the spanish american war :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Spanish-American war was the first and biggest step that the United States of America took toward imperialism. It was the war that secured the US as the most powerful country in the world. This war was a benefit to the USA because we gained land, gained respect, and taught a lesson to one of our enemies. In addition to this, the losses that we suffered were almost nothing compared to other conflicts or wars. The Spanish-American war was by no means for the sole purpose of gaining land and respect, the United States freed an oppressed country and took pieces of land that were better off under US control. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Imperialism was a popular trend among the large, powerful countries. Imperialism is defined as â€Å"The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations† Imperialism cannot be said as either good or bad, but as a general rule; If you live in an annexed country, imperialism is not good, if your country annexes smaller ones to gain profit, land, and respect, then imperialism is good. The United States was not much of an imperialistic country until we won the Spanish-American war. As a result of this war, we annexed Guam, The Philippines, and Puerto Rico. This is the point at which the US becomes and imperialistic nation, and though it was a hard struggle to keep these annexed countries under control and eventually gave them all back to their rightful owners. The importance of taking these countries is that we then could have coal st ations around the world to fuel our navy, and we got respect from other countries around the war. This respect and intimidation helped the allied powers defeat the central powers during World War II. Ever since the US became the most powerful nation after the Spanish-American war, we have retained the title. One reason why the Spanish-American war was good for the US is the relatively small losses we had. 332 Americans were killed and 1642 were injured, and 2957 died from disease. These numbers amount to a total of 3289 soldiers killed because of the Spanish-American war (McSherry). This seems like many casualties, but if one compares it to any other war, it is almost nothing, considering there were 15 million battlefield deaths in the Second World War (Ash 71).

Buried at Sea :: Creative Writing Essays

Buried at Sea "Ahh, there's no wind today," sighed Cobi as he tacked his sail around and headed for the shore. Cobi was a sailor. Cobi wasn't a typical sailor, Cobi was a National Championship winning sailor. A sailor who thrived on high winds and rough seas, who has accomplished everything there is to accomplish in Canadian sailing. He is the envy of every young sailor and child. They wish, aspire, and dream to be like Cobi. "Hii Cooobiii," wines Julie. Julie just happened to be standing on the dock of the Yacht Club as Cobi tied his luminous, new, nine-thousand dollar boat to its mooring. Julie, was just one part of Cobi's large female entourage, who followed and prayed on his every move and breath. Cobi Jones was not only very skilled in the nautical art of sailing, he was the most popular, the best looking, and even one of the smartest kids in school. "Hi Julie," moaned Cobi in reply, "what are you doing here?" A shocked, but smiling Julie answered, "Just came to see ya." "Well visiting hours are over," Cobi uttered as he pushed past Julie and trekked up the rocky shore to his home. His home! His home was a picturesque array of hand-crafted pillars and intricate woodwork that beautified even the aesthetic sandy ocean beach that encompassed it. As always, after sailing practise, he was greeted by a honk and a wave from his father returning from work. His father was a partner in Jones, Jefferson, and Deveau, the most successful law firm in Nova Scotia. He was able to fund Cobi's sailing career from the start, and his money played a very large role in Cobi's sailing success and popularity. Other than Cobi's majestic surroundings, Cobi led a typical eighteen year-old after school life. He ate, did homework, spoke to his many friends the phone, and then fell asleep with a remote control in his grip. This evening wasn't an exception. The following day at school, Cobi was greeted by all of his friends and sailing cohorts and he sauntered to his first class. The greetings ranged from "Hey man", to "What's up", and to the simple "Hi". Cobi habitually responded with a mumbled "Yo." Sometime after an insightful, and invigorating lecture from his favourite English teacher Dr. Noble, he ran into his friend and sailing crewman Greg. "Hey man, what're ya doin' after school today?" asked Cobi. "Nothin' man, it's too messy out. That hurricane's gonna hit tonight you know," replied Greg. "I know man, that's why I asked"

Product Life Cycle: iPod Essay -- Apple Ipod Product Essays Papers

Product Life Cycle: iPod Development of the iPod: The iPod is a portable digital music player that holds up to ten thousand songs in a small, hand-held device that is lighter and thinner than two CD cases. iPod features a touch-sensitive navigational wheel and buttons, and an intuitive interface designed for one-handed operation. Songs are stored in several digital audio formats, delivering the highest sound quality. The iPod was born out of the idea dreamed up by Tony Fadell, an independent contractor and hardware expert, to take an MP3 player, build a Napster music sale service to complement it, and build a company around it. Fadell shopped the idea around to several companies and was turned away by all of them, except Apple. Apple hired Fadell in early 2001 and assigned him a team of about 30 people to develop the iPod. Fadell predicted that the iPod would remold Apple and that 10 years from now it would be a music business, rather than a computer business. Introduction of the iPod: The iPod was introduced into the market just in time for Christmas, 2001. The first iPod was priced at $399. Apple relied on a hard disk for storage instead of flash memory or interchangeable CD-Roms and focused on promoting the uniqueness of the small size, power, and ease of use of the device. This first iPod had a 5 GB storage capacity—which is enough to hold over 1,000 songs—and it worked only on Macs, using iTunes as a music organization and CD-to-iPod conversion tool. iTunes, digital jukebox software that let Mac users import songs from CDs by converting audio files to the MP3 format and storing them on the computer’s hard drive, was introduced in January of 2001. Along with the iPod, Apple announced an enhanced version of iTunes that included a 10-band equalizer with presets, as well as a cross fading feature for smoother transitions from one song to another. An Auto Sync capability facilitated the downloading of music from a Mac to the new portable media device. Once the music was downloaded, Apple promised 10 hours of continuous play from the iPod’s rechargeable lithium battery. The device supported MP3, with bit rates of up to 320kbits/s, as well as AIFF and WAV file formats. Its amplifier could deliver 20-20,000-Hz frequency response. Apple sold 125,000 iPods by the end of December 2001. During this introduction stage, the quality level of the iPod was ... ...arly 2.5 years, iPod shipments are approximately 1 million units ahead of the Walkman’s pace after being on the market for the same period of time. During the 80s-90s, Sony sold over 300 million Walkmans. Given this information, it appears that iPod is showing no signs of being close to the decline stage in the near future. In summary, I believe that the iPod is still in the growth stage of its life cycle. According to Roger Kay, IDC analyst, Apple is very good at releasing its iPod generations with incremental features which lure in new users and tempt other users to upgrade. Because of this, some iPod users have several generations of the player, and it is probable that mini owners also could follow that course. Apple now has a full product family that capitalizes on the original iPod’s success. Looking at the entire iPod line, the iPod is becoming a platform in of itself within Apple, as essentially a subsidiary within Apple. Based on the information I have read, Apple has many avenues that it could take with future development of the iPod and similar capabilities. The indicators show that the iPod will continue to have substantial success for a significant period of time.

Case Study Lonely

1. Prepare a report in which you analyze the marketing channel conflicts and cannibalization issues that Lonely Planet faces as it is currently operating. Suggest solutions that might reduce revenue losses or operational frictions that result from these issues. Channel Conflict: when sales through the company’s web site interfere with sales in that company’s retail stores. The potential for significant channel conflict exists in Lonely Planet with the same product (books or content) being sold via multiple channel. Lonely Planet has worked hard to minimize channel conflict by selling books on their website only at the recommended retail price, therefore it does not undercutting their retail resellers. Moreover, most retailers hold only a small selection of the five hundred Lonely Planet titles, and for the many titles they do not hold, channel conflict is minimal. The CitySync product is also carefully positioned to reduce channel conflict, since it targets a specific segment (time-poor, cash-rich travelers) with a new offering that is somewhat different from the existing Lonely Planet city guidebooks. However, over time there may be some conflict between CitySync and products such as customized guidebooks. Cannibalization: The loss of traditional sales of a product to its electronic counterpart. The well-known travel guides company, Lonely Planet gives a lot of guides for free on its website. A few years ago, many major travel-guide publishers were concerned that Lonely Planet website will hurt their sales. If travelers have to travel on board, they could just go on the website in order to read all the information they need without buying the Lonely Planet travel guide paper version. But far from cannibalizing sales instead, the net has helped publishers build their brands and expand into new territory. Moreover, giving information on its own website is a way to do free advertising. Without this display of guides on the website, customer would not have bought the travel guide paper version. Lonely Planet and other leading publishers have recorded growth rates of 15% to 25% per year over the past four years, as much as their guidebook content has migrated online. 2. Prepare a list of a new products that Lonely Planet might introduce to take advantage of Internet technologies (including wireless technologies for mobile devices) and address customer’s concerns about the timeliness and currency of information in the printed travel guides. Briefly describe any problems that Lonely Planet will face as it introduces these new products. In 2008, Lonely Planet launched Pick & Mix which enables travelers to go to a section of the Lonely Planet Website ( http://shop.lonelyplanet.com), select the country or region to which they are travelling and download the chapter for the place they are visiting. Rather than carry loose pages, chapters (served as PDF files) can be downloaded into a hand-held device or e-book reader. Interactive e-book travel guides: Emerging the best of both medium – digital and print – into one interactive ebook guide. Lonely Planet introduced e-books on ipad, so the layout and design is to flip through a guidebook and includes signature stunning images, expert author content and tips from local. Unlike traditional print guide book, the digital format allows to include over 3,000 hyperlinks so readers can get to a particular chapter or map with just a tap of a finger. Thus, travelers can get information on a particular region, point of interest or hotel/ restaurant without flipping through the pages. More, travelers can search terms in Google or Wikipedia for additional content. Travelers can also bookmark the places they don’t want to miss and make notes on the page, just like a print guidebook. Usually traditional publishing cycle for the print guides is every 2 years, but with e-books, it will be updated in a real time. However, unlike apps, ebook updates are not pushed out to end user, and readers will have the opportunity to repurchase the new edition. In addition, due to handheld’s limited memory and bandwidth, the new applications focus on cities, not countries. They obviously can not replace a guidebook for a month-long odyssey in Thailand or an exploration of Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Â  But for the traveler who wants to figure out how to spend a free afternoon or where to go for dinner, these mobile guides – plus a good map are ideal substitutes for printed guides. Lonely Planet therefore should continue to invest in product development to work with the likes of Apple, Google, Amazone, Nokia, etc. 3. Many loyal Lonely Planet customers carry their travel guides (which can be several hundred pages thick) with them as they travel around the world. In many cases, these customers do not use large portions of the travel guides. Also, Internet access can be a problem for many of these customers while they are travelling. Describe a product (or products) that might address this customer concern and also yield additional revenue for Lonely Planet. Your answer here could build on ideas that you developed in your solution to part2. By using interactive ebook travel guides, travelers doing longer trips do not need to carry three or four guidebooks during travelling. Travelers can buy the content directly and save it in their hand-held or ebook before they are going to travel on board if the current destination does not provide good internet connection. It is also an ease to carry around. Moreover, travelers can bookmark the places they don’t want to miss and make notes on the page, just like a print guidebook.

Academic Strategies

This is a five-part assignment. You should have already accessed the assignment in Canvas and completed the previous four steps: 1 . Watch the Academic Strategies video. 2. Practice annotating Plat's Allegory of the Cave using the concepts taught In the video. 3. Watch the video lecture on the Allegory of the Cave and practice taking notes during the lecture. 4. Take the practice quiz In Canvas to see how well you were able to anticipate the questions. The fifth and final part of the assignment Is to save and submit this file, along with a copy of your annotated allegory and lecture notes.Note: there are scanner is each of the 1 1 open-access computer labs on campus. Assignment Assess how effective your notes and annotations were. Before scanning your notes and annotation, clearly identify by quiz number where relevant information is present. For example, if question one was answered in your annotation marks, put a number one next to that part in your annotation. Complete the two gri ds and questions below before saving and submitting in Canvas along with your two other scanned files. Quiz Question Did you miss the question? Is the answer to the question In your text annotation or lecture notes?Text Annotation Lecture Notes Match each part of the allegory with the best possible interpretation. Partly This information I found in my notes. I think I Just got confused about how I had written it and how I interpreted it. Based on the lecture, which of the following Is NOT true of Socrates? No Both Which of the following fictional works was given In lecture as an example of an allegory. No The prisoners chained at the base of the cave are like . Yes Again, I think I Just misinterpreted my notes and what I thought was the idea. What does the sun outside the cave represent?No Which of the following is not true in the Banking Model of Education? Yes I didn't read the â€Å"not true† part of the question and instead answered what I thought was true. What is the si gnificance of the activity of â€Å"naming? † Liberal Arts Education is the process of becoming a free person liberated from intellectual vices such as apathy, lack of curiosity, and ignorance. Using the metaphors and symbols of the cave, why does the university require students to engage in the process of Liberal Arts Education? No Both. Could have connected it better to the story.Even the best students often encounter challenges with their study skills throughout their college career. In fact, it is not uncommon for students who earned As in high school to seek out additional study strategies once they experience the variety of coursework in college. Identify a couple of challenges that you may expect to encounter with regard to your own study skills, and then discuss the resources available and your action plan to overcome those challenges. Challenges Resources Action Plan Example: Inability to fully concentrate and take notes during a long lecture. US Academic Resource Ce nter online information and workshops, I. . Information about active listening during lectures. Read the information on the ARC website about listening during lectures. Practice habits of an effective listener listed on the website. Take a quick nap before class, put phone and laptop away, and practice concentrating during history class. Visit ARC workshop if that doesn't work. 1. I am worried I will be a procrastinator, and not work as hard as I should on my studying. I can go use the US Academic Resource Center and watch helpful videos. I can also offer to some of the videos that have been used on the US 1010 Canvas course.Start making study schedules. I need to start doing my homework when it is handed out and fresh in my mind. I need to do homework when it is first available for me to do it. I can also make calendars and plan out my weeks. 2. I will also struggle to keep up with the rest of the class. I am a slow learner, and I am worried I will fall behind. I can use the resour ces my professor gives me, like Supplemental groups and use the opportunity to study with my peers. I need to start going to Supplemental Instruction Courses and make time to learn more when I am not aught up.I need to make sure I put in extra time to study and stay caught up. Did you use your annotation and notes while taking the quiz? If so, would you have done as well if this was a closed-note quiz? I did use my notes and annotation, but I think I would have probably done Just as well as I did without them. What did you learn while doing this assignment? It is important to do well on note-taking and annotating. Even if you are not able to use those on a test or quiz, you retain more information by writing it down and going through the material repeatedly afterwards.

Reinhard Heydrich Essay

When we remember or hear of the holocaust, the common names that follow , Anne Frank, Oscar Shinler, Hitler and so on, but has anyone hare Hitlereard of Reinhard Heitritch? Reinhard Heitritch is a man who played a very large role in the developement of the holocaust, he was the achitect who implemented the solution to the â€Å"Jewish Question†. He started out by joining the SS in 1931, and formed an organization for gathering information, the SD (Sicherheitsdienst), or SS Security Service. This organization was created to organize and gather information on those who were any threat to Hitler and all members of the Nazi Party as well. It started out small, with a single typewriter but it was not long before many others joined and expanded onto the organization. Because of the SD or SS security Service and it’s success, ReinHard Heydrich was sent the direction of his own personal success, power, and role in the hollocaust. From joining the SS as an ordinary SS member, to being promoted as SS Major by Dec. 1931 (the same year he joined), SS Colonel in 1932, and SS Brigadier General in 1933. In this highest position, Heydrich was now arresting, instead of gathering information on those who were any threat to Hitler. The number of people Reinhard Heydrich arrested was massive and lead to many being put into Dachau for there was no room left in the prisons. In between the arrests, Heydrich began using greater punishment to anyone against Nazism. Such as murdering and torturing suspect who he selected without careful judgement. As his power increased, along with the power of the Nazis, so did the darkness inside of him as a Nazi. Reinhard Heydrich had slowly become more and more involved in the developement of the first steps of the hollocaust, and also the seconf world war. As the Nazis took over Austria in March 1938, Heydrich opened an office there for Jewish Emigration. It’s purpose was to give permits to Jews who wanted to leave Austria, and an estimate of 100, 000 emigrated. Reinhard Heydrich had also been part of Kristallnacht, what some say was the very start of the hollocaust. After the attack of the jews, 25, 000 Jewish men were ordered by Heydrich to be sent to concentration camps In 1941, Reinhard Heydrich had made the calls that killed a massive number of people. The half a million jews who died from starvation and murder in Ghettos such as Warsaw and Krakow were ordered by Heydrich to be sent there. By 1939, he was given complete control over the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA). This final group he’d gained power over, involving the SD, Criminal Police and Gestapo was the group responsible for the unthinkable amount of deaths in Europe. While leader of this organization, he’d now been attending important Nazi conferences. While at a conference on January, 20, 1942, Reinhard Heydrich declared the final solution to the Jewish question The usage of Zyklon-B had then been decided for the extermination of Jews at death camps after being deported to the east. The first camp that this methode began at was Auschwitz, where three million had been killed, most from gas chambers. That was Reinhard Heydrich’s rise to power, his role and impact on the developement on the holocaust. Froming joining the SS to announcing the â€Å"final solution† at a Conference, it’s absolutely scary how simple it was for a man to reach the positions he did, and leave such an inconceivable mark in the history of the world. What is also just as terrifying and inconceivable is that Reinhard Heydrich also had a family that he loved very much and he played a very peaceful instrument. When learning that Heydrich had a gentle, innocent and loving side to him outside of his work, it’s very difficult to think he had it, while knowing what this man did. This is why i created this model, to demonstrate the two opposite sides to him, and my wonder (Like Mr. Jarvis talked about before) how he could switch his mind and heart when coming home to a normal life with his family, after designing a plan to kill an unthinkable amount of people. People who could have been almost identical to the people he loved at home. At the back, this is a picture of the car he’d been assassinated in. The constant power he’d been gaining along the way to the position where he declared the â€Å"final solution†, made him over confident, arrogant and stubborn. He one day decided to leave his house in his car without any security, and was assassinated by Czech underground agents who threw a bomb at his car. The bomb injured him badly and he died days later in the hospital from blood poisoning, he died on June 4 1942.

International Management Research Paper Essay

Assessing the Environment As we look to take our business, International Jean Company, into the ever expanding global market, it’s important that we choose locations that are going to fit our needs. This location selection cannot just be random, nor can it be done hastily. Our time learning how to be International Managers have taught us that only through careful research into many topics like the Environment, the Geography and Climate, the Culture, and Communication, can we really have the information necessary to make an informed decision. Therefore, we began to look at Denmark, and extensively researched the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that lay before us here. Denmark is a small country with a population of just over 5 million inhabitants. It has achieved a remarkable degree of economic success over the last 50 years or so. With GDP per head of around $56,000 the country ranks fifth in the world and ahead of both Japan and Germany in terms of purchasing power. This remarkable economic success has been achieved by the Danes thanks, in no small measure, to their pragmatic business style.(1) According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, it has the most efficient distribution system, the best labor regulations, and the second highest GDP per person. According to Forbes.com, Denmark is the best country to do business in. The Danish economy’s mix of low inflation and low unemployment along with emphasis on entrepreneurship and lower taxes make Denmark an attractive company to business investors and entrepreneurs. These qualities combined with high marks for innovation and technological savvy lift Denmark to the top of the busin ess world. Denmark is a country that is filled with many small and medium sized, independently owned businesses. Compared to the rest of the European Union, Denmark has a significantly less amount of large corporations, with the exception of Spain. They are known for their top quality production standards. Danish companies tend to concentrate on highly specialized products with a high margin production and rely more on product innovation and design instead of improvements in production technology and price competitiveness. Many small and medium sized companies are able to have major control over their market because they base themselves in small towns and rely on relationships with the community. This makes it difficult for large corporations to take their market share. Although Denmark has a significant amount of independent businesses that support its economy, it is highly dependent on foreign trade and international cooperation. Denmark is made up of a highly developed infrastructure, an advanced telecommunications system and a well-educated and stable workforce. Throughout all relevant levels of the workforce, English is spoken and written at an exceptionally good level. This is a very beneficial factor to the role that Denmark plays in the global market. Geographically, Denmark is in the perfect position for international trade. It is in the center of the Scandinavian countries and has easy access to the Northern and Eastern European countries. International surveys show that Denmark has top ratings in transportation, in all modes, energy, communications, and distribution systems. It is also highly rated in product quality, organizational quality, customer relations, credibility, and social responsibility. Denmark’s legal system is very similar to those of other European countries. Foreign business men may find some difficulty in legalities due to the use of civil law system and statutory law. Unlike the common law system used in countries such as the US, the Danish courts are not limited to the strict lettering of the law, but instead the purpose of the statute. This interpretation is also applied to private agreements. Compared to other countries, lobbying of the government is not as common and not as organized as in other countries. Usually, trade bodies will bring up issues to the government instead of individual persons or companies. The most common forms of companies used in Denmark are Public Limited Companies and Private Limited Companies. Denmark is known for having a high tax rate although when taking to account other costs of doing business (wages, benefits, cost of living, etc.) it balances out. The Danish tax regime relies heavily on direct taxes, such as taxes from labor, but there is little to no dependence on indirect taxes, such as social security and contributions from employers. Managing Interdependence Denmark is a significant player in the global market when it comes to social responsibility and ethics. It has the lowest rate of corruption of any other countries in the European Union. It also has very strict government regulations and very beneficial reasons to be socially responsible. Since the 1970’s, Danish environmental law has developed as part of public, private and European Community law. The National Agency for Environmental Protection, the National Forest and Nature Agency and the Department of Planning all make up the Ministry of the Environment. The have local and regional councils which are elected by the public and are responsible for environmental and planning procedures that conform to local wishes. Denmark is one of the few countries that have several kinds of green fees and green taxes. This is to motivate companies to use cleaner technologies, resource management, and/or environmental audit and management schemes. In 2008, Danish parliament passed a bill that forces large corporations to report on their corporate social responsibility (CSR) on their annual report. The Danish companies that have engaged in CSR have reported that it has had a positive effect on the companies. They claim that while it is flexible, it does bring up some legal burdens on them. It is the belief of the Danish government that the legal requirement marks the starting point for increased reporting on CSR, and in the forthcoming years the government intends to encourage progress and improvement of Danish businesses’ CSR work and reporting. Upon this laws implementation, 1100 companies were required to report CSR on their next annual reports. According to the 2009 reports, 89% of the required companies complied and 3% did not comply (8% complied by default because of being a subsidiary of a company that complied). The most common form of CSR among Danish companies related to environmental and climate issues. According to International Management, by Helen Deresky, Denmark is tied for the number one spot for the country with the least amount of corruption. This is because the Danish culture has a much more direct approach to business practices. They prefer openness and honesty, which sometimes seems rude to foreigners. It is clear to see that Denmark is ahead of almost all other countries in being Socially Responsible and having sound business ethics. For a new company, good ethics and social responsibility can be a make-it or break-it issue for a company. In one aspect, these issues can cost the company money. When just beginning, you should try to get your costs to be as low as possible. On the other hand, being viewed as an ethical company and by being socially responsible you improve the image and branding of the company. That will give the public a better perception of the company and can increase the demand for your product. Fortunately, in Denmark, only large companies are legally required to report their activities relating to social responsibility. While it would be a smart choice to make, not having to spend money on social responsibility during the beginning phases of the company will allow ease for penetrating the market and will allow us to be more socially responsible in the future. Overall, Denmark’s cost of doing business is about the same, if not lower than other countries, and the benefits of doing business in that country are much more significant. As long as our company helps locals and abides by their cultures and their rules, then the company should be very successful. Understanding the Role of Culture Before we can truly consider starting our business in Denmark, we need to understand the culture of the area. The viability of the economy, the labor market, the work environment, are all crucial to our success overseas. Taking the time to build a cultural profile of Denmark can help International Jean understand how to transition our business, and our expatriates to a very new experience. We begin our cultural profile by looking at the Government and Economic systems of Denmark. The politics of Denmark could best be described as a â€Å"Social Democracy† Though they do have a constitutional monarchy, like England it is a mostly ceremonial position. Elections occur democratically, similar to the United States without the Electoral College, which leads to a more direct representation of democracy. There are very low levels of corruption, not just in Denmark but in the entirety of the surrounding Nordic countries. As far as picking a market to operate out of, Denmark is a very excellent selection. Denmark has a prosperous, well-developed mixed market economy, ranking 16th in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) per capita. They use the Nordic Model, which is a version of what is traditionally called a â€Å"welfare state† The Nordic Model differs from other welfare states with an emphasis on maximizing labor force participation, promoting wage and gender equality, and a large amount of wealth distribution. A so called â€Å"welfare state† goes hand in hand with wealth distribution, citizens can count on monetary support during periods of unemployment and on welfare. The redistribution of wealth goes towards many societal needs, which will be explained further. Furthering supporting our transition, Denmark features low barriers to free trade, as well as little product market regulation. In fact, according to OECD rankings, Denmark has one of the highest ratings as far as product market freedom is concerned. We will be able to easily enter into this market, and will have a lot of freedom in regards to product selection, as well as advertising and marketing. This plays into the next few sections of our cultural profile: Kinship and attitudes towards leisure and recreation. Denmark, similar to most of the Nordic region, is one of the most liberal nations in Europe. They have an open attitude towards sex, nudity, and freedom of expression. As you walk around cities in Denmark, you can find advertising that features risquà © situations, and even cursing. The people of Denmark tend to have a darker sense of humor than what we’re acclimated to here in the United States, and often find ways to poke fun even at traditionally somber topics like death. Though we should be careful of how we utilize humor, both in our advertisements and in our work environment. Though good natured, citizens here tend to intensely dislike any joking at the expense of Denmark and its culture, particularly from outsiders. They are very proud of their country, and their family units reflect this. Families in Denmark are traditionally tight, well-knit units, who enjoy a good quality of life. They tend to live a relaxed lifestyle with a focus on family and friends. Bicycles are one of the predominant ways to travel around, especially in bigger cities like Copenhagen. We come to a big difference between the United States and Denmark, in terms of the attitude towards work. Whereas most Americans â€Å"work to live†, in Denmark the opposite is true. The Danish are taught from an early age to choose a profession that they would enjoy working, as opposed to a job taken out of financial necessity. This is reflected on Denmark’s scores in G.L.O.B.E/ Hofstede cultural dimension rankings in â€Å"masculinity†, which are very low, as well as â€Å"Uncertainty Avoidance† also being low. This is partly due to the fact that most of the labor market is a part of Trade Unions, as of 2008 Denmark had 67.6% labor union density. There is a partnership between employers, trade unions and the government, whereby these social partners negotiate the terms to regulating the workplace among themselves, rather than the terms being imposed by law. As we transition, we will need to make contact with these unions, and work closely with them to come up with rules and regulations for International Jeans that work for the native population. Another workplace difference is in the amount of work per week and the vacation time allotted. The Danish work an average of 37 hours a week, generally calling it a day around 4pm local time. Expatriates should be made aware that the Danish are not impressed with managers that work 50-60 hours a week. As mentioned previously, they believe in a balance between work and life, and would view those who worked considerably more hours to be less efficient at their jobs. In the United States, there are no laws concerning paid vacations or time off. To contrast, in Denmark paid time off is actually mandated by law. The Danish usually receive a minimum of 5 weeks of vacation, plus national holidays. These are factors we need to consider when hiring local workers. Other characteristics of the Danish work environment include high job mobility, as employees and managers are encouraged to take risks and make decisions that a more conservative American manager might not make. In general, Danish company activities are less structured and less formal, which is reflected again by the low score in the â€Å"Uncertainty Avoidance† category. There is a low level of Assertiveness on the Hofstede scale, as the strength of unions and the desire of the Danish to care about their work come together to make a highly productive and group oriented workplace. We would do well to hire a lot of local talent immediately. We mentioned the large amount of wealth distribution earlier. Denmark ranks highly on the Collectivism scale. Being a social welfare economy, much of that money is poured into both the Educational system as well as Healthcare. The Danish education system provides access to primary school, secondary school and higher education. All university education in Denmark is free; there are no tuition fees to enroll in courses. Danish universities and other higher education institutions offer international students a range of opportunities for obtaining an internationally recognized qualification in Denmark, and many classes are taught in English. Our company should take advantage of this when looking to hire. In addition to free education, there is also Universal Healthcare for all Danish citizens, paid primarily by taxes. Denmark spends 9.8% of GDP on healthcare. The life expectancy in Denmark is 78.6 years, and there is one doctor for every 294 persons in Denmark. It should be noted, that these social services also leads to a high tax rate for Danish citizens, hovering near 48-49% Communicating Across Cultures As we work towards bringing International Jean Co. to Denmark, we need to be aware of the similarities and differences in the way our two countries communicate. The characteristics of that communication, and the interplay between American expatriates and Danish locals will determine how well our new company will function as an overseas entity. We will begin by looking at native language, as well as the amount of English saturation in Denmark. The native language of Denmark is Danish, with other regional languages such as Faroese, Greenlandic, and German officially recognized. In selecting expatriates, we should look to be choosing managers that are able to speak Danish, or willing to quickly learn. However, we shouldn’t feel like the ability to speak the language is mandatory for expatriates. One of the great aspects of setting up our business in Denmark is that there is a very high proportion of Danish citizens who speak English. In the educational system, it is taught as the primary foreign language. English will be spoken and written well by all relevant levels of the workforce. This is further demonstrated by the fact that many commercials and advertisements, as well as trademarks, are used directly in Denmark without translation. The people of Denmark are, generally speaking, friendly but blunt in their speech with one another. Concerning Hofstede dimensions, they rank very highly in the â€Å"Humane† category. They tend to shy away from confrontation, so our expatriates are going to need to tread softly when it comes to moment of direct communication regarding mistakes or problems. Direct debate is encouraged, but keeping confrontational phrasing out of it is important. The Danish tend to be very plain speaking when communicating, which can be mistaken for rudeness in other cultures. Our managers need to be aware of this, so they know that they aren’t necessarily being insulted when talking about work issues. Like the United States, Denmark is a â€Å"low-context† culture. They tend to be direct and explicit when communicating among one another, and tend not to rely on non-verbal communication. They prefer to have direct conversations, either by phone or face-to-face, though increasingly more electronic communication has taken over. Also like the United States, Denmark is also considered a â€Å"low-contact† culture. They prefer a minimum of an arm’s length of personal space, and do not enjoy overly aggressive physical contact. Body language is very restricted, which can make interpreting responses and feedback difficult. Time is another major factor that we as Americans have in common with Denmark. The Danish follow a monochronic time system, which is more linear in structure as compared to polychronic time. Those practicing monochromic time, such as the Danish, tend to complete tasks one at a time as well as adhere to a stricter schedule. We also share similar views on proxemics, or proximity. The Danish see larger offices and more space as reflective of having more power and esteem. The United States and Denmark have a surprising amount of similarities in how we communicate, both in regards to interpersonal communication as well as in a work environment. This should greatly aid International Jean Co. in a smooth transition from the United States to Denmark. Cross-Cultural Negotiation and Decision Making The Negotiation Process: Danish people of business are usually very experienced in interacting and doing business with visitors from other cultures. They pride themselves on their Danish culture and tend to sometimes not be very open to information or assistance from the outside. Similar to many other countries, people of Denmark shake hands upon meeting. This is also the case when departing. It is good to familiarize yourself with the Danish culture before going in full steam. The Danish official language resembles Swedish and Norwegian, and shares a few commonalities with German, but DO NOT remark or even assume that they are similar. Most businessmen and women in Denmark speak English well, but it is recommended to stay away from using jargon and slang. Danes like to leave space between themselves when interacting, so be aware of other’s personal space and try not to be too touchy-feely. They usually speak in quiet, gentle tones and interrupting is considered rude. Danes usually do not openly show their emotions. Come well prepared! The Danes are meticulous when it comes to analyzing information and proposals. Know your information and bring in copies for your Danish counterpart to examine. Everything should be well organized and do not steer off topic; straight and to the point. Business relationships are often only fairly important in the country, and are typically not a needed requirement for initial business interactions. Just like your goal is to get to know one’s contacts in a host country and build mutual trust before embarking on business discussion and transaction, your counterpart is also trying to learn about you. Danes are cautious and appear to be reserved and proceed slow. Once the trust is well known, there will be a sense of allegiance to you as a respected business partner. Denmark is a democratic and understanding country. It can be cohesive to criticize other people or systems. Bosses are expected to be team leaders rather than private decision-makers. In the country’s business culture, the respect a person takes pleasure in depends mainly on his or her achievements. Well-liked personal traits include individual initiative, knowledge, and expertise. To the Danes, negotiation is a joint problem solving process and the buyer and seller in a deal are equal partners. The primary negotiation style is cooperative and they believe in the concept win-win. It is strongly advisable to avoid any open disagreement and to remain calm, friendly, patient, and determined. The Danish believe in information sharing as a way to build trust with their counterparts but this doesn’t mean that they are going to say everything. A good part of the communication may be in writing, which Danes often prefer. They move through things rather quick and are less observant over detail. They strive to conclude negotiations quickly but this does not mean they will readily accept unfavorable terms. Danes do not like bargaining or haggling such that they do not appreciate aggressive sales techniques. They do prefer negotiating in a straightforward and honest style and may use pressure techniques. When persuading your counterpart avoid aggressive tactics and negotiating with the Danish. If confronted, they will not shy away, but this is almost guaranteed to deteriorate your bargaining position rather than strengthen it. It can also eliminate your relationship. Although a verbal agreement can be considered binding and will most likely be kept, do not consider them final. Only a contract that is signed by the two parties makes up a binding agreement. Written contracts are a serious matter in Denmark. It is best to keep them concise without including too many legalistic details. Signing the contract not only shows your commitment but a strong confirmation of your Danish partners’ commitment also. Works Cited Brunson, Winnon â€Å"Cultural Perspective: A Year in Denmark† 2008 â€Å"Danish Communication Styles† 2012 â€Å"ET Ã…R I KØBENHAVN: FOLKESUNDHED OG KULTUR† 2011 â€Å"The Monarchy today† – The Danish Monarchy 16, June 2012 â€Å"ETLA: The Nordic Model† â€Å"The Nordic Model† Nordic Labour Journal: In Focus. 2001 â€Å"Business Negotiations in Denmark† â€Å"Business Etiquette in Denmark† â€Å"Negotiating International Business – The Negotiator’s Reference Guide to 50 Countries Around the World† Katz, Lothar. 2007 â€Å"Doing Business in Denmark† Kroman, Reumart. 11 February, 2005.