Baird and colleagues report on a study of 364 business units from the manufacturing and service sectors in Australia. Their study examined four core TQM practices: process management, the quality and reporting of data, supplier quality management and product and/or service design. Their findings suggest that respect for colleagues and teamwork are critical components for enhancing total quality management implementation

Question 1 . Can you explain the link between quality management practices and organisational culture?

Question 2 . From your readings in this chapter, what other factors do you think are important for maintaining quality and increase productivity?

Question 3 . Some researchers argue that quality management processes can inhibit innovation. Why might this be so? What do you think?

Thank you in advance

Financial technology, also known as FinTech is an industry composed of companies that use new technology and innovation with available resources in order to compete in the marketplace of traditional financial institutions and intermediaries in the delivery of financial services. The use of mobile apps is embedded in the average Mauritian’s everyday life while the country already provides services such digital insurance, mobile banking amongst others. Several enterprises, particularly those aiming towards Africa, are already using Mauritius as a viable Fintech platform. The stable business climate and well-established corporate governance culture in Mauritius, favorable time zone, excellent connectivity and highly-educated labour, mitigates the high-risk profile of certain African countries.

QUESTIONS

Considering the Mauritian context, list and explain the benefits of Fintech

(Answer should be between 500-1000 words)

Financial technology, also known as FinTech is an industry composed of companies that use new technology and innovation with available resources in order to compete in the marketplace of traditional financial institutions and intermediaries in the delivery of financial services.

The use of mobile apps is embedded in the average Mauritian’s everyday life while the country already provides services such digital insurance, mobile banking amongst others.

Several enterprises, particularly those aiming towards Africa, are already using Mauritius as a viable Fintech platform. The stable business climate and well-established corporate governance culture in Mauritius, favorable time zone, excellent connectivity and highly-educated labour, mitigates the high-risk profile of certain African countries.

Question :

Considering the Mauritian context , justify what could be the possible drawbacks of Fintech.

Answer to be in 1000 words

Question 5

What is the importance of collaborative relationships to competition?

Question 7

Assume that you are the director of international marketing for a company producing refrigerators. Select one country in Latin America and one in Europe and develop screening criteria to use in evaluating the countries. Make any additional assumptions that are necessary about you company.

Question 16

Visit the Nestle Corporation website (http://www.nestle.com/) and the Unilever website (http://www.unilever.com/). Compare their strategies toward international markets. In what ways (other than product categories) do they differ in their international marketing?

Chapter 13 – Page 417

Question 5

Discuss product alternatives and the three marketing strategies: domestic market extension, multidomestic markets, and global market strategies.

Question 14

Discuss the characteristics of an innovation that can account for differential diffusion rates.

Redistribution of income or wealth will be a dis-incentive to people working hard. This brings back memory of why the old communist blocks failed and free market continue to thrive till today. This is only possible in command economy where government have exclusive authority over the factor of production. I definitely agree with Amanda on that "People who earn lots of money often work harder or have innovative ideas etc ."

When income is redistributed, tendency abound for bandwagon effect to become the order of the day, since the generality of people will take that whether they work or not, everyone gets the same reward. At some point, those hard working and diligent among the society will have no motivation to up their game, while innovation and productivity will suffer including the economy at large.

In 175 words do you agree or not?

1.. Comment on a situation where the following statement does not hold:

In countries with autocratic regimes, MNEs can manage political risk effectively by focusing solely on their relationships with the government.

2. Comment on why the following statement is false. Provide an example

Increasing Intellectual property laws always stimulate innovation and emerging country-catch up.

3.How do MNEs decide on their product/service offering if they are faced with large cultural distance between them and the host-country? What did Starbucks do when they entered to Italy?

4. List indices/rankings that MNEs can use in their investment decisions. Choose 2 mini presentations, Comment on which ones are more relevant vs. less relevant to those 2 mini-team presentations.

Describe a familiar project. Ideally, this will be a work-related project that has already been completed. Provide examples of events that took place in each of the four stages of the product life cycle (see below). Select two of the following five components: Client interest (level of customer enthusiasm and concern); Project stake (amount of investment); Resources (commitment of financial, human, and technical resources); Creativity (the amount of innovation required); and Uncertainty (the degree of risk associated with the project). In your description of the stages of this project, explain how the intensity of the two components has changed. For example, Uncertainty is highest in the Conceptualization stage and lowest as the project approaches the Termination stage.

Organize your post as follows. Include the headings: Conceptualization stage Planning stage Execution stage Termination stage

Discussion: Patents & Copyrights

Article 8 of the US Consitution empowers Congress, in part, "To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries."

Some economists consider that patents & copyrights (what is called "intellectual property" or "intangible property") in their current form contribute to stifling innovation and to the unequal distribution of income by taking advantage of monopoly profits. Here is a short discussion of the benefits and costs of patents & copyrights. And here is a discussion of the effects of monopolies on income & wealth (Links to an external site.).

In several paragraphs, discuss whether in your view the patent & copyright system in the United States is perfect as it is, or if it should be modified, and in what way. Please justify your response with evidence from an academic-level outside source.

Zappa is a mining company listed in Australia with a number of subsidiaries. Extracts from the consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income of Zappa for the year ended 30 June 2020 appear below: Attributable to Zappa Non-controlling interest Total $’000 $’000 $’000 Profit for the year 39,000 3,000 42,000 Other comprehensive income Total comprehensive income 5,000 ––––––– 44,000 ––––––– Nil –––––– 3,000 –––––– 5,000 ––––––– 47,000 ––––––– Additional information of Zappa comprises: i. 200 000 000 ordinary shares in issue at the beginning of financial year - 1/7/2019. On 1 April 2020, Zappa issued further 50 000 000 new ordinary shares at full market value. ii. 80 000 000 preference shares. These shares were in issue for the whole of financial year ended 30 June 2020. The dividend on these preference shares is discretionary. iii. $180 000 000 in convertible debentures issued on 1 July 2018 and repayable on 30 June 2023. Interest is payable annually in arrears and the interest rate is 10%. These debentures could be converted to 100 000 000 ordinary shares at the option of the debenture holders. In the year ended 30 June 2020, Zappa declared an ordinary share dividend of 10 cents per share and a dividend of 5 cents per share on the preference shares. The corporation tax for Zappa and its subsidiaries is 30%. All transactions have been correctly accounted for in the financial statements of Zappa for the year ended 30 June 2020. Required: a) Explain the meaning of the term ‘potential ordinary shares’ and provide TWO examples of potential ordinary shares OTHER THAN convertible loans. b) Explain how the diluted earnings per share is calculated and when it needs to be disclosed. c) Compute the basic and diluted earnings per share amounts for Zappa for the year ended 30 June 2020 which will be presented in its consolidated financial statement