Development of Tourism in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 11250 words - 1

Development of Tourism in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The researcher tried not to choose participants who visited Saudi Arabia just once. People who visited the country twice but with short intervals (probably in months) were also not considered to be taken as participants for this paper’s survey, as this could impact the results and this could also prevent in finding out the reality. This is because, to notice the development of any country, months are really not enough. At least one and the half year is ideal to notice some of the changes. Normally, countries strive and work on several projects which take months to be finalized and to be actually executed. Operations do not just start. It takes a lot of time because each project involves a lot of finance and that financial plan or budget needs to be planned, designed, tested, approved and need to pass several stages before being operational. This point is very important. For active developers, one and the half year of a gap is considered as reasonable, while in third world coun tries with lazy executors, identical changes take more than five to seven years. For any country, the growth and the development in the industry of tourism brings a number of positive results. This, not only, includes the foreign investments but a lot more than that in a number of ways. A country receives investments when it is rich in resources. Especially, the oil reserves and the petroleum reserves are normally considered as the blessings and fortune of any country. The foreign investments open doors to the foreign engineers and to the other foreign employees. When the investment projects are a little more than the average number of projects, a country faces a lot of problems in acquiring professional services from the local workforce. Therefore, it opens doors to the foreign professionals to apply and offer their services. However, the local engineers and professionals are given priority over the outsiders in many cases. A company may acquire foreign services for a long-term or for a short-term contract.

Equality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Equality - Assignment Example In the 19th century, the American society thrived on a subsistence economy where women typically did home-based work and reproductive roles. At the onset a market economy, women called for equal social and political representation in the affairs governing the society. In a seemingly patriarchal society, the French feminism of the nineteenth century grew at a very slow rate (Roth 23). On the face of it, the republican political system was reluctant to support the women and refused them the voting rights until after the Second World War, in 1945 (Paletschek & Bianka 12). According to the various reports by human rights organizations, some countries are yet to conform to the observation of women’s right. In the contemporary world, the modern woman faces the challenge of balancing work and social life. Nevertheless, the protection of women from gender discrimination is paramount for any society. Unfortunately, some countries, including the US, have loose gender policies that aim at giving insurance to the social existence of women (Gardiner  11). The pursuit of gender equality is a major controversial debate that surfaces the modern

Strategic Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Strategic Perspectives - Essay Example This particular paper fundamentally aims towards delivering a detailed analysis of the competitive forces and the various strategic issues in relation to the tablet and smart phone industry. With this concern, various aspects that include internal strategic audit of Apple and identification of the major issues regarding the external stakeholders that are currently faced by the organisation will be considered. Additionally, certain recommendations for Apple will also be depicted in the discussion. A Detailed Analysis of the Smart phone & Ta ­blet Industry The various strategic models that are fundamentally used to analyse the macro-framework of a particular industry can be identified in terms of Porter’s 5 Forces Model and Industry Life Cycle (ILC) theory. These models can be regarded as quite beneficial in obtaining an in-sight regarding the competitive forces along with the strategic issues shaping the smart phone as well as the tablet industry. The Macro-Framework Theory W ith due regards to the macro-framework theory implications, the aspect of macro environment tends to determine the various external influences that may impose a crucial effect upon the tablet and smart phone industry. The various macro environment factors in relation to the smart phone and tablet industry include the political, economic, social and technological forces which are prevalently acknowledged as PEST (Young & Pagoso, 2008). From the viewpoint of the technological forces, it has been recognised that the Integrated Circuits (IC’s) along with other electronic elements have emerged as superior, faster and cheaper as well delivering extensive opportunities towards improving the technology of the tablets along with the smart phones... This paper approves that the most significant strategic option for Apple can be identified with regards to its well structured analysis of value chain linkage that it performs while operating the business functions in a systematic and effective way. As it was mentioned earlier, Apple generally follows a well structured analysis of its value chains majorly focusing on the idea of creating new products, designing and re-designing the already developed products through the execution of its own resources and funding. It is in this context that the IT industry is very much competitive, diverse and capital intensive. In this regard, the packaging style of certain products belonging to Apple can also be regarded as one of the chief strategic options for the business organisations that might help Apple to decrease emissions during transportation and can pose valuable environmental impacts. This report makes a conclusion that Apple faces certain limitations majorly in terms of customer satisfaction and ethical measures adopted by the organisation. In order to mitigate these challenges, Apple should focus on creating differentiation business strategy along with lifestyle branding, advancing the close relationship with the suppliers, introducing innovative designs to persuade the customers and continuously investing upon the research and development in terms of technological advancements. Moreover, complying with the various requirements of the Fair Labour Organisation, greater concern towards the environmental as well as CSR conceptions and enhancing the existing valuable products of the organisation can also render significant benefits to Apple.

Equality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Equality - Assignment Example In the 19th century, the American society thrived on a subsistence economy where women typically did home-based work and reproductive roles. At the onset a market economy, women called for equal social and political representation in the affairs governing the society. In a seemingly patriarchal society, the French feminism of the nineteenth century grew at a very slow rate (Roth 23). On the face of it, the republican political system was reluctant to support the women and refused them the voting rights until after the Second World War, in 1945 (Paletschek & Bianka 12). According to the various reports by human rights organizations, some countries are yet to conform to the observation of women’s right. In the contemporary world, the modern woman faces the challenge of balancing work and social life. Nevertheless, the protection of women from gender discrimination is paramount for any society. Unfortunately, some countries, including the US, have loose gender policies that aim at giving insurance to the social existence of women (Gardiner  11). The pursuit of gender equality is a major controversial debate that surfaces the modern

Demographics and the Housing Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Demographics and the Housing Market - Essay Example Canada has a unique pattern of land markets, wherein the markets have been rated as, "moderately unaffordable", "affordable", "seriously unaffordable" and "severely unaffordable". It has been observed that the national median multiple is slightly above the above the affordable standard. Over the years there has been a rapid increase in housing prices. Prices and quantities in housing markets are determined by the interaction of the supply with the demand. During this time the home ownership rates have eaten up a deeper chunk of house hold wealth, thereby increasing household debt. Most important variables governing the supply of new housing include prices, the costs of construction materials and land, the cost of financing, and the value of the housing stock. Similarly, the important variables governing the quantity of housing include prices, the level of mortgage rates, expectations of permanent income or wealth, rates of return on other investments, and demographic factors that influence the decision to buy a house. Let us take a closer look at Toronto that is well known for its multicultural society. It is situated in southern Ontario, Canada with a population of 5,113,149. It has an urbanised region of 8.1 million people. Toronto being the fifth largest city in North America is one of the most populated cities having people from diverse backgrounds. Its clean environment together with a generally high standard of living, Toronto remains the most desired destination for immigrants. It also has the second highest percentage of foreign-born population. People of different European origins form the largest ethnic group in Toronto. Afro-Caribbean, Filipinos, Latin American too, find a place for themselves in this place. This is reflected in the neighbourhood names, like Little Italy, The junction, Little India, Chinatown, Portugal Village and others similarly named. The Downtown area of Toronto remains most densely populated while the financial district of Bay Street boasts of the maximum number of skyscrapers in Canada. The historically wealthy residential enclaves stretch northwards from downtown. It is a paradox of sorts, wherein, on one hand the up scale homes exist and on the other hand in the core vicinity of downtown low income families and incomes reside. The east and west regions of downtown however, radiate with artists and middle and upper class professionals. The inner suburbs retain the small, single family homes, while the housing boom has led to the construction of many high rise apartments in many neighbourhoods. North Toronto and some western neighbourhoods in York are some such areas. The housing boom has had a cascading effect on many municipalities. The advent of skyscrapers has not only changed their skylines but also helped them develop as secondary business centres .However further growth in the housing market is affected by the temperament of the consumers in that whether they are prepared to take risks. If the price is high and the consumer is averse to taking risks, the purchase of houses will automatically fall. The buying strategy of a consumer therefore differs from one demographic group to another. It can be safety said thus, that consumers differ in their thought process with regards to procurement of a house. Their views may differ on the money spent to rent a house vis-a vis to purchase

Colon Cancer vs. Lung Cancer Essay Example for Free

Colon Cancer vs. Lung Cancer Essay I. Introduction Although Colon and Lung Cancer affect different organs of the body and have different symptoms, they are treated similarly using, surgery, radiation, chemo, and targeted therapy . II. The treatment options for colon and lung cancer are similar and are determined by which stage the cancer is in. a. Surgery is often the main treatment for the earlier stages, such as, Stage 1. b. Chemotherapy and Radiation therapy are used for Stages 2, 3 most often with surgery, and sometimes Stage 4 III. There are two different types of surgeries performed for the treatments based on the stages. a. A polypectomy, removal of polyps, or a lobectomy, removal of a lobe of the lung. b. A colectomy, removal of the colon, or a pneumonectomy, removal of the lung. IV. In most cases, these cancers are unlikely to be cured in Stage 4. c. Patients receive chemo and/or targeted therapies to control the cancer. d. Surgery is usually done to prevent or relieve symptoms of the disease. IV. Conclusion THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR COLON AND LUNG CANCER The earlier cancer of the lung and colon is caught, and treated, the greater the survival  rate. The five year survival rate with stage 4 lung cancer is less than 10%. Colon  cancer stage 4 patients have a 12% survival rate. Whereas, patients diagnosed and  treated while the disease is in its first stage, the survival rate for lung cancer is 60-80%,  and colon is at 90%. Although colon and lung cancer affect different organs of the body  and have different symptoms, they are treated similarly using, surgery, radiation,  chemo and targeted therapy.  The treatment options for colon and lung cancer are similar, and are determined by  what stage the cancer is in. The disease is assigned a stage from one to four,  depending on severity. In stage one the cancer is confined to the lung. During stages  two, and three, the cancer is confined to the lung, with a possibility of existing in the  lymph nodes. When the cancer has spread outside of the lungs to other parts of the  body, the patient is diagnosed with stage four Lung Cancer. Unlike stage three Lung  Cancer where there is a possibility of the disease spreading to the lymph nodes, when a  patient has stage three colon Cancer, it has definitely spread to the lymph nodes  already. TYPES OF SURGERIES A surgical procedure is typically the main treatment for stage one. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy most often with surgery, are used for stages two, three, and sometimes four. Chemotherapy is a medical process used to help slow or stop the growth of cancer cells growing within the body. The drugs used during chemotherapy cannot differentiate between cells, so it also kills the healthy cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles or waves to destroy or damage cells. It is part of the main treatment for lung cancer. Thousands of people become cancer free after getting radiation treatments. Radiation can be given alone, or with other treatments, such as surgery or chemotherapy. Since the cancer is confined to the lung or colon during stage one, surgery is the treatment given; sometimes chemotherapy is also given. The surgery is done to remove the cancer and a margin of healthy tissue. Surgical procedures to remove lung cancer include, wedge resection, segmental resection, lob ectomy, and pneumonectomy. A wedge resection is the removal of a small section of the lung that contains the tumor. The segmental resection removes a larger part of the lung. A lobectomy and pneumonectomy is the removal of an entire lobe of one lung, and the removal of an entire lung. Unless colon cancer is very advanced, most tumors are removed by an operation known as a colectomy. During a colectomy, the cancerous part of the colon and nearby lymph nodes is removed. If possible, the intestine is then reconnected. If the intestine cannot be reconnected, because of an infection or obstruction, a  colostomy will be performed. A colostomy brings the end of the colon closest to the stomach up through the skin where the stool drains into a sack called an ostomy pouch. The colostomy is usually temporary and can be reversed with a second operation; generally after about three -six months. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy, along with surgery, are the treatments involved with stage three colon and lung cancer. Chemotherapy may slow the progress of the cancer and extend survival time, by killing cancer cells. It may also help lessen the symptoms of the disease. If a person is healthy overall, chemotherapy and radiation can be given as a combination. Combining both treatments allow them to work together to reduce pain and other symptoms while slowing the progression of the disease. THE FINAL STAGES Stage four Cancer is the most advanced cancer stage. A diagnosis of stage four colon  and lung cancer means cancer has spread from the colon and the lungs to other organs and tissues. Many treatments are available that can prevent or reduce symptoms, slow  the progression of the cancer, and lengthen survival. Surgery, such as a surgical  resection may extend the survival time in colon cancer. A surgical resection is the  removal of the section of the colon affected by the tumor. It is then joined together with  the remaining healthy sections to form one long, health piece. Depending on several  factors, chemotherapy and radiation are treatments for patients with Stage Four. Those  facts include, if there is lymph node involvement, where the tumor has spread, and how  it is attached.  Although surgery is not an option for patients with stage four Lung Cancer, treatment  options are available. The treatments can help to prolong life and reduce pain. Some  of those treatments include, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, combination of both,  targeted drugs, clinical trials, and supportive care. Palliative therapy, which can reduce  the pain and provide comfort, is also essential. CONCLUSION Recognizing the risk factors of the cancers, and practicing preventive measures allow us to reduce the risk for development of the disease. However, if diagnosed, the earlier the treatment options are discussed and began, the chances to be cured are higher. REFERENCES WEBLINK: http://stmarysofmichigan.org http://www.cancer.org http://secure.mayoclinic.com http://health.bwmc.umms.org http://www.ehow.com http://www.livestrong.com

Business Analysis Of The Sony Corporation

Business Analysis Of The Sony Corporation As directed by the Board of Directors of Sony Corporation, this report will analyse the companys situation from 1999-2005. Sony, a world class consumer electronics makers, was facing serious concerns since the late of 1990s, such as Asian financial crisis in 1997, the tech bubble and the terrorist attacks in America in 2001. Besides, the ever increasing competition from competitors and rapid market changes are eroding the market shares of Sony. The top management confront their difficulties bravely and executed a series of actions to respond to those difficulties. This report focuses on the structure of Sony in 1999 and the restructuring in 2003, as well as the analysis of difficulties faced by Sony and how the management responded to those issues. The structure of the report starts with the business description and the corporation strategy which has significant relationship with the following sections. Then, the focus will move to structure 1999 follow with the restructuring of Sony in 2003 called Transformation 60. After the discussions about the business structure, the report will concentrate on analysing the issues associated with Sony and state the responses taken by the management and its underlying principle before concluding and with appropriate recommendations. 2.0 Business Description and Corporation Strategy Sony is one of the worlds top consumer electronics makers and employs over 167900 workers (Sony, 2010). The business operates in over 200 countries and covers the games, electronics, financial services, entertainment markets and others (ibid.). After 65 years of growth, today, the group has established a world class brand and the strong brand image can benefit its bargaining power and make the business move into new markets easily. 2.1 Key Figures Some key figures of Sony from 1997 to 2010 are listed below (Graph12). The Sales figure remained in the reasonably floating level before 2007. Unfortunately, the management and shareholders are unsatisfied with the profits, since 1998 the profits reduced nearly every year, this might have been the trigger to ignite the restructuring of Sony. Graph 1 Source: Sony Annual Report 2001, 2006, 2010- Five-Year Summary of Selected Financial Data Graph 2 Source: Sony Annual Report 2001, 2006, 2010- Five-Year Summary of Selected Financial Data 2.2 Correlation between Organisation Strategy and Organisation Structure Strategy and organisation structure are correlated to each other, even the debate of whether strategy or structure comes first is still in existence (Lynch, 2006). Therefore, to understand Sonys corporation strategy (Graph34) is significantly important before discussing the structure and restructuring of Sony. Besides, an essential portion of the study of Sonys actions is an understanding of the nature of business strategy for the Sony corporation as a whole (Mullins, 2010). Graph 3 Source: Sony Annual Report 1998 pp6, 7 Sony Annual Report 1999 pp26 Graph 4 Source: Sony Annual Report 2003 pp5-management discusses key issues 3.0 Organisational Structure This section is classified into two parts, 3.1 focuses on the structure of Sony in 1999 while section 3.2 concentrates on the restructuring in 2003. 3.1 Structure of Sony in 1999 Sony as a world class player in a diversified high-tech market was challenged with the fierce competition during the late 1990s (Sony, 1999). Therefore, the restructuring was necessary for Sony to survive in the competitive market. The group announced the organisations restructure plan in March 1999 to seize further growth opportunities in the new century and the Internet era (Sony, 1999). The structure of the organisation is determined by its age and size, technical system, power and environment (Mintzberg, 1979). Furthermore, in relation to the environment, the diversity of the environment will largely determine the structure of organization and directly affects the organisation functions into goal-seeking activities through the formal structure to achieve aims and objectives (Mullins, 2007; Mintzberg, 1979). In this diverse environment, different structures will be taken in specific department to meet different aspects of situation for Sony. 3.1.1 Internal Structure of Sony as a Whole The internal structure of Sony is a tall hierarchical structure as Sony consists of three main business areas which are electronic business, entertainment business and insurance and finance business (Graph 5). Besides, the setting up of the unified dispersed management model is to face the rapid change in market in the aforementioned pillars of Sony (Ravi, 2005). As a result, the overall structure of Sony in 1999 was divisionalized form. Schwartz and Thompson (1986) suggested that the divisionalization form can facilitate the various divisions to compete fiercely among them, with effective operations to face rapid changes in external environment. Graph 5 Source: www.HYPERLINK http://www.sony.net/Sony.net, Press Archive, March 29, 1999 Besides, centralization and decentralization depends on how organisational power is dispersed and is determined by the organization structure for decision-making and problem-solving (Schmidt, 2006). The structure of Sony in 1999 displayed Sonys trend to be decentralization to distribute the power yield. For example, Sony set up a unified dispersed management model which facilitates more functional and operational autonomy (Ravi, 2005). 3.1.2 Divisional Structures of Sony After the discussion above, the focus now moves to the structure of different divisions. The electronic business consists of various subsidiaries (Graph 6). Each subsidiary is responsible for its own different products and makes business decisions in different markets. There is little interdependence that exists between each other. Thus, the structure of electronic business was divisionalized form. Entertainment business displayed adhocracy due to its little formalisation of behaviour. Insurance Finance business displayed a Professional Bureaucracy structure due to its complex environment with highly trained skills and knowledge to offer standardisation of products and services (Mintzberg, 1979). Graph 6 Source: www.HYPERLINK http://www.sony.net/Sony.net, Press Archive, March 29, 1999 Each business division has the autonomous to make decisions in its daily operation. The Group headquarters concentrated on coordinating these business divisions to make a long-term business strategy. Nevertheless, under the complex, diverse and dynamic environment, perhaps the more organic and decentralized structure is more suitable for Sony. 3.2 Structure of Sony in 2003 Indeed, Sony restructured its organisation in 1999 into a more divisionalized and decentralised form using the unified dispersed model as a means of a Value Creation Model. Transformation 60 saw some changes in the architectural structure of the organisation with it becoming more centralised, management-wise and financial-wise. It was aimed to refining the organisational responsibilities in carrying out the operating strategies and restructuring the marketing strategies in profitable niches. The goals are to achieve more profit margins, reducing annual cost, and component outsourcing (Sony, 2003). 3.2.1 Divisional Structure of Transformation 60 Transformation 60 saw the convergence of the three pillars of Sony electronics, entertainment and financial as opposed to the unified dispersed model. The following are the divisional changes: In the electronics business, the management combined the Semiconductor Network Company, Home Electronics, Mobile Electronics and Information Technology (Sony, 2003). The entertainment business saw the joint of assets of pictures, music, game, electronics and services to enhance its position as a worldwide media company. The constructed financial holding company absorbed Sony Life Insurance Company Ltd, Sony Assurance Inc. and Sony Bank Inc. By these convergences, Sony clarified the operational structure and concentrated on the engineering, innovation and financial resources. According to the converging strategy, the new operation structure of Sony seems like a basic Machine Bureaucracy structure (Mintzberg, 1983). Although it is less dispersed than the structure in 1999, the pull to formalize by the technostructure of Sony could be seen in Transformation 60 (Mintzberg, 1981). The restructuring of Sony in 2003 was more centralised than before as a result of the serious convergences of several businesses. The tactical and strategic plans were permitted to each sectors, which points that the divisionalized form still existed. However, the power on personnel issues was controlled by the top management, as well as the supportive finance and the ultimate goal were allocated and formulated by the headquarters (Ravi, 2005). Moreover, the restructured Sony in 2003 did not belong to any specific structure of Mintzbergs pentagon t heory but the combined one (Graph 7). Graph 7 Sony organisational chart: electronics-related business (as of 1 April 2001) Source: www.sony.net, Press Release, 29th March 2001(a) 3.2.2 Financial Structure of Transformation 60 In the light of improving its fiscal position, the consolidation of fixed costs and the combining of assets reflected the change of a more centralized structure in Sony. The company aims to achieve an annualized cost reduction of approximately  ¥300 billion (Ravi, 2005). The cut in employees due to the off-shore strategy to China establish the Contribution equal to Compensation principal of paying for performances, as Schein (2004) stated that employees have worked well enough to be considered valid. Deactivating employees from Sony had cost the company financially and it might have explained the poor financial performance of Sony after the transformation was done. 4.0 Problems and Responses This section will discuss the problems associated with Sony alongside with the responses taken and its rationale. The difficulties faced by Sony have been separated into different categories mainly the rapid evolution of technology, competition in the market and the differences of national culture. 4.1 Rapid Evolution of Technology The rapid evolution of technology as pointed out by Idei (Ravi, 2005) has affected the electronics, entertainment and insurance and finance sectors of Sony. The constant improvements in technology have caused the company to respond to the demand of the market. The following are the responses made by the company alongside with its underlying rationale: Investments: Sony invested heavily in RD, capital equipment and facilities in order to meet demands and improve profitability. Technology for Inspiration and Shared Experience and Creating New Value are Sonys RD missions (Sony, 2011). The company believes that technology is capable of linking inspiration and shared experiences on top of creating new values and capturing emotions of customers (ibid.). Investment strategies link to the capability of top management of Sony. Organisation restructuring: The Company believes that the new group architecture can help gain market share besides increasing shareholders value (Sony, 1999). In this Value Creation Model, the unified dispersed management method saw changes in the electronics operations, establishment of Digital Network Solutions (DNS), changes in composition of workforce which could ultimately affect the morale of employees, implementation of new value-based performance measurement system and the separation of headquarters into two distinct functions (Ravi, 2005; Sony, 1999). Indeed, the model brings competitive advantage to Sony (Jayaranam Luo, 2007). In such a stiff market, it is understandable as to the measures taken to seize every opportunity. Unfortunately, in 2001, the September 11 attacks caused the consolidated drop in sales, affecting the fiscal position of the company (Sony, 2001b). This has proven that the Value Creation Model had loopholes, hence Transformation 60 took course. Severe cost saving measures were taken but by 2005, as a result of pressure from shareholder, a top management reshuffling with Howard Stringer as CEO (Ravi, 2005). This proves that investors of Sony began to lose confidence of the previous management team therefore it was necessary for the company to overhaul its board. 4.2 Market Competition Among Sonys competitors are LG, Samsung, Sharp, Dell and Canon. Each competitor seemed to have an advantage over Sony in different products. Below are among the steps taken by Sony to beat the competition in the market: Partnership with Solectron Corporation in year 2000 and off-shoring to China were to aid the outsourcing process of production of electronics was a step to help the company meet fluctuations in demands, cost reduction, quality improvisation and customer satisfaction (Sony, 2003; Sony, 2000). Outsourcing may be beneficial to the company as a whole but it could ultimately decrease the motivational level of employees, as there is a tendency of decrease of power of managers, and failure rate is between 40%-70% (Purse, 2009). This may explain the Sony Shock (Ravi, 2005) incident that happened in 2003 despite the laborious process of organisation restructuring. The cost-benefit consideration was not given much thought before the outsourcing was done. The takeover of Aiwa Co. Ltd. as a wholly owned subsidiary in 2002 was for the benefit of the electronics business of the company, particularly the audio and visual (AV) industry (Sony, 2002). The takeover became part of Transformation 60. It helped accelerate the structural reform of the electronics business of Sony on top of the creation of synergy as a result of the merger. 4.3 Differences in National Culture As Howard Stringer took over as the CEO of Sony in 2005, a major problem he would experience would be the differences in organisational culture. Culture refers to the way we do things around here (Sanchez, 2004). Being one of the few foreigners to be part of the top management in a Japanese company, Stringer has the responsibility of considering whether to impose the Western culture in a Japanese company. Azumi Mcmillan (1975) found that both the U.S. and Japanese culture are quite highly centralized and companys rules and procedures are abided. In Sony, although divisionalization form can be seen, the Headquarter still plays its role as a coordinator, meaning that ultimately, the decision-making process will need approval from the top management. Also, in Japan, traditional values that emphasises on hard work and details are a common practice due to its religion influences but in the U.S., creativity and innovation are the common values (Webster White, 2009). Hence, in U.S., risk-taking is very much observed. The open management style of Stringer, his understanding towards Sonys tradition and his international viewpoints could be the key to influence the cultural organisation (Sony, 2005). This can explain Stringers successes in streamlining Sonys movie and music businesses. 5.0 Conclusion Due to the external environment effect such as the Asian financial crisis, the ever increasing competition, as well as the internal business issues like the low efficiency, the profits of Sony has been reduced dramatically since 1998. Therefore the management had to execute some restructuring plan to respond to those concerns. According to the restructuring plan announced in March 1999, the structure of the group was divisionalized and more decentralization, in order to seize further growth opportunities in the 21st century. Besides, the group launched a unified dispersed management model to ensure that the business operate more efficiently and to be able to survive the rapid change of environment. Sony did a mass of changes to adapt to the market changes; unfortunately, the pace of the latter was overtaking the managements expectations. Consequently, Sony had to accelerate the reform plan and announced another restructuring plan called Transformation 60 in 2003. The change in 2003 s aw a stronger pull to formalize in the technostructure although it can be seen that there is a mixture between the machine bureaucracy and divisionalized forms. Convergences in the three sectors saw power being more focused at the top management. The change of technology, market competition and the differences in organisational culture, especially after the takeover of Stringer, were the main concerns of Sony. Organisational restructuring and investment strategies were among the solutions in coping with technological changes. Market competition forced Sony to deal with vast partnerships, joint ventures and mergers with other companies for outsourcing purposes. Finally, the change to a foreigner to lead a Japanese company spark concerns on the future of Sonys organisational culture. Nevertheless, based on the analysis that has been done, it can be concluded that Sonys management and business strategies affects its organisational structure. It was the drop in profits that led investors to force the overhauling of top management, as a result, the unified dispersed model and Transformation 60. Unfortunately, both measures failed to bring positive impacts to the companys fiscal positions. In light of the situation above, the new team led by Stringer with the probable change in organisational culture could probably help turn things around. 6.0 Recommendations Two main recommendations should be taken into account: Firstly, the future of the organisational culture of Sony has to be determined from two aspects based on the organization structure and the differences in national culture since the takeover of Stringer as CEO. Perhaps, Stringer could consider integrating the Eastern and the Western cultures to obtain the best of both worlds. Next, investment strategies of Sony may have to be re-evaluated again, as after the study of the company was done, there are hints of possibilities that failures in the companys fiscal position may have been caused by past investment decisions. Outsourcing may be beneficial but a thorough cost-benefit analysis has to be done. Investment decisions will reflect the capability of top management to stakeholders. Appendices Value Creation Model refers to the combination of intangible assets and monetary items to create additional value of the business for stakeholders, particularly shareholders (Qureshi, Briggs Hlupic, 2006; Haksever, Chaganti Cook, 2004). 2 The performance measurement system is capable of reflecting the current cost of capital of Sony 3 Before being elected as the CEO of Sony Corporation, he was the Chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation of America. Bibliographies Azumi, K Mcmillan, C (2004) Culture and organisation structure: a comparison of Japanese and British organisation, International Studies of Management and Organization. Vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 35-47. Available from: Business Source Premier. [Accessed 16 January 2011] Datamonitor (2010), Sony Corporation-Company Profile, pp4, 5 and 21, Publication date: 12 Mar 2010 Elkington, J. Masaki, T. (2004) CSR Report 2004, [online]. 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