Trying to get into business school can be gruesome, and you’re not even guaranteed a spot on the consultancy firm you’re eyeing even if you graduate. The statistics are alarming: Wall Street has lost 34,000 jobs, and only fourteen percent of MBA graduates at the average business school secured consulting jobs last year (down from twenty-four percent five years ago). But getting into a top-rated business school might just get you that extra lift you badly need to get to the top yourself.
Getting into a business school is difficult, depending on your brains and your financial means. First, you need to think about what specific field you want to study. When you have done that, the next thing is to acquire a decent budget.
Remember–the top has its price, and it isn’t cheap.
After you’ve done that, try looking at their requirements; most of them have units in finance as prerequisites or require job experience (for graduate school). Preparing yourself for the interview is very helpful, as some of the top-rated business schools tend to accept students with better-developed personalities. State business schools are a way to go if you want a decent school without the “price over quality” tag some private business schools have. Some state-run schools are top rated, too, but admission is very competitive.
If you’re planning on entering a private business school, there are many to choose from. Try to research which field the school is known for and then weigh your options. A well-known name or a general reputation of a school may appear more than it actually is, so you have to be careful not to be deceived with this. A true top business school produces the best students; research the top executives running the big companies or those who own successful consultancy firms today and see which school they graduated from.
Once you’ve entered business school, you will find that the lessons are more realistic in a sense that the cases you study or are presented with are from actual situations in the corporate world. You might be embedded in a lot of research work for this and that can become overwhelming if you’re working part time. Don’t get fooled by Tom Cruise in “Risky Business”. These schools can be exhausting.
Another thing to check is the faculty and research facilities they have. How many books have the faculty published and how efficient are the laboratories and libraries? Scheduling for a campus tour must cover these things.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
International Business Case Study - How Would You Handle This Customer Counter Offer?
International Business Case: An Extreme Counter Offer
Dr. Ling, SingCast Cable's V.P. of Products, was in full control of the meeting. He sensed it was time to push for more concessions from CyberWave's negotiating team. CyberWave, the four year incumbent e-mail platform provider, had been very uncooperative in renegotiating the current contract. But with eWeb's (a Singapore start-up company) competitive offer on the table, Dr. Ling had a real opportunity to significantly cut his growing e-mail operational costs.
Dr. Ling looked directly at Mr. Hua, CyberWave's Sales Director, and stated in a quiet, gentle tone "Mr. Hua, we cannot afford any longer to supplement CyberWave's licensing fees for subscribers who sign up for free accounts. As you will see in the counter-proposal in front of you, we expect your company to charge nothing for these subscribers going forward, but of course we will pay for those subscribers who opt for a 'for fee' package."
Trying to mask his displeasure, Mr. Hua interjected "Dr. Ling, this is most difficult to comprehend."
Barely pausing, Dr. Ling did not respond and continued, "We are also leaning towards outsourcing the entire e-mail hosting operations to the selected vendor. We expect 'all' operational and technical costs to be included: hardware and software, telecommunications bandwidth, and any direct or indirect costs associated with the migration of the subscribers to the selected vendor's facility. Furthermore, we we will go through a formal RFP process if we cannot reach a mutual agreement that meets our satisfaction."
Dr. Ling glanced at the only American in the room. He was surprised that Mr. Hua's manager had not reacted. He knew he was asking for a lot, but it was his job to ask for as much as possible. Dr. Ling knew that incumbent vendors detested formal RFP's. He really did not have the time to orchestrate the RFP process, but he would do so if he thought he could put more pressure on CyberWave to lower their prices. For all he knew, CyberWave might just be desperate enough to agree.
Dr. Ling continued, "Mr. Hua, I am sure you are aware that a new vendor has emerged -- eWeb. They have crafted a very creative business proposition that many within our company view as a long-term business commitment. Obviously I am not at liberty to provide you with the details of their proposal, but I would encourage you to be very creative and aggressive with your business model. We are looking to award this contract for a three year term."
Dr.Ling was not sure how is subtle threat would be received. He liked CyberWave's technology and their ingenuity, but he thought that they were starting to take his business for granted.
He continued, "CyberWave and SingCast have had a good business relationship over the last four years. But as discussed in our last meeting, SingCast feels that your company has not been proactive enough in finding a business model to lower our total cost of ownership. If you value our business, now is the time to demonstrate your commitment."
Patrick Wilson, the American and Mr. Hua's manager, could not believe what he was hearing. Patrick could not remember the last time he heard such an "extreme" opening position for a contract re-negotiation with a customer. Threats, massive price concessions, and a competitive RFP was a lot to digest. It took all of his mental strength to refrain from interrupting, but today he was going to take his cues from Mr. Hua. Since Mr. Hua remained stone faced, he did the same. This was Patrick's second trip to Singapore. After twelve years of selling globally, he knew better than to let his "American emotion" take control of his tongue. Instead of talking, he decided to write Dr. Ling's points down on his note pad. He wrote:
SingCast Counter:
1. Charge nothing for any new subscriber that does not sign up for a "for fee" account
* Reaction - Ridiculous! We have no control of "how" SingCast charges for their packages. Whether they charge or not, a subscriber is using our software, we need to get paid.
2. Outsource entire e-mail operations
*Reaction - Could be a great opportunity to generate new fees and leverage services from a 3rd party outsourced sub-contractor
3. Outsourcing costs would have to include: hardware and software costs, monthly telecommunications bandwidth costs, and all costs associated with the migration of the consumer accounts
* Reaction - Need more fact finding. A model like this has revenue potential, but many risks (we could financially lose our shirts). Not sure how we would account for and control bandwidth costs
4. eWeb is the competitive vendor - Is Dr. Ling threatening us?
* Reaction - Very scary! The CEO, James Li, is an ex-CyberWave VP of Engineering. James was with the company for three years and was responsible for the e-mail solution product development. He took three of the best developers with him to start the company in Singapore.
* James knows our product inside and out and if he has built a new product - it is probably very good.
5. Three year term for the contract. Looking for a new business model that lowers total cost of ownership
* Reaction - Since he said new, probably safe to assume that we have to change all of our pricing terms and the model.
SingCast was Singapore's number two market share broadband vendor. After only two years from receiving its government license to offer consumer services, SingCast was on pace to surpass MediaOne, the market share leader for broadband connectivity and consumer e-mail subscribers. SingCast's multi-million dollar bet of wiring fiber-optic cable directly to consumers' homes was paying off. Consumers in droves were cutting the cord with MediaOne, primarily due to its poor customer service, high prices, and aging technology infrastructure. SingCast's stock was hot, up 42% in 9 months. The shareholders were pleased with SingCast's new strategic emphasis on consumers versus its previous strategy of primarily targeting enterprises.
Dr. Ling was uncomfortable with all of the praise and attention he was rec
eiving. He was the visionary leader who convinced SingCast's CEO and board to bet big on wiring the fiber-optic cable directly to consumers' homes. But with the corporate success, two significant challenges were emerging. First, SingCast's server farm was not keeping pace with subscriber growth as SingCast underestimated just how popular their solution would be with the Singapore consumers. Second, the initial contract pricing model with CyberWave was netting CyberWave millions of dollars of licensing fees for "new" subscribers who could sign up for the SingCast service for free.
Dr. Ling knew early in the project that the licensing fees paid to CyberWave could become a financial issue, but he lost the argument with the marketing department. They were adamant that the only way to get MediaOne subscribers to change vendors was to offer "free" accounts. Hence, hundreds of thousands of subscribers had converted their basic personal email account, but less than the predicted amount opted for the "for fee" packages. To the financial markets and shareholders, the appearance of all these new subscribers was a positive, but in reality SingCast profit margins on these subscribers was very small and the cost of acquisition very high.
Case Questions:
1. Construct two possible reactions to Dr. Ling's opening offer and support each with pro's and con's of each reaction.
i. List new possible pricing models.
ii. List ideas to control costs.
iii.Suggest new ideas for Dr. Ling to propose to the marketing department regarding SingCast product packages.
2. List two possible approaches in dealing with eWeb Wizard and support each with pro's and con's.
3. List any relevant issues that may pertain to this customer being in Singapore.
Dr. Ling, SingCast Cable's V.P. of Products, was in full control of the meeting. He sensed it was time to push for more concessions from CyberWave's negotiating team. CyberWave, the four year incumbent e-mail platform provider, had been very uncooperative in renegotiating the current contract. But with eWeb's (a Singapore start-up company) competitive offer on the table, Dr. Ling had a real opportunity to significantly cut his growing e-mail operational costs.
Dr. Ling looked directly at Mr. Hua, CyberWave's Sales Director, and stated in a quiet, gentle tone "Mr. Hua, we cannot afford any longer to supplement CyberWave's licensing fees for subscribers who sign up for free accounts. As you will see in the counter-proposal in front of you, we expect your company to charge nothing for these subscribers going forward, but of course we will pay for those subscribers who opt for a 'for fee' package."
Trying to mask his displeasure, Mr. Hua interjected "Dr. Ling, this is most difficult to comprehend."
Barely pausing, Dr. Ling did not respond and continued, "We are also leaning towards outsourcing the entire e-mail hosting operations to the selected vendor. We expect 'all' operational and technical costs to be included: hardware and software, telecommunications bandwidth, and any direct or indirect costs associated with the migration of the subscribers to the selected vendor's facility. Furthermore, we we will go through a formal RFP process if we cannot reach a mutual agreement that meets our satisfaction."
Dr. Ling glanced at the only American in the room. He was surprised that Mr. Hua's manager had not reacted. He knew he was asking for a lot, but it was his job to ask for as much as possible. Dr. Ling knew that incumbent vendors detested formal RFP's. He really did not have the time to orchestrate the RFP process, but he would do so if he thought he could put more pressure on CyberWave to lower their prices. For all he knew, CyberWave might just be desperate enough to agree.
Dr. Ling continued, "Mr. Hua, I am sure you are aware that a new vendor has emerged -- eWeb. They have crafted a very creative business proposition that many within our company view as a long-term business commitment. Obviously I am not at liberty to provide you with the details of their proposal, but I would encourage you to be very creative and aggressive with your business model. We are looking to award this contract for a three year term."
Dr.Ling was not sure how is subtle threat would be received. He liked CyberWave's technology and their ingenuity, but he thought that they were starting to take his business for granted.
He continued, "CyberWave and SingCast have had a good business relationship over the last four years. But as discussed in our last meeting, SingCast feels that your company has not been proactive enough in finding a business model to lower our total cost of ownership. If you value our business, now is the time to demonstrate your commitment."
Patrick Wilson, the American and Mr. Hua's manager, could not believe what he was hearing. Patrick could not remember the last time he heard such an "extreme" opening position for a contract re-negotiation with a customer. Threats, massive price concessions, and a competitive RFP was a lot to digest. It took all of his mental strength to refrain from interrupting, but today he was going to take his cues from Mr. Hua. Since Mr. Hua remained stone faced, he did the same. This was Patrick's second trip to Singapore. After twelve years of selling globally, he knew better than to let his "American emotion" take control of his tongue. Instead of talking, he decided to write Dr. Ling's points down on his note pad. He wrote:
SingCast Counter:
1. Charge nothing for any new subscriber that does not sign up for a "for fee" account
* Reaction - Ridiculous! We have no control of "how" SingCast charges for their packages. Whether they charge or not, a subscriber is using our software, we need to get paid.
2. Outsource entire e-mail operations
*Reaction - Could be a great opportunity to generate new fees and leverage services from a 3rd party outsourced sub-contractor
3. Outsourcing costs would have to include: hardware and software costs, monthly telecommunications bandwidth costs, and all costs associated with the migration of the consumer accounts
* Reaction - Need more fact finding. A model like this has revenue potential, but many risks (we could financially lose our shirts). Not sure how we would account for and control bandwidth costs
4. eWeb is the competitive vendor - Is Dr. Ling threatening us?
* Reaction - Very scary! The CEO, James Li, is an ex-CyberWave VP of Engineering. James was with the company for three years and was responsible for the e-mail solution product development. He took three of the best developers with him to start the company in Singapore.
* James knows our product inside and out and if he has built a new product - it is probably very good.
5. Three year term for the contract. Looking for a new business model that lowers total cost of ownership
* Reaction - Since he said new, probably safe to assume that we have to change all of our pricing terms and the model.
SingCast was Singapore's number two market share broadband vendor. After only two years from receiving its government license to offer consumer services, SingCast was on pace to surpass MediaOne, the market share leader for broadband connectivity and consumer e-mail subscribers. SingCast's multi-million dollar bet of wiring fiber-optic cable directly to consumers' homes was paying off. Consumers in droves were cutting the cord with MediaOne, primarily due to its poor customer service, high prices, and aging technology infrastructure. SingCast's stock was hot, up 42% in 9 months. The shareholders were pleased with SingCast's new strategic emphasis on consumers versus its previous strategy of primarily targeting enterprises.
Dr. Ling was uncomfortable with all of the praise and attention he was rec
eiving. He was the visionary leader who convinced SingCast's CEO and board to bet big on wiring the fiber-optic cable directly to consumers' homes. But with the corporate success, two significant challenges were emerging. First, SingCast's server farm was not keeping pace with subscriber growth as SingCast underestimated just how popular their solution would be with the Singapore consumers. Second, the initial contract pricing model with CyberWave was netting CyberWave millions of dollars of licensing fees for "new" subscribers who could sign up for the SingCast service for free.
Dr. Ling knew early in the project that the licensing fees paid to CyberWave could become a financial issue, but he lost the argument with the marketing department. They were adamant that the only way to get MediaOne subscribers to change vendors was to offer "free" accounts. Hence, hundreds of thousands of subscribers had converted their basic personal email account, but less than the predicted amount opted for the "for fee" packages. To the financial markets and shareholders, the appearance of all these new subscribers was a positive, but in reality SingCast profit margins on these subscribers was very small and the cost of acquisition very high.
Case Questions:
1. Construct two possible reactions to Dr. Ling's opening offer and support each with pro's and con's of each reaction.
i. List new possible pricing models.
ii. List ideas to control costs.
iii.Suggest new ideas for Dr. Ling to propose to the marketing department regarding SingCast product packages.
2. List two possible approaches in dealing with eWeb Wizard and support each with pro's and con's.
3. List any relevant issues that may pertain to this customer being in Singapore.
Benefits of Doing An Online PhD Course
Any university degree is worth having, even more so are the advanced degrees such as the PhD's because these sort of degrees certify you as an authority in any field which you decide to specialize in. These fields may vary in nature but if you have a PhD you tend to set yourself apart from the rest in your field and increase your capacity for potential and future earnings. Few people can boast of having a PhD degree with no employment or career prospects as an advanced degree almost always guarantees some better form of career placement. This career placement better positions you in any career or occupation where you decide to place yourself.
PhD's aren't all about career advancement and earning a bigger paycheck. In any field which you choose to get your PhD, there will be specialists imbued with such knowledge who can help you by telling you more about what you need to know in your field of learning. The level of knowledge that you get will also help you in deciding how best to proceed with any future career prospects. Sometimes in different work scenarios we need some differentiation between others who have more or less the same skills and capabilities that we possess. By getting and additional degree you give yourself an edge over other people.
There are different places where an individual can get a PhD degree. You can enroll in an institution of higher learning for such purposes. These institutions of higher learning have different faculties and different courses which you can enroll in all in order to get the knowledge that you desire. Most people however have problems with finding a university to enroll in, in their immediate neighborhoods, part of the reasons limiting their ability to enroll for these programs is largely due to their employment constraints.
For people who have these constraints in terms of getting the education that they need, they can easily enroll for higher learning courses online. Enrolling for these courses online will give you the ability to get your degree flexibly. All you have to do is have an internet connection and a computer with which to download your course material where you will. You can also submit your assignments and any project material that you have to submit through these same means. Attendance at the physical campuses of most online institutions is hardly necessary. You can get your degree while you're at home or in the office, it's all up to you.
There are different benefits to getting a PhD degree online; these different benefits include the flexibility in terms of scheduling and the cost issues. Getting a PhD online is cheaper than getting the degree by physically attending the institution. You save money from everything from the costs of tuition to the money you also save on transportation visiting one institution of higher learning or the other. Most schools also require that people physically attending courses in such institutions pay fees and dues for other unnecessary activities. As an individual taking a degree online you are usually exempted from auxiliary fees dues and other unnecessary payments that you'd have to make.
PhD's aren't all about career advancement and earning a bigger paycheck. In any field which you choose to get your PhD, there will be specialists imbued with such knowledge who can help you by telling you more about what you need to know in your field of learning. The level of knowledge that you get will also help you in deciding how best to proceed with any future career prospects. Sometimes in different work scenarios we need some differentiation between others who have more or less the same skills and capabilities that we possess. By getting and additional degree you give yourself an edge over other people.
There are different places where an individual can get a PhD degree. You can enroll in an institution of higher learning for such purposes. These institutions of higher learning have different faculties and different courses which you can enroll in all in order to get the knowledge that you desire. Most people however have problems with finding a university to enroll in, in their immediate neighborhoods, part of the reasons limiting their ability to enroll for these programs is largely due to their employment constraints.
For people who have these constraints in terms of getting the education that they need, they can easily enroll for higher learning courses online. Enrolling for these courses online will give you the ability to get your degree flexibly. All you have to do is have an internet connection and a computer with which to download your course material where you will. You can also submit your assignments and any project material that you have to submit through these same means. Attendance at the physical campuses of most online institutions is hardly necessary. You can get your degree while you're at home or in the office, it's all up to you.
There are different benefits to getting a PhD degree online; these different benefits include the flexibility in terms of scheduling and the cost issues. Getting a PhD online is cheaper than getting the degree by physically attending the institution. You save money from everything from the costs of tuition to the money you also save on transportation visiting one institution of higher learning or the other. Most schools also require that people physically attending courses in such institutions pay fees and dues for other unnecessary activities. As an individual taking a degree online you are usually exempted from auxiliary fees dues and other unnecessary payments that you'd have to make.
Wealth Masters International - Work From Home Business
Wealth Masters International was founded by CEO Kip Herriage in 2005. Kip has an extensive background in finance and worked for Wall Street for a total of 15 years, before starting his Internet marketing business. His colleague Karl Bessey and President of Wealth Masters International comes from a Multi Level Marketing (MLM) background.
Wealth Masters International offers their members to join the business at the following three different levels/courses.
Masters 1) Would cost $1495 to join. (No Pass Up Sales)
Masters 2) Would cost $8495 to join. (No Pass Up Sales)
Masters 3) Would cost $12,995 to join. (No Pass Up Sales)
You are not required to purchase one of the Masters levels to become a member/consultant with Wealth Masters International. They do have the option of joining for $149, which would make you a member/consultant on a yearly membership basis. However, if you decide to join at this level you would be required to pass up your first three sales to your sponsor, before you are fully qualified. After the third sale you would receive full commission on your sales.
Wealth Masters International offers the following personal development products: Education for family members, How to incorporate your business, How to repair your credit and gain great credit scores.
In conclusion, you have the potential of making decent money with this company, but it would initially be an investment for many, unless you are willing to come in at $149. However, then you would have to pass up your first three sales. This was the first reason why I decided not to join. In addition, the products are not available online, they would need to be sent through the mail which means they are not available instantly upon purchase. This was the second reason why I decided not to join. I believe in this day and age all Internet businesses should be 100% automated when purchasing products.
Wealth Masters International offers their members to join the business at the following three different levels/courses.
Masters 1) Would cost $1495 to join. (No Pass Up Sales)
Masters 2) Would cost $8495 to join. (No Pass Up Sales)
Masters 3) Would cost $12,995 to join. (No Pass Up Sales)
You are not required to purchase one of the Masters levels to become a member/consultant with Wealth Masters International. They do have the option of joining for $149, which would make you a member/consultant on a yearly membership basis. However, if you decide to join at this level you would be required to pass up your first three sales to your sponsor, before you are fully qualified. After the third sale you would receive full commission on your sales.
Wealth Masters International offers the following personal development products: Education for family members, How to incorporate your business, How to repair your credit and gain great credit scores.
In conclusion, you have the potential of making decent money with this company, but it would initially be an investment for many, unless you are willing to come in at $149. However, then you would have to pass up your first three sales. This was the first reason why I decided not to join. In addition, the products are not available online, they would need to be sent through the mail which means they are not available instantly upon purchase. This was the second reason why I decided not to join. I believe in this day and age all Internet businesses should be 100% automated when purchasing products.
International Business Education Is Key to Global Success
Gain the leading edge by attaining an education in International Business! Today's global market is exploding with diverse and multicultural commercial and private industries; the more skills you can acquire to meet these growing demands, the better your chances to succeed. Some good training in International Business (Global Business) could be the key to your success.
Many business schools offer International Business training as a specialty. Students can find opportunities to earn professional certifications or business degrees with emphasis in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Finance, and even Human Resources. A common prerequisite for enrollment includes proficiency in a foreign language; in addition to possible studies abroad.
A good education imparts working knowledge of global business operations. Classes can include a diverse curriculum that encompasses International Business and Principles, Multicultural Business Protocols, foreign language courses (E.g., French, German, Spanish, etc.), Global Issues, International Macroeconomics, and Relative Economics. Additional classes may also include International Financial Management, and Marketing and Information Technology, just to name a few.
With a college degree in International Business, graduates are qualified for professional careers such as International Affairs Directing or Sales Management, Global Market Research Analysis, International Information Technology, Global Communications, and many other related fields. (Occupations and earnings will vary, depending on level of education and experience.)
If you are ready to enter the diverse field of Global Business as an educated professional, take a moment now to contact vocational schools, colleges or universities on our website that offer courses in International Business.
DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.
Copyright 2008 - All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc.
Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.
Many business schools offer International Business training as a specialty. Students can find opportunities to earn professional certifications or business degrees with emphasis in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Finance, and even Human Resources. A common prerequisite for enrollment includes proficiency in a foreign language; in addition to possible studies abroad.
A good education imparts working knowledge of global business operations. Classes can include a diverse curriculum that encompasses International Business and Principles, Multicultural Business Protocols, foreign language courses (E.g., French, German, Spanish, etc.), Global Issues, International Macroeconomics, and Relative Economics. Additional classes may also include International Financial Management, and Marketing and Information Technology, just to name a few.
With a college degree in International Business, graduates are qualified for professional careers such as International Affairs Directing or Sales Management, Global Market Research Analysis, International Information Technology, Global Communications, and many other related fields. (Occupations and earnings will vary, depending on level of education and experience.)
If you are ready to enter the diverse field of Global Business as an educated professional, take a moment now to contact vocational schools, colleges or universities on our website that offer courses in International Business.
DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.
Copyright 2008 - All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc.
Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.
International Business Education Is Key to Global Success
Gain the leading edge by attaining an education in International Business! Today's global market is exploding with diverse and multicultural commercial and private industries; the more skills you can acquire to meet these growing demands, the better your chances to succeed. Some good training in International Business (Global Business) could be the key to your success.
Many business schools offer International Business training as a specialty. Students can find opportunities to earn professional certifications or business degrees with emphasis in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Finance, and even Human Resources. A common prerequisite for enrollment includes proficiency in a foreign language; in addition to possible studies abroad.
A good education imparts working knowledge of global business operations. Classes can include a diverse curriculum that encompasses International Business and Principles, Multicultural Business Protocols, foreign language courses (E.g., French, German, Spanish, etc.), Global Issues, International Macroeconomics, and Relative Economics. Additional classes may also include International Financial Management, and Marketing and Information Technology, just to name a few.
With a college degree in International Business, graduates are qualified for professional careers such as International Affairs Directing or Sales Management, Global Market Research Analysis, International Information Technology, Global Communications, and many other related fields. (Occupations and earnings will vary, depending on level of education and experience.)
If you are ready to enter the diverse field of Global Business as an educated professional, take a moment now to contact vocational schools, colleges or universities on our website that offer courses in International Business.
DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.
Copyright 2008 - All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc.
Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.
Many business schools offer International Business training as a specialty. Students can find opportunities to earn professional certifications or business degrees with emphasis in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Finance, and even Human Resources. A common prerequisite for enrollment includes proficiency in a foreign language; in addition to possible studies abroad.
A good education imparts working knowledge of global business operations. Classes can include a diverse curriculum that encompasses International Business and Principles, Multicultural Business Protocols, foreign language courses (E.g., French, German, Spanish, etc.), Global Issues, International Macroeconomics, and Relative Economics. Additional classes may also include International Financial Management, and Marketing and Information Technology, just to name a few.
With a college degree in International Business, graduates are qualified for professional careers such as International Affairs Directing or Sales Management, Global Market Research Analysis, International Information Technology, Global Communications, and many other related fields. (Occupations and earnings will vary, depending on level of education and experience.)
If you are ready to enter the diverse field of Global Business as an educated professional, take a moment now to contact vocational schools, colleges or universities on our website that offer courses in International Business.
DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.
Copyright 2008 - All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc.
Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.
Get Higher Organic Rankings With Less Effort - Focus On the Major Ranking Factors
Got a website? Not enough visitors? Ready to rank higher on the major search engines but don't know how to do it? This article is for you -- we'll have a look at the basics of optimization for the major search engines, covering the key points for getting better rankings naturally for your site. Enough reading countless blog postings by folks simply speculating on search algorithms (I know, I've spent countless hours doing it myself, to no avail!) Statistical analysis of the major ranking factors used by the search engines has been performed -- there's no reason to do more. The factors and their weighting have remained relatively constant for years. Focus on these important points, then spend your efforts building a better, more attractive, more easily navigated, more informative website -- for once these visitors actually arrive, you'll want them to enjoy themselves while they're buying you out.
Let's start with the all important formula, the 40:40:20 ratio. Through statistical analysis of thousands of sites, these numbers appear to be fairly accurate across the major search portals: 40% of rankings are a result of 'on-page' factors, 40% a result of off-page factors (backlinks and same site links), and 20% a result of the page URL (the exact percentages vary slightly between engines). The beauty of this is data is the resultant simplicity of the approach to achieve better search results for your important keywords. Keep your eye on the ball, work diligently on each factor, and results will come. For the small business owner with a web presence (either as a primary sales channel or component to a larger advertising strategy) there is certainly always work to do. With discipline and focus, one can become efficient in their search engine ranking efforts.
First, on-page factors: Get your keywords in all the right places, with the right density, for each important page on your site. (Don't know about keyword development yet? Use seobook.com's keyword tool, and see what people are typing in to all the major engines. For example, a site owner that sells aromatherapy products might type in 'aromatherapy' or 'essential oils' -- the tool will return all the permutations of those terms. Develop pages following the 40:40:20 formula for each of the terms that you can, focusing on one or two keyword or keyword phrases per page -- more than that is self-defeating, diluting your efforts; make a new page instead.) So what are the right places and right density? Get the keyword in the title tag, the description tag and the keywords tag. DO NOT STUFF these tags, be elegant and think about your reader. Experience has shown minor variations to be insignificant in terms of rankings, and more often than not, it seems folks go overboard with their keywords. As often as you might think, "I'll add it in just one more place on the page", it might be helpful to always consider the possibility that one LESS time might improve your rankings too.
Let's look at the latest data for the 'sweet spots' for on-page ranking factors. A 10 to 20% density keyword density for the tile, 10% for both the meta keywords description is optimal. The keyword at or toward the beginning of each of these is optimal, but not necessary. What's this mean? If we use the term 'essential oils' again, an optimal title tag might be 'Pure Essential Oils and Accessories for Natural Health Professionals'. The keyword list would be ten to twenty words, comma separated, with the most important words at the beginning, and ALL words should appear in the body text of the page. The description can be (but doesn't have to) a well written, attention grabbing sentence -- it will likely be displayed in the organic search results, so you'll want it to be both SEO and customer friendly. Again, 20 or so words, keyword near or at the beginning. Keyword can appear twice, but no more than that. Body text: 1000 words or so (+/- a couple hundred), with a 2% keyword density, and the keyword (or words) appearing near the beginning, in the middle, and near the end of the page code (not just the output text). There are tons of density analyzers on the web -- pick one, focus on the body text number and ignore the rest. You'll get a lot of conflicting reports from various sites -- this can be confusing, misleading, and can can make you think you've got to go re-tweak other factors. Don't. You'll spend hours optimizing for that tool, only to find the next tool gives a different answer. Use the numbers here and move on.
Briefly, other notable on-page factors are image alt tags, H1-H6 tags, bold and italic text, and the number of outgoing (inter and intra site) links. Here's the scoop: Alt tags matter. Get your keywords in them, but don't overdo it. Don't use H tags, as according to the data, they'll bring your rankings down. Use bold and italics if it suits the design and readability of your site; they may be a positive factor, but not a huge one, and don't stuff your keywords in them. The higher the number of links on a page, the better. One hundred links seems optimal, but don't sweat it. Always keep in mind that usability and aesthetics are crucial too. Having javascript on the page appears to be a positive ranking factor. Finally, page size (all the text, minus the images) is optimal at 50-60k. This number is shown adjacent to the page in search results. A note on on-page code in general, a balance is important -- the search engines don't care what your page looks like from a design standpoint, they only see the code. But your customers do. And while data is not available, it is more than likely the major search portals are noticing how long a visitor stays on the page, recording whether they return to the search results to find another page. Strive to make your site clean, useful and engaging -- this will pay off in more ways than one.
Off page factors -- these include links from within your site and 'backlinks' from other websites. You MUST get backlinks to rank well, and it's probably the most challenging of all search engine optimization to do. You'll need to continuously acquire backlinks, or your rankings will stagnate, or even slowly drop. Optimally, you'll get a few links a day, with a steady increase in the total number. The two most often used routes are link exchange (asking for links from other sites, and putting their links on your site in exchange) or article distribution. There's lots of information on the web about exchanging links, read some, develop a plan and stick to it. Once you've got a system in place, you'll likely be able to hire someone to help you. Article distribution is another matter. Articles should really be quality, readable, helpful information for prospective customers. You'll get to post links within the author resource box, which serves both as an enticement for readers to visit your site, a means to give credibility to your internet business, plus search engines will also see these links and use them in their ranking algorithm. An effective linking program will utilize both these link sources.
Remember, it's not the total number of links, but a consistently increasing number that has the greatest long-term results. Don't start a scheme that will give you 1000 links in one day, then none for the next month, or links that will slowly disappear -- this can do more harm than good.
Some caveats about links -- links from within your own site should be text links with the keyword in the link. So the Aromatherapy site would use 'essential oils' in all the links to their essential oils page. Off-site links should also use keywords in text links, but not always the same words. Mix it up. Here, for example, some of backlink text examples would be 'pure essential oils', 'organic essential oils', 'aromatherapy essential oil', and 'essential oils'. Further, about 30% of your links should just include the webpage address, like 'www.johnnysessentialoils.com' or 'www.bestbathproducts.com/essentialoils.php This helps your backlinks appear naturally created, rather than machine made search engine spider spam. A final note on backlinks, all pages that link to yours are not weighted equally. The older and more relevant the page, the more weight your link will garner. If your site is selling essential oils, links from a natural health website will likely be more beneficial than those from a poker website.
With that we'll describe the last 20%: the URL. Web pages with the keywords in the address, be it the homepage or any other page on the site, rank better. If the If you're just starting a site, getting your primary kewords in the url is useful. If not, and it makes sense to do so, use keywords in the filename like www.homepage.com/essentialoilspage1.html. Again, it appears better if the file does not have only the keywords in it, like the title and meta tags. If you already have pages without keywords in the filenames, you could create new ones and create a 301 redirect from the old ones to maintain any ranking status the 'old' pages had. Hyphens are still questionable, and are probably not needed. Short filenames and shallow directory structures appear best.
Some last remarks: A page's age means something. If you want to change a filename to include keywords in it, always employ a 301 redirect if the page has been indexed already -- do a little research to get this right. Search engine ranking change constantly, and some engines are quicker to appreciate your optimization efforts than others. Be patient -- it can take months to see results if the site is new, and sometimes weeks otherwise. Don't think you made a mistake just because nothing happened the first time a spider visited your new page. Keep working on your accumulation of backlinks; you probably have lots of pages targeting various keywords you can get links for. More optimal could mean higher quality -- the engines continually get smarter, and may be keeping track of how long visitors linger on your page versus your competitors. This leads us to the final important note -- visitors are only one part of the equation. A well-designed site, product mix and pricing, and customer service all play key roles in the health of your business.
Let's start with the all important formula, the 40:40:20 ratio. Through statistical analysis of thousands of sites, these numbers appear to be fairly accurate across the major search portals: 40% of rankings are a result of 'on-page' factors, 40% a result of off-page factors (backlinks and same site links), and 20% a result of the page URL (the exact percentages vary slightly between engines). The beauty of this is data is the resultant simplicity of the approach to achieve better search results for your important keywords. Keep your eye on the ball, work diligently on each factor, and results will come. For the small business owner with a web presence (either as a primary sales channel or component to a larger advertising strategy) there is certainly always work to do. With discipline and focus, one can become efficient in their search engine ranking efforts.
First, on-page factors: Get your keywords in all the right places, with the right density, for each important page on your site. (Don't know about keyword development yet? Use seobook.com's keyword tool, and see what people are typing in to all the major engines. For example, a site owner that sells aromatherapy products might type in 'aromatherapy' or 'essential oils' -- the tool will return all the permutations of those terms. Develop pages following the 40:40:20 formula for each of the terms that you can, focusing on one or two keyword or keyword phrases per page -- more than that is self-defeating, diluting your efforts; make a new page instead.) So what are the right places and right density? Get the keyword in the title tag, the description tag and the keywords tag. DO NOT STUFF these tags, be elegant and think about your reader. Experience has shown minor variations to be insignificant in terms of rankings, and more often than not, it seems folks go overboard with their keywords. As often as you might think, "I'll add it in just one more place on the page", it might be helpful to always consider the possibility that one LESS time might improve your rankings too.
Let's look at the latest data for the 'sweet spots' for on-page ranking factors. A 10 to 20% density keyword density for the tile, 10% for both the meta keywords description is optimal. The keyword at or toward the beginning of each of these is optimal, but not necessary. What's this mean? If we use the term 'essential oils' again, an optimal title tag might be 'Pure Essential Oils and Accessories for Natural Health Professionals'. The keyword list would be ten to twenty words, comma separated, with the most important words at the beginning, and ALL words should appear in the body text of the page. The description can be (but doesn't have to) a well written, attention grabbing sentence -- it will likely be displayed in the organic search results, so you'll want it to be both SEO and customer friendly. Again, 20 or so words, keyword near or at the beginning. Keyword can appear twice, but no more than that. Body text: 1000 words or so (+/- a couple hundred), with a 2% keyword density, and the keyword (or words) appearing near the beginning, in the middle, and near the end of the page code (not just the output text). There are tons of density analyzers on the web -- pick one, focus on the body text number and ignore the rest. You'll get a lot of conflicting reports from various sites -- this can be confusing, misleading, and can can make you think you've got to go re-tweak other factors. Don't. You'll spend hours optimizing for that tool, only to find the next tool gives a different answer. Use the numbers here and move on.
Briefly, other notable on-page factors are image alt tags, H1-H6 tags, bold and italic text, and the number of outgoing (inter and intra site) links. Here's the scoop: Alt tags matter. Get your keywords in them, but don't overdo it. Don't use H tags, as according to the data, they'll bring your rankings down. Use bold and italics if it suits the design and readability of your site; they may be a positive factor, but not a huge one, and don't stuff your keywords in them. The higher the number of links on a page, the better. One hundred links seems optimal, but don't sweat it. Always keep in mind that usability and aesthetics are crucial too. Having javascript on the page appears to be a positive ranking factor. Finally, page size (all the text, minus the images) is optimal at 50-60k. This number is shown adjacent to the page in search results. A note on on-page code in general, a balance is important -- the search engines don't care what your page looks like from a design standpoint, they only see the code. But your customers do. And while data is not available, it is more than likely the major search portals are noticing how long a visitor stays on the page, recording whether they return to the search results to find another page. Strive to make your site clean, useful and engaging -- this will pay off in more ways than one.
Off page factors -- these include links from within your site and 'backlinks' from other websites. You MUST get backlinks to rank well, and it's probably the most challenging of all search engine optimization to do. You'll need to continuously acquire backlinks, or your rankings will stagnate, or even slowly drop. Optimally, you'll get a few links a day, with a steady increase in the total number. The two most often used routes are link exchange (asking for links from other sites, and putting their links on your site in exchange) or article distribution. There's lots of information on the web about exchanging links, read some, develop a plan and stick to it. Once you've got a system in place, you'll likely be able to hire someone to help you. Article distribution is another matter. Articles should really be quality, readable, helpful information for prospective customers. You'll get to post links within the author resource box, which serves both as an enticement for readers to visit your site, a means to give credibility to your internet business, plus search engines will also see these links and use them in their ranking algorithm. An effective linking program will utilize both these link sources.
Remember, it's not the total number of links, but a consistently increasing number that has the greatest long-term results. Don't start a scheme that will give you 1000 links in one day, then none for the next month, or links that will slowly disappear -- this can do more harm than good.
Some caveats about links -- links from within your own site should be text links with the keyword in the link. So the Aromatherapy site would use 'essential oils' in all the links to their essential oils page. Off-site links should also use keywords in text links, but not always the same words. Mix it up. Here, for example, some of backlink text examples would be 'pure essential oils', 'organic essential oils', 'aromatherapy essential oil', and 'essential oils'. Further, about 30% of your links should just include the webpage address, like 'www.johnnysessentialoils.com' or 'www.bestbathproducts.com/essentialoils.php This helps your backlinks appear naturally created, rather than machine made search engine spider spam. A final note on backlinks, all pages that link to yours are not weighted equally. The older and more relevant the page, the more weight your link will garner. If your site is selling essential oils, links from a natural health website will likely be more beneficial than those from a poker website.
With that we'll describe the last 20%: the URL. Web pages with the keywords in the address, be it the homepage or any other page on the site, rank better. If the If you're just starting a site, getting your primary kewords in the url is useful. If not, and it makes sense to do so, use keywords in the filename like www.homepage.com/essentialoilspage1.html. Again, it appears better if the file does not have only the keywords in it, like the title and meta tags. If you already have pages without keywords in the filenames, you could create new ones and create a 301 redirect from the old ones to maintain any ranking status the 'old' pages had. Hyphens are still questionable, and are probably not needed. Short filenames and shallow directory structures appear best.
Some last remarks: A page's age means something. If you want to change a filename to include keywords in it, always employ a 301 redirect if the page has been indexed already -- do a little research to get this right. Search engine ranking change constantly, and some engines are quicker to appreciate your optimization efforts than others. Be patient -- it can take months to see results if the site is new, and sometimes weeks otherwise. Don't think you made a mistake just because nothing happened the first time a spider visited your new page. Keep working on your accumulation of backlinks; you probably have lots of pages targeting various keywords you can get links for. More optimal could mean higher quality -- the engines continually get smarter, and may be keeping track of how long visitors linger on your page versus your competitors. This leads us to the final important note -- visitors are only one part of the equation. A well-designed site, product mix and pricing, and customer service all play key roles in the health of your business.
The Secret To Improving Your Web Site Traffic Ranking
Ever since Google introduced their page ranks(PR), web site traffic rankings, took on a whole new dimension. Today, page ranks is a much talked about subject and a very important factor in your web site traffic ranking. Although your traffic ranking is only relevant with the Google search engine, it is important to realize that many of the smaller search engines draw their 'relevance' from Google – meaning that a high web site traffic ranking with Google will most certainly benefit you on the other search engines. Search engine traffic is still the best source of traffic on the internet and the more of it you can get the better. By improving your web site traffic ranking even on just one search engine, you can become more important with all the search engines.
So what is a web site’ page rank anyway? The ranking system is nothing but a way for Google to assign a level of importance to your website. When someone searches for something the ranking determines what's most relevant and what's the most important information on that specific search term. Think of the entire internet as one big library of information. The search engines act as indexing systems that helps you to find information in this big library. Just like in a ‘normal’ library, certain books are more important and more relevant than others. Instead of you having to go to every website to find the most important and most relevant information, Google assigns a page rank that predetermines the importance and relevance of your website. When someone searches for something specific online, the page rank of a website will largely determine which site is most important and what the specific web site traffic ranking is for that search.
If two websites contain exactly the same information, the one with the highest page rank will be the one that gets shown in the search results. One of the easiest ways for Google to determine whether your website is important is to see whether other websites value your website. In other words if other websites link to your site it means that your site has something that other sites think is important. Google likes this, and if other sites like you then it is very likely that Google will also like you.
Getting links to your website is one of the best strategies for improving your web site traffic ranking. But it's not as simple as that. To make some more refined distinctions between important and unimportant websites, Google will also check the traffic ranking of the site linking to yours. Getting one link from a website with a page rank of 6 will mean more than ten links from websites with a page rank of 2. So, it's not just about getting links, but it's about getting quality links from high PR websites in the same niche as yours (must be relevant information). Always try and keep the ‘human factor’ in mind – search engines provide a service and that service is to serve people with the best information for their needs.
With web site traffic rankings it is important to distinguish between importance and relevance. Relevance is determined by standard SEO practices of your content, your keywords and the actual information on your website. Importance is determined by your page rank. Doing the one without the other won't be of any use if you want a high web site traffic ranking with the search engines.
When the whole ranking system became important, several marketers got smart started building what is known as 'link farms' or 'link exchanges' where different web masters exchange links and by the sheer amount of links they were able to boost their web site traffic rankings significantly. Google quickly caught on to this and now distinguishes between one-way and reciprocal links. A one way link is worth much more than a reciprocal link. These types of link exchanges are becoming less effective and you will be much better off spending your time and effort building quality links from high PR and authority sites in your niche – preferably one way links.
One of the best strategies for building one way links from high PR websites is to write articles and submit them to article directories. Your links within the article is a one way back link and many of the article directories have very high web site traffic rankings. This can be very time consuming but well worth the effort. Many authority sites with very high PR’s offer the opportunity for you to exchange links with them or to post comments or list your website in their directory. These are worth gold and getting one way back links from these sites will help you greatly in working your way to the top of Google’s ranking.
So what is a web site’ page rank anyway? The ranking system is nothing but a way for Google to assign a level of importance to your website. When someone searches for something the ranking determines what's most relevant and what's the most important information on that specific search term. Think of the entire internet as one big library of information. The search engines act as indexing systems that helps you to find information in this big library. Just like in a ‘normal’ library, certain books are more important and more relevant than others. Instead of you having to go to every website to find the most important and most relevant information, Google assigns a page rank that predetermines the importance and relevance of your website. When someone searches for something specific online, the page rank of a website will largely determine which site is most important and what the specific web site traffic ranking is for that search.
If two websites contain exactly the same information, the one with the highest page rank will be the one that gets shown in the search results. One of the easiest ways for Google to determine whether your website is important is to see whether other websites value your website. In other words if other websites link to your site it means that your site has something that other sites think is important. Google likes this, and if other sites like you then it is very likely that Google will also like you.
Getting links to your website is one of the best strategies for improving your web site traffic ranking. But it's not as simple as that. To make some more refined distinctions between important and unimportant websites, Google will also check the traffic ranking of the site linking to yours. Getting one link from a website with a page rank of 6 will mean more than ten links from websites with a page rank of 2. So, it's not just about getting links, but it's about getting quality links from high PR websites in the same niche as yours (must be relevant information). Always try and keep the ‘human factor’ in mind – search engines provide a service and that service is to serve people with the best information for their needs.
With web site traffic rankings it is important to distinguish between importance and relevance. Relevance is determined by standard SEO practices of your content, your keywords and the actual information on your website. Importance is determined by your page rank. Doing the one without the other won't be of any use if you want a high web site traffic ranking with the search engines.
When the whole ranking system became important, several marketers got smart started building what is known as 'link farms' or 'link exchanges' where different web masters exchange links and by the sheer amount of links they were able to boost their web site traffic rankings significantly. Google quickly caught on to this and now distinguishes between one-way and reciprocal links. A one way link is worth much more than a reciprocal link. These types of link exchanges are becoming less effective and you will be much better off spending your time and effort building quality links from high PR and authority sites in your niche – preferably one way links.
One of the best strategies for building one way links from high PR websites is to write articles and submit them to article directories. Your links within the article is a one way back link and many of the article directories have very high web site traffic rankings. This can be very time consuming but well worth the effort. Many authority sites with very high PR’s offer the opportunity for you to exchange links with them or to post comments or list your website in their directory. These are worth gold and getting one way back links from these sites will help you greatly in working your way to the top of Google’s ranking.
Competition, Consumer Policy, and International Cooperation
Obviously as the World moves closer together we see more and more cross-border issues which require cooperation with other nations to protect consumers, foster competition and keep things moving smoothly. In fact the mission is so important that it requires an agency in our government that knows what they are doing.
Personally in my opinion I do not trust the Federal Trade Commission to provide the leadership necessary to make this happen. In fact I am appalled at their previous and documented piss poor performance and would ask the US Congress to deny any budget increases and insist upon a reduction of 50% in their annual budget. Recently in an official report to the US Congress the FTC Stated:
“The FTC has worked with competition agencies worldwide to promote best practices and minimize policy divergences to ease burdens on firms that operate across the globe. Two key venues for competition officials to work toward a greater consensus are the Organization for Economic Coordination and Development (OECD) and the International Competition Network (ICN), a group launched four years ago by the FTC, the DOJ, and 13 other competition agencies that now numbers almost 90 member agencies. The FTC also advocates discussion of linkages between competition and consumer policy around the world. The FTC also devoted significant resources to assisting new competition agencies in countries with emerging market economies.”
I disagree with the FTC strategy as they attack our own companies here at home and burden them with incessant regulation making their ability to compete in the world markets lessened. In fact the FTC has no clue in my opinion as to how actual free markets work. It is probably the last agency I would want to help facilitate or dictate any type of cooperative policy across borders. What do you think of the FTC? Do you think we even need that little division of the Justice Department? Consider this in 2006 and axe their budget.
Personally in my opinion I do not trust the Federal Trade Commission to provide the leadership necessary to make this happen. In fact I am appalled at their previous and documented piss poor performance and would ask the US Congress to deny any budget increases and insist upon a reduction of 50% in their annual budget. Recently in an official report to the US Congress the FTC Stated:
“The FTC has worked with competition agencies worldwide to promote best practices and minimize policy divergences to ease burdens on firms that operate across the globe. Two key venues for competition officials to work toward a greater consensus are the Organization for Economic Coordination and Development (OECD) and the International Competition Network (ICN), a group launched four years ago by the FTC, the DOJ, and 13 other competition agencies that now numbers almost 90 member agencies. The FTC also advocates discussion of linkages between competition and consumer policy around the world. The FTC also devoted significant resources to assisting new competition agencies in countries with emerging market economies.”
I disagree with the FTC strategy as they attack our own companies here at home and burden them with incessant regulation making their ability to compete in the world markets lessened. In fact the FTC has no clue in my opinion as to how actual free markets work. It is probably the last agency I would want to help facilitate or dictate any type of cooperative policy across borders. What do you think of the FTC? Do you think we even need that little division of the Justice Department? Consider this in 2006 and axe their budget.
Traditional Newspapers versus Internet News
Why should you read a newspaper printed on a hard-copy while the internet is so convenient?
Most of the time, you do not have a computer around and even if you do carry one, you may not have access to the internet. Furthermore, a lot of people find a notebook computer cumbersome although the size of which has become smaller nowadays. Therefore, reading a "REAL" paper is still the choice for them. In fact, you can carry a tradition printed newspaper and read it anywhere such as on the bus, on the plane and on a cruise ship. You can virtually carry this piece of paper to everywhere and most importantly, the weight of the printed newspaper is much lighter than a notebook and certainly, a desk top computer.
In view of this, Satellite Newspapers developed a software and Multicast Satellite Network which provides a super fast distribution "highway" around the globe. It is capable of multi receiving, broadcasting digital newspaper files throughout the world and printing the newspapers with connected systems.
Pontus International, partner of the Satellite Newspapers receives and distributes newspaper data on a daily basis and sells this data via multiple outputs devices, such as the KiOSK and CLiENT. We can provide you with 190 leading multi-national newspapers from over 60 countries in 32 languages in Hong Kong at the same time when they are printed overseas. In some instant, you can even read the news in Hong Kong before your people of your home country because of the time difference.
If you wish to read a same-day edition of Le Monde, The Washington Post and 190 other International newspapers, you can come to us. Better yet, we can deliver to us. Please visit our website www.1worldnewspapers.com for more details.
Everyone in this world is talking about instant communication and therefore, reading outdated news is not at all helpful to your decision-making in today's fast changing environment. Nevertheless, you can count on Pontus which is devoted to help you to solve this problem because our top priority is to provide you with the faster and most accurate information from your home country, no matter where it is located.
Most of the time, you do not have a computer around and even if you do carry one, you may not have access to the internet. Furthermore, a lot of people find a notebook computer cumbersome although the size of which has become smaller nowadays. Therefore, reading a "REAL" paper is still the choice for them. In fact, you can carry a tradition printed newspaper and read it anywhere such as on the bus, on the plane and on a cruise ship. You can virtually carry this piece of paper to everywhere and most importantly, the weight of the printed newspaper is much lighter than a notebook and certainly, a desk top computer.
In view of this, Satellite Newspapers developed a software and Multicast Satellite Network which provides a super fast distribution "highway" around the globe. It is capable of multi receiving, broadcasting digital newspaper files throughout the world and printing the newspapers with connected systems.
Pontus International, partner of the Satellite Newspapers receives and distributes newspaper data on a daily basis and sells this data via multiple outputs devices, such as the KiOSK and CLiENT. We can provide you with 190 leading multi-national newspapers from over 60 countries in 32 languages in Hong Kong at the same time when they are printed overseas. In some instant, you can even read the news in Hong Kong before your people of your home country because of the time difference.
If you wish to read a same-day edition of Le Monde, The Washington Post and 190 other International newspapers, you can come to us. Better yet, we can deliver to us. Please visit our website www.1worldnewspapers.com for more details.
Everyone in this world is talking about instant communication and therefore, reading outdated news is not at all helpful to your decision-making in today's fast changing environment. Nevertheless, you can count on Pontus which is devoted to help you to solve this problem because our top priority is to provide you with the faster and most accurate information from your home country, no matter where it is located.
Include Video Marketing in Your International Marketing Mix
The popularity of online video has been on the increase for several years, and there is no sign of it slowing down. In fact, the Interactive Advertising Bureau said today that advertisers spent 18.2% more in the first quarter of 2008 than they did the same time last year. And this is during a recession. During the same time, television advertisement have decreased by a little over 10%.
Why? Because the advertisers know that online advertising is getting to the target audience and people are watching.
For your international marketing plan, video is one of the best way to engage an audience in countries where you don't have an office. The costs is low, the market penetration is targeted and if you are going to be using translations, there are ways to be sure that your viewers get to see your video in their native language.
How many time have you seen a television commercial and not understood it?
Online video lets you communicate with your client through different senses, emotions and on different levels.
• The senses are obvious, sight and sound. The same senses that are touched as on TV, but your audience has usually selected to watch your video. On TV there is no choice.
• The different emotions that you can touch with a video are limited only by your imagination.
• Different levels images, music, text, speech and any combination of these that you create.
These different senses, emotions and levels are similar to how a child learns. Through the repetition of things they see, the spoken word, music and visual text. If you have seen a child watch the same video again and again (and again), you can begin to understand how video can become an important part of your international marketing mix.
With online video, your international clients can see your product or service again and again, until they understands exactly what you do, or what you sell. Since video is made to be replayed in work perfectly with the way people learn. Just like children.
Exciting Commercials?
Think about old fashioned print marketing and the standard text or banner internet advertisements. Can you remember the last time that you saw a print advertisement and it really got your blood pumping? It was such a great advertisement that you called a friend to tell them to look at that magazine page? On the other hand, when was the last time you sent someone a video link, or had one sent to you? If you have a computer, the video was probably sent more recently than the magazine page number.
Large Audience, Low Cost
With online video you can also reach a huge audience at a low cost. If you already have a web site or a blog you can advertise your own video for free. There are services online, like DailyMotion, that let you post videos for free. There are companies that let you upload a video at their site and they broadcast it to 20 or more video sites. The return on your investment for international video marketing can be astounding.
You can easily make a video clip and post it on video-sharing websites for free. All you need is a digital camera. There is free software that lets you play with special effects on your video. Your video can also be used exactly as it is, making it come across as more authentic.
According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau half the US population will watch video online next year, and those numbers are increasing. Also remember that the US is only a fraction of the international community. Again, just talking the US, it has been estimated that 20 billion videos will be watched online during the summer of 2008. 9 Billion!
Some Guidelines For International Acceptance
A video clip should not be more than three minutes long. This is a statistic often quoted, based on the length of time people will watch a video. If you must have a longer video, make sure that you tell your viewer in advance how long it will take to watch the video. Another option is to make a video series.
These four point are very important to getting your video seen when loaded on a public site:
• Make the description of your video specific
• Relate the title to your business
• Use your keywords - in the title if you can
• Load your video in correct category
An effective way to spread your videos is to have a contest where you invite your visitors to do something for a prize. The winners are awarded a prize or a reduction in price on a service that they have not taken yet. and their videos can be featured on your business website. This will have everyone talking about it and the relevant people linking to it!
Advertise your video in your other marketing material you send to your clients, for example by including a link in your email signature. Include links to your website and product pages in the video. Blog about the video and send other bloggers a link to the video. Google has a blog search service that allows you to select the language. Use these ideas to drive your video to international acceptance.
Engage your foreign audience using online video as part of your international marketing plan. The costs remains low and we are at the earliest point of this boom and innovation has just begun. It has been said that only 65 years after Gutenberg made the printing press did someone think about numbering pages. We are still before page numbering for the internet and international video marketing.
Why? Because the advertisers know that online advertising is getting to the target audience and people are watching.
For your international marketing plan, video is one of the best way to engage an audience in countries where you don't have an office. The costs is low, the market penetration is targeted and if you are going to be using translations, there are ways to be sure that your viewers get to see your video in their native language.
How many time have you seen a television commercial and not understood it?
Online video lets you communicate with your client through different senses, emotions and on different levels.
• The senses are obvious, sight and sound. The same senses that are touched as on TV, but your audience has usually selected to watch your video. On TV there is no choice.
• The different emotions that you can touch with a video are limited only by your imagination.
• Different levels images, music, text, speech and any combination of these that you create.
These different senses, emotions and levels are similar to how a child learns. Through the repetition of things they see, the spoken word, music and visual text. If you have seen a child watch the same video again and again (and again), you can begin to understand how video can become an important part of your international marketing mix.
With online video, your international clients can see your product or service again and again, until they understands exactly what you do, or what you sell. Since video is made to be replayed in work perfectly with the way people learn. Just like children.
Exciting Commercials?
Think about old fashioned print marketing and the standard text or banner internet advertisements. Can you remember the last time that you saw a print advertisement and it really got your blood pumping? It was such a great advertisement that you called a friend to tell them to look at that magazine page? On the other hand, when was the last time you sent someone a video link, or had one sent to you? If you have a computer, the video was probably sent more recently than the magazine page number.
Large Audience, Low Cost
With online video you can also reach a huge audience at a low cost. If you already have a web site or a blog you can advertise your own video for free. There are services online, like DailyMotion, that let you post videos for free. There are companies that let you upload a video at their site and they broadcast it to 20 or more video sites. The return on your investment for international video marketing can be astounding.
You can easily make a video clip and post it on video-sharing websites for free. All you need is a digital camera. There is free software that lets you play with special effects on your video. Your video can also be used exactly as it is, making it come across as more authentic.
According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau half the US population will watch video online next year, and those numbers are increasing. Also remember that the US is only a fraction of the international community. Again, just talking the US, it has been estimated that 20 billion videos will be watched online during the summer of 2008. 9 Billion!
Some Guidelines For International Acceptance
A video clip should not be more than three minutes long. This is a statistic often quoted, based on the length of time people will watch a video. If you must have a longer video, make sure that you tell your viewer in advance how long it will take to watch the video. Another option is to make a video series.
These four point are very important to getting your video seen when loaded on a public site:
• Make the description of your video specific
• Relate the title to your business
• Use your keywords - in the title if you can
• Load your video in correct category
An effective way to spread your videos is to have a contest where you invite your visitors to do something for a prize. The winners are awarded a prize or a reduction in price on a service that they have not taken yet. and their videos can be featured on your business website. This will have everyone talking about it and the relevant people linking to it!
Advertise your video in your other marketing material you send to your clients, for example by including a link in your email signature. Include links to your website and product pages in the video. Blog about the video and send other bloggers a link to the video. Google has a blog search service that allows you to select the language. Use these ideas to drive your video to international acceptance.
Engage your foreign audience using online video as part of your international marketing plan. The costs remains low and we are at the earliest point of this boom and innovation has just begun. It has been said that only 65 years after Gutenberg made the printing press did someone think about numbering pages. We are still before page numbering for the internet and international video marketing.
Managing Government Credit Cards for Government Employees
Business management is a very important subject and with business management comes financial and fiscal responsibility. The most difficult places to manage are those places, which have the most unethical people and employees working within their organization.
Let's take the federal government for instance we know that anyone who cannot get a real job or does not have the ability, intelligence or personal work ethic to become an entrepreneur can get a job in the government. The government will hire anybody including a homosexual, former criminal or a druggie.
The federal government will hire just about anyone who is outcast from society and mold them into a bureaucrat.
You can imagine the difficult job managing Government credit cards for Government employees. Government employees have been known to use government credit cards to go to strip clubs, car washes with their personal car and even cruises with their family.
It is amazing the amount of abuse that the taxpayer in doers because of the unethical nature of people who work in government. Therefore it takes a strong leader who believes in fiscal responsibility to manage these government employees and these expenditures.
Currently with unemployment rates so low we have even more derelicts and people who lack integrity working in our government. The unethical nature of the average government worker is appalling and therefore it takes stronger leadership to ensure they credit cards are not abused. This is where business management comes in, as no corporation would ever put out with this sort of baloney.
Government credit cards are a great case study for business management students who want learn about how best to manage a large organization. And nothing is larger than the blob of bureaucracy we call the federal government. Consider this a 2006.
Let's take the federal government for instance we know that anyone who cannot get a real job or does not have the ability, intelligence or personal work ethic to become an entrepreneur can get a job in the government. The government will hire anybody including a homosexual, former criminal or a druggie.
The federal government will hire just about anyone who is outcast from society and mold them into a bureaucrat.
You can imagine the difficult job managing Government credit cards for Government employees. Government employees have been known to use government credit cards to go to strip clubs, car washes with their personal car and even cruises with their family.
It is amazing the amount of abuse that the taxpayer in doers because of the unethical nature of people who work in government. Therefore it takes a strong leader who believes in fiscal responsibility to manage these government employees and these expenditures.
Currently with unemployment rates so low we have even more derelicts and people who lack integrity working in our government. The unethical nature of the average government worker is appalling and therefore it takes stronger leadership to ensure they credit cards are not abused. This is where business management comes in, as no corporation would ever put out with this sort of baloney.
Government credit cards are a great case study for business management students who want learn about how best to manage a large organization. And nothing is larger than the blob of bureaucracy we call the federal government. Consider this a 2006.
Executive Agility
Top leaders and CEO's have a critical impact on thousands and in some cases millions of peoples lives. The day to day decisions that are made and subsequent actions of the senior level executive determine profitability. This can be a difficult challenge at times. Executives are always monitoring data over various plat forms to maintain the competitive edge and keep the bottom line in check. Through an in-depth exploration of the dilemmas, challenges, and complexities inherent to existing models of corporate social responsibility these critical factors are important to the agility needed by todays top executives.
• Understanding the effects of strategic corporate social responsibility-its cost and benefits
• The ability to drive corporate social responsibility throughout the organization, integrating it with corporate strategy, decision making, and risk assessment
• Ability to realign corporate culture with corporate social responsibility strategies
• Thorough understanding of the political context of operations, and successfully interact and communicate with governments and key stakeholders
• Ensure that systems are in place for both avoiding potential "damaging events" and mitigating the effects of a crisis after it has occurred
• Pro actively identify and explore the most critical emerging issues facing the field of corporate social responsibility in the next decade
Executive leader mental fitness is essential. Top chief executive officers surround themselves with state-of-the-art thinking and research to help senior executives demonstrate that the sum of varied business ventures is worth more than the individual parts and to focus on strategies to mitigate challenges unique to multi business companies.
Enhancing an executives access to tools and innovative approaches for creating compelling corporate advantage across multiple business units is important. Continual education and research on how to assess markets, systems, processes, organizational structures, and strategies from a multi-business perspective are key signatures of top CEO's.
Executives have the ability to understand the proper framework for the analysis of corporate and sector-level strategies, accurately assess their firm's core competence, evaluate their corporate portfolio, and coordinate resources among existing business units. Senior-level teams often reconsider value creation across multiple businesses or operating units within their organizations from time to time to ensure the analysis is correct.
Often times senior level executives will scout programs that are designed to sharpen the strategic management skills of business leaders regardless of the industry or region in which they operate. The most successful companies are those prepared to anticipate and adapt to altered socio and economic circumstances.
Continually incubating innovative strategies for overcoming the inherent inertia of an organization is a primary characteristics found in top leaders. Executive agility means that the executive needs to maximize their ability to anticipate change, nimbly adapt to new realities, and thrive over the long term.
• Understanding the effects of strategic corporate social responsibility-its cost and benefits
• The ability to drive corporate social responsibility throughout the organization, integrating it with corporate strategy, decision making, and risk assessment
• Ability to realign corporate culture with corporate social responsibility strategies
• Thorough understanding of the political context of operations, and successfully interact and communicate with governments and key stakeholders
• Ensure that systems are in place for both avoiding potential "damaging events" and mitigating the effects of a crisis after it has occurred
• Pro actively identify and explore the most critical emerging issues facing the field of corporate social responsibility in the next decade
Executive leader mental fitness is essential. Top chief executive officers surround themselves with state-of-the-art thinking and research to help senior executives demonstrate that the sum of varied business ventures is worth more than the individual parts and to focus on strategies to mitigate challenges unique to multi business companies.
Enhancing an executives access to tools and innovative approaches for creating compelling corporate advantage across multiple business units is important. Continual education and research on how to assess markets, systems, processes, organizational structures, and strategies from a multi-business perspective are key signatures of top CEO's.
Executives have the ability to understand the proper framework for the analysis of corporate and sector-level strategies, accurately assess their firm's core competence, evaluate their corporate portfolio, and coordinate resources among existing business units. Senior-level teams often reconsider value creation across multiple businesses or operating units within their organizations from time to time to ensure the analysis is correct.
Often times senior level executives will scout programs that are designed to sharpen the strategic management skills of business leaders regardless of the industry or region in which they operate. The most successful companies are those prepared to anticipate and adapt to altered socio and economic circumstances.
Continually incubating innovative strategies for overcoming the inherent inertia of an organization is a primary characteristics found in top leaders. Executive agility means that the executive needs to maximize their ability to anticipate change, nimbly adapt to new realities, and thrive over the long term.
Business Etiquette
Business etiquette is in essence about building relationships with people. In the business world, it is people that influence your success or failure. Etiquette, and in particular business etiquette, is simply a means of maximising your business potential.
If you feel comfortable around someone and vice versa, better communication and mutual trust will develop. This comfort zone is realised through presenting yourself effectively. Business etiquette helps you achieve this.
Business etiquette revolves around two things. Firstly, thoughtful consideration of the interests and feelings of others and secondly, minimising misunderstandings. Both are dependent upon self conduct.
Business etiquette polishes this conduct.
Business etiquette varies from region to region and country to country. For the international business person, focusing too deeply on international business etiquette would leave no time for business. However, there are some key pillars upon which good business etiquette is built.
Behaviour
Your manners and attitude will speak volumes about you. They will point to your inner character. If you come across selfish, undisciplined or uncouth your relationship is unlikely to prosper. Appropriate business etiquette promotes positive traits.
Honesty
A reputation for delivering what you say will deliver goes a long way in the business world. Remember, a reputation for integrity is slowly gained but quickly lost. Understanding a particular country’s business etiquette provides a framework in which you can work without fear of crossing boundaries in terms of agreements, promises and contracts.
Character
Your character refers to what you as an individual bring to the business table. Proper business etiquette allows you to exhibit your positive qualities. For example, knowing when to be passionate and not emotional or self-confident without being arrogant. Just through learning another’s business etiquette you demonstrate an open-mindedness which will earn respect.
Sensitivity
Sensitivity and consideration underlie all good business etiquette. Being prepared for foreign ways and methods and responding thoughtfully is achieved through experience and business etiquette know-how. By avoiding misunderstandings and misinterpretations through business etiquette you lay foundations for a strong business relationship.
Diplomacy
Avoiding thoughtless words and actions protects you from negative consequences. Impulse often leads a business person astray. Business etiquette encourages the careful thought of the interests of others and choosing acceptable forms of expression.
Appearance
Dressing appropriately, standing and sitting in the right place at the right time, good posture and looking physically presentable are all elements in making a good impression. Business etiquette teaches you how to suitably present yourself and what to avoid.
Analysing, understanding and implementing the above will help you recognise what business etiquette is and how it should be employed within the business world.
If you feel comfortable around someone and vice versa, better communication and mutual trust will develop. This comfort zone is realised through presenting yourself effectively. Business etiquette helps you achieve this.
Business etiquette revolves around two things. Firstly, thoughtful consideration of the interests and feelings of others and secondly, minimising misunderstandings. Both are dependent upon self conduct.
Business etiquette polishes this conduct.
Business etiquette varies from region to region and country to country. For the international business person, focusing too deeply on international business etiquette would leave no time for business. However, there are some key pillars upon which good business etiquette is built.
Behaviour
Your manners and attitude will speak volumes about you. They will point to your inner character. If you come across selfish, undisciplined or uncouth your relationship is unlikely to prosper. Appropriate business etiquette promotes positive traits.
Honesty
A reputation for delivering what you say will deliver goes a long way in the business world. Remember, a reputation for integrity is slowly gained but quickly lost. Understanding a particular country’s business etiquette provides a framework in which you can work without fear of crossing boundaries in terms of agreements, promises and contracts.
Character
Your character refers to what you as an individual bring to the business table. Proper business etiquette allows you to exhibit your positive qualities. For example, knowing when to be passionate and not emotional or self-confident without being arrogant. Just through learning another’s business etiquette you demonstrate an open-mindedness which will earn respect.
Sensitivity
Sensitivity and consideration underlie all good business etiquette. Being prepared for foreign ways and methods and responding thoughtfully is achieved through experience and business etiquette know-how. By avoiding misunderstandings and misinterpretations through business etiquette you lay foundations for a strong business relationship.
Diplomacy
Avoiding thoughtless words and actions protects you from negative consequences. Impulse often leads a business person astray. Business etiquette encourages the careful thought of the interests of others and choosing acceptable forms of expression.
Appearance
Dressing appropriately, standing and sitting in the right place at the right time, good posture and looking physically presentable are all elements in making a good impression. Business etiquette teaches you how to suitably present yourself and what to avoid.
Analysing, understanding and implementing the above will help you recognise what business etiquette is and how it should be employed within the business world.
International Business Development With an Easy 5 Step International Marketing PlanSo you want to get more international clients, and realize that you
So you want to get more international clients, and realize that you need to do some international marketing. But you are not quite sure what to do.
Well let's have a look at the different areas of international marketing. Companies often go through these steps one after the other, but not always. You could start an export business for example without going through the first step of Domestic Marketing.
Each step clearly explains:
• where your company is selling, and
• what product you are selling.
You will see very clearly where your company's business requirements are today with regards to International Marketing. This will also give you a better understanding of what your next step is towards getting more international clients.
1 - Domestic Marketing
First of all there is Domestic Marketing. This is where most companies start. This is the marketing you do for your local market in your own country. There are no international links in this business.
Your Company:
A domestic company, buying and selling its products within one country.
Your Product:
Is a domestic product for the domestic market.
2 - Export Marketing
This is often the second step towards International Marketing. If this is effectively a company's second step to International Marketing, the company needs to spend a little time and effort on the foreign market research and analyzing all client feedback during this phase.
Your Company:
Sells the same product for his domestic market to a few other foreign markets. There is no effort to adapt the product to the foreign market's needs. The company remains centered on its domestic market, with minimum cross cultural marketing efforts.
Your Product:
Is a domestic product for a foreign market.
3 - International Marketing
This is a vital stage for the company. The company will have to adapt to the market on several levels. There is often a real learning curve to adapt your products, marketing and sales to foreign markets.
The good news is that most of the skills your company will acquire to adapt to one market will be used again for all of the other countries you want to target.
Your Company:
Is now adapting its marketing, communication and products to the foreign market. At this stage in International Marketing the company is only dealing with a 1 or 2 countries.
Your Product:
Becomes one foreign product for one foreign country.
4 - Multinational Marketing
This is the fourth step. It is a logical extension of International Marketing. This is a term that might be a bit obsolete today, with the internet. It seems to be used more for the large established companies.
Your Company:
Now sells to many foreign countries. And the company now has the skills to go into more countries and will naturally tend to expand into the neighboring countries.
Your Product:
Becomes one foreign product for one wider foreign region covering a group of countries.
5 - Global Marketing
This is the last phase in International Marketing. There are few companies involved. They are the companies with brand names known worldwide.
Your Company:
Operates in such a large number of countries, you could almost say it sells its products worldwide.
Your Product:
The company will naturally move towards cutting costs and will aim to find one product for all countries. In Global Marketing the product will not be created for the domestic market and sold abroad, as in Export Marketing. In Global Marketing one product is created to satisfy the needs of all markets - all foreign countries and your domestic market.
Where Is Your International Marketing Today?
By looking at where your companies markets and products are today you can identify the type of International Marketing you should be using. You can then move towards your next step in International Marketing. These steps logically follow one after the other for brick and mortar companies and the majority of todays e-businesses.
The internet makes international business development easier today than ever before. Remember, simply having a website online will not make your company global. You will have to work at it a little. You will need to apply the right international marketing for your business' current market and product range.
Your company will get more and more international clients as it moves through the different marketing stages. The whole notion of global business become more accessible for everyone.
Well let's have a look at the different areas of international marketing. Companies often go through these steps one after the other, but not always. You could start an export business for example without going through the first step of Domestic Marketing.
Each step clearly explains:
• where your company is selling, and
• what product you are selling.
You will see very clearly where your company's business requirements are today with regards to International Marketing. This will also give you a better understanding of what your next step is towards getting more international clients.
1 - Domestic Marketing
First of all there is Domestic Marketing. This is where most companies start. This is the marketing you do for your local market in your own country. There are no international links in this business.
Your Company:
A domestic company, buying and selling its products within one country.
Your Product:
Is a domestic product for the domestic market.
2 - Export Marketing
This is often the second step towards International Marketing. If this is effectively a company's second step to International Marketing, the company needs to spend a little time and effort on the foreign market research and analyzing all client feedback during this phase.
Your Company:
Sells the same product for his domestic market to a few other foreign markets. There is no effort to adapt the product to the foreign market's needs. The company remains centered on its domestic market, with minimum cross cultural marketing efforts.
Your Product:
Is a domestic product for a foreign market.
3 - International Marketing
This is a vital stage for the company. The company will have to adapt to the market on several levels. There is often a real learning curve to adapt your products, marketing and sales to foreign markets.
The good news is that most of the skills your company will acquire to adapt to one market will be used again for all of the other countries you want to target.
Your Company:
Is now adapting its marketing, communication and products to the foreign market. At this stage in International Marketing the company is only dealing with a 1 or 2 countries.
Your Product:
Becomes one foreign product for one foreign country.
4 - Multinational Marketing
This is the fourth step. It is a logical extension of International Marketing. This is a term that might be a bit obsolete today, with the internet. It seems to be used more for the large established companies.
Your Company:
Now sells to many foreign countries. And the company now has the skills to go into more countries and will naturally tend to expand into the neighboring countries.
Your Product:
Becomes one foreign product for one wider foreign region covering a group of countries.
5 - Global Marketing
This is the last phase in International Marketing. There are few companies involved. They are the companies with brand names known worldwide.
Your Company:
Operates in such a large number of countries, you could almost say it sells its products worldwide.
Your Product:
The company will naturally move towards cutting costs and will aim to find one product for all countries. In Global Marketing the product will not be created for the domestic market and sold abroad, as in Export Marketing. In Global Marketing one product is created to satisfy the needs of all markets - all foreign countries and your domestic market.
Where Is Your International Marketing Today?
By looking at where your companies markets and products are today you can identify the type of International Marketing you should be using. You can then move towards your next step in International Marketing. These steps logically follow one after the other for brick and mortar companies and the majority of todays e-businesses.
The internet makes international business development easier today than ever before. Remember, simply having a website online will not make your company global. You will have to work at it a little. You will need to apply the right international marketing for your business' current market and product range.
Your company will get more and more international clients as it moves through the different marketing stages. The whole notion of global business become more accessible for everyone.
Company Websites Still Use Brochures in Some Countries
Different countries have evolved at different speeds in international web marketing. For example, there are still some countries where the brochure-style website is still very common.
Countries that are more advanced with their web marketing have long since dropped this old fashion style of website for the newer models. They found that brochure-style websites do not bring in business for a multitude of reasons including:
• Business is different.
• This communication platform is different.
• Clients and prospects have different expectations.
Online businesses in the more "internet-advanced" countries found it was useless to fight the nature of online business and the only way to win on the web was to follow the trends that are so common in countries like the United States and United Kingdom. These companies have decided to take full advantage of the online community potential, including social media.
This online community potential is what made the brochure, or catalog, website an obsolete style.
But what are you to do when dealing with these countries where the catalog website is still the norm?
How should you create or modify your international marketing plan for your clients in these countries that still see the the brochure website as the way to present themselves?
The answer probably lies in multi-channel marketing. In countries where the catalog website is still alive, businesses must rely on other marketing methods to get results.
There is one internet marketer in the United Kingdom that has run advertisements in newspapers and trade publications advertising a special page on his website offering his ultimate web marketing strategy. Since the page in question was only advertised off-line he was able to get an exact number of people that typed in that URL. This is a great example of using other marketing methods to speed up his international sales cycle, and this would work in countries that still love their brochure.
There are as many other options available as there are ideas in our heads. Spend a bit of time reading off-line publications and you will learn a lot about what other options exist to tap into those otherwise closed markets.
Are you committed to speeding up your international sales cycles?
Learn how to combine cross-cultural marketing tools and international sales strategies for faster sales.
Countries that are more advanced with their web marketing have long since dropped this old fashion style of website for the newer models. They found that brochure-style websites do not bring in business for a multitude of reasons including:
• Business is different.
• This communication platform is different.
• Clients and prospects have different expectations.
Online businesses in the more "internet-advanced" countries found it was useless to fight the nature of online business and the only way to win on the web was to follow the trends that are so common in countries like the United States and United Kingdom. These companies have decided to take full advantage of the online community potential, including social media.
This online community potential is what made the brochure, or catalog, website an obsolete style.
But what are you to do when dealing with these countries where the catalog website is still the norm?
How should you create or modify your international marketing plan for your clients in these countries that still see the the brochure website as the way to present themselves?
The answer probably lies in multi-channel marketing. In countries where the catalog website is still alive, businesses must rely on other marketing methods to get results.
There is one internet marketer in the United Kingdom that has run advertisements in newspapers and trade publications advertising a special page on his website offering his ultimate web marketing strategy. Since the page in question was only advertised off-line he was able to get an exact number of people that typed in that URL. This is a great example of using other marketing methods to speed up his international sales cycle, and this would work in countries that still love their brochure.
There are as many other options available as there are ideas in our heads. Spend a bit of time reading off-line publications and you will learn a lot about what other options exist to tap into those otherwise closed markets.
Are you committed to speeding up your international sales cycles?
Learn how to combine cross-cultural marketing tools and international sales strategies for faster sales.
All About School, Colleges and University
Gone are the days when joining a job meant bidding adieu to academics. With the advent of executive education individuals can enhance their professional skills while climbing up the corporate ladder. While executive education in the U.S is approximately a $800 million per year business, according to business week, in India too, the sector has been witnessing much action.
With India's economic growth creating a need for skilled human capital, leading business schools such as the Indian institute of management and the Indian school of business, Hyderabad are focusing on corporate education. Foreign institutions such as Harvard business school and Oxford University are also making a beeline for this market.
Traditionally, there are two kinds of executive education programs i.e
• Management Development programs (MDPs)
• Executive MBAs (EMBAs)
Management development programs are short term programs, lasting between a day and a fortnight. Management development programs can either be customized to suit an individual company's needs or open enrollment.
On the other hand, executive MBAs are of a longer duration ranging between six to 36 months.
Harvard business school recently completed a five day executive education program in Hyderabad. Program participants included senior executives and managers of growing Indian companies across sectors, as well as executives of foreign based firms and private investors with substantial current or contemplated exposure to India. Another executive level seminar on real estate has been planned for June this year.
Top Colleges India:
The oxford university India business center will now be developing a range of custom and open executive education programs to be delivered at a new facility located in Lavasa, near pune.
With India's economic growth creating a need for skilled human capital, leading business schools such as the Indian institute of management and the Indian school of business, Hyderabad are focusing on corporate education. Foreign institutions such as Harvard business school and Oxford University are also making a beeline for this market.
Traditionally, there are two kinds of executive education programs i.e
• Management Development programs (MDPs)
• Executive MBAs (EMBAs)
Management development programs are short term programs, lasting between a day and a fortnight. Management development programs can either be customized to suit an individual company's needs or open enrollment.
On the other hand, executive MBAs are of a longer duration ranging between six to 36 months.
Harvard business school recently completed a five day executive education program in Hyderabad. Program participants included senior executives and managers of growing Indian companies across sectors, as well as executives of foreign based firms and private investors with substantial current or contemplated exposure to India. Another executive level seminar on real estate has been planned for June this year.
Top Colleges India:
The oxford university India business center will now be developing a range of custom and open executive education programs to be delivered at a new facility located in Lavasa, near pune.
Fast Paced Success - Considering a Career in Business
Whether you have relatives who have entered the field ahead of you or you are simply looking for a field that will always provide you with challenges, careers in business are definitely one way to go! Careers in business can lead you to all sorts of interesting places.
To prepare for a career in business, one thing that you will end up doing is getting a business degree. As the market becomes flooded with business graduates and as the value of a business degree becomes inflated, the top salaries and positions are being snapped up by those that actually have a more than bachelor's degree in business. For instance, graduate degrees in business are one way to make sure that you will command the the top price in your chosen field. A Master's in Business Administration, also known as an MBA, can be an excellent thing to acquire if you are able; it opens up many doors in terms of getting jobs and being qualified for upper-level management positions.
There are a wide variety of classes that you will be taking to earn a business degree; you'll be expected to learn a wide variety of things, and why not? Everything from computers, to some finance basics, to sales to management will be on your plate when you enter a career in business. Embrace the opportunity to get training in any or all of these things and see your marketability soar.
In place of a formal education, you can also substitute experience. In terms of careers in business, either a skills-based resume or a time line resume are appropriate. Decide which is more impressive, your skills or the places where you've worked previously and send them out as needed. Remember to keep your resume up to date.
When starting, you might find yourself faced with entry-level positions. Here, you need to carefully evaluate your worth to the company. How long do people stay in entry level positions? What are the chances that they are promoted? Is there a plateau for promotions, and are you comfortable with that? There are many reasons to work for a company even if there is not much chance of promotion (good pay and good environment being among them) but be realistic as to how far you can go with any company.
There are a wide range of salaries that can be commanded by those who choose to pursue careers in business. In both the United States and Canada, the range depends on what else you can offer besides a simple degree in business. The best thing that you can offer is a experience, as well as a list of successful projects that you have worked and experiences that you bring to the table. When considering the salary that can be earned by someone involved in careers in business, it truly depends on the position
For example, a person who acts as a company's regional manager and probably holds a bachelor's in business as well as an MBA, can command anywhere from seventy five to eighty five thousand dollars a year, while a corporate executive with almost the same credentials might have a salary above one hundred thousand a year. The head of a department or an assistant regional manager, who usually have a business degree, will usually make around fifty thousand a year, while an office manager or regional assistant can look at an annual salary around about thirty five thousand per year. Keep in mind that this will change dramatically depending on cost of living in the area and the experience of the person involved.
There are many opportunities that are available to you when you are looking for careers in business, but a few definitely lead the pack. In terms of excellent companies, Google stands at the top of many rankings. Similarly, NewMarket and WescoInternational are excellent places for people interested in business to make their mark, as is Cleveland-Cliffs and Dick's Sporting Goods in America. There are many places to search for good companies to work for, and if you are a recent graduate of an institution of higher learning, you'll find that there are many networks that you can explore, especially via things like your Alumni Association.
If you are interested in careers in business, you are interested in a career that will take you places and provide you with new challenges every time you turn around. Take the opportunity to examine these careers and find yourself a new path today!
To prepare for a career in business, one thing that you will end up doing is getting a business degree. As the market becomes flooded with business graduates and as the value of a business degree becomes inflated, the top salaries and positions are being snapped up by those that actually have a more than bachelor's degree in business. For instance, graduate degrees in business are one way to make sure that you will command the the top price in your chosen field. A Master's in Business Administration, also known as an MBA, can be an excellent thing to acquire if you are able; it opens up many doors in terms of getting jobs and being qualified for upper-level management positions.
There are a wide variety of classes that you will be taking to earn a business degree; you'll be expected to learn a wide variety of things, and why not? Everything from computers, to some finance basics, to sales to management will be on your plate when you enter a career in business. Embrace the opportunity to get training in any or all of these things and see your marketability soar.
In place of a formal education, you can also substitute experience. In terms of careers in business, either a skills-based resume or a time line resume are appropriate. Decide which is more impressive, your skills or the places where you've worked previously and send them out as needed. Remember to keep your resume up to date.
When starting, you might find yourself faced with entry-level positions. Here, you need to carefully evaluate your worth to the company. How long do people stay in entry level positions? What are the chances that they are promoted? Is there a plateau for promotions, and are you comfortable with that? There are many reasons to work for a company even if there is not much chance of promotion (good pay and good environment being among them) but be realistic as to how far you can go with any company.
There are a wide range of salaries that can be commanded by those who choose to pursue careers in business. In both the United States and Canada, the range depends on what else you can offer besides a simple degree in business. The best thing that you can offer is a experience, as well as a list of successful projects that you have worked and experiences that you bring to the table. When considering the salary that can be earned by someone involved in careers in business, it truly depends on the position
For example, a person who acts as a company's regional manager and probably holds a bachelor's in business as well as an MBA, can command anywhere from seventy five to eighty five thousand dollars a year, while a corporate executive with almost the same credentials might have a salary above one hundred thousand a year. The head of a department or an assistant regional manager, who usually have a business degree, will usually make around fifty thousand a year, while an office manager or regional assistant can look at an annual salary around about thirty five thousand per year. Keep in mind that this will change dramatically depending on cost of living in the area and the experience of the person involved.
There are many opportunities that are available to you when you are looking for careers in business, but a few definitely lead the pack. In terms of excellent companies, Google stands at the top of many rankings. Similarly, NewMarket and WescoInternational are excellent places for people interested in business to make their mark, as is Cleveland-Cliffs and Dick's Sporting Goods in America. There are many places to search for good companies to work for, and if you are a recent graduate of an institution of higher learning, you'll find that there are many networks that you can explore, especially via things like your Alumni Association.
If you are interested in careers in business, you are interested in a career that will take you places and provide you with new challenges every time you turn around. Take the opportunity to examine these careers and find yourself a new path today!
International School Algarve
In 2002, Vale Verde International School opened its large modern premises in Burgau, Luz (on the outskirts of Lagos), fully complying with all the newly-implemented European Community regulations. The school provides parents in the Western Algarve with the opportunity to give their child a secondary education, based on the British National Curriculum with international adaptations.
Since its opening, the school has achieved a 100% pass rate for all students in all subjects undertaken in the final IGCSE examinations each year. This remarkable feat has been made possible by the school’s well-qualified, dedicated and experienced staff of whom we are justly proud.
Vale Verde International School has some of the most modern schooling facilities in the country and is almost daily broadening the range of educational opportunity we can offer.
The school employs a fully qualified staff of specialists, recognised by the Portuguese authorities, with a rich diversity of backgrounds, experience and nationalities. Our aim is to ensure that our growing number of pupils will receive a high quality education experience in a healthy environment.
The Vale Verde International School offers a wide and balanced curriculum based on the English National Curriculum for Key Stages 3 and 4 and leading to internationally recognised qualifications – the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Certificate of Education (ICE) – administered by the Cambridge University International Exams.
Pupils in Years 6 and 7 follow a common curriculum of English, Maths, General Science, French, Portuguese, Geography, History, I.C.T., Art, Drama and Physical Education. As from September 2006 Chemistry will be offered.
In Year 9 individual Sciences are introduced (presently Physics and Biology) and Business Studies is also added to the time table. Pupils are offered the option of English Literature as an IGCSE course as from Year 10.
In Years 10 and 11 a limited but expanding option system is put into operation allowing pupils to “play to their strengths” while ensuring that they continue with priority subjects. Eventually all students will study 12 subjects throughout these two years leading to IGCSE’s in 8 or 9 of these. As from September 2006, Chemistry and Food and Nutrition Technology will be introduced.
Increasingly throughout the school I.C.T. is assuming the role of a means to learn and exercise other subjects as well as an independent discipline in its own right.
Since its opening, the school has achieved a 100% pass rate for all students in all subjects undertaken in the final IGCSE examinations each year. This remarkable feat has been made possible by the school’s well-qualified, dedicated and experienced staff of whom we are justly proud.
Vale Verde International School has some of the most modern schooling facilities in the country and is almost daily broadening the range of educational opportunity we can offer.
The school employs a fully qualified staff of specialists, recognised by the Portuguese authorities, with a rich diversity of backgrounds, experience and nationalities. Our aim is to ensure that our growing number of pupils will receive a high quality education experience in a healthy environment.
The Vale Verde International School offers a wide and balanced curriculum based on the English National Curriculum for Key Stages 3 and 4 and leading to internationally recognised qualifications – the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Certificate of Education (ICE) – administered by the Cambridge University International Exams.
Pupils in Years 6 and 7 follow a common curriculum of English, Maths, General Science, French, Portuguese, Geography, History, I.C.T., Art, Drama and Physical Education. As from September 2006 Chemistry will be offered.
In Year 9 individual Sciences are introduced (presently Physics and Biology) and Business Studies is also added to the time table. Pupils are offered the option of English Literature as an IGCSE course as from Year 10.
In Years 10 and 11 a limited but expanding option system is put into operation allowing pupils to “play to their strengths” while ensuring that they continue with priority subjects. Eventually all students will study 12 subjects throughout these two years leading to IGCSE’s in 8 or 9 of these. As from September 2006, Chemistry and Food and Nutrition Technology will be introduced.
Increasingly throughout the school I.C.T. is assuming the role of a means to learn and exercise other subjects as well as an independent discipline in its own right.
Getting Your Communication Platform Ready For International Marketing
Are just starting to aim for more international clients?
Have you already decided on:
• one product to sell abroad?
• one country to target?
If you have clear answers to both questions it's obvious you are already on your way.
If you do not have clear answers to these two questions, don't let it slow down your momentum. Some international web marketing can get you the answers you need to answer both of these questions.
But wait...
Your International Communication Platform
Before you start an international web marketing campaign take time to look at the communication platform that you will be using. Your international communication platform is your website. You need to stop and evaluate your website.
Is your current website international-friendly?
You see, your website was created for your current domestic audience. There is a high probability it will create some neutral reactions in your international visitors at best. There is also the chance that it will create some negative reactions.
You have three options:
• Internationalize your current website a little
• Internationalize your current website a lot
• Create a separate international website
Internationalize Your Current Website A Little
The basic steps to internationalizing your website will also make your website more appealing to your current audience. It simply applies the best web marketing practices there are out there.
You should choose this option if:
• your current website is culturally specific.
If you want to use this option and still get good international market feedback, you will need to incorporate some international integrated marketing. You will need more tools to generate feedback outside of your website.
Internationalize Your Website A Lot
This goes beyond your basic steps to internationalize your website and makes adjustments to stimulate more international feedback.
Your should chose this option if:
• these culturally specific feedback tools do not influence your current marketing to your domestic market in a negative way
The extra web tools to stimulate international market feedback will help you learn more about your international potential. And you will still need some integrated marketing to optimize results.
Create A Separate International Website
This option is often obvious for companies with a non-English website.
Companies with an English language website need to take the time to analyze the benefits of having a separate website for a broad international audience.
An international website will not keep you from needing localized websites as soon as you get serious about developing your business in specific countries.
You may feel tempted to skip over it and jump directly to localized websites. And yet an international website can help you with managing your international business expansion. It is all a question of:
• how fast you plan on expanding internationally
• how active your are in international marketing
• how targeted your international marketing is
• how fast your international markets will react to your offer
A separate international website is the logical place to start to create a global website. You only need a global website after you have a few strong localized websites.
Find The Best Platform
The important thing to remember is your website is just the platform. You will need to create targeted communication for your international markets. Either to a broad international audience, or to country specific audiences.
Your current communication methods will also help you decide whether to subtly renovate your current website, or to create stronger communication platforms.
Remember the primary aim should be to cultivate as much foreign feedback as you can. When you first start out you need to find out as much as you can about your international markets.
Adequate feedback will tell you what to sell and where to sell it to. A good feedback system will also help you during the process of adapting your chosen product to your targeted country.
Have you already decided on:
• one product to sell abroad?
• one country to target?
If you have clear answers to both questions it's obvious you are already on your way.
If you do not have clear answers to these two questions, don't let it slow down your momentum. Some international web marketing can get you the answers you need to answer both of these questions.
But wait...
Your International Communication Platform
Before you start an international web marketing campaign take time to look at the communication platform that you will be using. Your international communication platform is your website. You need to stop and evaluate your website.
Is your current website international-friendly?
You see, your website was created for your current domestic audience. There is a high probability it will create some neutral reactions in your international visitors at best. There is also the chance that it will create some negative reactions.
You have three options:
• Internationalize your current website a little
• Internationalize your current website a lot
• Create a separate international website
Internationalize Your Current Website A Little
The basic steps to internationalizing your website will also make your website more appealing to your current audience. It simply applies the best web marketing practices there are out there.
You should choose this option if:
• your current website is culturally specific.
If you want to use this option and still get good international market feedback, you will need to incorporate some international integrated marketing. You will need more tools to generate feedback outside of your website.
Internationalize Your Website A Lot
This goes beyond your basic steps to internationalize your website and makes adjustments to stimulate more international feedback.
Your should chose this option if:
• these culturally specific feedback tools do not influence your current marketing to your domestic market in a negative way
The extra web tools to stimulate international market feedback will help you learn more about your international potential. And you will still need some integrated marketing to optimize results.
Create A Separate International Website
This option is often obvious for companies with a non-English website.
Companies with an English language website need to take the time to analyze the benefits of having a separate website for a broad international audience.
An international website will not keep you from needing localized websites as soon as you get serious about developing your business in specific countries.
You may feel tempted to skip over it and jump directly to localized websites. And yet an international website can help you with managing your international business expansion. It is all a question of:
• how fast you plan on expanding internationally
• how active your are in international marketing
• how targeted your international marketing is
• how fast your international markets will react to your offer
A separate international website is the logical place to start to create a global website. You only need a global website after you have a few strong localized websites.
Find The Best Platform
The important thing to remember is your website is just the platform. You will need to create targeted communication for your international markets. Either to a broad international audience, or to country specific audiences.
Your current communication methods will also help you decide whether to subtly renovate your current website, or to create stronger communication platforms.
Remember the primary aim should be to cultivate as much foreign feedback as you can. When you first start out you need to find out as much as you can about your international markets.
Adequate feedback will tell you what to sell and where to sell it to. A good feedback system will also help you during the process of adapting your chosen product to your targeted country.