consequences that are life-and-death situations. It is important then to choose our friends wisely and to refrain from others who are bad influences on us. So how do we choose our friends? Or how do we know that they are truly our real friends? Proverbs 17:17 asserts that â€Å"A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need† (New Living Translation). If our so-called â€Å"friends† are only there when we have money or if we are in good health or if we have a nice car and a beautiful house, then they are not our friends. A true friend will be there for you even in sickness, homelessness and poverty. Of course, parents also have to understand that nothing is perfect and that these ideals may not be realized all the time because of actual, instead of theoretical circumstances. So parents have to give their teenagers some room for error and imperfection. By learning from their mistakes, they will become better adults later. Second, many teenagers nowadays want more money, which their parents don’t have, so we need to find creative solutions to solve it. In 1 Timothy 6:10, it is mentioned that â€Å"the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs† (New International Version). Money is needed to satisfy many physical desires, but too many desires will lead to suffering. It is important to extinguish the flames of desire through moderation. If we don’t really need something, we don’t have to possess it. We also need to be wise with our money through investments and diligent work. By finding part-time work and learning how to invest our savings properly, a teenager will learn good financial skills that he will need later as an adult. As Matthew 25:18 mentions, we should not dig â€Å"a hole in the ground and [hide]†¦ the master’s money† (New Living Translation) even if we have only a little of it. We should invest it, and we can also find some work to earn more money that we can additionally invest. We should also not have sudden cravings to splurge once we have a lot of money. In Proverbs 7: 20, a prodigal man â€Å"took lots of money with him†¦ [and] won’t be home for a couple of weeks† (God’s Word Translation). Instead, we should learn how to control our emotions. Being wasteful in our expenditures will empty our bank account. Lastly, we should also be generous. As Exodus 22:25 says, â€Å"If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest† (New International Version). By learning how to give, we will receive payment in â€Å"kind† later on in the form of respect, the return of favors and other non-quantifiable intangible forms that we will appreciate later. Lastly, teenagers may need to confront their parents about their problems in school. Grades are one of the major problems that teenagers face in school. Low marks could be a consequential problem due to bad friends or the lack of money to buy learning resources. If our problem with friends and money are resolved, then we can solve our issues in school also. But sometimes, the cause may be something else. If our ancestors were not so bright themselves, then we shouldn’t expect too much on ourselves. Or if we take some mental aptitude tests, and we score poorly, we may be faced with a biological problem that requires specialized training. But more often than not, we can improve our brain power through proper nutrition, exercise and mental conditioning. There are many books and courses in the market that will teach us on how to increase our mental aptitude. So, it may be necessary to purchase a few for the benefit of our future. But parents should also consider that school and grades are not everything. Jesus himself was very learned, but he did not bother to prove his academic excellence by getting a respected degree from a well-known school. In John 7:15 â€Å"the Jews were surprised and said, How has this man got knowledge of books? He has never been to school† (Bible in Basic English). Indeed, school is not the only place to learn and thus, school grades are not the only proof of learning. While some people may be God-gifted, more often than not, many people learn from the â€Å"School of Hard Knocks. † Truly, there are many successful people today, such as Bill Gates, who never finished college. In the end, teenagers are not always wrong and parents are not always right. When a proper middle-ground is reached between the two, there is peace. References Hook, S. (ed. ). (1965). Bible in Basic English. Cambridge University Press. Holy Bible: New International Version. (1978). Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. (1996). Wheaton: Tyndale House. The Bible: God’s Word Translation. (1995). Jacksonville: Baker Publishing Group. The Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1997). Anaheim: Foundation.

Strategies for Graduating College Early to Save Money

Many of the top private colleges and private universities in the country now have a total sticker price hovering around $70,000 a year. Some public universities have total costs of well over $50,000 a year for out-of-state students. However, even if you dont qualify for financial aid, theres an obvious way to reduce your college costs: Graduate from college early. Finishing college in three and a half or even three years can save you tens of thousands of dollars. How to Fast Track Your College Career So how can you graduate early? The math is pretty simple. A typical college load is four classes a semester, so in a year youre likely to take eight classes. To graduate a year early, you need to acquire eight classes worth of credit. You can do this a few ways: Take as many AP courses as you can. If you score 4s or 5s on the AP exam, most colleges will give you course credit. In some cases, a score of 3 will earn credit.If you have the option of an International Baccalaureate program, you can often earn college credit if you score well on your IB exams.If your high school has dual enrollment options with a local college, the credits you earn will often transfer to your undergraduate institution.  Take all available placement exams when you arrive at college. Many colleges offer placement exams in subjects like language, math, and writing. If you can place out of a few requirements, youll be in a better position to graduate early.Take community college courses for general education classes like writing, history, or introduction to psychology. Course credits will often transfer. Summer, even the summer before college, is a good time to rack up credits. Be sure to check with your colleges Registrar first to make sure the course credits will transfer.If you plan to study abroad, pick your program carefully. Youll need to transfer credits back to your college, so you want a program where all of your course work is going to count towards graduation.Take the maximum number of credits allowed when youre in college. If you have a strong work ethic, you can pack more into a semester than the average student. By doing so, youll fulfill all of your academic requirements sooner. With some professional programs such as engineering and education, graduating early is rarely an option (in fact, often students end up taking more than four years). The Downside of Graduating Early Realize there are some disadvantages to graduating early, and youll have to weigh these factors against the financial perks: Youll have less time to build relationships with your professors. As a result, youll have less opportunity to conduct meaningful research projects with the faculty, and your professors wont know you as well when you need letters of recommendation.Youll be graduating with a different class than the one you entered with. This isnt necessarily a big deal, but you may find that you end up without a solid sense of class affinity.Youll simply have less time to grow and mature. Many college students really blossom during senior year as their experience and confidence grow.For many students, college is a wonderful time for  making new friends, growing intellectually, and discovering ones self. Students are often in tears at graduation because they are sad to have college come to an end. Make sure you really want to  rush this time of your life.This is related to many of the above points, but with less time to gain research and internship experiences, and with less time to foster meaningf ul relationships with the faculty, youll be in a weaker position when applying to jobs or graduate school. Its possible the money you save from graduating early will be lost with lower lifetime earnings. These issues, of course, arent a big deal for some students, and its quite possible that the financial benefits outweigh all other factors. A Final Word Many colleges use fast-tracking as a marketing ploy. The undergraduate experience, however, is about so much more than earning enough credits to get a degree. Accelerated degree programs make much more sense for non-traditional students than for typical 18- and 19-year-olds who will grow so much socially and intellectually during four years of college. That said, the financial factor cant be ignored. Just be sure to recognize that there are both pros and cons to rushing a four-year degree.