Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Negotiation Article Analysis

Negotiation Article Analysis When negotiations are held, the main intention is to come up with an agreement that will provide a roadmap for an action to be taken (Howard, 1982, p.5). Negotiations have mostly been aimed at ensuring that existing conflicts are resolved amicably. They occur over a wide area and have no restrictions. In addition, negotiations can occur between organizations, businesses, governments and in other personal situations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Negotiation Article Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are many actual negotiation situations that have occurred in a global context. Examples include between international corporations and organizations, government to government and international acquisition (Howard, 1982, p.15). In international business there have been negotiations between the US and China (in relation to currency). China has been accused of manipulating the value of the Yuan. It has been ag ued that they have not moved towards a more flexible currency. On the other hand, the US has been accusing China of being a currency manipulator because it has kept the value of its currency unchanged to the dollar for almost two years (Stohr Mattingly, 2010, p. 7). There has been pressure for a Yuan revelation so as not to put their exports ahead of others like America. Most of the public pressure has come from the US as they have felt more offended than anyone else. Chinas policies and practices have given most exporters an unfair advantage over their US competitors. As a result the US government through its Treasury secretary has been involved in negotiations to resolve this dispute once and for all. Some have been calling for immediate imposition of import duties to the Chinese. This is ultimately a global issue that pits the world’s largest economies against one another. In coming up with negotiations to resolve this dispute some US lawmakers have argued that Chinese le aders are not committed to this issue (Stohr Mattingly, 2010, p. 3). Of course it is evident that problems between the US and China can be solved through negotiations. There has been a multilateral effort to ensure that this issue is solved through negotiations. Negotiations have been aimed at looking into the relationship between the two countries (that will define how they relate in business). Before these there has been a distributive bargaining where the US has urged China to try and correct the situation for better trade relations between the two countries. To resolve this issue China has been urged to move towards a more flexible currency. As a matter of fact, the Chinese president was able to visit Washington in a bid to ensure that trade ties are not severed. On the other hand, China has put in place good measures that allow for negotiations in an aim to resolve this issue. An involving negotiation process has been called for among the players to reach an amicable solution as this is a global issue.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In a broader perspective, to give the negotiation process a professional approach many economic experts have been called in to ensure that the authenticity of the claim has a basis from which it can be well argued on. The process has involved the people who run treasury from the two countries (Stohr Mattingly, 2010, p. 9). This is because it is an economic dispute that needs a comprehensive solution. Although negotiations are the only way to resolve the dispute; it has not been successful over the years as the Chinese have not been ready (in many occasions) to sit down and commit themselves. The negotiation process is ongoing and will open a window for more issues to be looked into. Reference List Howard, R. (1982). The Art and Science of Negotiation. Harvard: Belknap Press. Stohr, G. Mattingly, P. (2010) . (2010). Geithner Delays Currency Report, Urges Flexible Yuan. Web.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Difference Between Hard and Soft Water

The Difference Between Hard and Soft Water Youve heard the terms hard water and soft water, but do you know what they mean? Is one type of water somehow better than the other? What type of water do you have? This article looks at the definitions of these terms and how they relate to water in everyday life. Hard Water vs Soft Water Hard water is any water containing an appreciable quantity of dissolved minerals. Soft water is treated water in which the only cation (positively charged ion) is sodium. The minerals in water give it a characteristic taste. Some natural mineral waters are highly sought for their flavor and the health benefits they may confer. Soft water, on the other hand, may taste salty and may not be suitable for drinking. If soft water tastes bad, then why might you use a water softener? The answer is that extremely hard water may shorten the life of plumbing and lessen the effectiveness of certain cleaning agents. When hard water is heated, the carbonates precipitate out of solution, forming scales in pipes and tea kettles. In addition to narrowing and potentially clogging the pipes, scales prevent efficient heat transfer, so a water heater with scales will have to use a lot of energy to give you hot water. Soap is less effective in hard water because it reacts to form the calcium or magnesium salt of the organic acid of the soap. These salts are insoluble and form grayish soap scum, but no cleansing lather. Detergents, on the other hand, lather in both hard and soft water. Calcium and magnesium salts of the detergents organic acids form, but these salts are soluble in water. How to Soften Water Hard water can be softened (have its minerals removed) by treating it with lime or by passing it over an ion exchange resin. The ion exchange resins are complex sodium salts. Water flows over the resin surface, dissolving the sodium. The calcium, magnesium and other cations precipitate onto the resin surface. Sodium goes into the water, but the other cations stay with the resin. Very hard water will end up tasting saltier than water that had fewer dissolved minerals. Most of the ions have been removed in soft water, but sodium and various anions (negatively charged ions) still remain. Water can be deionized by using a resin that replaces cations with hydrogen and anions with hydroxide. With this type of resin, the cations stick to the resin and the hydrogen and hydroxide that are released combine to form pure water.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

PetMeds Feedback Loops Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PetMeds Feedback Loops - Case Study Example In order to understand the applicability of feedback loops in an organization, one must consider the organizational structure of the company and identify the different feedback loops executed within. The organizational structure of the company is composed of four core departments - customer care, warehouse, pharmacy and corporate departments. The structure is designed in a way to provide direct business processes for the success of the company. Several systems practiced by the company such as customer relationship management and performance management provide a complete loop in the operations of a department as well as the overall process of its business. This paper focuses on two types of feedback loops that is currently practiced in the organization. The two types identified are balancing loop and reinforcing loop. A balancing loop contains a current state, action and desired state. The action attempts to bring two things, the current state and the desired state, into an agreement. On the other hand, the reinforcing loop composes of an action and the result. The action produces a result. The result then promotes more of the same action. (Bellinger, 2004) PetMeds implements a customer relationship management system in the customer care department. The customer relationship management practice of the company is an example of the reinforcing feedback loop. ... It involves several functions, processes and results. However, for purposes of this paper, a simple loop is identified. An example of such loop is how the marketers of the company promote the products in order to generate sales for the company. The marketers publicize the products through advertising in the tri-media such as television, print and radio as well as through the Internet. Their aim is to attract new customers as well as encourage existing customers into buying more of the company's products. The strategies implemented by the marketers are examples of actions in the reinforcing loop. Below is a simplified feedback loop that illustrates the customer relationship management system. Figure . Customer Relationship Management System As a result of the different marketing strategies of the company, customers choose PetMeds products and ultimately generate sales and revenue for the company. Satisfied customers reorder the products. As for new customers, the different promotions of the marketers will influence their buying preference and behavior. The satisfaction levels of the customers are measured in the customer relationship management system. The measurements are then feedback to the customer care department as well as the marketers in order to evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing strategies. The evaluation then becomes the basis for the next marketing strategies that would be implemented and promoted. Performance Management System The performance management system is another type of feedback loop that is being utilized by PetMeds. This type of loop can be considered as a balancing loop. Every year, the company identifies critical success factors for their overall business as well as each department. These factors become the