Hypothesis Testing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Hypothesis Testing - Assignment Example The null hypothesis is simple a statement that indicates that nothing is happening to the population. It shows that there is no relationship or difference in the population and the underlying facts still hold true. The alternative hypothesis on the other hand is a statement that indicates that something is happening to the population. It clearly shows that there is a difference or relationship in the population under study. Parametric tests estimate population parameters such as the mean while the nonparametric tests on the other hand help in the ranking and ordering of observations and data (Christensen and Johnson, 2011). It is very important that a choice be made between the use parametric and nonparametric tests. If there is sufficient evidence to ascertain that there is normal distribution in the population then it is appropriate to us parametric tests. When the population does not have a normal distribution then it will be appropriate to use nonparametric tests. A good example of a parametric test is the ANOVA while that of the nonparametric test is the Kruskal Wallis (Vogt,

Paraphrasing an Introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paraphrasing an Introduction - Essay Example Before printing technology was invented, authors used to write their manuscripts manually. It is straightforward that it involved a lot of time and money to handwrite books and other materials. As such, the role of printing technology is obvious: spread of knowledge and literature to the whole world. This is as a result number of books increased number of books and other educational materials. Apart from advancing the field of knowledge and information, printing has also lead to conveyance of religious thoughts, magazines, and other domain areas. In Qatar, for example, there is a large numerous leading printing companies that are established primarily to provide high quality goods and services to the customer. In addition, these companies are instrumental in manufacturing high quality goods and offering good terms of sale that include prices and expeditious delivery. These companies have developed a culture of healthy competition and hence growth. As it has been aforementioned, printing technology has provided a comparative backbone to communication. It is estimated that apart from spoken word, written communication tops the list of the most used mode of communication. As such, Industrial and System Engineering require to lay a lot of emphasis in ensuring that written communication has its rightful place in the society. Apart from many positive impacts that the printing has caused to our societies, there are a few shortcoming of printing that require to be addressed. Most important is that Printing press setups generate waste. In this case, they pollute our environment and as such, they infringe the economics and safety principles in our society. In addition, the printing industry has been accused of violating the principles of work method and process flow management as processes are taking place with several non-value adding activities and without ensuring that the welfare workers is taken care of. To correct the above-mentioned shortcomings, the

Origins of World War II Essay Example for Free

Origins of World War II Essay After the end of the First World War, the statesmen of all the major countries felt that such alarming war must anyhow be averted in order to ensure international peace, security and safety. This is why the League of Nations was set up and it was believed that such a ‘multinational’ organization would be able to peacefully settle all international disputes and guarantee peace and security in the international sphere. However, the success or failure of the League actually depended upon the attitude and activity of its members, particularly the Big Powers. But, unfortunately, soon it was found that the major Powers were at cross purposes. They adopted their foreign policy in their own interest and showed little respect to the principles underlying the League of Nations. Particularly, the dream of three allies – Germany, Japan and Italy was fundamentally different from the ideals of the Western Powers and Soviet Russia. The Trio (Germany, Japan and Italy) intended to have some share in the Afro-Asian areas which had already been divided among the Western Powers. Thus, it was really a conflict between two policies – â€Å"status quo† and â€Å"New Order†. Flouting the League The first shock to League of Nations was given by Japan. In 1931 Japan violated the League Covenant and the Kellogg Pact by occupying the Chinese territory of Manchuria and setting up a puppet state there. China appealed to the League which condemned this act of aggression and appointed a commission under Lord Litton to report. But the fulmination of the League had no effect on Japan who, when the commission’s report went against her, withdrew from the League in 1933. The defection of Japan was a serious blow to the League. But worse was to come when Germany had begun secretly rearm to arm as soon as Hitler came into power. But after the failure of the Disarmament Conference, Hitler came into the open. In 1935, he repudiated those clauses of the Treaty of Versailles which had imposed limitations on her armed strength, and reintroduced conscription. In the next year he denounced the Locarno Treaty and re-occupied and refortified those zones of the Rhineland, which had been demilitarized by the Treaty of Versailles. The Great Powers were at cross purposes and so nothing was done to resist Hitler’s insolent violation of the treaty obligations. Italy under Mussolini pursued an imperial policy and in 1935 made an unprovoked attack upon Abyssinia, a member of the League. The emperor of Abyssinia, Haile Selassie, appealed to the League against the act of wanton aggression. The League declared Italy to be the aggressor and recommended the application of economic sanctions. The Italian campaign was short, swift and brutal. After some resistance Haile Selassie fled abroad and his capital Addis Ababa was occupied by Italian troops. The King of Italy was proclaimed Emperor of Abyssinia. Italy withdrew from the League of Nations in 1936. Foreign Policies and International Relations When Hitler came to power he was pledge to recover for Germany the position of power and importance which she had held before the First World War. He envisaged the formation of a ‘Third Reich’ or empire which would include all Germans in a new or greater German state. This involved the ultimate absorption of Germans in a new or greater German state. This involved the ultimate absorption of German-populated regions of Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland. The dictated treated treaty which Germany had been forced to accept stood in the way of realizing his ambition. Hence Hitler was determined to tear away the Treaty of Versailles which had imposed humiliating restrictions upon Germany, and to make her a power to reckon with. His first significant step in this direction was to withdraw from the Disarmament Conference and to announce a program of conscription. Next he left the League of Nations and openly flouted it by occupying the demilitarized Rhineland. England, France tamely acquiesced in this violation of treaty obligation and so Hitler was encouraged to take larger risks. The Phony War-the events of Europe especially the civil war associated with Spain prove beyond doubt that the shadow of Fascism was falling across Europe, long before the actual outbreak of World War II. The Spanish civil war which broke out in 1936 was an event of utmost importance. It has been aptly called the ‘Little World War’ because it involved all other powers. The Spanish civil war was a prelude to World War II. In Spain, Italy and Germany is defiance of the principal ‘Collective Security’ undermined a democratic government and Britain and France demonstrated a complete callousness which resulted in the victory of Fascism in Spain. The outcome of Spanish Civil War foreshadowed that, in future, Fascisms might apply the same tactics on a bigger scale. The smoldering discontent against monarchy forced Alfonzo XIII of Spain to leave the country in April 1931. Immediately afterwards President Zamora declared Spain to be republic. In Spain the extreme republicans started anti-clerical riots and centrifugal tendencies demonstrated themselves in the attempt to establish autonomy in Catalonia and certain other provinces. The election of the Constitutional Assembly on June 28, 1931, showed a definite landslide for republicanism and in the Cortes the socialists with 117 seats became the largest single group. Spain adopted a radical republican constitution based on German, Soviet and Mexican model with a president and a cabinet responsible to the Cortes. The Church was deprived of its hold over education and civil liberties were guaranteed. Expropriation of the large landed estates proceeded apace. Most of these reforms were carried out by the radical minister Manuel Asana. In the election of 1933 the Asana government fell the Cortes was dominated by a moderate coalition ministry which did not enforce the laws against landed estates and church. Premier Lerroux tried to establish a pro-Fascist government and suppressed the radical opposition. President Zamora now dissolved the Cortes and ordered fresh election in 1936. In the election of February, 1936, the popular Front parties composed to republicans’ socialists and communists secured 258 seats and the right parties 215. Asana became the president and Santiago Cascaras Quiroga became the Premier. The government had to face immediate opposition from unruly groups like Spanish Phalanx and the Army. The attempt of the Government to steer a middle course failed to quell disturbances and the Fascists after careful preparation staged a military revolt on June 18. Military revolts took place in a number of garrison towns in Spain and Spanish Morocco. During the Spanish imbroglio Hitler had learnt all he needed about the weakness of the victors of Versailles. He had found that this intervention in Spain had not met with any resistance from the powers and so he was emboldened to embark upon a policy of naked aggression. He turned his attention to Austria whose union with Germany had been expressly prohibitive by the treaty of Versailles. He encouraged Nazi agitation within Austria, bullied the Austrian chancellor into appointing a Nazi minister and forced him to agree to conduct foreign affairs as Germany’s dictator. Germany and Italy were naturally interested in installing a Fascist power in Spain. The Salazar government of Portugal saw in the radical republic the germs of Bolshevik state and activity aided and abetted in its downfall. Italy and Germany saw in the rise of a Fascist Spain great advantage to their cause. Ideologically the adherence of Spain would help the spread of Fascism and materially it would weaken France increase the possibility of exploiting Spanish mines and raw materials in a future war against democracies and strengthen the hold of Italy in the Western Mediterranean. The Labor opposition strongly urged help to Government legally constituted. But Stanley Baldwin and even Churchill, who opposed the Nazi aggression on every other issue, felt that nothing could be done for helping the Republicans. The behavior of the French government during this period was an enigma to the rest of the world. The Republic was in dire need of more arms but contrary to all expectations the French Popular Front government prohibited all export of arms to Spain on July 25, 1936. This was a violation of an earlier agreement whereby France had undertaken to supply arms to Spain. The British government was steering a middle course. It was unwilling to alienate Italy whose friendship was earnestly sought for as a counterpoise to Nazi Germany. When Blum suggested the formation of a Committee of Non-Intervention it was welcomed. This committee was formed in August 1936, with twenty seven nations. The purpose of the committee was to enforce the agreement reached among powers to hold a ring around Spanish Civil War so that others might not be involved in it and to prevent any military aid on either side. The Fascists power had no intention of letting down Franco and while Britain and France meticulously applied the principle of non-intervention to prohibit export arms to Spain, the rebels received planes, munitions and men from Germany, Italy and Portugal. Thus while the legitimate government of Spain was deprived of all aids from outside and ran short of the sinews of war, in the name of non-intervention, the rebels secured active foreign aid. The League Council passed a resolution in May 1936, and directed all other states not to intervene in the Spanish Civil war. The Fascist powers were now free to act as they liked Spain. Men and arms poured to the rebels while the legitimate government suffered from lack of supply due to the intervention of the Committee of Non-intervention. The dubious role of the Non-Intervention Committee merely provided a shield for Fascist aggression in Spain. Italy and Germany were allowed to strike another blow at the democracies. Next in 1938 he poured troops into Austria and incorporated it in Nazi empire. Till now Italy had been the most effective protector of Austria, but she was now busy with her own acts of aggression in Abyssinia and so did not interfere with a fellow aggressor. The ease with which Hitler had annexed Austria whetted his territorial appetite and encouraged him to further acts of aggression (Paul 59). Czechoslovakia an artificial creation of the peace treaties contained a considerable element of German population. Hitler first began a ‘war of nerves’ by a bombardment of accusation, abuse and menaces and then declared that his patience had been exhausted. He peremptorily demanded that Sudetenland which was predominantly inhabited by the Germans should be ceded to the Reich and that he would take it by force it peaceful means failed. At that time, Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, tried to persuade Hitler to resist himself. Soon the Munich Pact was signed by the Big Powers and they intended to satisfy Hitler by giving him Sudetenland of Czech-Slovakia. As Fleming observes, â€Å"Nations have often being conquered by enemies, but never before a proud and worthy people been bludgeoned into submission by its own allies† (Fleming 56). Thus, Hitler was encouraged to proceed towards Poland and soon the crisis further aggravated. Original of world war II- having taken Memel Hitler began to mature plans for an assault upon Poland. He demanded the Danzig should be incorporated in the German Reich and the Polish Corridor should be ceded to Germany. This was the last straw. Chamberlain gave up his policy of appeasement and announced that in the event of an aggression on Poland, Great Britain would come to the rescue the Polish government. Thus, when Germany attacked Poland, the Second World War broke out, because Britain and France now realized that the policy of appeasement ended in a fiasco (Ray 112). So long, Hitler had intended to neutralize Britain and had signed a non-aggression Pact with Soviet Russia. Naturally, he thought that now he would find little resistance against his plan of occupying the Polish Corridor. In fact, he desired to localize the the Polish war on which he had set his heart. To isolate Poland, Hitler now attempted to win Great Britain. In a message, delivered verbally to the British Ambassador, Sir Neville Henderson, he expressed his desire to solve in his own way the question of Polish Corridor and Danzig, but at the same time, he pledged himself for the continuance of British Empire. He even expressed his readiness to render German assistance, if required, to Britain. On August 28, the British Government proposed direct negotiation for resolving the differences between Poland and Germany. Hitler in reply demanded that Warsaw should send an emissary with full powers to negotiate with German government. The proposal had no chance of being accepted and the British government in reply sent a counter-proposal of a restoration of normal contact. It was presented by Neville Henderson to Foreign Minister Ribbentrop on August 30. On September 1, the German army marched into the Polish territory to execute ‘Case White’. A last-minute effort for peace by Mussolini failed and the Anglo-French Powers declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. Conclusion Thus, the outbreak of the Second World War was not at all a surprising affair. In fact, the Big Powers pursued different policies in self interest and when their unity was badly needed, they differed with from one another. Soviet Russia alone emphasized on the policy of a united stand, because it believed in the doctrine ‘peace is indivisible’. However, the capitalist countries like Britain and France talked with it for common safety but, in reality, they adopted a half-hearted policy. While France was directly involved in a rivalry with Germany, Britain intended to keep a safe distance. As Winston Churchill, the former British Prime Minister, held â€Å"Clemenceau or Poincare would have left Mr. Baldwin no option† (Churchill 154). In other words, France intended to fight against German militarism, but Chamberlain was not ready to join it. America was outside the league at that time, and hence, it had no responsibility to prevent the Global War. The Spanish Civil War and the weakness of France actually encouraged Hitler to continue his aggressive policy (Fleming, The Origin of the Cold War, 62). Moreover, Italy and Japan were longing for some territorial advantage against the wishes of the Western Powers. In such circumstances, a Global War was the only inevitability.

Domestic Violence around the World

Domestic Violence around the World Domestic Violence around the World Domestic violence or abuse occurs when one a partner, ex-partner or a family member tries to physically emotionally or sexually dominate the other (Buzawa, 2002). Domestic abuse has been happening around the world and the United Nation through a research found out that, there is a correlation between the poor performing economies and womens discrimination. Countries that have high rate of women violation incur very high costs that are detrimental to their economies and therefore all governments should aim at reducing the rate of sexual violation and other discrimination that women undergo. Living conditions of women have been improving since the year 1994 when 179 governments met in Egypt and decided to improve women living conditions. Stan Bernstein, a senior researcher said that they are still many cases of women discrimination around the world that constitute to grave human rights violations and therefore we should all try to eradicate this in our society as this would improve our economies. According to a report titled state of the world population 2000, it is claimed that 1% increase in the number of women attending secondary school it would lead to an increase of 0.3 of the countrys economy. If, for example the Pakistani government increased its education budget by only a small percentage this would translate in to an economic growth worth $262 million. The report shows bleak statistics about women abuse. One out of three women is abused and in most cases, by people that they know. Sexual abuse results to deaths, stillbirths, unwanted pregnancies and abortions that are committed to get rid of the unplanned child. More than 80 million children are not planned for. Women all over the world fear discussing family planning methods and ways of having protected sex with their husbands for fear of being physically abused. This has resulted to increase in HIV/Aids leading to poor economies. The report suggests that governments should do more to change these scenarios. Some remedial measures planned are banning female genital mutilation, the sale of low dosage oral contraceptives, adding in the constitution laws that govern sexual and reproductive rights and gender equality of all women. If all this are embraced by all the countries of the world then women violence would be reduced or even eliminated. References Buzawa, C. (2002). Domestic violence: the criminal justice response. London: SAGE, 2002. United, Nations.2000. Womens unequal treatment hurts economies. Worldwide abuse a massive violation of human rights. Retrieved on August 26, 2009, from http://edition.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/europe/09/20/un.population.report/index.html

Article Review (entertainment) :: essays research papers

â€Å"On the Money†, an article written by Allison Hope Weiner, is a brief article written as an effort to help explain the controversy surrounding the celebrity telethon that was held almost three months ago. The telethon, America: A Tribute to Heroes, ended up receiving donations totaling an estimated one hundred and fifty million dollars all put into a fund overseen by the United Way, called the September 11th Fund. This fund has received over three hundred and forty million dollars all from donators. The controversy of the telethon arises with the distribution of the money. During the telethon, celebrities were stating that all of the money donated would go directly to the victims of September 11 and their families. Even though the charity supporting the event, the United Way, relinquished their administrative costs, the other organizations that were awarded donated money did use some of the donations to pay for their operating costs. The other controversial issue that is explained in this article is length of time taken to deliver the donated money to the victims of the national tragedy. The article explains that it takes time for charities to give money to disaster victims. Plans must be in place for who obtains the money and how much they receive. The last controversial issue examined in this article is the celebrities who encouraged people to donate to this fund and their role in how the money is spent. Bill O’Reilly has accused the celebrities of using the telethon to improve their public image instead of helping the victims of September 11. He also states that if celebrities put more pressure on the charities involved they would be better organized and aid the victims further. I believed that this article was important to the entertainment industry in the segment of celebrity endorsements. When celebrities, such as George Clooney and Julia Roberts that are idolized by the American public, endorse a product, or give their opinion on a controversial subject, they usually have a following of their fans that agree with them. People tend to trust celebrities and their opinions on subjects. This very great power was illustrated well during the telethon in discussion. When this power is misused or used to benefit the celebrity at the cost of victims of a horrible tragedy, the public image of the celebrities involved becomes marred. During this telethon, many celebrities told us that one hundred percent of the money donated would go directly to the victims of September 11.

Is Communication Doomed? :: essays research papers

It is essential that everyone is capable of reading, writing, and communicating in an articulate and organized manner. Unfortunately, many American students lack the necessary skills needed for effective communication. It is contradictory that there are so many illiterate students in this current age that many define as 'the age of the information superhighway.' It seems as though many of America's students are unaware of the importance of communication and literacy. Clear and effective language use is a most important and practical utility; it is the vehicle we use to convey information. An 'information superhighway' without vehicles is futile. Without effective language utilization, it is impossible to convey thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Students must have the capacity to absorb and convey information to, at least a minimal level. The meters of literacy magnitude are standardized tests Diane Ravitch writes of "poor verbal scores" and "de-emphasis on careful reading and writing" in Forbes magazine. Standardized test scores are not showing strong enough verbal skills. The latter is an indicator that more emphasis should be placed on language skill development at an earlier period in the education process. Language is the basis of any education. Whether one wishes to pursue a study in literature or science, language arts are indispensable. It is impossible for one to present a lab report or to comprehend a calculus text if he/she is unable to achieve literary discipline. Those who are able to dynamically utilize their literary skills have a plethora of information available to them. They can employ such resources as libraries and the Internet. Therefore, it is essential that, to take advantage of all available resources, one must have a solid foundation consisting of literary knowledge.The most fundamental form of communication is speech. After one's methods of speech are developed, it is then possible to migrate to more sophisticated areas of communication. It is relatively easy to communicate in America. Many people live in countries where there are dozens of dialects. Communication can be chaotic in countries such as China. Americans who are My communication skills are articulate. In my essays, I practice careful grammar and syntax. To achieve dynamic communication skills, I devote much time and patience to reading as much as I possibly can. Exposure to as much literature as possible can only amplify ones literary skills. Many students consider reading a novel or analyzing a literary work as a tedious and monotonous task. Is Communication Doomed? :: essays research papers It is essential that everyone is capable of reading, writing, and communicating in an articulate and organized manner. Unfortunately, many American students lack the necessary skills needed for effective communication. It is contradictory that there are so many illiterate students in this current age that many define as 'the age of the information superhighway.' It seems as though many of America's students are unaware of the importance of communication and literacy. Clear and effective language use is a most important and practical utility; it is the vehicle we use to convey information. An 'information superhighway' without vehicles is futile. Without effective language utilization, it is impossible to convey thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Students must have the capacity to absorb and convey information to, at least a minimal level. The meters of literacy magnitude are standardized tests Diane Ravitch writes of "poor verbal scores" and "de-emphasis on careful reading and writing" in Forbes magazine. Standardized test scores are not showing strong enough verbal skills. The latter is an indicator that more emphasis should be placed on language skill development at an earlier period in the education process. Language is the basis of any education. Whether one wishes to pursue a study in literature or science, language arts are indispensable. It is impossible for one to present a lab report or to comprehend a calculus text if he/she is unable to achieve literary discipline. Those who are able to dynamically utilize their literary skills have a plethora of information available to them. They can employ such resources as libraries and the Internet. Therefore, it is essential that, to take advantage of all available resources, one must have a solid foundation consisting of literary knowledge.The most fundamental form of communication is speech. After one's methods of speech are developed, it is then possible to migrate to more sophisticated areas of communication. It is relatively easy to communicate in America. Many people live in countries where there are dozens of dialects. Communication can be chaotic in countries such as China. Americans who are My communication skills are articulate. In my essays, I practice careful grammar and syntax. To achieve dynamic communication skills, I devote much time and patience to reading as much as I possibly can. Exposure to as much literature as possible can only amplify ones literary skills. Many students consider reading a novel or analyzing a literary work as a tedious and monotonous task.

Case Study “Ebay in China” Essay

EBay first entered the Chinese market in 2002 by acquiring a 33% stake in its local counterpart, EachNet, followed by a full acquisition a year later in 2003. Critically assess eBay.s choice of market entry strategy for China, listing both the advantages and disadvantages of its acquisition strategy. As we know, eBay’s China expansion strategy can be considered as failure, despite the fact that eBay entered this potentially rewarding market with caution. This cautious strategy was very unusual for eBay, because they used full-forced, head-on, .be-first-or-nothing. strategy in other markets, for various reasons, it would be impossible to implement this strategy when penetrating Chinese market. So acquiring an already comparatively recognizable and well established brand seemed to be the best way to continue eBay’s expansion in Asia. Without a doubt, Each Net was the best candidate for acquisition at the time. When eBay acquired 33% shares of Each Net in 2002, it seemed to be hugely successful, because in year 2003 the value of Each Net had doubled and market share had rocketed to 85% – this initial success encouraged full acquisition of Each Net. As we know, the success did not turn out to be long-lasting, despite the fact that in first few years the performance of the company was brilliant. While acquisition of Each Net meant many advantages for eBay, it also implied serious disadvantages. Advantages of Each Net acquisition: †¢Each net had strong financial backing from large venture capital companies †¢Immense market potential – 1,23 billion Chinese language speakers all around the world †¢Rapidly increasing number of internet users in China – increasing number of potential customers †¢Each Net in essence was an imitation of eBay, adjusted to fit Chinese customer needs, but with much greater recognition in China †¢Increasing popularity of shopping online (also by using Each Net) in China. †¢Well established image of Each Net in China †¢High Each Net market share (about 50%) in year 2002 †¢Wide range of different items sold through Each Net †¢Only significant player in online auction market in China by year 2002 was Each Net Disadvantages of Each Net acquisition: †¢Cultural differences and buying habits of Chinese. †¢Huge investments required †¢Unpredictability of the fast-changing Chinese market – huge risks †¢Emerging competitors – TaoBao (Alibaba subsidiary), which outcompeted eBay Each Net in future, by better adjusting to Chinese customer needs and buying habits †¢Alibaba had more established presence in China and much better knowledge of Chinese customers – reason for increasing lack of consumer trust in eBay Each Net in future †¢Each Net failed to create customer trust in future, while TaoBao succeeded †¢Chinese refusal of adopting traditional eBay practices (Pay Pal etc.) †¢Lack of interaction possibilities between buyer and seller, provided by eBay Each Net – important for Chinese, TaoBao was much better in this aspect †¢Comparatively poor customer service In conclusion, this acquisition, which was probably the right step by eBay, turned out to be failure, despite the fact, that at first it seemed to be a huge success. In my opinion it is because eBay’s management was so overwhelmed with the initial success, that they lost caution – they were very conscious at beginning but failed to adjust to customer needs, they did not pay enough attention to them, which led to eBay Each Net to situation where they were outcompeted by TaoBao in Chinese market. Question 2 Assess the potential benefits and risks of eBay’s joint venture with Tom Online. In an eBay’s and TOM Online formed joint venture there are some benefits as well as some risks. One of the benefits is that TOM Online is a Chinese domestic brand, which is much better for consumers of China. They mostly  like well known Chinese internet brands. TOM Online is a market leader in China in sphere of mobile value-added services and has an internet portal, which is one of the biggest and most popular in china, it means that TOM Online is a well know brand in China and is rapidly recognized in the internet. TOM Online has a good experience in cooperation with Skype and has given great results in it. This shows that TOM Online knows how to present new product in the market and how to increase its market share, which is essential for eBay at the moment. All the aspects of TOM Online show that this company has a great and efficient knowledge of Chinese market and exactly this feature is very necessary for eBay to gain good results. In addition, political connections of the TOM Online can be very helpful in Chinese market, especially in nowadays and situation in China. Risks of this joint venture are not as great as benefits, but there is a risk to loose a chance to strengthen the eBay brand, because Chinese customers will be focused on the TOM Online and EachNet. There also is a risk of loosing big amounts of money, because TOM Online has a 2% bigger ownership, but in amount of money, eBay invests two times more money, however the success of the TOM EachNet depends more on TOM Online. There also can be assessed as a risk point, that TOM Online is focused on mobile value-added services and their target audience is generally young consumers, but eBay target audience is a little older. Question 3 eBay will have a 49% stake in the new joint venture while Tom Online will have 51% ownership. Critically assess both companies’ decisions on their respective percentage of stake In our opinion E-Bay’s decision to joint venture with TOM Online was a great success. Although E-Bay is a giant and successful company in US and has successfully expanded worldwide, China is a â€Å"Hard-Nut† for them. China’s cultural differences and moral values lead them to face some difficulties in setting up eBay business. Chinese people still trust their own companies more and respect them. TOM Online is a successful company with a good reputation and has already gained trust of millions of customers. Their activity area is also not far from eBay’s – mainly internet and other IT services, and mobile entertainment. TOM Online was also expanding rapidly and cooperating with various influential companies as for example Skype. But lately they also had a decrease in revenues so joint venture also was an opportunity for them. That way they widened their service range and that meant new opportunities. Why eBay 49% ownership and 51% to TOM Online? Why then eBay still invests more? And why the term ‘eBay’’ disappears from the name of this joint venture – â€Å"TOM Eachnet†. We think that that is quite obvious. There are several factors which explain this situation. As we already know the Chinese culture is very different and trust and respect are very substantial terms. So by erasing the US brand name from the joint venture name people would trust it more. Moreover both TOM and Each net are known as local brands. In this joint venture TOM invests US$20 million and contributes its local knowledge, technology and brand value, which are much more valuable than money – this explains why eBay invests twice as more. Moreover TOM Online has very important persons among their shareholders. This joint venture would open a whole new market segment for both – eBay and also TOM Online, allowing them to fulfill and widen significantly together. They can also let eBay into â€Å"mobile world†. As we all know – China has been always very different and that is the reason why setting up a stable, successful company has been a â€Å"hard battle† for others. But it is also a huge amount of customers (almost 1, 5 billion) which then means a great revenue if succeed. eBay EachNet understood than they are too unstable and the stakes are too high, so the joint venture with TOM Online and creating TOM EachNet was the best opportunity. Question 4 Strategic recommendation on International Commercial Strategy for E-Bay Increase revenues by capturing more customers Increase of the customer base will positively contribute to increase in revenues, customer loyalty schemes may be developed further in order to ensure that more people fall into the category of loyal customers, the services could be improved in order to serve some customized customer needs, a wider advertising campaign may be carried out in order to appeal to a wider market segment, perhaps even trying to work with some niches of the market providing solutions to their problems, satisfying their needs and wants. Look into new pay system or create own (PayPal only in 38 countries) Increasing the number of ways how customers can pay for their purchases will ensure that revenues grow and that a wider appeal will be given to the company – the services will be interesting both to credit card owners, pay pal users thus ensuring that customers can choose the method in which they would like to pay for their purchase – this method will also contribute to the solution of security concerns since people will be able to choose the method they consider to be the safest one. The Company should look at acquiring shopping comparison sites and vertical search engines to drive traffic and acquire consumers. Ebay should also consider how they can compete with Myspace, facebook and youtube, because a lot of selling is made through these sites, like google adwords is giving great traffic to Ebay, it is also a rival to Ebay, it proposes other similar sites. Company could also enlarge to the mobile sphere. Make eBay available for on mobile phones and PDA’s and others. As that is one of TOM Online activity sphere, it could be easily done and there is already an available previously formed customer group, who could be also very interested in this kind of service.