Sunday, December 29, 2019

Gender Discrimination And The Workplace - 2876 Words

In today’s society, we are faced with many challenges in the workforce. It can be as simple as the initial trial of finding a job, or getting along with our coworkers. Not many individuals are jumping at the opportunity to complain about work, since our economy is continuously going through up’s and down’s as is. Once we finish our education and are out in the â€Å"real world†, our expectations conclude that people have reached maturity, and that stereotyping and discrimination cease to exist. But it is from my own personal experience that I have found this is in fact, not the case, and that harassment in the workplace is a very real issue. Primarily, I am researching the way media portrays gender-biases in the workplace, and why they are relevant. Additionally, I am looking at which occupations might lead to higher levels of emotional stress related to gender inequality for women, and to what historical events or patterns may have manifested these inequa lities. My goal is to provide specific examples of sexism towards women in the workplace, and I will be demonstrating how feminist theorists discuss the topic of inequality at work. Starting out in the working world is always a nerve-wracking point in one’s life. Once hired, you have certain expectations to uphold, expectations on deadlines, work performance, and interpersonal performance. By dealing with the additional burden of harassment in the workforce, one is bound to have a harder time satisfying these expectations.Show MoreRelatedGender Discrimination And The Workplace Essay1242 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen make towards gender workplace equality but gender workplace discrimination continues to be an impediment to gender equality. For the purpose of research on gender workplace discrimination, I used four journal articles. The first article, Minimizing Workplace Gender and Racial Bias, by author William T. Bielby, discusses stereotyping in the workplace. The article o ffers suggestions on how organizations should review their policy and procedures to minimize bias in the workplace. This articleRead MoreGender Discrimination At The Workplace962 Words   |  4 Pages Gender Discrimination in the Workplace Santisha Fleming Human Resource Management Dr.Juluis Demps –Management 360 Jacksonville University April, 1, 2015â€Æ' American women can vote, hold office, and they can work in a public work environment. They are considered have an equal opportunity when compared to men. What is the true definition of equal employment opportunity? Does this mean that women and men are offered the same opportunities in the workplace? As well treated equally in regardsRead MoreGender Discrimination At The Workplace1165 Words   |  5 PagesGender discrimination in the workplace is a recurring issue in businesses today. Employees are given the right by their employers to be protected from discrimination and inequality in the workplace. In just about every business setting today, men and women work together in the same fields, jobs, and projects. However, it has only been up until (relatively) recently that men and women have been in competition for the same jobs. With the predetermined assumptions of the different roles between bothRead MoreGender Discrimination in the Workplace765 Words   |  4 Pages Gende r discrimination can cover a wide variety of social prejudice. Throughout much of world history, even American history women have been treated as second class citizens. In the United States women have had to fight for rights such as the right to vote, or own land. These are just a few examples of the many injustices that women have had to face. Men have held the position of leadership, and power throughout history when it comes to almost everything. Men would even decide to whom a womenRead MoreGender Discrimination At The Workplace866 Words   |  4 PagesGender Discrimination in the Workplace Many people associate certain occupations with a certain gender, like women with nurses and teachers, and men with lawyers and truck drivers. If those genders and occupations switched, the majority would deem it unethical. Occupations should not be linked with specific genders; whereas, they should be accessible to both genders. In certain occupations, people are treated differently because of their gender and labeled with different stereotypes. There shouldRead MoreGender Discrimination And The Workplace1356 Words   |  6 Pages2.1 Introduction For many decades now it has been said that there has been inequality in the workplace, it has been a major issue in the workplace in terms of women not being allowed to have certain jobs as well as in terms of women not being promoted within the workplace which all contributes to women being paid less than men. According to Ryan and Branscombe (2013), gender discrimination has been defined as the differential treatment members of one group receive compared to another by many socialRead MoreGender Discrimination In The Workplace1867 Words   |  8 PagesDiscrimination in the workplace, specifically gender discrimination is a significant matter, impacting women all over the world. Defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 11, discrimination is ‘Any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of op portunity or treatment in employment or occupation.’. As stated by GillianRead MoreGender Discrimination At The Workplace1749 Words   |  7 PagesMatthew Anders Prof. Bross College Writing November 14, 2014 Gender Discrimination in The Workplace In recent years, the issue of gender equality in the workplace and equal pay has been under serious debate. Although there has been significant improvement since when women were first able to work and equal opportunity laws were created, there is still some room for more improvement. The federal government has made laws over the years such as The Civil Rights act, Equal Pay Act and Family andRead MoreGender Discrimination And The Workplace Essay1811 Words   |  8 PagesStereotypical gender norms have had a negative impact on what our society perceives as normal tasks for female accountants. More often than not, male accountants are given more demanding tasks in comparison to their female coworkers who are equally qualified but handed less strenuous tasks. Currently, there seems to be a gap in the ratio of women to men in positions of authority. This can be a variety of reasons, one being social norms of what is expected of women in the workforce. Women are frequentlyRead MoreGen der Discrimination And The Workplace1835 Words   |  8 PagesGender Discrimination There are many things that a potential employee has to worry about when considering taking a position within a company. Things like the amount of pay they need, the benefits that will be offered to them, the values and morals of the company and whether or not those values and morals align with their own, and if they could see themselves growing within this company throughout the years because no one wants to work a dead end job for the rest of their life. However, along with

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Organizational Behaviour - Emotional Stability - 2043 Words

Over the past years, many have related emotional stability with one’s ability to perform in work. This essay will review emotional stability as one of The â€Å"Big Five† Personality Model in relation to the workplace and work behavior. In order to further reinforce the concept, different academic journals from recent years will be used to deliver ideologies on the definition of emotional stability, ways to encourage emotional stability, how it affects the workforce both as employees and managers while contrasting with people with neurotic behavior. Emotional stability means having a calm behavior, whether a certain project in work has been deemed a success or a failure. It is the ability to control his or her emotional expressions while†¦show more content†¦Emotional stability may be one of the big five personality factors, but there is evidence that suggests external factors which encourage and discourages this behavior. For example, being emotionally unstab le may also be as a result of job dissatisfaction. These factors, such as having a heavy work load will increase job dissatisfaction and will eventually lead to a burnout, which is associated with negative emotions. While there are factors that lead to neuroticism, Teng et al. (2009: 2088) also discuss that there are ways to promote emotional stability. Research has shown that emotional stability can be taught (Yang amp; Wang cited in Teng et al. 2009: 2089), and that there is almost no correlation between emotional stability across the years for the same individual (Hampson amp; Goldberg cited in Teng et al. 2009: 2089). As this is the case, it is possible that emotional stability can be instilled and regulated by looking at other external factors that might contribute to them. Factors that may result in decreased job satisfaction should be looked at immediately and it is important for managers to create an organizational environment that promotes the emotional stability of employ ees. There has been much debate about what makes a good leader in the workplace, and parallel to this discussion is the question whether a good leader needs emotional stability to succeed, and if so, why. To do this, the term emotional intelligence comes intoShow MoreRelatedOrganizational Culture and Behavior in the Age of Globalization1221 Words   |  5 PagesIn the age of globalization, an in-depth study and understanding of the organization’s culture and behaviour have become vital as its people comprise of different race, colour and culture. Organizational behaviour basically defines the interaction of human beings in a given organization and analysis of individuals and groups characteristics facilitates better understanding, prediction and improvisation in work place, leading to improved performance. Workers are the pillars of the organization andRead MoreReflecton on my Intrapersonal Effectiveness in an Organizational Setting1115 Words   |  5 Pages(reference). According to Hough and Ones (2003), â€Å"personality variables are now recognized as important in predicting and understanding individual†¦ performance and effectiveness. The ‘big five-factor model’ utilises the personality traits: emotional stability, extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness to identify which traits that you possess might affect your intrapersonal effectiveness (Chang, 2014). This is done through the International Personality Item Pool (NEORead MoreEmotion Labor820 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Emotional labour is the act of expressing organizationally required emotions during interactions with others at work (Buchanan amp; Huczynski, 2010). Emotions are not simply for pleasure of people involved but they have an exchange value which is linked to profit. It also requires coordination of mind and feeling. The emotional style of offering a service has not only become part of the service itself (Hochschild, 2003), but increasingly is now often more important than the serviceRead MoreOrganisational Behaviour Challenges Sb1292 Words   |  6 PagesOrganisational Behaviour in the 21st Century Snehaal Bhalavat October 9, 2010 To explain the challenges faced by today’s organisations, I will first express my understanding on organizational behaviour and further will highlight challenges and explain the problems in context to Indian business. Managing People Often managers think managing people is something that they often think they can do, or indeed ought to be able to do. The interesting thing is that it is neither something theyRead MoreThe Implementation Plan Is Based On Lewins 3 Step Model Of Change1279 Words   |  6 Pagesunitary and coherent organizational image. To accurately identify objectives and set realistic goals, a SWOT analysis can be performed. It is recommended that the new direction of the company is to create a world-class respectful, non-discriminatory workplace where employees enjoy working and learning. Unfreezing: Stakeholder Engagement and Communication– Once the strategic direction is determined, the change process has to focus on unfreezing the equilibrium before old behaviours can be eliminatedRead MoreGeneral Intelligence : An Effect On The Development Of An Individual s Intelligence880 Words   |  4 PagesCHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW David. Wechsler,(1940) mentioned intelligence as an effect rather than a cause and mentioned that general intelligence can’t be adequate but there are other non-intellectual important factors too like, personality, behaviour impact the development of an individual’s intelligence. Inaddition, H.Gardner,(1983) stated two types of personal intelligences interpersonal and intrapersonal. Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer begat the term Passionate Intelligence in 1990 depictingRead MoreHuman Dynamics-Motivation, Attitude, Perception Assignment1359 Words   |  6 Pagesopinion or belief segment of an attitude. * AFFECTIVE COMPONENT OF ATTITUDE: It means emotional or feeling segment of an attitude. * BEHAVIORAL COMPONENT OF ATTITUDE: It means an intention to behave in a certain way towards someone or something. Some of the major job attitudes are: * JOB SATISFACTION * JOB INVOLVEMENT * ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT * PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT * EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT PERSONALITY: IT CAN BE DESCRIBED AS SUM TOTAL WAYS INRead MorePersonality Analysis : Narayana Murthy847 Words   |  4 PagesLEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR PERSONALITY ANALYSIS NAGAVARA RAMARAO NARAYANA MURTHY Submitted By – Aniruddh Sarkar Ankit Garg Anushree Vij Gaurav Sakhuja Shantanu Das Sukrita Goyal INTRODUCTION:- Some people leave imprints in our life because of the charisma in their persona. All that remains in our memory is a person’s behavior and attitude in life and that essentially determines a person’s character. As a part of our academic study we got a chance toRead MoreCulture And Culture : Organizational Culture Essay2227 Words   |  9 Pagesdifferent ways. One such approach to culture is organizational culture. The behaviour of the employees and through this the external image of the organization is determined by the organization’s culture (Bratianu, Vasilache, Jianu, 2006). Organizations have increasingly started to focus on the unique culture innate to them, trying to find ways to gain a competitive edge over others. There is no single widely accepted definition of organizational culture although one commonly known definition byRead MoreThe Importance Of A Job Performance On The Workplace1149 Words   |  5 Pagesof countries in the world are tending eco nomics so job performance is issue which all of people attend. Job performance consists of the observable behaviours that people do in their jobs that are relevant to the goals of the organization because of the importance of high productivity in the workplace. Performance definitions should focus on behaviours rather than outcomes because if employees only focus on outcomes, it can affect other important performances and they cannot be performed even though

Friday, December 13, 2019

Kfc and the Global Fast-Food Industry in 2003-2004 Free Essays

KFC and the Global Fast-Food Industry in 2003-2004 Course: MGT 710 [pic] 1. Executive Summary This paper analyzes the market situation of the major U. S. We will write a custom essay sample on Kfc and the Global Fast-Food Industry in 2003-2004 or any similar topic only for you Order Now fast-food firms in Latin America in 2004 from the perspective of the KFC Corporation. By analyzing political, economic, cultural, logistical, and competitive forces, a potential strategy for KFC to successfully establish a strong position in Central and South America is proposed. Through a thorough analysis, it was determined that KFC should establish wholly-owned subsidiaries in Mexico and Brazil to manage operations in Central and South America, respectively. After a strong position is established in these countries, KFC should then open franchises in Central America, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and Chile. 2. Problem 1. Expanding into Latin America From 1993 to 2002, KFC dominated the chicken segment of the U. S. fast-food market. Their market share, however, decreased by 13. 4% over that 10 year period (Exhibit 4, 553). As the fast-food market matured, firms began to focus on globalization to continue growth. By early 2004, 56% of KFC’s restaurants were outside of the U. S. (558). Their initial focus was on Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean, where they established dominance among competitors. Their struggle was in expanding beyond those markets. In their attempt to expand into Central and South America, KFC was met with many challenges. Many Latin American markets had not adopted the fast-food concept and preferred a more leisurely dining experience. The intense competition with major U. S. fast-food chains made it very risky to enter a new market. The geographic distance from the corporate offices made it difficult to control standards and quality. To continue growth, KFC would have to develop a strategy to overcome these obstacles and expand into these markets. 2. Strengthening position in Central America KFC initially expanded into Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean due to geographic proximity and existing political and economic ties to the U. S. They were able to establish dominance in these markets because they had first-mover advantage and the local cultures accepted the fast-food concept. To further expand into Central America, KFC will have to develop a strategy to leverage their strong positions in Mexico and the Caribbean. They will have to consider factors such as the business model, global integration, national responsiveness, and mitigating risk. 3. Breaking into South America KFC had attempted to enter Brazil, with limited success. Political, economic, and cultural challenges had prevented KFC from gaining a foothold, and subsequently forced them to pull out of the market. Other countries in South America had little competitive presence, but had significant barriers to entry. In addition, the farther away the countries are from the corporate offices, the more expensive and logistically difficult the operation becomes. To enter these markets, KFC would have to carefully weigh its options to establish a presence and mitigate risk. 3. Analysis 1. Industry analysis 1. Basic economic characteristics Latin America is home to more than 550 million people. It has an aggregate GDP of more than $4 trillion. Figure 1 shows that Brazil and Mexico have the highest GDP. However, Argentina, Chile, and Costa Rica have the highest GDP per capita. [pic] Figure 1 – Latin America GDP (Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Latin_America) 2. Competition In general, Central America and Brazil are the markets most penetrated by the large U. S. fast-food chains. McDonald’s is the dominant competitor in Latin America, with 584 stores in Brazil, 261 stores in Mexico, and 203 stores in Argentina. KFC follows with 274 stores in Mexico and 134 stores in the Caribbean. Burger King operates 163 stores in Puerto Rico and 154 stores in Mexico. Wendy’s only operates 143 stores in all of Latin America (Exhibit 6, 559). To assess the competitive landscape, Porter’s Five Forces model can be used, as shown in Figure 2. For KFC, the highest levels of competitive rivalry are in Central America and Brazil. Most of South America, with the exception of Brazil, has relatively low penetration. The threat of new entrants is high within any market, as all of the major competitors are vying for the same markets. The threat of substitute products is also generally high, since fast-food chains must compete with established local restaurants that already cater to the local tastes and customs. The bargaining power of customers is medium in more developed countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina where customers are less price sensitive. In less developed Latin American countries, however, the bargaining power is high where most customers cannot afford high prices. The bargaining power of suppliers is medium in most countries where there aren’t a large amount of imports, but high in countries like Mexico and Brazil. [pic] Figure 2 – Porter’s Five Forces (Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis) 3. Factors driving change As Latin American countries become more developed, they begin to adopt more global brands. As the internet penetrates these markets, users become exposed to global brands. Cultures begin to change as the world becomes a global market. While they do maintain local tastes and values, people begin to separate from traditions and become more modern. As economies become more developed, people begin to adopt the on-the-go lifestyle that we are accustomed to in the U. S. As countries like the U. S. drive globalization to foreign markets, trade barriers are often removed and countries begin to adopt foreign firms. 4. Relative strength of firms As previously stated, McDonald’s has the strongest position with 1,605 stores in Latin America. KFC follows with 650 stores, followed by Burger King and Wendy’s. McDonald’s is dominant in South America, while KFC controls Central America. 5. Rivals’ next moves The most significant acquisition of note is McDonald’s purchase of Boston Market in 2000. Boston Market caters to the growing trend for healthy fast-food, as well as the casual, sit-down atmosphere that is popular in Latin America. While Boston Market does not have any presence in Latin America, McDonald’s could decide to leverage existing resources to expand there. 6. Critical success factors All franchise corporations are concerned with standards and consistency between units. While certain factors can differ from one region to the next, a general level of consistency is needed with regards to product quality and taste. It is critical that service and cleanliness are upheld to a high level of quality. Particularly in Latin American markets, the menus may need to be diversified and incorporate local flavors. With the great distance between Latin American markets and corporate headquarters, effectively executing logistics, distribution, and operations is critical to success. Effectively managing resources and keeping costs low will also be critical when entering new markets. With the political and economic events that may occur, the firm must be resilient to changes in the economy and trade regulations. Firms should seek to establish relationships with local governments in order to protect their interests abroad. 2. Strategic planning for foreign market entry 1. Identifying company’s objective in foreign market entry The first step in developing KFC’s Latin American strategy is to identify the objectives for entering new markets. Some reasons to enter new markets would be to exploit an untapped market, obtain a competitive advantage, secure essential raw materials and distribution channels, and cutting costs by employing inexpensive labor. Currently, KFC has a large presence in Mexico and the Caribbean. This gives them a launching point to enter nearby markets. The nearby Central American countries have a relatively low presence from the large fast-food firms. The Central American region is home to approximately 40 million people. According to Figure 1, the Central American nations have a GDP of approximately $173 billion. This region has a considerably sized market, relatively low penetration, and proximity to KFC’s large presence in Mexico, making it ideal for entry. Brazil is the largest and most coveted market in Latin America. Unfortunately, McDonald’s has a large competitive advantage with 584 stores. KFC has failed in the past to enter this market, but the opportunity is still there. Establishing a position in this market would allow KFC to power investments in other South American markets. While they may not be able to dominate the market, it is a strategic location that would act as the locus for all South American operations. Argentina and Chile have $445B and $161B GDP, respectively, making them large attractive markets. They also have the highest GDP per capita in Latin America. While McDonald’s has a relatively strong position in these countries, there should still be opportunity for KFC to capitalize on. Other South American countries, such as Paraguay, and Uruguay, Have little competitive presence and a relatively low GDP. These countries may not have strategic value to the company. 2. Preliminary country screening After determining the objectives for each country, an analysis of advantages and attractiveness can be performed. To determine national competitive advantages, Porter’s diamond model is used, shown in Figure 3. Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile stand out as the most developed Latin American countries. This indicates that advanced factor endowments such as infrastructure, skilled labor, and technology should be readily available. Demand conditions should also be most favorable in the countries with the highest GDP, as an active economy tends to increase demand for on-the-go meals. The most significant supporting industry is the poultry industry. According to the USDA, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina have the largest poultry industries in the region. [pic] Figure 3 – National Competitive Advantage (Source: http://www. teagasc. ie/research/reports/foodprocessing/4984/eopr-4984. htm) 3. Risks in foreign markets In all Latin American countries, there is a high degree of political risk, due to the propensity of corruption and instability in governments. This is apparent even in the more developed Latin American countries. Many Latin American countries restrict the import of foreign goods, or give preferential treatment to adjacent countries. In addition, the distance from existing production and distribution channels imposes a great risk to the supply of goods to the more southern countries in the region. One of the main company factors is the shortage of skilled labor and high rate of turnover in Latin American markets. For KFC to succeed in any Latin American market, they will need to increase employee retention through training or benefits. 4. Capabilities, resources, and skills needed to succeed in foreign markets The key success factors were described in Section 3. 1. 6. It is important to note that the farther away the country is from existing trade channels, the more difficult it will be for KFC to control quality, standards, distribution, and logistics. Also, the less developed nations will be more susceptible to economic and political events that could devastate KFC’s interest in the market. 5. Fulfilling key success factors KFC’s key strength is their established dominance in Mexico. This position provides many financial and political benefits due to the NAFTA treaty. It also provides them with a strategic position to enter nearby Central American markets. They do not have established trade channels in most of South America, so it will be difficult for them to manage operations without a strong presence in at least one market. This is the main reason why Brazil is a key market to enter. Being that KFC is such a large company within an even larger conglomerate of fast-food chains, the firm should be able to withstand political or economic changes and a loss of revenue during the development stage. Overall, KFC fulfills the key success factors in Central America, but will need to establish a position in at least one major South American market in order to expand there. . Entering the target markets In determining how to enter the target markets, the level of global integration vs. national responsiveness should be assessed. Figure 4 shows the various strategies that can be employed given the appropriate level of integration and responsiveness. The markets in Latin America should be similar enough for KFC to keep menus, processes, and sta ndards consistent across all markets. Pricing and advertising may differ depending on the level of economic development and communications infrastructure in each nation. In addition, KFC would need to implement different business models depending on the proximity, size of the market, and cultural uniqueness. For this reason, KFC should implement a transnational strategy that would keep many aspects consistent, but some aspects unique between various markets. [pic] Figure 4 – Global Integration vs. National Responsiveness 7. Compare and rank targeted countries From the analysis performed, each Latin American market considered was ranked based on the variables discussed. By comparing GDP, geographic proximity, population, and relative penetration of competitors, Table 1 shows the countries scored and ranked. Economy |Competition |Proximity |Market size |Presence |Total | |Mexico |12 |12 |13 |12 |13 |62 | |Brazil |13 |13 |7 |13 |4 |50 | |Caribbean |5 |7 |11 |8 |12 |43 | |Puerto Rico |6 |11 |12 |2 |11 |42 | |Central America |3 |9 |10 |10 |9 |41 | |Colombia |10 |5 |8 |11 |6 |40 | |Argentina |11 |10 |3 |10 |4 |38 | |Venezuela |7 |8 |9 |6 |5 |35 | |C hile |9 |6 |4 |5 |8 |32 | |Peru |8 |3 |5 |7 |7 |30 | |Ecuador |4 |4 |6 |4 |10 |28 | |Paraguay |1 |2 |2 |3 |4 |12 | |Uruguay |2 |2 |1 |1 |4 |10 | |Table 1 – Results of market analysis 4. Recommendations 1. Markets to enter From the results of the analysis performed, KFC should operate company-owned units in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean where it already has a strong position. It should then open franchises in Central American markets to mitigate risk until a strong position can be established, at which point KFC should buy back the successful franchises. KFC should develop a wholly-owned subsidiary in Brazil and aggressively establish a strong foothold. This is not only one of the most attractive markets; it is also a critical strategic location to be the headquarters of South American operations. Once a strong position is established in Brazil, KFC should open franchises or joint-ventures in Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and Chile. Given the relatively low scores, KFC should not consider expanding further into Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, or Uruguay. Although KFC already has operations in Peru and Ecuador, they are not strategically valuable and should be closed or sold if they are not consistently profitable. 2. Strategy for entry 1. Corporate strategy At the corporate level, KFC should focus on developing wholly-owned subsidiaries to act as the regional headquarters in Mexico and Brazil. This would allow KFC to centralize control over standards, quality, process, and distribution within those regions. This tiered structure would lessen the burden on KFC’s U. S. corporate management and provide more specialized attention to those local markets. To offset regional events that may affect all of Latin America, KFC should also consider entering markets in Europe and Asia. If an economic catastrophe were to hit Brazil, for instance, markets in all nearby countries would be severely impacted as well. The Yum! Corporation should also consider strategies to expand its other brands into Latin America as well to leverage KFC’s success. The multibrand strategy that has been so successful in the U. S. may prove successful in Latin America as well. 2. Business strategy At the business level, KFC should develop aggressive marketing strategies in countries where competitors have a strong presence. In Brazil, for instance, KFC will have to fiercely battle McDonald’s to gain market share. In less developed countries, KFC should enter cautiously and focus on mitigating risk. KFC should leverage their strong global brand and target the younger generation. Through internet marketing, KFC should be able to reach the young, modern generation that has a higher acceptance for the fast-food model. KFC should implement a transnational strategy in Latin America. While quality, service, and products should remain consistent throughout Latin America, KFC should develop unique strategies for marketing, pricing, and business models in each region. KFC should launch company-owned stores in high growth markets and enter the rest with franchises or joint-ventures until a strong position is established. In high growth markets, company-owned businesses would allow fixed costs to be spread across multiple restaurants, subsequently allowing for lower prices and increased margins. Franchising would leverage the expertise of local entrepreneurs with understanding of the local customs, language, and marketing strategies. This would help to mitigate the risk of entering unknown markets. 3. Functional strategy Regional franchises should interface with the wholly-owned subsidiaries in Mexico and Brazil. These subsidiaries would control management, distribution, standards, quality assurance, and advertising for their associated franchises. The Central and South American subsidiaries should focus on developing close ties with the governments in their regions. They should lobby to remove trade barriers between nations in order to streamline distribution. They should also focus on developing ties with the local communities in order to gain acceptance from local culture. KFC should develop specialized marketing campaigns for each region, depending on the similarities in culture. They should focus on targeting the young, career-minded demographic through internet marketing. Depending on the lifestyle habits of those individuals, they should also target them through appropriate media advertising. 5. Conclusion KFC is one of the dominant players in the global fast-food industry. They have sufficient resources to launch an aggressive strategy into Latin America. By leveraging their strong position in Mexico, KFC can successfully establish a strong position in Central America. By outsourcing management of Central American firms to a wholly-owned subsidiary in Mexico, KFC will be able to streamline operations and maintain control over franchisees. Although it will be difficult, establishing a foothold in Brazil is KFC’s best strategic option for entering South America. By aggressively marketing the younger demographic, KFC should be able to gain a considerable market share, even though McDonald’s maintains the dominant position. Once they have been successful in Brazil and a wholly-owned subsidiary is established, KFC can then begin to expand further into South America. By implementing this general strategy and addressing the factors and risks discussed in the analysis, KFC should be able to gain substantial market share and continue to grow the firm. How to cite Kfc and the Global Fast-Food Industry in 2003-2004, Essays

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Honeypot For Arbitrary Malware Usb Storage â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Honeypot For Arbitrary Malware USB Storage? Answer: Introduction Malicious software can be defined as a kind of deliberate security risk or threat. The developer of such software has malicious intention. If a system is infected with a malicious code then the system will get damaged and lose all its data (Uscilowski, 2013). Malware has several capabilities that include but is not limited to denial of operations, exploitation of vulnerabilities as well as gaining access to other system in an unauthorized manner. This report gives a clear overview of the recent and advanced trends in malware. It discuses about different kinds of malware that are existing in the market at present. It also gives a clear idea about all the technologies that are relevant in this context. It also discusses about the problems and challenging factor in malware attacks. This report figures out the important issues and its impact on the society. It gives a clear explanation of the lessons that have been learnt from the entire discussion about recent malware trends. Malware and its Types Malware or malicious codes can be considered to be one of the most harmful and dangerous security threats in this era of ICT (Wang, Streff Raman, 2012). In malware attacks the malicious program is entered into a system for the purpose of gaining unauthorized or illegal access to valuable and sensitive information. The main motto of the malware developers is to earn money or harm the users intentionally. There are several types of malware as follows: Virus: Virus is an executable program that has the capability to run or execute on any system without any permission. The execution process is carried on secretly so that the system does not come to know about it (Zhou Jiang, 2012). Viruses are incapable of duplicating itself or creating its own copies. Worms: Worms are capable of creating their own copies or replicating unlike viruses (Gandotra, Bansal Sofat, 2014). The network plays a significant role in sending the copies of the worms to different systems or nodes present in the network. Worms are said to consume high network bandwidth and have a malignant nature. Trojan horse: An application that appears to be useful and legitimate but actually contains malicious programs hidden within it is called a Trojan horse. These kinds of applications pretend to scan systems for a spyware but in reality it has been seen that they are stealing sensitive data from the systems. Spyware: This kind of malware is known for spying on the system and the activities of the system. It is capable of collecting valuable data from system in a hidden way (Erturk, 2012). It has the capability to monitor the activities of the user. Adware: This software is responsible for playing and displaying various advertisements automatically. This kind of software is developed for producing revenue for the developer of the advertisement. Ransomware: This kind of malware is known for blocking the user from accessing valuable and necessary data. It encrypts the data of the user and makes the data available to the user in exchange for a ransom amount generally paid in Bitcoins (O'Gorman McDonald, 2012). Recent Trends in Malware The recent or current malware trends tell that malware threats and attacks are increasing with the growing use of ICT. Malware can be considered to be evasive in nature as it has the capability to harm any system in an aggressive manner. Vulnerabilities existing in the two factor authentication technique in mobile phones are being exploited by the malware. These kinds of attacks are becoming a major concern for the society. Malware has the capacity to leak data from cloud storage. It has been predicted that Monero ransomware will appear in the near future. Malware developers are showing interest in an approach called code signing approach. The aim of malware developers is to get valid certificate for entering the systems. The WannaCry ransomware attack is one of the most dangerous attacks that took place in the month of May, 2017 (Mohurle Patil, 2017). It had hit 100 countries across the world. Spain, Egypt, India, China and UK were also affected badly. 1000 systems in Russia had be en infected. WanaCryptor 2.0 or WannaCry is the name of the ransomware. The users were asked to pay 300 dollars Bitcoins in exchange for their data. This is the most recent malware attack that hit the world. Recent trends in malware include browser settings modification. In these types of malware attacks the browser settings of the user are changed. It has modified the browser settings of Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. They are also capable of changing proxy settings of users. Recently such malware is developed that has the capability to crack medium to weak passwords of a system. The family of malware has shown a great increase between 2012 and the year 2013. 69 per cent increase in the malware families have been observed within 2012-2013 (Uscilowski, 2013). The number of malware families that belonged to the android group was 121 in 2012 and it grew to 204 in 2013. Figure 1: Android Malware Trend (Source: Uscilowski, 2013, p. 10) The above figure clearly shows that the sample count has increased. Recent trends in malware have shown that they are generally entering the systems through several applications. Entertainment and games are considered to be the main entrance for malware. Malware attacks can harm the system by misusing and deleting the valuable data. The figure given below gives a clear idea of this fact. Figure 2: Top Ten Applications Category with highest percentage of Malware (Source: Uscilowski, 2013, p. 10) Challenges and Problems The user or human factor that is present in IT chain is known to be the weakest link. Human factor is considered to be one of the most challenging factors or issues in mobile security. As mentioned by Arabo and Pranggono (2013), a smart home is generally more prone to all types of malware attacks. Malware can attack and infect mobile phones, electronic devices and car navigation systems. There can be virus attacks in the home environment. Protection of healthcare devices like pacemaker has become one of the challenging issues in the present generation. Malware attacks in unprotected healthcare devices can transmit data and the settings of the devices can change that can lead to dangerous consequences. Malware attacks can reconfigure the device. During the online payment method an attacker can access financial data and use it for own advantage. Few malware attacks charges premium by sending messages. Another major challenge is Botnet. Several online resources can be changed into Botne ts by the attackers. Botnets send spam emails and host phishing sites. They are also responsible for DDoS attacks. Mobile devices are the main targets of Botnets. The malware attack rates are increasing because of the poor security features and vulnerabilities of the mobile devices. Relevant Technologies and its Applications in Malware USB or universal serial bus sticks are considered to play a significant role in the spread of malware across various devices (Poeplau Gassen, 2012). USB is capable of harming systems that do not form part of an unsecured network. USBs can be used by the user to transfer files from one device to another without being aware of the fact that the USB is affected with virus. Trusted devices should not be allowed to use USB for exchanging files and documents because an infected USB can modify and even delete the valuable data of the system. ICT and internet technology play a major role in the spread of malware attacks (Chen et al., 2012). Users can download malicious files from the internet and harm the system. Malware attacks can also take place via email over the internet. The growth of information and communication technologies has increased the chance of malware attacks in this present generation. Issues Discussed Most of the issues are regarding the mobile malware attacks that are taking place in the smart electronic devices. When a file downloaded from the internet then the cyber criminals can convert it into Botnet. Botnets have the capability to carry out DDoS attacks. They can even send spam mails to spread the malware (Arabo Pranggono, 2013). Phishing sites can also be hosted by Botnets. The malicious programs can execute in devices for misusing the sensitive as well as valuable information (Chandramohan Tan, 2012). There are several reasons why a mobile phone is attacked like its ubiquity and computational powers. It is easy to attack a mobile device as it operated on an open platform. ZeuS botnet is a well known banking malware that targets various types of mobile platforms namely iPhones, Blackberry and Symbian devices (Etaher, Weir Alazab, 2015). The financial sector considers this botnet to be the most malicious banking malware that can steal financial details as well as money of the users. Important Issues that are not addressed and its impact The literature reviews have not paid much attention to the ransomware attacks and it effects. These are a type of malware attacks where the malicious code blocks the user from accessing the data of the system. The attacker uses the malicious codes to encrypt the data of the system and agrees to decrypt the data in exchange for a ransom amount of Bitcoins. The attacker provides the decryption key after receiving the Bitcoins. Malicious websites can also be responsible for a ransomware attack. The impact of this attack is disruption of daily operations and damage of sensitive data. It has the ability to harm the organizations reputation as well. The victims of the attack will face monetary or financial loss because they will have to pay huge amount for recovering the system. Important Lessons Incorporation of advanced and strong security architecture in the system is required for preventing it from malware attacks. The operating system should be updated on a regular basis and users should only download reliable applications from official sites for protecting the system against malware attacks. Latest versions of Anti-Virus software must be installed in the system from preventing and detecting any virus attack (Hsu et al., 2012). Personal firewalls can be implemented that can prevent any illegal external intrusion. Trusted applications must only be used. Security solution can be high level only by following and using multi level technique or approach. Conclusion This report concluded malware threats or risks are becoming a major concern in this world of technology. Malware developers are bypassing detection by inventing advanced techniques. Malware attack incidents are growing by huge margin. This report explained about worms, viruses, ransomware and Trojan horses. It said that viruses do not have the capability to replicate on its own while worms have the capability to replicate. It said that the relevant technologies that are needed to spread malware attacks are USB and internet technology. This report showed that recent trends in malware are to change the browser settings and crack weak passwords. This report also gave an overview about the WannaCry ransomware attack that hit the world in May, 2017. The main issues related to malware attacks are found to be the vulnerabilities in the mobile electronic devices. This report also said that certain techniques can be applied to prevent malware attacks like implementing firewall, installing Ant i-Virus software and downloading trusted applications from official sites. This report concluded that incorporation of advanced and strong security architecture in the system is required for preventing it from malware attacks. References Arabo, A., Pranggono, B. (2013, May). Mobile malware and smart device security: Trends, challenges and solutions. InControl Systems and Computer Science (CSCS), 2013 19th International Conference on(pp. 526-531). IEEE. Chandramohan, M., Tan, H. B. K. (2012). 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