Working Condition Problems in Amazon Company

Introduction Even as companies strive to change the working conditions of their employees to enhance innovation and improve individual performance in the workplaces, the problems of poor working conditions are still on prevalence (Littler, 2013).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Working Condition Problems in Amazon Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The recruitment processes, the empowerment plans, the promotion strategies, and other employee retention practices of some American companies have faced discrimination allegations. Surprisingly, the majority of these companies are mega industries that appear in the Fortune 500 and other big publications due to their enhanced corporate performances (Abel, 2013). Cases of poor working conditions in some mega transnational companies continue to attract legal, economic, social, and international discourses, which are disheartening the employees and employers (Higgi ns, 2014). With such allegations are in a steady increase, even as the performance of these companies enhances. Fundamentally, this essay uses the case of Amazon Company to focus on analyzing the working condition problems highlighted in some online publications, and uses the SWOT analysis to discuss the problems. Overview of the Articles Several online articles and newspapers have focused on the employment issues that workers experience at Amazon. This analysis involves five recent articles that have dominated the websites and exposed the public discontentment about the Amazon Company. The first article came from the Seattle Times Newspaper of America, and it exposed the forced labor practices of the Amazon Company, contrary to its labor policies.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second article was the Consumer Affairs Magazine that explored the revelations of the Brit ish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) concerning the dilapidated physical working conditions at Amazon. The third article was a write-up from the AlterNet Newspaper, which exposed the mandatory security checkpoints and the underpayments imposed on the Amazon workers. The fourth article was a BBC publication that expressed concerns about the likelihood of the Amazon workers to face mental health problems. The last article is a publication of the Westlaw Journal that described a variety of workplace problems at Amazon. The Identified Working Condition Problems Forced Labor Practices in the Amazon Company– The recent employment wrangles in the Amazon Company associate with the illegal issues of forced labor practices in the company (Bernton, 2014). Reports indicate that the Amazon Company has recently resorted to forced labor in its outlets that operate in the Latin America regions. Notwithstanding its efforts in establishing an Amazon code of standards, that encompasses regulation s against forced labor and child labor, the practice of forced labor has been pervasive in the operations of the Amazon Company (Bernton, 2014). In the regions of Latin America, India, Asia, and most parts of the United States, the Amazon Company has been practicing indirect forced labor practices against its workers. Menial workers who operate in the Amazon warehouses have complained against the poor working conditions that include excess overtime, forced overtime, strenuous jobs, and forced labor during the off-duty days (Bernton, 2014). These menial workers complain about workplace harassment, coercion, intimidation, and strenuous assignments.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Working Condition Problems in Amazon Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Underpayment in the Amazon Company- Aside from the forced labor and poor working conditions practiced by the management of the Amazon Company in its different outlets, employees complain about low compensations and wages. According to Hsieh (2013), the company management considers the menial workers to be illiterate individuals who do not have rights to access better working conditions. Last year, the company faced an excruciating challenge concerning the deplorable compensations offered to its workers in Germany. Over 100,000 warehouse workers from Germany and America have complained about forced individual productivity, even as the company keeps its workers waiting for clearance at the security checkpoints without paying their daily wages (Hsieh, 2013). In the regions of Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe, the company paid its workers meager salaries and wages, and retained the hourly wages to cater for any allegations of damages reported at the warehouses (Hsieh, 2013). Pay cuts and demotions to reduce the wage bill are common practices that Amazon dishonestly practices. Deplorable Workplace Conditions- Amazon has recently faced allegations concerning its behavior of exposing workers to terrible working conditions within the warehouse. The company has left its workers to struggle within the warehouses that have poor working conditions, pitiable carton arrangements, and extreme summer temperatures (Abel, 2013). In a recent 2013 case, investigative reports at Pennsylvania concerning the working conditions at the Amazon warehouses revealed that the company often exposes its workforce to extreme workplace problems that include exposure to extreme temperatures (Abel, 2013).Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the case of Pennsylvania, the company arranged a number of paramedics and ambulances outside its warehouses and stores in preparation for any case of a dehydrated or an injured worker. The International Labor Organization and independent analysts in China confirmed these allegations through an assessment of China during the summer. In China, Abel reveals that the Amazon Retail Online Company exposed the Chinese warehouse workers to extreme warehouse temperatures that consequently led to health complications and deaths to some workers (2013). Workplace Racial Discrimination- One of the most upsetting human resource practices of the Amazon Company is its illegitimate behavior of practicing racial prejudice against the immigrant workers. According to Higgins (2014), foreign expatriates and menial laborers of the Amazon Company have reported workplace problems concerning racial discrimination that is eminent in most of its regional and global outlets. In the year 2012, some outlets o f the Amazon Company at Swansea and Wales violated the workplace regulations of the local employment tribunals that are against racial discrimination (Higgins, 2014). In certain cases in America, foreign workers and other employees from the minority ethnicities complained about the persistent discriminations at the Amazon warehouses and offices. Concerning the waiting hours spent during the mandatory security checks imposed on the menial warehouse workers, most of them are the racial minorities who live in America (Higgins, 2014). In France, China, Latin America, and Spain, the Amazon workers maintained that rank promotions, compensations, empowerment, motivation, and recognition often favor the native whites. Gender and Disability Bias- Gender and disability bias are among the major concerns related to the working condition problems at Amazon (Higgins, 2014). Significant evidence from the workers has proven the presence of workplace gender discrimination at Amazon. In the year 2013 , several former employees claimed that the Amazon Company exposed the female workers to discriminatory practices (Littler, 2013). In the same year, some former workers of the Amazon Company attested that the company never recognized employees with disability despite the fact that some disabilities were due to the awful working conditions at the warehouses and stores. Reports have revealed that the company unfairly dismisses the female employees because of their family related issues (Littler, 2013). Female employees who seek maternity leaves remain unfairly dismissed and on wrong allegations. According to Higgins (2014), the disabled workers and those with minor physical health problems fail to secure job positions at the company or remain dismissed from the company on wrong allegations. SWOT Analysis of the Employment Problems Strengths- the strength of Amazon concerning the present allegations about the deplorable working conditions is its market dominance in the online retail st ores. Amazon has a swift shipment process, a well-maintained rapport with consumers, and a reliable shipping process that makes it marketable regardless of the working condition problems. Weaknesses– the weakness of Amazon concerning the discussed issues is that the company has lost several class lawsuits, racial lawsuits, human rights lawsuits, and employment lawsuits from its former and current workers. Opportunities– Amazon has several opportunities to counter the current employment concerns. To its advantage, the Amazon Company still enjoys a remarkable online retail experience with its business partners, which makes it possible for the company to form some firm joint ventures to stabilize its foundation. Threats– The most disturbing concern about the allegations is that the Amazon Company is currently facing a tough regional and overseas market competition from the companies that offer attractive online purchasing services. Conclusion Although the global le gislations concerning the promotion of fair workplace treatment among workers are against discrimination, poor payments, poor physical working conditions, and forced labor, some companies are still against these laws. Amazon is one of the American transnational companies that have promoted the unequal treatment of workers and excessive mistreatment of workers. International newspapers and magazines have placed the company in the public limelight concerning its insensitive employment practices against its workers. The company has been practicing a series of malpractices against its workers. Amazon has imposed unfair promotion practices, exposed workers to deplorable physical working conditions, has compensated workers unfairly, and has practiced racial prejudice. Using a SWOT analysis to assess the repercussions of these allegations that have gone public through the newspapers, the company may remain dominant due to its swift and reliable shipment processes, but may lose its reputati on. Its experienced workforce may not help to counter the imminent competition. References Abel, J. (2013). BBC Reports Poor Working Conditions in Amazon Warehouses. Web. Bernton, H. (2014). Amazon’s Overseas Labor Policy: Trust us. Web. Higgins, D. (2014). Employment: Litigation News and Analysis. Westlaw Journal, 28(17), 1-22. Hsieh, S. (2013). Amazon Warehouse Workers Forced to Wait at Security Checkpoints Without Getting Paid.  Web. Littler, A. (2013). Amazon Workers Face ‘Increased Risk of Mental Illness. Web. This article on Working Condition Problems in Amazon Company was written and submitted by user Kevin Randall to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Authenticity in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Essays

Authenticity in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Essays Authenticity in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Paper Authenticity in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Paper Essay Topic: The Grapes Of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath is a novel written by John Steinbeck. In the bulk of modern literature, it is consider a masterful epic unmatched in the realm of the written word. The novel centers around a family of workers who are immigrants The Joads. When the novel takes place they are in California attempting to survive the scarce conditions of the depression. Steinbeck monitors and recounts the ups and downs of the family and their experiences in United States. Much of the plot is Steinbecks commentary on the rampant capitalism which literary sucked the land and the people dry during the 1930s. The story is based on real life excerpts of John Steinbecks field research. The real life conflict was created by greedy business men, and lending institutions which bought up land and employed workers to farm. The majority of these workers were lower class immigrant families that were paid so little that their struggles have often been paralleled to that of slavery which plagued the United States in the 16th and 17th centuries. The old adage was particularly relevant when examining this novel, as the rich get richer, the poor end up dead worked to death. Steinbeck is not casual in his assault of capitalism and it not fearful to express his disgust for the supposed American dream. He has a clear political viewpoint and asserts: the great fact: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken away. And that companion fact: when a majority of the people are hungry and cold they will take by force what they need. And the little screaming fact that sounds throughout all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed. (333). A major theme developed by Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath is his believe that the survive of the lower class is based on their dedication to family. His approach is a delicate mixture of Marxism and Socialism, both of which promote cooperative living. In the context of the time, Steinbecks beliefs were not just controversial but also dangerous. The United States went through a two periods in which the government hunted after individuals they considered unamerican, the 1920s and the 1950s. This novel was written in the the 1930s. However, Steinbeck intricately weaves a tale of family strife, struggle, and survival, in The Grapes of Wrath, which has become a beloved and honored classic since its publication. Steinbecks depiction of the devastating conditions during the 1930s is historically accurate. In particular, Steinbeck articulately describes what a Dust Bowl actually is and how it was created. He explains that the great plains experienced the greatest droughts ever during the great depression. The Dust Bowl was created due to lack of rain and also the over use of the land. Once pieces of land are over farmed they lose their nutrients and crops will not grow. These areas, once plush with grass and trees became â€Å"virtual deserts. † It was this drought which forced families, hungry and tired, to see out new hope in the west. The west promised folks clean and cheap living, and with access to regular work. Steinbeck describes the Dust Bowl in the following way, â€Å"The wind increased, steady, unbroken gusts. The dusts from the roads fluffed up and spread out and fell on the weeds besides the fields . . . the sky was darkened by the mixing dust, and the wind felt over the earth, loosened the dust, and carried it away. † For the people living in these devastated lands, this was a very accurate account as to what the â€Å"weather† was like for weeks and months.

Commet To Peer Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Commet To Peer Response - Essay Example You also mention that problems with a master brand can spill over into the other house brands. Lenovo has to ensure that to maintain an excellent reputation with customers. This can be achieved by providing superb customer service, quality, reliability, and value. The company’s strategy of being one of the most innovative companies in the industry will help the firm achieve high customer retention. Customer retention is important due to the 80/20 rule. Pareto’s 80/20 rule states that 80% of a company’s sales come from 20% of its customers (Reh, 2012). In the computer industry innovation and efficiency are two critical success factors. The deal Lenovo made with IBM was a great strategy move that will bring synergies to the company. The ability to advertise the laptops using the IBM logo will drive the sales of the company upwards. The company has to have a long term plan in place because the marketing deal with IBM only lasts five

Article review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article review - Essay Example Possible outcomes of the trend Stevens, Kitterlin and Tanner (14) found out that students in hospitality prefer learning by doing. As such, academic institutions offering hospitality programs would use such findings to align their curricula in line with the preferred mode of learning among the students so as to remain competitive and relevant in the market. They could provide equipment and teaching aids that propagate practical learning. Theoretical component of learning could be minimized and practical learning be incorporated more including practical internships. Students could seek to enroll in institutions geared towards practical teaching with the aim of excelling academically. Similarly, relevant authorities could seek to streamline the education system with regard to hospitality and formulate rules and regulations promoting practical skills more. Effect of the trend on the industry Aligning the teaching mode to the kinesthetic learning style of the students in hospitality woul d ensure that institutions offering hospitality programs produce practically equipped students ready for the market. These students would have gained much knowledge while learning because the mode of delivery would have been aligned with their understanding environment. More so, this adaptation would see more students enroll for hospitality programs and increase the number of successful completion of the courses being offered. The increase in supply of students could see the cost of hospitality courses decrease. This could trickle down to provide abundant supply of human resource in hospitality. On the other hand, there could be an increase in institutions offering hospitality courses to take advantage of the increased demand due to an increase in interest among prospective students. This could cause rogue institutions coming up which could eventually result in poorly equipped students. Furthermore, the influx in hospitality labor could eventually cause lack of interest in the cours e as with high supply of labor, the lower the compensation package the market would be willing to offer. Stevens, Kitterlin and Tanner (14) also note that kinesthetic learners tend to rush and pay less attention to detail. Therefore, in as much as institutions would adopt mechanisms to propagate practical learning, measures should be put in place to ensure that the quality of education does not get compromised. My position I agree with the findings of this research study. As a student, I have a preferred way of learning which if provided, then, learning becomes interesting and understanding increases. Instructors who provide such an environment have gained acceptance among their students which eventually causes improved academic performance. Practical approach, particularly in hospitality programs provides an opportunity to interact with real-life practice and therefore enhance learning. A lot of theoretical studies make little sense to students without practical application. Even w ith this knowledge, gender sensitive studies should be conducted in other institutions to solidify the findings of this study. Learning experience With the vision of furthering my studies in hospitality, I would consider institutions that offer adequate practical activities in its hospitality programs if I am to excel academically. Stevens, Kitterl

Transurban Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Transurban Group - Essay Example The name of the company is Transurban Group and its ASX code is TCL.The main office is located at 505 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.The reporting period of the company starts from 1st July and ends on 30th June of subsequent year The article â€Å"Transurban rejects Canadian takeover bids† appeared on May 12, 2010 and outlines the refusal of the group to accept two takeover bids on different grounds. (The Sunday Morning Herlad, 2010). The new article discusses about the two new takeover bids by the two pension funds from Canada and one from Australia and why Transurban Group has actually refused to accept the bids based on the value offered owing to its past performance and future prospects. Article however, mentions that the firm is willing to work with these firms in terms of due diligence and may also consider the options if the right price is offered. The article has also mentions the capital raising efforts of the firm to expand the business and ho w same may have an impact on the overall price offered by the acquiring firms. This article is interesting in the sense that it provides a concise picture of the details about the potential deals in which Transurban Group may be involved in near future. 4) The stock price on 5th April 2011 was $5.340 per share whereas the price on 8th April 2011 was $5.350 per share. The net change in the share price was $0.10 per share during the period. 5) The net profit as on 30th June 2010 was $59.605 M whereas the same was ($16.134m) during 2009. (Transurban, 2010, 51). Considering the above figures, it is evident that the firm was incurring losses during 2009 and it recorded an overall net profit of more than $59M during 2010. Net profit margin in 2010 therefore is 7.93% showing impressive performance considering the fact that the firm has incurred losses during 2009. It is also important to understand that the improvement in the profitability of the firm has become possible owing to the cost control. Firm has been able to reduce its key costs such as business development costs and corporate costs in order to improve the profitability of the firm. It could therefore be concluded that the firm has been able to achieve increase in profitability with better management of its costs and expenses. 6) The largest liability of the firm is borrowings which is to tune of $4.005 B and it is non-current liability. Note 16 of the notes to accounts indicates that these liabilities include infrastructure facilities, term loans, capital markets debt, US Private placement as well as the syndicated facilities. The infrastructure loans have been taken for the purpose of building and expanding the existing infrastructure base whereas other facilities have been taken for various purposes over the period of time. Borrowings also included working capital facilities having expiry of more than one year therefore they are reported in the non-current liabilities.(Transurban, 2010, 52) 7) There are four different streams of revenue reported in the annual accounts of the firm and each stream of revenue is recognized in the books based on different criteria. The revenue generated from the toll and fee is recognized when the actual charge is made by the user whereas other road revenues include advertising, rental and other associated revenue which is recognized as per the normal criteria. Construction revenue is recorded by the firm when the intangible asset is its construction phase whereas the development assets are recognized in sales when they are sold to third parties. Business development revenue is based on the provision of business support services and revenue is recognized accordingly. (Transurban, 2010, 74) 8) PriceWaterhouseCoopers is the auditor of the firm and based on the Independence of External Auditors Policy of the firm, the external auditors are not involved in any other activity on behalf of the firm. During the year, auditors have been paid to the

Ethnographic Study of the Informal Sector

Ethnographic Study of the Informal Sector INTRODUCTION The informal sector will be understood through an exercise of selling of paper clips as street vendors for a period of seven days. Paper clips are a stationery item used for binding papers together and are used by students, offices, lawyers, and government officials amongst others. However today, the availability of substitutes like staplers (a creation of technology) has challenged the utility of the commodity. The informal sector is that part of the economy which is not taxed, monitored by any form of government or included in any gross national product (GNP), unlike the formal economy. In 1997-98, the informal economy generated nearly 76% of employment and nearly 46% of the income in Mumbai. Despite their physical existence and the millions involved in it, for sheer survival, their ‘official’ ‘invisibility’ makes them ineligible for most statutorily ordained benefits and allowances. PREPARATORY STAGE A pre-sales activity was conducted to understand the potential target group. The interactions revealed that most consumers don’t have a requirement for this product, as staplers are a more reliable paper binding solution. The pre-sales research revealed that paper clips are sold in quantities of 100 clips a box. Based on the findings, a sales model was developed wherein the bulk of 100 clips would be resold 10-12 clips in plastic pouches. This would allow people to purchase small quantities and also convenient selling. The model adopted is similar to wholesaler-retailer supply chain model wherein the retailer makes bulk purchases from a wholesaler and sells smaller quantities to the customer. A similar model is used by street vendors who buy in bulk and retail smaller quantities. A cost-plus pricing strategy was adopted and a profit margin of 200-300% was agreed upon, which would be reduced through the course of the exercise until enough capital was accumulated. In addition to repacking, a packaging strategy was adopted. Zip lock plastics would be used to package the paper clips, thereby adding value to the commodity. Purchases of both the paper and the packaging material were made from the wholesale market in Abdul Rahman Street, Crawford Market where stationery is dealt with in wholesale quantities. Due to capital constraints, stock could not be purchased in bulk, limiting our bargaining power. It was decided that any profits incurred on the first day, would be ploughed-back to maintain a better inventory status. Locations selected for selling activity consisted of areas frequented by office goers, students and children. The objective set for the selling exercise was to cover costs and make profits by adopting a sales maximization approach through the use of strategies like customization, price discrimination, bundling, advertising, and market segmentation. EXECUTION STAGE Due to dearth of capital on the first day of our study, a sufficient stock of paper clips was purchased but did not allow for purchase of packaging materials. Waste packaging materials from the streets of Crawford Market was used as a substitute for the ‘zip lock pouches’. A huge profit margin was targeted on the first day that would generate capital to fund better quality packaging for the remaining days. The entire experience over the 7-day period is illustrated in the table below (refer Appendix I). Day Location Rationale for Location Experience Day 1 Fort, Outside Bombay High Court Potential Buyers: lawyers and office goers.  ·Problem arose because people returning home from work and lunch did not stop to indulge  ·Prices were very high so sales were slow.  ·Selling on the wrong side of the road and changed position to target people going towards the station. Day 2 HR, Jai Hind and KC College. Potential Buyers: Students, who have utility for stationery, especially females using customization and improved packaging material.  ·Customization and product bundling proved to be very effective. -The colored and fancy paper clips were sold out, despite higher price Zip locks used resulted in quick sales  ·Right time for sales (1pm onwards) when most students were done with their lectures. Day 3 Street Vendor Fair, Outside St. Michael’s Church, Mahim To study the variation in the sales of the commodity on a normal day in comparison to ‘special occasions’  ·Relatively easier to sell during a ‘fair’ or during special occasions  ·People are more willing to buy when exposed to multiple commodities within a given space. Day 4 Marine Drive To understand variation sales in a tourist and recreational spot  ·The price was lowered as a larger stock was procured due to profits from the previous day  ·Concentrated on sales promotion strategies by giving off free units to girls who purchased packets  ·Strategy was successful (word-of-mouth marketing played a significant role) Day 5 Trains, Central Line – CST to Dadar (Return) To understand the variation sales in a mode of transport  ·The female partner made large sales in the ladies compartment of the while the other partner was unsuccessful in the general.  ·Women are more approachable on trains which can be attributed to the large number of sellers in the women’s compartments on trains  ·Buying behavior exhibited by women is primarily an outcome of ‘novelty value’ of the products being sold Day 6 Marine Lines Station To sell amongst other street vendors and understand the dynamics of street vending.  ·Holding up a banner to ‘advertise’ the product did not work in the informal sector  ·Other experienced vendors came and interacted with us, passed comments and also ridiculed us. They moved away after they didn’t see a threat to their business  ·Interaction with vendors: On asking about the ‘hafta’ to be paid, they refused to speak to and turned away An unsuccessful sale as it was a Saturday.  ·Interaction with authorities: A BMC truck came to evict the vendors, confiscating their supplies, politely asked us to move Day 7 Republic Day Parade, Marine Drive To understand how national holidays have an impact on sales in the informal sector  ·Stood beside a flag vendor considering people might need clips to put on the flags.  ·No sales took place as people were engaged in watching the Parade EVALUATION STAGE Theory versus reality On engaging with the market on a first hand basis, we came across the following economic concepts while studying various sales strategies to maximize our sales in order to keep earning a profit. :- Monopoly firm: Since we were the only sellers of this product on the streets, we had the liberty to use price discrimination along with product differentiation. We gauged our targets and according to their outlooks and then decided the price to charge them. Price discrimination:-the same products were sold at different prices in different spaces to different consumers. First degree and third degree price discrimination was adopted. Under this the firm charged different prices to different set of consumers. For example while selling in the High Court premises; we sold the small quantity at Rs. 20 a packet to lawyers while we sold the packet to women in trains at Rs.5. In the former case, the entire consumer surplus was converted into the firm’s revenue and profits. The concept of third degree price discrimination was used here where groups having inelastic demand (lawyers/office goers) were charged a higher price compared to the women in trains who had elastic demand for whom the price was comparatively lower. The theory of price discrimination did not work for us as instead of playing with consumer surplus to make profits, we ended up just covering costs per day, neither did it minimize our costs nor did it increase output. Moreo ver the experiment of just 7 days was too short to judge this concept. However, the law of demand was justified wherein there is more demand when there is reduction in price. The elasticity was 1.0195 which is relatively elastic. However, from the interaction in the market we found out that it is inconsequential and hence, nullified. (Refer Appendix II) Product Bundling: The firm offered several products for sale as one combined product. It is a common feature in many imperfectly competitive product markets. The firm used the technique of bundling to create more demand and capture the market. For example- instead of selling big metallic binders, metal U- clips, colored U-clips and fancy clips separately we bundled them together and sold them as a packaged deal at Rs. 20 targeting the college students. This concept worked for us. Sales maximization: was set as possible goal which occurs when the firm sells as much as possible without making a loss. We implied this strategy wherein we after a point where we had covered all our costs, we concentrated on selling as much as we can even if it is at a low profit margin as long as there was no loss. This helped us in earning our revenue and capital for next days. Thus, the application of this theory was successful. We also came to the conclusion that paper clips as such are not a commodity that a street vendor would sell. It is more likely to be found in stationery shops as they serve a market which requires all these goods. Lessons Learnt: Operating in the informal economy showed us that there existsno perfect knowledgewith respect to commodities being sold (in terms of availability and price).Venturing further into the streets of Crawford Market revealed that the commodity sold is much cheaper when compared to the peripheral shops. The procurement exercise highlighted the prevalence ofinformation asymmetry. The presence of street vendors is a menace for commuters but a boon for the working poor by providing goods (sometimes necessities) at a substantially cheaper price. The survey revealed that most street vendors require credit in order to start an enterprise but were often denied access due to lack of collateral but they haven’t applied for any loans due to a variety of reasons. They are not well aware of the government policies and are subjected to constant evictions by the municipal corporations as we observed when the street vendors were made to flee the scene when the BMC truck arrived at Marine Lines station during the course of our study. An important aspect is the self-employment, which is an important component of the informal sector that allows this section of the urban poor to earn income but is also classified into different types of employment like employees, middlemen, and unpaid family members or self-employed. Thus, the informal sector acts a livelihood-sustainin g platform. Interactions with street vendors, it was found out that they suffer from problems like hypertension, hyperacidity migraine attacks and severe backaches. Another aspect revealed was the participation of women. Women form a significant proportion of the informal labor force. (Refer Appendix III for Survey Questionnaire and Appendix IV for results/findings). Policies in place: The National Policy for Urban Street Vendors, 2004 was the first policy that called hawkers as â€Å"vendors† in designated areas called hawker zones and non-hawker zones and to ensure absence of congestion and maintain hygiene in public spaces and streets. Policy of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, 2009: By the National Commission on enterprises in the unorganized sector, this bill has not been introduced so far. It does not focus on natural markets like railway stations, depots, taxi stands, etc. Heavy fines are levied on unregistered sellers and their goods are confiscated. Non perishables are left off with heavy fines; however, fruit and vegetable vendors lose everything. The â€Å"Panchnama† of confiscated goods is not issues by policemen and records are not maintained. National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, 2009: It reports the conditions of work and promotion of livelihoods in the unorganized sector. It provides a constitutional angle to practice any occupation. For example: Right to adequate means of livelihood, Article 14, 19 (1) (g), 38(2), 39(a) and 41. Suggestions:- Registration must be made compulsory for street vendors by issuing licenses to prevent illegal rent seeking activities in the form of â€Å"haftas† from officials and thus, providing them with recognition. Incentive to register can be provided to street vendors by providing subsidized healthcare to registered vendors. Cheap housing and accommodation or slum rehabilitation can be provided to register street vendors as most of them are migrants from all over the country. A mechanism to file a PIL must be established for the street vendors to seek redressal for confiscated goods. Alternate spaces should be allotted for their activities if the area has to be cleared of such activities. For example, the shift of Agra Market during the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Stricter laws and there enforcement is necessary so that illegal hawking is avoided and they do not seem a nuisance to the commuters. In this way, both parts of the society can live in harmony.

Samsung Electronics Case Write-Up Essays -- Business Analysis SWOT

Samsung Electronics Case Write-Up 1. The Memory Industry (5 points). Conduct a five-forces analysis of the memory industry. You will need to rate each of the five forces in this industry as high, medium or low and then explain briefly why you selected this rating. A) Threat of New Entrants(Barriers to entry) (MEDIUM) Samsung, being a global company with net revenues of over $30 billion, had established an integrated supply chain with economies of scale and scope. New entrants were required to come in on a very large scale for effectively minimizing costs, which the Chinese companies succeeded in doing. Samsung had scale of economies in research and chip fabrication and was world leading memory producer for all types of PC’s, digital cameras and other electronic products. Samsung had demand side benefits of scale as it demanded superiority in product quality and efficiency and it was a well established and trusted brand name ($5.2 billion in 2004). High switching costs were associated with the industry as due to established production lines and multibillion dollar commitments, it would be extremely costly and time consuming for a company to divest into different technologies and design commitments. When IBM, Toshiba and NEC discovered problems with their â€Å"trenching† method of incorporating cells into tiny chips, they lost years of development time trying to switch to the â€Å"stacking† method. The cost of production facilities rose to $3 billion and hence created a higher barrier of entry for smaller level competitors. As most of the capital required in the semiconductor industry is used in Research and development, it is unrecoverable and enhances the eff... ...me the administrative barrier and enjoy the same benefits as a regular Chinese firm. They will also receive easier access to finance, tax incentives and other essential resources to help them reduce the Chinese competitive advantage. In doing so they must take precautions to ensure that their technology and intellectual property is not replicated as there are several flaws in the Chinese administrative system. They could also buyout an established local Chinese semiconductor firm that has some brand recognition in the market which could give them a local presence. Lastly, they could cede the lower end of the market to the Chinese firms and invest in higher value, cutting edge memory products that would be hard to replicate. All three options would be viable in different ways and could help Samsung overcome their primary threats.