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www. hbr. org Even as companies are being told that the future lies in globalization, some are severely punished for their international moves. A simple test can help you decide what makes strategic sense for your organization. When You Shouldn’t Go Global by Marcus Alexander and Harry Korine Included with this full-text Harvard Business Review article: 1 Article Summary The Idea in Brief—the core idea The Idea in Practice—putting the idea to work 2 When You Shouldn’t Go Global 8 Further Reading A list of related materials, with annotations to guide further exploration of the article’s ideas and applicationsReprint R0812E This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. When You Shouldn’t Go Global The Idea in Brief Globalization promises substantial advantages like new growth and scale. For some companies, itâ €™s paid off handsomely. But global mania has also blinded many firms to a hard truth: global strategies are devilishly tough to execute. The landscape has become littered with some of these unfortunates’ remains.DaimlerChrysler and ABN Amro— dismembered and bought up by activist shareowners—are particularly painful examples. To escape this fate, don’t assume you should go global, say Alexander and Korine. Instead, determine whether a global move makes sense for your firm. Ask: †¢ Could the move generate substantial benefits? †¢ Do we have the capabilities (for example, experience in postmerger integration) required to realize those benefits? †¢ Will the benefits outweigh the costs (such as the complexity that comes with coordinating far-flung international operations)? A yes to these questions suggests globalizing may be right for you.The Idea in Practice THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE GOING GLOBAL Could the strategy generate substantia l benefits for our firm? The global race can lead you to overestimate the size of the prize. Example: Redland, a UK manufacturer of concrete roof tiles, expanded around the world to leverage its technical know-how beyond its home market. But it often sought opportunities in countries (such as Japan) where local building practices provided little demand for concrete roof tiles. Thus, there was no value in transferring its technology to such markets. Do we have the capabilities needed to achieve those benefits?Companies often lack the skills needed to unlock the coffer holding the prize. Example: Taiwanese consumer electronics company BenQ’s acquisition of Siemens’s mobiledevices business failed because BenQ lacked integration skills. It couldn’t reconcile the two companies’ incompatible cultures or integrate R&D activities across the two entities. BenQ’s German unit filed for bankruptcy in 2006. Will the benefits outweigh the costs? The full costs o f going global can dwarf even a sizable prize. Example: TCL, a Chinese maker of TVs and mobile phones, has expanded rapidly into the United States and Europe through acquisitions and joint ventures.It now has numerous R&D headquarters, R&D centers, manufacturing bases, and sales organizations. The cost of managing this complex infrastructure has outweighed the benefits of increased scale—creating large losses for TCL and several of its joint-venture partners. THREE INDUSTRIES WITH PARTICULAR GLOBALIZATION CHALLENGES †¢ Deregulated industries. Formerly stateowned industries (telecommunications, utilities) have globalized after deregulation to spur growth and escape stiffened competition at home.They assume they can use their existing competencies in new markets to achieve cross-border economies. But it’s been difficult, for example, for utilities to optimize electricity flows over uncoordinated grids. †¢ Service industries. Many service businesses (retailing, insurance) go global to generate growth beyond home markets threatened by foreign rivals. Their strategies hinge on coordination of people or processes—no easy feat. Wal-Mart, for instance, has struggled to get its partner firms and employees abroad to adopt its work methods. †¢ Manufacturing industries.For automobile and communications equipment makers, for example, global mergers and partnerships seem to offer the size needed to compete against consolidating rivals. But the complexities of integration can cause delays in achieving those gains. These companies thus have become vulnerable to economic slowdowns, which constrain their ability to pay for expansion and consolidation. COPYRIGHT  © 2008 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PUBLISHING CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. page 1 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine.Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. Even as companies a re being told that the future lies in globalization, some are severely punished for their international moves. A simple test can help you decide what makes strategic sense for your organization. When You Shouldn’t Go Global by Marcus Alexander and Harry Korine COPYRIGHT  © 2008 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PUBLISHING CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Economic globalization is viewed by some as the best hope for world stability, by others as the greatest threat.But almost everyone accepts that businesses of all types must embrace it. Even smaller enterprises—urged on by the ? nancial markets, by investment bankers and consultants, by the media, and by the moves they see rivals making—feel the strategic imperative to go global in one form or another. Although the current ? nancial crisis is putting a damper on such activity, the pressure on companies to globalize is likely to persist. With this sense of inevitability, it’s easy to forget the serious mistakes s ome companies have made because of their global strategies. Dutch ? ancial-services ? rm ABN Amro, for example, acquired banks in numerous countries but wasn’t able to achieve the integration needed to generate value with its international network. AES, a U. S. -based energy ? rm that operates 124 generation plants in 29 countries on ? ve continents, has in recent years struggled to show that it is worth more than the sum of its individual geographic units. Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler in 1998 in order to create a Welt AG—a world corporation—but never attained the power over markets and suppliers that this global position was supposed to deliver.And these days, companies can’t always chalk their mistakes up to experience and move on. Industry rivals and activist share owners are increasingly forcing ? rms to undo their international investments—despite, in many cases, early endorsement by analysts and the market—and even to ? re the sen ior management teams that made them. ABN Amro was dismembered last year by the Royal Bank of Scotland, Fortis, and Banco Santander, largely along geographic lines. AES’s share price has tumbled since investors’ initial enthusiasm for its globalization strategy, and some investment advisers are calling for the ? m to be split into three or more parts. The architect of the DaimlerChrysler deal, CEO Jurgen Schrempp, ? nally yielded to share-owner pressure and resigned, freeing up his successor to sell harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 2 When You Shouldn’t Go Global Chrysler to the private-equity giant Cerberus in 2007.Indeed, we believe that businesses with illconsidered globalization strategies are poised to become the next targets for breakup or corporate overhaul by activist share owners, just as companies with poorly thought-out business diversi? cation strategies were targets in the past. Today’s activists include private-equity ? rms, hedge funds, and traditional pension funds, and they wield in? uence through a variety of means, from vocal use of the platform offered by a minority stake to all-out takeover and sell-off. All right, even the best executive teams are going to make mistakes in a business environment as complex as today’s.And no one would deny that the forces driving globalization are powerful and that the business bene? ts of becoming a global player can be tremendous. What concerns us is that so many companies seem to share unquestioned assumptions about the need to go global and are lulled by apparent safety in numbers as they move toward potential disaster. We highlight in this article several industries where this mind-set has been prevalent and a number of companies that have paid a high price for adopting it . Avoiding Ill-Fated StrategiesBusinesses have had international ambitions at least since the founding of the British East India and Hudson’s Bay companies in the seventeenth century. Truly global corporations began appearing early in the last century, and their number has grown—with both successes and failures along the way—ever since. But the accelerated removal of political and regulatory barriers to cross-border trading and investment over the past 15 years, along with the advent of technology that enables companies to conduct business around the world 24 hours a day, has made a global presence a generally accepted requisite in many industries.From the late 1990s onward, with a brief pause during the 2001–2003 bear market, we have witnessed a head-over-heels rush by companies to globalize: Foreign direct investments are at record levels, cross-border partnerships and acquisitions are burgeoning, worldwide sourcing continues to increase, and the pursui t of customers in emerging economies grows ever more heated. Marcus Alexander is an adjunct professor of strategic and international management at London Business School, a director of the Ashridge Strategic Management Centre in London, and a coauthor, with Andrew Campbell, of â€Å"What’s Wrong with Strategy? (HBR November–December 1997). Harry Korine ([email  protected] edu) is a teaching fellow in strategic and international management at London Business School and a senior research fellow at IFGE in Lyon, France. He is a coauthor, with Pierre-Yves Gomez, of The Leap to Globalization (Jossey-Bass, 2002) and Entrepreneurs and Democracy (Cambridge University Press, 2008). Both authors have worked with some of the companies mentioned in this article. Although such moves have bene? ted—or at least not irreparably damaged—many companies, we’re beginning to see fallout. Sometimes ? ms have failed because their global strategies were deeply misguide d, other times because execution was more dif? cult than anticipated. We think that many failures could have been prevented—and would be avoided in the future—if companies seriously addressed three seemingly simple questions. 1. Are there potential bene? ts for our company? Just because a move makes sense for a rival or for companies in other industries doesn’t mean it makes sense for your own company or industry. The race to globalize sometimes leads people to overestimate the size of the prize.UK-based roof tile maker Redland, for example, expanded aggressively around the world beginning in the 1970s with the aim of leveraging its technical know-how beyond its home market. The problem: It often sought opportunities in countries, such as the United States and Japan, where local building practices provided very little demand for concrete roof tiles. Although the company was fully able to transfer the relevant technology, there was no value in doing so in such ma rkets. 2. Do we have the necessary management skills? Even if potential bene? ts do exist for your company, you may not be in a position to realize them.The theoretical advantages of globalizing—economies of scale, for example— are devilishly dif? cult to achieve in practice, and companies often lack the management key needed to unlock the coffer holding the prize. By the late 1990s, industrial conglomerate BTR had developed a presence in many countries. However, each business unit was run as a largely autonomous entity, with stringent pro? t accountability and little encouragement to work with others. This approach made sense in a fragmented world, but as BTR’s customers globalized, they came to expect coordinated supply and support across borders.Although the opportunity was clear and BTR seemed well positioned to seize it, the company found it impossible to implement an approach so alien to its traditions. Even after a change of CEO and other senior staffers, the company culture blocked attempts at global integration, and the 1999 merger with Siebe was seen by many analysts as an admission that BTR simply could not make the changes needed. harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement.To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 3 When You Shouldn’t Go Global 3. Will the costs outweigh the bene? ts? Even if you are able to realize the bene? ts of a global move, unanticipated collateral damage to your business may make the endeavor counterproductive. Too often, companies fail to see that the full costs of going global may dwarf even a sizable prize—for example, when an effort to harmonize the practices of national business units drives away customers or distracts national management teams from the needs of their markets.The increased complexity of managing international operations is a lso a threat. TCL, a Chinese maker of electronics and home appliances, has expanded rapidly into the United States and Europe through a series of acquisitions and joint ventures. As a result of deals in the past few years with Thomson and Alcatel, TCL has found itself with four R&D headquarters, 18 R&D centers, 20 manufacturing bases, and sales organizations in 45 countries. The cost of managing this infrastructure has outweighed the bene? ts of increased scale and resulted in large losses for both joint ventures.Globalization’s Siren Song Companies neglect to ask themselves these seemingly obvious questions because of their complacent assumptions about the virtues of going global—assumptions that are reinforced by seductive messages from, among other places, the stock market. Although the siren song of globalization has lured companies of all kinds into this risky strategic space, recently the call has been particularly insidious in certain industry contexts, three of which we describe here. (For a description of how a management imperative such as â€Å"Become more global† can rapidly spread, see the sidebar â€Å"TheSusceptibility to Managerial Fads. †) The Susceptibility to Managerial Fads The belief that companies must become more global is the latest in a long line of widely held and generally unquestioned assumptions that can undermine the rational behavior of companies or entire industries. The management trends—you might even call them fads—that grow out of these assumptions can be dangerous because they often lead to sloppy thinking. For example, the label used to describe a trend may get stretched far beyond its original meaning. â€Å"Reengineering† has come to mean nearly any corporate reorganization; â€Å"related diversi? ation† is used today to justify acquisitions within categories, such as â€Å"communications media† and â€Å"? nancial services,† that are so broad as to be almost meaningless. More troubling, the stampede by companies to join peers in mindlessly embracing such trends can cloud managers’ judgment about what is worthwhile and achievable in their particular case. The pathology of management fads has an underlying dynamic that is worth exploring: Company X, with talented people at the helm, pioneers a new management approach. The ? rm does well, and others take notice. Maybe one or two experiment with similar innovations.Then stock market analysts and journalists spot the new approach. They view it as part of a broader pattern, and someone comes up with a clever-sounding label. The word â€Å"paradigm† may even get tossed around. As the phenomenon gains visibility—often in publications like this one—academics develop â€Å"frameworks† to help companies understand it. Their codi? cation, intended simply to explain the phenomenon, further validates it. (Consultants also develop frameworks, though usually w ith the aim of selling the trend as a product. ) Over time, people use the now-familiar label more and more loosely.They group all manner of activities under the heading. Despite its ambiguity, there is a growing sense that activities under the rubric are worthwhile. Investment bankers cite the concept as a reason for companies to make acquisitions or other moves, and in the enthusiasm of deal making everyone glosses over the dif? culties of integration and implementation. Financial markets sometimes reward companies just for announcing that they have adopted the new approach. Sadly, the original insight, not to mention an appreciation of the context that gave rise to it, soon gets lost as ompanies scramble to become part of the trend. Before long, they are copying all sorts of elements and manifestations that are at best tangential and often irrelevant to the sought-after bene? t. By the time a few books have come out on the topic, managers are embarrassed if they can’t poin t to examples within their own organizations. As the herd piles in, smart managers are already scanning the horizon for a new idea that will give them a competitive advantage. But others continue to give little thought to whether the trend has played out—or was never likely to bene? a company in their situation. There is always a lag before misapplications of the concept start to affect companies’ numbers. Even when they do, many corporate managers, with stacks of statements and presentations extolling the virtues of the approach, are reluctant to abandon it. The stubborn ones carry on regardless of mounting costs— thereby setting the stage for activist share owners to step in and force a change. This discouraging scenario doesn’t unfold because the original concept was wrong. (Globalizing isn’t necessarily bad; not globalizing isn’t necessarily good. It plays out because embracing a trend often precludes careful examination of the pros and cons of the speci? c choices made by a single company in a particular context. harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 4 When You Shouldn’t Go Global Deregulated industries. Many businesses in formerly state-owned industries, such as telecommunications, postal services, and utilities, have responded to deregulation with aggressive global moves.Faced with limited growth opportunities and often increasing competition in their home markets, companies have accepted that geographic expansion is the best way to exercise their new strategic freedom. These companies, the argument goes, can apply existing competencies—providing voice and data communication, delivering letters and parcels, distributing electricity and water, even dealing with the deregulation process itself—in new m arkets. They will enjoy signi? cant savings by sharing resources across their international operations while â€Å"sticking to their knitting. The latter point—the importance of focusing on what they know how to do—is a key part of the argument, since unrelated diversi? cation, itself once a widely touted strategy, has been largely discredited. This apparently sound logic has turned out in many cases to be oversold by investment bankers or to be just plain ? imsy. Companies frequently pay far too much to enter foreign markets. Furthermore, many of the deregulated industries are â€Å"glocal†Ã¢â‚¬â€that is, customer expectations, operating environments, and management practices for what seem to be globally standard services can vary greatly depending on location.Water distribution, for instance, may not in fact be the same industry in the regulatory settings of two different countries. In addition, cross-border economies, if they exist at all, may be hard to ac hieve. It is dif? cult, for example, to optimize electricity ? ows over uncoordinated grids. Faced with such challenges, a number of companies have struggled with or reversed their global moves. Kelda, a UK water utility, sold its U. S. business six years after acquiring it because differences in pricing, environmental regulations, and distribution proved so great that the business could be run only on a stand-alone basis.Partly because of national differences in customer behavior, Deutsche Telekom has ended up running its U. S. unit, T-Mobile USA, as a completely independent business that could be sold off at any time. Rival telecom operator Vodafone has been forced by dissatis? ed share owners to unload its Japanese subsidiary, J-Phone. Deutsche Post, in assembling an international network of mail, express, and logistics services, overpaid signi? cantly for the U. S. express-delivery services DHL and Airborne. Germany’s former state-owned monopoly has also had great dif? ul ty integrating DHL’s entrepreneurial management culture with its own. Some analysts value the sum of Deutsche Post’s separate businesses as 25% greater than the market value of the company—an assessment that is likely to increase pressure to spin off some of those businesses. Service industries. Companies in traditionally national and fragmented service industries, such as retailing, consumer banking, and insurance, have viewed globalization as a way to realize scale economies and to generate growth beyond home markets themselves facing an incursion of foreign competition.In some cases, globalization seems to make sense because customers and suppliers are also becoming more global. As in deregulated industries, however, the â€Å"global† customer may be more national than anticipated. And obtaining scale economies across borders requires management skills and experience that many companies lack. For example, serving a customer that is truly global in a co nsistent way from multiple national of? ces is no easy task. Service businesses seeking to capture the bene? ts of a globalization strategy must, like ? rms in deregulated industries, pay attention to a mix of global and local factors.Purchasing can bene? t from careful coordination across borders, but marketing and sales may suffer from too much standardization. Certain services travel much better than others that seem remarkably similar. In shoe retailing, for instance, offerings targeted at the wealthy or the young are far more global than those aimed at the middle market, which remains doggedly local. In service businesses, many of the implementation challenges of a global strategy involve the coordination of people or processes. Wal-Mart, for instance, has struggled to get its partner ? ms and employees abroad to adopt its work routines. ABN Amro’s global empire was dismantled by predators because the international business was a collection of mostly unrelated operations in countries ranging from Brazil to Monaco. The company achieved few economies of scale: In marketing, harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 5 When You Shouldn’t Go Global for example, it didn’t enjoy the ef? iencies resulting from a single global brand, because local banks mostly kept their original names. Furthermore, its attempts at sharing information systems, management processes, and other bits of infrastructure were repeatedly delayed and then implemented haphazardly, creating few savings. The outcomes of some other service companies’ global strategies have not been so dire—but they have still fallen short of expectations. Starbucks has pursued international growth at a breakneck pace, even though margins abroad have been only about half those of the compa ny’s U. S. operations.Axa, the global French insurance group, has enjoyed satisfactory ? nancial performance from its many units around the world but has so far been unable to reduce its global cost base or convincingly roll out innovations, such as its U. S. variable-annuity program, internationally. Thus, although the globalization strategy hasn’t destroyed value, it also hasn’t added as much as originally envisioned. Manufacturing industries. Over the past decade, companies in manufacturing indus- tries, such as automobiles and communications equipment, have viewed rapid crossborder consolidation as necessary for survival.Global mergers and partnerships seem to be the only way for companies to obtain the size needed to compete against consolidating rivals, to reduce their reliance on home markets, and to gain manufacturing economies of scale. These bene? ts, though arguably easier to achieve than those sought by service companies (because local differences se em less problematic), are often outweighed by operational and organizational challenges. The complexities of integrating organizations and operations can cause costly delays or failures. And companies haven’t had the luxury of much time to realize the bene? s of integration. Counting on the bene? ts of size and scale to drop quickly to the bottom line, many manufacturers have become particularly vulnerable to economic slowdowns, which constrain their ability to pay for expansion and consolidation before an increasing debt-to-equity ratio forces their executive teams to cede control to ? nanciers or new management. Royal Ahold’s Downfall Dutch supermarket operator Royal Ahold is best known in recent years for an accounting scandal that led to the resignation of its CEO and its CFO in 2003. The ? nancial irregularities must be seen in light of the company’s mbitious, and ultimately unsuccessful, globalization strategy. Royal Ahold began its international expansion in the 1970s and accelerated it in the 1990s, eventually acquiring businesses throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the United States, to become the fourthlargest retailer in the world. But the bene? ts of owning this network of stores were hard to realize or didn’t exist in the ? rst place. Global economies of scale are one of the main rationales for international expansion. However, such economies, dif? cult to attain in many businesses, are particularly elusive in food retailing.Purchasing economies can be achieved only with items furnished by global suppliers to all markets—and these typically represent at most 20% of all supermarket items, because of cultural differences and the frequent need to source fresh food locally. Even apparently â€Å"international† products, such as hummus, must be adapted to different countries’ distinct tastes. Additionally, realizing synergies across a far-? ung network requires common information systems and mana gement processes, and Ahold made little effort to integrate its acquired businesses into the existing organization.Different information systems thus continued to coexist across the company, sometimes even within the same country. Ironically, the lack of integrated systems and processes needed to secure global bene? ts helped conceal the company’s ? nancial irregularities. And the failure to attain those bene? ts undoubtedly put pressure on top managers to produce favorable—if false— ? nancial results. When the new executive team ? nally introduced common management processes in the wake of the scandal, those processes did little to improve such activities as common purchasing across markets.As recently as last year, key suppliers were charging Ahold different prices in different countries. Ahold’s 2007 sale of most of its U. S. operations to private equity ? rms highlighted the nearly complete abandonment, under pressure from dissatis? ed minority share owners, of its once ambitious globalization strategy. The dissidents were concerned not about the usual over-diversi? cation of business types— after all, Royal Ahold remained focused on retailing—but about the over-diversi? cation of geographic locations. (Tests for suitable business diversi? ation are discussed in â€Å"Corporate Strategy: The Quest for Parenting Advantage,† by Andrew Campbell, Michael Goold, and Marcus Alexander, in the March– April 1995 issue of HBR. ) With the focus on governance at Ahold, the underlying story of failed globalization did not receive adequate attention until activist share owners jumped on it. harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 6When You Shouldn’t Go Global The merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler is a poster child fo r this problem: The German and U. S. automakers were different in almost every respect, from company cultures to purchasing practices, and they were never able to attain such bene? ts as the promised billions of dollars in savings from common supply management. Taiwanese consumer electronics company BenQ’s acquisition of Siemens’s mobile-device business followed a similar story line, including incompatibility of cultures and processes, as well as dif? culties in integrating R&D activities.In a haunting echo of the scramble by Daimler-Benz and Chrysler to merge, BenQ didn’t visit Siemens workshops and production lines before inking the deal, relying only on due diligence documents. Although BenQ continues to be active in mobile equipment, its German unit was declared bankrupt in 2007. In both of these cases—and in numerous others—the strategic logic for globalization was tenuous, and the skills needed to implement a globalization strategy effectivel y were in short supply. A Continuing Danger We aren’t saying that all globalization strategies are ? awed.Telefonica, Spain’s former telephone monopoly, has successfully expanded throughout much of the Spanish-speaking world. The past ? ve years have seen General Electric’s Commercial Finance business move rapidly and effectively into dozens of non-U. S. markets. Renault’s pathbreaking alliance with Nissan has to this point proved bene? cial for the French and Japanese automakers. But focusing on such success stories only reinforces the conventional wisdom that a globalization strategy is a blanket requirement for doing business—which in turn leads many companies to insuf? iently scrutinize their proposed global initiatives. (For a discussion of one of the gravest cases of failed globalization, see the sidebar â€Å"Royal Ahold’s Downfall. †) We expect this trend to continue, as ? rms in various industries recklessly pursue global str ategies. Take the emerging renewableenergy industry—companies developing technologies for biofuel, solar energy, and wind energy. We have talked with executives who, racing to establish a global position in this booming ? eld, are planning rapid expansion over the next few years in Africa, Asia, nd Latin America—and completely underestimating the management challenges involved. Many will, after initial applause from the ? nancial markets, ? nd their hastily conceived strategies challenged after the fact by activists. We also anticipate that problems will recur in industries that earlier rushed to adopt globalization strategies, with activist share owners ready to pounce on companies as evidence of poor management choices surfaces. Activist share owners have already taken signi? cant positions in some companies mentioned in this article.Other target companies, perhaps not quite ripe for direct intervention—and temporarily shielded from attack by the current credi t crisis and turbulent equity markets—are nonetheless being discussed in the boardrooms of rivals and by the investment committees of pension funds and private equity ? rms. Ironically, some predators, having spotted the weaknesses of other companies’ global strategies, may be poised to fall into the same trap. For example, the Royal Bank of Scotland is known for its highly successful 2000 acquisition of NatWest, a much larger UK rival, and for the subsequent overhaul of its target’s culture.But RBS may ? nd it dif? cult to achieve similar results with the disparate banking assets—spread across more than 50 countries— that it acquired from ABN Amro. And though the recent government bailouts of RBS and Fortis aren’t a direct result of the ? rms’ international strategies, the acquisition of ABN Amro assets stretched their balance sheets and made the companies more vulnerable to the ? nancial crisis. We also worry that activist share own ers and private equity ? rms may reproduce ? awed globalization strategies in their own portfolios. The largest of these players are now more diversi? ed, both in ype of business and in international footprint, than many of the giant conglomerates of 30 years ago that were subsequently broken up and sold off. Indeed, as you look out on a landscape littered with the remains of dismembered companies weakened by failed globalization strategies, you have to wonder: Could today’s predators be tomorrow’s prey? Reprint R0812E To order, see the next page or call 800-988-0886 or 617-783-7500 or go to www. hbr. org harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement.To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 7 When You Shouldn’t Go Global Further Reading ARTICLES Managing Differences: The Central Challenge of Global Strategy by Pankaj Gh emawat Harvard Business Review March 2007 Product no. R0703C The main goal of any international strategy should be to manage the large differences that arise at the borders of markets. Yet executives often fail to exploit market and production discrepancies, focusing instead on the tensions between standardization and localization. Ghemawat presents a new framework that encompasses all three effective responses to the challenges of globalization.He calls it the AAA Triangle, with the As standing for the three distinct types of international strategy. Through adaptation, companies seek to boost revenues and market share by maximizing their local relevance. Through aggregation, they attempt to deliver economies of scale by creating regional, or sometimes global, operations. And through arbitrage, they exploit disparities between national or regional markets, often by locating different parts of the supply chain in different places— for instance, call centers in India, factories in China, and retail shops in Western Europe.Ghemawat draws on several examples that illustrate how organizations use and balance these strategies and describes the trade-offs they make as they do so when trying to build competitive advantage. Emerging Giants: Building World-Class Companies in Developing Countries by Tarun Khanna and Krishna G. Palepu Harvard Business Review October 2006 Product no. R0610C As established multinational corporations stormed into emerging markets, many local companies lost market share or sold off businesses—but some fought back.India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, China’s Haier Group, and many other corporations in developing countries have held their own against the onslaught, restructured their businesses, exploited new opportunities, and built worldclass companies that are today giving their global rivals a run for their money. The authors describe three strategies these businesses used to become effective global competitors despite f acing financial and bureaucratic disadvantages in their home markets. Some capitalized on their knowledge of local product markets.Some have exploited their knowledge of local talent and capital markets, thereby serving customers both at home and abroad in a cost-effective manner. And some emerging giants have exploited institutional voids to create profitable businesses. Getting Offshoring Right by Ravi Aron and Jitendra V. Singh Harvard Business Review December 2005 Product no. R0512J Recently a rising number of companies in North America and Europe have experimented with offshoring and outsourcing business processes, hoping to reduce costs and gain strategic advantage—with mixed results.According to several studies, half the organizations that have shifted processes offshore have failed to generate the expected financial benefits. What’s more, many of them have faced employee resistance and consumer dissatisfaction. A three-part methodology can help companies reform ulate their offshoring strategies. First, prioritize company processes according to two criteria: the value these processes create for customers and the degree to which the company can capture some of that value. Then keep highest-priority processes in-house and consider outsourcing low-priority ones. Second, analyze the risks that accompany offshoring.Finally, determine possible locations for offshore efforts, as well as the organizational forms—such as joint ventures—that those efforts might take. page 8 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. To Order For Harvard Business Review reprints and subscriptions, call 800-988-0886 or 617-783-7500. Go to www. hbr. org For customized and quantity orders of Harvard Business Review article reprints, call 617-783-7626, or e-mail [email  protected] harvard. edu

Modern Information Technology Impacts Our Everyday Lives Essay

Over the past 20 years, the world as we know has changed drastically. We have moved from a world that was bound by wires and copper cabling to a world that offers any bit of information you want with the touch of a glass screen from a device that fits in your pockets. In this same period of time, shopping used to involve planning a trip to a brick and motor store and hope they had the product you were looking for, and at the price you wanted to pay. If you lived in a small market, you didn’t have the choices to comparison shop other stores. In today’s age, a consumer can shop from the comfort of their home, and find exactly the right product at exactly the right price. With a click of a mouse and a charge of a credit card, the product will be rushed to the consumer’s house with little to no effort for them. Large retailers like Amazon.com can have a product delivered to a consumer by as early as the next day! This type of convenience has changed our daily ways in many ways, both positive and negative. For example, people can communicate with each other miles apart from their computers and smart phones via email and texting. While some may say this is good thing that allowing distant relatives and friends quick and simple communication without worrying about distance, others would say that email and texting simply takes a lot of the personal touch from the conversation. With retailers moving their sales online, some people believe that the personal touch of being able to talk to someone directly about the product may detract from the experience. Positive Impacts of Modern Technology We should begin looking at the positive impacts that this new technology has on our daily lives. Technology is evolving very quickly, and sometimes consumers have a hard time keeping up with the latest trends, but the impacts are made every day to help improve our lives. Whether we are using computers to communicate by video conferencing with friends and family in another country, or ordering the latest Harry Potter book to be instantly delivered to our Kindles, these technologies are enriching our lives. As retailers move to the web, consumers are able to comparison shop many different sellers with the click of a mouse. There are also dedicated websites out there that allow a consumer to instantly search for a product from hundreds of sellers, and then find the one that has the lowest price and best shipping. On top of this, the internet provides a way for consumers to research the products they are buying. We can look up reviews from other buyers to see if the product lives up to manufacturers claims. When a consumer decides what and where they will buy, they can have the product whisked away from the distribution center and be delivered on their doorstep by the end of the next day, all from the computer of their home. With the massive explosion of social media sites, people are able to find and communicate with their long lost friends and family all from a central location. We can share photos, send messages, and chat in real time with our connections. Although the entertainment industry has been slow to adopt the new technologies in fear of losing money to â€Å"pirates†, we have seen a huge growth of online video. Consumers are able to find and watch their favorite shows whenever and wherever they like. Television sets are now shipping with built in internet connectivity to allow purchasers to access the internet to watch videos and share photos with one another. Companies like Netflix and Hulu have embraced online streaming and are offering thousands of hours of online video for a very low monthly subscription. These services are not limited to just televisions either. Computers, smart phones, and tablets are all easily able to access this same content for on-the-go watching. Online gaming has become huge in the past few years as well. People can play against each other in massive online role playing games such as World of Warcraft, and even console makers such as Microsoft and Sony have enabled their gaming consoles for online play. This brings the world together as a playing field and we are no longer constrained by our living room when it comes to finding new opponents. With the help of Google, people are now able to research topics in record time. With a few keystrokes, users are able to find information on any topic under the sun. Online search engines allow us to research the world’s libraries and other research facilities. We are also able to scour the web for information. This makes student homework much simpler and faster, and allows them to learn more information quicker. Data organization has also become a simpler task thanks to modern technology. Companies can store their entire repository of data onto a simple database server. They can query this server for any bit of information they need within a few seconds. Not only beneficial for companies, home users are able to store their personal documents and photos securely on their PC’s as well as in an off-site â€Å"cloud† and not have any fear of losing this information when a natural disaster occurs. Negative Impacts of Modern Technology While there are many positive impacts on today’s society, there are also many negatives that are introduces as well. Many would argue that there are jobs being lost because of this new technology. Automated and robotic systems have taken the place of humans in the work force. With retailers moving their sales operations online, they no longer need the support staff for their brick and motor stores. Many stores are not able to keep up with the low prices from the mega-retailers online, so they are forced to close down. With the influx of social media as our main communication medium, some think that we have lost the personal touch of spending time with our close friends and family in favor of sitting behind our computers online. People that are only using social media as their main form of communication could lose the ability to interact physically with one another. The many distractions of email notifications and incoming text messages have also become a detractor. People no longer consider it rude to stop in the middle of a conversation to respond to a text message that has just come in to their phone. This could lead to low levels of concentration. At the same time, malicious people have found easy ways to target those that are online. With the vast amount of spam email and harmful virus spreading around the world, more and more people are becoming susceptible to attack. Another negative impact is the illegal use of technology for gambling and other addicting habits. Online gambling sites attract millions of people per day and can completely consume those with weak will power, leading to distressed families and financial means. Underground websites also harbor criminalist activities as well. Pornography and child pornography are trafficked daily on the internet, and the sheer magnitude of the web makes it hard for authorities to track down and eliminate. There are even websites such as TheSilkRoad that sell illegal drugs in the same fashion as Amazon sells normal goods! In Summary Although we cannot stop the negative effects from this new technology, we shouldn’t fear it. Learning to recognize the potential positive impacts this new technology can bring to our lives while at the same time recognizing the potential threats we will be better able to adapt to them and take advantages and enrichments they bring to our daily lives.

Equal Pay for Equal Work Essay

In society today, â€Å"full-time working women earn just 77 cents for every dollar a man earns,† (whitehouse.gov), for putting in same amount of effort. This injustice is unacceptable in this day in age when women are more involved in society, both politically and socially, than ever before. Women should have equal pay to men for the same amount of work they do because it is not only their right but they have the education to support their position in the workforce. Women are as educated or in some cases even more educated than men. Data collected in studies revealed ,†25-34 year old women were 21 percent more likely than men to be a college graduate† (whitehouse.gov) in 2013. If women are graduating college at a greater rate than men, then it is illogical for females to be paid less than men, who are increasingly becoming less qualified themselves when compared to the female population. Not only are women graduating undergraduate college but, â€Å"women account for almost half of students in JD, MBA, and MD programs† (whitehouse.gov) in recent years. Some might argue that, although women are getting educated, if they want to be paid more, then they need to start choosing career paths that suit their goal salary. But the fact of the matter is, â€Å" college educated women ages 30-34 are now as likely to be employed as doctors, dentists, lawyers, professors, managers, and scientist as traditionally female-dominated occupations such as teachers, nurses, librarians, secretaries, or social worker,† (whitehouse.gov), and yet they are still getting paid less than men. So, the problem is not that women are not striving for a high paying career, rather their effort is not being appreciated. Women are not only qualified to be awarded the same salary as men, but it is their right as well. In 1963 the Equal Pay Act which â€Å"prohibits covered employers from discriminating on the basis of sex by paying unequal wages for equal work,† (Sobieski) was signed into law by former President John F. Kennedy. This means that neglecting to pay a female worker the same as a male worker, who has the same occupation, is technically against the law. It is important to  understand that is act does not elevate the female population over men, but fairly brings both genders to an equal playing field in the workforce. Another law that can support this injustice is the â€Å"Public Law 88-352† (arhives.gov) which was passed by Congress in 1964. This civil right also† forbade discrimination on the basis of sex† (arhives.gov) in the workforce. As the data exposes, this prejudice against women is uncalled for and ultimately illegal. This social issue is incredibly unjust and belittling to the female population. It needs to be dealt with immediately. Women are not only as competent and educated as men, but they also have the legal right to get paid equally to men. Yet, every day, women are being ignored and unappreciated for all the work and effort they put into society. It is only possible for women to overcome this unfair treatment, if they take action and fight for what they deserve. Women need to be informed of their rights presented in acts such as the Equal Pay Act, and stand up for themselves when these rights are violated. Work Cited â€Å"Did You Know That Women Are Still Paid Less Than Men?† The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 04 May 2014. Sobieski, John L. â€Å"Equal Pay Act.† American Government. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. â€Å"Women’s Participation in Education and in the Workforce.† Whithouse.gov. Counsel of Economic Advisors, 12 Mar. 2014. Web. 8 May 2014. â€Å"The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.† National Archives and Research Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 08 May 2014

Civic learning summary of rehab facility visitation Essay

Civic learning summary of rehab facility visitation - Essay Example Denial is part of the addiction; justification, blaming, and rationalization are all characteristics of denial. Communication between the counselor and the client facilitates the rate of recovery. The concept of using communication in promoting civic democracy is necessary. In a drug rehabilitation facility, counselling starts by building a client-counselor relationship based on the effectiveness of their communication. In our civic responsibilities, effective communication facilitates dialogue with peers and community members. Most drug addicts attribute their addiction to stress resulting from a difficult life or a stressful activity, program or parents. During counselling sessions, the addict is required to discuss each of these areas with the counselor or in a group talk. This approach seeks to bring an understanding of the concept of symbolism where certain signs call for attention to significances. The counsellor outlines the significance of symbols and how they relate to what has been perceived as they point to indicate, or denote something other than themselves. The lesson here is attaching emotional or physical symbols in performing our civic duties could lead to a crowded judgment. The concept of leadership and implementation gets outlined in the counselling sessions between the addicts and the counselors. The counselor should be able to adapt accordingly based on immediate client needs and capacities. The client needs to seem to be in control while the counselor should always maintain control. A counselor determines the appropriate time to probe and when to let the client take charge. These concepts are important in the delivery of our civic duties. Students realize the importance of understanding the community and what is necessary and

Causal Argument, Nouri Al-Maliki Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Causal Argument, Nouri Al-Maliki - Essay Example minister has a lot of support for him but there is an equal number of people who are against him and now raising their voices against the decisions taken by him. Mr. Maliki was elected as the prime minister of Iraq after the end of Saddam Husain’s regime by US. The reason of electing him as the Pm of the country and selecting a person as the speaker of parliament from another sect was to create a government that is represented by all. But, the decisions of the PM just when the American armies were leaving the country for a better good have once again raised questions on the future of the country and its people. The main question raised by the people of Iraq and many international authorities is: â€Å"Are the actions of Prime Minister leading Iraq to a civil war?† It was on the eve of celebrating a free Iraq when the three main leaders of the opposing party were house arrested on the orders of the prime ministers. The charges on them were of aggravating terrorism in the country. The charges on them looked absurd and although confessed by them on national tv they were proved to be manipulated and the confession was also proved to be due to torture. When all these charges were proved wrong, a large question arose on this action of Mr. Maliki that what was the need of such an abrupt action the main leaders of his opposing party when the country is still trying to get out of a major crisis. The leaders were of iraqqiya Coalition and also the current Vice President, Finance Minister and Deputy prime Minister. The iraqqiya coalition is an important of the country and the vice president Tariq al Hashmi also took more votes than the prime minister in the elections of 2010. This action of the prime minister against three important politicians of the c ountry could lead to the instability of the government and surely the country to a civil war. As we all have been observing that after the American army left Iraq, a series of bombings has started in many important cities

Family Social Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Family Social Science - Essay Example , vividly suggests that while capital and infrastructural destructions are the most obvious costs of conflicts whether internal or external, the long-term development potential of the country’s economy is more severely damaged by increase in fiscal deficit, uncertainty and transactions inefficiency (Carlisle 2010). From this research, it is noticed that different returns to war are experienced in several parts of the country. The regions that were greatly involved in the conflicts are generally lagging behind in terms of development and consumption capabilities (Carlisle 2010). In order to clearly understand the economic, development and social impacts of war in Afghanistan has been in war constantly for a very long time, normally approximated to be over a decade dating back to 1978 when it involved in a great combat with the United States of America. This caused effects on their economy and it is very vital to understand the origin of the wars between the periods of 1978-1992. These wars greatly impacted negatively on their products and produce both in the local and international markets. Like any other war in any part of the world, the social lives of the people were also affected to a large extent it is believed to have commenced after the resignation of the communist president Mohamed Najibullah (Carlisle 2010). From the onset of this war and conflicts, one factor that tends to be very much evident is the negative association between conflict and economic development of the whole country. However, while conflict may lead to poor economic performance, the reverse relationship seems equally credible, and this mostly complicates the analysis of the consequences of war on a country’s development strategies and goals. An economic analysis of the effects of conflicts is discussed below to determine its effects on the economic performance of a country at the micro level years after the war has ceased. The research paper clearly tries to illustrate the

Freedom of Movement in EU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Freedom of Movement in EU - Essay Example Signed in 1992, the Maastricht Treaty provides that European citizenship confers on every European citizen a fundamental and personal right to move and reside freely without reference to an economic activity. The Treaty also provides for additional active and passive voting rights in European and local elections. Diplomatic and consular protection is also enhanced by giving the right to EU citizens to ask for the help of any Member State represented in a third Country if his/her own Member State is not represented there. Treaty of Amsterdam enforced on May 1999, extended the citizens rights and obligations by introducing a clause allowing EU institutions to take measures against discrimination on the grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. It reinforced the free movement of people by integrating the Schengen Convention into the Treaty. This also affirmed the commitment of each Member State to raise the quality and free access to education at national level to the highest level of knowledge possible with, in particular, the view to tackling unemployment. In 2001, the Treaty of Nice was sign facilitating legislation related to free movement and residence by introducing qualified majority for the decision-making in the European Council. The legal basis for the Freedom of movement for persons in the European Union is: Article 14 (7a) ECT: establishing the internal market, which includes the free movement of persons. Article 18 (8a) ECT: Union citizens have the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. Article 61 (73i) et seq: new Title IV, 'Visas, asylum, immigration and other policies related to free movement of persons'. The objectives for the Freedom of movement for persons and the abolition of controls at internal frontiers form part of the internal market in which it is not possible for internal frontiers to exist or for individuals to be hampered in their movements. Since its inception, the concept of the free movement of persons has changed in meaning so that while the first provisions on the subject referred merely to the free movement individuals considered as economic agents, either as employees or providers of services, it has gradually widened to take on a more general meaning connected with the idea of Union citizenship, independent of any economic activity or distinctions of nationality. This currently applies to nationals of third countries as abolition of control at internal borders allows people movements that could no longer be checked for nationality. The freedom of movement applies to goods, persons, services and capital, the so-called "four freedoms" but specifically under

Writing an abstract and finding referring references Coursework

Writing an abstract and finding referring references - Coursework Example This issue can be addressed through the use of GIS. GIS allows for effective integration and analysis of data by combining multiple data layers into purposeful information which can then be used much more effectively. This project seeks to demonstrate the utility of GIS for law enforcement agencies. The aim of this project is to perform crime analysis using GIS for a metropolitan city such as London to establish if the level of crime has increased or decreased from previous years. This project will involve mapping, modelling and analysis of crime data by applying GIS techniques such as hot-spot analysis to find out crime statistics and then using these statistics in a comparison with previous years to establish result. During the project, an understanding of various crime patterns within the city will also be developed and the deliverables of the project will include recommendations on crime reduction based on the analysis performed in the project. It is expected that outcome of this project will be useful for law enforcement agencies to use GIS in crime fighting more effectively. List of 25 References Pre 1980 1) Brassel, K., Utano, J. and Hanson II P. 1977. The buffalo crime mapping system: a design strategy for the display and analysis of spatially referenced crime data [online].

Employee Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Employee Relations - Essay Example Unemployment rates in the European countries have risen rapidly and the overall production output in virtually every sector (service, manufacturing, public) has dropped during the two year period 2008-2009 as compared to previous years (Gennard, 2009). In several cases, organizations are challenged not primarily by the need to generate profits, but predominantly by the need to survive. In that respect, firms have proceeded into a number of initiatives and measures in their attempt to reduce costs (increase efficiency) and simultaneously sustain part of their competitiveness, especially in the current turbulent market economies and environments (Gennard and Judge, 2005; Rose, 2004). According to Gennard (2009) employee relations have been at the spot of light during these years of recession, particularly in labor – intensive industries and sectors, where the pursuit of efficiency clearly pertains to the cutting back of costs allocated to the human resources. As demand decreases , production is pushed down and in turn the need for human resources becomes highly controllable (Hartley – Kite et al., 2010). As Farnham (2000) notes, economic recession and employee relations are largely interrelated in that the first clearly impacts the second within the overall organizational environment. Lewis et al. (2003) define employment relationships as fundamental exchanges between employers and employees under the agreement of providing mental and physical ‘labor’ on the part of the employees, whereas the employers abide to offer rewards for the ‘services’ provided. Rose (2004) further states that the overall discipline of employee relations does not simply pertain to the ‘physical’ employment contract but on the ‘psychological contract’ between the two parties (employees and employers). Employee relations are focused on the establishment of grounds in which

Nurses floating to different specialized areas Essay Example for Free

Nurses floating to different specialized areas Essay Abstract: Floating is a staffing strategy that is seen as a solution to the general problem of nursing shortage. Floating involves utilizing nurses to work in different specialized units. Floating has its advantages in that it gives nurses an opportunity for overall professional development and relieves them from additional responsibilities such as delegating and staffing. Float nurses stick to patient care. However, as they have to work in units for which they are not sufficiently educated or trained, they find themselves inadequate in providing quality patient care. Moreover, it affects their overall sense of connectedness with their patients, their peers, and their specialty department. Thus, floating of nurses is considered by many as a threat to both nurses and patients. However, more recently, it has been found that the float nurse can be trained to meet varied needs of specialized units. This is made all the more easier when the float nurse undergoes training for a cluster of closely related specialty units. Resource teams are float pools where specialty of the nurse is recognized and training is provided as per needs by the management. Introduction: Nursing shortage is one of the major issues facing the healthcare sector of the United States. This is attributed mainly due to lack of enthusiasm amongst the youngsters today for pursuing nursing as a career option and secondly due to the rising population. To counter the increasing demands of nursing, the concept of floating has been introduced in many hospitals and clinical settings. Floating is a very recent phenomenon in nursing introduced mainly due to problems such as staffing shortages and fluctuating census (Dziuba-Ellis, 2006). Nurses are in general trained to work in particular specialties. But working in different specialized units requires them to undergo cross-training. This causes stress to the nurses and they lose their efficiency and confidence of attending to critically ill patients in specialized departments. In fact, when nurses are floated to different specialized units, both the nurses and the patients suffer. While the nurses find themselves inadequately trained to work in certain specialized units, patients face the danger of negligent or faulty treatment. Suitable analysis of issues involved in floating of nurses to different specialized units shows that this is highly risky both from the viewpoint of nurses and the viewpoint of patients. This problem is particularly relevant in today’s context as the concept of having a float pool of nurses is touted as a solution to the overwhelming national problem of nursing shortage. This paper focuses on the issue of floating of nurses to various specialized units in the United States – the reasons for floating, impact of such floating on nurses, impact of floating on patients and how to adapt this concept to the situation of nursing shortage. This paper will not cover alternate solutions to nursing shortage. The floating of professional nurses to unfamiliar practice settings should be avoided as it leads to unsafe practice situations and if at all floating is found to be totally essential, it must be ensured that it is allowed only in emergency situations when an increased demand for nurses with general basic skills is expected. Literature Review: The research report titled Nursing Resource Team: An Innovative Approach to Staffing by Baumann et al (June 2005) contrasts the traditional float pools with resource teams and after detailed analysis of the case study of the Nursing Resource Team at Hamilton Health Sciences from September 2002 until June 2004, concludes that resource teams as an innovative staffing strategy creates opportunities for full-time work, and provide nurses with opportunities for professional development. According to Baumann et al, floating is not a new practice. Nursing shortages that existed between 1974 and 1979 lead to innovative staffing solutions and floating was one of them. However, floating came to be known as resource team in 1981 when the term was first used in an article to describe the creation and organization of a float pool (Baumann et al, 2005). Earlier, float pools or resource teams were used across Canada and the US to save expenditure, counter the shortage of nurses, fluctuations in patient census, acuity, volume, and care demands. Baumann et al point out that use of float pools/resource teams is often viewed as a staffing strategy – one that facilitates flexible manipulation of staff. Today, float pools are more of a recruitment and retention strategy and this is proved by a study conducted by Crimlisk (Crimlisk et al, 2002). Contrary to this finding, however, experts in Canada suggest float staff do not serve retention purposes. According to Baumann et al, the NRT approach is different from the float pool in that it recognizes nursing expertise. In the case of float pools, a nurse is regarded as a generic worked who is able to work with different patient groups and utilize many skill sets. Further, the literature indicates that float nurses may be deployed as either assistive or replacement staff. According to a study by organizational development specialist Suzanne C. Luongo, titled â€Å"Connectedness as a Motivator for Nurse Retention at the Bedside† (2004). It has been found that floating is a disruption to connectedness to patients and families, connectedness to peers and connectedness to administration of the institution. This study was based on group interviews of staff nurses who have been at the bedside for a minimum of 5 years and have received high evaluations. While the first study focused on defining the concept of floating and explaining how it is applied in the nursing context, the second study raises the warning that float nurses may not enjoy their job because the job takes away the connection that a nurse needs to develop with the patients, the peers, and to the administration. When nurses are shifted through various specialized units, they cannot follow up on patients continuously; they cannot form stable friendships among other nurses and will not form any attachment to any specialized unit (Luongo, 2004). Crimlisk et al (2002) in their study titled â€Å"New graduate RNs in a float pool: An inner-city hospital experience† focus on the view of nurse managers and nurse educators that fresh graduate RNs cannot be included in a float pool. They prefer to have experienced nurses with multiple skills. However, the authors say that new graduate RNs are highly motivated, ready-to-learn, educationally prepared and intellectually stimulated though they do not have much clinical experience. The authors present a program for training new graduate RNs to practice nursing in a float pool. It has been proved that the program resulted in a 96% retention rate Boston Medical Center Nursing Division (Crimlisk et al, 2002). Moreover, the program offered the medical surgical units a strong clinical support float nurse, nursing managers a staffing solution in times of need, and the new graduate RN a broad range of clinical experiences making them more valuable members of the healthcare team. According to Crimlisk et al, this training model can be replicated in other institutions. Thus, this study gives a positive approach to the inevitable staffing solution of having a float pool of nurses. Crimlisk concludes that fresh graduate nurses who do not have the experience needed to become a float nurse should be trained specially to become more flexible and versatile (Crimlisk et al, 2002). Thus, this study holds that floating of nurses to specialized departments does not necessarily need only experienced nurses. With training, even newly graduated RNs can handle various specialized services in nursing. The article titled Full-Time or Part-Time Work in Nursing: Preferences, Tradeoffs and choices by Jennifer Blythe et al (2005), reviews historical trends in full-time and part time work in the general workforce and among nurses in particular. The study was conducted at three teaching hospitals in Ontario with more than 400 beds and included 10 focus groups of RNs and RPNs. Fourteen additional interviews were conducted with hospital administrators who were knowledgeable about nursing work arrangements. According to this paper human resources managers in all hospitals agreed that investment in full time staff saved â€Å"costs, provided better coverage, higher commitment, lower turnover and more continuity of car and more stable relationships in nursing and multidisciplinary teams† (Blythe et al, 2005). To increase full time jobs, the paper reports that one hospital offered a float pool of full time nurses in critical care, maternal-child and medical surgical areas. This float pool was part of a training strategy to help novice nurses to progress from medical surgical settings to specialist areas with shortages. However, it was found that these floating jobs appealed only to nurses with particular needs. The first study indicated that float nurses could be absorbed as assistive or replacement staff. According to the second study float nurses suffer due to lack of connectedness whereas the third study showed that float nurses could be trained to acquire new skills. But despite such training and absorption, this study takes a neutral stand that only some nurses can enjoy the experiences that come through float jobs depending on their needs. While the lack of connectedness and lack of training are cited to be discouraging factors in floating nurses, this study brings in a third angle – that of needs of nurses. Only nurses with particular needs would like floating to different specialized units. According to the study by Hugonnet et al (2004) titled â€Å"Nursing resources: a major determinant of nosocomial infection? † there is growing concern that changes in nurse workforce and hospital-restructuring interventions negatively impact on patient outcomes. The review focuses on the association between understaffing and health-care-associated infections. Previous studies have shown that overcrowding, understaffing or a misbalance between workload and resources are important determinants of nosocomial infections and cross-transmission of microorganisms. Importantly, not only the number of staff but also the level of their training affects outcomes. The evidence that cost-driven downsizing and changes in staffing patterns causes harm to patients cannot be ignored, and should not be considered as an inevitable outcome (Hugonnet et al, 2004). The fact that ‘level of training’ affects outcomes is a major finding as float nurses often suffer from inadequate skills. In this study it has been found that such inadequacy can lead to nosocomial infections and cross-transmission of microorganisms (Hugonnet, 2004). Thus it is indirectly implied that floating of nurses can lead to such infections and cross transmission of microorganisms. This study brings out a scientific drawback in the floating of nurses – one that could be detrimental physically to both nurses and the patients. This finding is further strengthened by the finding of Stone et al (2004) who point out that nursing shortage is managed by many health care facilities by expanded use of nonpermanent staff, such as float pool and agency nurses. Overwork and fatigue among these nurses have been associated with medication errors and falls, increased deaths, and spread of infection among patients and health care workers (Stone et al, 2004). Issue Analysis: RNs at many health care institutions have traditionally been required to float to other units as a solution to the issue of staffing shortage. Staffing practices, like floating, cross-training and the use of larger float pools are highly debated with focus on quality patient care and less stressful environment at work for nurses. Studies show that nurses naturally want to use the expertise theyve gained over the years on their own specialized units. But if they must work in a different area, or even if they choose to work on different units, they want the appropriate orientation to provide competent, safe care. According to Christine Kane-Urrabazo, MSN, RN, in Said another way: our obligation to float, floating is a viable solution to the issue of nursing shortage. She says that the though floating is opposed on the basis of many arguments, they are not justifiable when weighted against the consequences of not floating (Kane-Urrabazo, 2006). The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), requires all accredited organizations to ensure that â€Å"†¦all staff providing patient care and services on behalf of the organization are properly oriented to their jobs and the work environment before providing care, treatment, and services† (JCAHO, 2004, p. 5). This means, regardless of the settings, it is important for professional nurses to maintain clinical competence. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA, 2005), it is recommended that there should be a systematic plan for the cross-training of staff expected to float to ensure competence (2005). â€Å"The Psychological Stresses of Intensive Care Unit Nursing† by Hay and Oken focuses on floating in the ICU that provides complex nursing care (1972). The float nurse in the ICU is exposed to traumatic events such as death and dying, posing threats of object loss and personal failure. The nurse in the ICU needs to be familiar in handling many kinds of complex technical equipments and make correct measurements. The nurse in the ICU should be capable of making observations about her patients condition, to interpret subtle changes and use judgment to take appropriate action. Moreover, the nurse must maintain detailed records. Because of this and the nature of her tasks, temporarily floating in nurses from elsewhere when staff is short can be dangerous when the specialized unit concerned is the ICU (Hay and Oken, 1972). Kelly Herbig, RN-OCN, Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, in her article titled â€Å"The highs of floating† in Nursing Spectrum says that she enjoys a lot of benefits as a float nurse. She points out that as a float nurse, she needs to focus only on patient care and need not deal with issues of staffing, delegating, and other charge-nurse responsibilities. Kelly Herbig says: â€Å"Floating to different departments and units affords me the chance to meet and work with a wide variety of staff and physicians†¦.. Talking to them about their experiences and viewpoints has helped me broaden my own views and given me a new perspective on nursing† (Herbig, 2004). Best of all she says that as a float staff, she is often viewed positively as â€Å"the help, the relief, the answer to the problem of short staffing†. On the contrary we have the case of Jackie. Badzek et al (1998) in her research article titled Administrative ethics and confidentiality privacy issues cites the case of Jackie. As a float nurse, Jackie found her work very stressful. She had to rotate between many units and patients. Each day she worked on a different unit with different co-workers. She developed few friendships or collegial relationships. She was often dispensing medications and treatments she found unfamiliar. When she attempted to ask questions, she found she approached gruff busy attending doctors and young uninformed house staff. Feeling trapped, Jackie began to divert narcotics (Badzek et al, 1998). This case highlights the plight of the float nurse without specific training and also offers a glimpse to the stress levels of an untrained float nurse. Many states have laws that indicate that it’s considered negligent or unprofessional for a nurse to offer or perform services for which she is not qualified by education, training, or experience. Therefore, accepting floating assignments for which the nurse is not qualified can jeopardize his or her career. There can be lawsuits and also disciplinary action by the state board of nursing. Disciplinary action can include license limitation, suspension, or revocation, and possibly mandatory continuing education (Gobis, 2001). In the study titled â€Å"When terror is routine: how Israeli nurses cope with multi-casualty terror†, authors Riba and Reches report on the case of Israeli nurses working in hospitals and looking after emergency care in times of terror attacks (Riba and Reches, 2002). Based on qualitative analysis of the data collected from focus group discussions involving 60 nurses and analysis of problems faced by them, the authors make a few recommendations in the context of floating. Riba and Riches recommend that post-basic courses in emergency medicine and trauma should be expanded to include emergency room logistics, stress management techniques, and debriefing strategies. Moreover, for nurses floating into emergency care from other departments, they suggest that an annual workshop should be held that includes drills for emergency care. They also suggest that the ER charge nurse should be provided training in leadership and group dynamics. Thus we find that the training that should be insisted for float nurses should be related to the specialized units for which they are chosen to work. This finding is also in accordance with the conclusion of the research report titled Nursing Resource Team: An Innovative Approach to Staffing by Baumann et al (June 2005). Indicators that can be used to measure success of these specially trained staff would be based on measuring retention in clinical settings where such trained float personnel are used. Susan Trossman, RN in her article titled â€Å"Staffing smart: A difficult proposition† says that cross-training to several units will make a nurse end up being an expert at little things and lose in-depth specialty advantage. Kim Armstrong, RNC, has worked at Tacoma General Hospital in Washington for 20 years. She agrees that cross-training gives RNs a greater range of skills. But, she says, It also dilutes skills. She clearly points out that floating nurses to various units and making them accept assignments for which they are educationally unprepared are putting their patients and their livelihood at risk. A nurse at the Elms College hearing illustrates this point. I was recently floated to Hematology/Oncology unit and had 8 patients. Six patients were on research protocols, each with 6 to 10 medications that I had to deliver. I didnt know any of these drugs. Many nurses do not even know their deficits (Nursing Report, 2001). In this context, it must be noted that there is a direct relationship to the skill of nurses and the number of nurses to patient outcomes (Nursing Report, 2001). All the above arguments indicate to only one clear solution. In a country that is facing nursing shortage, it would be unreasonable to say that floating should be totally banned. As numerous studies have shown, what is needed is adequate training of staff for various specialties. This argument is further stressed by Ruth Shumaker, RN, CNOR, and president of the Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc. : The valuable nurse in the next millennium is the one who can do more who has the knowledge base to function as a specialist but also as a generalist working in multiple areas† (Trossman, 1999). Recommendations: While it is understood that float nurses need special training and education, one should remember that such skills imparted through short term programs tend to be forgotten if not used constantly. Hence they need regular scheduled workshops. Some recommendations to remember while choosing to have a float pool of nurses are (NYSNA, 2005): †¢ Nurses should not be floated to unfamiliar practice settings. †¢ If floating is deemed necessary, it should only be permitted in emergency situations that call for general nursing care. †¢ The RN should be able to self-evaluate and ask for further knowledge or training as her job needs. She should be granted the right to refuse assignments for which she is neither qualified nor trained. †¢ The charge nurse/supervisor should take the responsibility of allotting a particular float nurse to a particular specialized unit. If possible, she should assign a regular staff member of the specialized unit to guide and instruct the new float nurse. †¢ The healthcare facility should be able to perform needs assessment on a continuous process and provide inter department training as per needs. By monitoring trends in nursing indicators such as turnover, satisfaction, work-related illnesses and injury, overtime, etc. , they should also evaluate and maintain the quality of the nurse’s work life. Conclusion: Further research should be conducted as to the type of skills a float nurse is expected to perform in her various specialized units. It has been proved that resource teams that are an improvised float pool are ideal to counter the problem of nursing shortage. In resource teams, nurses work in their area of clinical expertise and preference, developing â€Å"in-depth knowledge of particular clinical populations. † Sometimes, nurses may be assigned as generalists and specialists from the float pool or resource team. It has been found that training is better possible when nurses are assigned to clinical clusters with certain patient populations. Examples of clustered units include critical care and emergency departments, adult medical-surgical, and pediatrics. However, nurses may also be sent to areas such as medical-surgical for which it is assumed only generic skills are required. The following general points should be remembered while implementing float pool nursing as a staffing strategy: Innovations should be introduced in a phased manner; it is important to have consistent leadership during the implementation phase; Orientation and interpretative sessions must be planned and roles of float nurses should be charted in detail; Evaluation should be done on a continual basis. With respect to the float pool of nurses, it must be ensured that their number is large enough so that there is no overtime. Care should be taken to ensure that clinical clusters include relatively narrow and related skill sets and areas of expertise. To make floating of nurses to different specialty units, a viable solution to the problems of nursing shortage and quality care, it is important that the top management, the nurse in charge and the float nurse all work in synchronization towards providing respect and support for development of float nurses as specialists with patient-specific expertise and experience. When individual nurses are deployed only to those areas for which they possess the requisite skills, there is mutual benefit for the nurses as well as for the patients to whom they offer their valuable services. Bibliography: American Nurses Association (2005). Utilization guide for the ANA â€Å"Principles for nurse staffing†. Silver Spring, MD: Author Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. (2004). Systems analysis. Ensure that your float staff and contracted staff are providing safe care. Joint Commission Perspectives on Patient Safety, 4(7), 5-6. New York State Nurses Association. (2005). NYSNA position statements, RN staffing effectiveness and nursing shortage. Latham, NY: Author. http://www. nysna. org/programs/nai/practice/positions/floating. htm Kane-Urrabazo, Christine (2006). Said Another Way: Our Obligation to Float. Nursing Forum. Volume 41, Issue 2, Page 95. April 2006. http://www. blackwell-synergy. com/doi/abs/10. 1111/j. 1744-6198. 2006. 00043. x Luongo et al (2004). Connectedness as a Motivator for Nurse Retention at the Bedside. July 24, 2004. Nurse Retention. http://stti. confex. com/stti/inrc15/techprogram/paper_17745. htm Hugonnet et al (2004). Nursing resources: a major determinant of nosocomial infection? Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 17(4):329-333, August 2004. Copyright Lippincott Williams Wilkins, Inc. http://www. co-infectiousdiseases. com/pt/re/coinfdis/abstract. 00001432-200408000-00009. htm;jsessionid=FDkbKKGyZ54nPbDSzyJwhhhBs1b8hS866nCYvc8Lxqp2qV1zHRp5! 2082300909! -949856145! 8091! -1 Crimlisk et al (2002). New graduate RNs in a float pool. An inner-city hospital experience. Journal of Nursing Administration. April 2002. 32(4):211-7. http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/entrez/query. fcgi? db=pubmedcmd=Retrievedopt=AbstractPluslist_uids=11984257itool=iconabstrquery_hl=6itool=pubmed_docsum Crimlisk et al (2002). New Graduate RNs in a Float Pool: An Inner-city Hospital Experience. Journal of Nursing Administration. 32(4):211-217, April 2002. http://www. jonajournal. com/pt/re/jona/abstract. 00005110-200204000-00010. htm;jsessionid=FDmP1gHbHHxZW8Rvmffskj9WcBrHyqH9WYdGTLq0ftDVdJyt8141! 2082300909! -949856145! 8091! -1 Dziuba-Ellis, Jennifer (2006). Float Pools and Resource Teams: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Nursing Care Quality. 21(4):352-359, October/December 2006. http://www. jncqjournal. com/pt/re/jncq/abstract. 00001786-200610000-00013. htm;jsessionid=FDmJkWq3P7J4btG4yWyy9L1CdkfnTw61myy60RB4WYG5RFRJ32wy! 2082300909! -949856145! 8091! -1 Badzek et al (1998). Administrative Ethics and Confidentiality Privacy Issues. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. December 31, 1998. Available at http://www. nursingworld. org/ojin/topic8/topic8_2. htm Stone et al (2004). Nurses working conditions: Implications for infectious disease. November 2004. Emerging Infectious Diseases 10(11), pp. 1984-1989. http://www. ahrq. gov/RESEARCH/dec04/1204RA4. htm Herbig, Kelly (2004). The Highs of Floating. Nursing Spectrum. http://nsweb. nursingspectrum. com/cfforms/GuestLecture/HighsOfFloating. cfm Gobis, Linda (2001). The Perils of Floating: When nurses are directed to work outside their areas of expertise. The American Journal of Nursing. September 2001. Volume 101, Issue 9. http://www. nursingworld. org/AJN/2001/sept/Wrights. htm Riba and Reches (2002). When terror is routine: how Israeli nurses cope with multi-casualty terror. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol. #7 No. #3, Manuscript 5. Available: http://www. nursingworld. org/ojin/topic19/tpc19_5. htm Trossman, Susan (1999). Staffing smart: A difficult proposition. American Nurse. Nursing World. 1999. http://nursingworld. org/tan/99janfeb/float. htm. Nursing Report (2001). Report of the Legislative Special Commission on Nursing and Nursing Practice. May 2001. http://www. mass. gov/legis/reports/nursingreport. htm Blythe et al (2005). Full-Time or Part-Time Work in Nursing: Preferences, Tradeoffs and choices. Healthcare Quarterly Vol. 8 No. 3. 2005. Pages 69-77. www. nhsru. com/documents/Full-time%20or%20part-time%20work%20in%20nursing%202005. pdf Hay, Donald and Oken, Donald (1972). The Psychological Stresses of Intensive Care Unit Nursing. Psychosomatic Medicine. Volume 34, No. 2. March/April 1972. www. psychosomaticmedicine. org/cgi/reprint/34/2/109. pdf.

Analysis of Family Waste Production

Analysis of Family Waste Production What is the amount of waste produced by my household Over 42 million cubic meters of general waste is generated every year across the country, with the largest proportion coming from Gauteng (42%). In addition, more than 5 million cubic meters of hazardous waste are produced every year, mostly in Mpumalanga and KZN due to the increase of mining activities and fertilizer production. The amount of waste generated by the average South African is  ± 0.7 kg’s. Which means the average 4 person families produces  ± 2.8 kg’s a day. But the largest contributors to the solid waste stream by far is mining waste ( ± 72.3%), followed by pulverized fuel ash ( ± 6.7%), agricultural waste ( ± 6.1%), urban waste ( ± 4.5%) and sewage sludge ( ± 3.6%). Estimated decomposition rates of most debris found in landfills are: Foamed plastic cups: 50 years Plastic beverage holder: 400 years Disposable diapers: 450 year Plastic bottle: 450 years Fishing line: 600 years. Glass bottle 1 million years Aluminum can: 80-200 years Plastic beverage bottles: 450 years Boot sole: 50-80 years Tin can: 50 years Leather: 50 years Nylon fabric: 30-40 years Plastic film canister: 20-30 years Plastic bag: 10-20 years () Cigarette filter: 1-5 years Wool sock: 1-5 years Plywood: 1-3 years Waxed milk carton: 3 months Apple core: 2 months Newspaper: 6 weeks Paper: 2 to 5 months Banana peel: 2-5 weeks Orange peel: 6 months Paper towel: 2-4 weeks Batteries: 100 years [figure 1.1 in appendix 1] The percentage contribution of each waste stream to the composition of general waste is illustrated in Figure 1 [Appendix 3]. Non-recyclable municipal waste contributes 34% (by weight) of the overall general waste, construction and demolition waste, 21%, followed by metals (14%), organic waste 13% and mainline recyclables (including paper, plastics, glass and tyres )(18%). {See reference page Ref. for sourcing} Hypothesis My family produces a average amount of waste. Aim The aim of this experiment is to view and record my households daily waste generation and compare it to the average waste production of the average South African family. Apparatus Kitchen scale Bag (for measuring weight of bag not included in results) Paper (recording results) Pen (writing down results) Variables Independent Variables The amount of people in my household (does not changed by choice) Dependent variables The amount of waste produced by my household Fixed variables The bag used to take measurements When I take the measurements Method Take the trash and dived it into 6 different categories (glass, plastic, tin, paper cardboard, organics and non-recyclables). Weigh each category separately and record the results Calculate the total for the day Repeat daily for a week calculating the total at the end of the week as well as the averages of each category Repeat for 3 weeks See appendix 2 for results Conclusion I have to say that my results are inconclusive because my findings fluctuate and I was unable to undertake more tests. To improve my results I would Extent the testing period to about least 5 months instead of 3 weeks to view if the results change according to season My household recycles  ± 95% of all of its recyclable materials and all organic materials are either fed to the animals or are thrown onto a compost heap (apart from bones) My family will soon institute a policy of cutting down on the amount of Non-recycleable materials purchased Figure 1.1: Johannesburg city landfill The following tables contain the results of the experiment all measurements are in kilograms Figure 3.1 [The waste composition for general waste, 2011 (percentage by mass), other, which is mainly biomass waste from industrial sources) ] {See reference page Ref 1 for sourcing} Graph and percentages have been adapted from the national waste information baseline report draft 6, 5 September 2012 Published by: Department of Environmental Affairs Monkeyland: South African waste facts http://www.monkeyland.co.za/index.php?comp=articleop=viewid=2790

Essay on Loss of Freedom in The Giver -- The Giver Essays

Loss of Freedom in The Giver  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Giver, a book written by Lois Lowry, questioned my ideas, thoughts and beliefs.   The novel describes an ideal society, in which everything is supposed to be perfect, with all life’s problems solved.   It is all about being happy with what the people have and not questioning their life styles because they did not know the difference between good and bad.   The people are denied of their preferable way of life without their knowledge of how the real world is supposed to be.   In the real world, I live each and everyday to learn and gain freedom as much as I can.   However, the citizens of this society are not able to control their life; for example their choice of clothing, choice of loving and having feelings, or choice of family members.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From all existing creatures, we humans differ because we are able to use our brain to make decisions.   In the novel, the people of the given society have authority figures that show them how to live their life.   â€Å"Katya, became a Nine and removed her hair ribbons and got her bicycle† (P. 14).   Therefore, this previous quote is referring to how the people are controlled.   They have no say in their own life style.   The rules start from small thing like what age one starts to ride a bike, which age group wears certain types of jackets, the clothing one wears each day, and even what to eat.   In the real world, we humans make similar decisions for our selves without thinking about it.   People need guidance in their life to the right way of living but not a book of instructions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of ... ...t quite get the word for the whole feeling of it, The Giver told him the feeling that was so strong in the room is love† (P.125). Family in the novel is described as a group of people that have a unit or bond that they share each day together.   In the real world, family is more than a unit; it is care and mostly love. In conclusion, life without experience or memory is meaningless.   When all freedom is taken away from an individual, that person will not strive to make a better tomorrow.   These people are missing the freedom to choose their future.   Starting from success, family and their individuality has been taken.   Furthermore, most people in reality need love and happiness to go on and survive.   While we try to fix our lives with all the scientific ways, we are forgetting the most important parts of nature.      

Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name Essay -- Essays Papers

Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name In his essay, "On a Novel Entitled Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov tries to answer the age-old question, "What is the objective of the novel?" He quickly replies, "...I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book..." (311). There is more to his response than this, however. He goes on to say that his book was not written to celebrate pornography or pedophilia, nor was it written to promote Anti-Americanism (313 - 315). What's the purpose of his novel then? Well, Nabokov writes, "For me a work of fiction exists only insofar as it affords me what I shall bluntly call aesthetic bliss, that is a sense of being somehow, somewhere, connected with other states of being where art (curiosity, tenderness, kindness, ecstasy) is the norm" (314 - 315). He sees his novel in simple terms: art. Whether it be the novel Lolita or the name Lolita, a sexual meaning has been given to the word Lolita, and this is largely due to the str ong sexual overtones used by the novel's main character Humbert to describe his character of obsession Lolita; thus resulting in different and confusing interpretations of the novel and the author's intentions. In his essay, "On a Novel Entitled Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov tries to answer the age-old question, "What is the objective of the novel?" He quickly replies, "...I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book..." (311). There is more to his response than this, however. He goes on to say that his book was not written to celebrate pornography or pedophilia, nor was it written to promote Anti-Americanism (313 - 315). What's the... ... purpose behind the book, even though it is not the purpose the writer intended. This is the less common interpretation of the novel, as is apparent by the modern definition of the name Lolita. Because Humbert Humbert defines Lolita in such a sexually explicit way, her name has become a symbol of sex and seduction; this resulted in the widely misunderstood purpose of the novel. Humbert Humbert explained it the best when before his death he wrote: Thus, neither of us is alive when the reader opens this book...and one wanted H.H. to exist at least a couple of months longer, so as to have him make you live in the minds of later generations. I am thinking of aurochs and angels, the secret of durable pigments, prophetic sonnets, the refuge of art...(309). Leave it up to the main character of Lolita to sum up Nabokov's purpose for writing the novel. Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name Essay -- Essays Papers Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name In his essay, "On a Novel Entitled Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov tries to answer the age-old question, "What is the objective of the novel?" He quickly replies, "...I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book..." (311). There is more to his response than this, however. He goes on to say that his book was not written to celebrate pornography or pedophilia, nor was it written to promote Anti-Americanism (313 - 315). What's the purpose of his novel then? Well, Nabokov writes, "For me a work of fiction exists only insofar as it affords me what I shall bluntly call aesthetic bliss, that is a sense of being somehow, somewhere, connected with other states of being where art (curiosity, tenderness, kindness, ecstasy) is the norm" (314 - 315). He sees his novel in simple terms: art. Whether it be the novel Lolita or the name Lolita, a sexual meaning has been given to the word Lolita, and this is largely due to the str ong sexual overtones used by the novel's main character Humbert to describe his character of obsession Lolita; thus resulting in different and confusing interpretations of the novel and the author's intentions. In his essay, "On a Novel Entitled Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov tries to answer the age-old question, "What is the objective of the novel?" He quickly replies, "...I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book..." (311). There is more to his response than this, however. He goes on to say that his book was not written to celebrate pornography or pedophilia, nor was it written to promote Anti-Americanism (313 - 315). What's the... ... purpose behind the book, even though it is not the purpose the writer intended. This is the less common interpretation of the novel, as is apparent by the modern definition of the name Lolita. Because Humbert Humbert defines Lolita in such a sexually explicit way, her name has become a symbol of sex and seduction; this resulted in the widely misunderstood purpose of the novel. Humbert Humbert explained it the best when before his death he wrote: Thus, neither of us is alive when the reader opens this book...and one wanted H.H. to exist at least a couple of months longer, so as to have him make you live in the minds of later generations. I am thinking of aurochs and angels, the secret of durable pigments, prophetic sonnets, the refuge of art...(309). Leave it up to the main character of Lolita to sum up Nabokov's purpose for writing the novel.